Dubai Drums Camp

I posted two days earlier from the performance of Dubai Drums. Here is the camp area seen from the big sand dune. It was great view from this point.
Instead of taking the stairs on the other side of the camp, I climbed all over there with my equipment like kids do.
This ramp is favourite spots in the camp for kids; Climb till the up and let yourself slide to the down. :)
Definitely real fun.  

Full Moon Desert Drumming

Since I moved to Dubai, I always hear about "Dubai Drums" and their special event in the desert at full moon.
Last couple of years, They were performing at 23rd April Children's Day activities in Dubai and I saw them in action. They are great and full of fun.

This weekend, we decided to go and try their desert drumming. They located in the middle of the desert. Good part is you can reach meeting point with your sedan car, and they are helping you reach to the camp with their 4x4 vehicles. Starting from 18.30 they have drum sessions everybody enjoy the rhythm, starting from the basic and getting more complicated.

It is total fun. They have corporate events with drum circles to strengthen group feeling in the team.
Please click their website and read about how it has started.

missing desert

It has been for a while I haven't been in desert. I wouldn't think that I could miss desert.
yes, I am.. That's why we have one picture from my archive.
I would prefer to sit silently and enjoy the peace at desert but these guys had different preference..

calmness of desert

I wish everyone has a calm and relaxing Sunday..

Wild Desert flower

I shared close picture of its flowers last week. Today I realized I didn't show the plant itself.

First I saw this in the middle of desert at one of safari tour. I thought it is just overthere not here in the city. But I forget one fact that this city was also desert like that.. All those fancy buildings, parks, hotels and highways there was sand and wild plants like this. I am not sure if this one will survive after they completely done Jumeirah Cornish project. 

sunrise at desert

In these days, again I am extra busy. It is quite difficult to take new pictures and share something fresh with you.

Thanks to my archive, I have still unseen and still valid pictures. like this one. : )

It was taken during sunrise at desert.

If you have 4 x 4 car and friends with 4x4 as well, you can go desert for camping by yourself and enjoy sunset, night and sunrise all together.  It is not safe to go only one car or even two cars. Generally people advise to go off road with min 3 4X4 vehicles.

This option doesn't work for me, so I am telling you the easiest way.. go like a tourist.. :))

There are many companies providing safari tours. Most of the package is starting with sand dune ride, quick stop at falcon village and following stop will be for sunset, The tours end with barbecue dinner plus 5 mins stargaze. There are also one option in some safari tour companies. you can combine safari tour with overnight stay at desert. After stargaze instead of returning to the city, you will go to your tent at desert, If you do that, you should wake up very early to enjoy the beauty of sunrise and the calmness at desert.

When ever I have visitors outside from Dubai, I advise them to experience desert safari at least. Plus if they have enough time, overnight stay at desert.

I prefer to go with Arabian Adventures. There are plenty of companies but Arabian adventure is the most professional and the safe one. You can pay extra for the security and their professionalism. You will not regret for that.

PS: posted for Skywatch Friday. you can other contributors from here..

Camel

Challenge your limits

After I moved Dubai and saw this kind of actions, I understood what does really mean 4x4 vehicles and their capabilities. :)

O for Oasis

a scene from the desert.
I wish I had a chance to take a photo of this place from far away so the Oasis will be shown better.

Posted for ABC Wednesday. this week's letter is O. Please click here to see other posts for the theme.

Pattern from desert

tracks

taken at fossil rock,
another picture from archive..

While I am away I am posting from my archive..
I went fossil rock two weeks back with friends and I posted only one picture which was not showing enough from the place. At that time i didn't have time to take pictures around, so I am getting help from previous visits to show more about fossil rock.
In these fossil rock you can see even fossils of sea.

near to the fossil rock

previous weekend, one of my friend has a visitor from outside Dubai and I was invited for short visit with them to the desert at sunset.
We went to the fossil rock. Actually not to the fossil rock, "nearby" could be more appropriate.

