Afternoon Fewbie Desert Drive - Il Te' nel Deserto: between Qudra and Ganthoot - Dubai - 30 Nov 2021

[Ale Vallecchi]

General Info

This drive is organized in full compliance with the COVID19 guidelines. We expect every member that joins this drive to go through the below information and strictly follow these guidelines in order not to jeopardize someone's health, and to ensure we can keep organizing these drives safely.

MUST READ AND TOTALLY AGREE: 

• COVID19 Precautions
• Mandatory Safety Requirements
• Ban from Carnity Off-road Club
• Two Way Radio Guidelines

Drive Details

Level:  Fewbie and above 

Meeting time: 2:00 PM (SHARP - Without any exceptions)

Meeting Point: https://maps.app.goo.gl/FiKAB7nNCJceMHmr5

Action Plan:  "Il Te' nel Deserto" is the original title of "The Sheltering Sky", a movie by Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci, adapted from a novel by Paul Bowles. Inspired by its locations and story (between Morocco and Niger)  we'll caravan from north to south, from Qudra to Ganthoot, in search of water, date palms and oryx herds. Come prepared with solid Fewbie skills (side sloping, criss-crossing, and some faster driving) and your favorite blend of fine tea (coffee would do).

Type of Car: Any proper 4x4 with front and back tow hooks and 8-10 inches of ground clearance.

What to bring along: Loads of water, snacks (for yourself), smiles, face mask, rubber gloves, enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

Approximate finish time: 6:00 PM

P.S. Only join if you have a compressor to inflate your tires after the drive.

 

PLEASE RSVP ON THE CALENDAR 

 

[Thomas Varghese]

In 2 minds - whether to RSVP for this drive, complete it and proceed from the exit point all the way to LIWA for the IM drive with @Gaurav or just take it easy and head to LIWA at midnight and conserve energy for the next day drive. Seriously look forward for @Ale Vallecchi's advice on this dilemma. Point 1. I don't want to miss the classes from the Professor. Point 2. I'm not a middle aged man with bundles of free flowing energy. I'm afraid I'm going to lose my sleep tonight over this dilemma. 😥

[Thomas Varghese]

Prof @Ale Vallecchi couldn't wait for your advice. I joined for the drive. Your description is too tempting to resist joining the adventure. See you at Qudra on 30th.

[Ale Vallecchi]

25 minutes ago, Thomas Varghese said:

Prof @Ale Vallecchi couldn't wait for your advice. I joined for the drive. Your description is too tempting to resist joining the adventure. See you at Qudra on 30th.

Hi @Thomas Varghese. I have to leave this up to you, as only you can gauge your energy reserves. Will you plan to camp out at the Lisa meeting point, as many will do? 

[Thomas Varghese]

28 minutes ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

Hi @Thomas Varghese. I have to leave this up to you, as only you can gauge your energy reserves. Will you plan to camp out at the Lisa meeting point, as many will do? 

No. I will go to Ghayathi, drop my wife at our daughter's house, take some much needed rest at night for the next day drive and start back to the Liwa meeting point by around 6 am and join for the IM drive. Finally wife made the decision. I can have my fun in the desert and she can spend time with our daughter. My daughter's house and the meeting point is only an hour's drive. All depends on if you will exit at Ganthoot as described. 

Edited November 27, 2021 by Thomas Varghese

[Ale Vallecchi]

Dear Desertnauts.

@Bernard Kalaani, @Alain Canivet-Abikhalil, @Rsjiv Samuel, @Mohamad Anwer, @Adhir Saxena, @Thomas Varghese, @Naim Aoun and @Santoso Marjuki, welcome to this Mid-week drive. Just a few pointers, before handing out the convoy numbering, tomorrow afternoon. 

As mentioned in the drive's presentation, "Il Te' nel Deserto" is the original title of "The Sheltering Sky" a 1990 award winning movie by Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci, with Debra Winger and John Malkovich. Immediately after WW2 a couple arrives in Northern Africa, and ventures into the desert, travelling eventually as far as Niger, on a camel caravan route. Everyone in Italy has heard about the movie, which became very famous worldwide thanks to its stunning photography (by Oscar winner Vittorio Storaro) and the sound-track, also by Oscar winner Ryuichi Sakamoto (you can look it up as The Sheltering Sky Soundtrack on Spotify). As you'll have guessed, the Italian title means "A Tea in the Desert", and as such it has become a catchphrase, used referring to any outing to any desert (usually by Italian tourists visiting Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt or other friendly desert destinations). 

In this case, I have thought of making our own caravan, from Qudra's oasis,  across a mix of terrains, to reach the date palm trees of Ganthoot, under which we will enjoy our own "tea in the desert" just before sunset. Besides dunes, small natural springs, mud formations, sabkhas and palm trees, we'll see oryx (usually quite a lot in the Ganthoot area), so bring your camera (and become your own Oscar winning photographer), download a suitable soundtrack (the original one or otherwise), and carry your own favorite brand and blend of tea (or coffee), to have toward the end of the drive, under a lonely palm tree, miraculously surviving amidst the sand. It will be a great and relaxing beginning of the long National Holiday weekend.

Final update, convoy numbering and radio channel, coming tomorrow. 

 

[Niki]

8 minutes ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

Dear Desertnauts.

@Bernard Kalaani, @Alain Canivet-Abikhalil, @Rsjiv Samuel, @Mohamad Anwer, @Adhir Saxena, @Thomas Varghese, @Naim Aoun and @Santoso Marjuki, welcome to this Mid-week drive. Just a few pointers, before handing out the convoy numbering, tomorrow afternoon. 

As mentioned in the drive's presentation, "Il Te' nel Deserto" is the original title of "The Sheltering Sky" a 1990 award winning movie by Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci, with Debra Winger and John Malkovich. Immediately after WW2 a couple arrives in Northern Africa, and ventures into the desert, travelling eventually as far as Niger, on a camel caravan route. Everyone in Italy has heard about the movie, which became very famous worldwide thanks to its stunning photography (by Oscar winner Vittorio Storaro) and the sound-track by also Oscar winner Ryuichi Sakamoto (you can look it up as The Sheltering Sky Soundtrack on Spotify). As you'll have guessed, the Italian title means "A Tea in the Desert", and as such it has become a catchphrase, used referring to any outing to any desert (usually by Italian tourists visiting Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt or other friendly desert destinations). 

In this case, I have thought of making our own caravan, from Qudra's oasis,  across a mix of terrains, to reach the date palm trees of Ganthoot, under which we will enjoy our own "tea in the desert" just before sunset. Besides dunes, small natural springs, mud formations, sabkhas and palm trees, we'll see oryx (usually quite a lot in the Ganthoot area), so bring your camera (and become your own Oscar winning photographer), download a suitable soundtrack (the original one or otherwise), and carry your own favorite brand and blend of tea (or coffee), to have toward the end of the drive, under a lonely palm tree, miraculously surviving amidst the sand. It will be a great and relaxing beginning of the long National Holiday weekend.

Final update, convoy numbering and radio channel, coming tomorrow. 

 

@Ale Vallecchi please do make these "tea in the desert" trips a regular - would love to have joined had it not been for the Liwa adventures the next day.  look forward to the pics. 

[Matt.T]

Hi @Ale Vallecchi apologies for late response but have had unplanned trip home and having returned this morning had to check work shifts.

Looking forward to the drive.

[Bernard Kalaani]

@Ale Vallecchi unfortunately will not be able to make it on Wednesday. Please remove me

[Shaaz Sha]

hi @Ale Vallecchi, will not be able to make it at the meeting point at 2 and hence I removed the RSVP. 🙏