Dune Bashing and Sand Surfing

The day after we went on the city tour, school had arranged for all the new staff to go 'Dune Bashing'. We were all very excited about this and loaded up the buses outside the apartment block and headed to Al Mana. When we got there there was about 12 4x4 cars waiting. We all went into the apartment block where we were addressed by the group leader. He told us that we were going to travel in convoy, about 45 minutes to outside of the city. There, we would stop so the drivers could let air out of the tyres and then we would carry on onto the dunes. After a while we would stop to take some photos and then travel to the beach where we could have a rest, go swimming in the sea etc. Then we would be driven back.

Everyone was really excited so we split into groups of 4 and headed out towards the cars. I joined up with Yasar, Sofia and Katherine. We got into a Silver 4x4 with our driver Abdullah. He was a really nice guy and he chatted away to us asking us where we were from e.t.c. As the journey went on, we discovered that he really liked playing his music really loud. Although, it wasn't just Arabic music that he liked to play. He had a real variety of music on the USB and we were all well impressed! It was proper nostalgic early 00's dance and 90's music - with some 70's and 80's thrown in for good measure! 

We drove out of the city and stopped just outside the sand dunes. We parked in a big long line and we all got out! I know this might sound daft, but I knew we were in the desert, but I didn't expect to see camels!! And there they were. Three camels, all there ready to have rides on them!! I was so surprised! Part of me wanted to actually have a ride on the camel, but I was too much of a wimp to have a go!! It was only 20QR - so about £4 for a 5 minute ride - but I wasn't too keen!! So this time I watched. I've got plenty of time to go Camel riding - I'm here for 2 years!! 

After the tyres were all suitably deflated, we all climbed back into the cars and off we went over the sand dunes. It was pretty exciting and it was really really high!! As we climbed up the dunes, the driver was really putting the car close to the edge of the dune and we could see all the way down. Its quite disconcerting actually - looking down a dune knowing that the car could go off the edge at any time!! However the driver was good and obviously had done this a number of times - so I wasn't too concerned... honest!!

 As we picked up speed we really started surfing the dunes, Katherine, Sofia and I were squealing all over the place!! It was worse watching the cars in front as we knew that was what we were about to do!! We sand surfed for about 15 minutes, going up and down the dunes, being thrown this way and that and squealing all the way!! We then got to a huge dune were it was easily 100ft high! All of the cars lined up in a big long line, ready to race each other down it - and our driver decided to go backwards!! I was like... ARGH!!!!!!

So down we went! The adrenaline was flowing so much and it was so good! Poor Sofia was sat right at the very back in the car and when we were going down literally vertical it was so scary!! 

When we got to the bottom, we waited for the other cars to join us and then we set off again in convoy. We travelled a bit further to the top of a dune were we stopped to admire the view. We could see right across the ocean, the water was so blue and the sun was shining - just an amazing. Awesome picture opportunity - so we took advantage of that!! :) 

After we had had a bit of time on top of the dune, we continued on to our last stop - a camp on the beach. The camp had everything - showers, toilets, tents, sofa's, volleyball court, soft drinks bar... it was ace!! Here, we all got out of the cars and went to explore. We had about an hour to chill and relax. Some people spent time in the tents just having a drink, some went swimming and some went to play volleyball! It was great fun just chatting to people and getting to know them, as it was only our 3rd day in Doha. 

We could have definitely stayed there all day, but unfortunately, an hour was all we had, so we had to load back up into the cars and head home. It was a long journey back - after we'd had such an amazing day, it was quite deflating to be back on the road and heading back into the city back to reality.  

All in all, an awesome day. We're even thinking of doing a trip during half term back to the dunes to go on the Quad bikes and do a bit of camping! Now anyone that knows me knows that I don't do camping... but you only live once right?! :)