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This is the TRUE masterpiece....

Trip Report - Who am I kidding. After the masterpiece from @Frederic I can just add the trip from my point of view. So whatever you plan will never work out for you, Thursday was that kind of a second half for me. Thought of sleeping early, but ended up working till about 8:30 pm, which meant the couple of errands to run on the way home turns out I reached 10:30 pm which was already way past my bed time in my mind. Preparations for the trip and ended up going to bed around 11:30 pm, however the mind plays crazy games and ended up getting up after 15 minutes to add a couple of things to my goodie basket. Went back to bed, kept and alarm for 2:30 am and told my daughter to wake me up at 2:30 am as well. I felt I was unable to go to sleep until my daughter actually had to come and wake me up with the alarm going off as timed. Does this mean I was sleeping and dreaming that I was not able to sleep. Oh well. Got up and with quick last minute preparations and checks left home with a suitcase full, I was headed to Liwa. On the way I stopped over to pick our beloved @Asif Hussain bhai who had a surprise for me in a heap of wood to burn that night. Stocked it up and on they way to Liwa stopped at a truck parking to offer the early morning Fajr prayers. It was chilly cold and as we drove we knew we would be the last people to check-in at the meeting point, but we bravely drove on as the Sun came out through the clouds giving us a glimpse of what was going to be an awesome day out. Surely we could have been wrapped in our blankets at home cuddled to our loved ones but the love of Liwa had us smelling adventure on the corner. As we rolled in to the Petrol Station it was evident we had lost some time, but with the better part of the day still at hand we did one last check and headed out to the track which would lead us to some dunes we could not even have imagined in our wildest dreams. After deflation and a quick brief as to what to expect and the plan for the day, we set ourselves on our way to the first part of the trip which was in search of a Yellow Truck. This Yellow truck had been abandoned way back before we were born to entice us to do this side of Liwa, which was a first for me. Such is the charm of Liwa that we had a couple of detours to check the best wall to do a sidey, or the best ever bowl to play in. With all the detours and fun the Yellow Truck dawned on us, our first reaction was it was not even Yellow. But as we came closer we realised that the front of the truck was infact yellow, but eyes can play strange tricks on you in the desert. After having fun around and on top of the Yellow Truck with lots of pics to add it to our memory lane, we ended up with the discussion on whether or not to leave our mark on the truck. After much delibration it was decided to slap the Carnity stickers on, and with the tools and equipment coutesy of @Srikumar and the talent of @Frederic we had the stickers on and looking good. As we decided to head on to find a good play area the lead was surrendered by @Gaurav and @Emmanuel to @Srikumar who set off following the path of the sun to our play area. Soon we found ourselves in the Walt Disney of dunes, one play strip after another, we would want to rush to the other roller coaster as soon as we were off the one we rode before. There was a proper dune buffet and we had an offer of eat all you can before the sun goes down. Some of these looked scary and even more scary for me as I was the fifth car out of five. I saw the first 4 manage it with ease and was always scared that it would be too churned up for me being the last. However Liwa seemed to be in the mood of giving and never let me down, it allowed me to do it with the same ease as everybody else. The were a few scary moments, but just being able to come out of that scary moment without a scratch felt like an achievement. Very proud of the whole team, as we discussed I was not the only one with my heart in my mouth. All the Liwa trips I have done so far were with tall dunes which were not the easy to handle and had some medium dunes with a lot of technical dunes which were difficult to negotiate through, this side of Liwa was a totally different kind of fun with tall dunes which seemed easy to do even for 5 cars with all the play time in the world. Was it because of the weather or was it due to the lack of traffic in this area or maybe a combination of both. With reluctance @Srikumar handed the lead to @Frederic and it seemed like he was long awaiting the opportunity as he totally enjoyed leading in the area playing from one dune to another with the utmost of ease. It was about time for the sun to disappear which was a hint for us to find our own shelter for the night. Our first priority was to find the track that would lead us out. As soon as the track was found and the right path was decided on we were off as close to the road as we could. We decided to head in to the dunes to play along side the track and we headed close to the road, at this point @Emmanuel and @Asif Hussain bhai had to leave us, they took the track and we soon heard from them as they reached the road before the sun could go down. With @Frederic in lead, @Gaurav, @Srikumar and I decided to play around the track till the sun went down. The terrain was amazing and offered a lot to play on, and we took full advantage of every little inch of natural light we could use. As the sun settled for the day and the lights started diminishing we headed back to the track and close to the road. About 4 Kms in we found a nice spot but wanted something a bit better. This even saw us in a very tight spot, but as a team we managed it well and marched on. There was a facility close by and we just wanted to make sure that it was not a military base or anything which would cause any problems. After we discovered that the pace was just an abandoned factory of some sort we headed back in and found a spot which would best suit our purpose for the night. With us settled in and the bonfire started we sat around and discussed about the day, the week, the month, the year and everything that came to our heads. Although it seemed soon for us but close to midnight we retired to our sleeping bags and thanks to @Gaurav bhai's roaring engine which woke me up at the introduction of another day. After freshening up and enjoying a nice quiet breakfast with the best coffee ever we packed up and headed out, after a quick inflation we were on our way back to join our families. We had around 3 - 4 stops, once to refuel the cars, one to refuel ourselves and a quick visit to the Rainbow Sheikh's car museum. All in all the trip was one which was long awaited and what made the trip worth it was the like minded people who come out to enjoy the vast desert. Feeling really blessed to have the company of some wonderful people and looking forward to developing more friends on this journey with Carnity.com

