So we went on the desert safari ....

We got picked up on time and set off up Hatta Road to the desert, sharing a Toyota Land Cruiser with a couple of Romanian girls and Chinese lads.

First up, dune bashing on the way to the camp. This involved climbing huge dunes, sliding down and skimming the top at pace. Pretty full on, but the driver knew how to handle the car. Was not scary as such, but nauseating! After half an hour you're glad to stop. Time for a photo opportunity (see pictures) and then back to the car. Anna was a bit white by this point but thankfully the dune bashing had pretty much ended and we were on our way to camp.

Arrive there - declined the offer of a camel ride (Anna is still white) and of holding a Falcon (big b*****) and instead climbed to the top of camp. My reaction was - "s*** - this looks like a Palestinian refugee camp". Bit of a dump, not that much to do. Show starts - Egyptian theme. Fellas wearing skirts and twirling them - looked a bit camp. Then the belly dancer came on - and the Indians went wild. God knows what they would be like in a lap dancers! Belly dancer had a bit of a muffin top but could shake her booty. She came into the crowd asking for volunteers - I tried to persuade Anna to get up. She wouldn't, so a few Yanks did instead.

The BBQ dinner was alright to be fair and then the "entertainment" continued. At one point an American guy gatecrashed the makeshift stage and started doing his own belly dance shouting "hey man - where's the music?". This was the highlight for me- can always relay on the Yanks to offend the Bedouin hosts and show off. Unfortunately we didn't see the guy again .... there is a lot of desert out there.

Finished at 8pm, picked up and back to the hotel. Was very well organised and a good experience overall although not something we would go for back for seconds. Anna declared it wouldn't meet the Bill and Jean event "standards" and commented she would rather have gone to the new Cheesecake Factory in the Mall of the Emirates.

Nice coffee in our "new place" Tim Hortons, a sneaky beer for me on the rooftop bar (views are amazing) whilst Anna was packing. Then bed ... off to Singapore early tommorrow .... Goodnight