Those who visited the Liwa Oasis in the early 1970s, when this photograph was taken, might easily be described as explorers as much as tourists.This intrepid group was accompanying the late French photographer Alain Saint-Hilaire on a trip to the region in 1972. Travelling by Land Rover, most of the journey would have been across desert tracks, with plenty of water and food packed for what would have been a lengthy trip.
Today, reaching Liwa and Al Gharbia is much easier, thanks in part to a new tourist map published this month by the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority. As the map shows, the region is now accessible along a modern highway from Abu Dhabi. For rest and refreshment, there is the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort. But the reason for travelling there – the endless sea of spectacular, ever-changing sand dunes – remains as compelling today as it was 40 years ago.
* James Langton
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
COPA DEL REY
Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
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Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
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