When getting deep, hot, hard and sweaty in the desert is not quite the fun you imagined.

This week we got Bebe stuck. Properly stuck. In a sand dune. The question is, did we make it out again?!
Want to buy us a drop of diesel to help support our channel? We'd be eternally grateful!
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Huge thanks to Ali from Camp Erg Lihodie Chagaga: / camp_erg_lihodie_chagaga
And Said from Camp Hassi Samara:
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We also fitted an new custom made, reserve fuel tank, slept under the Saharan stars, took pictures of the dunes and had a camel trek to Erg Chigaga.
All in all, a pretty epic week!

[@martinanidjar]

Getting stuck for sure sucks hard. But it does make for a great episode.

[@globaltraces]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@darrentucker1839]

Best video yet guys ! Amazing times being had.keep on going !

[@globaltraces]

Thanks, Darren! Will do… though we’ll try and avoid getting stuck in the sand again for a while if it’s all the same?! 🤣

[@highwayman1769]

Excellent episode guys. Don’t know about Calamity Jess, digging under the truck was much more Sarah Connor (Terminator)

[@globaltraces]

Hahaha especially in that tank top!! We’ll have to find her a black version for next time💪💪💪🤣

[@irnieracing]

Fantastic adventure and good for my expedition vehicle studying. I'm curious on your reasonings for wanting over 500L of fuel onboard? What issues or scares did you encounter with only 450L?

[@globaltraces]

It’s not so much issues or scares per se, but having two tanks, even if differing sizes, will allow us to separate summer and winter fuel, or put “questionable” fuel quality in the reserve and filter it before it goes in the main. Also, we can plumb the diesel heater in to the reserve tank which in cold climates will allow us to run the main tank down below 30% if we have to - currently the pickup for the diesel heater is only 2/3rd way down the main tank (so we couldn’t run out of diesel using the hab heater) which means we have to stay above 30% fuel in that tank for it to work. Finally, an extra fuel store will allow us to “stock up” in cheap diesel places and so hopefully carry us through more expensive fuel places thereby saving money in the long run.

[@PhilDavies-kf8mk]

Hi Guys, Great video, well done at digging yourselves out, it's not like you can call anyone😂I'm surprised Oatis didn't help well apart from peeing on the sand, my vizsla would would have watched then start digging in the wrong place but exceptional quickly.... Great to see you enjoying the challenges of adventure,

[@globaltraces]

We mostly had to keep Otis and Isla inside as the sand was too hot to stand on - even we threw mats down to lie on while digging in the parts that were in the sun. Didn’t want Otis getting burnt paws - couldn’t imagine trying to contain a Vizsla that wants to run in a small Space with burnt paw pads!! 😱 Every challenge is a chance for adventure and enjoyment. As long as you know the situation will be laughed at in the future, you may as well enjoy it in the present too 🙌

[@PhilDavies-kf8mk]

Oh forgot about ground temperature, don't need to worry about that in the UK at the moment, have you looked at the little boots you can now get for dogs?

[@paulcoverdale8312]

What ever your lowest “Bar” rate is ? That’s how low you need to go an second gear low normally or rule of thumb for soft hot suckling sand. Oh deep joy an memories 😂😂😂😂❤❤❤❤❤🙏🙏👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@globaltraces]

It’s a good rule of thumb indeed! We were not as low as we can go, but it had been serving us well for a few days in that sand, this crest was just a bit sharper than the rest and we didn’t quite have enough speed to push over it🫣

[@FingerFade]

Can I ask what was your reasoning for going with a 4x4 base chassis rather than a 6x6? I'm trying to determine which is best.

[@globaltraces]

A 6x6 in the HX platform is like a unicorn right now. Also, while 6x6 would be awesome for some things, it may be a little too big for others. It’s also more complex and more expensive to maintain in tyres if nothing else. That’s not to say we wouldn’t love a 6x6 at times, but we’re happy with 4x4.

[@davidhoy8363]

Amazing pictures in the dessert.

[@globaltraces]

Thanks, David!

[@SyachrulNurdin]

salam campers dari Kota Kendari

[@globaltraces]

Salam! Shukuran! 🙏🏻

[@CasLaz]

Omg what an eventful but also epic week you guys had!!!! You are troopers for digging yourselves out, and in that heat 🥵 hope you manage to escape from the 40 degree weather for abit! ❤

[@globaltraces]

Thanks guys! We’re hoping further north is cooler, but some spots are looking just as toasty right now! Might be time for a change off plans 🤣

[@fanum4030]

I would genuinely rather break down or get stuck in any Moroccan town than English ones. Then raise it up to danger level and it goes doubled. I worked my own company (off road motor cycle adventures) for 8 years there, with either an expedition equipped Landy 130 or Toyota V8 Amazon, got stuck in various ways a good few times and ALWAYS encountered amazing and helpful people- A lot of Westerners slag off Islam but the basic tenet of the religion that all but the extremists will follow is that of hospitality and helping others. So many stories of the help we encountered,, the genuine wish to assist others and unconditional freindship, but sadly , if you try and tell people in Britain this sort of thing these days ,they just won't listen. Mark Twain quote for everyone: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

[@globaltraces]

That is an awesome quote and so true! 🙏🏻 And you’re so right. The people in Morocco are always super friendly and willing to help and it is because of Islam. A quote in return, that’s somewhat related: “Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” Gustave Flaubert. If only we could get all the narrow-minded, bigoted westerners to see the world outside their own four walls.

