OutdoorUAE - August 2014 by OutdoorUAE

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Wilderness fishing

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Thailand

Smiles and adventures

Living the highline life

in Czech

Freighthopping in America

Improve your bouldering skills

Plenty of

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Issue 44, August 2014

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

On the cover: Wilderness expeditions Photo by: Robert Selfors Managing Editor Daniel Birkhofer Editor Glaiza Seguia-Godinez Administration Jane Mesina Sales & Marketing (advertisement enquiries) Linda Turcerova Tel: 04-447 2030 Mobile: 055 9398915 linda@outdooruae.com Published by Outdoor UAE FZE In cooperation with D32 Events P.O. Box 215062 Dubai, U.A.E. Tel. 04-447 2030 contact@outdooruae.com www.outdooruae.com Distributor Tawzea, Abu Dhabi Media Company P.O. Box 40401, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. Printed at Galadari Printing & Publishing LLC P.O. Box: 11243, Dubai, UAE

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The enemy of adventure

“So you are the one who is doing all these adventures?” That is a question I hear many times when I’m talking about work. The truth is unfortunately not as exciting and, like most of us, I spend most of my time in front of a computer and sit in the office reading and envying people about their adventures. “Just do it!” That’s another statement I often hear from people who does these adventures. It sounds so simple, as if you can just make a decision and board the next plane to your journey. Surprisingly for those people who are out and about all the time, it seems so simple and they don’t get why other hesitate and never follow the call of the great outdoors. Believe it or not, I am more of the second type; having many travel plans and dreams of adventures only to look back at the last 10 years and not really achieving any of them. The longest trips or holidays I have been on was two weeks; usually it is more of one-week trips or long weekend getaways. “Yes, but” is my usual excuse. “Yes, I would like to, but there is so much work.” “Who would do all the things I usually do at the office?” And so on. If you like to be in control, it is very hard to let go. I think many of us believe that things would not work without us, that we hold key positions or carry responsibilities which cannot be easily delegated to others. This addiction to control is my biggest enemy in following the call of adventure, especially long journeys. If you are an outdoor lover, you know you will need to share responsibilities, delegate task and, more than anything, trust people since you know you will be at the end of the world for days and even the most sophisticated gadgets will not help you to communicate with the office. “I did it!” It took 16 years since my last trip going beyond two weeks. And it required a good, strong reason (and as well a demanding wife) to overcome all the stupid thoughts of being irreplaceable and that the world (office) would stop working without me. I have a great team I trust, so why worry? With one year delay, I finally embark on a five-week trekking honeymoon adventure in South America with my wife. We will travel four countries, never stay longer than five days in one place and will face temperatures from minus degrees to tropical heat. All our belongings for the next weeks will be in two backpacks. When you read this, I’m already well into my journey and certainly have forgotten about the daily worries which dominate our busy work lives. You will certainly read more about the trip when I am back. I will also tell you if I have changed to the group of the “Just Doers.”

Daniel

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The information contained is for general use only. While we have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this magazine has been obtained from reliable sources, however the publisher is not responsible for any errors. All information in this magazine is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information. In no event will the publisher, its related affiliates or anyone else be responsible for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this magazine.

Daniel Birkhofer Founder and Editor in Chief daniel@outdooruae.com

WHEN YOU’RE DONE READING, PLEASE RECYCLE!

Jane Mesina Administration jane@outdooruae.com

Glaiza Seguia-Godinez Editor glaiza@outdooruae.com

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EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS

Linda Turcerova Sales and Marketing linda@outdooruae.com

Kit Belen Our fishing pro

John Basson Moto/ATV and all round adventure seeker

Tori Leckie Writer, runner, blogger and adventurer

Eulogy van Dyk Outdoor loving Qatar explorer

Sean James Mountaineering and MTBing expert

Ian Ganderton Kayaker, climber, mountainbiker and snowboarder. Enthusiastic jack of all trades, master of none.

Mike Nott The 4x4 expert

WANT TO CONTRIBUTE? CONTACT US! contact@outdooruae.com

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS 08 QUEENS OF THE MOUNTAIN

EVERY ISSUE

19 KITESURFING IN MASIRAH

05 BEST SHOTS 06 EVENTS CALENDAR 39 LIFESTYLE 42 PRODUCTS 52 PEOPLE 63 DIRECTORY

EVENT REVIEWS & REPORTS 12 SUP IN THE UAE 14 KEYS 100 MILE 16 IRONVET

TRAVEL + ADVENTURE 23 TRAVEL THAILAND 28 SOUTH AFRICA 37 MTB IN CATALUNYA

26 HONEY BADGER DIARIES

50 AWD BIKES

LIFESTYLE 39 CROSSFIT 41 HABITUALLY HEALTHY

OUR EXPERTS 46 QATAR EXPLORER- EULOGY 48 12 YEARS IN THE UAE – MIKE

TIPS + TRICKS 58 BOULDERING – READ 60 YELLOWFIN - KIT 4

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53 INTERVIEW: CASPER STEINFATH

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BEST SHOTS WINNER!

Here are the best shots sent in by you for the monthly “Want Fame?” photography competition! Thank you for all your entries, they were all great and it was hard selecting the best photos this month. Congratulations to the top three winners, who will each receive Buff headwear, five free copies of the magazine and the Advance Off-road book: Pavel Bafeel, Mike Jobling and Simone Caprodossi. Well done! To submit your entries, simply email us at competitions@outdooruae.com with the subject “Best Shots.”

WINNER!

Pavel Bafeel

Cameron flying high.

WINNER!

Mike Jobling Shredding.

Simone Caprodossi

Freediving through air.

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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EVENTS CALENDAR Stay up-to-date with the latest events

GoYAS by Activelife

August 6, 6:00 to 9:00pm, Yas Marina Circuit Ladies are welcome to walk, run and cycle Yas Marina Circuit’s F1® track or take part in group fitness activities including boot camp, pilates, dance fit and yoga. Please note cycling and group classes are only available for ladies 14+ years and must have adult supervision. All activities are supervised by an internationally certified female trainer. GoYAS by Activelife is a ladies-only initiative and closed to the general public to ensure the privacy of participants. All staff are strictly female. For more information and to register online, visit www.yasmarinacircuit.com.

Saris Summer Loopy Festival 2014 August 28, 9:00pm, Al Qudra Cycle Course

This is third event in the Saris Summer Night Rides series following the highly successful Saris Summer Solstice Glow Ride and the Saris Summer Sticky Loop ride on August 7. There are four distances to choose from: 250km (five loops); 200km (four Loops); 150km (three loops); 100km (two loops). The ride through the night finishes at around 5:30-6:30am; and they alternate the direction of each loop starting from clockwise first. A support vehicle will be in attendance and breakfast will be served between 5:30am and 7:30am from Zad’s Café. For more information, contact andy265@gmail.com.

Muscat Triathlon Club Hotel Series Race 1 August 28, 4:00pm, Juweira Boutique Hotel, Salalah, Oman

The inaugural Hotels Series event will take place in Salalah with the Juweria Boutique resort as the central location and transition point, with the swim held at the protected water of the marina. As with all Muscat Triathlon Club events, kayaks and large sighting buoys will be in use. The 20km bike leg takes participants on an out and back course on fast flat roads. Transition is ideally placed in the resort grounds, where a quick turnaround will see you head out of the resort for a very fast out and back 5km. After the event, there will be a complimentary BBQ for all race competitors. For more information, visit www.mtc-triathlon.com.

Dubai Sports World

Until August 30, 8:00am, Dubai World Trade Centre One of Middle East’s largest indoor sports events, the Dubai Sports World transforms summer into the only season that matters for sports, with all your favourite sports in one professional standard and air conditioned arena. Hosting football, rugby, basketball, badminton, skateboarding, volleyball, table tennis and much more. Dubai Sports World is the training ground for greatness and teamwork. For more information, visit www.dubaisportsworld.ae.

FINA Swimming World Cup

August 31 to September 1, 10:00am to 5:00pm, Hamdan Sports Complex Watch the best swimmers in the world compete for the highly coveted FINA Swimming World Cup. This international series that has been running since 1988/1989. It is made up of a series of short course swimming meets and open to all swimmers from FINA member countries. The FINA Swimming World Cup spans over two days, with the preliminary rounds held in the morning, while the finals are held during the evenings. The event is open to spectators for 20 AED. For more information, visit www.fina.org or contact 04 2648717.

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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NEWS + COMMUNITY

Keeping active indoors

Adventure HQ Adventure Zone Location: Level 2, Dalma Mall Musaffah, ICAD Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The Dubai-born outdoor adventure retailer has opened its Abu Dhabi branch early this year and with it their new indoor adventure park, Adventure Zone. The facility spans over 20,000sqft and features a skate park with different sections (skate, large street, bowl and half pipe); an 88m long pump track for scooters and BMX; trampoline area; 3.5m high boulder wall with 50 routes; the cable climb course with 11 challenges and a bird’s eye view of the place; and The Lodge designed like a rustic log cabin that can be reserved for personal parties or corporate events. Both kids and adults will enjoy the experience. Contact: +971 2 445 6995 +971 2 445 8903

Bounce Location: 32, 4B Street Al Quoz, Dubai There’s no better way to show your summer glee than jumping around, and no better place to do that at the newly opened free-jumping park called Bounce, which originated from Australia. The warehouse encloses 80 interconnected trampolines that offers high-adrenaline fun with additional dodgeball courts, basketball hoops and giant air bags. Trampolining is not just child’s play. This low-impact cardio workout can improve bone density, muscle tone, balance and not to mention burn calories while having the fun. Bounce’s Doran Davies says, “We have a capacity of 115 at any time, and prior booking is essential. Not only do we offer a great space to hang out in, we also offer three party rooms, a café with cold drinks, sandwiches, snacks and ice creams and we also have specialised sessions for the little ones (over the age of three) called ‘Mini Bounce’ and ‘Junior Jumpers,’ to ensure that all members of the family get to enjoy it.”

The Zoo Skatepark Location: Warehouse number 1, Al Manara Street You don’t always need the streets to shred, sometimes you can take the action indoors too. Presented by Ignite Xtreme and powered by DC Shoes, The Zoo skatepark is open to skateboarders, scooter riders and skate enthusiasts to progress under the best possible conditions. The air-conditioned facility enables riders to avoid the heat while getting to ride quality ramps and practice. Plus, free wifi access so spectators can just hang out. “The inspiration behind The Zoo was to create a safe environment that promotes a healthy active lifestyle and embodies the skate culture of fun, creativity and community. The Zoo skatepark offers a relaxed atmosphere where skaters can hangout and express themselves through skating,” explained park manager Jeremy Klynsmith. “We have well experienced skateboard instructors and offer one on one lessons for all skill levels, whether you are a beginner or intermediate skateboarder, you will see progress in your abilities from the first lesson. We are aiming to help put UAE skateboarding on the map by hosting and promoting events which are up to international standards.” The Zoo is open from 12:00-8:00pm Friday and Saturday and 1:00pm–7:00pm every other day. The venue is also available for private hire if you are looking for a unique venue for your event or birthday party. Contact: info@zooskatepark.com +971 4 456 2482

Contact: info@bounce.ae +971 4 321 1400

Al Bandar Dragons recruiting for the new season Dragon boat racing is an ancient water sport that has taken place in China for over 2,000 years. In modern races, dragon teams of up to 20 paddlers battle it out in festivals all over the world in distances of 200m to 3km. The sport is relatively new to the UAE but has really taken off. The Al Bandar Dragon Boat Team is a thriving, mixed men’s and ladies’ team based at the Al Bandar Marina, Raha

Beach, Abu Dhabi. The team trains at Raha Beach on Monday and Wednesday evenings and on Friday mornings. Bandar Dragons compete in races in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras al Khaimah during the racing season of October to April. The races are very exciting and the team has had some notable successes over the last five years. Dragon boating is an excellent full body

work out. It requires equal measures of strength, stamina and technical skill. Most importantly it is great fun and an incredibly sociable sport – it is the ultimate team sport. And the Bandar Dragons are recruiting and welcoming newcomers to join one of their taster sessions at the end of August or start of September (exact dates TBC). Get in touch to find out more: rhmkinder@gmail.com.

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ACTIVITY REPORT

Queens of the mountain Ride like a girl Part 2 Words By: Sean James

Last month in mountain biking it was motivation month; an attempt to encourage more women to get out on their bikes. We suggested a number of women only groups in the UAE who are out on their bikes, both road and mountain and also suggested some events that women could participate in. Globally the summer is huge for female bikers and initiatives. Australia has “She Riders,” there is the Rapha 100, The Daisy Chain MTB Marathon in the UK, The Macmillan Cycletta in the UK, Diva Descent Downhill, The Bluegrass Enduro in Ireland, The Seattle Showdown in the US, Tour de Ladies in Colorado and of course the Ramadan Race in Dubai. All female only events. So what did you do? This month we are going to look at a number of women living in the UAE who are out there training, racing and having a good time on their bikes. These ladies are fantastic role models participating in hard races where finishing is not guaranteed and gaining a place on the podium gains huge respect. The UAE scene is small and friendly and you will undoubtedly bump into them.

