Jenny told me no trip to Dubai was complete without heading out into the desert, so she arranged for us to be picked up in Jumeirah by a 4x4 wheel drive and driven along Al Awir Road to meet our tour guide.
It was crazy to see wild camels roaming the desert on our way!
Our tour was arranged to depart in the late afternoon. But, before the several planned photo-stops, camel-riding and belly dancing show, it was time to hit the dunes!
And, I have to say, the next 20-30 minutes of dune bashing were brilliant!
You traverse up and down the dunes, being thrown around in the back seat as the driver switches directions. It's like the 4x4 equivalent of a rollercoaster!
The drive continues across the desert and we were able to get out and explore the desert on foot which was a great experience.
The sheer size and expanse of endless sand is like the first time you head out on the ocean and are deep at sea - it's never-ending!
For many, the highlight of the excursion was watching the sunset. It sets so fast! I barely managed to catch the last edge.
It was met with a lot of emotion by some of the locals with cheers and applause and set the tone for our next stop - a camel farm.
Riding a camel through the desert though is definitely something you have to experience in your lifetime.
One thing you don't grasp immediately is just how tall Camels are! They're also not quite as graceful as horses when they move, but we still managed to keep ours under control, and I think the knobbly fella was quite sad when we had to part ways with him.
Our final stop was to a small campfire where we were able to learn about and try on traditional costumes while enjoying a delicious barbecue dinner and shisha (the famous Arabic water pipe).
We were also able to enjoy watching a belly dancer performing her show around the campfire by starlight.
It was a great day and a wonderful way to round off the Dubai weekend!
Next: More sights around Dubai
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