asifk

@Anish SApologies I signed up for this afternoon drive by mistake, and I cannot attend tomorrow. Have taken my name off. Have a safe and fun drive. 

Apologies I need to exit this drive. Y'all have fun and be safe ! 

Thanks Angela @Foxtrot Oscar for an amazing drive. You're always pushing the envelope a little bit while ensuring everyone is safe and that makes for a great adrenaline rush. I enjoyed this location which I hadn't done before, but with the weather heating up the pajero continued to disappoint with the transmission coolant temperature. I have to admit I too was feeling a little worse for the wear by the 2 hour point of the drive, and therefore thought it safest to exit. 

The recovery while crested was a new one for me - thanks for the compliments @Ashok chaturvedibut I wouldn't have done it without @Foxtrot Oscar talking me through it. Definitely felt quite good to recover from that position without having to get out of the car

See you all soon on the sand ! 

Thanks @Ale Vallecchi. I will bow out this time as I’m getting the vaccine the previous day and not sure I’ll be up for this drive the next day. I signed up for a Sat afternoon drive instead. Hopefully next week ! Enjoy and drive safe. 

HI, can I be on waitlist please - 1st drive

Can I be on waitlist please? 1st drive. Thanks @Ale Vallecchi

hi @Luca Palanca Falsini unfortunately I will not be able to join this drive. You guys enjoy and be safe. Best, Asif 

It was an amazing drive yesterday - thanks @Foxtrot Oscar for the lead. I was surprised how well my pajero climbed the steep and tall dunes - it feels like the engine has opened up a bit over the past few months and cranking more power. Thanks to @Kailas for guidance when I was stuck and to @GauravSoni for the creative advice on using the heating to tackle the overheating of my transmission oil. It worked twice ! Got a nice pic of @Ilya Golubinsky which i’ll post into the gallery. See y’all soon ! 

Thanks @Frederic. Mine is a 3.8l LWB 2018 model year with 13k on the clock, so quite new. I did have the transmission overheat issue which was mainly when I was driving in “D”. Using tiptronic makes the situation much better. I opted not to install a fan since my car is still in warranty. At the 10k checkup with al habtoor they told me the transmission fluid is fine and doesnt need changing, which was the opposite advice to a 3rd party garage which told me the fluid seems like it should be changed. Again, i havent done it due to the warranty, and the last couple of drives including liwa the car fared much better due to the cooler weather and driving in tiptronic all the time (even on easy dunes and flat areas). My tyre pressure when off roading is normally 13 psi. 
 

would be glad to learn from other peoples experiences on this subject

Hi @Chaitanya D, I am unfortunately exiting this drive due to some family commitments. You guys have fun and be safe ! 

Hi @sertac i had to exit this drive unfortunately. Enjoy and drive safe! 

My sincere apologies @Jeepie, something has come up and I will not be able to join this drive tomorrow. Drive safe and see you next time! 

Hi @sertac with apologies I will have to leave this drive as I have a family commitment which I cannot escape ! I will exit the RSVP and hope you guys have a fun and safe drive ! 

13 hours ago, asifk said:

Hi @Srikumar - totally agree. I did the dpi test today at sharjah and it was very quick and easy to get done. Reminder that you can do dpi test no more than 48 hours prior to entry to abu dhabi. I did it today cos I’m going to AD tomorrow morning. 

Just an update for all - I entered abu dhabi today with my family and with my DPI test result in hand it was about a 30 min queue at the border to be allowed in. Just needed to show the text message from my phone and my wife’s phone and that was it. I suspect that from tomorrow onwards the lines will be much longer. Drive safely Carnity-ers, and see you on Wed morning ! 

36 minutes ago, sri ganesh said:

@Srikumar thank you, have arranged for a dpi test tomorrow at Shj🤞

Hi @Srikumar - totally agree. I did the dpi test today at sharjah and it was very quick and easy to get done. Reminder that you can do dpi test no more than 48 hours prior to entry to abu dhabi. I did it today cos I’m going to AD tomorrow morning. 