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Nirjala in Malaysia competing in the Asian MTB Championships

Nirjala Tamrakar Wright

Nirjala is from Nepal and 34. She lives in Fujairah with her husband and is also an artist. They have been here in the UAE for two and a half years. When she was a professional rider and racing in Nepal

and internationally, she used to ride daily and did this for many years. Now she claims “I am a recreational rider so only ride at the weekends with my husband now and again.” She also runs to keep fit, anywhere between 5km and 21km. Nirjala doesn’t follow any special kind of diet but stays away from deep fried food and alcohol. Her current ride is a Titanium Qoroz Hardtail and her preferred ride style is XC. In races she considered her strength to be her determination and loved seeking out the hardcore races. One of Nirjala’s favourite places to ride is the UK as she loves the terrain and finds it easy and enjoyable to meet different groups of riders. As a pioneering Nepali female, Nirjala has many firsts to her name. Since starting racing in 2001 she was national champion for 11 years until 2012. That’s an incredible achievement. She has been the first and only female Nepali to compete in a World Cup MTB event, which was in France as well as being the first Nepali female to ride from Lhasa in Tibet to Kathmandu in Nepal. That took 22 days. She has also cycled the Annapurna Circuit which most people do as a trekking route and has a highest altitude of 5,416m. It took her 10 days. She has also competed in these major games: • South Asian Games 2006, 2010 in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

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• Asian Championship 2008 to 2010 in Nepal, Malaysia, China • Asian Games 2011 in China Finally her favourite race is the 10-day Himachal Race in Northern India which she has done four times. You will see Nirjala and her husband out and about in the wadis of the UAE and Oman which helped her place highly in the grueling four-day TransHajar Race near Oman.

Mariana Marx

Mariana is a proud South African and has been living in the UAE for the past 12 years. She currently juggles training with being the Operations Manager at Wild Wadi in Dubai. When training for a race, she will ride at least three times a week and also makes sure she gets out on the surf ski. Following a structured plan is important and she works closely with triathlon coach Trace Rogers. Mariana’s philosophy is just to get out and ride, explore different terrain and gain confidence by time spent on the saddle. Her strength in mountain biking is going uphill and she loves endurance type races. Her current bike is a Scott Spark Expert 29er and her homeland around Cape Town is the perfect place for her because of the variety of trails. Here in the UAE, you will find her at Shawka or in Oman. Mariana has also competed in the world class and grueling TransHajar and Cape Epic mountain bike events. You will always see her smiling and she is a great example of how to cope with a demanding job and the lure of the great outdoors.

Barbara Ihrig

Barbara has been in the UAE for the past 10 years, works as a Life Coach and has just opened a dedicated triathlon shop in Dubai. She is a triathlete herself and likes to ride her mountain bike at least three times a week. She follows a dietary regime known as Banting which is all about cooking food from scratch and with natural ingredients. It focuses on high fat, medium protein and low carbohydrates. Barbara and Mariana side by side in South Africa

Mariana smashing the beautiful trails at Cape Epic

Following this also helps with a number of food intolerances. Her strength in mountain biking is climbing which is useful as she has completed the Cape Epic in South Africa, an eight-day event that covers over 900km and 15,000m of ascent. She loves riding her Specialised Epic 29er and would advise mountain bikers to “go and explore the great trails and areas we have here in the UAE. Have fun while out there and stay safe, it does get very hot.” One of her favourite places to ride is in South Africa and especially on the single track and XC style routes. In fact any ride that is long and steady and you will bump into Barbara. Here she frequents Shawka and Al Qudra, although not on the tar. Besides growing the triathlon shop in the next few years, Barbara hopes to race the TransHajar in Oman and maybe the Cape Epic again as the organisation and vibe amongst the riders was second to none.

Rachel Delaunay

The effervescent New Zealander, Rachel is well-known in the adventure racing scene in the UAE. When not indulging her passion for travelling, climbing and

general adventure, she practices as a physiotherapist. Initially Rachel was “passing through” the UAE on her way back to New Zealand after working in the UK but got lured in by the opportunities here. That was six and a half years ago. Her list of activities is long but includes running, surfing, sailing, yoga, rock climbing, mountaineering and triathlons. Rachel has won the prestigious TransHajar mountain bike race in Oman and claims to only cycle two or three times a week. She eats everything in moderation and considers her strength to be her endurance. If an event is coming close, she might or might not come up with a loose plan. Her philosophy “get out there and give it a go.” Rachel rides with the Velo Vixens and Team SWR in Dubai. Her current mountain bike is a Giant X Trance and for those thinking of getting into mountain biking she says “there are plenty of bike shops to hire from and a lots of options of trails. There are even some off-road sand / gravel tracks around Dubai. The mountain bike community here is great with many different groups and BBQs etc! Check out the Facebook groups that always welcome new riders and are good places to connect with other riders.”

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Rachel enjoying a ride in the big mountains

Her favourite place to ride is in Peru in the Cordillera Blanca and Negra mountain range which was the most beautiful, amazing remote mix of terrain and scenery. In the Middle East, she loves the hard climb up Wadi Bih. Rachel has also competed in a number of adventure multi-sport races. The Wadi Bih Adventure Race held around the Musandam Peninsula was one of her favourites because of the spectacular and dramatic landscape as well as the fast pace. The camaraderie and evening camping plus the endurance test of four days racing also gave her fond memories of the TransHajar in Oman. The hardest mountain bike race she has competed in was in Turkey as part of an adventure race. There were some river crossings as well as some steep and rocky downhill sections. Check out her impressive list of mountain bike races: Trans Hajar, Oman 2nd Female 2011 1st Female 2012 4th Female 2014 Wadi Bih Adventure Race 1st mixed team, 3rd overall 2011 1st mixed team and 2nd overall 2012 Abu Dhabi International Adventure Races 2009, 2010 Turkey 2011, 2012 Future plans for Rachel include races in South Africa and riding through the vineyards as well as having a family.

Michelle Guerin

Michelle is involved with biking at all levels in the UAE. The marketing manager for DDE / Ride Bike Shop she has been in the UAE for a touch under five years. Originally from New Zealand she loves

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any kind of sports and will be out as much as possible on the trails over the winter. In the hotter summer months, she sticks mostly to the road biking to maintain fitness. She is a proud member of Team RideGMS, the UAE National Team and Sky Dive Dubai. She is really looking forward to seeing the development of the UAE National Women’s Team this year and hopes the team will be great role models for female cycling and mountain biking here in the Middle East. Michelle says, “I really enjoy biking with other people from the perspective of motivating them and encouraging them to ride. For my own personal development I always try to seek out and train with stronger riders. Mountain biking, I just get out there and enjoy it. A useful app is Strava. It is always fun being competitive with yourself.” Working for a bike retailer puts her in an enviable position regarding equipment and bikes. Her mountain bike last year was a Giant Trance 27.5. “Hopefully for 2014/2015 I’ll be riding one of the LIV female specific bikes – either the Lust or the Intrigue (or both – depending on the event).” Lucky lady! What Michelle really likes about mountain biking are the demanding technical and downhill sections. Like many of us she says “uphills are only there to get me to what I enjoy.” Her favourite rides Michelle racing in the UAE

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are of course in New Zealand around the mountain bike parks west of Auckland such as Woodhill Forest. From the early 1990s an amazing network of trails and jumps have been developed with the support and dedication of volunteers. Michelle says she would “love to explore the areas around Queenstown which have an amazing selection of trails – most of them need the chairlift to get to – my kind of riding.” Her race pedigree in the UAE is unsurpassed and she lists her mountain bike race achievements for 2013/2014 simply as: “Every race, first.” She also raced the Powerhorse MTB Dirt Challenge in Qatar coming second. With such a record it’s no surprise that Shawka and the single track is one of her favourite areas in the UAE where there is a great selection of trails for all abilities. She picked out some of her favourite moments last season as the Dante Torres Enduro event that was run by the UAE Mountain Biking Group and the Giant Awafi Festival and MTB Race in Ras Al Khaimah. “These events are as much about the passion for mountain biking and the social interaction of a weekend camping as the showcasing of new trails and racing against each other.” Michelle takes her role as an ambassador for women’s sport very seriously and devotes a great deal of energy to encouraging others. “I’m very passionate about being a role model for females in the cycling industry. While I love to challenge myself race wise, I want to see more females get on a bike and ride – even if it’s around their local neighbourhood or compound, on the dedicated cycling paths, with their kids or even at Shawka.” Thanks to all of the ladies above for sharing the information about themselves. They are just a small fraction of the women riding, competing and doing great things here in the UAE. Make sure you get out there and join them. Photo By: Jonnel Hernandez

ACTIVITY REPORT

Stand UP Paddle boarding in the UAE Words + Photos By: Tati Coco

What is SUP?

Stand Up Paddle boarding is a fun and exciting way that enables surfers to travel further into the ocean and explore new things. There are different modalities of SUP, the most common is standing upright on a surfboard and using a paddle to move. There are also SUP racing for those thrill-seekers who enjoy the fast life, SUP yoga/fitness for those who wish to improve their yoga skills and balance. SUP is a great sport for all kinds of people, family, children and adults to can enjoy the sea.

How do you think SUP has progressed as a sport in the Middle East?

I have been living in Dubai for two years. I first started SUPing a couple of times in New Caledonia were I learned that I loved being out on the water. Then I

moved to Dubai were I found the opportunity to develop my SUP skills with the Surf House, Live Love SUP and Red Paddle Co Middle East. During these two years I saw how it developed and grew to what it is today. I have also seen how there are many different communities within Dubai and Abu Dhabi for kids, professionals and family who do SUP. Just think of the massive community we have; it is really nice to see all of them in the water enjoying this new sport.

The local SUP community has considerably grown in the last years, what do you think should be done to further its progress and development?

I work a lot with kids and teenagers, and I believe that they are the future and they should get more support with races and hopefully expand to a point where there are even more teams for competitions. The races should be organised so that each skill level will have their own races.

It would only be fair, since some races are really hard for some very young people. It would be better if there were more family-oriented activities for recreation and a proper race. Â

As an instructor, what do you want to teach people about SUP and the active lifestyle?

When I teach people about SUP, I like to teach them to have fun, how to be safe and how it can keep you fit and healthy. This is an amazing adventure, there is a lot to explore and it becomes a nice day at the beach. The horizon is the limit for me and my adventures. I feel like UAE is a great place to SUP. It is beautiful all year round with the temperatures of the water. It is amazing watching the pinks and the

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

oranges of the sunset while sitting on your board with the cool waves lapping around you just listening to the ocean and the Burj Al Arab in front of you.

How can we encourage more people to get into SUP?

SUP is a great sport and hobby, and it is very easy to learn. In just a couple of hours or less you are already standing and paddling. If you don’t have the equipment, you can rent it for example at the surf house, so there is no excuse to not have a go! Just try a few times in a flat water at the beginning and you will see how fast you will get addicted to this sport.

What group/clubs can we join for SUP?

The easiest public place to go for a paddle seven days a week, even if you don’t have your own board, is the Surf House in Dubai. After your paddle you can enjoy a shower and changing facilities and sit back with one of the best cups of coffee in the town. Also in Abu Dhabi, Jen Scully and Nick Yates run a group activity with the Abu

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Dhabi Stand Up Paddlers in the marina where you can improve your skills and spend a good time with friends.

What are your recommendations for a good SUP spot here in the UAE?

I love adventure and I love to explore! I’m specialised in long distance and for me the sea has no limit. I will paddle across the sea, river, lake, whatever. It’s not about where you are but about living the moment. Here in the UAE, I keep a special place in my heart for the Mangrove in Abu Dhabi but I love everywhere here. The water is so clean and blue. You have sun 365 days of the year and when it is summer, I like to paddle early morning or late in the day to avoid the heat. If you

look at the pictures in this article you will see many nice places with special Emirati landmark for background. Just open your eyes and listen to the sea, it will offer more than you can expect. Depending on the season, you can enjoy also waves and practise Stand Up surf when waves are on at Sunset Beach or just go to the wave pool. Paddling is really easy and you have all kinds of condition from extremely flat to big wave days. Tati is also preparing for the 600km paddle this August from the coast of Italy, to Spain and then Ibiza.

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EVENT REPORT

How long is this journey?

