On-road in the UAE [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

If you thought the UAE was just shopping malls, tower blocks and traffic jams unless you owned a 4 by 4, think again. With On-road in the UAE in your glove compartment, you can set off and see the country you never knew existed.

It's all here - gorges and pools, mangroves, waterfalls, forts and of course, lots and lots of beautiful sand-dunes and miles and miles of amazing coastline - plus the more well known items such as museums, desert parks and wildlife centres.

Gareth Leggett has put together what must surely be the most recent, most comprehensive on-road guide around this beautiful country. Meticulous is the word that most immediately springs to mind as you thumb casually through the guides 185 pages, but that casual glance ignores the hundreds of miles Gareth and his wife, English Lecturer, Michelle Picard, had to do to compile the guide with the accuracy that makes it super-dependable.

After a detailed introduction to the UAE, and good advice for anyone planning to cross this relatively vast country, Gareth offers sound advice to drivers in the event of accidents, meeting hazards on the road, and that ever present substance-sand and its adverse effect upon anything mechanical.

He gives vital info such as emergency phone numbers, and the location of petrol stations, and a few well placed words about touring through an Arab, Muslim country.

With so many precarious eco-systems to protect, Gareth has gone to some length with advice and pleas to take your litter home, and be a considerate road-user.

Each route guide (17 in all plus 5 feeder routes) comes with grading of road quality, shade/amenities at destinations, time taken, plus his own rating of each journey in a quick, easy-to use, visual reference at the beginning of each section.

The routes give mileage references and left-right directions, plus significant features to orientate and help while you are on-road. A number of the routes flow on from each other allowing the user to have the option to extend their adventure if time allows. On-road in the UAE has been designed so that no GPS is necessary Gareth has however provided the GPS files for each route which can be downloaded for use at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/onroadintheuae/.

The details are meticulous (I've already said that, I know, but they really are), even marking traffic lights, roundabouts, bridges, and photo opportunities, as well as links to routes that cross over, and things worth taking a look at on the way.

A logical and clear key to the symbols used in each route guide appears near the end of the book, just before a well written account of human history in the region, a section on the surprising profundity of flora and fauna in this desert nation, a short guide to some basic Arabic, and a comprehensive list of phone numbers and addresses, including all the emergency services, amusement parks, camel rides and dhow trips and diving centres, before much needed information relating to things like car hire companies, hotels, tour operators, government departments, and embassies.

An 8-page satellite map of the country appears prior to something about the author himself, written by his wife, Michelle, in a warm and intimate style, before space is left for any notes you might think to jot down whilst using this full and beautifully photographed guide to explore the dramatic scenery of the UAE.

Robert L. Fielding

Not only are the routes interesting and easy to follow, but it also contains the most up-to-date map of the UAE that I have been able to find. This is really important because there is a dearth of maps in the UAE and many new roads. The writer's style is chatty and informative and gave me many interesting facts about the UAE and useful telephone numbers.