Day 45 - Dubai: Sand Dunes, Falcons, Camels & Our Own Private Jeep


We arrived in Dubai early this morning — a city that never fails to impress, dazzle, or astonish with its sheer scale and ambition. As our tour wasn’t leaving until 8:45am, I had time to enjoy a wonderfully smooth morning routine:

  • A visit to the gym

  • My usual veggie juice on deck

  • A refreshing shower

  • And then room service breakfast, which Joe is surprisingly starting to enjoy… despite always insisting he’s “not a breakfast person.”

Once again, we were among the last guests to arrive for the tour, but today that turned into a blessing:
we ended up with an entire 4x4 jeep to ourselves. A little luxury for being fashionably late!

Into the Desert



It took around 45 minutes to drive out of central Dubai to the sand dunes. This gave Joe the perfect opportunity to have a snooze and catch up on sleep after yesterday’s early start and long day.

Driving through Dubai now compared to when we were last here over 25 years ago is truly staggering.
The skyline is monumental — towers upon towers, new buildings rising everywhere, architectural wonders as far as the eye can see. The scale of construction is unlike anything else in the world.

Dune Bashing – A Thrilling Ride

When we arrived at the first base, we enjoyed a refreshment stop while the drivers deflated the tyres for dune driving.

Then the fun began.

Our driver was incredible — skilled, confident, and clearly loving his job. He sped across the dunes with exhilarating dips, climbs, slides, and swerves. It was thrilling, surprising, and such an unforgettable experience.

We stopped for photos at a beautiful point in the desert — golden dunes as far as the eye could see.
A Bedouin man was there with his falcon, and we each had the chance to hold it.
The falcon was much heavier than I expected — powerful and beautiful.



Camel Rides & A Very Brave Joe

Next stop was the base camp where we were greeted with refreshments and the option for a short camel ride around the perimeter.



Joe insisted he wanted to do it.
And he did — but the moment the camel stood up, Joe was convinced he was tipping backwards.
So while the ride only lasted a few minutes, Joe described it as “a lifetime.”
But he did it, and that’s what counts. A great story added to the growing collection!

A Relaxed Afternoon Onboard

Back at port, we looked around the shops. Joe picked up a few toiletries, then we returned to the ship and had lunch at La Veranda.

The afternoon was blissfully quiet:

  • I did my crossword and sudoku

  • Joe relaxed and listened to his audiobooks

  • I later visited Destination Services to finalise our selections for the next segment’s excursions

Joe has decided he’s not doing the hop-on hop-off bus in Doha, so he booked himself a beach resort day pass, which he is very happy about.

Evening & Turning Back Time

Dinner tonight was at Compass Rose, followed by an early night for both of us — after several days of early starts, we’re ready to rest.

And tonight, the clocks go back an hour — a small but very welcome gift.

Daily Reflection:

Sometimes adventure finds us in a dune, a camel’s sway, a city reborn,
or in the quiet realisation that we are exactly where we’re meant to be.

Highlight of the Day:
✨ Joe’s camel ride — equal parts bravery, terror, and comedy.

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