Desert adventure

Desert safari is one of the most popular modes of outing for residents and visitors of Dubai. The most important part of this adventure is dune bashing.

But my recent desert safari was an eye-opener for me. I got to know many interesting facts about this popular adventurous ride.

As we were about to enter the desert, I was a little scared because earlier when I had gone for a desert safari, it was a very scary ride. But this time, the driver was careful while going down the slope or climbing up. It gave me confidence.

We went deep into the desert, going up and down the dune. The roller-coaster ride was amusing and amazing.

Since we were enjoying it, he took us for another round of dune bashing. It was a unique experience for me.

The kind driver gave us the advice never to go for cheap services. Since those drivers have to serve many customers, they drive quite rough, which can cause accidents and passengers also get scared, instead of enjoying the fun.

My next question was obvious, “When the passengers get scared during dune bashing even for a day, how can you do it daily?”

He replied, “It is our hobby and we love it. People get scared but they enjoy it. Even we enjoy it otherwise I couldn’t have done it regularly.”

The dune bashing was about to be over, but when I saw outside I got scared as we had gone deep into the desert. He said not to worry. “We have got the training. We are told to remember the scenes of the places from where we have entered. That is how we can go back to the places we have come from.”

The ride ended on a hilarious note. One of my co-passengers, a boy who had come from India, said, “Why were you so scared of the bumpy ride? This much bumps we get in our school bus in India.”

(Published in The Gulf Today on January 12, 2013)

Circus fun

I watched a Bollywood film where the two lead actresses played the role of animal rights activists. They carried out sting operations at a circus to prove that the trainers used to torture the animals in the name of training them. They returned with the authorities who seized the animals from the circus.

It reminded me that there was barely any animal act at the circus which I recently saw during the Sharjah Water Festival.

I was impressed to see the dancers and acrobats who simultaneously performed acts in water, on the land and in the air, while the jokers made us laugh.   But what amazed me at the circus was the feats by a few dogs as they performed according to their ringmaster’s direction.

But I missed other animals as I had read that the animals used to be an important part of a circus.

Later, I learnt that circus is a declining art, mainly because of the animal rights activists who keep complaining that the circus trainers torture animals.

Agreed, we should save animals. We must respect their rights and stop animal abuse. Because Mahatma Gandhi had once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

I think there should be other ways to protect them, instead of closing down the circus and depriving people of enjoying the unique art of acrobats.

(Published in The Gulf Today on January 5, 2013)