Top three things to do in the desert

Recreational activities in Qatar are limited.  Besides eating and drinking, the next best thing is traveling into the desert.  No matter which direction you go from Doha, you will get to the desert in 45 minutes.  This is where you will find most of the local people too.   So while the city is sleeping on the weekends, the desert is wide awake.  So far I have found three activities that I would consider to be the best things to do in the desert.

1.   

        1.  Dune bashing

As one of the first things that I did when I came to Qatar, dune bashing is one of my favorites.  It is also a top choice on weekends for locals.  Dune bashing is what us country folk would call mud-slingin’….just without the mud and add sand.  I used to do my fair share of mud slingin’ in my young teenage days, so I know this activity quite well.  (Never in my car dad, always in some crazy boy’s truck!)  The secret to dune bashing is making sure you let enough air out of your tires so that you can drive easily on the sand.  As a Nissan Altima driver, I have never been the designated desert driver here in the country.  Usually the driver is someone with a large SUV, lots of horsepower, and balls.  (Just being honest)  The driver needs to be quite confident of him/her self and drive with full speed in order to make it up the steep dunes.  When reaching the top of the dunes it is important to slow down quickly for two reasons:  a) you never know who or what is coming up the other side and b) the other side may be a complete drop-off.  Going up and down and sideways on these desert dunes is exhilarating.  It is like a roller coaster without safety regulations.

        2.  Camping

Camping is also a fun desert activity.  Just be sure to bring lots of water!!  I have only been camping once so far, but I can’t wait to do it again.  Camping is another big thing for Qataris.  It wasn’t too long ago when most Qataris ‘camped’ 365 days a year.  Now they have huge tents with air-conditioning, electricity, sofas, and carpets out in the middle of the dessert for weekend family get togethers.  Ex-pat camping is a little different.  We do it with small tents, blankets, coolers, camp fires, and chairs.  (By the way, I bought a $10 one person tent in Qatar.  Can you believe that?)  Camping in the desert is nice because it gives you a chance to get out of the dusty city, relax, and see the stars.  It is also worth camping just to see the sun set over the dunes- amazing really.  The desert also gets really cold at night…so it is a good break from the heat.  Although, I have heard the cold nights do not exists in the hot summer months.  I guess I will soon see. No matter what season- as soon as 6am rolls around in the desert, you are wide awake and burning hot. 

3.       

        3.  Four wheeling

Oh the freedom of four wheeling.  This activity is for sure my favorite!  Four wheeling in the dessert is so different than four wheeling in the country side of NC.  Its wide open with no obstacles, only huge hills to go up and down.  Last weekend, some friends and I each rented four wheelers and rode into the dunes in the Mesaieed desert area of Qatar.  I have never really driven one of these things by myself, but I kept that a secret because I didn’t want anyone to say that I couldn’t go.  Heart racing as I climbed on, I fastened my helmet and gave her some gas.  Off I went!  Flying over those dunes like I actually knew what I was doing.  Though I about threw myself off one or five times, I was smiling ear to ear and having one of the best times that I have had in a really long time.  Luckily, the day we went it was cloudy and lightly raining so it was not too hot while we were out.  I can see why the young Qataris love it so much.  Its addicting.  I would go every weekend if I didn't value my pool side tanning time so much.  A girl's gotta have her bronze glow!  :)