Planning a peaceful escapade with kids? Well, popular opinion and peripheral internet search might suggest it as a herculean task that requires strenuous planning. I recently took an Abu Dhabi Desert Safari with 2 hyperactive nieces of mine and it turned out to be more adventurous and joyful than I expected.
The story starts on January 2, 2020 when I was visiting my sister’s family in Dubai. This was my second trip to Dubai and my excitement could not match the thrill I felt while I was visiting the city for the first time. I have thoroughly explored the city in my first trip and I always felt, what delight might be left in visiting attractions that I have already seen. But, I couldn’t be more wrong! The city keeps on adding more spell-binding attractions and astounding architecture and it has definitely become more splendid since my first trip in 2016. The Ain Dubai Ferris Wheel, Dubai Frame, Mohammed Bin Rashid Library and many more! I enjoyed visiting all the newly opened attractions of Dubai with my sister and family.
The Plan Goes South
Then came the twist in the plan or what can be referred to as the blessing in disguise. My brother-in-law had to attend a family emergency in Oman and incidentally, he and my sister had to travel to Muscat the very same day. They were relieved that I was there to look after the kids, so they made immediate travel arrangements and left the city in a matter of hours. There goes my much-awaited Dubai trip out of the window!
Taking care of 2 naughty kids was a daunting task and I almost gave up within a day. Only when I managed to put them to sleep I realized that I had not been checking my phone the whole day. In my desperation, I started browsing for kid-friendly venues in Dubai and stumbled on a top rated Evening Abu Dhabi Desert Safari by OceanAir Travels. I remembered seeing many Land Cruisers around Dubai with this company’s branding, so I decided to check this tour. The itinerary of the tour was so wonderful and intriguing that I really pondered on the prospects of taking the trip.
The Elephant in the Room
Taking care of 2 naughty kids was a daunting task and I almost gave up within a day. Only when I managed to put them to sleep I realized that I had not been checking my phone the whole day. In my desperation, I started browsing for kid-friendly venues in Dubai and stumbled on a top rated Evening Abu Dhabi Desert Safari by OceanAir Travels. I remembered seeing many Land Cruisers around Dubai with this company’s branding, so I decided to check this tour. The itinerary of the tour was so wonderful and intriguing that I really pondered on the prospects of taking the trip.
The Elephant in the Room
Will I be able to travel with the kids? I can hardly manage them at home so how will I fare in Abu Dhabi desert! So I weighed the pros and cons of me traveling with the kids and started reading more about the tour. OceanAir Travels had clearly given in the instructions that some of the adventures of this Abu Dhabi Desert Safari are not well suited for kids, yet there are many activities that children can enjoy and the kids are welcomed as long as they are accompanied by a guardian. So I asked my sister for permission for this adventurous Desert Safari in Abu Dhabi. Turns out that my sister had taken a trip with OceanAir Travels in the past and she started raving about how wonderful the trip was and how lovely the staff treated her gang. As you can see where this is going, I went on to book this tour for the very next day. Thankfully, the Evening Abu Dhabi Desert Safari was available for booking and I got three tickets for us. I rummaged through my sister’s wardrobe and did a small packing for myself and the kids.
A Fresh and Fabulous Start
On the day of the Abu Dhabi Desert Safari, we couldn’t contain our excitement that we got ready hours before the pick up time. We jumped in joy as we saw the OceanAir Travels car pull-in to our selected location. It is quite natural that when you spend too much time with kids, you will start behaving like one. Three of us ran to the car and greeted the Safari Captain a.k.a Fantastic Faisal in too much excitement. In retrospect, I wonder why Faisal did not get scared or puzzled by our reaction. On the contrary, he reciprocated our enthusiasm and promised that we are going to have the trip of a lifetime.
As we drove to the desert, Faisal pointed out to all the iconic landmarks on the way and shared interesting trivia about it. We enjoyed Faisal’s fabulous driving and narration to the core; even the 6-year old hell-raiser in our group, was listening intently to the narration. I am sure that most of the information went over her head.