That area called fossil rock and the reason is not much difficult to guess; even fossils of sea creatures are available.

I wish I could have a chance to go there and take some pictures of those.
Maybe after summer, I can convince my friends to go to the fossil rock not to the nearby.  My regular city car can not reach even the nearby :)

Sunset

Sunset at desert. 

Safari

Another post from last week,
several 4 x 4 vehicles were off road on sand dunes.

Definitely it is fun and difficult to take pictures.

Arabian Oryx

Taken at Dubai Desert Conservation Resort. In this resort there are several animals, such as Arabian Gazelle, Desert Gazelle, Arabian Oryx, sand fox, wild cat, snakes, lizards, and also various plants.

While we were going to camp area, we saw this Arabian Oryx.

a scene at desert

A scene from desert safari from this weekend.

This area is reserved area. Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve
only couple of tour company are allowed to enter for daily tours. Main purpose is protection / research of natural life.

zest ?

I haven't heart the word "zest" before. When I read the today's theme last week, I started to think, what could be "zest in Dubai"?.
According to Oxford Dictionaries the definition is "Great enthusiasm and energy". Also according to google other synonyms are "joy, delight, excitement,...." After I read all those definitions, I remembered this picture which was taken at desert.

I hope I understood properly. We will see how other bloggers interpreted "ZEST" from this link.

driving in Desert

Today I noticed that I posted very few photos from desert, even though we are living in it. So we have it one more.

When you are living in a city like Dubai, you can not understand that you are in desert unless there is sand storm.

the best activity for tourist in Dubai is Desert Safari. in this way people can understand how & where the city build from. also it is good experience to being in desert and appreciate the nature.

in fact, safari / desert is not just for tourists, I enjoy going to desert even after 5 years.

unfortunately it is not easy to go off-road by yourself.

requirements,
well maintained 4 x 4 vehicle. (min 2 cars but preferably 3 or more)
very skilled drivers, - because of the wind, the ground and sand may change so rapidliy.
enough water - even if you are going in winter time, with AC, water has high importance always.
GPS device - you might want to return to home :)


or you can buy a ticket from one of tour operators.

we had a company gathering last month, kind of team building activity. They arrange it with professional tour operators, which was more safe.
Lucky me! I was sitting at the rear seat. it was not comfortable for the ride but it was acceptable for taking pictures.

falcon show

Safari at Dubai. It is kind a "must to do" here, if you visit Dubai. The programme designed for tourists but it is always fun for residents as well. I do not remember how many times I attended these tours with different reasons and different visitors. I was quite sure about the programme and what to see on last Thursday. This time there was a surprise also for me; falcon show. It was new in the programme, at least not in this way.

first they start to give a brief about falcons and their relationships with owners and the importance for the desert life. then there was a show about how falcon can catch fast moving animals. here in our case, their meal.

Falcons are the fastest creature on the earth. They can reach 320 km/h. they have great vision ability and they hunt. they can only eat 10 - 20 % of their body weight so the owner will get the leftover of hunted animals. That's why falcons are very important for life at dessert. They do not have any emotional connection with owners unlike cat / dog or any other animals. They are more like a fish, as long as you feed them, they will accept you otherwise you are not important for them.
Falcons are very important figure not only in this region also all around the world. You can see the falcon figure on many flags or on banknotes or logos.

Tree in Desert?

I remember very well the first time when I was at desert.

I was just surprised with the variety of animals and plants. I do not know why, but I was thinking, if it is desert, there is nothing to see besides sand.

I was wrong and totally mistaken.

There are plenty of trees without special care, without irrigation system.

This picture was taken long time back. You can see how old the tree is. There are several type of trees which can resist desert climate. Some of them has long and strong roots to get deep water, some of them has special leave structure to get vital water from the humidity of weather.

Also you can see many 4x4 vehicle coming from desert after weekend picnic.

Enjoy your Sunday!!