Dune Biking in Qatar

wweeeeeeeeeee....that was me coming down the dunes without brakes :)

What in the name of jimney cricket are you talking about woman! Hahaha well as most of you know I spent a few days in Qatar last weekend and one of the activities in which I indulged in, and by the way shopping is delightful there, was sand dune biking. I had no idea what to expect but was excited. We were supposed to head out in the morning but I think we kinda realised that was not going to happen when we fell into bed only at 5am after a night of clubbing.  Yes contrary to popular belief the night scene is kinda funky in Doha!

Thank goodness it's winter there too, so no scorching sun to deal with at 2pm.  The place we headed to was gorgeous. About an hour out of Doha where it was crystal clear blue waters on one side and miles of sand on the other. So you get to see both jet skiing and dune biking taking place in one scene. The water was cold as sin and you could not pay me enough to go jet skiing. Don't even think my 7mm dive suit would be enough to keep the cold out!!

Ok, ok back to the biking :) It was exhilarating. I debated for a long time if i wanted to go with a manual or automatic bike and since I really did not know what to expect, I went with the automatic with the firm determination that if i liked it and had a repeated opportunity to do this again it would be with a manual. So off we go zig zagging and racing each other. Who'd have thought that riding on sand, which was like powder, could be so painful! 

The memory I take back was one where i had gone pretty far up on a dune, full speed ahead. I'd learned that if one goes straight up in all likelihood one was going to get stuck and have to get off and literally dig yourself outta the hole. So you zig zag going up sideways. There i was without a care when i decided to stop and take in the sunset. Don't really know what made me look over to my left....bloody hell a little more and it was a steep drop. I panicked at the height, both ways...scared of heights...hahaha.  I needed to get back down, could not sit up there forever and for the life of me I could not see the others, oh boy what a nerve wrecking moment. 

So what is the nearest way of getting from point A to B? All together now...in going straight...which meant going straight dooooowwwnn. Here's me taking a deep breath, offering up a prayer to God and my Guardian Angel and making a go for it.  2 seconds into my descend I realise that my brakes aren't working, i forget my prayers and am instead cursing the guy who rented us the bike. Called him every name I knew and in all languages that I was aware off too.  My antics caught quite an audience and lucky for me it was miles of barren sand ahead of me.  All knew to stay out of my path.  Hell I'd have stayed out of my path, i swear i looked like a banshee whopping it down the dunes.  Aiyayai...

Well I'm back in DC now laughing as I recall and write this blog but I tell u I sure as hell was not laughing then!