Full Moon Desert Drumming

Where to start, we have had lots of adventures since I last wrote…
Several weeks ago we went out to a full moon drumming in the desert. Drumming is not a typical Middle East activity, but the setting was very Arabic. We drove out of Dubai to the meeting place at 6 PM. Those of us with 4 Wheel Drive vehicles let the air out of our tires (those in cars rode with the guides) and we went on a trek through the desert to the camp. The camp was set up in a large bowl. When we arrived, we walked down steps set in the sand lit by torches. There were several tents set up in a semi-circle with majlis furniture inside. Basically, lots of cushions on a mat with coffee tables in the middle of each grouping. In the very centre of the camp was the set up for the drumming – several rows of cushions set up in a semi-circle with 200 drums.
The drumming sets each lasted about 30 – 45 minutes. There would be a break for about ½ hour and a new session would begin. We left at around 11:00, but the event was still in full swing at that time. In some of the sets, we were taught about rhythms and rounds, in another we learned an African song. We were also entertained by a belly dancer and a fire juggler and Zoe got henna.

There was a large bonfire set up next to the drumming circle. The tents on one side were the location of the barbeque and we were treated to authentic Arabic food. We discovered a new favourite – schwarmas. The best way to describe them is wraps with barbequed meat and sometimes some sandwich veggies.
The kids were not very interested in the drumming and we barely saw them all evening. They were busy sandboarding down the 75 foot sides of the bowl, riding camels and digging in the sand with the other children that they met there. I am guessing that we poured about a cup of sand out of each of their shoes at the end of the evening.