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Now he can't. He is brand ambassador for loops. Check out his car & jacket

Welcome to the team @Looper!!

@Federico Galbieri Pre-drive: If you're bringing passengers for the first time on a drive, do also check with them before hand if any of them experience motion sickness. If they do, it's a good thing for them to take Dizinil (Dimenhydrinate) tablets about an hour before the drive. Also, keep plenty of water and paper bags on you just in case. During the drive: If it gets bad for your passengers, try rotating the ones feeling it the most to the front of the car and keep your windows down if you can. Saying out loud what you're doing next really helps backseat passengers - such as "climbing up to the left now", "we're going down to the right now", etc. Since passengers in the back are literally riding a roller-coaster, these aids help them orient themselves. Trust me - a 20min "safari" experience is very different from a 2+ hour off-road drive. Not scaring you but be ready for it. And if you find amazing passengers who don't feel a thing, keep them for life.

Very well deserved

Congrats @Looper and thank you in advance for all your future support!!!

Hi @Federico Galbieri that's a good question. We are following the law of the land, and during the lockdown period it was indeed not allowed to carry passengers in your vehicle if they were not living together. I think you can take a maximum of two passengers along with you (see article which dated from August 2021): Covid in UAE: New exemption for 3-person rule in vehicles - News | Khaleej Times

Congrats @Looper...getting into some serious stuff ya 😉😉 ?? wish you less of looping around, more of tugging and digging 😄😀

Congratulations Goutam @Looper !!

congrats @Looper👍

congrats Goutam @Looper 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Speedex too in Sheikh Zayed Road. Dragon mart flags are cheaper compared to Ace & Speedex

Congrats @Looper

Congratulations @Looper!

Congratulations @Looper! Well deserved! Cheers 🍻

Congratulation to you, @Looper

I agree but this time seha has improved that bit too, as I got same day appointment after 3 hours (which always used to be on next day at least) and test took 15 min in queue.

Good morning @Yesu Yarlagaddadepend where are you in Dubai, but most of the off-roaders shops they have, dragon mart, Ace hardware, and on line (which not sure you will get it before saturday) e.g. noon 😉

Don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of driving with you, but certainly enjoyed reading a lot of your content on the forum. Congrats @Looper

Congratulation @Looper

Well done Gautam @Looper. Heartiest congratulations; look forward to getting supported even more now

Welcome @Taimur Khan There is no such thing as stupid questions. You are correct, in the desert we always drive in 4H (4x4 wheel high gearing). We only use 4L (4x4 low gear) during recovery (self recovery or when someone is recovering your vehicle with a recovery rope). Your Prado is always in 4H by default, but you will have a button that allow you to put it in 4L (low gear). Hope this clarifies your doubt :)

@Frederic Thank you, confirmed from my side

Good morning @Reggie Landicho, can extend up to 12 max

last time SEHA in sharjah screwed me. i got my result after 36 hours. and i missed the drive. This time i went again to SEHA and got the result just under 24 hours. Looks like sharjah facility is inefficient and delay in processing. BTW getting appointment is easy i got same day evening slot.

I got my PCR done yesterday afternoon at seha for 50 dhs, and got negative result in less than 12 hours.

Congrats @Looper, gotta teach us looping

In the UAE, we have a myriad of terrains to choose from when it comes to desert driving. For many new members who might be asking themselves what the differences actually are, I wanted to compile the most known areas we drive in, and give some information about the area and what you can expect when you join a drive with us in that area. We will be focusing on the sand driving. Northern Emirates (UAQ and RAK) Umm Al Quwain and Ras Al Khaimah have some very nice areas that we often explore, with plenty of vegetation, wildlife, and the mountains are never far away. On these drives, the emphasis is more on exploration than on the typical dune bashing. Scenic Score: 95% Excitement Score: 70% Versatility Score: 95% Fossil Rock - Faya - Sharjah From the moment you drive on the Sharjah - Kalba road, you'll see the majestic Fossil Rock mountain on the right hand side. It has got its name due to the ancient fossils that you can find on the rocks, and the surrounding red dunes are a delight to drive. Usually starting from Batayeh-Faya road, the dunes gradually go from small and bushy until you reach the nice open areas with "The Long Lady" as one of the most popular dunes to showcase and practice your sidesloping skills. The cherry on top is the climb on Fossil Rock itself which provides an amazing scenic view on the area and Mleiha town below. A must for every beginner level driver ! To even up the challenge you can take on the nice bowls behind Fossil Rock, or head out to Faya which is also called "The Saddle". Scenic Score: 90% Excitement Score: 70% Versatility Score: 90% Pink Rock - Big Red - Sharjah Nearby Fossil Rock, you will find Pink Rock, which got its name from the pinkish hue the rocks have. This very popular off-road area is known for the smooth gentle dunes at the start that gradually move to challenging bowls nearby the base of Pink Rock. Climbing Pink Rock is the ideal challenge for beginners and provides a fantastic view as well. From Pink Rock you can head out to Big Red which will up the challenge and entice every level of off-roader. The Big Red area is an off-roader hotspot during the season. Scenic Score: 80% Excitement Score: 70% Versatility Score: 75% Bidayer / Area 53 / Schuwaib - Sharjah This area is not for the faint of heart, and the big dunes will demand you to keep momentum at all times, while the massive hills such as Iftar Bowl and Super Bowl are ultimate play areas one can find in Sharjah. This area tends to be extremely busy during the offroad season. Scenic Score: 60% Excitement Score: 80% Versatility Score: 65% Margham / Lahbab - Dubai A little less known area, but very versatile with nice technical areas, playable bowls, and overall a terrain where any level offroader can practice and hone their skills without encountering too many cross tracks. Scenic Score: 70% Excitement Score: 70% Versatility Score: 75% Murquab - Lisaili - Faqa - Dubai This area is located on the Dubai-Al Ain road and offers so much. From technical terrain, to the arboretum in Faqa, long range dunes in both Faqa and some areas of Lisaili, and the most amazing creamy dunes below the Maktoum Solar Park which we have now called "Little Sweihan". This area never disappoints and there is a reason we have it on our weekly drives schedules ! Scenic Score: 85% Excitement Score: 80% Versatility Score: 95% Al Qudra - Dubai Al Qudra has become one of the most well known Offroad areas in Dubai, mainly due to the close vicinity to the city, but also because of its versatility, nearby facilities (Last Exit, Love Lakes), and the wildlife than can be spotted while off-roading (gazelles, oryx). This area stretches out to Murquab in the East via Al Hathmah area, on to Faqa going South below the Solar Park, and up to the Bab al Shams resort in the West. Scenic Score: 85% Excitement Score: 75% Versatility Score: 95% Sweihan - Abu Dhabi / Al Ain The Sweihan area in Abu Dhabi has to be experienced, and the proximity to Dubai brings lots of Dubai residents to Sweihan to explore the massive long range dunes and versatile area that has something in store for every off-roader. Sweihan never disappoints and the Nagrah area which alternates between monstrous dunes and deserted sabkhas will leave you hungry for more every single time. Scenic Score: 80% Excitement Score: 90% Versatility Score: 95% Al Khatim - Abu Dhabi A very popular and versatile offroader destination for Abu Dhabi residents with exhilarating dunes and technical areas that will challenge any offroader. Scenic Score: 80% Excitement Score: 90% Versatility Score: 80% Wagan / Umm Al Oash / Bu Tais - Abu Dhabi / Al Ain In search for monstruous dunes where momentum and pace are critical and where your vehicle will be pushed to its limit ? You have come to the right place as this area is spoiled with massive dunes, alternated by long flat sabkhas where you can get your bearings back before heading in again, and again ! Scenic Score: 95% Excitement Score: 100% Versatility Score: 80% Liwa Madinat Zayed - Abu Dhabi The Madinat Zayed area is famous for its Yellow Water Truck, which was left behind many years back, but no-one really knows how it got there. This area is consisting of massive dunes, and you can easily scale the level up or down in this area based on the convoy you bring there. From this place onwards and further down south into Liwa Crescent you will feel like you are on a different planet. Scenic Score: 90% Excitement Score: 100% Versatility Score: 90% Liwa Crescent - Abu Dhabi Seeing LIWA for the first time will leave you astonished, baffled, and beyond comprehension. From Himeem in the East, to Khanoor in the West, this whole area is filled with some of the biggest dunes on this planet, massive slipfaces that will make you shiver when descending, and extremely technical dunes that will require your utmost focus. This area is unforgettable and every off-roader should have this on his bucket list ! Scenic Score: 100% Excitement Score: 100% Versatility Score: 100%

Hi @Chaitanya D and all due to medical reasons , cannot attend the drive this week😞.removed myself from list. See you next time ✋

@Taimur Khan this is the perfect drive for you to start with. We wont be doing any thing crazy, the drive is designed for first timers in the desert. It will give you a feel of what it is like to drive in this terrain and also help you understand how your vehicle reacts in sand. As far as bringing family is concerned, we don't stop you but would advise you to not let it become a distraction to you during the drive as driving in the desert requires your full attention.

@Rob S..thank you. Hope to meet up some day and have my Prado related questions all cleared 😁

@Brette, I am contemplating joining this drive. I have limited off-road experience on dirt tracks in villages and KT Fun drive ( did not complete). Can I bring my wife along on this drive as a passenger? Thanks in advance.

Hey guys, I am planning to bring some passengers with me tomorrow, do you know by any chance if there are still restrictions about car-sharing and the max amount of people in the car? I can’t find recent updates about it.. Cheers, Federico

Sorry; I had to withdraw.. See you next time

Here it is

Good morning @Hisham Masaad. I just want to check how far you can extend the convoy if it’s possible?🙏

Dear @Bruno FinelI am afraid some system error, where should have added @Karthik Raptor, as soon as a drop out happened. Looks you found a space and added your self. I am afraid will have to remove your name to the WL, and add @Karthik Raptor instead. Apologies for the same. Hope will have a space for you to join.

