Maybe thoughts of T.E. Lawrence would have been more appropriate, but it was 2Pac who was on my mind during a desert safari about an hour outside of Dubai.
As our caravan of about a dozen Land Cruisers readied for a dune-bashing run during a press trip last spring with Dubai Business Events, the scene wasn't evoking "Lawrence of Arabia" so much as the Mad Max-inspired video for "California Love," wherein the rapper and Dr. Dre roll deep with a fleet of Humvees through barren landscapes in the Golden State.
Similarly, our safari wasn't a strenuous, sweltering trek through challenging terrain; it was, instead, a roller-coaster ride in the air-conditioned comfort of a late-model SUV.
Ups and downs
The Land Cruisers picked us up at our host hotel, Dubai's recently opened Sheraton Grand. As one driver pulled up to the loading area, he made his tires chirp. Yes, I'll ride with that guy, please.
He proved to be a great choice. Rolling along Dubai's flawless blacktop, he set off his speed-warning beep (a feature of cars sold in Persian Gulf states) countless times as he passed the 120 km mark (75 mph) on his speedometer.
We arrived at the dune-bashing starting point, which was something like a highway rest stop crossed with a go-kart track. Our group's SUVs parked alongside each other, and the drivers began deflating the vehicles' tires slightly to maximize traction on the softer terrain that awaited.
Meanwhile, our group of travel writers and meetings planners surveyed the land, admiring the endless sea of powdery, golden-brown sand and snapping a selfie or two in the midday sun.
Then it was time. Other vehicles seemed to approach their first incline timidly, their drivers perhaps gauging passengers' enthusiasm, or apprehension.
Our guy seemed to be going full throttle from the get-go. Our roll cage-equipped Land Cruiser didn't buckle under the strain, however, and the sensations of spinning out, sinking, then drifting across the dunes felt less like off-roading and more like sailing — in very, very rough seas.
The results were predictable. Once the dune bashing was through (about 45 minutes), a rep from Dubai Business Events confessed that the drivers had been told to take it easy on us. Still, it was enough to induce motion sickness among several groups. Not mine, thankfully.
The dune bashing and desert safari experience (which includes hotel pickup and dropoff, live entertainment and dinner) starts at about $80 per adult, $68 for ages 3 to 10 and is free for children under 3.
For about $300, up to six guests can opt for a private Land Cruiser, or for about $460, up to five guests can roll like 2Pac in a private Humvee. See www.visitdubai.com and www.dubaidunebashing.com.