Desert Safari

Desert Safari  - My 60^th Birthday

 

Desert Safari - Dubai

 

     Happy 60^th Birthday to me!  I went on a Desert Safari about an hour outside of Dubai for my birthday and it was brilliant!!!  Dune Bashing, Camel Riding, Belly Dancing, Dinner, Shisha Smoking, Full Moon, Birthday Cake, good friends and of course, my wonderful husband, Bill, who planned it all!  

Barbara with Students and Teachers - Dubai

Barbara, Marina, Seham and Noura

    I also had a great day at the language school in Dubai where I worked.  Big birthday party, cake, candles and so many PRESENTS!  You can't imagine...  I received no less than three dozen red roses from students, boxes of chocolates, books, jewelry, clothing, tops and a silk scarf. 

Maggie, Claire and Rebecca - Dubai

 

     I left work early because Bill had arranged for a Desert Safari for us and two of my young girlfriends who were also teachers at my school, Claire (age 23) from the United Kingdom and Rebecca (age 27) from Australia.  

  

      Their friends asked them why they wanted to hang out with an 'old lady' and they laughed.  They said, 'you just don't get it'.  She's not old, not at all.  She's just great and tons of fun!   Such a nice compliment to receive no matter how old you are. 

      

     Our driver, Ahmed, picked Bill and me up at our flat first in a huge, white Range Rover.  Then we picked the girls up from work and drove out of the city into the desert!  But before we could drive on the dunes, Ahmed stopped at a petrol station to let air OUT of the TIRES so we wouldn’t get stuck in the deep sand.  At the end of the evening, he reversed the operation at another gas station.  

Barbara and Bill in Desert

      DUNE BASHING!!!!   No kidding, so cool.  Up and down the dunes, sliding sideways, up, up, up, down, down, down, sand flying along side of the car and so much laughing, screaming, ooohhhhh, aaahhhh, wheeeeeee, going on inside the car  - it was hysterical!  Bill was holding on for dear life in the front seat next to Ahmed and the three ladies were in the back seat belted in and holding on to ceiling handles and each other!  But, Ahmed drove like an Indy driver and he was having as much fun as we were.  The sun was shining and the reddish sand glistened.  

Bill in Front Seat of Range Rover

 

Desert Safari Range Rovers

       There were lots of other Range Rovers and Land Cruisers in the desert, but they looked like little Match Box cars on the ridges of the dunes.  We would ride up to the ridges and straddle them for a while, then go down, down, down...  Then, we drove go straight up, crested the top, then go STRAIGHT DOWN.  Talk about losing your lunch!  You are advised not to eat anything for about 2-3 hours before the dune excursion and I can understand that advice.  

 

Rebecca, Barb, Claire and Bill

Arabian Desert outside of Dubai

Barb and Rebecca

      After about an hour of roller coaster dune bashing, we stopped on top of one of the dunes to get out and take in the view.  Oh my goodness, the view!  We could see for miles and miles, just rolling, beautiful red sand mountains.  We played in the warm, silky soft sand, which does NOT STICK to your skin or the tires of the car.  We took photos of each other, the dunes and the sunset.  

Barb Jumping for Joy!

  

     Camel Farm – After our dune bashing, we drove to a camel farm where a baby camel had just been born 5 minutes before we arrived.  So, the camel and I now have the same birthday.  He was so little and cute, looking like a wet noodle lying on the ground flopping his big head around.  He would raise his head and then it would fall back down onto the sand because he just didn’t have enough strength to hold it up.  The mama camel licked him and kneeled down beside him to trying to help him get up and stand.  This went on for some time.  

Newborn Camel

Ali at the Camel Farm

    

  Then the camel farm worker lifted the baby camel up, but he couldn't quite stand on his skinny, wobbly legs, so he went back down into the sand.  

    

 Finally, the newborn camel got up on his knees and remained steady.  At last, he stood up!  All of this took place in about 45 minutes. 

   

  Birth and life!  A new beginning in the desert.  He was just adorable.  So we asked them to name the camel after me.  I now have a camel named after me! 

  

     Desert Camp – We headed to the Desert Camp for our evening of entertainment and dinner.  Again, brilliant!  There was the most beautiful full moon - just for my birthday!  Rebecca and I went on a camel ride together.  It was amazing because as we were riding our camel and just walking along the desert with the full moon above our heads.  We looked to our left and saw our shadow on the dune next to us.  

 

Barbara and Rebecca riding the Camel

     The silhouette of the camel with us riding it looked as though it came straight out of the Arabian Nights.  We were just overcome by the moment - riding a camel in the desert as people have done for centuries and looking at that silhouette was so memorable.

Barbara and Rebecca on Camel under the Full Moon

      Henna - Next, we had our hands painted with 'Henna'.  The woman who painted everyone's hands, arms and legs was an amazing artist.  She quickly drew the intricate designs with the henna, filling it in and was so happy to do so.  Several people had beautiful artwork done, even some men.  The henna dye lasted about two weeks.  What a beautiful design I had on my right hand.  Guess this is as close as I'll ever come to having a Tattoo!!!  My beautiful Henna design slowly faded…  But, the memories of the evening remain with me forever. 

 

Henna Artist

Barb Having Henna Drawn on Hand

Beautiful Henna Designs

Rebecca and Barbara

       Barbecue Dinner - Now it's time for the scrumptious dinner!  Big barbecue with kebabs of all different types of meat - chicken, lamb, beef.  Too many side dishes to count, bread, hummus, taboule and desserts.  Mmmmmmm good...  All of the food was cooked at the desert camp, so the aromas just made your mouth water.

Bill, Barb, Claire and Rebecca

    

     Belly Dancing - Time for entertainment!  A curvy, exotic long haired Russian (yes, not Middle Eastern) danced on the center stage.  She was an incredible, sexy belly dancer.  Of course, she invited me and another girl up on stage to dance with her because we both had birthdays to celebrate.  She taught us how to move our torso isolating the three (3) different sections.  I didn't know I had three different sections to work with, but apparently I do.  So, I had a great time wearing a beautiful scarf tied around my hips and tried to move like the professional belly dancer.  I gave it my best try and had a blast doing so!!!  Well, when in Rome, or when in the Middle East...

Rebecca and Claire

 

     Middle Eastern Clothes - Rebecca, Claire and I went to a special tent where we put on the national garments of the United Arab Emirates - the black abaya and the sheyla to cover our hair.   We took pictures and decided that Westerners don't look particularly good in these garments.  All that black against our pale face and skin, not a good look.  You have to have the right complexion to make a 'Fashion Statement'.  Only Rebecca looked nice because she is of Arabian descent.

Rebecca, Barb and Claire

 

Barbara

  

     Shisha Pipe Smoking - Yes, I did that too.  Again, it's the closest I'll ever come to smoking anything.  I didn’t inhale (I don't know how)!!  But, I did enjoy the flavor of apples, strawberries and other fruit.  It wasn’t harsh because it is the 'Hubbly Bubbly'.  It's mixed with water, so it's just smooth and aromatic.  We all smoked the Shisha Pipes, even Bill.  Actually, it was quite lovely.  Everyone else had departed the campsite except our driver and my birthday group.  We were the only ones left to enjoy the full moon.  He was smoking with us and we were all chatting about the beautiful night.

 

Ahmed, our Driver, Smoking Shisha

Bill Smoking Shisha

 

     It was the most memorable birthday celebration I’ve ever had and I would go back to do it all over again!