The Keys 100 Miler 2014 Words By: Gigi Tsang

Many people had asked me “why do I want to choose the same race again?” One of the main reasons is the Race Director Bob Becker and his team. They really put on a great event and furthermore, the Florida Keys is a unique and beautiful place. Running the Keys 100 allows me the opportunity to enjoy the journey once again. Every hour spent on running Keys is “Happy Hour.”As an ultra-runner, I have to be mentally prepared to face the long hard journey. This time around however I stood on the start line struggling with the potentially ruinous thought of “will I be able to make it?” Early preparations at the start of the season had gone well. The Abu Dhabi Half Marathon, followed by the Dubai Marathon, then a good Emirates Hills 32km race were all training runs that went really well. My time was good and I got places for all those events. I felt I was shaping up very nicely, both mentally and physically; and ready for my first overseas race: the Boston Marathon, many runners’ dream race! Unfortunately, I had a fall just two days before I was supposed to fly to Boston and badly twisted my ankle. I went to the physio immediately hoping the swelling and bruised ankle would be settled within seven days of the race (we runners are a bit crazy; we talk ourselves

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through a lot of things including having magical physios). Of course, I was stubborn enough to go to the Boston start line not wanting to miss the opportunity for a great trip with my husband and friends, but deep down I was worried. I told myself I would run this race as a training run at a very disciplined and steady pace. If I felt hurt then I would stop. I promised my coach I would not let this race jeopardise my 100 mile goal. Boston turned out to be a great day. I ran every single step with one of my long-time running buddies, Marek. He thanked me for pacing him nicely, but I also thanked him for running so steadily with me that I didn’t focus on my worries or discomfort to my ankle. Three and half weeks to the Keys 100 After the Boston Marathon, I was back on track and carried on my training when another unusual/new pain came around my knee. Again, I talked myself through it hoping it might have been caused by high mileages and a couple of easy days would sort it out. Unfortunately the pain didn’t disappear. In fact after one week of training it grew worse and I started to panic as I had only two weeks left. I called my long time physiotherapist, Rosemary (I reckon the best physio in Dubai for runners) who had just recently relocated to Houston. She thought my knee pain was related to the injured ankle and I was compensating my running gait. So I decided to rest, lower my mileage and even scheduled physio treatments with Rosemary as my travel route took me through Houston to Miami and the Florida Keys.

One week before the Keys 100 Another incident after my fall, one of my crew members, Mauricio, slipped a disc in his back! The last thing he wanted to do was jump in and out of a car for 20 or so hours, so he was not seconding me! Another stressful moment, although my very dear husband John still held his head up and was positive that we would be fine even though he would be the one and only crew member for 100 miles. However I wasn’t convinced and at this point depressed and worried, so I decided to call Rosemary again, but this time not about the treatment. I asked her to come to Keys 100 as a crew member! It didn’t take her a minute to think and had said yes. She obviously understood my concern and agreed to join us on this journey. Traveling from Dubai to Houston, I met

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up with Rosemary who spent three hours treating me. With her “Magic Hands” the knee pain seemed better, but the rubbing feeling was still there. By this time I told myself this would be as good as it gets. I had to just rest my legs with two things remaining: get to the start and get to the finish! Two days before the Keys 100 We were scheduled to leave Houston at 10:30am for a two-hour flight to Miami when a tornado hung over Miami Airport. After repeated delays on the tarmac and circling in the air we ended up landing at Fort Myers airport to wait for the weather in Miami to settle. I was tired; my legs were stiff and aching and I just kept thinking why was this journey getting harder and harder! Finally we landed at Miami at 9:00pm, picked up the rental car and drove to Keys Largo to check into the Hotel at 11:00pm. It had been a hell of a long day! By then I calculated my travel time from Dubai to Key Largo was a total of 34 hours! The cut off time for the Keys 100 was only 32 hours! I have to admit that by this time my will power had started to wear thin. Rosemary arrived the next day without further delay and we all went to the race number pick up and briefing where we were warmly greeted and welcomed by Bob and the other runners and crews who I met last year. I started to feel a bit more relaxed and now excited, but of course, very nervous too. Ready to face the challenge! Race Day and an early morning breakfast at 4:00am for the 6:15 start. I felt very honoured to have been given an Elite start but felt even more nervous to stand around with all those seriously hardcore runners including the USA National 24 Hour running team, Badwater placed runners, etc. However everyone was so friendly, wished each other the best and we were off! There was no turning back. The route and scenery was again spectacular, the clearness of the sky and colour of the ocean were just breathtaking. Although it was a hot day, the humidity was not as high as the previous year and we had a little tailwind for good measure. I was feeling quite good! However I could only enjoy this for about 50 miles (80km)

when the knee and hip flexor started to act up. Rosemary decided to tape my hip flexors to release the pain a little. Obviously John and Rosemary knew I hadn’t started the race in totally 100% healthy form. They did their best to help me not waste any time during the race. They carried my hydration and nutrition almost all the way for me, running alongside when I needed to change my running tops, prepare food, electrolytes, protein drinks and of course prepare the night time running gear for me. Throughout the race I was kept up-to-date with all the great positive words of encouragement from my running friends in Dubai care of WhatsApp and Facebook. With 25 miles (40km) left to go I started to feel nauseous and running out of steam. I couldn’t keep any fluid or solid food down, but John and Rosemary still tried hard, they carried at least four different types of food and drink and ran alongside me, hoping that I could take a sip or a bite. They tried everything, but still I couldn’t hold any fluid down. I ran the last 25 miles (40km) on empty! Due to their worries, they took turns and ran with me all the time in the heat and the dark; Rosemary ran total 45 miles (70km) and John ran 40 miles (65km)! Again with the great support and a bit of a determination we did it. I crossed the finish line in 19 hour 27mins! 49 minutes faster than last year. Got the first Masters Female and 4th overall female. I truly believe this 49 minutes PR is not because I was in better shape nor because I ran better, it was totally because I had a great team, John and Rosemary, who did a fabulous job in helping me through this tough race. During my injury, low and doubtful moments, I received some huge moral support from a few special running buddies: Kerry, Nick, Monique, Samantha, and of course John. They believed in me and encouraged me. In the face of the possibility of failure I focused on the opportunity to succeed. I was determined to overcome these barriers rather than not try at all. Another highlight of this journey – this

time John did book the hotel and we all had a very nice and comfortable night after the race. The next morning John was busy cleaning the car which was properly trashed. I asked John for my Garmin watch which had beeped me every single mile of the journey. While he assured me he had put it away safely, I insisted to have my watch because I wanted to see my splits. It was not until we returned the rental car at Miami airport that he told me that he had found a large rat sitting in the glove compartment. It had chewed up my watch. He had done his best to try to remove it from the car but he was not certain. I pulled out the rental contract from the glove compartment to find it had also been eaten into ribbons! I guess I know what he is going to buy me for my birthday now! Drama seems never to stop in this journey.

As usual I can never offer enough thanks to the following wonderful people who are part of this journey: To John and Rosemary: If you don’t believe in angels, it’s because you haven’t met John and Rosemary yet. They were truly my guardian angels on this journey. To all my family: Their continuous understanding and moral support enabled me to keep reaching for my dreams. To all my running buddies: Kerry, Samantha, Julie, Monique, Lesley, Nick, Noel, Marek, Jerry and Andrea. Their companionship helped me through my long, long, long training, lots of miles and laughs together. To my coach: Howard Nippert, his professional coaching prepared and again guided me through a very good running session. To Bob Becker and his team and all the volunteers for the race: Just simply a superb job! Lastly, to all my friends in DCS and the Dubai running community who sent me so many words of encouragement. You all have been so very supportive.

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EVENT REPORT

Three times the challenge

UAE vet takes on Ironman Lake Tahoe

A spot of training whilst in Kitzbuhel, Austria for a wedding

Words By: Chris Shivelton Queen

There appears to be a truth regarding triathlon here in the UAE that dictates you will succumb to the draw of iron distance races. I moved out to Dubai in 2013 and had been told that expats tend to either “get fit or get fat.” Triathlon, which I had some entry level experience of in the UK, ensured that I trod the former path and it wasn’t long before I was out training with fellow Tri Pirates, Wacky Racers, Tri Dubai athletes and other Another fantastic bike climb with breathtaking scenery

such “fans of Lycra.” It was also somewhat inevitable that I was going to be seduced into taking the plunge with an Ironman: 3.8km of swimming, 180km of cycling, and then a nice, painful marathon to finish. The truth is that that I’d initially been looking at testing the waters with a halfdistance race late in 2014, with the possibility of maybe going the full distance in a year or two. Fast forward to the start of the year and I was committed to Ironman (yes, the full distance after all) in Lake Tahoe, California. Reading the race reports after handing over my credit card details might not, in hindsight, have been the smartest move as I soon discovered that the Tahoe race is considered a particularly tough one, staged at altitude and involving some gnarly climbs on the bike. Oh, and last year it was so cold that athletes were scraping ice off their bikes! A great race to train for in the furnace-cross-sauna that is the UAE in summer. Not content with simply signing up for this test as a recreational activity, I decided running for charity, specifically the Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS), who do Long desert cycle rides are a part of training

some incredibly important work globally, would be noble and thus the stage had been set for the Iron Vet challenge to commence. Yikes!

Coaching is key

The very first objective was to seek out and sign up a coach. I had always told myself that if I was going to head down the Ironman route then I wanted to actually “compete” as opposed to simply “complete.” This essentially means that as much as finishing the distance in any time under the cut off would still be a huge achievement, my sense of pride dictates that if anything is worth doing then it should be done properly. As self-motivated and capable to research as I am, I also recognise certain personal limitations that meant attempting to train myself for such a mammoth feat was unwise. First of all, I know nothing about training properly for an Iron distance race. There are, of course, a glut of online programmes available so sourcing one may not have been an issue. The following factors then were more important: motivation, accountability and personalisation. In the end I signed up with Trace Rogers of SuperTri, with my programme officially kicking off on 1st January 2014. Given the nature of my professional life as a vet, with long, unpredictable hours and a lot of time spent on my feet, rather than a totally prescriptive “do this at this time and then do that at that time” approach, Trace sends me my training schedule a month in advance, with the weeks’ sessions detailed and it is then up to me to slot them into my timetable. Having a training regime set

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Cycling with the Wacky Racers at Al Qudra

by someone else really motivates me to get on and get the training done whereas I know that if I were simply relying on self motivation alone then there would inevitably be times where I could convince myself that missing, or cutting short, a session would be ok. However, Trace puts it on the programme and I do it. Simple. Needless to say there is scope for common sense and flexibility. For example, there may be days when I am kept back late at work (a not uncommon occurrence in my job), in which case rescheduling training may be necessary. Rest is also a vital element of correct preparation for a big challenge such as this, and as much as it might sometimes feel counter-intuitive to not train, Trace knows the vital importance of rest for athletic development. The personalised approach to training has also extended to consideration of nutrition and the engagement with other sporting professionals, such as the team at OmLife, with whom I have undergone sweat analysis to select the best electrolyte replacement options, fitness testing and hyperbaric oxygen chamber sessions. I am also hoping to explore some options for preparing for altitude via the hypobaric services on offer at Talise Spa. In terms of nutrition, that remains one of the ongoing challenges leading towards race day: finding a feeding plan that works and offers the right support on the bike and run whilst avoiding the dreaded “bonk.”

Spoilt for choice

We are all perhaps somewhat blasé about the wealth of fantastic training and racing options we have out here in the UAE, and when I think about facilities such as the Al Qudra and Nad al Sheba cycle tracks, the pools at Hamdan, the parks with their running-friendly surfaces, the mountains and hills to the north and east, and so many more world-class training settings I

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Team SuperTri with Trace, after taking on Jabal Bil Ays

realise how fortunate I have been to get to train here in the UAE. In addition to the publicly available facilities on offer I have been blessed with generosity and support from friends, whether it be in joining me for long nighttime cycle sessions or permitting me access to their apartment complex pools, training has been a lot less of a headache for their kindness. Then there is the community of fellow triathletes, which is vast, generous and hugely supportive. From training sessions with Tri Dubai, to cycling with the Wacky Racers, to racing in Tri Pirates colours, and completing coached sessions with SuperTri, the wealth of experience, encouragement, knowledge and sheer motivation makes the UAE feel like one of the best places in the world to train. The only thing that lets us down over the summer months is the relentless and punishing heat and humidity, although with fantastic resources such as the World Trade Centre, which opens its doors free of charge to athletes during the summer months, it needn’t halt training. Race wise the truth is that we are spoiled for choice and it would be so easy to sign up to one or even two events every week. So far this year, I have taken part in everything from the Abu Dhabi Striders Half Marathon, Dubai Creek Striders Half, RAK Half, where I smashed my PB and came in under 90 minutes, which I was stoked with, to the Urban Stinker race in the mountains of RAK, the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon – a world-class event and an epic weekend – and so many more that listing them all here would take up the entire article by itself. The key message is that we have so much choice, with more races being added every season. For me, the key races in preparation for September were the half marathons, the Urban Stinker race, which was the furthest I had run up to that point and so represented an important mental benchmark, the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, which was tough, and the Windsor Triathlon back in the UK, which I returned to this year and posted a significantly improved time. Training, it would appear, does pay off!

blah blah), the training is entering the really tough phase, which is unfortunately coinciding nicely (or nastily, I guess) with the really, really hot and sticky time of the year. Although I might not be getting much opportunity to engage in real altitude training, the punishing climate in which my training is taking place should, it is thought, go some way to prepare my body for the demands of altitude racing. I guess we’ll ultimately see on the day. This period is also the time when final information starts to hit the email inbox and I start to see just how big a challenge I have set for myself. To put it into context, the swim, which is to be staged in the beautiful waters of Lake Tahoe, sits at 6,300 feet above sea level, which is roughly the height of Jabal Bil Ays. The bike then sees us complete two loops of an alpine course, involving climbs up to 7,200 feet, or twice the height of Jebel Hafeet, before the high altitude marathon. Put it this way: I am under no illusions that I will be in contention for a Kona (Hawaii) slot and know that simply finishing this race, let alone in a decent time, is going to be one of the toughest feats I have ever engaged in. You know what though.... bring it on! To follow Chris as he trains and prepares for his Iron Vet challenge, head to www.ironvet.net, where you can find more information and links to both the Facebook page and Just Giving donation page, in aid of global veterinary charity WVS (Worldwide Veterinary Service).

