A women's journey over the backs of camels in the Dubai desert, landing in the "Expo Lakes"

The dream of the "caravan of fifty"... Riding camels on Mars

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An exceptional trip in the Dubai desert in the "Expo Lakes", on the occasion of the celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of the UAE, and Dubai's hosting of the historic event "Expo 2020". A woman who wore astronaut suits to combine the heritage of her ancestors with the spirit and ambitions of the age, according to the director of the center, Shamsa Al-Hajj, who dreams with her companions of “riding camels on Mars,” referring to the ambitious future.

Shamsa added to "Emirates Today", about the exceptional trip: "We are living historical moments, which are the celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of the UAE, in addition to Dubai's hosting of (Expo 2020), so we decided at the center to organize a trip worthy of these historical events in the country, and it was The trip is scheduled to arrive at the International Exhibition, but due to circumstances beyond our control, the trip was organized in the desert of Dubai, and we headed to the Expo lakes.” The Emirates has great achievements, such as reaching Mars, so we wore the astronauts’ suits during the trip, as we aim to go with camels to Mars, and become the first to do so.”

And the director of the center added, "The camel is one of the creatures that must accompany you to enjoy your desert journey. It is a pet and obedient creature and is ready to carry you to any destination you want, so the camel will accompany us on any planet we will travel to, as it is one of God's gifts to us and we honor his gifts."

She added: "Camels are one of the blessings of the desert for our ancestors, as they were their travel vehicles, their loads, and a source of their food for centuries. Al-Asouf Center aims to revive this authentic sport and empower women, by practicing their passion in a safe, developed and supportive environment."

cherish our origins

For her part, Shaima Al-Amoudi expressed her great happiness with her participation in the "Convoy of Fifty", adding: "Our goal is to emphasize our pride in our origins and our permanent association with camels, which are considered the heritage of the UAE, and at the same time, although our beginning was from the desert, but we reached space. Our ambitions are limitless.”

While the American Amal confirmed that she was proud of her participation in the "Convoy of the Fifty".

She said, "I am happy to participate in the celebrations of the UAE on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Union, and riding camels is a very interesting sport, while my dream is to go up to Mars and ride camels on its surface, in honor of this being who has a great place in our hearts."

Remarkable turnout

Shamsa Al-Hajj stated that “the center is the first organized place for training camel riding for women in the country, as it was established last April, and it is remarkable that it witnessed a great turnout from women, especially since it is well-known that camel sport was the preserve of men, and the surprise was that the turnout was not only Emirati women, as the center witnesses a large participation of various nationalities.

She added: "Through the center, its affiliates can live with it a way of life past and present, as camels ride on training tracks with convoys preparing for seasonal races in a world full of the colors of caravans that are distinguished from the other, and also you can go to the adjacent cafe, which receives Your camel has its own place with a special discount for camel riders visiting the café.”

She pointed out that "our motto is union, communication, and highlighting the beauty of our desert environment and the position of women in it, towards a path of enjoyment and joy for visitors from all over the world."

The spiritual mother of camel lovers

Ghubaisha Rashid Al Ketbi (Umm Suhail), who was the most prominent participant in the "Fifty Caravan", is described as the spiritual mother of camel sports enthusiasts, being the first Emirati woman to participate in camel races in the seventies of the last century.

Umm Suhail - 53 years old, told "Emirates Today": "She insisted on participating in the convoy and celebrating this historic event," adding: "We are living exceptional days thanks to the leadership's support, and the least we can offer is to go out on this march." The celebration is to participate, even if it is a small part, during which we express our joy in the state’s holidays.”

She continued, "My adherence to originality and heritage did not prevent me from wearing the astronaut's suit, which is a symbolic expression of the position the UAE has reached, and our great ambitions that we hope to achieve."

• Shamsa: "The idea of ​​the trip combines the preservation of heritage while at the same time referring to the great achievements that the UAE has achieved, such as reaching Mars."

• Amal: “Camel riding is an enjoyable sport, and my dream is to go up to Mars and ride camels on its surface, in honor of a being who has a special place in our hearts.”

• Shaima: "The trip highlights our connection to camels, and at the same time, although we started from the desert, we reached space and our ambitions became limitless."

• The participants confirmed that the convoy is a journey worthy of celebrating historic moments, namely the celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of the UAE, in addition to Dubai's hosting of "Expo 2020".

• 12 women dressed in astronaut suits participated in the extraordinary flight.