Al Ain

Al Ain, the "Garden City". That's how this oasis is called.

Coming from Abu Dhabi you have to drive the 150 km in about 80 minutes. The street is located in the great sand desert of the UAE, but because at least 150 - 200 meters right and left of the street are irrigated strips, it is difficult to see the desert. It is really mad to make the beautiful desert quite green, but that's typical for the Emirates.

The motorway is quite comfortable, most of the distance at least 3 lanes in each direction. Only the speed limit of 120 km/h is quite annoying. To control this speed limit there are radar traps every 3 -6 kilometers and now they are introducing mobile radar traps as well.

There have been for a long time a dispute between the UAE, Oman and also Saudi Arabia regarding Al Ain. Only in the 1070's a stable and reliable border was agreed.

This border lies across the oasis. Al Ain is the UAE part of the Oasis, Buraimi is the part that belongs to Oman. Only in 2007 they started to erect a real border fence and also some check points. Before there was no limit to cross the border and the more realistic market in Buraimi was always very interesting. But nowadays you need really to leave the UAE with your passport and enter Oman (this costs always 60 AED, about 12 Euro).

That's crazy when you see that worldwide they try to tear down borders and here they erect a new one. Crazy Arabia