Happy 2006!

Here's wishing everyone a healthy, wealthy, prosperous and HAPPY New Year!

Celebrating New Year's in the desert was surreal. It took us 2 hours of hellish traffic to travel 30kms where the coaches were departing but it was worth it. After another hour on the coach we turned off the main road and went as far as the road would take us. There, a line of white Landcruisers and local Arab men in white dishdashas were waiting.

After 5 minutes of dunebashing through the desert, we pulled up by a bonfire and a row of camels.

Camels

Riding a camel is not like riding a horse. For starters you're a lot higher up and they're not as soft and fluffy as they look. It's also a bit hard on the bum so I can't imagine doing it for long periods. Nevertheless the ride was 'bumpy' and fun, and they are lovable and intelligent creatures!

New Year's Eve Party

The food was excellent - an international buffet with shawarmas, roast lamb, beef, salmon, salads, breads... in a Bedouin style setting. The live band was fantastic, the dancefloor was packed and people were dancing in the aisles and on the tables.

The set up also had 2 shisha bars. Smoking shishas, aka hubbly bubbly is a fun and popular way to relax. There are many shisha joints in DXB where you can find your favourite fruity flavour. Mine is strawberry!

Shishas

I also paid a visit to the henna tent and got a small henna design on my hand. Henna tatoos are also very popular here and most beauty salons will do a small design for around 30dhs. The designs last about 7 days before they wear off.

Henna

Time sure flies when you're having fun. Before we knew it, we were counting down to 2006 and singing Auld Lang Syne.