Desert Survival Tips!

مرحبا، شكرا لكم لزيارة. 

Well hello there, and thank you for stopping by!

Have you ever asked yourself what you'd do if you were stranded in the desert!?! I certainly haven't, and it's alright if you haven't either, because I'm here today to share a few of my parent's desert survival tips! Hopefully these will come in handy if you ever find yourself stranded and surrounded by some serious SAND. Tried and true, these tips came in very handy on their recent trip to the Middle East, where they spent a  few days "glamping" (glamorously camping) in the Wahiba Sands Desert in Oman.

The Stewart Family's Desert Survival Tips

#1 - Make sure to drink plenty of water and have extra on hand. 8 liters of water per person per day is recommended. 

 

Unlike camels who can survive several months without water, us pooches and humans need lots of it, especially in the desert!

 

#2 - To prevent fatigue, eat often, including as many shawarmas as possible!!!

These babies were so good this applies even when not in the desert as well :)

#3 - With the UV Index sometimes reaching highs of 12 (on a scale of 10), it's very important to layer on the sunscreen and clothing.

Layered clothing slows dehydration and minimizes exposure. Good hiking shoes, loose fitting natural-fiber clothing, a wide brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are a must.

                             

#4 - In case of a sudden sand storm, it's recommended to wear sunglasses or goggles and bring a scarf or handkerchief to cover your nose and mouth.

 

Daaaaaamn Daddy....You're looking quite desert chic!

 

#5 - When dune bashing in a 4x4, always travel with another vehicle, and alert someone which direction you're going. Pack plenty of water and snacks. Bring a cell phone (which hopefully has service), and the phone number of someone who could come help if you get stuck. Be sure to lower your tire pressure to 15 psi, and always wear your seatbelt! 

 

Let's see....how many of these did my parents follow? Looks like just about everything but the tire pressure rule and traveling with another party, both of which were the only ones that mattered in the end when they finally got stuck! As you can imagine, my daddy's cell phone sure did come in handy out in the middle of the desert!

                                           

 

After reducing the tire pressure (too late!) and digging for an hour under the blazing Omani sun, daddy finally called the hotel to come to the rescue.

 



Waiting to be rescued!



EuropCar may have cheap rental rates, but a 1/4" tread certainly doesn't grip much in this sand! 

#6 - Be careful not to underestimate distances! In an environment where there are no man-made objects for hundreds of miles, it's easy to lose perspective and visual distance acuity.

 

A good example is the image below. Is this a macro shot of a small ripple of sand, or the entire sand dune itself? Hard to tell isn't it!

 

"I promise we'll stop at the top of this next dune" - Full of shit husband

#7 - Finally, be sure to take a moment here and there to appreciate what a beautiful environment the desert is. There really is no other place quite like it on earth!

Well, that just about covers it. I really hope these tips help the next time you find yourself in an unforgiving, arid desert! It can be a scary place if you're unprepared, so please make sure to take the proper precautions!

By the way, here's a few more photos from my parent's trip to the Arabian Peninsula that I couldn't resist sharing. Hope you enjoy and see you next time!

The famous Burj Khalifa towers over Dubai (UAE) nearly half a mile up in the sky.

"The scent of [Frankincense] smoke is everywhere, rich but not cloying, honeyed yet slightly astringent, with hints of lime, vetiver and verbena—the olfactory equivalent of a good sorbet. For thousands of years, this inimitable odor has carried the fame of Arabia across three continents" - Tim Mackintosh-Smith

Spice Souq

Gold Souq



Desert Nights Camp in Wahiba Sands, Oman....AMAZING!!!! 

 

View of the camp from a few dunes up.

 

 

  

More stars in the desert than you can imagine.

 

Ahmed Alfateh Grand Mosque in Manama, Bahrain.

Doing some light Quran reading.



The central chandelier was made in Austria and all the hand-blown round lamps were made in France.

Mommy dressed in a traditional abaya and burqa.

Shopping for rugs at a local Souq in Manama. They picked a beautiful Afghan runner to bring home!

Mad Matrix Skills!



