An Arabian escape

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I have come to believe that Dubai is one of the creations of Aladdin's magic lamp. When the earth gives you sand and water in abundance (and just that), what do you do? You construct jaw dropping high rise buildings and townships in the sea! And, that is Dubai for you.

While I have lots of good things to say about this place, I want to write about an evening spent here - in the mighty desert, under the limitless sky, amidst a lot of drama, camels and falcons - The Desert Safari.. an experience etched in memory forever.
Endless Sand
It starts with a drive to the desert, which is about 90 minutes from the city of Dubai. They take you in a Toyota Land Cruiser, which can comfortably seat 6~7 members. The drivers are a trained lot. Apparently, in Dubai, getting a driver's license is as good and strenuous as getting a degree. So, fear not about the drops, mid-way halts, cross climbs, and wheel-balancing acts. One suggestion would be to have a light stomach before the ride. Attire can be any comfortable clothing..do make smart choices keeping the weather in mind (if you are travelling in winters, it can get cold in the desert. And the safari happens in the evenings). The mood is set by playing some bang-on music, you are expected to wear seat belts and the ride begins. After 30 minutes of bumpy, shrilly, scream-y fun, with laughter (or hair pulling torture, whatever the case is), you are dropped off at a desert camp in a state of absolute haze and awe (or nausea). 



The ride is definitely not as sane as captured in the video :)

The camp is a site you have read about in books - colorful, with camels, falcons and people around. Didn't spot an oasis, though. The only difference is, the set up is done for the tourists. As soon as you enter, you are served a pint of Arabian coffee and Arabian dates. This coffee has mind calming, nausea soothing qualities..do not miss it.You can hop on a camel and take a ride. To set the expectations right, the camel ride lasts about 5 minutes and there are caretakers who come along. There is the falcon too, the national bird. All you are allowed to do is, hold it and take a picture, for 30 AED. A classic example of stereotypical tourist-treatment. And, there are a lot of stalls - for henna, hard drinks, shopping and hookah. There is a big stage around which the seating is arranged for the dinner. 

Traditional Arabian Dance
The evening begins with some entertainment - traditional Arabic dance with props and lights, fire show and belly dance. All 3 shows are highly entertaining; they have the best artists performing with poise and style. Next on the list is the barbecue dinner, which serves the traditional Arabian dishes  - hummus/Pita, salads and barbecued meat/vegetables, baklava (traditional puff pastry). Do try all of them. The flavor of the barbecue is delicious, even if it is on simple vegetables like tomato and onions.



The dinner marks the end of the safari. The desert gets a little cold and dull. Though I didn't get to see a thousand diamonds glittering away in the sky, I could spot an Emirates plane flying high, every time I looked up. There is certainly a lot of magic happening here, with the sun, sand and the sea. 

There is a take-off/landing happening at DXB every 3 minutes


To one of the best cities of the world, Dubai!

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