Countdown to race day

As the big day rapidly approaches and thoughts start to turn to organisation and logistics (flights, a place to stay, blah

Abu Dhabi international, where Olympic and World Champions, Alistair and Jonny Brownlee were racing

At the finish line in the UK with my sister and niece

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THE TEAM

EVENT REPORT

A ‘Victory’ in Stresa

Words + Photo By: Nicola de Corato

Victory Team Headquarters was officially opened in November 2002 with the main focus on manufacturing boats and developing powerboat engineering capabilities. Since the Victory Team took to the racing waters of the Class One World Powerboat Championship in 1992, the blue boats from Dubai have become synonymous with the best in this exciting and exhilarating sport. Chairman of the Victory Team is Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also known as Fazza, the name under which he publishes his poetry. Fazza is also the name of the boat number three, running in the XCat World Series, a particular class of racing conceived by Sid Bensalah of the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC). A separate class having an appeal to a worldwide audience while also making it a very approachable and trustworthy brand of powerboat racing, one that would blend the high-octane Class One and the more sedate Formula One. The World Professional Powerboating Association (WPPA), promoter of the series, ensure that they take in some of the most glamorous locations and venues on the globe, giving viewers a unique and entertaining experience during the season. Simply put, the XCAT boats are multihulls made of advanced carbon technology comprising of two outboard engines with up to 6,000cc of horse power and the minimum length allowed is 8.5 metres and a maximum of 9.5 metres. There is also a weight allowance with each boat enabled to be 1,950kg. These boats are capable of touching speeds of 120mph with their V6 engines.

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Much attention has been paid in ensuring safety and security of the boats and their crew during the course of a race. It is deemed that the Local Organising Committee should be responsible for communicating with the world governing body UIM to perform all safety functions and secure all necessary safety facilities in accordance with the UIM Safety Procedures and Guidelines Requirements. Safety in Stresa and all the other competitions is ensured by Bergamo Scuba Angels, a sports society with the mission to perform water rescue activities, in all their different and extreme aspects and already introduced on our pages some months ago. After a massive fight, Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir bin Hendi claim a fourth consecutive win in Stresa. Fazza team was taken by surprise at the start when the T-Bone Station combination of Luca Fendi and Giovanni Carpitella stormed into the lead. But a tactical move after the fifth lap saw the Fazza team taking their first of two mandatory long laps and eventually restoring their usual spot at the front of the pack, which they then held onto until the finish. “In testing this morning we felt good, but we were surprised by boat number 10 [T-Bone Station]. They had a very good start, so we tried to push them. But after five laps, I told my driver we have to do the long lap because our radio man had told us our lap times were quicker than theirs,” said Al Zaffain. “Our goal in the Victory Team is always to take the Championship. After today’s race we really have a big points lead and I can say I’m 90% sure the 2014 Championship is finished,” added Al Zaffain, who together with Bin Hendi has indeed all but secured the overall series title. We can just wait for the next powerboat race, in Cascais, Portugal. Ready to explore,

Nico

Arif Saif Al Zafeen, Driver 01/09/1974, Dubai Arif Al Zafeen continues to enjoy a remarkable Class 1 career; he has won the world title three times and has an unprecedented win rate – 21 wins from 30 starts. He made a spectacular start to his Class 1 career in 2007 winning on his debut in Athens, and then in Arendal, Constanta and Qatar to lift the Class 1 World and European Championships in his rookie season. He was sidelined through injury in 2008, but returned in 2009 to win the World, Middle East and Edox Pole Position Championships and then added his third World title to his tally in 2010 along with the European and Middle East titles. Recently appointed Executive Director of the Victory Team organisation, Arif also lifted the Class Three (Six Litre) World Championship in 2009 and 2011 thanks to three successive wins in Nettuno, Italy alongside regular racing partner Nadir Bin Hendi. Nadir Bin Hendi, Throttleman 15/12/1969, Dubai Nadir Bin Hendi is one of an elite group of racers to win three consecutive world titles and four Class 1 World titles in total. He made his Class 1 driving debut in 2005, switching to throttleman duties the following year. He won the World, Middle East and Edox Pole Position Championships for the first time in 2008 with veteran driver Mohammed Al Marri. He successfully defended all three the following year when he was joined in the cockpit by Arif Al Zafeen and together again in 2010, they secured what was a third World title for both of them, along with European and Middle East titles. Up to the start of the 2011 season he has won 21 Grand Prix races. In 2009 and 2011, he also lifted the Class Three (Six Litre) World Championship this time as driver to Arif Al Zafeen on throttles in Fazza S3. He competed in traditional wooden powerboat racing in the UAE throughout the mid-nineties and also tasted success with in the Aquabike World Championships, lifting the world title in 1995, 1996 and 2003. Nico is a blogger, marathon runner and triathlete, diver and heli rescue swimmer with Bergamo Scuba Angels. You can read his blog at www.dubayblog. com or email him at admin@dubaiblog.it for information about Dubai and desert trips, to schedule a desert run together, or just to say hello.

EVENT REPORT

Kitesurfing in Masirah Words By: Wendy Couch Photos By: kitesurfinguae.com

The first freestyle event was held on the windswept island of Masirah, off the coast of Oman.The onset of the seasonal monsoon flow over the summer months bringing consistently strong S-SW winds to the region; and the island is blessed with pristine flat water spots on the western side, making it a perfect location for a kitesurfing event.

Competitors from all over the Gulf travelled to the Island to take part in the region’s first event and battle it out on the water. The region was lucky enough to once again have the financial backing and support of HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Hamdan Al Nayan, head of Emirates Kiteboarding Association. The one-day event was held at the island’s permanent kitesurf camp, with the event itself organised by HH Sheikh

Ahmed Bin Hamdan Al Nayan and Kiteboarding Oman with technical support of kitesurfinguae.com. The camp is located on the central western side of the island with a huge expanse of shallow, flat water and conditions were looking great. Competitors showed their skill, pulling off big airs, rotations and handle

passes – providing great viewing from the beach. On behalf of all the competitors and beachside onlookers it’s safe to say we look forward to returning next year! Results: 1st Thomas Pujo (France) 2nd Kacper Szczesny (Poland) 3rd Philip Esser (Germany) 4th Osama Shihab (Jordan) 5th Issa Salim Alaamri (Oman)

ACTIVITY+ REPORT TRAVEL ADVENTURE

Fly Fishing:

WILDERNESS EXPEDITIONS Words By: Jakob Andersen Photos By: Robert Selfors and Torgeir SØrensen

Fly fishing remote and desolate rivers is incredibly exciting, and if you go exploring in the right places, you stand the chance of experiencing some exceptionally good fishing. Here are some tips on how to arrange your very own fly-fishing expedition into the wilderness. It is no coincidence that the further you deviate from the beaten paths, the better trout fishing you’re likely to find. Trout are shy and spooky fish that place high demands on water quality, oxidation, cover, passage and food resources, and additionally it has a low tolerance level when it comes to fishing pressure and human activity in general. As a result, it thrives in areas where human activity is minimal and where nature’s rhythm is undisturbed. Bringing your fly rod with you on exploratory trips into the unknown – far away from modern society’s ant-like hustle and bustle – is to go deep into the scenes of a bygone world. It is a world where you can let yourself be overwhelmed by a stark pioneer feeling and where a welcome

sense of solitude intrudes in a deafening manner. It is a world where one’s humanity is intensely urgent and where the senses come back alive again. And it’s a world where the trout rise fearlessly and uncritically to the surface and ingests insects, just like its ancestors have done for thousands of years - with the greatest of abandon and naiveté. WILDERNESS FISHING is alluring and seductive for the sole reason that the waters you fish, have found their vigorous passageways through pristine and wild nature. The fact that the fishing can be magical is not really that surprising. It is almost self-explanatory. Venturing into the wilderness, however, is not without its challenges and pitfalls. Everything is on nature’s terms, and those terms aren’t for the fainthearted. It takes adventurousness, planning skills, courage and good health to go on an adventure into the wilderness – but the experience is great!

RESEARCH is a fundamental part of journeying into the wilderness and in particularly if the trip is allocated to an area of which you have very little previous knowledge. If you want to make the most of your journey into the wilderness, it is important to invest time and energy in the preceding research work. First and foremost, it is important to select an area and a body of water, where it is possible to find some exceptional fishing. It may be an area that has a reputation for providing good fishing, a river that produces promising and persistent rumours, or a body of water that is interesting because of its remote and untouched character. Once you have chosen your destination, it is important to seek all relevant information about the place, transport, season, terrain and weather conditions, etc. In this context, the internet is an indispensable tool. Particularly Google Earth is worth spending time on, and the same is online card services such as, for instance, Norway Kart: kart.statkart. no. Here you can get a good idea of the terrain, the distances involved and more

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specifically the topography of the river or lake you plan to fish. This information provides a good starting point in relation to future planning in general, including where to set up camp. With regards to the internet, there are also forums where you can seek assistance. There is always someone who has intelligence, advice and tips in relation to the water you’re planning on fishing. Either because they have fished there, because they know someone who has, or because they have been fishing equivalent waters. The more uncertainty you tackle and deal with in advance and the more detailed you can be in your final planning stages, the more likely you are to avoid unpleasant surprises and instead have a fantastic experience.

TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS are available for almost all areas in the wilderness, and they can be good to study in greater detail in advance. They can be ordered online, for example at www.naturogfritid.no or www.scanmaps.dk and they rarely cost more than 30 to 40 EUR. If you want to hike into a certain area, they are indispensable; otherwise they provide a good overview of what the alternative opportunities for fishing are once you have reached your destination. For instance, there might be some tributaries or lakes that would be relevant to explore. Surprisingly, often these hold exciting surprises. THE LOGISTICS involved when travelling into the wilderness is a story in and of itself. Especially in our time and

age where time is a scarce resource. A general rule is to get to your final destination as quickly as possible, no matter the means of transportation. The first part of the journey is to a place that provides a good entry-point in relation to the further way into the wilderness. If, for instance, you’ll be hiking, it is important to find an entry point from which the hiking is minimally strenuous, complicated and time-consuming. The wilderness is largely characterised by the absence of civilised infrastructure, including viable roads and trails, and as a result making the right choices in terms of transportation is pivotal. Many places can be reached on foot, while others are out of reach unless you have motorised means of transportation – especially if you have limited amounts of time available. HIKING is an exciting and often breathtakingly beautiful way to reach your fishing grounds. In addition to a reasonable sense of organisation, a compass, or a good GPS unit, and some basic sense of direction, hiking also requires careful consideration in relation to one’s shape and walking speed, the terrain and distance. It is important to be aware that hiking with a heavy pack on uneven and often hilly terrain requires good physical shape. If you are not in good shape to begin with, you should train with a backpack prior to the trip, otherwise you should consider another solution. With 30 kilos on your back you shouldn’t expect to walk more than five kilometres per hour and generally it is probably better to count on three or four kilometres (including breaks). Also, you must be careful with planning on hiking for more than eight hours a day. That amounts to somewhere between 25 and 35km. If you don’t have the time, condition or patience to hike, there are, fortunately, other alternatives. In areas with relatively accessible terrain – for instance the barren regions of northern Norway, where the Sami keep primitive trails – you might consider renting an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) and drive out to the fishing grounds on them. It usually costs around 130 EUR per day. They are incredibly sturdy, versatile and, last but not least, fun! And they can easily cross small streams, mountain ridges and swampy terrain with two people on them. Furthermore, if you need to carry large amounts of equipment, you can rent a trailer. Be sure to always check with local authorities before you plan to make use of an ATV to reach your ultimate goal or ask the ATV rental service. Not all planning can be based solely on studying topographic maps! Nature is capricious, and a prolonged period of precipitation prior to the trip, may for instance prevent an otherwise realistic ATV route. FLYING A HELICOPTER is a very time-efficient way to transport you to

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the fishing grounds, but it is also a very costly affair. The flight can cost anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 EUR for a return fair depending on how far the flight is. It’s obviously a lot of money, but with a flight speed of somewhere between 200 and 230km/h a helicopter quickly carries one far into the wilderness. And if you’re a group of people planning on flying out together – for example, three or four good friends – you can, dramatically reduce the cost per person. Somewhere between 300 and 500 EUR should be realistic. THE KIT, CLOTHING AND

GENERAL EQUIPMENT for wilderness fishing is a whole chapter in itself. The same is the art of packing so you’re limited to all the necessities. Regardless of how you intend to reach the fishing grounds, it is extremely important that your entire equipment setup is well thought through. Especially if you’re hiking! Here, you need to remember that there are upper physical limits to what you can carry. First and foremost, when it comes to hiking, it’s important to acquire some good sweat transporting clothing, a pair of durable trekking trousers, some durable hiking boots and not least a roomy backpack with good adjustability and comfort. Especially, if you plan on a long hike, it is essential to have good equipment. Otherwise, you’ll risk getting repetitive strain injuries and “break your neck” off the hike out. Secondly, it is important to break in all the equipment before heading into the wilderness. In this way, you’ll get familiar with the adjustment options of your backpack, and your back will get adjusted to the key load and strain areas. Also, make sure that your boots don’t gnaw and cause blisters and that your clothes don’t wear the skin. It’s too late to find this out when you suddenly find yourself standing out there in the middle of nowhere with many kilometres still to go. When it comes to hiking boots, remember also that a few good, tight and relatively thick hiking socks in wool are important. Nothing generates blisters, like a pair of socks that are a little too loose and tend to fold. No pair of hiking boots can compensate for that.

