I was fortunate enough to be able to spend 24 hours in the desert, which included riding camels, dune bashing, dune boarding, 4-wheeling, camping, hanging out with locals around the campfire, eating lots of dates and drinking lots of arab coffee, getting rained on and watching the sunrise.
My first time in the desert was a great success. And that's the skinny.
Here are the details, if you're so inclined to read them. Otherwise, skip on down to the photos.
Of the nearly 150 people out for the day tour, Milan and I were the only ones to stay the night. It seemed like the obvious choice, and I'm surprised no one else took them up on the offer, but it worked out nicely for us. They bussed everyone back to the city, and then it was just the two of us and the locals sitting around a campfire listening to music, passing their pet falcon around (not to us, but they would have if we'd wanted him), eating dates and drinking Arab coffee. We did a lot of the date eating and coffee drinking over a 24 hour period, they were big on that.
I loved the desert. Loved it. It was such a unique and unexpected opportunity for me to get some insight to the local culture. The tour company we used is run by a very hands on Arab family, and they were all staying out for the weekend as well. Because we were the only guests on the second day, we had a lot of one on one time with them. During the rain (yes. it rained. could. not. believe. it), they brought us inside their tent to watch movies. We were driven in VIP with the owner while everyone else was bussed to the campsite and throughout the day he would stop by and chat with us about various aspects of the culture and life. What a bonus. I've said it before, but I thought Abu Dhabi was just terrific. It was amazing to get a glimpse of the day to day life and interactions of Arabs through this experience. We are fed so much negativity about them as a people from the newsmedia, and although those things aren't necessarily untrue, they are such a specific and small part of the big picture. My interpretation was that they are just like you and me. They're funny and they love to laugh, like listening to music and enjoy being around other people. I felt incredibly safe and more at ease than I have in any other Asian country. It was wonderful.
The weekend in Abu Dhabi is Friday and Saturday (something to get used to), so we made it to our campsite Friday afternoon. It was great to see so many people unload from busses and vans, and know that we were the only ones who had a tent waiting. I was excited. I had no idea what the accommodations would be like, and my expectations were incredibly low. I was imagining something like a pup-tent. That's it. End of story. What we got was a whole different ballgame. It was desert luxury served on a silver platter. I was really, really shocked at first glance. Our tent was big enough to fit four twin beds inside (I know because there were, in fact, four twin beds inside), tall enough for us to stand up straight, and -- it's a big and -- it had electricity! There we were, sitting in our tent in the middle of the desert, listening to the ipod and talking with the light of the lamp. Man, it was plush.
Outside the tent they had fully western washroom facilities. All included electricity and when they showed us this part I just stared with my mouth gaping open in shock. The thing about the desert is, I really don't think it would have been an issue for me to rough it. I have a difficult time with small, dirty guesthouses and uncleaned bathrooms, or places that feel like the walls might cave in on me if I so much as sneeze (and, I happen to think these issues are totally reasonable), but the desert is a different story. I could have and would have done just fine in the roughest of the rough. Even so, it was a very nice surprise.
They planned the activities for us very well, on the first day taking everyone dune bashing and sand boarding. Doon bashing scared the bejesus outta' me! It basically means here, let's drive this Toyota SUV (every single last one of them was) up and down and across the dunes and let it fishtail and slide down the sand as the car pleases, because it's a vehicle and I really couldn't stop it even if I wanted; that's just no problem. For me, big problem. I think it might have been the scariest roller coaster I've ever ridden. I had to be seriously convinced, as the drive out through the dunes did enough to jar my nerves; I didn't need them to actually put effort into making it exhilarating or anything. I caved for two reasons. 1.) I owed Milan for letting me drive him around on the motorbike in Thailand, as that scares the bejesus out of him (yes, you are welcome), and 2.) Let's be honest, no one likes a chicken shit. It was time to man up. Man up I did, and when it was all said and done, I was so hopped up on adrenaline I was ready to go again. I loved it. If the opportunity presented itself now however, I'd likely pull a "been there, done that" and politely decline the offer. I mean really, who needs to prove themselves twice..
This was my second time sand boarding, and neither time did I understand the allure. It sounds really cool and all, but you go down the dune at a whopping pace of .0005 ft/hour. It's useless. I want some speed on that puppy. Burnin' rubber. Now, if you are a seasoned dune boarder and know how to obtain that extra umph, please, please please share your secret. So far, my trips have all been snoresville. With that said, it is of course still fun and exciting to say I've done it. I mean, have you done it? Yeah, that's what I thought.
At night at camp I rode a camel. Yes.
The next day we spent hours riding around on four-wheelers, and it was so cool. Milan was much more adventurous with his than me, but I think I held my own. Towards the end I was really tearin' it up, driving up and flying straight down on the dunes. We really lucked out with the rain just before we left, as it packed the sand and made it easier to keep from getting stuck. Had it been any other normal, dry day, I believe I would have been much more intimidated by the whole ordeal. Slipping backwards down the sand and flipping a quad isn't something I'm interested in, and it would have been hard to move past. Good for me, I didn't have to worry about it.
Here I am towards the end of the ride. The photo doesn't do it justice; that dune was steep and I was moving fast! It looks so wimpy. Hmph.
When we were riding around we ran into a couple herds of camels. We weren't really expecting to see any (well, I wasn't), and I just loved it. We asked about it once we returned, and they aren't wild. Their owners let them go for the day to find water (I think), and the lead camel always brings them home. From what they were saying, it is similar to training a dog. They want to be with the hand that feeds them, so they don't wander off without returning.
This was when we were watching a movie with them in the tent. The little boy, Abdulah, was so fascinated by the rain since it is so rare. We sat there staring at him, staring at the rain for quite awhile. I enjoyed his contentment in watching. He must have sat in this position, fixated, for at least 15 minutes. Even for me it was shocking to see a rain storm in the desert, so I can only imagine what it was like for everyone else.
Our campfire. You can see the falcon's perch in the far left of the photo. They were passing him around while telling stories and listening to music. There was a lot, a lot of laughter.
The inside of our tent. Spacious! And, check out the lamp. Ooo la la.
They provided a buffet-style dinner for everyone, and it was nice to have the big meal before the others went back to the city.
Nobody warns you about holding on when the camel gets up and sits down. It's real steep! All of a sudden I found myself facing sand, body completely parallel to the ground. Both times I wasn't especially prepared and found it difficult to stay in the saddle. I managed, but you be ready for this if you ever happen to find yourself about to hop on a camel.
Some dune boarders. Another thing I forgot to complain about is the hike up after your ride. Man!! The sand keeps giving and giving and giving and it's a fight the entire time. I think much more worth it had the slide been a little exhilarating.
This is what dune bashing looks like. I told you it was scary.
We were totally overtaken by a sandstorm. It hurt and I had sand on my body and in my hair for days, but it was so freakin' cool.
Yeah, the windblown look is pretty rockin'. I know. 
Above is a more realistic portrayal of how steep the dunes are. Just look at that car starting up the sand in the background. Woah!!
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