Riding the Dunes

For driving in the desert, you need to configure your cars a little differently. Air must be let out to keep the tires under lower pressure, and its a good idea to keep multiple spares. GPS and towing equipment are essential, as are supplies for longer trips!

You need a certain amount of skill to navigate the dunes. Also: balls of steel. Women, don't be discouraged, that was figurative ;P

While deserts do encompass the whole of Saudi Arabia, they're not as desolate as you may think. Especially during the rainy season. Plants grow, and mountain gulleys turn into lakes and rivers.

And every now and then, you run into a bedouin. Amazingly hospitable, I find it very hilarious that despite being in the middle of nowhere, we run into a dude who points us away from a particularly difficult sand trap.

We obviously didn't follow directions correctly. Turned left at the cactus instead of right? Theres no real street addresses round here ;P Takes a lot of effort to get a car unstuck!

The desert is constantly changing. Winds are always blowing that reshape the dunes and move them around. It is absolutely necessary to have a GPS help you get around.

Important peice of advice: don't mess with the locals. This dudette freaked out when she saw 5 cars blasting off the side of a dune next to her baby. She then proceeded to charge us.

Swerving to avoid making camel burgers (and in the process pay higher car insurance), one of the cars gets stuck in another sand pit. The camel eyes us from a distance.

Have no fear! Bedouins to the rescue! These locals are show up in the nick of time to bail us out of our camel-related predicament.

You guys remember Captain Planet? Remember that kid, Marty, with the 'Heart' ring that allowed him to calm animals? I always thought poor kid got shafted with the most useless power ever. That is, until I saw this bedouin calm the mommy. Marty, wherever you are: I'm sorry! You're awesome!!

Not only did he soothe the mommy down, he, umm, milked her for her baby. These guys are crazy awesome! I wish I could milk a camel : (

Another environmental crisis has been averted! Thank you capta- I mean, you know...