Desert Safari 2010

Italicized descriptions in this post are from Arabian Nights Tours. Photos and video by Ivory. Dune bashing photos from Google.

September 4, 2010 – Saturday

The Desert Safari tour is an adventure that offers a taste of the true heartland of Arabia. It is almost a non-stop excitement program, great fun and very relaxing as well.

Waiting for our “limo” to pick us up. We waited for an hour or so. The ride was super late… or we were just too excited.

On the way to the desert, we stopped at a dusty mini-supermarket that reminded me of the ones in goon-movies.

The first adventure was (drumrolls) DUNE BASHING!

Our Safari takes you right into the heart of the desert, where awesome sand dunes await eagerly to test the intrepid traveller. It is here where you will experience the thrilling and adrenalin pumping desert dune bashing.

Photos couldn’t capture our screams and shrieks, so here’s a video of us and the bash.

After the shakes, rattles, and rolls, we stopped in the middle of the desert for oohs and ahhs over the majestic view. Most of the time it was pffts and pwehs over the multitudinous sand attacking us.

We get to pause awhile to enjoy the breathtaking view of a timeless desert, an ocean of sand, as we watch the sunset over this tranquil solitude.

We then move on to our campsite built in Bedouin style with modern amenities. Relax in carpeted tents… feast on a succulent barbeque of assorted Arabic cuisine served around a camp fire under the stars.

Enjoy the Sheesha (Arabic smoking pipe), try on some local costumes, enjoy free tea, coffee, dates, and try the henna design on the house.

Meet our henna artist. She’s really good and can finish a design in 5 minutes.

Unfortunately, the tattoo didn’t turn out so well after the peel. It looked brownish and faded even before our first bath. We suspect they didn’t put the full dose of ink.

Oh well, that’s what you get for free.

The tour lasted for just a few hours (5 hours at least) but it’s an experience worth paying for. The fun-er part is I got to make new friends. Liane and Denise are Ivory’s friends from UPLB. They’re an amusing, witty and crazy-loud bunch – just my kind of people.

Packing up and heading home.

These are the things we missed doing: Belly dancing (because it is Ramadan) and Camel-riding (because we ran out of time). Evening dhow cruise and dune buggy ride, we shall return for you.

The Atenean survives a gang of UPians and this is what she has to say:

Let’s do this again, folks!

13 thoughts on “Desert Safari 2010

  1. Solid post, nice work. It Couldn’t be written any improved. Reading this post reminds me of my previous boss! He always kept babbling about this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a superb read. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Wooowwww…. blooomminng ang Tita Vio ko! Ang ganda mo sa pics tita. Bagay na bagay yung damit mo. Plus, (infairness naman) pumapayat ka ha. Naks! ^_^

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    1. aww.. ang isweet isweet naman ng pamangkin ko 🙂 aba sana nga pumayat na ako. baka phase lang to. wala na nga akong boypren tpos mataba pa ako, ang loser loser ko naman nun. haha.

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    2. Simula ngayon, bawal ka na magsabi na mataba ka. Please lang, don’t insult us with fat talk after that hot red bikini picture. I already said to you my thoughts about that picture. So let me just tell the world: try looking that hot in a red bikini.

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  3. sooooo jealous…. I wanna try too!!! i’m glad you’re having fun over there Vi, despite the distance away from your love ones, you still have time to stop and enjoy your life. take care! mwah!

    ps… i’m really really really totally major major major to the max inggit.

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    1. haynako ate. hindi ko parin ipagpapalit ang kainan natin sa boni 🙂 haha. but this was a fun experience. Once in every 5 months? haha.
      Tour kayo Dubai when peanut is old enough to remember the experience 🙂

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  4. Gettin more and more beautiful sis! Great work, nice friends, and memorable experiences! All gifts of God to you my dear sister Vio!
    You’re missed!
    Enjoy life and work there!
    I’m happy to see your smiles here!

    Take care always!

    -jan

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    1. yeah, if you can do this kinda stuff everyday or every week. But this adventure only happens like once in 5 months. 😦 the rest of the days are… desertish – DRY. 😦

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