19 hours ago, Emmanuel said:

 

@asifk you're right, I should have highlighted this point from the beginning, apologies. To be honest, I thought it was obvious. When you will reach Moreeb area in Liwa (as I'm almost sure that you will find a place in another drive, more fitted for your family), you will understand why I am so reluctant to allow young children as passengers.

@Tero Vallas removing the fuses might be your only option. I'm not sure about Prado. @Atif, @Nizam Deen, and other proud Prado owners, any idea?

@Craig Finlayson as you know, all affordable hotels are full. I will probably just sleep in my car, somewhere around.        

   

Hi @Emmanuel I have exited this drive and will join the newbie drive. Good luck and be safe ! 

1 hour ago, Srikumar said:

@Mohammed Razeen @syed salman raza @asifk your name has been added on the Newbie drive list. Please confirm your participation.

During the drive, if anyone's car is having the slightest troubles we would have to take them on to the road immediately. This has to be done to avoid delays and ensure that the rest of the convoy enjoys the drive. 

Confirmed @Srikumar. I will exit my other drive and join you - thanks ! 

Hi @Srikumar how is the waitlist looking?  

Hi @Emmanuel - I understand but it would have been good if you had specified this at the initial stages. Now I will be left with no drive and a very disappointed family. I have put myself on the (already long) waitlist for the newbie and fewbie drives. 

@Frederic Can I please be on the waitlist for this drive ? 

2 hours ago, Frederic said:

Goodmorning to all !

I am sharing some information that was posted on the Newbie Liwa drive earlier by Srikumar, which will be applicable for us as well:
 

Drive Preparation

1. Firstly, get lots and lots of rest the previous day on 1st Dec. The more the better as Liwa will not only challenge your vehicle but your mind as well. We would need your complete focus and fatigue due to less rest is the last thing that is needed on such a terrain.

2. Ensure that your 4x4 is well serviced recently and all the lubes and fluids are topped up

3. 20 Liter fuel jerry can. If you have any doubts, please post your query on the drive post and we will assist.

4. A full fuel tank at the meeting point. 

5. Spare tyre should be in good working condition. If not been used recently, ensure that you take it out and check the condition properly. Also ensure that you have the wrench that can be used to remove your tyre (if needed). In the past we have seen that people upgrade their tyres but still keep the the original wrench which is of no use to remove the upgraded tyre. So please ensure that your car has the right tool to remove the tyres (if needed).

6. Air compressor, proper shovel, flag, fire extinguisher, first aid kit,

7. Fully charged radio (tuned to all Carnity Frequencies) with spare battery / radio. If you have a car charger for your radio, please bring it along. 

8. All traction controls, ABS and Air bags need to be switched off. If it requires pulling the fuse, please research before the drive or better still, post your queries on this drive post and we would assist. 

9. Car charger / battery pack for your mobile.

10. Plenty of water, approx 5 litre per person per day. 

11. Bring along your breakfast, lunch, snacks, etc in easy to eat packing. We shall be having breaks in between the drive.

12. Dry food, energy bar, cookies, nuts, crisp to munch while driving

13. Bring garbage bags along to carry your trash. Littering in the desert is strictly prohibited.

Keep checking this list, as it might grow further in coming days. All the above points are Mandatory and your participation on the drive would be refused on the drive day by the trip lead if you fail to comply with the above.

Details of the exact meeting point will be updated on the Original Drive Post and Calendar shortly. Meeting time is 8 AM and we plan to exit out at Moreeb by 4 PM with sufficient breaks in between. There is a plan to have some nice photoshoots at the base of Moreeb dune at the end of the drive along with the other convoys (subject to everything going according to plan). More details will keep getting updated on this drive post.

Please read this carefully before confirming your signup. A drive in LIWA is no way to be compared to any other drive in the UAE, and making shortcuts in your preparation might spoil your trip for yourself and other members of the convoy.

