Off-Roadin' in DUbai & Abu Dhabi! Check it..

[200MPHTape]

I'm sure it's a lot easier that way then having to hall and feed camels!
Great write up, more shots with background please.

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[wheeli]

Very cool, I might even be a little jellous.

[JoeyD23]

Heres the latest updates guys...



Yesterday was our last day in the Al Bedayar dunes with THE EZBA! After a quick photo shoot with all of their toys we have headed off to downtown Dubai where we are staying for a couple of days to take in the sites and visit with some of Grant's friends.


The Ezba has a SERIUS lineup of sand toys that include 3 Funco G-52's, 2 Funco Gen 5's, 1 Buckshot X5, 1 Buckshot X2R (Famous Monster Buggy) which is inside the garage (not pictured), 1 Predator X-18, 1 Sand Limo V8, 1 Toyota Land Cruiser TRUCK, 1 Polaris RZR XP900, and 1 Polaris RZR4 800 (not pictured). Not to mention, some more Funco's on the way for next season! hahah


Just another day at CAMP!


The Funco's are their buggy of choice!


Can you blame them?


I took detail pics that I will share later on!


This is the Ezba's staff of mechanics! These guys work on the buggys day and night to always make sure they are tuned and prepped and ready to ride! Should one break, they drive the Land Cruiser and a back up buggy out to the broken one so that the fun never has to stop! They tow the broken one back and get to work. Not only are they talented but they are really talented!


Their 2006 Toyota Land Cruiser truck! How many rock crawlers in the USA would like to get their hands on one of these bad boys?

[JoeyD23]

Grant an I had a great dinner with our friend Rashid here in Dubai




The Burg Tower. The worlds tallest building. Over 1000 stories.


Attached to the worlds tallest tower is the worlds largest mall, The Dubai Mall, and outside is the worlds largest fountain! Puts the Bellagio to shame


This is the view from our balcony at The Address hotel which overlooks part of the roof of the Mall. Yes I said part of the roof.


Inside the mall is some really cool features such as this massive waterfall which spans at-least a thousand feet.


What do you buy the person who has everything? How about a 24k gold thumb drive. lol


Just a normal cup of joe.



Baller cars EVERYWHERE! They sell Ferrari in THE MALL!

[JoeyD23]

[JoeyD23]

Hanging out with the guy who first paid to have this built. He sold it to Theyab, another guy we will be hanging out with.... BALLERS!

[JoeyD23]

Turbo RZR Action! It was pretty sick when he told me he was a member of my site, UTVUnderground! This thing is SMOKIN fast!

[JoeyD23]

Ok so people have been asking me to show them more of the camp dubbed "The Ezba" which means The Camp in Arabic. As you can see this is not your ordinary camp set up. These ballers have staked out a PRIME section of dune real estate which is located directly next to a cell tower (smart) and only a minutes ride away from a small shopping section (think of Glamis Beach Store) with a coffee shop they call the Al Bedayer Starbucks..lol..Not a real Starbucks..lol

They set up camp 3 years ago and it has been growing ever since. 5 guys, that I have now named "The Ezba" share this camp. I am guessing it is about 2 acres +/- and is secured by fencing and signs of being private. When they first set up camp it was done with some toy haulers and large middle eastern style tents. Since that time the toy haulers are gone except for 1 and sleeping quarters have been replaced with steel shipping containers....HIGHLY modified steel containers mind you! All are equipped with ICE COLD A/C systems, fully furnished bed rooms / sleeping quarters, and fully plumbed showers and bathroom with toilets, running hot/cold water, and amenities most closely associated with a bathroom. There is power and lighting just like any ordinary room as ell as dry wall and insulation. From the outside they look like painted sea containers, but inside you would think you are in a hotel room!! NO JOKE. Each member of The Ezba has their own living quarters / container, and then there is a quest container with 3 beds which is where Grant and I slept. Better than any motorhome or RV!

Center camp is really cool! It features a 1200sq ft MAN CAVE fully equipped with huge wrap around couch, it wraps the entire room and is super comfortable. There is really nice carpeting and walls with beatiful chandaliers lighting it up. There is also recessed lighting. The room appears to be and is very sturdy, made of wood and dry wall and wrapped in a very durable burlap like material with thick tented top. Glass and vinyl opening doors and windows allow for entry and light with custom shades to pull down when keeping the sun out. 2 bad ass A/C's cool the entire room in SECONDS. The room has some sick amenities including WiFi, huge plasma TV with HD satellite, ice cream machine, cuppachino machine, coffee machines, and my favorite - a very high end massage chair!

Outside of the Man Cave is an open fire pit area that is surrounded by super pimp middle eastern carpets/rugs. In between entries and walkways are stones, you don't even have to touch the sand once you are in the The Ezba. The fire pit area also has an HD Projector and large movie screen that is playing at all times for your enjoyment. Behind the chairs is an amazing outdoor sitting room equipped with middle eastern style ground level wrap around couch, high end carpeting, and tables. Perfect for the outdoor hookah sessions!

