DOHA DESERT SAFARI

At 3pm, a 4x4 pulled up at our apartments to pick up Matt and I for our very first desert safari.

Our driver, MJ, cranked up the music, put his foot down and whisked us (at about 90 miles an hour, zig zagging between the traffic, one hand holding a phone to his ear and the other texting on a second phone...safety first) about an hour out of the city to the desert.

We pulled up outside a tent, home to a man and his two camels. While MJ deflated the tyres of the 4x4, Matt and I climbed (not particularly gracefully) up onto the camels and had a little trot about.

Matts camel photo bombed his selfie...

And then decided to race the 4x4s...

While mine was happy to stand and pose for photos with me...

Tyres deflated, we said goodbye to our furry friends, jumped back in the 4x4 and headed out onto the dunes.

MJ put his foot down and accelerated up the steep, sandy slopes...

Then skilfully skidded us, at speed, down the other side, burying us in a flurry of sand...

Only to do it all over again up the next dune!

Some of the dunes were insane - huge mountains of sand with the sea directly below us. Just when we thought it wouldn't be possible, he would steer us expertly down the dune, throwing us from side to side in the 4x4 as he navigated the slopes. So much fun!!

We stopped at the 'Inland Sea' (a stretch of sea in the desert, a bit like a big lake) to take some pictures and stretch our legs.

Back in the car, we carried on our journey much in the same way, up and down and sideways, and being thrown all round the back seat like a pair of rag dolls, before reaching our final sight seeing destination - the border of Saudi Arabia.

By this point, the sun was setting, casting a gorgeous orange glow across the water. It was beautiful.

It was time for our Arabian desert adventure to come to an end, and for MJ to take us home. We stopped at a petrol station en route to inflate the tyres, and then hit the highway back to the city.

Such a fun day - I'd highly recommend it to anyone, and I'm looking forward to taking my mum on her very own desert adventure when she comes to stay in October.

We booked through Inbound Tours Qatar, and paid 350QR for a four hour private desert safari. Apart from MJs questionable driving skills on the public roads, I'd recommend this tour company to anyone looking to do this trip. Buckle up!

For more information visit www.inboundtoursqatar.com

 

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BOOTS BOTANICS: SHINE AWAY

I am so happy that we have Boots stores in Doha.

I love the familiarity of it - knowing that I can walk in and find exactly what I'm looking for pretty much every time, which in a country full of shops that are completely inconsistent with their stock, is a real breath of fresh air!

On one visit to the Landmark Mall branch a couple of months ago, I spotted the Boots Botanics: 'The Power of Plants' range. I was in the market for skin care products, and this range piqued my intrest.
They had a variety of different products for different skin types, but I decided to go for the 'Shine Away' range (40+ degree heat...says it all!)

I picked up 3 of the products available in this line, which claims to be best for oily to combination skin, containing willowbark to help keep pores clear. I've been using these products regularly for the past couple of months so I feel I can comment fairly on my experience with them:

BOTANICS SHINE AWAY MATTIFYING CLEANSING MOUSSE
I absolutely love this face wash! I use it every morning in the shower and at night before bed. It lathers up wonderfully and has a gorgeous fragrance (it smells exactly like 'CK Into You for Her' perfume) Based on this I don't know how suitable this would be for those with sensitive skin. Since iv started using this product I've noticed that not only is my skin a lot clearer, but it has delivered on its promise to keep shine at bay. Excellent product for a desert dweller!

BOTANICS SHINE AWAY MATTIFYING TONER
In the past I've never been one for a 'cleanse, tone and moisturise' routine (criminal, I know), but I love using this after the cleansing mousse for a double dose of mattifying action. I use this once a day at night to help remove any impurities. This has a slightly more chemical smell to it which I can't say I'm too keen on but I try to overlook this and remember the good it's doing!

BOTANICS SHINE AWAY IONIC CLAY MASK
This is a deep cleansing clay mask which I love using once a week as a real treat for my skin. I slather it all over my face, concentrating on my T zone, and then usually call my parents on FaceTime to give them a bit of a fright ;) After about 15 minutes or so il wash it off and be left with amazingly clean and matte feeling skin.

I've read that when skin is too dry, it produces even more excess oil to combat this, so in an attempt to maintain a good balance for my skin I will be purchasing the Shine Away Mattifying Day Cream (which contains SPF 15, a bonus!) - then I can officially say I'm on board the cleanse, tone and moisturise bandwagon!

I'd also be keen to try the 'Ultra Calm' Botanics range from Boots - I'm intrigued by the fact that this contains marshmallow. Must remember it's not edible!

For more information on the Boots Botanics range and to find the products best suited to your skin, click here!

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