Dune Bashing

Craig and Mel wake me up by drawing a little Hitler moustache on my face hahaha. Shayne's parents' cook us a delicious barbecue, fresh with corn, cole slaw, beans, steak, salad and sausage. I laugh at Craig and how much he really loves meat, I forgot how hilarious he is and how much he makes me giggle. Love when he does his Hindi accent and when he yells "For Fuck's Sake!". By the way, on the ride to Dubai there are signs everywhere for "bin Laden constuction" - yup, that's the one. Bin Laden's Saudi family is big in construction, and he's their crazy son. I can't even accurately describe the incredible amount of construction literally everywhere you look on the way to Dubai and in the actual city. It is literally unbelievable- there is no skyline without a crane in it.
After lunch, we crack up watching "Fun With Dick and Jane" before heading out to go...
DUNE BASHING! Great fun....
The drive out there, we get a sneak peek at the future look of Dubai, with a Marvel theme park, Jurassic park dinosaurs (the real ones), Global Village and a future Six-Flags. There is construction along the entire way, with the Burj Dubai on our left, shooting out of the sky.
Then, we are in the desert. Big red dunes rise up, sprinkled with scarce bushes. We see a pack of camels being herded by a shepherd in a long, white tunic and white turban. In the distance are "mountains". Finally, Big Red looms in the distance- its the highest dune in the UAE. As we drive up, the heat reaching over 100° F, a decorated camel guards the front, with a saddle on its hump. As we wait for our hired driver, we visit the camels and donkeys- so dirty! But I think camels are so cute with their long eyelashes. An Arab midget with a red-checkered turban and a fake rifle waddles up to us to take a picture. He shakes my hand- so tiny! He's all sweet and friendly. I feel like I'm with an Arab Mini-Me. When Craig takes a picture with him, he kisses him on the cheek! After, he tries to charge us 10 dirhams - bullshit!! We see a little baby monkey on a leash- ah! Our driver pulls up...The adventure begins.
Our driver is dark-skinned, with a big smile and liquid brown eyes. He takes the air out of his tires while Mel and I grab hands, terrified. It was actually not bad at all but we had heard stories of other being scared shitless. Mom would think it was more than a bumpy Jeep ride...
We drive up the dune and....oh, how do I describe it? Like being on a rollercoaster that's not attached to a rail. We ride along ridges, with the back of the car sliding down as he shifts it forward. We roar into pits and roll back up with the car bouncing up and down, with no shocks. Bouncing up and down, bangin' our heads! My stomach lurches a few times as we roar up a dune and then come crashing down. The car almost flips over a few times- so scary! Craig is up front laughing he head off while I am whooping in the back. The front is even better....We get out of the car at the very top of Big Red and see miles in the distance. Mel's feet and mine are burning in the red-hot sand; meanwhile, our driver walks barefoot. Mel and I fake jumping pictures a top the dune and balance along a steep ridge, leading right into a pit. The ride back is even bumpier, we go flying through the air and nearly break off the bumper. Talk about car sickness... We pass a camel farm and a Porsche SUV stuck in the sand. Right on a ridge and up shit creek!
The ride home is tough, both me and Craig have come down with Shayne's virus and have killer sore throats, esp after being in the desert. I nap some more, in the car, at Shayne's house, on the ride back to A.D. - I can't stop sleeping! We go right to Joe's for drinks. Jeff and I take some more tequila shots and Mel and I jump like crazy on the trampoline. Later, I totally crash, feeling so ill. We watch Ricky Gervais for hours...Mel and I have to say goodbye after a very fun week together. She's great. Loves grilled cheese like none other....
We head out around 1am and I say goodbye to Shayne. Love him- so down to earth and such a sweetheart despite his punk-rock attitude.
I pass out and sleep until 12pm- much needed rest. Pack all the next morning cuz Craig and I and his parents are going to Dubai for the day, or so we thought...