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tions. It is important to be prepared for this! Otherwise, the trip will be something close to unbearable.

CAMP EQUIPMENT is essential for comfort when not fishing. If you’re a group traveling together, a large mess tent or lavo is great to bring along. Here you can keep all the simple gear of practical value – all the food items, powder soups, pasta, rice, canning products, the air-dried meats and spices. There is also room for all cooking and camping equipment – the water containers, the Trangia stove, the pots, the rubbing alcohol, the aluminum foil, dishes, somber, toilet paper, field shovel and axe. Also, if sitting outdoors should be hampered by rain or heavy amounts of mosquitoes or knot, you can find hiding in here. If you hike into the wilderness – and if you’re in an area with tree growth – you could even consider bringing a tarpaulin and buckle it up so you can sit together underneath it. Just keep in mind that there are limits to what you can physically carry with you. When it comes to gear, a good lightweight tent with a warm and comfortable sleeping bag and a cushioning sleeping mat is absolutely essential. The common denominator for all this equipment is that it should weigh as little as possible and take up as little space as possible when it is packed away. On that note, you might even consider sharing tents two and two to reduce the total amount of equipment. Also, when it comes to tents, make sure you bring along tents that are easy to set up, and that can withstand a lot of wear, weather and winds. Besides the camping equipment it’s important to remember personal hygiene products. Here, for example, a toothbrush and some toothpaste are essential, and the same goes for a towel and some mild disinfection alcohol. A lip balm is also great to bring for chapped and dry lips, and in case the sun ends up beaming relentlessly from a cloudless sky, sunscreen is important to have for exposed body parts. IN TERMS OF COMFORT a mosquito net and a good mosquito repellent is often essential preferably with as much Deet or PMD permitted. (US622 and Mygga Natural have both been tested to be among the very best mosquito repellents on the market). By now there is also clothing made out of insect repellent fabric for example Scierra’s BuzzX clothing range, and these may be worth looking into. Especially mosquitoes and midges can be tremendously troublesome, and in the wilderness, they can occur in scary concentra-

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SAFETY is an urgent matter when fishing in the wilderness, and here common sense applies. First, one should always inform the outside world about where exactly you’re intending to go and how long you plan on being away. Secondly, you should never travel alone in the wilderness. In the event that you get into an accident or become ill, it’s essential to have a partner who can come to the rescue or ensure that the necessary assistance is being summoned. A first aid kit containing all the most basic things for injury-related emergency care is an essential part of the pack too. They are available at the pharmacy, and they usually also contain remedies for treating non-life threatening injuries such as wounds and blisters. Add some Compeed patches to the mix and you’re good to go. A GPS unit that you are comfortably trained to use, is also a good precautionary pack item. It enables you to find your way back to civilisation, no matter where you happen to end up. In the same category is the satellite phone which typically also includes a GPS unit. It is dispensable for short trips into areas where there is mobile coverage, but if you’re heading into an area that is totally cut off from the outside world, and the way back is lengthy and complicated, the satellite phone is a necessary precaution. It retrieves signals from satellites and thus can be used independently of ordinary masts. The phones and talk times are quite costly though. A satellite phone costs from 650 EUR and minute prices are about 1 EUR. IN TERMS OF FISHING EQUIPMENT, the subtle art of limitation applies too. It is important to pack the most necessary gear only, and this requires a good overview. When it comes to fly rods multi-section travel fly rods are preferable and don’t forget to bring a few backup rods, in case of an accident. You should also consider bringing a spare fly reel with an extra fly line. It is an unbearable thought to have your wilderness fishing ruined because you suddenly have no functional gear left to fish with. Typically, #4-6 fly rods are universally applicable for wilderness fishing. Here, imitational fishing with nymphs and dry flies is the primary activity. Just don’t forget that a bushy streamer can be the

recipe for luring one of the monsters, particularly in the late evening hours when the shadows become long and diffuse. Flies don’t take up a lot of space, and they hardly weigh a thing so you shouldn’t skimp on them when packing. The hatches can be complex and versatile; the fish selective. Therefore, it pays to have fly boxes filled to the brim with different imitations of the most abundant species of aquatic insects in the wilderness: gammarus, mayflies, caddis flies, stoneflies and a variety of different land insects such as flying ants, beetles and crane flies. Also remember that it’s good to have a few samples of each fly, but it’s far more important to have a wide selection. You never know what kind of hatches you’re going to encounter. For the same reason, it can be really good – if your packing space permits it – to bring along some universally applicable fly tying materials: a fly tying vise, basic tools, hooks, dubbing, foam and hackles. This way you can always compensate for unforeseen hatching by tying some impromptu imitations. Besides the basic fly fishing equipment and all the flies, you should note the following on your packing list: leaders, tippet material (0.10 - 0.25mm), strike indicators, fly floatant, clippers, pliers and a landing net (there are several folding models). In addition comes the fishing apparel: the obligatory breathable waders, (a pin hole repair kit) and a pair of wading boots. Furthermore, sweat-transporting underwear (for wading in cold water), a lightweight rain or wading jacket, a fly west, a cap and a pair of polaroid sunglasses are great to bring. Also, don’t forget to bring your camera. Plenty of memorable, beautiful and breath-taking experiences await you out there and they are great to capture and perpetuate. Moreover, it is always nice to have a picture of that hard-fighting, colourful and beautifully spotted trophy trout you might end up catching.

TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

Thailand off the beaten track Words + Photos By: Vanda Turcerova

Along came a trip

Together with other media in the UAE and the region, we have been invited by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to experience The Kingdom of Thailand from a different angle. The beaten tracks of Bangkok, Phuket and Samui are well-documented and its busy markets, dollar-amassage right on the beaches and amazing bar with that associated love life are explored by so many that they became, dare I say, tedious. The Tourism Board of Thailand has put together a Fam trip that covered Middle East and Asia, bringing together 900 media representatives, 30 from each of their 30 regional offices, to taste, feel and live the amazing land of Siam where much is yet to be discovered.

Tourist in Thailand

The western world discovered Thailand for the purpose of tourism majorly in the second half of last century. As soon as Europe was back on its financial feet after the devastating war times of its first half, coupled with modernisation, boom of air travel and travel in general, Thailand fell into prominence as a chosen destination. It was hardly surprising because the weather, exotic food, abundance of variety in everything all made it into the marvelous stories of travelled lands as the cold set in around Atlantic shores months

later after summer. Then hippies followed, flower-powering over to the rich land and relatively unexplored locations where many settled down. Thailand welcomed them all and over the years and has been welcoming many back again. The main holiday spots are very well-known to the world and a typical traveler would have not only ticked this country on his travel bucket list, he would have its name written down a few times as it is impossible to experience its true beauty in one trip. But what is it that makes people return? What magic does the land, the climate, or the food have that made travelers realise, after a week or so into their trip, that they have not explored enough and barely touched the richness of its offerings? How is it possible that after six days, four flights, a four-hour trek, five shopping trips, countless meals and massages, as I recollected this trip, I am humbly admitting that I have merely opened the door, but haven’t fully stepped into Thailand’s wonders? There is too much to learn and too little time to do so. That is one secret. The other one? It starts with the people, of course. Thai people are one of the simplest, happiest and most non-confrontational nation you will encounter. Perhaps it is because they have never experienced servitude under another’s rule. Perhaps it is because they are land people; in abundance of natural resources, one does not need to push its power over others, or envy a neighbour. Whatever it is, it works. Everyone you meet, you can engage into a conversation. Thai people welcome visitors with open arms; however, be courteous and respectful, observe others’ behaviour, learn a few phrases – it will get you a long way. A word on bargaining, “Made in Thailand” products are already dirt cheap, so don’t be the obnoxious tourist, pay your price and start haggling when you consider buying over four of the same or similar item. That works and anything more you end up looking cheap yourself.

Bangkok, Chiang Mai and off to the woods

We only had one night in Bangkok. After a quick check-in at the uber-luxurious LeBua City Tower near Silom Road, we explored its roof top bar The Dome, famous for being the location of filming Hangover II while gazing at the panorama of the city. It is amazing, seeing the busy streets filled with people, and so many of them. Bangkok is roughly three times bigger in square kilometres than Dubai. Relatively flat and spreading over your horizon, river floating through, humid, overcast, sticky, wonderful and full of life. One night market shopping spree later, we hopped on a plane the next day heading out to our real destination, Chiang Mai province, and the true purpose of our trip which is the Royal Project excursion and the experience of community-based tourism right in the rich lands of northern Thailand. Chiang Mai is the gateway to the northern part of the country. Our arrival was met with unusual hot afternoon that is rare during rainy season in this part of the country. However, we received our share of blitz thunderstorm lasting well into the night. Asian trading culture is ever-present: stalls with various knick-knacks

are spilling on every street corner, selling mostly fabrics of any shape and kind, souvenirs, surprisingly handy weapons usable in your regular street fight, natural products such as soaps, massage oils and anything Muai Thai related. Thais are very proud of their sport and sports clubs offer round-the-clock training for anyone who is up for it. We were welcomed into our program with a reception and explanation of what the community-based tourism is all about. In brief, we were about to experience traditional ways of life deep in the forests of Chiang Mai. This was not going to be a sightseeing tour from a luxurious vehicle. This was a serious program 20 years in making; joining 65 communities aimed at providing better life to the locals as well as initiative to bring tourists face-to-face and hand-to-hand with the real local life, away from Pattaya’s fun city. Most of us have not heard of the possibility to stay a night with a local family, brew coffee in rustic outdoor makeshift kitchen or tend rice fields and we couldn’t wait to get on the way. Early morning, we boarded a bus and headed out of the city en route to the Doi Inthanon National Park. As soon as we left the city, absolute greenery enveloped us all the way for the next two hours. We passed villages, fields of vegetables, and the further we drove, the more we learned about the land from our guides. His Majesty the King of Thailand has been and continues to be a true king to his country and the people through the constant involvement in every aspect of the nation’s life. Building on his forefathers’ political achievements, Thailand is a proud land that has not been under another’s rule throughout the modern history. Sacrifices and current af-

fairs aside, it has enjoyed a relative peace since becoming Thailand (free land) from the great kingdom of Siam. And it is here to stay. Our one stop before the Royal Project dock-off was at the highest peak situated right in the Doi Inthanon Park at 2,565 meters; we were geologically at the foothills of the Himalayas. Exploring this sanctuary of Mother Nature, the rare species of flora and fauna share this stunning scenery, tumbling waterfalls and dramatic landscapes. Just as we arrived, we were greeted by a drizzle and an occasional rain on our scenic trail through the rhododendrons, wild orchids, mosses and lichens. The mist was pouring down from the clouds impaled on the peaks around us, adding to the mystery and almost sacred enchantment of this ensemble of nature. Then there are the elephant statues marking the entrance to the trail, as well as a memorial shrine built in 1915 and rebuilt in 1986, where the ashes of Inthanon, the seventh ruling prince of Chiang Mai, are laid.

