So, me and two friends went on a (somewhat budget) desert safari! I met Ari through a Meet Up group - she's from NZ too, and Cathy is a friend from work. Rawan from work was gonna go too, but her in-laws from Bahrain were in town.
We get picked up at Lulu Hypermarket near the Mall of Emirates. We were then taken by bus to somewhere in the desert, then put into 4WDs and driven over the dunes. It was supposed to be scary, I believe. I was in the front and it wasn't. Maybe if I was in the back more? Don't 4WDs roll easily?? I'm sure they know what they're doing. Here's a video I took of some driving and then arriving at the place.
Then we arrived at the place and there was quad biking (for an additional fee) and camels to ride on, but a big queue, so we went on the camels later.
We went into the... enclosure. It was an open tent square with covered 'rooms' around the outside. They were open to the centre. In the absolute centre was a stage and around that were low tables and cushions. At the end of the enclosure opposite was a Shisha area. The floor was sand.
So what at the desert safari: Shisha, free water & soft drinks, cash bar for alcohol, camel rides, dress up Arabic style room, photos for sale, bbqed corn on the cob with salt and lime for sale, buffet (at food time), quad bikes for rent and souvenirs. Also a falcon you could have your picture with (for money)
Shisha: Yes, the water pipes. There was only double apple flavour for free, but a guy (who then proceeded to try to pick all of us up) gave us the grape flavour (that Cathy favours) for free. He did not manage to pick any of us up.
Camel rides: Maybe the shortest rides ever! We went about.... 30m(?) in a circle. Ridiculously short, but was the best part of the safari. Really enjoyed the ride - the camel is scary and feels like you'll be tipped off when it gets up, turns and when it kneels down again! Was fun! :)
BBQed corn on the cob with salt and lime: I was hungry, so I bought one of these. It was kinda gross. Salty and limey (surprise, surprise). Too much salt. But I was hungry and the buffet wasn't going to be for a few hours.
Buffet: Ladies get their own line! Buffet was pretty good. Nothing too scary, thank God!
Henna: I got it since it was free and I thought I should do it once here. I still can see it on my hand and WANT IT OFF!! I tried to get rid of it last night using nail polish remover. Did not work. Oh well, done it once but never again. Oh - there were some skanks getting henna done just before I did (cos I went much later than everyone else as wasn't that bothered). They were with the owner and appeared to be mistresses. No covering up for them. The first one got henna on her arm and leg. The other one got a HENNA TRAMP STAMP!!!! and also henna ON HER BOOB!!!!! The young woman doing the henna said she didn't want to do their henna as she's embarrassed doing non-hand and arm body parts (she was wearing the full black coverall (Abaya) and black headscarf (Shayla) so was probably quite traditional/conservative), but they were with the owner, so she had to.
Arabic dress up area: we didn't bother with that. Ari and I both have Abayas and Shaylas from when we went to the Sheikh Mohammad Centre for Cultural Understanding and Cathy has been living in Dubai for 7 years now.
Falcon: We patted it. It was soft. We love falcons.
The entertainment was a man doing an Egyptian dance that involves them wearing skirts and spinning round lots and getting rid of the skirts and stuff. It was pretty good and hard to see how he didn't get dizzy. After him was a Russian woman doing belly dancing. It was a bit middle of the road and way more skipping round than tricky stomach machinations. Disappointing really.
So anyways, we had a pretty good time, though it was a pretty budget desert safari. Next time will definitely pay more and go on a better one. And one that picks you up from your house. And has more stuff included in the price.
PICTURES: Check out my Facebook for more pictures.
Here's some videos of the entertainment:
We get picked up at Lulu Hypermarket near the Mall of Emirates. We were then taken by bus to somewhere in the desert, then put into 4WDs and driven over the dunes. It was supposed to be scary, I believe. I was in the front and it wasn't. Maybe if I was in the back more? Don't 4WDs roll easily?? I'm sure they know what they're doing. Here's a video I took of some driving and then arriving at the place.
Then we arrived at the place and there was quad biking (for an additional fee) and camels to ride on, but a big queue, so we went on the camels later.
We went into the... enclosure. It was an open tent square with covered 'rooms' around the outside. They were open to the centre. In the absolute centre was a stage and around that were low tables and cushions. At the end of the enclosure opposite was a Shisha area. The floor was sand.
So what at the desert safari: Shisha, free water & soft drinks, cash bar for alcohol, camel rides, dress up Arabic style room, photos for sale, bbqed corn on the cob with salt and lime for sale, buffet (at food time), quad bikes for rent and souvenirs. Also a falcon you could have your picture with (for money)
Shisha: Yes, the water pipes. There was only double apple flavour for free, but a guy (who then proceeded to try to pick all of us up) gave us the grape flavour (that Cathy favours) for free. He did not manage to pick any of us up.
Camel rides: Maybe the shortest rides ever! We went about.... 30m(?) in a circle. Ridiculously short, but was the best part of the safari. Really enjoyed the ride - the camel is scary and feels like you'll be tipped off when it gets up, turns and when it kneels down again! Was fun! :)
BBQed corn on the cob with salt and lime: I was hungry, so I bought one of these. It was kinda gross. Salty and limey (surprise, surprise). Too much salt. But I was hungry and the buffet wasn't going to be for a few hours.
Buffet: Ladies get their own line! Buffet was pretty good. Nothing too scary, thank God!
Henna: I got it since it was free and I thought I should do it once here. I still can see it on my hand and WANT IT OFF!! I tried to get rid of it last night using nail polish remover. Did not work. Oh well, done it once but never again. Oh - there were some skanks getting henna done just before I did (cos I went much later than everyone else as wasn't that bothered). They were with the owner and appeared to be mistresses. No covering up for them. The first one got henna on her arm and leg. The other one got a HENNA TRAMP STAMP!!!! and also henna ON HER BOOB!!!!! The young woman doing the henna said she didn't want to do their henna as she's embarrassed doing non-hand and arm body parts (she was wearing the full black coverall (Abaya) and black headscarf (Shayla) so was probably quite traditional/conservative), but they were with the owner, so she had to.
Arabic dress up area: we didn't bother with that. Ari and I both have Abayas and Shaylas from when we went to the Sheikh Mohammad Centre for Cultural Understanding and Cathy has been living in Dubai for 7 years now.
Falcon: We patted it. It was soft. We love falcons.
The entertainment was a man doing an Egyptian dance that involves them wearing skirts and spinning round lots and getting rid of the skirts and stuff. It was pretty good and hard to see how he didn't get dizzy. After him was a Russian woman doing belly dancing. It was a bit middle of the road and way more skipping round than tricky stomach machinations. Disappointing really.
So anyways, we had a pretty good time, though it was a pretty budget desert safari. Next time will definitely pay more and go on a better one. And one that picks you up from your house. And has more stuff included in the price.
PICTURES: Check out my Facebook for more pictures.
Here's some videos of the entertainment:
About midway through his dance he's lit up, which is pretty cool
See what I mean about skipping around!
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