First Camping Trip of the Season - November 12 & 13, 2010

We are so excited - it is finally cool enough that we can go camping!  Stuart, a colleague of Wayne's from the UK office was here for a week and before he flew out we took him for a one-night camping trip to Liwa.  What better place to experience camping in the desert than on the edge of the Empty Quarter by Moreeb dune.  On the way out to Liwa we did a few geocaches and some sightseeing along the way.  Below is a picture of a freestanding sand castle :)  We tried to get a closer look but started to sink (Stuart got stuck) so thought we should back up a bit.  Lesson learned - never follow a 5-yr old over quicksand.

We stopped for lunch at a beach and then were on our way again.  We got to our camp-site (same one as last year because we liked it so much) in the early afternoon.  Stuart and Wayne set up camp while the kids and I got the firewood.  Patrick is making a pit for the fire and I think Samantha is just playing.

Once everyhting was done we had some fun.  The kids and the boyz played with the aerobee while I scouted for some good pictures.  I was able to catch Samantha's wonderful form as she threw the aerobee.

The kids had been to the top of the huge sand dune a few times already and had decided that it was time that the grown ups tackled it.  So once again I found my out of shape self climbing this MASSIVE sand dune.  Stuart is giving us his victory sign for making it to the top.  While at the top (but not really the top if you remember the photos from last year) we did a bit of exploring.  The kids went higher while we walked along the ridge.  When it was time to head down, Stuart and Wayne decided to have a race down.

Once down we checked to make sure eveything was ready for supper (for when we got back) and then headed out for a sunset walk on the dunes.  We had walked about a km (Wayne's estimate, mine would be that the tent and truck were seen as specs) we decided it was time to head back and have some supper - hot dogs on an open camp fire.  YUMMY!!

After listening to the four wheelers come close several times through the night the sun had arrived.  Patrick got the fire back up for coffee and toast.  Wayne found a grill to go over the fire which makes food time that much more enjoyable while camping; at least now we can have some variety and not just cheesy buns for lunch and supper and a PB sandwitch for breakfast. :)

Once we were all packed up we went to Moreeb dune where they race their trucks, dune buggies, bikes up the slip face (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moreeb_dunes).  The kids thought that they would give climbing it a try.  We were smart this time and let them have a go on their own!  You can just make them out about a third of the way up the hill.  Overall a wonderful camping trip was had, can't wait until Monday when we are going to Oman for a couple of nights of Wadi and Mountain camping.