[@streakychambers658]

I’ll bet you’ve never seen or heard of a sand syphon? 5 inch diameter PVC pipe…3-4m long. Shove one end of the pipe up under the truck axles… try to maintain a steeper angle as possible…. you then need to jiggle the pipe back and forth to get the soft sand to flow downhill and out the other end of pipe…. only works with loose packed sand. You should have enough space on the truck to carry the pipe! In general we don’t encourage the trucks to go it alone into the dunes…. especially when you don’t have a vehicle of a comparable size to pull you out! Great video though…I’ve not seen it through to the end yet! Take care guys…

[@globaltraces]

Indeed not! That sounds ingenious and would have been very much faster with this sand. *rushes off to nearest hardware store* Will have to find one of them next time we venture to soft sand areas…just in case! Totally agree about not going in the dunes without another big truck - this dune section though was not far from M’hamid and fairly close to the main track in and out of Chigaga so chances of passing traffic was high - and also the dune ridges were interspersed with hard pack ground so we calculated the risk of major sticking to be fairly low. Glad you enjoyed the episode, it was a pretty awesome week. Hope you’re well and having fun back in Sharjah!

[@streakychambers658]

@@globaltracesit’s just a long length of pvc pipe… I’m back in the UK right now… my new Land Cruiser arrives in Morocco later this week so I’ll fly back on Thursday to kick off my summer adventures exploring, Rally testing and then onto Mauritania in November. I think once you’ve mastered the speeds required to cross the crests you’ll be fine… even the T5’s on the Dakar get it wrong quite regularly! Safe travels guys…

[@globaltraces]

When are you coming back to Morocco and where? We’re here until the end of the month - if our paths cross we can catch up for a chat! Enjoy the cool of the UK before you get back here to the heat!

[@ingejohansson4138]

💯💯💯💯💯❤❤❤❤❤👍👍👍👍👍

[@globaltraces]

Thanks!! 🙏🏻 🙏🏻

[@Safety1st_]

Hi, love ur videos. You are inspiring me 😍 Do you have a plan/ what are your options if you actually break down - unable to fix at the roadside?

[@globaltraces]

Awww thanks! That’s not so easy to plan for because it depends on so many things - what the nature of the “breakdown” is, where we are, etc etc. there is always a solution, though, it just needs thought. But hopefully we’ll never be in that bad of a situation! If you’re talking about getting stuck, then short of being on a beach with an incoming tide, or dropping off a big cliff, the best approach is to sit down, have a think and come up with a solution - far more effective than panicking and rushing to solve the problem without thinking it through.

[@Safety1st_]

@@globaltraces yes remain calm! Could we have a day in the life video sometime pls? Good luck with your travels!

[@globaltraces]

@@Safety1st_ I’m sure we could manage that! Not sure any two days are the same, but we’ll pick one and get it done :-)

[@angusthomson7381]

Great week experienced! Camel rides and digging out sand fun n games had by all 😂

[@globaltraces]

One of the most exciting weeks so far for sure! But maybe we’ll leave more sand digging for a while before we try again 🤣

[@AaryanDaanish]

Subscribed for the amazing adventure content👍Also Love from India🇮🇳🇮🇳 (For the KZbin Algorithm LOL😆)

[@globaltraces]

Welcome to the journey!! 🙌 (And thanks to the algorithm for sending you to us!)

[@richardbroom4324]

Loving the photos. Looks like an epic adventure

[@globaltraces]

Thanks, Richard! It is so far 🙌 long may it continue 🤞

[@rikardbengtsson7854]

I think it would help you a lot to reduce the tire-preassure when driving in the soft dunes. The tires seems to be "full-hard"!

[@globaltraces]

The tyres were down at 50psi on the rear and 45psi on the front (reduced from the road pressures we run around 100psi) so definitely a long way from “full hard.” This was a result driver error though, not tyre pressures - we didn’t carry enough speed on entry to bring us over the crest of the dune.

[@mountainyacht4287]

Epic adventure guys!

[@globaltraces]

Thanks RP! When are we going to bump in to you guys on the road? (Do we need to get somewhere colder first?!)

[@mountainyacht4287]

@@globaltraces probably.... no big trip plans this summer, just a lot Belgian Ardennes (hunting grounds) and maybe towards Portugal, Spain and Morocco in September, skiing the Alps on the way back. But nothing definitive yet... When are you guys heading back to Western Europe?

[@MurrayClarke-ey1os]

I am amazed that you haven't got a full video crew with you filming your escapades!!! Just you and Jess. Brilliant production values. Great stuff, both of you!

[@globaltraces]

Thanks, Murray! The shooting is easy, it’s the editing (which I’m not great at!) of the video to get it ready for the Sunday of the week it’s about that’s the challenge. Glad you’re enjoying it though :-) (All sound tips gratefully received!!)

[@andysvehiclehistorychannel]

On the Dakar i'v seen them going over them on an angle.

[@globaltraces]

Yeah they do… but normally about three times faster than Bebe’s top speed too 🤣🤣

[@WagnerGimenes]

Ah! No wonder I've been complementing you on the quality of your photographs!!! Nicely done. Another amazing set of dunes shots today. Your videos are quality! (also, maybe time to drop the Calamity Jess moniker as neither of you are covering yourselves in glory) 😂😂😂😂 Thanks for the video.

[@globaltraces]

It’s a good point, well made, but I think Jess is rather taken with her moniker! Maybe we’ll have to start blaming Otis for any mishaps 🤣

[@andylewis210]

You wouldn’t need subtitles if you ditch the annoying background music 😊

[@globaltraces]

The subtitles are for the (statistically) 75% of people who watch videos on mute, or those that are hard of hearing. But we’ll take the comment about background music under advice for future videos. Thanks for the feedback! 🙏🏻