Adventures in the Desert, Kind Of

One of the advantages of travelling anywhere in the low season is that sometimes you can find really great deals.  Of course, you also have to factor in that maybe things are too quiet or all of the usual amenities aren't available or, for that matter, you even have trouble getting there.  Visiting Zanzibar in the low season resulted in a ridiculously low rate and sole possession of an entire resort - but also a limited menu and burger buns that were so old that they literally cracked.  It's hard to imagine being more out of season than Liwa during July - and during the beginning of Ramadan.  My sister Lisa, nephew Garrett and I ended up with a very good deal on a couple rooms.  The service and amenities at the Liwa Hotel were, as usual, great, with the only exception being that their usual huge breakfast buffet was reduced to three options (still good) in a room hidden away upstairs because of Ramadan (the waiter was highly - and unnecessarily - apologetic).  The only real problem we ran into on the trip was getting out to the Mareeb Dune.  Either Liwa had just had a massive sandstorm or the local officials weren't really interested in moving the sand out of the way because no one in their right mind would visit the desert in the height of summer (of course, that hardly applies to the Scudder even at our most sensible).  Often the road was reduced to one lane, with even the open lane compromised by lower bands of sand.  Luckily, we were driving the powerful Yaris and, with the exception of a little sliding, much as you would on snow, we made it there and back safely and in one piece.

On the previous trip to Liwa months earlier there were only a couple places where the sand had crept out to cover around a foot of road - so this was a bit of a shock.  And it was also a graphic reminder of the power of the desert.

Of course, when you have the Yaris you fear no obstacles.  Sadly, I didn't have any Speed Racer inspired buttons on the steering wheel (with random letters) that would have allowed me to jump over the dune.

This led to an inspired discussion of strategy between Garrett and myself in regards to what line to follow and how fast to go, while Lisa sat in the back and quietly, but urgently, promoted the virtues of turning around and returning to the hotel.  Fortunately cooler heads prevailed and she was ignored.