The Royal Project

Departing from the quick trail adventure, we arrived shortly at the Royal Project main station for lunch before heading out on a four-hour inspection of the Royal Agricultural Station Inthanon, which is his Majesty the King’s personal project for eliminating opium growing. Established in 1979, the station serves as a research centre for a wide variety of temperate vegetables and fruits, including the promotion of the highland sherries, in order to develop the livelihood of the hill tribe farmers. It also serves as a centre to disseminate knowledge and innovation derived from the research of the sustainable highland farming to the other regions. The agricultural research area in the station includes seven villages that the station is responsible for, the hill tribes of Hmong and Karen. Prior to 1979, the highlands of Thailand were a very different place to what they have become today. Farmers, uneducated and with limited resources, have taken up opium as the main crop of choice and in the process. Again through little knowledge, they proceeded to burn forests to make room for more farmland, unfortunately finding out not a great fertile land and destroying the nature while at it. This was a huge problem because the produce is illegal, export was easily facilitated through natural border with Laos and Cambodia and the slow but steady dimin-

ishing of Thailand’s forests. His Majesty set up and financed this project to enforce knowledge, strengthen the sustainable agricultural industry and increase the standard of life for hill tribes. It took 10 years for the first crops of decent value to be packaged and ever since then, the royal seal can be seen on such products on the shelves of local supermarkets. The station’s research compound comprises of numerous sections divided by the nature of the subject. We were first shown the fruits and vegetables section along with the animal reservation and research compounds. Imagine greenhouse-like rows of salad leaves, capsicum, tomatoes and others neatly planted on soil molds, table top high, to facilitate close observation, sample study and scientific monitoring. This is the nature’s lab with human assistance and the professors we met all explained enthusiastically about their “majors” on this project. Ever since its establishment, the knowledge was observed and trial-and-error tested rather than read from a book and applied to guarantee results. Notice boards with useful hints and how-to instructions were practically the manuals for the workers here, further demonstrating the fact that knowledge is hard earned for everyone involved in this oasis of bearing. It was like Mother Nature giving constant birth to beautiful edible offsprings with full staff of doctors acting as assistants witnessing this miracle. Atlantic sturgeons, nowhere near their natural habitats, swam right at our feet in made ponds, more of them in close observatory tanks serving for breeding. Besides the obvious purpose, some animals were here for preservation in avoidance of extinction, such as certain species of frogs and turtles. All of this was nestled in the natural surroundings of the Doi Inthanon National Park, a true natural project. As we passed through the various fresh produce farms, we got to

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sample various fruits and picked our salad ingredients for a cooking class scheduled for later that day. Besides the edible elements on display, we had a peek at the cultivation station of the beautiful roses and orchids among others. Thailand is the world’s second largest fresh cut flowers exporter in the world, beaten only by Holland. At the recent Arabian Travel Market, all of the flowers for Thailand’s display were flown in from here, each individual flower preserved with its own water capsule to reach Dubai at its freshest possible. We learned how to rate roses by the health and length of the stem and the ones called Extra, with over 70cm stem length, travel daily to the royal palace to His Majesty the King. Such is the love and respect for its leader. Overwhelmed and tired from the trip of the day, we walked through a masterpiece of botanical landscaping leading to the main building of the station. Ponds with curious swans, picturesque seating arrangements along the walkway and scenic lookout spots led the way to our overnight accommodation that was a pleasant surprise with its traditional arrangements and modern technology – WiFi, finally! We managed to chop up a pretty decent Thai-style salad under the instructions and demonstration of resident Iron Chef while he was busy cooking a traditional Thai curry to our tummies’ much enjoyment. As the day bid farewell, all I remember was the constant buzz of crickets and the freshest air I breathed in a long time before it knocked me out into the next morning.

possibility actually happening. Such city boys and girls we were! Nevertheless, we suited up like the Avengers and set out for a hike. The forest was humid and fresh, easy trail to start off with flowers along the way and mushrooms just popping out from everywhere. Our hike started easy enough, and as we were nearing waterfalls by the sound of it, the slightly difficult sections on our way were lined up by bamboo rails and makeshift wooden stairs in the rich a moist soil. A short walk and out of the tall trees, a curtain of fresh cool water rushing from the top of the mountain greeted us, the Pha Dok Siew Waterfall. The power of nature was very present throughout our hours-long trek, and our path mirrored that of the cascading river. Here and there we stopped and waited for each other, offering helping hand where needed as the wet conditions were proving tricky for some with flipflops and slippery trainers. The occasional drizzle was very enjoyable as we passed through decades-old tall trees disturbed only by a plenty of clearings overlooking the scenic rice paddies stretching in front of our eyes. Four hours later, we have reached our destination on the morning – the Mae Klang Luang village. It is a picturesque place surrounded by spectacular rice terraces often used in film sets. Although clearly with elements of modern world (WiFi, again), the village is very much kept to itself. Its people originate from Burma whose ancestors settled here around 200 years ago. They are farmers and often wear traditional attires handmade from scratch all around this region, in bright red colours. Short and stocky because of their work tending fields, they were very friendly and let us, the tourists, take photos and peek into their daily lives. We also got the chance to explore a traditional hill village where home stay is provided for. All houses stand on tall pillars. It is so that farm animals such as chicken and pigs along with dogs have a place under the house, as well as a kitchen and extended storage space being available. Above the pillars stands the actual house and that’s all it is – no store room, no halls, no bed frames – one room serves as the main living room area and another one is laid out with mat-

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tresses which serves as sleeping quarters. Tourists who chose home stay live with the family and work during the day in the fields, or doing chores such as preparing food, coffee, and perhaps joining in crafts and clothes making as per experience. Overall, we were reminded of the humble life and passing of it in this sleepy gem of traditions. Short drive away we were shown an upgraded version for the eco tourist – Phamon village’s pink house. Overlooking the serene rice fields, this was a modern version of the rural home stay with slightly more comfortable living quarters, pretty finishes on the basic stone and cementclad house with terrace and hammockequipped patio. I fell asleep for a short while right there, awaken by someone pointing at the fattest, yellowest caterpillar I have ever seen, strolling on the tiles next to me. Such is life here. As afternoon set in, we departed from Phamon village and headed back to town to prepare to leave the next day. A muchneeded massage at the famous Oasis Spa awaited us upon our arrival to Chiang Mai before we boarded a plane back to Bangkok and eventually to Dubai.

Summary

Disconnected from the modern world, our short while in nature is the real inland Thailand experience; where in you realise you don’t really need a bigger car, or the fifth manicure of the month, or another coffee morning in some café on Jumeirah road. All you need is to reset your brain right here for a week and you’ll come to discover a new you. Mind you, I may have become slightly addicted to the massages seemingly offered everywhere in the main cities of Bangkok and Chiang Mai but as I kept telling myself, I really, really deserved it!

Community-based tourism

Bright and early the next day, we made preparations to trek to the Mae Klang Luang village along National Trail. As it was pretty much raining from the moment we set foot out of Chiang Mai, we were given ridiculously looking high over-socks as guards against possible leeches which made some screech in horror of that

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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

The Honey Badger Episode 4: Africa’s final frontier Destination: Lake Turkana into the Omo Valley

Diaries

After a fairly straightforward border crossing in Omorati we headed east to Turmi. This is home to the Hammer Tribe which is famous for its bull-jumping wedding ceremonies. There are a few camping options and we started at Kasse which, despite an impressive selection of mangoes, had fairly unpleasant loos. We moved on to Jurka lodge and paid 2.50 USD more for much better facilities and a decent restaurant. Hungry after a long day’s drive we decided to sample the local cuisine. The injera wok is a large Ethiopian pancake that is used as a plate similar in diametre to a bicycle wheel, about 5mm thick and sponge-like in texture. It comes with a variety of meat, vegetables and a boiled egg and the unusual combination of spices and colours was unlike anything we had ever tried before. We quickly learnt that injera is normally shared between two or three people, and even James (a reputedly fussy eater) enjoyed it. After a thoroughly enjoyable convoy up Lake Turkana, Frikkie and Fiona set off to Konso without us the following morning whilst we stayed to take a closer look at

the fascinating array of tribes in the region. The National Geographic refers to this as “Africa’s Last Frontier.” We started by exploring the Monday market in Turmi which is hosted by the Hammer Tribe, a friendly and fascinating people. We were initially struck by their apparently red skin and hair. A closer look showed that this was a layer of clay which is used as a sort of makeup which we had also seen amongst the tribes around Lake Turkana. It also gives off an earthy smell which seems to be typical of the tribes around Turkana and the Omo Valley. After politely declining a taste of the local homebrew, but picking up some bracelets for Mira which were made out of 7.62mm AK47 rounds (worn by almost all members of the tribe) we left Turmi for Jinka. We stopped for lunch in a dry river

bed and before long a group of Hammer women and children turned up to investigate. Once James had collected himself, having seen more bare chested women in one morning than the rest of his life put together, we took the opportunity for a few photos. Within a few minutes an older lady arrived demanding Birr, the Ethiopian currency, so we offered what we had and moved on.

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With the exception of a rather odd road network, the only interesting thing about Jinka is that it is the launch pad for trips into the Omo Valley to meet the incredible mix of diverse tribes in the area. Despite being the low season for tourism, we were lucky to arrive just before the Mursi Bodi tribe’s selection of their new leader. James was delighted to hear that the sole criterion for selection as the tribal leader was to be the fattest man in the village. So, after some negotiation with the local guide, we agreed on a two-day excursion to meet the Mursi tribe then see the Bodi festival the next day. We arrived earlier than expected at one of the furthest Mursi villages in the Mago National Park. The Mursi are a particularly unusual tribe because of the lip plates that many of the women chose to wear. Starting with a small cut to the lower lip when they reach puberty, their lips are progressively stretched by wooden plates reaching 10“ in diametre. As a result their main interaction with westerners is on the sharp end of flashing tourist camera lenses. This has understandably made them fairly direct and demanding of money for every shot. In fact, 5 birr (about 0.30 USD) per person per photo is the going rate. Most tourists turn up, snap, get hassled, pay up, get annoyed/harassed and leave. Thankfully our guide was keen to change the new stigma surrounding the tribe and encouraged us to take a different approach. Arriving early and leaving the cameras in the car for the first couple of hours meant that there were no photos or cash involved when we met everyone in the village. We were made very welcome and managed some surprisingly detailed conversations through body language and some amusing gesticulation. They offered us an incredibly spicy coffee which we tried to enjoy. Mira was encouraged to munch on some salt to help the coffee/chilly combination go down. After several grams she gave up. Having been shown around the village, we finally got our cameras and took photos of our new friends. We gladly paid for each shot, and although they were still vying to get in every picture, we saw nothing of the brash intimidation that we had heard of in Jinka.

On our way back to Jinka our guide, Mamo, received a phone call about a Hammer Tribe “jumping of the bull” ceremony that afternoon. This is the part of the wedding ceremony which follows the beating of the wife-to-be. The woman is literally flogged to demonstrate her loyalty to her future husband. The scars where the flesh have been torn on their backs are clearly visible. We decided to head back to Turmi for the bull jumping part (only) and we had to rush out of the park through some relatively deep rivers to get there. Our journey was interrupted by a grinding bang, followed by the front wheels locking up and bringing us to an abrupt stop from about 100kph. After 20 minutes of poking about the disc brakes, Mamo managed to find a mechanic who pointed out that the problem was with the front differential. After unlocking the front wheels we limped to his workshop in 2WD to take a closer look. Five hours later, having been introduced to an impressive selection of homemade tools and literally putting the front diff on a fire, we discovered that the pinion and ring gears in the front had been completely chewed up. Not a job for homemade tools, we headed to the nearest Toyota dealer 600km away in Awassa. Ten exhausting and frustrating hours later, we arrived only to realise that they were closed on Saturdays, and obviously Sundays too. We decided to nurse our emotional wounds in the fairly comfortable Haile Resort for a few nights. A comfortable bed, shelter from the rain, and internet access (albeit intermittent and very slow) made a world of a difference. On Monday, we discovered that the only replacement parts in the country were in Addis Ababa, so we booked in to the

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Moenco (Toyota Dealer) headquarters for Tuesday. A cool 1,000 USD later (literally for two metal cogs) the repair was postponed and we had to wait until Wednesday to get into the workshop for the additional 800 USD in labour and ancillary parts. To the initial annoyance of the foreman, James insisted on being present for the repair because all of our worldly belongings were in the car. The repair took a full day and James now considers himself a fully qualified mechanic, albeit only for front diffs. However, everyone from car enthusiasts, bloggers and Toyota mechanics has been baffled by the damage. Perhaps water was sucked into the diff during the river crossings? The breather was checked and is working fine. Maybe not enough oil? This was only changed two months before, however, and the rear diff oil is still good. Maybe a fault in the pinion gear from the factory, which eventually broke off after the rough driving up Lake Turkana? We have no idea, but hope it doesn’t happen again and would be glad to hear your thoughts. A key part of Mira and James’ trip is fundraising and volunteer work. If you are interested in helping them to achieve their target and make a difference to African communities and wildlife, please spread the word or donate using the following links: To donate: www.gofundme.com/ thehoneybadgerdiaries If you would like to follow their journey through Africa and see more photos, recordings and videos: Website: www.thehoneybadgerdiaries.com Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ pages/Honey-Badger-Diaries Instagram: @thehoneybadgerdiaries

TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

Table Mountain

Kitesurfing at Blouberg Strand

Wolfberg Arch in the Cederberg

Travel to South Africa Unique outdoor adventures in Cape Town and the Western Cape Words By: Eulogy van Dyk Photos Supplied By: Wesgro, Cape Town and Western Cape Tourism, Trade and Investment

Home of Africa’s most visited city, Cape Town, and home of one of the New7Wonders of Nature, Table Mountain, makes it easy to agree why the Western Cape in South Africa must be on all travelers’ bucket list that loves the outdoors. The Western Cape is South Arica’s fourth-largest province and extends from the Cape of Good Hope 400km north and 500km east. It is best known for Cape Town, South Africa’s “Mother City,” with its beautiful beaches, majestic mountains and green vegetation among many other attractions. Table Mountain and Robben Island is Cape Town’s most famous landmarks. Towering 1,086m above sea level a short cable car trip takes you to the top of this flat-topped mountain. It is the perfect way to orientate yourself on your first trip to the city. On a clear day at the top, you should be able to see Robben Island in Table Bay, the place where former

president Nelson Mandela was once held prisoner. It is possible to visit both these sites in one day. But the magic and outdoors adventure of the Western Cape does not stop here. It is a diverse region and you need to give yourself at least one week to explore, however a two-week trip or longer is definitely recommended. One can divide the province into six different regions where activities on land, mountains, water or air can be experienced: Cape West Coast: home to the West Coast National Park, famous for birds and spring flowers (in late August and September) Cape Winelands: apart from being one of the most scenic Winelands in the world that will keep your taste buds happy for days, the area also has a large selection of adventure activities that will chase up the heart rate. Cape Overberg: an area of contrasts and wonder, with splendid coastal vistas and rugged mountain ranges. When it comes to shark cage diving, this is the place to be! Cape Garden Route and Klein Karoo: where the scenic beauty and adventure

meets. From paragliding, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, caving, mountain biking and sand boarding – this is just a few activities that adventure enthusiasts can sink their teeth into. Cape Karoo: an unspoiled landscape and a perfect backdrop for adventure activities such as quad biking, 4 x 4 routes and mountain biking. Cape Town: for all your adventure needs!

