Get carried away by cars

Not interested in cars? Does not really matter. The Emirates National Auto Museum is still a must-do. This amazing private collection of Shaikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan is not a museum as such, just a glorified private garage.

A garage which houses some 200-odd cars — including some bizarre varieties, such as an enormous Dodge pickup that still works (it had to, so that it could get into the Guinness World Records, which it did).

Amazing array

And once there, what do you do? Umm … look at cars? There is a mind-boggling assortment of personal favourites of the Shaikh, 80 of which are still used on a regular basis — there were a few empty lots when we visited.

The collection houses a vast array of cars and other vehicles; some seemingly bought from owners there and then, such as a customised camper van, others received as presents from all around the world. While some have been kept as originally intended, others have been modified to suit the Shaikh's preference.

You will find several Mercedes, one in each colour of the rainbow for each day of the week. And they are all fitted with conveniences such as refrigerators and TV. A number of other vehicles are also rainbow coloured or have a rainbow logo painted on them and have matching seats and hubcaps.

There are a number of military vehicles into which children are allowed to climb; one even has a golfing range on top.

The Dodge comes in all sizes but none is as impressive as the 5-metre-high model with a complete apartment under its roof. It was parked next to some dune-bashing monstrosities and a shiny see-through disco car.

The only downside of the well-organised and nicely displayed collection is that the cars do not have signs explaining their type, origin and other details such as the year of manufacture or acquisition, which is a shame as everyone is not a car buff.

Get your fill

And when it is time to refuel yourself, a small coffee shop lets you tide over your mini hunger and thirst pangs. However, a better idea would be to check out the nearby falcon-shaped Abu Dhabi Golf Club. (Ph: 02-5588990.)

There is no entrance fee and visiting hours are from 7am to 6pm daily, with a lunch break between 1pm and 2pm. On Fridays, it is open from 8am to 7pm. A camel ride there will set you back by Dh10. (For details, call: 02-6676999.)

Getting there is easy. Just follow the road to Abu Dhabi, then take the turn for E11 — look for Mafraq. After passing the airport, continue on the same road towards Tarif and turn onto E65 at exit 306 towards Hameem.

Go past a gate with a rainbow sign over the entrance and you will spot the huge pyramid-shaped building on your left — that is the museum.

— Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey is a UAE-based freelance writer