(CNN)"Uncle" Hammad, a local Bedouin camel farmer is staring at me as though I've offended him. I'm midway through a luxurious sand safari exploring the deserts of Dubai, and Hammad has been chatting to me over a traditional Emirati breakfast of cardamom-scented crepes slathered in date honey. I've asked him how he's been affected by Dubai's transformation from desert outpost to international city in the space of 25 years, and now I'm bracing myself for a lecture on the blight of modernity and how materialists like me are tainting his land. "My grandfather had a tent and a camel ..."
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Vintage Land Rover safaris explore the delicate sand dunes of Dubai
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Platinum Heritage organizes luxury excursions into the traditional world of the emirate's Bedouin
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Retro safaris offer a gentler way of experiencing the area's wildlife that so-called "dune bashing" excursions
The @placeholder experience is different from many desert safaris on offer.