Where to start and what to do?

With the region being quite big and with so much to offer, we have handpicked a few unique adventures activities in Cape Town and the Western Cape, which we can recommend when you plan your next travel adventure:

Abseil down Table Mountain

If you dare, step off the top at 1,086m above sea level and abseil down the world’s highest commercial abseil allowing you awesome views of the city of Cape Town, Chapmans Peak and the deep blue Atlantic of the Camps Bay and Clifton coastline. For more information: www.downhilladventures.com.

Zipline adventures in Ceres

Crocodile cage diving in Oudtshoorn

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Berg River Canoe Marathon

Underground City Centre tours

Wanting something unique to do, why not tour the underground tunnels of Cape Town’s City Centre for a unique experience beneath the buzzing city. During the early days of “Little Amsterdam” as Cape Town was commonly known, canals and rivers instead of highways and interchanges, acted as routes of travel. Today these historic canals with their impressive architecture convey the sweet waters of Table Mountain and some spring water into the ocean. This is a thrilling experience and will leave you feeling inspired and you will see Cape Town in a new light as you go on this historic underground tour. For more information: www.goodhopeadventures.com.

Shark cage diving

Only a two-hour drive from Cape Town you will find the Great White Shark Capital of the World. Shark cage diving takes adventurous to a whole new level! The activity is focused 12km out to sea on Dyer Island, and in particular a narrow channel between this and Geyser rock known as Shark Alley. Dyer Island supports a large population of Cape Fur Seals, which attracts large numbers of sharks. For more information: www.gansbaaiinfo.com.

Crocodile cage diving

Not only can you shark cage dive, but also crocodile cage dive with Nile Crocodiles in Oudtshoorn, part of the Klein Karoo region. Experience the ultimate close encounter with an ancient predator at the Cango Wildlife Ranch. The cages are specially built to withstand the incredible pressure of these ancient reptiles and visitors who dare have an up close and personal encounter in their natural habitat. For more information: www.cango.co.za.

Seal snorkelling

Snorkel with Cape Fur seals in their natural habitat in Cape Town. Drop into the cool Atlantic Ocean and swim with hundreds of playful seals that will surround you in an instant. This half-day excursion will allow you to interact with these friendly creatures and will definitely be one of the highlights when visiting Cape Town and the Western Cape. For more information: www.sealsnorkeling.com.

Bungee jumping

Looking for the ultimate thrill? Then why not jump off the world’s highest (commercial) bungee bridge, 216m above the ground, at Bloukrans Bridge near to the coastal town of Plettenberg Bay. A short walk along a specially designed catwalk, which is suspended beneath the road surface, leads you to the top of the arch where your final countdown begins! For more information: www.faceadrenalin.com. Need we say more? Come and visit the Rainbow Nation of South Africa and explore the diverse region of the Western Cape where the mountains meet the sea. For more tourism information, visit: www.southafrica.net or www.tourismcapetown.co.za/leisure-travel.

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Table Mountain

TRAVEL TIPS HOW TO GET THERE: Average direct flight price from the UAE to Cape Town: +/- 4,500-5,500 AED (round trip) Average traveling time: +/- 9h35m (non stop, one way) WEATHER/SEASONS: Summer: Mid October to mid February Autumn: February to April Winter: May to July Spring: August to October * Depending on what you are planning to do it is worth planning your trip according to the season, which is the reverse of those in the northern hemisphere. LOCAL TIME: 2 hours + Greenwich Mean Time LANGUAGE: South Africa has 11 official languages, though most people can speak English. Afrikaans and Xhosa are also widely spoken in Cape Town and the Western Cape. VISAS: Depending on your nationality, and the purpose and duration of your visit, you may not need a visa to visit South Africa. For more information, visit the Department of Home Affairs website (www.home-affairs.gov.za). HOW TO GET AROUND: South Africa has a comprehensive road network that crosses kilometres of beautiful countryside and makes driving a pleasure. Car Rental: There are a number of car hire companies in Cape Town and the Western Cape. Most companies are either represented at the main airports including Cape Town International Airport and George Airport. Taxis: Car taxis are generally the quickest and safest though most expensive way to travel around Cape Town. Getting around by plane: Cape Town International airport is served by direct flights from many countries, although some flights may first touchdown in Johannesburg. Another airport for domestic travel in the region is George Airport. Bus: Greyhound, Intercape Mainliner and Translux are the three major long haul bus companies in the Cape. On route they visit and stop at most major towns in the Cape Province. Sightseeing Bus: A topless bus that has pick up and drop off points along Cape Town’s most scenic attractions. For more information visit: www.citysightseeing.co.za. LOCAL CURRENCY: South African Rand.

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Words + Photos By: Will Pardoe

In three years of hitchhiking across the world, this is perhaps my greatest adventure of all. It was five days spent hopping freight trains through the Wild West; five days living as the old-time American hobo; five days survival in a post-apocalyptic world; five days escaping from Nazi Germany. It was every child’s fantasy adventure; it was beyond any fantasy I could have dreamed as an adult.

The Vagabond Express

The zombie apocalypse team walks five abreast along an empty, decrepit street on the outskirts of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Houses lie overgrown, crumbling and forgotten. A dog barks in the distance. I have found myself amongst a group of marauding train kids, living on the edge of society. They have no taste for society’s expectations, restrictions and monotony. Far away from the hamster wheel of downtown, five vagabonds tramp happily towards the rail yard. Walking beside me is Josh, the kingpin of this apocalyptic posse – he holds a book that could have him arrested for treason; a book that lays out the rail network in explicit detail, transcribed by a rogue rail engineer for the benefit of freight hoppers. This ragged folder of photocopied sheets can sell for a hundred dollars on the black

market. It is our ticket to Texas. The sun sets as we crawl through a fence and into the rail yard. Darkness is our ally in this hostile place. The sickly sweet smell of oil rises from the gravel as we hunker down out of sight. The silence of the yard is broken periodically by the wrenching and clashing of metal. Huge carriages are shunted about like tin cans as they connect the trains. “Get down!” bites Josh, as Brandon peers over the parapet. We wait; darkness settles its sinister cloak around us. Suddenly, we’re running! Into the open, under betraying floodlights, out across the tracks and up to the looming mass of locomotive. We climb the ladder, looking

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Steve, Brandon, Emily and Josh

left and right for enemy eyes. This bucket car is filled with scrap metal; it will have to do. We find what comfortable spots we can and lie low. Did they see us? Again, we wait. Radio silence. The train smells of iron. I can taste it in my mouth like an old penny. The industrial stench of old diesel sits in the air. A fine layer of dust and soot covers everything; hands are soon black. The train yanks! An immense barrage, the most powerful sound I’ve ever heard, blasts along the train as hundred tonne cars are yanked into motion; a cascading explosion of metal on metal – and we’re in it! A smile spreads across our faces. We’re moving! Clunking, lurching and rattling, we roll out of the yard and through a road-crossing. The bell chimes in the night, its red light flashing across our faces. “It can’t be that easy,” comes Emily’s voice. And with poetic tragedy, the brakes scream and the train grinds slowly to a hault. Have they seen us? The train lurches again, back towards the yard. This isn’t good. We lay low. Over the next hour we roll in and out of the yard as more carriages are connected. We are just bodies riding atop an unconscious beast, and we go wherever it goes. Whether it’s even going where we’re going is a mystery – we’ll know when we get there. Finally, we lurch into motion again. We roll out of the yard, and keep rolling. This is it! This is happening. The clunking and clattering pick up pace. Energy is building; in this rugged machine and within myself. I am now a part of the beast, gathering speed. Wind whips around us and the trees warp into a blur. As we rumble along through the deserts of New Mexico, I watch the stars. A shooting star bursts from Orion’s sword. I reflect on the most incredible day of my life. Late in the night the rhythm slows as we approach Belen. We lurch to a stop in the middle of the Belen yard, twenty tracks wide; the very heart of enemy territory. We jump off the train, exposed like paratroopers landing into a foreign field. Lugging our packs, we run over the rails and be-

tween stationary carriages, looking for patrols between each endless corridor before darting to the next. If the trains move at the wrong moment, we could end up under the wheels; between untold tonnes of clamping metal. Finally we reach the other side and duck behind an embankment. For now, we’re safe behind enemy lines. “Guys,” says Josh. “There’s no more water.” He throws down the jug. “Where’s there any water around here?” I ask. “Only place is in the engine cars... It’s there for the engineers. Who’s up for it?” Steve and I accept the mission. With bandanas pulled up to our eyes, we jump over the embankment and back into hostile territory. We climb to the roof of a carriage and look out across the yard. It sprawls before us; endless trains dappled in an amber yellow light. We spot the engines parked on the far side of the yard, fully illuminated in floodlight. Like commandos, we sneak between shadows, evading the ATV patrols, until we see the target ahead; orange locomotive engine cars. Between us is an intimidating floodlit stretch of open ground. Legging it back across no-mans-land, we make it into the relative cover of the parked trains. Steve and I split up. I make towards the left cars, he takes the right. As I draw close, I realise the ignition is on! Is there someone inside? The windows are too high to see through, and I can’t wait around out here in the floodlights. There’s only one way to find out. I climb a ladder, walk along a gangway and open the heavy door. Empty. No angry engineer who just spilt his coffee, but no water either. Just knobs, dials and paper clipboards. Slowly, I make my way through the connecting corridor into the next engine. Nothing. To reach the next car I must return to the floodlit gangway. There are about twelve locomotives whirring away; Steve is off searching the far engines... Or has he been captured? I enter the next car; a few bottles. I take a drink and stash the rest. In car number five, I find the motherload; a full case. So, we have water! Now to rendezvous with Steve and deliver the package.

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Running and laughing, we make it back into the relative cover of the parked trains. There are still the patrols to get past though. We jump between two carriages and are greeted by the sight of an approaching ATV. Jumping through another train, we’re out of sight. He stops. I can see his feet beneath the carriage. Suddenly my legs are caught in his torch beam – run! We run along the rails making for the end of the yard where we’re camped. Another ATV passes across the tracks ahead of us, but in the darkness he doesn’t spot us. The water case collapses and bottles spill everywhere. We scurry to grab what we can. My bandana flies off my face in the commotion. We run. A pickup is approaching us in the distance. We duck back over the embankment; safe, we burst into laughter. What fun! Thanksgiving morning greets us in our sleeping bags. We make off towards town for what Josh calls the best days busking of the year. Playing “Wagon Wheel” outside Walmart, people present us with plate-fulls of food, money and handfuls of things I can’t mention. Americans are in a good mood on Thanksgiving. We return to the yard well stocked and full bellied. Josh flicks through the Crew Change as we lay low in a ditch. “To Amarillo, TX: Take the second rails between 2:30 and 8:00pm. If it turns left, jump off – you’re going to Phoenix” it reads. We settle in and wait... the group is soon asleep. “This is our train. Let’s go!” calls Josh in

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the twilight. After hours of waiting, again we’re running. This train is a high-priority intermodal – a high-speed inter-state locomotive, hauling semi truck trailers. We choose two that have wind guards we can hide behind; Josh, Emily and I take the front trailer, Steve and Brandon head for a trailer two carriages behind. An engineer passes, pressurising the brakes of each car. The enemy! But he

AUGUST 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

doesn’t see us. The train seems to prickle with energy – it’s about to leave, my body knows it. I look at Josh; he knows it. We share a grin - wanderlust has answered our howls. The train shunts forward. The rippling shockwave is music to my ears; a climactic crescendo of iron and steel, biding our departure. “It can’t be that easy,” jokes Emily. But it was, and we soon settled

in to the melodic, chaotic rhythm of the journey. Chugging of the engine, wailing horns, shrieking wheels; a beautiful orchestra playing as we rumble towards Texas.

