United Arab Emirates
March 2nd 2012: Muscat, Oman – Dubai, UAE
Driven distance on March 2nd 2012: 510km (320 miles)
Driven distance total: 36’420km (22’630 miles)
Shortly before lunch I said goodbye to Oliver, Katlijn and the Kids and started driving in direction border of the Emirates. The border was one big construction site. At the first little building they just waved me through. At the next building was already the customs from the emirates, and they just sent me back 100m to get an insurance. Afterwards I just could start to walk back, since I didn’t have any exit stamp from Oman in my passport. Since there were so many cars, I had to walk 1km (0.6 miles) back and forth to get the stamp. Since I wasn’t sure if the carnet (passport of the car) is required to leave the country by ship, I could once again explain to the border guys what they have to stamp and so on..:-).
Approx. 100km (60 miles) before Dubai was a big traffic jam on the highway. It was a quite uncivilized scene how people behaved. Out of the two lanes they made 3 ½ lanes :-) and some SUV’s just drove besides the highway like crazy in the desert! Almost 2 hours later I could finally keep on driving! In the already known, suspicious liquor shop of Ajman (near Dubai) I organized some beer :-).
March 3rd 2012: Dubai, UAE
Driven distance on March 3rd 2012: 20km (10 miles)
Driven distance total: 36’440km (22’640 miles)
In the morning I met the agent for the shipment. Now everything should be OK.
In the afternoon I went to the kite beach, and because it was weekend it had just too many people. Since the Landrover is already famous from the previous visit, I had immediately contact with some of the other people and I had a relaxing nice day. It would have been perfect for kiting, but the sea was crowded with kites, and it would have been a bit dangerous for someone like me who cruises on the water uncontrolled :-). In the evening I went with German guy who lives here and some other people to the movies.
March 4th 2012: Dubai, UAE
Driven distance on March 4th 2012: 40km (20 miles)
Driven distance total: 36’480km (22’670 miles)
Already in the morning I went to the kite beach and hanged around there almost the entire day. In the afternoon the wind conditions got better and I went kiting for some time. In the evening I went back to our well known beach between the royal villas to spend the night :-).
March 5th 2012: Dubai, UAE
Driven distance on March 5th 2012: 110km (70 miles)
Driven distance total: 36’590km (22’740 miles)
In the morning at the beach I met Lisa from new Zealand, who was on the beach with 2 dogs. We started to chat and she just mentioned that she has a spare house and that I could use it if I wanted. Well, on the other hand I just have to walk and feed the dogs twice a day :-). Fair trade! The rest of the day I didn’t do too much, besides of course going to the beach with the dogs. Without any problems, both dogs just jumped in the back of the Landrover:-).
March 6th – 11th 2012: Dubai, UAE
Driven distance on March 6th – 11th 2012: 520km (320 miles)
Driven distance total: 37’110km (23’060 miles)
On March 6th at 3AM Maryse was returning to Dubai. The first two days we spent at the house with the dogs. On March 9th we tried to go and see a camel race. We went to the racecourse, 40km (25 miles) outside of Dubai, already the evening before and there was quite something going on. Everywhere we could see camels who where training at the course. The next morning we waited for nothing for the race. There was less going on then the night before.
The other days in Dubai we spent in the Mall, kite surfing and just general hanging around :-).
Oh yes, and finally we have a appointment for the shipping of the car. On March 15th we drop the car off and on the 16th the ship is supposed to leave towards India.
March 12th 2012: Dubai - Fujairah, UAE
Driven distance on March 12th 2012: 190km (120 miles)
Driven distance total: 37’300km (23’180 miles)
Just getting out of Dubai :-). Since we just definitely know this city well enough, we started to go to the east coast. This part of the country is mainly known for it’s underwater world. Since we didn’t wanted to hurt our budget too much we skipped the diving part. Besides the many Hotel resorts and diving stations wasn’t too much to see and do... In Fujairah we woke up from the numerous fishing man, who pulled besides our Landrover their nets out of the sea :-).
March 13th 2012: Fujairah – Ras Al-Khaimah, UAE
Driven distance on March 13th 2012: 170km (110 miles)
Driven distance total: 37’470km (23’280 miles)
The trip led us from the east coast to the west coast into a city called Ras Al-Khaimah, north of Dubai. Somewhat out of town we tried to find a nice place for camping and got stuck once again in the soft sand. Well, since I am, because of the desert trip in Oman, a little (very little ;-) ) desert expert, we just lowered the air of the tires and crawled around nicely in the sand hills:-).
As well on this day, we were informed that the ship to India is delayed, so we can finally drop the car off on the 18th of March. The ship is supposed to leave Dubai on March 22nd. If everything works out as planned we should be on the road again with the car in India by March 30th.
March 14th 2012: Ras Al-Khaimah – Dubai, UAE
Driven distance on March 14th 2012: 190km (120 miles)
Driven distance total: 37’660km (23’400 miles)
Unfortunately we already had to go back to Dubai again, since we had tickets to visit the Burj Khalifa, the biggest building on this planet (828m / 2716 feet). In a high-speed elevator we reached within a minute a height of 442m (1450 feet). The observation platform was on the 124th floor of this great building and gives a great view over Dubai. Unfortunately we didn’t have the best view because of the weather and missed some of the landmarks of Dubai, like the artificial islands of “the world” or “the palms”. Anyways it was impressive to see the desert city from a birds view :-).
March 15th – 17th 2012: Dubai, UAE
Driven distance on March 15th – 17th 2012: 190km (120 miles)
Driven distance total: 37’850km (23’520 miles)
There is not too much to say regarding those days. One of the sites we checked out was the aquarium at the Atlantis hotel. It was another aquarium a la Dubai with sharks, rays and other impressive fishes..
Besides the usual beach visits we used almost the entire day of March 17th to wash clothes, packing our stuff, cleaning the inside of the car (dude, this car was dirty :-) ), and preparing everything for the shipment of the car to India.
March 18th 2012: Dubai, UAE
Driven distance on March 18th 2012: 130km (80 miles)
Driven distance total: 37’980km (23’600 miles)
As discussed with our shipping agent, we went at 9AM to gate 5 of the port of Jebel Ali. Unfortunately they didn’t let us in and we had to go to gate 7, where we waited approx. one hour for our agent. He gave us some customs paper and sent us to a booth to get a “manual gate pass“. This pass is needed to get into the ports “free zone” as a self-driver. Unfortunately this didn’t work out as well and they sent us to gate 3. Here we got the pass surprisingly easy and could finally enter the port area at gate 2! Continuing to the warehouse of our agent “Transworld” where we prepared the Landrover for the container and where we paid the first part of the shipment. Unfortunately we couldn’t stay until the car went into the container. We were surprised how easy it was to drop off the car, even though the entry into the “free zone” was so difficult. In about 2 weeks we should get the car back in Mumbai. Inshallah... :-). By taxi we went to the airport where we waited 11 hours for our flight to Goa, India ;-).