Hi @Emmanuel understood. Thanks for letting me know. I hope someonelese can take me onboard.

Nicholas Sparks As soon as a drive got posted that carried the name Liwa, I knew that there was no way back. And as soon as the signups starting rolling in with the big names of the Carnity Off-road world, i was determined to drive even for days to be a part of it. Going to bed early the night before and forcing myself to get some sleep was difficult, as I kept mentally going through my list of items to take with me in the car. My plan was to leave early, having sufficient time to stop for coffeebreaks and power naps if needed. I arrived around 06:00 at the petrol station and soon saw two gentlemen @Srikumar and @Gauravwith steamy windows rolling in. What caused the steamy windows will forever remain a mystery in the Carnity books 🤣 Soon we were joined by @Emmanuel, @Rahimdad and @Asif Hussain while the sun slowly started to rise. We headed off the nearby track and deflated, hungry for the dunes that we noticed on the horizon. @Asif Hussain carefully created a route beforehand and showed up with enough equipment to make the latest Fast and Furious movie. A few hours into the drive I became more and more amazed by the shape and formation of the dunes that were presented to us. They looked creamy, wavy, irresistible, and extremely scary at some times. When @Gaurav announced that he would do a sidey on a Dune that rightfully scared the living hell out of me from just seeing it, I knew that there was no way back and that my little blue’one would have to unleash all its ponies and more to make it in this terrain. Which it did. We all had our chance to lead, and seeing @Srikumar his smile and his reluctance to hand over his lead, brought to my mind that this little playground would be in our hearts forever. After having reached the track that leads to the road, we said goodbye to our friends Emmanuel and Asif, while the rest of us starting looking for a nice camping spot. Finding that nice spot came with its challenges: it was getting pitch dark, we were all getting tired, and soon we found ourselves in a serious tricky spot. We eventually found a nice area near the track and settled down to set up camp. Our buddy @Srikumar that we can thank for bringing the massive amount of nice firewood, left very early in the morning. I heard the double crank and him driving off but my body was still in lockdown mode. The drive back home in the morning in the presence of @Gaurav and @Rahimdad was a true blessing, to see two friends and soulmates being so in tune with each other. We stopped over at the AD car museum for a snapshot of the big Jeep and headed home tired but extremely happy. Happy that we were able to spend time with likeminded souls that understand each other without words, and happy that we all made it home safely, except for the radio rollover incident 🤣. And there we have it: the first Liwa drive of 2020, that was an unforgettable experience for me and i encourage every off-roader to put this on the top of their To-Do list. Don’t do it for the massive dunes or the lack of cellphone reception, but do it for spending time with an exceptional group of people that will get you to do things you’ve never could have imagined.

