DESERT SAFARI

Desert Safari ,One of my most memorable escapades in Dubai. It was all FUN! 

 

Around 4pm ,the  driver picked us up at the Dubai mall where my companions are working.

 

After about 30 - 40 minutes  of driving, we arrived at waiting camp , it's where the desert safari's starting point. we stayed here for about 15 minutes to wait for 2 more cars. While waiting, we took the chance to take pictures of the animals displayed like camels, eagle and many more. They also have terrain bikes for a fee.

 

 

 

 

One my companions had tried the terrain bike for free. How's that happened?, we were insistently asking the man in charged to lower the fee , we didn't know that he is the owner of the place, then all of a sudden he said that one of us can ride for free and had our pictures taken with the eagle also for free .

 

Finally the other 2 cars arrived. It's now time for us to try and experience desert safari.  

At first it was really scary we really shouted and screamed at the top of our lungs. It mad me realize that it is really needed to have other companions so when something happens someone will be there to help immediately.After maybe 10 mins,  i came to enjoy the sand bashing ride. I even wanted to do it again.. lol!!
When we were about half-through the safari we stopped for some photo ops in the middle of the desert. 

 

 

It was already getting dark when we got out of the desert. The driver told us that we were already on another town, meaning we traversed the desert from one town to another. Whew!

We really got tired screaming, shouting and laughing that some of us fell asleep on our way to the camp site. While on the road the driver told us that the man at the waiting/starting point camp Fujairah. We regretted not getting him a photo.. (hehehe!)

At the campsite ....

 

 

 

 

 I was able to experience riding a camel. I must admit that i shouted the loudest when the camel got up and kneel down for me to climb up and down at its back..(lol!) 

 

Everything on the camp is free, it's all included in the Dhs150 fee for desert safari. SOme of the stuff we tried were henna tattoo, sheesha and of course the food and drinks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Not to forget the highlight of the night, belly dancing.

 

It was really fun, fun , fun...

BU QTAIR RESTAURANT

While in Dubai, there's this little restaurant we frequented near the Jumeriah open beach called Bu Qtair Restaurant. 

 It's one of those open-air restaurant that you sit and eat your meal outside but I think this one is literally and figuratively open air restaurant. 

The setting, when you arrived at the place , there is a small building or let's just say the kitchen wherein you will have your order taken.They actually have only one kind of dish, Fried seafoods...fried spicy seafoods. 

After ordering you will have to wait outside and the will give you  plastic monoblock chairs and/or just stand there if there are no more chairs available until they will call your name. WHen you hear your name that means your food is ready, only then will you be seated. 

One thing i noticed about the restaurant aside from its  unique setting are its customers. The restaurant is located very near the luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel and Dubai's premier residential and business  district but diners are mostly foreigners and/or wealthy expats. One time we ate there, one diner came with his ferrari.

BTW, don't go there late and hungry because you the wait is around 30-40 minutes.

MT. JEBEL HAFEET

Jebel Hafeet (Arabic:  (variously translated Jabal, Jabel and Jebal)
 is a mountain primarily in the United Arab Emirates on the outskirts of Al Ain in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

the radar station at the mountain top

 The mountain actually straddles part of the border with Oman. The mountain rises 1249 meters and offers an impressive view over the city.
 Jebel Hafeet was a well-known landmark throughout the area's history and is a contemporary tourist attraction. An extensive natural cave system winds through Jebel Hafeet.

sunset at the summit

It is often incorrectly labelled U.A.E.'s highest mountain (as it is certainly the most well-known); this honor actually belongs to an unnamed mountain  just across the border from Jebel Bil Ays in Oman. Jabal Yibir is the U.A.E.'s highest named peak
The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road extends for 7.3 mi (11.7 km) up the mountain, rising 4,000 ft (1,219 m). With 21 corners and three lanes (two climbing and one descending), the immaculate road was called the greatest driving road in the world by Edmunds.com.

 The road scales the mountain and ends at a parking lot .

 

 

 ... before the summit is the only hotel in this mountain, Mercure Hotel , 

 and a palace belonging to the country's rulers.

Jebel Hafeet Road is the challenge for cyclists who frequently come over to train.

More Mercure Hotel photos below: