New Year Camping

Happy New Year, Everyone! This year we decided to ring in the New Year with a camping trip near where we camped during the four-day weekend we had during National Day. We drove out to Liwa and set up camp in the early afternoon. We had a nice evening relaxing in the desert and saw in 2011 sitting by a campfire with champagne. Unfortunately, it got so cold that we were unable to sleep well.

As we drove to the area, we noticed a lot of dune buggies being towed behind trucks. As it turned out, it was the Liwa festival in which trucks drag race up a huge dune. (Click here to see a video sample of this.)

I was a little annoyed that we were camped about 5 miles from it and didn't even see it. However, when I talked to one of my students today, he told me that only about three trucks went up the dune and then the festival stopped for some unknown reason. At least now I know where the festival is and to make sure that I watch out for it.

On the way home we drove to the Emirates National Auto Museum which was closed. We could see some of the crazy oversized vehicles that were on the outside of the giant pyramid that houses the classic cars. In this picture, you can see the world's biggest two-wheeled caravan which includes eight bedrooms and bathrooms and has four garages. This is yet another example of a Guinness World Record held by Abu Dhabi. To give an idea of the scale, my son is standing next to the wheel.Hopefully the museum will be open the next time we pass through.