One of the basic requirement to go off road is to equip with 2 way walkie talkie. in general, all off roaders are using a handheld radio to communicate during the drives. I think this handheld walkie talkies are quite distracting when we do off road driving. Whenever we want to talk we need to take one hand off the wheel, pick up the radio press the button get it closer to your mouth and talk. After the conversation we need to make sure the radio is held somewhere securely. Also this radio can be cannon ball to your face if it is not secured properly. So I feel this is quite inefficient and unsafe as well. Does anyone have solution or idea to use the radio with minimal distraction? Preferably like hands free.

What @Javier M suggested seems to be a perfect fit for you if Radio call and securing safely is a concern for you. For me personally I wouldn't mind talking on radio every 15 minutes for few seconds than sticking earpiece for hours. What desertdude mention, is totally spot on, that radio communication is only important when you need it, otherwise learn to focus on what you are doing: hill climb, sidey or just cruising on sand than getting into temptation of replying immediately. We all are off-roaders here and fully understand that your safety is prime than replying back or acknowledge any message for next few seconds. Almost all radios have the belt clip, that you can put on your seatbelt at any comfortable level where you can hear the incoming message. For responding you can remove it and put it back after the conversation to avoid the canon ball fear. I see lot of people place radio in between their legs, clip it on something more stable like door handle or support handle etc. so you can try all options until you get comfortable with.

First of all I disagree it's a basic requirement, anyway that's a whole other story Why not just follow the rules of aviation Aviate, navigate and communicate. Communication being the last priority. So modify it to your own situation. Driving the car and being safe takes first priority. If you are doing a climb or tackling a sidey and you get a radio call. What ever it is. It isn't that important that you have to respond immediately even if that means putting yourself in danger and even risking harm to yourself and others. Concentrate on the task ahead, finish it and only when it's safe to do so. Respond to the radio. I know most people think when they get a telephone call ( Or in this case radio call )it has to be answered immediately. Regardless of what situation you are in whether you are sleeping or trying to navigate a tricky roundabout in heavy traffic as if God himself is calling and you cannot risk his wrath

Thanks Richard. Very kind of you. If you don't mind I will confirm on Thursday, after I see how I feel after the procedure. Should be fine (or so they told me 😅).

You're always welcome in our TJ

Hi @Ale Vallecchi! I have a personal rule that many people find a bit strange : no passenger when leading a convoy. That said, I’m sure that one of the drivers will have a seat for you on Friday and I will be happy to have you as a passenger another time, when I will not be leading.

This is an afternoon drive so you have enough time to drink a liter of coffee and join us 😜

Hi Emmanuel, Just a quick clarification - is the start point for this drive next to the finsih point of the Newbie drive? Question is if we can do both a Newbie and a Fewbie on the same day or not. Thanks in advance.

can we chat on Whatsup if possible

Maybe i can help, i'm not in the desktop/end user field but i have some knowledge. What do you need advice on?

For hip hop and reggae fans, Wu-Tang Clan, Talib Kweli, Protoje & Koffee are in the house this week-end.

50% tax will be applied on drinks having sugar from 1 Jan 2020. It will be announced soon in main news, as I just read that in one of the catering website for middle east.

The main thing they are targeting are the Red Bull’s and Mountain Dews of this world. The sugar tax was implemented in Mexico already where a 10% price increase brought a consumption decline of 7,6% on sugar drinks. UK implemented a gradual production tax, where the manufacturer pays more tax, if more than 5 gram per liter sugar is found in their products. This is good because it motivates the manufacturers to stay below that threshold. The funny thing is that the sugar tax has the most benefit for countries that provide social healthcare, because less obesities and less diabetes patients equals lower costs, same for cigarettes. In UAE however their motivation will be different 😁

