The Advanced 3 drive usually starts to fall apart right at the beginning , when participants are confronted with the harsh reality that they remember nothing at all from the first cresting lesson, the week before.

Fortunately though, that was not the case on today’s drive.  The Advanced trainees on this drive  exhibited superb control while slowly cresting the irregularly shaped dunes with steep slopes, near the meeting point. As the convoy got closer to Big Red and the dune chains got longer, the pace was increased and  the convoy snaked its way to Big Red without sparing a single crest along the way.

After about an hour of continuous,  focused driving, the group stopped for a well deserved break at the base of Big Red , before mounting an assault on this iconic landmark.  When the convoy was done cresting and switching all over the south westerly face of Big Red, our Advanced trainees got their first crack at the double switch on the south side of Big Red. The curvy ridge which graces the south side of Big Red had changed quite a bit since my last visit to the area, but it was no less challenging than before. Surprisingly, our Advanced trainees nailed this challenge on the first attempt and went back for seconds, just for good measure.

With adrenaline now coursing through their veins, the convoy made a 12 km dash for the exit. The pace was moderate but the bowls, switches and long crests along the way made for an exhilarating and demanding drive. We raced past other convoys and through popular landmarks to end the drive on schedule.

Well done Malcolm and Sven! You showed that you have the stamina and skills to complete Advanced 3 in style. Let’s see what Advanced 4 holds in store. Thanks for the great second lead and sweeper assistance on today’s drive Hussam.  See you all on the sand real soon.