At home in the desert

Vinita Bharadwaj enjoys a seven-hour adventure through the dunes

I was not sure if I could handle more than one hour of driving in the desert that is typical to the desert safaris one is obliged to undertake with visitors to the UAE. So when it came to going on my very first Gulf News Overnighter Fun Drive I suddenly felt the vertigo, sinus, back aches and other imaginary undiagnosed ailments, all coming back to me.

As we set out to the Nad Al Sheba Club to fill in our disclaimer forms, collect our food coupons, route notes and the goody bag, I was comforted in the car that the experience would be nothing short of fun. This reassurance came from 10-year-old Dani, who would later be thoroughly entertained by the screams and facial contortions of his adult co-passengers.

As participants in the fun drive slowly pulled up at the assembly point, there was a sudden buzz in the air. Acquaintances were catching up after a year — the last time they met was on the previous fun drive.

A few minutes of people-watching separated the veterans from the first-timers.

The regulars were louder and walked around occasionally — chatting up the marshals, while the novices took more time at the queues, asking more questions and addressing safety concerns.

Finally, the announcement for all the cars to move towards the starting point was made. At 1pm, the first car was flagged off and the Gulf News Overnighter Fun Drive was officially under way. The plan was to go through the desert to reach the campsite by 4.30pm.

Our driver, Zahed, was more than a veteran as he goes out into the desert everyday with tourists and decided to have some fun of his own. So on came the loud music and we started moving in a zigzag manner over the desert. One of the elements of the fun drive is not only to travel through the sand but also to direct the driver along the planned route.

Zahed humoured us by asking us the way, but after a point it became quite obvious that he knew the desert tracks better than its inhabitants. The rainfall a few days before had made the sand a bit firm, as a result of which we did not get to see too many cars stuck in awkward positions.

However, just as Zahed finished his sentence on the rain, there right in front of us was the first unfortunate victim. Getting stuck is always fun for the observers but not in a sadistic manner. Cars stop immediately and people step out to help.

Shovels are brought out and everyone has a healthy laugh over the situation. There is no rush to reach anywhere. A dig here and a dig there, followed by a quick tow, brings out the stuck car from its mess. All is well.

No names exchanged, just smiles and everyone moves on. After all, it is the event that is greater than the individuals in this case.

Zahed insisted on moving away from the prescribed route but did not stray too far as photographs had to be taken. So we were always above the rest as we landed and waited on high dunes that served as excellent vantage points. We did not mind, as we sipped our delicious juices, courtesy Lacnor.

As we neared the campsite, the giant Al Nisr Publishing logo towered over the destination.

We reached the campsite just before 5pm and cars were slowly making their way into the parking area. The music was already playing and sponsor tents were all pitched.

As the temperature started to dip, a cup of hot tea served as the perfect companion for an amble through the campsite that revealed five-star arrangements at every corner. Playstation video games in the Playstation 2 tent, a mini living room set up as part of the 2XL tent and a first-aid cabin were all in place.

The toilet facilities, which are always a concern, were impeccable and right next to them were hot showers — right in the middle of the desert — and now there was nothing to fear.

The stage was set and the entertainment began with a magic show for children followed by a band and a belly dancer, who ensured that there was always something to cheer about, during dinner. A fine dining section that featured an international buffet set up in four directions fed 950 people.

The spread by Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa was impressive with a selection of Arabic mezze, salads, soups, Indian, Mediterranean and Far Eastern main courses followed by a rich choice of desserts.

After dinner, most of us retired quite early and would have slept well if it were not for some spoilers, who insisted on setting off crackers until 3am.

An early start the next day meant that we were up by 6am and hit the showers. After grabbing a quick bite, Zahed and the other passengers met up by the car at 7am and we were off.

We were warned that it would be a long day through the desert, but Zahed said that the landscape would be worth it and he was absolutely right.

The seven-hour journey through the dunes with regular stops at the checkpoints turned out to be a wonderful experience.

The Umm Al Quwain desert served as a spectacular backdrop with patches of green, pristine dunes, and as we approached the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, the addition of the mountains made for a perfect postcard picture.

Zahed ensured that there were no sick casualties in his car and even prescribed a healthy shake-up over the dunes to negate the effect of any potential throwing up.

An accidental detour courtesy of a few spoilsports, who switched signs and removed tags, added to the adventure as about 30 cars found themselves turning back together and helping out some badly stuck cars along the way.

As we arrived at the last checkpoint there was some sadness at having to leave the rawness of nature and head back to civilisation. However, the promise of a barbecue lunch at the Hilton Beach Resort Ras Al Khaimah did cheer some of us up.

The final greeting, meeting and eating point turned out to be a regular beach party with music, beach, water and food that served as an appropriate appetiser for heading back into the city.