And being an active or heavy smoker you will walk 50 -100 meters every 1 hour.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity_in_the_Middle_East_and_North_Africa Obesity in the Middle East and North Africa Read in another language Watch this page Edit Obesity in North Africa and the Middle Eastis a notable health issue. In 2005, the World Health Organization measured that 1.6 billion people were overweight and 400 million were obese. It estimates that by the year 2015, 2.3 billion people will be overweight and 700 million will be obese.[1] The Middle East, including the Arabian Peninsula, Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey and Iran, and North Africa, are no exception to the worldwide increase in obesity. Subsequently, some call this trend the New World Syndrome.[2] The lifestyle changes associated with the discovery of oil and the subsequent increase in wealth is one contributing factor. Urbanization has occurred rapidly and has been accompanied by new technologies that promote sedentary lifestyles.[3] Due to accessibility of private cars, television, and household appliances, the population as a whole is engaging in less physical activity. The rise in caloric and fat intake in a region where exercise is not a defining part of the culture has added to the overall increased percentages of overweight and obese populations.[4] In addition, women are more likely to be overweight or obese due to cultural norms and perceptions of appropriate female behavior and occupations inside and outside of the home.[5]

Obesity From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigationJump to search For the medical journal, see Obesity (journal). Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to an extent that it may have a negative effect on health.[1] People are generally considered obese when their body mass index (BMI), a measurement obtained by dividing a person's weight by the square of the person's height, is over 30 kg/m2; the range 25–30 kg/m2 is defined as overweight.[1] Some East Asian countries use lower values.[8] Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases and conditions, particularly cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, osteoarthritis, and depression.[2][3]

Obesity is rarely a medical condition. It’s usually a lack of self control. I don’t eat much sugary stuff. I’ll maybe buy a bar of some nice chocolate and keep it in the fridge and eat it slowly over 9-10 days. Why should I pay more for my chocolate when these fatsos will just pay the tax and continue to get fat? Taxing sugar won’t make a difference. I’m a heavy smoker, I smoke 1-2 packs per day. When they introduced the smoking tax, it didn’t make a difference to me. Sure a pack of cigarettes costs twice as much but they’re still cheap. Try buying a packet of cigarettes in my country, you won’t have much change out of 50dhs, and that’s an every day habit.

Just watched The Dirt. It’s a documentary about motley crue player by actors. Just released on Netflix yesterday. I’m not a massive motley crue fan but I like some of their songs. Very entertaining to watch, totally recommend it for any music fan. I thought some of the things I did when I was playing in bands was rock n roll but these guys took it to another level. Fun fact: did you know Metallica lost their first recording contract to an unknown band called motley Crue? I bet the scout is still kicking his own ass until this day, especially after his girlfriend did...., watch the movie, you’ll see.

Final price drop 3,200 dhs

Shouldn't be a Randy Rhoads Custom jackson flying V one of 50 be worth a lot more than 3500?? Ah I can already hear the opening riff of Crazy Train in my head now!

Honestly @Ren13 this is a full on badass metal guitar that megadeth could walk on stage and play a gig with. It’s not something you can walk into virgin megastore and buy. It’s a proper import. I hate to sell it but I need to free up some space.

I have plenty more where that came from 😊. Watching movies/Series are my hobby. I have a huge collection of VHS/DVDs/Blu Rays back home. A few years ago I had spine surgery and I could not move from bed for months, I spent all that time watching whatever was interesting no matter the genre or year.

Gone Girl Seven Nocturnal Animals Side Effects Looper True Story Annihilation The Road John Wick the equalizer Gangs of New York American Hustle Gerard's Game Oldboy Happy The taking of Pelham 123 Town Savages Small Crimes Lone Survivor Shooter Zero dark thirty Black hawk down Defiance 13 Hours The punisher (The series, not the movie) the sinner Ozark the hurt locker Pulp fiction Mercury Rising

Thriller, Action and Sci Fi

I totally forgot about it. you are totally right its a good series. And also the movie Bandersnatch

I'm not a die hard Queen fan per say but am from the time when Freddie was alive and when Queen were still in the charts. I loved their videos watching them on Chart Atack with Simon Potter. It's a kind of Magic was one of my favourites videos In fact I clearly remember watching Live Aid, Channel 33 dubai broadcast it live and my elder brother recording it on our VCR! (probably showing my age here!) The famine in Africa was really a big thing it was in the papers and news all the time, so we did our part by watching the concert! Hey I was kid what else could do! lol I also remember the day when gulf news Tabloid had a full page Pic of Freddie Mercury. The head line read Freddy Mercury is dead. So watching this kinda brought back some memories from childhood and early teens. It wasn't just another story but something that I remember experiencing first hand, sorta. P.S : Extreme also did a great set of Queen hits medley at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert and is really worth a watch. I would say my second best live performance after Queen at live aid.

