Dune bashing

With Nick and Bindi, and a bunch of their friends, we took the Landy dune bashing. This is a very popular pastime over here, but nothing we have done so far. Nana Viv wisely stayed at home, and Ian was just as wise - he ended up in the car driven by the expert who's been here in Dubai for years. At one stage during the day Jack was heard to comment that he thought "Grandad's got the best seat because he is with the guy that knows what he is doing". A wonderful vote of confidence.
Anyway, we set off with 5 other cars, and after getting a fair way towards Hatta, stopped to let our tyres down (to about 15-16 KPA) so that we could get out onto the desert. At low pressure the tyres create a larger footprint - kind of like 4WD snow shoes.

The Land Rover LR3 purred along - in surroundings that were actually a challenge for the 4.4 litre V8. After the driver was told to put it in low ratio (who knew? - I blame the co-driver) it went even better.

This may look stuck. I thought it was stuck. But Bernie talked me through it. We got into low ratio, sawed the wheel back and forth, and worked our way out. What you just don't get from the picture is how much the car seemed to be leaning at this point - we can see now it wasn't but man it felt like we were going to tip inside the thing. In fact we didn't get stuck the whole day - something I am very proud of (although now I wonder if we didn't try hard enough!).

Of course some people did get stuck. Back wheels not touching the ground = need to be towed. Out of respect not going to tell you who is driving. But Bindi couldn't get photos of the outside of this one....

Our destination - a stunning view from the top of here (and a very hairy descent round the back). Apparently our run was a 'beginners' one. Yeh right.

After going soft to start with, we got into the swing of things. The kids were loving it in the back. There were only two screams from Delanie in the front. This episode just might have prompted one of them.

Yep - we're going to do it

Oh crap, we're going to do it.

Daddy do you know what you are doing?

Shush. I'm trying to concentrate (on not leaving massive brown stains in my pants)...

Even though it feels like we are vertical I am sure we're not.

Nearly there - and amazed that the front of the car hasn't been ripped out already!

Can you smell the relief?

Then we stopped to meet some camels. The kids got brave (after a while).

I don't want to hear any more sheep jokes, please.

A really amazing day. Had lots of fun, particularly towards the end with a little more confidence. Reckon it would have been even more fun if I wasn't scared of breaking my car. Maybe there is something in owning a third 4WD....

Cocktails at the Burj Al Arab

Finally a look inside the beautiful Burj Al Arab Seven Star Hotel. We went for cocktails with Ian and Viv, along with Bindi and Nick and Bindi's parents Peter and Judy. Bling is the operative word. The girls all put on all the bling they owned, and still no one got close to matching the ostentation of the hotel itself.

All the rooms are suites. If you need to ask the price you can't afford it.

Upon entering the bar at the top of the Burj, I was greeted with a 'Welcome back, Sir'. My wife's theory is that I have been taking other women there. Mine is that the attendant mistook me for George Clooney. More likely is that they say welcome back when you are with guests so that you don't look like a geeky tourist in front of people you are trying to impress.

Wonderful view - but only spent so much time looking at that, because it took a while to get through the cocktail menu. We were disappointed that they could no longer serve the world's most expensive cocktail - because they had sold them all (only so many could be made because they were stirred with the remnants of the 200 odd year old barrel of whisky that was one of the ingredients!). Saved me about 55,000 dirhams though. There were plenty of 5 and 6 thousand dirhams cocktails left though, but luckily lots a little cheaper too...

Below is the Madinat Jumeirah - lots of nice restaurants.

Guess who doesn't like having his photo taken?

Size isn't everything they say

Delanie and Bindi - Delanie is that a slight drunken glint in your eye? The first one in a very long time? I couldn't possibly comment.

The end of an amazing evening

Friday morning at the beach

Don't need many words to describe this one. Beautiful beach, water is almost too warm already, just an amazing setting.

Drinks at the Observatory

Again with Ian and Viv we went for drinks at a bar called the Observatory - a cocktail bar on the 42nd (I think) floor of the Harbour Hotel (close to Dubai Marina). Viv found the place - and even worked out when happy hour was! A pretty fun time actually - very noisy place, because when we got there at about 5pm most of the other patrons had done at least five hours! In some places in Dubai brunch is actually code for 'all the champagne you can drink' - and these people had indulged. So, quite apart from the view, there was a lot of entertainment.

The Dubai Marina

Some old man and his trophy wife

Looking out towards the Palm Jumeirah

Dreamland Aquapark

When Ian and Viv were here we want back to the Dreamland Aquapark. It's about an hour's drive from Dubai - not as flash as Wild Wadi or (we hear) Atlantis, but great value and much more friendly for younger kids. Weather was great - although next time we'll take jandals or something cos the concrete gets very hot towards the middle of the day.

The dragon slides are pretty cool - little Jaime goes haring down these.

Yes this is Delanie - full of grace and poise...

Jaime baby shows how it is done

Jack actually got stuck about a third of the way down this one. Poor little bugger. They had to stop the water, and one of the attendants climbed up from the bottom to rescue the brave little dude. He didn't get too freaked out - although he would only do the ride next time with 'heavy Dad' holding on to him to make sure he got to the bottom...


Jaime had fun with her Mum...

And with the wholesome lunch.

Then we stopped at Jack's favourite sand dune on the way home. It's a big one.