The Friday Photo: Quadbiking the Sinai Desert
As a mode of exploring anywhere, quadbiking checks all the wrong boxes. It’s noisy, polluting, carbon-intensive, touristy and, in some places, environmentally destructive — but also a hell of a lot of fun, especially if you’re an 11-year-old boy.
I’m very pleased with my spawn for a) driving better than me b) failing to mention the fact when he wrote about it and c) not maxing out the bike, which will do 70kph with ease.
And his first wadi was a definite hit.
We are off into the desert for four days tomorrow, and I’m hoping we can capture a bit more of the spirit, the beauty and the sheer variety of this wonderful place.
Because if it looks this good only a few miles outside Dahab, the interior is going to be really pretty magical.
wow! what FUN!
Top tip? Wear a sports bra. It gets *bumpy* out there…
Yours was one of the first sites I came across when we decided to pack up and travel with our kids. I was so inspired by all you did and how you defined your life. It motivated and assured me. I continue to feel the same way, especially when I see posts such as these. I find you courageous and adventurous, and wonderfully straight shooting. Fortunate kid you have. My eight year old son is sooo in envy.
Wow — Lee, that’s great to know, and thank you so much. It’s a great life to have and I think we both feel extremely lucky to live the way we do. I hope you enjoy the journey as much as we have and do.
Too arid but so intriguing, the desert is a impressive place!
It’s unusually arid at the moment, in fact. There were some flowers and even bees when we went into the interior, but it has been incredibly dry in Sinai for the last five years.
The Sinai is one of the most beautiful places I’ve visited…. Didn’t do much adventure stuff there, but I loved the scenery.
We have just come back from four days of adventure stuff, which I’d highly recommend. Well, camping and climbing, mild adventure. And, yes, I think it’s one of the most amazing deserts I’ve visited.
My kids would love it. The ever appealing combination of noise, speed and danger! And i’m with you on the white shirts issue. I never ever buy whitel clothes. Most ridiculous colour for children!
Since writing about white shirts, I have been amazed by the power of Egyptian laundries and bleach… That said, I’m keeping an eye out for something inoffensive and khaki.
I love those landscapes 🙂
The Sinai is absolutely stunning. The Wadi Rum in Jordan gets a lot of coverage because it’s been used as a set for so many films, but I think the Sinai is equally beautiful and, particularly if you do longer trips, much less visited.