It’s a good movie if you like queen but aren’t a die hard fan otherwise you’ll spot the holes. Entertaining though. Rami is a fantastic actor. Ive seen Marc Martel on my recommended feed a few times. He’s got the voice down. His jaw is scarily Freddie looking too.

Well I finally caved in and watched it, it was an ok one time watch, holes and all but Rami as freddy made it worth it and also discovering Freddie Mercury reincarnated aka Marc Martel man just close your eyes and is Freddie back from the dead !

Most of the series I listed are in Netflix. What genre would you like to watch? I could recommend something based on genre

When it comes to movies or series its always up to one's personal taste. Here are some movies and series that I personally like: MOVIES: The Lobster Hero (Japanese movie) The Killing of a Sacred Deer Batman the dark night trilogy Wildlife Captain Fantastic Pulp Fiction Nocturnal Animals Demolition Nightcrawler Enemy What If Ruby Sparks Imperium Valerian and the city of a thousand planets Hunt for the wilderpeople Fracture Dallas buyers Club Thank you for your service american sniper Whiplash Maudie Predestination Boyhood Lord of war Training Day Her Snowpiercer Cloud Atlas When harry met sally cast away the green mile saving private Ryan sleepless in Seattle Forest gump Le Samouraï american gangsters SERIES: Ozark Rick and morty Ash vs Evil Dead Grimm Lilyhammer You Game of thrones Shameless (the american version) Penny Dreadful Glitch Pleaky Blinders Suits Colony Final Space Luther Elementary Sherlock Narcos Mexico People v OJ simpson The IT crowd Homeland The americans This is what is on the top of my mind and it is in no specific order, its just stuff I remember I liked. I also like anime but I dont think this thread is for that and not sure the audience here likes it. I spent some time living in Japan I have seen a lot of interesting Japanese movies, series and anime but I dont think they are easy to find.

I officially hand my title of grumpy old man to you for life. Congratulations

Seen both versions of the bohemian rhapsody. Don’t waste your time with the censored cinema version, just stream it. Rami Malik was awesome as Freddy. But don’t expect it to be a Freddy movie, it’s the story of queen up until the live aid concert. As a queen fan, I’m a bit disappointed. I have all the albums. I’ve read all the books. A lot of the movie is exaggerated for the sake of cinematography. Don’t believe everything you see when you watch this movie. The story is cut off after the live aid concert. Its worth a watch for entertainments sake. Real queen fans will be able to pick the holes in the story though.

If I only had a dollar the times I've been approached for the Saudi scam thing. Cant say its the car I drive because Ive been approached on foot even before I got a car. Actually the first time way back in the mid 90s it was a Omani plated car and even then I didn't give him shit. I had a dirham coin in my jeans which I pulled out a said this is all I had if you want it, you can have it. In the 2000s it became Saudi plates plus I was driving a relatively new Land Cruiser and I guess I look like an Arab ( dont ask me even till date grocery guys, cabbies etc etc see me and start talking to me in Arabic!, personally I don't see it nor do I wear Arab garb ) and every so often a Saudi would pull up at the lights, gas station etc etc and start off in a thick Saudi Arabic accent Other scams similar Ive been subjected to like a young clean shaven smart guy walks up and says he's here on a visit visa looking for a job and hes exhausted all funds but has an interview in Abu Dhabi and needs to get there, so here take my watch its a blah blah and give me a few 100dhs. But during a time I used to go every evening to Crowne Plaza on Shk Zayed in the evening to pick up my wife from the office and this chap approached me, offered me some like tiny tiny 2-3 page booklets with religious scripture, I said no thanks but he said they are gifts so not wanting to be disrespectful. I took one. Then he stood there ....waiting. I said what? You said they were gifts. Then he laid on a big sob story blah blah and how he needed money. Said domt have money and returned his booklets. Then again after a week or so, same guy comes up to me, I told him no again, didnt seem to recognize me. Then again after a week or so same guys comes up to me while I wait. I'm like WTF dude this is the third time now, he was kinda taken off guard. I asked him what's the story man. Then again another sob story, he's here looking for a job etc etc so I asked what is it that you do. I think he thought of what would be a weird profession where no one could help him out and he said he's a florist. Well I said you are in luck there is a florist shop right in Crowne plaza with a help wanted sign, he definitely gave got caught off guard and started making all sorts of stories so I also gave him a piece of my mind. Then he saw he wasnt going to get anything from me, so he asked if he could at least use my mobile phone to call his mum back home. I was like seriously dude! Even after all this your still trying to get something off me. Well didnt see him after that time though!

