I’m about an hour or so away from some of the biggest dunes in the world, south of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I’ve pretty much avoided them since I arrived however, with one or two exceptions, because I was spoiled by the deserts of Egypt – for me the open desert is a quiet place, full of beauty and peace. The deserts near Dubai and Abu Dhabi are all too often full of large numbers 4×4 owners enjoying adrenalin and large price tags, and to me that’s a bit like playing a rock concert in a cathedral.

At any rate, I’ve found a stretch of open dune desert that’s a bit more remote and isolated, which suits me fine. I had a trundle out there this last week, though it’s getting hot and humid for desert travel now – local 4×4 clubs say the “season” has ended, not just because of the heat, which will rise high above 40 C, but also the humidity, which is the real irritant. Hundred percent humidity is a pain – step out of the car, and you instantly soak in sweat. The Egyptian desert doesn’t have that – its simply too big and too dry. However the deserts here seem full of it – and I hate using AC!