One of our absolute favorite things we did in Dubai was the Desert Safari. We took about an hour long car ride out to the desert. While looking out the window of the car one of the kids said, "Wow! It looks like we're in a real desert!" to which Matt and I replied, "That's because you ARE in a REAL desert!" ;0) Growing up in the Midwest it was common on family vacations to play what we simply referred to as the "Cow Game". My sister, Emily, and I would look out the window on our side of the car and count cows. Surprisingly, this game was played long and often! When my kids ask "Are we There Yet?"....I have turned into that "Old Parent" that says, "When I was a kid..." Then I follow it up with some "boring" story about how I didn't have a DVD player to watch or ds® games to play, I played the "Cow Game" or the "Alphabet Game". You started at the letter "A" and the game ended when you reached "Z". We looked for signs along the roadside that had a letter "A" in it and then we would move on alphabetically searching for each letter of the alphabet on the surrounding signage.
We also had an ongoing list of all the license plates that we spotted from different states. Seriously! Am I OLD or what!?! (Chances are if you are reading this and relate....it only means one thing...YOU ARE OLD TOO!!! HAHAHA!)
It's true though isn't it? Growing up, I didn't wear a seat belt (only occasionally), and when I was tired I climbed into the back window of the car and spread out like a big fat cat soaking up the suns rays that were pouring in on my tired travelling toushie or if it was a REALLY long trip chances are my parents had taken the middle seats completely out of the car so we could lay down on the floor. I didn't have an ipod® or an itouch® - I listened to the same music my parents were listening to....on a cassette tape that I may or may not have recorded some of the songs "live" off the radio simply by hitting the record button on the stereo in our living room. :0)
So when we were driving through the desert of Dubai, without having to be the "Old Lady" and share the archaic stories of my youth with my children they were playing their own version of the "Cow Game" but instead of cows out the window they were counting CAMELS! How crazy is that?!
Here comes our desert SUV!
They met us in our taxi and we quickly piled into the SUV and then we were off for the CRAZIEST car ride of our life! DUNE BASHING! It was like riding on a roller coaster except that you were in a car and you had no track to keep your car in line. There was no bar that came down over your lap but you can bet your bottom dollar we all BUCKLED UP! A quick glance upward and you saw that the vehicle was equipped with metal roll bars (although I would like to think they don't actually roll the vehicles all that often?!) The sand was our track and the ride was INSANE!! Skidding. Sliding. Dropping. Climbing. Flying. Plunging. Clenching..... Holding on for Dear Life!!!
WOooooOOOOOOW!!!
LIVE footage of the crazy ride!
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The setting for our desert rollercoaster ride ;0)
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Up and Over!!
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YAY! Dubai Desert 2012
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We are definitely NOT in Boston!
Girl Talk
Aw!
A Mamma Camel & her Baby and then along come Our Babies :0)
Camel Ride!!!
Hold On Tight, Girls! We're goin' UPPPP!!!!
Lovin' It!
So glad they have each other
Time for a little "dune bashing" of our own!
All together now....1, 2, 3!!!!
Almost time for dinner
Ready to eat!
Yummy Yummy in David's Tummy!
The live entertainment at dinner
This guy, yes, you read correctly, this
GUY had an elaborate costume and he did all kinds of tricks while he turned around in circles. No kidding, he must of twirled around in a circle for at least 5-6 minutes. CRAZINESS!! AND! He walked a straight line off the stage! :0)
More Twirling
Next comes the belly dancer!
Michael & Rachel got chosen from the crowd to dance with her
Michael & Rachel's belly dancing debut!
If the entertainment doesn't "WOW" ya....well then, the desert is every little boys sandbox dream! :0)
Uh oh! Daddy got picked from the crowd too! She tied up his shirt so that he could officially be a "belly dancer" too!
Shakin' His Tail Feathers!
Although he was embarrassed, he covered it well and just SHOOK it! The guy before him really let the crowd down and just stood there & refused to do anything but clap. So, Matt gave the people what they wanted...A good show! :0)
Lastly, I will share one more short video b/c I absolutely love the sound of Rachel and Erica laughing in the background at their silly Daddy! :0)
Matt ending the night with his final shimmy & shake!
