Dragging the fan belt along the highway at 140 wasn’t such a good idea after all. It was my second breakdown in three days. The first to go was the Volkswagen, which died like a man. The Lexus, being a Toyota deep down, died screaming for mercy. And we’re now on the Jeep called Viola.
This reminds me of coming to terms with sand driving. For years I had asked people how to avoid getting stuck in the desert. The Bedu said it was about driving with a light foot. Expatriates said it was about revving through. But after you’ve made enough trips through the desert you realise it isn’t about not getting stuck. Everyone gets stuck. It’s the law of nature. What you have to learn is to pick your way out and carry on till you get stuck again, and repeat the process till you’re out of the desert. Dhuh.
Someday I have to complete the list of cars I have been through. Lets try and start from 2004, when I began exploring Oman:
• Burst (like when they blow up, not deflate) 5 tires
• Destroyed half a LandCruiser when I drove it into a camel in Dhofar
• Had a camel in the co-driver’s seat after it got in through the windshield on my way back from Khor Kharfot
• Destroyed two wheel rims after I drove till they were octagonal when I was stuck near the Saudi Arabian border
• Cracked the front of a Jeep against a Toyota
• Broken the bolts off a wheel when trying to change a tire
• Been driven off the road by a drunk Bedu and then had him arrested. That was around Duqm
• Lost a Cherokee when I parked it in an ancient and very dry riverbed and the flood of a lifetime swept through the desert
• Parked a 4WD under a window that later fell on it
• And of course, my slight detour through the Empty Quarter
6 Comments
…oops! didn’t know about the hitchhiking camel. how’s Viola doing now?
Viola’s safely back home now. VW just gave me a replacement car
So glad you are well. Cars get bashed, fixed, replaced, everythinged. But bottom line is, are we safe after whatever happened? Sure glad you are!
Beautiful photo, where was it taken? I’ve seen many of these in Greece, abandoned in faraway fields. Unfortunately, no ingenious photographer was there to immortalize them. I may drive to a field or two in Greece in the next few days. I’ll be thinking of you then. Kalinyhta.
Nancy, I hope Greece turns out alright in the end. And the field too. This photo was taken on my way back from here
Well, that’s not much of a loaner car.
Nice writing, as always .
cheers
SF
An Eman type joke comes to mind. How many camels can you fit into the front seat of Pinaki’s car? hahahahahaha