Yeah SEHA is undoubtedly the best .. just not easy getting an appointment if not planed well and walk in takes time.

Congratulations @Looper well deserved

WL: 1. @Shahid Mehmood 2. @Charbel 3. @Mark D

Congrats Goutam @Looper for the well deserved promotion to support team. I had blessed you when you donated your kinetic rope to me when we drove last time. By the way the rope was helpful in my last drive. Thank you. Does this promotion mean we will see you soon as a lead too?

About darn time! Congratulations @Looper 😎

Hello. I cannot go. Wheel bearings going out and will not risk it. Making room for someone on the waitlist.

Hi @Gaurav& @Frederic, Is there a possibility to add Fewbie drives on Saturdays? We are always getting into an enormous wait list. a humble request… Thanks

I am glad that I made it time to get a slot. Happy to join the drive

Today i’m bit late to add my name in RSVP. well added in waitlist 😀. @Kailas Plz add me to the drive.

Excellent drive @Islam Solimantoday - one of my favorites! The post drive radio comments said it all and this drive a had a bit of everything to offer. My @Carnity website was not working becoz my annual subscription expired! I definitely had to renew this after an epic drive this morning. The cold morning started of well after me bumping into our fellow convoy mates at the ADNOC petrol station with @imranaasghar81 helping me with my coffee. Thanks for that mate and also for being and excellent CF. @Warren Flay thanks being an excellent 2nd lead and re routing when necessary. Its always a pleasure seeing your gadgero with all those mods @Davie Chase thanks for being an excellent sweep. I am sure u had good view of all of us from the back. @Daniel Yang@munkybizness@Naim Aoun @Fabien Monleau@Gilbert Khalil@Daniel Rodas an absolute delight to drive with you all See you all very soon in the sands…😊

I’ve been waiting four weeks for @Gilbert Khalilto have a smile this big plastered on his face (in Dubai) and for him to say he “truly” loved the drive 😂🤔 Today, the radio crackled to life and I heard it, and I couldn’t agree more. Much like him, I can say with the utmost confidence, the rest of us too went home with smiles that big only to perhaps crash into our respective sacks. Firstly, @Islam Soliman, WELCOME BACK! What a grand re-appearance. And I know we’re going to be seeing a ton of new drives on the roster soon (especially your heavyweight LWB editions ;)) @Warren Flay, I almost always expect you to be SL on any drive I have with you, and it’s such a pleasure to have you in that seat. You set an excellent pace for the convoy. @Davie Chase, watching you in the rear view mirror today in your sweep role taking some of the lines you did, showed such wisdom and forced me to ask myself - “why didn’t I do that?” @imranaasghar81, thanks for flying the checkered flag. It’s a beautiful thing to chase down the middle. I am still seeing flashes of your air time 🚀 @Naim Aoun- what a splendid first FB+! @Daniel Rodas- I’ve never heard a Pajero sound this good. Mitsubishi needs to take notes. @Daniel Yang- my forever Y61 wingman. Thank you all in the front for giving us lovely churned up slopes to fishtail in @Fabien Monleau- following your beautiful car on a stunning track is the icing on the cake @Adhir Saxena- composed as always! See you all out on the sands again soon 🐵

@Islam Soliman the comments on the radio post drive said it all, however, it never hurts to say it again. that really was one of the best drives i have been on since joining Carnity. Not that the other drives have not been absolutely fantastic, but today, wow, superb. It had everything from challenging terrain which we were able to cover quickly, to fantastic scenery, to great support and most importantly fantastic company. Thank you for allowing me to sweep that was very brave of you lol. a couple of shout outs to a great second lead by@Warren Flay and CF by@imranaasghar81 you guys made the sweepers job easy. Moreover, it was a pleasure to follow such great offroaders as all of you guys @Daniel Yang @munkybizness @Adhir Saxena @Daniel Rodas @Naim Aoun @Gilbert Khalil @Fabien Monleau learnt a lot watching you all and you for sure made it even easier to sweep. Once again thank you all for a fantastic morning out and look forward to doing it all again next weekend. I have uploaded a couple of pics to the gallery.

well firstly thinking you will roll over is a bad start before you even start 😉. As long as you dont do something crazy, take care of yourself and your car during the drive you should be fine. You have to of-course factor in the risk when you pay the extra premium for your insurance. What is the probability of you having a total loss in the first place? is it really such a common thing? you will probably end up paying the extra premium but never need it. But it depends on person to person, I know some people who have always had only 3rd party insurance, others would like to have full insurance even for an old car. So i guess if you are that sort of person who wants to have all his risks covered then go for it.