Two Weeks With Our Daughter: In Search of Sand Dunes and Our New Friend, Juma

Day 13 - Wednesday, January 2nd

Well, today we are off to play in the dirt and take pictures. We are going to drive toward Dubai and just stop wherever and play in the sand. You can see people dune bashing in SUV's, riding ATV’s and playing on the dunes and families having picnics.

I think this is an amazing fact – the sand is a different color in each of the emirates. We didn’t know this until Andrea’s friend, Nicole gave us a really nice sand art piece for Christmas. It has all the different color sands from each of the emirates listed on the back.

Natural color sand for each emirate:

Ajman - Cream
Abu Dhabi - Light Red
Dubai - Red
Fujairah - Black
Sharjah - Brown
Ras Al Khaimah - White
Umm Al Quwain - Blue

So we are driving along and we see where other people had been stopping on the side of the road; we thought we could do the same. AND the smart Mom that I am, I said to Andrea – “Oh, just stop right here – this looks good.”

Public Service Notice: A Kia Rio will not drive through the sand dunes – it will not even stand up in the sand dunes.

Just as she pulled off the road, the car sank and we knew we were in trouble. Andrea and I were laughing; Randy didn’t think it was too funny. We got out of the car to survey our predicament. Just as we started discussing our options - Juma to the rescue.

Juma is a local Emirate resident and farmer. He stopped and asked if we had a rope or chain and of course, we said no. We weren’t thinking like Boy Scouts (be prepared) – we are Americans and just think we can drive on the sand dunes in a Kia Rio. LOL He said, “You stay. I be back. No push. Wait for me.” He left and we stood there and just looked at each other. I said to Andrea, “Do you think he will come back?” And she said, “Yes! If he said he would, he would.” Sure enough, in a few minutes he came back. He went and bought a rope to pull us out. He tied the rope to Andrea’s car and to his SUV – he wouldn’t even let Randy help him.

After he pulled us out, he said, “I have farm. Come to my farm – I show you around.” Andrea asked if he meant today and he said, “Yes, right now – come with me – follow me.” After some doubt on my part, off we went. We followed him for a few miles on paved roads; then he stopped and we got in his SUV (remember, a Kia Rio want drive in the sand) to go to his farm.

He was the nicest guy and so anxious and willing to tell us about himself, his family, his country and his farm. He said his family had been in the area since 1951 (Remember the UAE was not a country until 1971 so this was just undeveloped land when his family first came here). He had spent time in the US – has friends in California, Minnesota, North Carolina. He has 2 boys and 2 girls. His home is in Al Ain; his farm is about 5 miles outside of Al Ain. He told us he had 15 farms total in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.

If you own one camel in the UAE, you are considered ‘middle class’. He had 65 camels – raised for camel racing; 300 - 400 goats and sheep – raised for market and slaughter; 12 cows including one from Holland.

He told us when he needed money, he didn’t go to his friends or to the bank, he would just sell a camel. He can sell a camel for 200,000 dirhams. If a camel wins a race, he can sell for one million to two million dirhams. He has one camel that he had been offered eight million dirhams because she had won races and her off spring had won races. (The exchange rate for money - $3.67 USD to one dirham. You can do the math!)

He told us he knew one of the sheikhs – Sheikh Khalifa we think. He said any problems with immigration, government, you call me-I help. And he made sure Andrea had his phone number.

We probably spent 2 hours with him. The sweetest thing was when we started to leave, he told us “All this means nothing without friends. You my friend now”. I had hoped that we could spend some time with some of the local people when we were there - never did I think it would be on a farm. LOL We were so happy to spend time with him.

As we were leaving, Juma said, "Alhamdulillah!" (Thanks be to God)

Hope you enjoy these pictures - all were taken at his farm.