Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Just do it!









We helped some other travellers get unstuck, lost the main track, enjoyed some root beer, started running low on fuel, changed routes, got lost, got stuck, found a tiny Bedouin tented home, asked a boy for directions and finally found a farm where we could maybe buy some fuel and get directions out of the desert.  The farmer was very welcoming and brought us some tea and dates which we enjoyed sitting with him in the sand.  The many children were curious of us and it was decided that one of the farmer’s sons would lead us out of the desert to a petrol station.  We raced out of the desert trying to beat the sunset and watching our gas gauge nervously.  We finally reached the petrol station where we made sandwiches and enjoyed a real beer in celebration.  After we filled up our tanks and our stomachs we made our way back into the desert to set up our tents for the night – a process made more difficult by how dark it was.  Finding our spot for the night was laughable and it wasn’t without some digging and pulling but we finally found a good spot – even though it was too dark to confirm that until morning.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Cheers to our Eid Al Adha adventure!




Our first camping spot was perched high on a dune overlooking the main track.  Around the fire on our first night we popped a bottle of champagne and cheered to our upcoming adventure.  After much discussion we decided to risk the limited amount of petrol, possibility of getting stuck and becoming deserted in the desert and drive through Wahiba as originally planned – no other route would be as fun !

Eid Al Adha trip to and through Oman








After several weeks planning our extra long weekend trip to Oman over the Eid Al Adha holiday our three vehicle convoy turned into a slightly more risky two vehicle convoy.  Our plan was to cross the 180 Kilometers of Wahiba desert North to South and more vehicles would make this a safer trip.  Although we were down one car we decided to stick to the schedule that was travelling to Wahiba and spending the first night in the desert near the entry point – we would reevaluate in the morning as to whether or not we travel through the desert or find a different route to our final destination, which was Masirah Island.  We met at a gas station at sunset, crossed the border and drove all day through some scenic small towns to reach Wahiba.  We let the air out of our tires and headed into Wahiba an hour before sunset.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Looking for a new camping spot











Our trucks were packed with our camping gear and we set out to search for a new camping spot.  We looked high and low and settled on a secluded spot, which required us to walk all of our gear into a wadi.  After our exercise we settled in for the night - Halloween night.  In the morning, after breakfast, we packed up trying to avoid taking any unwelcome insects with us and went to the beach to enjoy the rest of the day in the sun and sea.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Visitors



Having visitors is always nice and gives us an excuse to take in all of the touristy sights in Dubai.  Lunch at PierChic and drinks at Mina a'Salam.  Come back again!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Camping in Wadi Bih














We left the big city for the fresh and cooler air of the mountains. Due to the border being closed, we took another direction into Wadi Bih and found this great wide-open flat spot to spend the night.  It took some instructed maneuvering to get down to the spot safely and it wasn’t without some tense moments but in the end we enjoyed a great sunset and a cool night by the fire.  In the morning the goats came to enjoy our breakfast with us and then we made our way out of the wadi, past small settlements.  We made a detour to the beach to cool down and enjoy lunch before heading home.