More than 300 camels and riders are all set to go on an exciting journey through ancient Bedouin routes deep in the Qatari deserts close to the border villages of Saudi Arabia on Friday morning. The ride through the desert landscape will take the adventurers all the way across Umm Al Heerm to Keraanah. The riders will pass through some of the roughest, long unused desert terrain. The caravan will leave Al Rayyan around 8am, and after travelling more than 12 hours, will arrive at the border village of Umm Al Heeran late in the evening. The riders will pass once-alive interior Qatari villages like Umm Al Durooos, Summriat Umm Al Zabar, Aba Al Fahan, Umm Al Shubroom, Dahal Al Mesafaar, Roodat Aisha, Umm Al Suab and Umm Faidar. William Martin Productions, the UK-based event management company that is organising the event, has identified certain villages where the caravan will stop over. The halting spots will include some villages where there are scattered shady trees and traditionally dug up wells. “More than 300 people have already registered their names to join the caravan. The 52-kilometre desert ride is to commemorate Qatar’s ancient mode of communication on the occasion of the country’s National Day”, said William Martin, managing director of William Martin Productions. “Qatar was solely dependent on camels to deliver official messages. The camel riders had to face severe ordeals to ensure that important messages of the state reached the right hands safely. Friday’s desert journey is a re-enactment of Qatar’s ancient days to mark the country’s five-day National Day celebrations”, Martin added. The National Day celebrations kicked off at the sprawling ground opposite Al Rayyan Sports Club yesterday. The opening day witnessed a camel dressage and saddling competition. A total of 193 adults and 202 children are participating in the three-day competition. The organisers have also lined up a series of cultural activities at Rayyan as part of the celebrations. http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=December2008&file=Local_News2008121631112.xml

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