Adventure unfolds: Follow the thrills of the Gulf News Overnighter Fun Drive

Buckle up, as the much-anticipated 43rd Gulf News Overnighter Fun Drive is underway, with hundreds of adventure seekers exploring the golden sands of Tilal Swaihan in Al Ain.

At this popular desert event, participants – whether seasoned campaigners or first-timers – will experience a mix of off-road thrills, entertainment, food, and music, creating unforgettable memories while enjoying the beautiful landscape.

This year, the offerings have gotten bigger and better, with new tracks by veteran race director John Spiller, among other surprises.

Throughout this adventurous ride, we will bring you updates on the experiences of participants, marshals, assistants, volunteers, supporters, and more.

Mind you, this isn’t a race, but a celebration of community, adventure, camaraderie, and the spirit of exploration. Let’s vroom!

All roads in Al Ain’s Tilal Swaihan are leading to the Gulf News Overnighter Fun Drive. Registrations are underway, and marshals have assured participants of plenty of surprises on this year’s track.

“First of all, the weather is much better today compared to previous years. It’s perfect for a fun drive in the desert,” said marshal Danilo Nakano.

“Participants can expect a mix of easy and tough terrain. Towards the end, there will be new challenges. It will be interesting to see how many navigate through them, but there is always an option to escape,” noted Nakano, who will be assisted by Sara Al Zaabi – the first Emirati woman navigator to participate in the Fun Drive. She’s excited to get going.

“I am looking forward to enjoying and fulfilling my responsibilities to the best of my abilities,” Sara said.

Dr Parveen Banu, a gynecologist at Latifa Hospital, Dubai, and her husband Jaffar Ali, an engineering manager, are regular participants in the Fun Drive.

“We have been taking part for the past 8-9 editions. The Gulf News Overnighter Fun Drive is a one-of-a-kind event, and the only one we have participated in. We keep returning because we love the arrangements. We enjoy it a lot,” Ali said.

Dr Banu noted that safety is a crucial factor in why they keep returning to the Fun Drive.

“We are confident that it’s safe. There are so many marshals to assist. They are very helpful. Also, camping at night is in a safe environment. We used to attend with our children, but now it’s school exam time,” she said.

Aslam Ali and Zubair Ahmed, friends from Dubai, are having the best time of their lives today.

“This is the first time we are participating in the Fun Drive. We saw promotional videos and read Gulf News stories about this desert drive event and got interested. We realised this is an iconic off-roading event and wanted to be part of it,” said Ali, who is driving a GWM Tank, which he bought a few months ago. “This is an outstanding car with amazing capacity,” Ali noted.

Ahmed said the adventure in the desert had exceeded their expectations.

“We are having so much fun dune bashing here. We hope to return for the next edition as well,” Ahmed added.

By the afternoon, the fun element of the drive had begun. A group of friends and families, including children, could be seen dancing to peppy music in the desert.

“This is nice weather for a fun drive, and we are enjoying ourselves. We belong to Team Vikings, an off-roading club in Dubai, with about 300 members,” said John Mathew, a Gulf News subscriber for 33 years.

About 40 members, including 12 children, are part of the Fun Drive, travelling in a dozen vehicles. Among them was Binu A.B., who runs his own small business and has been participating in the Fun Drive 14 times.

“I haven’t missed an opportunity to join the fun since taking part in the first drive,” Binu said.

“We are looking forward to bigger and better offerings next time from Gulf News,” he added.

Participants of the Fun Drive are required to deflate their tyres to 10 to 15 psi to ride in the dunes. However, at 2:30 pm, the only checkpoint offering tyre inflation services has not received a single request. Participants who wish to cut short their journey and return to camp need to inflate their tyres to hit the road again. This means that hundreds of adventure junkies in the desert are having a blast.

“I am surprised that, so far, we haven’t had a single vehicle asking us to inflate their tyres. So, all people are continuing their drive,” said Vikrant Sharma, national retail supervisor at Yokohama Tyres, Juma Al Majid Co. LLC.

“This checkpoint, run by Yokohama, is the only place where participants can inflate their tyres,” Sharma said.

The Yokohama checkpoint is located at the final leg of the Fun Drive, meaning that all the participants are having a jolly good time in the golden sands of Tilal Al Swaihan.

Seasoned campaigners have given a thumbs up to the new tracks and changes made to the route in the 43rd Fun Drive. It’s a vindication of the efforts of race director John Spiller, who made modifications to the tracks to offer a new experience to the participants.

“Yes, the new route is awesome. We are having a great time,” said riders from two off-roading groups who are smashing the dunes in their buggies.

Their group includes Emiratis, Americans, Canadians, Brits, Portuguese, among others.

“We are a diverse bunch. We’ve been participating in the Fun Drive for a long time, but it’s only in the last two years that we’ve started using dune buggies. We’ve had a great experience.”

The dune bashers arrived a day early and camped in the desert.

“We are having a good time. We will continue to participate in the Fun Drive,” they added.

After an exciting journey through the desert, the participants of the Fun Drive have successfully returned to the camp. To ensure that their spirits remain high, a variety of entertainment activities have begun.

After checking into their tents and freshening up, participants are now enjoying a lively atmosphere, with a DJ playing hit songs from Bollywood films. By 7 pm, there were live dance performances, a fire dancer’s stunning act, with more to come.

To keep the fun going, numerous sponsors held spin-and-win activities, along with free products like ice cream, tea, coffee, juices, and other food items for participants to enjoy. Individuals queued up to participate in fun and games, which featured friendly competitions such as push-ups and other playful activities. Among other attractions were camel rides and the chance to hold a falcon.

The overall atmosphere at the camp is one of fun, joy and laughter. Despite a long and exhausting day, the energy level remains high, as a diverse range of entertainment is lined up for the next few hours to help everyone unwind. The night promises to end on a high note, with more music, dance, and enjoyment.

After a night of camping with music, dancing, and camaraderie, the Fun Drive is wrapping up its 43rd run with a promise of a dynamic return in the next edition. As participants bid farewell after a sumptuous breakfast, Nishan Lentian, who has been part of about 30 Fun Drive editions, grew nostalgic.

“I came to the UAE in 1998. I have been participating since 1997-98, and at times, there were more than one Fun Drive a year. I have always been part of the Gulf News Fun Drive family,” said Lentian, a 52-year-old Armenian born in Syria.

An expert desert driver and guide, Lentian loved the experience of driving on this year’s track.

“It has truly been a wonderful experience. I can confidently say that this year’s track was exceptionally well-planned and executed. The arrangements were much better, and I could see the effort put into organising everything smoothly by Gulf News’ Naheed Patel and her team,” he said.

Sharing his insights and drawing comparisons to earlier editions, Lentian noted that more youngsters are participating compared to families.

“The drive was primarily attended by families in the past, but now I’ve noticed more bachelors and younger participants. It’s good, but I hope to see more families joining in future editions.”

Now, Lentian is looking forward to the next edition and underlined that Tilal Swaihan is an apt venue for a triumphant return.

“I hope to see this amazing event continue to grow. This area is simply fantastic, and it’s always a pleasure to experience it with such passionate people. See you next time,” Lentian added.