When we reached the desert, we were overwhelmed by its sprawling beauty. Faisal told us that we can take a short break, use the restroom facilities which we badly needed. We were given the opportunity to try out quad biking. I decided to give it a pass owing to my guardian responsibilities. Also, I am not not interested in bikes and riding, call me boring but I am not a fan!
Responsibility vs Revelry
The next activity of our Evening Abu Dhabi desert safari was dune bashing. I was looking forward to this adventure the most, but then I knew it was very unlikely. An elderly lady who was traveling with us came to me and offered to look after the kids as she sensed that I was in a dilemma. By that time we got acquainted with all other travelers in the group, all credit to Faisal. This elderly aunty who was traveling with her husband had a heart condition and was advised to avoid dune bashing. So, it all worked out and I got in the car for dune bashing. It was like riding on a rollercoaster across the desert sand. The car unexpectedly climbed up, down and swooshed along the waves of sand. My blood was high on adrenaline and I relished the waves of ascending thrill. How can I thank Faisal enough for his friendliness and driving skills!
Once this was done, I went back to the kids and they had already warmed up with aunty seemingly well. This adventure was followed by sandboarding, which was fairly safe and easy for anyone. We then grabbed the boards for each one of us and started gliding down the sand slopes. I must admit, the kids who started walking decades after me were doing a better job. In my defense, this was not a competition and three of us had equal fun and that is what matters!
Once this was done, I went back to the kids and they had already warmed up with aunty seemingly well. This adventure was followed by sandboarding, which was fairly safe and easy for anyone. We then grabbed the boards for each one of us and started gliding down the sand slopes. I must admit, the kids who started walking decades after me were doing a better job. In my defense, this was not a competition and three of us had equal fun and that is what matters!
The Camp and the Camel Ride
After all the adventurous activities, we were taken to the famed Al Waha camp, which is beautifully tucked amidst the sand dunes. At the camp we were received with love, Arabian Coffee and sweets. The attractions and activities were so enchanting and exciting that we, the three musketeers, were running around and observing the setting in exhilaration. We got our hands painted with henna, donned Arabian attire, posed with Falcon and clicked countless photographs in my camera.
Amid the cultural activities we also got to experience camel riding. Before Faisal could finish the announcement about the camel ride, 3 of us were stroking the camel that was waiting outside. Faisal helped us to climb on its top and the adorable animals started moving at a serene pace. The camels moved in a line while the desert was adorned with the red hue of the departing sun. I am sure the visual might have looked like a wallpaper. It was indeed poetry set in motion.
When we got back to the camp, the entertaining performances of the Evening Abu Dhabi Desert Safari were staged. A spectacular Tanoura show was followed by a spell-binding Belly dance performance. My niece was dancing and cheering with the music and finally she was invited to the stage to perform with the dancer. If only I had her confidence, I would have hopped on the stage and danced my heart out, because the music and setting was so irresistible.
When we got back to the camp, the entertaining performances of the Evening Abu Dhabi Desert Safari were staged. A spectacular Tanoura show was followed by a spell-binding Belly dance performance. My niece was dancing and cheering with the music and finally she was invited to the stage to perform with the dancer. If only I had her confidence, I would have hopped on the stage and danced my heart out, because the music and setting was so irresistible.
The Finger-Licking Dinner
Next up on our Abu Dhabi Desert Safari was the delicious BBQ. I was instructed to monitor the food intake of my niece and nephew by my sister. The food was so luscious and flavorful that I ditched my diet and my sister’s instruction. After dinner, the lights of the camp were switched off to let us enjoy the real desert ambiance. The sky was strewn with twinkling stars and kids started enlightening me about constellations and the jargons of astronomy. My niece crawled into my lap and dozed off within seconds. Then Faisal came to escort us to the car and he helped me to carry the drowsy girl. Bidding goodbye to the desert was hard, it was so nice to us.
Zoinks! I have rambled on, haven't I? This happens when there is too much happiness in the system. When the experience is so magical, you find it hard to put it in a few words. As it turns out, our Evening Abu Dhabi Desert Safari with OceanAir Travels was alluring and action-packed.
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