This Saudi plate number car scamming is very old one and I'm surprised as it's still continuing, wow. The first time they approached me in white Lexus LS400 (Saudi plate) sometime in 2012 and said they have no money for food, I asked him to come with me to an adjacent supermarket and buy whatever he wants and he runs away - proven fake. After that spotted Arabic lady in an abaya, talking very softly in Arabic and then switching to English to convey the message that she needs money for food. The most dangerous scam and not begging like above is the buying cars with dud cheques by playing it a weekend or my card got blocked bla bla and guy comes in an expensive car like Range or Bentley and issues the company dead cheque for the major amount and little in cash. I think this off lately very well captured by RTA and Dubai Police that they can roll back car ownership in the system in case of fraud within three days - I think. On the other hand, people selling useless pens and perfume, I do buy them for 10-20 dhs and give their pens back as at least he is making an effort of selling or doing something rather than scamming people. And smile you see on those faces are really genuine and comforting that you have done some good deed for a needy person.

I fell for this begging stunt the first time. They used to say they have no money for food or for petrol. The next time I got wise and told such people that come with me to a restaurant and I would pay for the food. They would just roll up the windows or walk away.

I'd repeat my recommendations guys. Watch 1. Legion (the season) 2. Dark (the season) Also big shout out to all matrix lovers one of the most amazing movie ever made. Surely makes my list of top 5 movies of all time.

Watched A Quiet Place. Pretty alright movie better than all the 2018 movies I was expecting to be awesome, Black Panther, Pacific Rim 2 come on now, how can you not make a good movie about giant robots and godzilla sized monsters! First one was epic!

Just finished the matrix trilogy. Wifey has never seen any of these old movies (isn't it weird that they're old movies now?) so I'm revisiting them all and it's good picking up on a lot of stuff I missed before. Anything new worth watching? Last cinema experience I had was horrible. I will never go to a cinema again. Screaming kids, people on their phones, talking loudly to each other etc. I even asked 2 people to go outside if they wanted to talk and they promptly shut up. You shouldn't have to ask for that in a cinema. Streaming FTW. If the movie makers don't like illegal streams, they should do something about the cinema experience. Set rules and broken jaws for anyone who breaks them.

Been reading about this for a while, first time I saw pics of Rami as Freddie my jaw dropped! A perfect fit. Although does remind one how shitty and difficult it was to record, mix and master songs when the process was fully analogue and on tape!

Looking forward to this one coming out. Been a massive Queen fan since I was old enough to select the tape and put it in the hifi system myself. Remember tapes? Rami Malek is the man for the job. Was originally supposed to be Sacha Baron Cohen but he tried to make too many changes to the movie.

You should really invest your time on the following shows: 1. Legion. A proper mind twister. Beautifully directed 2. Dark. Absolutely gripping

LOL reminds me of the good old days, when Al Nasr cinema was one of the few cinemas showing new English films and ticket was only 9dhs. Right on the entrance was Al Nasr Cinema Cafeteria. We used to buy a big bag of chips, as chips were sold inside the cinema and then buy sandwiches and burgers, empty out the chips and stuff our loot into the big chips bag and walk right in, and if anyone asked we would tell them we just bought them from inside

Smuggle your own food and water in a backpack or your GF's handbag..No need to buy expensive food at the cinemas It works for me.. 😎

The 32” thing was a joke. I’m stuck in a partition now and that’s the biggest screen I can fit at the end of my bed. Actively looking for a studio apartment now so hopefully we can get a bigger screen and some proper speakers.

The only movie I watched recently was Black Panther and found it meh at best. The crappiest Marvel Hero movie till date, taking the title away from Iron Man 3