Opposite of the Man Cave and on the other side of the fire pit is a large party style tent equipped with glass and vinyl doors. It is furnished inside with more wrap around couches, a sweet race car simulator, and some misc storage items. I assume the room is used for large parties and dining. It is where we ate our big dinners, and I mean big! when they eat, they eat! All kinds of traditional food is served including goat which tastes like beef to me, chicken, salads, beef, veggies, etc etc etc. All meets are usually served on huge beds of rice.

Behind the main area / fire pit is the servant or help quarters. They have their huge kitchen which is also made out of a storage container. Inside is a fully furnished restaurant style kitchen all made of stainless steel appliances and sinks/counters.

All day long 2 guys from India are running around, pouring drinks, preparing meals, cleaning rooms, sweeping sand, and performing any and all duties The Ezba asks of them. They prep the hookah's, they get us drinks, and pour the coffee. They are amazing and don't even give you time to ask for help, they are always a step ahead making sure you are taken care of and comfortable!

All of these buildings are put in on solid block foundations for stability and are built to withstand the strongest of sand and wind storms. Best part about this compound is they can disassemble it and move it within a couple of days time. Matter of fact they are thinking of moving for next season and making their camp even BIGGER! hahaha

Outside of the main camp area is their garage which has a staff of 4 from Pakistan. Shareef is the lead mechanic and is also our driver. He, like all of the members of The Ezba is VERY smart. Shareef can take a part and build up any of the camps many sand toys. He oversees a crew who constantly are prepping the toys to be ready to go. While The Ezba members head back to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for work during the week the guys stay behind and wrench on the toys ensuring that when Thursday rolls around (UAE's Friday) everything is ready to rock! These guys are BAD ASS!! Shareef is the man! The fleet of toys consists of and is not limited too 4 Funco G52's which are all new and all SUPER BAD ASS, you have seen the pics by now. 1 Buckshot X2R made famous by its rounded Monster Energy body and paint and HUGE engine (under repair). 1 Buckshot X5 that people recognize as the car Andrew Buck had built for his wife. 1 Sand Limo buggy, 1 custom DuneBike mini buggy with a Lexus V8 and looks like a big UTV due to its Kawasaki Teryx hood and RZR components. Their is also 2 sick Funco Gen 5 4 seaters, one has the Angry Birds paint. They have a couple Polaris RZR's including a new RZR XP900 and a RZR4 800. There is some other stuff in the shop but my favorite is the 2006 Toyota Land Cruiser Truck aka the rescue rig!

The Ezba crew is comprised of business men and Government executives. Aging from mid 30's to early 40's they are in their prime and love to play. They all work hard during the week and spend their weekends at their camp shredding the dunes and doing things best buddies do when away from home. They truly have it made!!

Thank you to The Ezba for letting us stay and for taking such good care of us. You guys are truly first class, it was honor to hang out and learn your culture and play in the sand with you. I am not kidding when I say it was a very cool and a once in a lifetime experience and I can't wait to visit again! Should you find your way to the popular Al Bedayer dunes outside of Dubai keep your eyes peeled for their bad ass cars ripping around but don't show up unannounced. They come here to escape their daily lives, if they know you they will invite you.... haaahaha


When you rollup you know this isn't your typical desert camp


This is what you see once you come in behind the palm frond fence... Center fire pit, the Man Cave is to the left, the kitchen is strait back at the container, and the dining room party tent is to the right



The inside of the Man Cave is super pimp!




Outside fire pit is super sick!!



Meals are served traditional style and are always plentiful with meats coming strait form their own personal farms. They sit on the floor and eat with their hands like men! Utensils are available! haha


The sleeping quarters are not that impressive from the outside but don't let their shells fool you...





The inside is sick! The things that look like mirrors are actually windows that with a push of the button have auto blinds that retract allowing in light


I don't know how much these A/C's cost?



Awesome bathrooms!



Kitchen!


Entry to the Man Cave


Man Cave bathroom

[JEFFRPM]

Hell Pfleuger, Herbst, Collins, Post never had a main pit/camp this dam nice and I thought they had money where do i sigh up for detail on that crew?

[JoeyD23]

If these guys were into TTs they could have any race team they wanted plus more. But, here, it's all about sand cars and road cars and they have both. A guy we spent time with yesterday spent $1.2 million on 2 new Sand Cars! 2! $600k a piece. Then yesterday he ordered a $180k Funco from Grant ( Grant George Funco Motorsports) who is the main reason I am here. Let's just say, Grant has collected more orders on new Funco's to build then days we have been here and we are going on day 6. If you build something they are into they will buy them hand over fist 24/7. They are ALL ballers.

I don't know how to better explain it other than saying that imagine if the entire state of California was like Newport Beach and Laguna and Beverly Hills wrapped into 1. That's what it feels like here.