@Srikumar and @Gaurav Can I please be on the waitlist for this drive ? 

12 minutes ago, Emmanuel said:

@asifk no change about Covid test procedures. You can find all necessary informations by clicking on the dedicated link in the drive post.    

Regarding your idea of bringing your family with you, you should be aware of what an intermediate drive in Liwa means. Liwa is an extreme and very unforgiving terrain for off-roading, and your 4x4´s weight is important to avoid stucks. Besides, as it is an intermediate level drive, your passengers may fell sick. For them this all day drive would be very long. Having kids aboard is also a big responsibility for the whole convoy. 

 

Thanks @Emmanuel - my kids are little (11 and 7) so weight shouldn't be too much of an issue + plus my Pajero is the 3.8L. They love the desert drives and are excited to see the scenery and experience the drive as well ! We will not have any camping gear or anything other than the required safety gear for the drive. 

@Emmanuel really looking forward to this drive. I will be with my family, trust this is ok (I checked and 4 people in a car from same family are allowed under the Abu Dhabi rules). 

Can I clarify, in case you have the latest information, that the finger prick test is sufficient for entry to Abu Dhabi and the PCR test is NOT required ? Based on my understanding this is sufficient and the test  can be done at the border entry or in the Seha clinics upto 48 hours before entry to Abu Dhabi. Thanks for the guidance. 

@Heisem I think Ace has some good plastic jerry cans for around Aed 60-65. 

hi @Chaitanya D - Apologies, I cannot make the drive on Friday, please remove me from the drive. Enjoy and be safe !

20 hours ago, Ale Vallecchi said:

LAHBAB - QUDRA MARATHON DRIVE - PART 2 Report

As winter approaches, long drives lasting the whole day, will soon become possible. This excursion was planned as one such drive, but was broken into 2 parts, firstly due to the lingering heat in the middle of the day, and secondly to allow more members to join, in this past long weekend.

This route aims to join one of the least driven areas of Dubai - Lahbab - to the most popular one - Qudra - covering most of Dubai's desert from East to West. The whole drive covers 108 Km of sand, with a break between the end of the first half at Skydive and the start of the second leg at Murqaab (but it could also be Lisaili). 

The second leg of this marathon started just past Murqaab's Mosque, and took us through an initial area of tall and wide (almost flat topped) dunes, then on a sand track (cutting through an unfriendly technical area) to the long range dunes of Lisaili, ending in a gentle cascade at Solar Park, where we exited as the sun went below the horizon. It was great fun scaling the tall, camel back, dunes of Murqaab, which are really a great treat and a wonderful surprise, being so close to other well beaten locations, and yet so devoid of other convoys. And it was almost hypnotizing, the driving on Lisaili's easternmost dunes, which again immaculate, as much less driven than those closest to the pylons toward the north-west part of Lisaili.

This Marathon Part 2 also saw @Foxtrot Oscar (Angela) making her debut in the Lead, executing an extremely clean, smooth as silk, follow the sun drive, from the heart of Lisaili all the way to Solar Park. Congrats Angela!!

Great thanks also go to @Alexander Alcala for anchoring the convoy in the center position, and to @Pancho for sweeping it to safety, both assisting the few refusals of the day. Very well done to @Abu Muhammad, @Gok Krish, @Kailas, @Piotr Kolodziej, @VipinShetty, @topgear, and @asifk (I hope your family enjoyed the drive).

The second part of the Marathon saw the convoy drive for 49.5Km, in 2:34 hours, at an average speed of 19Km/h (25Km/h while moving). 

Thank you all for coming, and see you soon in the sand.

 

 

this was an amazing drive and the fact we were the only convoy despite being a long holiday weekend made it that much more special. my family had a great time ! hope to see you all in the dunes again soon. Thanks @Ale Vallecchi and @Foxtrot Oscar and everyone !