From the look of the thick 104-page research report that Our guide today on this tour is Rashid Juma Othman Al Thamimi, a 32 year-old Qatari native who should teach university courses in hospitality. Charming, kind, and intelligent, Al Thamimi is a diplomat, a philosopher and the ideal person to rescue a weary conference attendee from the tedium of security checkpoints, shuttle bus transportation, and those food and beverage coupons we exchange for a cool drink and a nourishing snack.

"You are my guest," he explains warmly. "As long as you are in my country, I am here to protect you, to keep you safe."

Today we are heading for a safari adventure in the desert to explore the soft sandy area just south of Doha and a mere 300 meters from the Saudi Arabian border. Our first stop is Sealine Beach, 20 kilometers south of the fiery chemical processing plants of Em-Sigh-Eed.

It is here, near the entrance of the beach area, that Al Thamimi jumps out of his four wheel drive jeep-his red and white head cloth blowing in the wind-to deflate the tires "from 2.5 bar pressure to just less than 1 bar pressure to make it easier to drive on the sand," our ever-smiling guide explains.

Back at the wheel, Al Thamimi begins the safari with a pop of the glove compartment that doubles as a beverage center, complete with two fresh fruit juices and a bottle of chilled water. "Please take one," he encourages with a twinkle of the eye. "This one is mango."

With those words we are off climbing the sand dunes that from a distance look like pure white snow-covered mountain peaks. Not a timid driver, Al Thamimi handles the car like the Arab Mario Andretti, flying across the blowing sand at 100 kilometers per hour.

As we bounce along the desert terrain, Al Thamimi's expertly hugs the contours of the sand dunes, guiding our jeep like only a native can, for he literally knows every bump, every curve, every particle of sand in this desert playground.

"If you want I can slow down," he graciously offers. "I know you have come to the desert to feel relaxed. I want you to be happy. Just let me know." Assured that his driving is surprisingly calming, Al Thamimi begins to explain his heart-felt respect for people, his love of the desert and of his country's rich history.

"I do other things. I sell cars-Mercedes, Cadillac, Rolls Royce. I have a degree in Business Administration from Sudan University," he offers. "And I take people on trips because I love tourists and I love the desert. Being a guide gives me the chance to come here every day."

As he points out the peach-colored mountain range just beyond the Saudi Arabian border and the cluster of camel wandering in the area, Al Thamimi offers a brief history of Qatar, explaining that originally there were two kinds of people here: those who made their money from the sea and the Bedouins.

"There were three kinds of sea people: the pearl divers, the traders and the fishing people. After Japan began to produce cultured pearls that were of the same quality, but cheaper, the pearl diving stopped. That makes sense. Who is going to buy the same pearls for more money?" he asks perhaps unaware that he is talking about precisely the kind of globalized trade that is the subject of the conference 100 kilometers away.

Continuing his talk about the traders and fishermen who earned their living from their work on the ocean and the nomadic Bedouin who long ago settled down, Al Thamini pulls over to greet the camels, assuring his skeptical guest that they are gentle creatures.

"Look here," he calls out motioning his arm toward the camel's mouth. The camel, clearly comfortable with human contact, smells his cuff-linked sleeve-interested but not very-in this charming tour guide. I was afraid he (the camel) would bite me. He didn't, of course, although he smiled at me with plaque-caked teeth. He (the camel) also agreed to pose for a glamour photograph.

We jump back into the jeep and Al Thamini continues his brief history of the area and its transformation from a third world nation where "life was not very easy" to a thriving country, where some Qataris own multiple luxury cars and fancy-schmancy mansions.

We continue our drive for 15 minutes more, scaling the wall of a sand dune and then slowly descend down its sharp slopes. It feels like a rollercoaster ride that moves at a snails pace, offering the passenger the opportunity to truly feel the force of this magnificent ride.

Just then we see what surely must be an illusion for it is one of the most beautiful sights in the world: the Inland Sea or Khor-Al-Adaid as it is called in Arabic.

Crystal blue with a gently rippling current, the Inland Sea connects with the Arabian Gulf and looks like a mirage, far too beautiful to be reality. Here Al Thamini guides his guests for a dip in the water, followed by a relaxing conversation about life in Qatar, as the bright red sun sets on another beautiful evening.