All Saints drive was a nostalgic visit to the area where I led my very first drive.

The  difference this time around was that I was accompanied by a couple of seasoned Off-roaders. During my first drive in this area the challenge was getting a convoy of novice off-road drivers safely  across a rather technical section of the Dubai desert. Today, however, the challenge was delivering a drive that was  physically and mentally demanding while remaining exciting and engaging.

Thankfully the route that was chosen was a cresting paradise. Within the first 30 minutes of starting the drive, the All Saints convoy entered an area with long, uninterrupted crests for as far as the eyes could see. These low, winding crests demanded a great deal of focus, steering and throttle control to successfully complete each challenge.

Ninety minutes into the drive, the convoy was so “in the zone” that we could have kept on going indefinitely without a break. Just for novelty we took a break so that the smoker in the group could indulge in a few well deserved puffs while the  rest took a few sips of cold coffee, before commencing our assault of the technical dunes that divide the Al Faqaa and Al Qudra deserts.

This technical area is where we encountered the Basic Training 3 convoy who were making remarkable progress considering that this was only their third drive in the desert. We passed the Basic Training convoy and continued to crest and side slope the higher dunes in Al Qudra. The agile and experienced convoy devoured every crest in sight before ending our drive at Triple Tree .

A few minutes later, we rendezvoused with the Junior  and basic training convoys and spent the rest of the morning savoring a delectable breakfast with an unsurpassed view of the sprawling desert below the balcony upon which we had gathered. What a great start to the Christmas weekend.

Thanks for the awesome company and masterful driving Zoubeir and Anders. Merry Christmas.