It has been considered that the UAE’s favorite time to set out in the desert again and the country’s dune fans can’t wait to ride the waves in Umm Al Quwain.
It will be the first time in its twenty eight years that the off-road pageant will start and finish in the emirate, embarking on an eight-hour ‘loop’ going around by the neighboring Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah and the jubilation is at fever pitch already.
Since its first edition in 1986, Patel has been involved with the event, one that takes a key spot in the country’s annual social calendar. She says she hasn’t seen such a high feeling like this before. “Unfortunately we can only accommodate limited entries. We had to therefore close registrations the same day. It’s never happened before,” she added.
Austrian national Gerhard yBingle, 51, who’s subscribed and registered his wife and two daughters aged 10 and 13 to go with him in his Toyota Fortuner, says he is more than excited to embark on the Fun Drive.
“We look forward to driving in the emirate simply because we haven’t been there before. We are all hoping to catch some great scenery along the way and of course the girls can’t wait to get to the camps where there’s a lot of fun,” said the Dubai-based technical manager of a multi-national firm.
At 209km, the route this year is one of the longest the event will have seen and challenging but nothing takes away from the sheer joy of driving through the desert.
The first fun drive was held in March 1986 as a day drive that saw a total of 75 four wheel drives participated.
“The event has grown by leaps and bounds and today it’s almost ten times bigger in every way and more sophisticated thanks to the advances of technology,” said Jehanbaz ‘Jum’ Ali Khan, the 79-year old route director of the Gulf News Fun Drive. He has seen the event grow bigger and better over the years since 1988. The Fun Drive became an overnighter — a two-day event with a night’s stay in the desert — the year after Jum took charge and it has remained the norm since, receiving increasing enthusiasm over the years.
Over 750 four-wheel drives and over 2,500 persons took part in 1997 and the number set as an approximate benchmark at all subsequent overnighters.
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