Bangkok buddies reunited in Bahrain :)

Koh Lipe - Thailand's Hidden Gem

Do you notice how every time you return from a vacation the mood in the household drops to an all time low? I'm not a psychologist but I'm fairly confident it's called post travel depression (PTD...not to be confused with ED!), and our house is certainly not immune to its wrath! Usually within a few days we're back into the swing of things and everything returns to normal, but sometimes it takes even longer. One of the well known cures for PTD includes browsing through the plethora of photographs taken, which helps keep the memory of the trip alive and fresh in the mind. More often than not though, it's the reminiscent sounds, unique smells, and distinct tastes encountered while traveling that serve as strong reminders of what a wonderful experience the journey was. A good friend of ours also had some wise advise for those suffering the PTD affliction: "Don't be sad it's over, be glad it happened." Truer words were never spoken! 

 

Lipe Beach Resort

 

 

 

Walking Street

My parents just returned from magical Koh Lipe, a tiny speck of an island located at the southern-most point of Thailand, very near the Malay border. All I can say from the photographs I've seen thus far....this place is the stuff of dreams! Take a look at the pictures and you'll understand why they were so sad to leave.

 

They found paradise!

Each morning in their tiny bamboo hut they were awakened  by the distinct rumble of the ever present longtail boats starting their day. If the boats didn't wake them, the playful, squawking "coos" and "caws" of the tropical birds hopping around on their thatched roof were sure to do the trick. Trust me, no alarms were needed this trip, but they didn't mind one bit! They spent their days leisurely lounging on the powdery white sand beach, drinking in the fresh, salty sea air. It was a real treat being outside for an entire five days. They kayaked and snorkeled, amazed by the sheer diversity and spectrum of colors of the underwater sea life. Come early afternoon, with the aroma of sunscreen and citronella heavy in the air, they munched on fresh fruit platters and bowls of spicy panang curry. Just as the sun started its descent and the sky began to take on a warm rosy glow, they enjoyed lounging in a shady hammock for a quick cat nap...only to be awoken suddenly by the friendly "yooohooo yooohooo" calls of a local Thai woman selling homemade samosas, fried chicken, and banana muffins. With the company of their closest friends, they happily sipped chilled white wine (carefully carried in their suitcases all the way from Bangkok) and simple rum cocktails, while enjoying the evening sunset. Dinners were a spread of all the usual Thai favorites, and even a few delicious, local specialties. With belly's full of freshly caught grilled snapper and mango sticky rice, they peacefully drifted off to sleep to the melodic rhythm of the waves crashing along the beach a mere stone's throw away.

Sunrise Beach

 

My parent's cute, little beach bungalow :)

Hammock + Cocktail + Beach Read = Absolute Bliss

Jess and Frank relaxing in the shade.

Ben and Anne enjoying a cold piña colada after the 12-hour journey from Bangkok down to Koh Lipe.

 

Mommy and her gal pals!

Hey Boyzzzzz!



Party at Bamboo Hut #5!!!

A pleasant surprise and throwback to my dad's previous employer, compliments of the Smith Family!

Bubbly on the beach!

Thai Golden Bags

Som Tom Thai

 

Mango Sticky Rice.....Yummmmmmy!

Grilled Snapper....My mouth is watering!!!

One of my mom's favorite things to do after a trip (to help fight that godforsaken PTD of course!) is to try and replicate something they ate or drank while away. Daddy's favorite thing to do is book another trip, but when that's not an option a little home cookin' usually does the trick.

So with that, here's my momma's recipe for Ginger Lime Slushies, inspired by the drinks they slurped down on the beach at Lipe Beach Resort. These are tasty served virgin, but you know I won't judge if you add a splash or two of rum!

Ingredients

2 1/2 Cups Water

1 1/2 Cups Sugar

2 Ginger Stalks

1 Teaspoon Freshly Grated Ginger

1/2 Cup Fresh Lime or Lemon Juice ("same-same" here in Thailand)

Ice

First you need to make the ginger simple syrup.

Wash and peel the two ginger stalks. Dice into thin, round coins.

Place the ginger in a small pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then allow to simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the 1 1/2 cups of sugar and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes.

Strain out the ginger pieces or pour through a mesh sieve.

Allow the syrup to cool, then chill in the fridge until ready to use.

Now you're ready to make the drinks!

In a blender put 1 cup of ice, 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup ginger simple syrup, and 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger. Blend until combined and there aren't any ice chunks.

Serves 2

 

Mint Lime Slushies were another favorite of the group. They tasted kinda like a blended mojito. The Ginger Lime Slushies were always sucked down too quick to get a picture!

It's my hope that when you try these you'll feel that gentle warm kiss of sea air from your own tropical paradise...or at least they'll hold you over until that next vacation is booked :) Cheers!