How do I fall in love with ALMOST4X4

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walihali
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Brief Background Story
It was dark midnight, no moon, but thousand LED lights (stars) were stuck in the sky above Tal Moreeb, Moreeb Dune Liwa somewhere in December 2011 during yearly Liwa Festival.

Trying to avoid the crowd, since we have a little baby on board, driving our saloon car little bit off the road side. Not aware of soft sand in the area. In no time our saloon 2 wheels drive was easily swallowed by the hungry Liwa fine sand. Just realized but too late, no wonder no one was in that area, the sand was really soft. Approaching a large tent in one of the hill near by, trying to get help from the owner of the tent which was nice Emirati helping us to remove our car from the mouth of Liwa sand.

Next morning with a cup of coffee, started googling everything related to off-roading things, a lot of info that confusing but it sounds interesting and challenging, too.

Finally, decided to drive a Japanese 4x4 vehicle, the rival of established and famous off road vehicle from US that always be surrounded by their girls?

Almoster must be familiar with a high bonnet vehicle that preventing you to watch your way freely when climbing or driving downhill? and that limitation made me flew over a crest one day. It was an accident. Off course an accident due to inexperience as a careless newbie.

Realizing that driving in the sand is not easy and could be dangerous, too, thinking it would be better to learn from the experience one, then started to look for an off-roading club to join.

Google provided a lot of names of off-roading clubs in UAE. Preference was to join an off-roading club in Abu Dhabi area since we are staying in UAE Western Region, Al Dhafra, close to Saudi Border.

Then I was stuck with the name ALMOST4X4? I was asking myself, why is it almost? is it something that you want to do (off-road driving), but for some reason you cancel it? the name ALMOST is really made me wonder and want me to explore more about it and forget the rest, and thanks for that. Initially, I told my family that I just wanted to join the club once (one trip only), just to try to satisfy my curiosity to know what's in there, in the club.

The distance from UAE Western Region is not a problem, we just want to join this club, that's it and it's worth really. You know what I mean, you are in the club, you know everything about this club. They have nice founder, nice leaders, nice people, all of you. Nice trips, too.

Safety is the main concern, safety for the people, safety for the vehicles, hospitalities, caring of each others, karak tea in the night with a cool and soft sand, camp fire under sky, it's amazing. I just love this club.

I ALMOST join a one time only, but then I ALMOST stay forever. Even though now it's faraway physically, but ALMOST4X4 is still and always be in my heart.

I specially would like to thanks very much to:

1. Bu Salem, who teach me/us a lot, and took us to many nice places (Pink Rock, Camel Rock, Iftar Hill, Maleha, Area 51? and more)

2. Betty, who speaks my language :)

3. Capri (now back to his home country) with his legend Pathfinder

4. AlKhatib, Senior Marshall a quiet guy :)

5. Abu Jimmy

6. Desert Lizard

7. Hasan AlFalasi

8. Strawb

9. My savior, who drove an FJ (white color), he saved me when I lost my way to the meeting point on my first trip with ALMOST4X4, he was back in US?

10. And all of you that I can't put it here one by one.

Thanks a lot, missed you all.
walihali
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alshamsi_m
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It is really overwhelming to see our old members are coming back even after all these years. You don't know them but all of you are from the same family. We call it almost4x4
Adventurous League of Mountains, Oceans and Sand Thrills
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