I survived - again!

Actually, we had a lovely time. We all met at the pink shops (well known point in Abu Dhabi - and the actual address is Pink Shops, KCA. Try find them on a map!) and 5 cars set off to Al Ain.

There is an airshow on this weekend, and a couple of the members of our party are pilots, so they were keen to take in the displays from our campsite. We drove to the airport and then around it in the desert and started to feel rather dismayed. The desert was heaving! There were 4x4s zooting everywhere, quad bikes, camping families and literally no space to move. So we drove on and on, through ever more inaccessible sand dunes, until we came to a place through which no-one of any intelligence would drive. So we drove there, found a lovely deserted spot (get it? deserted in the desert...) and set up camp.

We were very pleased to actually stop, especially me, as Pearl had got dune sick on the way, and it was rather unpleasant.

From then on it was par for the desert course - set up tents, built fires, kids screamed and sand surfed, grownups sat by the fire, ladies went to bed and slept badly, men sat up and hammered the whisky then slept well until waking up badly, kids up early, me too to take Pearl out (she slept beautifully in our tent without trying to climb in my sleeping bag).

In the morning the guys went out dune bashing while the women voluntarily stayed behind to pack up the camp.

And then we headed back to civlisation. Did I mention that we were in a rather inaccessible spot? Well, it was rather easier getting in than getting out. The men had lots of fun getting stuck, some of them a couple of times (this was Darrell - he was disgusted with himself) and at one stage we had 3 of the big 4x4s stuck. Fun fun fun. The only downside was that we ladies could have done with a G&T while perched on the sand dunes watching the men sweating.

We returned to AD a little later than expected, but still - it was good. May go camping again. Just for Pearl and my 4 kids....