Photo: Quincy Dein Rider: Kai Lenny

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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

On holiday with my bike in Catalunya Training in paradise Words By: Sean James

I have a dream: clear skies flecked with clouds, temperatures around 20Â°C, quiet roads lined by trees, B roads winding through countryside, the smell of olive, pines and cypresses, never ending gradients of 5% that twist and turn, surprise vistas at the top of cols, ancient villages rising out of the plains, cafĂŠ with strong coffee and jamon baguettes. These are a few of my favourite things. And this is what I found on a recent cycling holiday to Catalunya in Northern Spain. The area around Girona was made infamous by Lance Armstrong and his training group. I hoped riding the same roads for a week would also add a little extra to my legs. If you think the hills in Hatta are pretty good, the cycling in Catalunya is paradise. An easy flight to Barcelona, direct with Emirates and you are looking at the sparkling Mediterranean with a backdrop of green mountains. Spain has always been a popular destination for the British. Good weather and plentiful entertainment and now it seems it also has an enormous amount of quality biking routes. The cycling holiday industry is not small, about 3% of all tourists or 25million people each year in Europe travel with the purpose of cycling. Having said that, whilst I was in Catalunya I only met four, so the roads are pretty quiet here. I was staying near Banyoles, about one

hour north of Barcelona in a restored Mas, typical Spanish farmhouse. It was bought by two expats in 2005 as a project and lovingly restored with an eye to making a living from training camps. Indeed many big names regularly come here to prepare including Karen Thibodeau, Pro Ironman and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, currently 10th in the UCI cycling rankings. The dream of starting a cycle touring company or a triathlon training camp is a strong lure for many as a means to escaping modern life. Even before the impact of the Olympics and Tour de France, couples tired of the lack of stimulation in corporate life had taken yoga, pilates or coaching courses, bought derelict farmhouses in the middle of the European countryside and relocated their family. The lifestyle is not for everyone. Total strangers invading your home every week is the least of your worries and to provide a quality experience is hardwork from demanding athletes, even harder. Having to ride five hours every day with excitable would-be superstars is equally demanding. The area around Banyoles is a great base and the population is sports mad. When I was there the Tour de Catalan was in progress. Some Spanish villages can seem like there is a permanent siesta but this place has an energy. Only in places like Boulder, Colorado have I felt more of a buzz for training and outdoor activity. Everyone is jogging, swimming, rowing or biking all day long. The shops all stock healthy looking vegetables, fruit and food. For those from Dubai, there are also plenty of bike shops in which to browse. The list of strong Spanish cyclists and triathletes is long so there must be something about this country that is good for training. Maybe it is the high level of unemployment. 50% of its citizens between 19 to 45 years old do not have a job. A similar situation occurred in Sheffield in the UK back in the 1980s when the mines closed. Looking back, this was a blessing for Sheffield and some of the most gifted, talented and inspirational rock climbers were produced. With the strength of Spanish athletes in both triathlon and cycling it seems the Spanish youth are taking every opportunity. In a world where hyperbole is used way

too often, every ride I did in Catalunya was the best ride ever. At breakfast in the cavernous dining room, I would tell one of the coaches and owners how far and what type of ride I fancied that day. Other riders from around the world shared where they had been and what they had liked that week. From across the table, Gareth or Fiona, the owners and very highly qualified coaches would email me a suitable .gps file and that was it. The Garmin was ready to go. The week that I was there I rode the famous climb up to the Rocacorba. I rode the most amazing coastal road I have ever seen that twisted and turned through the Parc Natural Cap De Creus past picture perfect villages. I could never run out of inspiration here. Staying at a specialised base with qualified coaches and knowledge is a definite benefit and you will get so much more out of your time there. I managed nearly 700km on the bike with a fair amount of running as well, 70km. Returning each night to a spacious, comfortable HQ where I could have a massage, a dip in the swimming pool or an infrared sauna not only prepared me for the next day but kept the body in top form. I truly had a taste of what it is like to live the life of a full time athlete. I hope I can definitely return there. Both the area and the welcome I received from Mas Pelegri was amazing. Catalunya is so cycle friendly and progressive in its outlook. Look at the road signs that are everywhere. Maybe the UAE could learn a few things. I will definitely return sometime soon. Details of Mas Pelegri, the coaches and what they can provide can be found on these links www.maspelegri.com and www.gironacycling.com.

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The long way to Adršpach Highlining in the Czech Republic Words + Photos By: Tara Atkinson

It was my turn next. I took a minute to make sure my harness was on properly before securing myself to the safety line. Stepping down onto the sandstone pillar which was anchoring the highline, I then cautiously reached for the loosely tied leash with the figure-eight knot. Once tied in, I checked and double-checked the leash, and with a few awkward shimmies I ungracefully smeared my body onto the 22m highline. With one leg firmly pressing down on the inch-thick webbing, I edged forward with intention. It wasn’t fear that spread over my body the further I moved out away from the rock, it was awareness, an awareness that I was about to challenge everything I believed to be possible... Before I get ahead of myself, lets take a step back a couple of weeks, previous to the point I found myself uncouthly hanging off a 60m highline in Czech Republic. The day I met Christian. I was longboarding through one of Berlin’s many parks and by chance I spotted one of the longest lines I had ever seen. Passing through the Czech border with Christian

Christian Krr on a 80m waterline; Havel River- Berlin

It had to be more than 85m long, with a figure making their way gracefully across a thin and precisely drawn stroke hovering above the ground. Arms above the head, slowly swaying from side to side, still hips, legs slightly bent, the deliberate and almost dancelike motion was fascinating to watch and no doubt well rehearsed. There is a certain type of dedication to walking a line as long as Christian did that day in the park, or the days to follow on the lazy river Havel when I met him for waterlining, but when I found out about his most recent highlining trip to Kjerag in Norway (800m up and 85m long) I thought, there must be more than dedication playing a part here. I have to admit, I was not only fascinated but also curious in the whole idea of walking a long line both on the ground and at height. Having spent a fair bit of time on one-inch thick 20m line, I found out very quickly that everything I had learnt before

didn’t count. A couple of assisted attempts at standing up, or more so falling off the 85m park line, was enough to bruise both my ego and shoulder. Though funnily enough, my curiosity was still insatiable. After meeting Christian and some of the guys from the slackline Berlin community there was talk about the Adršpach highline meeting in Czech Republic. Easy to get to from Berlin and Prague, Christian, like most highliners would be hitchhiking to Adršpach, and as far as ‘firsts’ go I was keen to follow him not only to the land of the sandstone towers but also on a hitching adventure. We started on the edge of Berlin at a petrol station just after 1:00pm. Christian had done this many times before, in fact he estimated that he had acquired just shy of 100,000 hitchhiking kilometres. I had never hitchhiked in my life, and although feeling like a bit of a loose end (with only basic

Making our way up through the steep and beautiful pine forests of Adršpach to reach the lines.

German) it was clear to see that people are always willing to help. Even if they had a truck packed with removal debris, a car full of people, bags or shopping, (being small and able to lie across people also helps) no matter who we hitched with, they all made a conscious effort to fit us and also made sure we were heading in the right direction. Hitchhiking is not only an amazing way to travel but also a great way to meet some incredible people. I have now become more open to picking up hitchhikers and less scared of sticking out my thumb. It took us around nine hours to get to the campsite in Adršpach, and when we arrived the atmosphere was lively; full of slackliners, climbers, goulash and cheap Czech beer, the perfect preamble to an epic weekend. Have you ever had the feeling of waking up in a new place not knowing what it looks like? Adršpach didn’t disappoint. Everywhere we gazed there was rich green pine forest, interwoven; a plethora of pep-

pery rock soaring up through the treetops. Looking to the sky, you could spot the occasional silhouette floating on one of many rigged lines, some of which were over 80m long and hundreds of metres above the ground. Throughout the weekend at Adršpach I have to admit I hid behind my camera; following the acroyoga crowd around and keeping my feet firmly on the lowest line I could find. I was pretty sure no one would notice a newbie liner, but then I kept getting asked “did you walk on a highline yet?” As it happens the slackline community is one of the most open and forthcoming groups of people I have ever met, and despite my inexperience everyone encouraged me to try. I didn’t have any goals in mind when I arrived at Adršpach, just a curiosity. However, as a photographer, taking pictures of raw talent it’s very easy to get inspired. And so, I found myself with one leg over the line, trying to find my centre,

connecting with my temporary horizon flickering in the wind, checking the figureeight knot, the leash and my harness several times. I had to make a conscious decision to follow my fears rather than fight them; I stopped worrying and started to focus. The first sit on the line was the hardest; wobbly and uncontrolled, and as I edged away from the rock I slowly lifted my right leg behind me to find the line. With my left hand firmly gripping in front and keeping my right arm out for balance, I then focused on the heel of my right foot as it fused with the line behind me. I was now ready to bring my left foot up and stand, but something felt like it was

Veronika Mangold mentored me on the 22m line when I had my first try. Here she is finishing up on the 17m coming down into a sit start position.

There was also a great acroyoga workshop run by Jakub and Janka.

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holding me back and almost pulling me to the ground. At that moment the highline represented a wall I had built up beneath me. The left side: rational, and risk averse; the right: brave and fearless. Each side was screaming to be heard, pulling me with equal and opposing force. On this very thin path, so high up I was trapped, unable to commit or give up. I then took a deep breath. Suddenly everything stood still, and I started to feel an awareness of the line moving beneath my body. The wind, the sun, the movement and the present all came into focus. The experience became less about my thoughts as I started to ‘feel’ instead of fight. Without realising it I had shifted the weight onto my right heel. From here balance and rehearsal is key, and with that thought I pushed up and hoped for the best. The first step is getting out there, which I managed, the second step is ‘taking the first step.’ Leash falls and bruises are part of the game, and each time you get back up on the line, confidence builds, and soon enough walking happens. It’s just a matter of time. Highlining for the first time has definitely had a profound effect on me. It put things in perspective, helped me understand the connection between my body and my mind, and challenged the reality in which my fears exist. There is not only a freedom of the ‘moment’ but also a freedom of ‘movement’, expression and flow, where Luke McKenna taking a leash fall

AUGUST 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Niklas Winter free soloing on the 33m line. What a great moment to watch. He then did it four more times.

the mind has no choice but to calm and focus. And when you really do start to feel you are at one with the line, moving with the wind, it’s just incredible. For Christian, like many others who make this apart of their lives, I can begin to understand why they walk. It’s funny how a one-inch wide piece of webbing can teach you so much about life, and I’m sure that if you ask any highliner about their first try it’s something that they will never forget. For me the highlining journey has just started, and with my insatiable curiosity reaching new heights, I am now on my next unforgettable adventure in the Canadian Rockies. Note: Highlining is a dangerous and risky sport, which your mother would not approve of. If you do decide to do it, I cannot be responsible for the bruises, sore muscles or its addictive nature. Until next time.

Tara A photographer who suffers form a serious case of wanderlust. You can follow her globetrotting adventures on www.tara-photography.com/blog

Alexander Schultz walking the 100m waterline during the highline meeting. The crowd went wild when he completed it.

FACTS: • Adršpach is a village in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic close to the border of Poland. • Look up the Nature Park called Teplice nad Metuji - Skály stunning lakes and beautiful scenery. • Endless amounts of hiking, walking, climbing and mountain biking. • Local campsites/train station very close. • It’s a protected area so there are some rules for climbing and highlining: www.adrspach.com Good to know: The lines are only up for the week when the highline meeting is on. If you find yourself in Adršpach outside of the highlining meeting make sure toget in touch with the local slacklining group. Basic information and gear for newbies at any highline meeting: • A good climbing harness • Ascender (ie. Jumar) • Descender (ie. Grigri) • Locking carabiners and sling. • High slide/ locking carabiner-handy if you get tired. • Always get someone to check your gear. • Learn how to get up and also spend time moving on a line just on one leg • The most common name for the sit start is “Chongo.” • There’s one rule: don’t fall. If you fall, try to catch the line under your arm and wrap your leg around it. • There are lots of highlining events happening in Europe during the year. Google slackline festivals/events 2014 and you will find several resources online. • For beginners, one-inch thick, 1720m line is good place to start. (Also is going to the Adršpach highlining meeting).

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magic

The of the luxury safari sleep out Words By: Rose Hipwood

The term luxury safaris has changed so much in the last 10 years – although some emphasis is on the quality of the lodge or safari camp you will stay in, the main emphasis now is on the experience. A big part of any luxury safari experience now is the star bed, otherwise known as the sleep out. After your evening game drive and before it gets dark you are deposited out in the wilderness with a mattress and a mosquito net. Yes, I quite agree – this sounds mad, so it was with some trepidation that I set off with my guide and a friend to put myself through what I presumed would be the terror of sleeping out in the African night. We all know night time is when Africa comes alive, noises you can’t fathom start to sound, animals move through the bush sounding 10 times their actual size, and the stars twinkle mockingly down at you as it dawns on you how vast and wild this place really is. Garonga Private Game Reserve near the Kruger is no exception – it is wild as wild can be with the big five and more in situ. Having driven through Garonga for what seemed like hours, we stopped – I got out slowly, trying to prolong my time in the safety of the car. To my utter surprise and delight just around the corner was a tree-house, curiosity quickly over took fear

and my friend and I scampered up the stairs to inspect our new humble abode. It was fabulous. Built on raised decking which was as high as the trees, overlooking a small water-hole, was our star deck. Small lanterns were lit around the deck, which had a secure gate at the bottom to prevent any nosy wildlife from coming up, and there was a comfy mattress complete with mosquito net. The view was spectacular as the mountains grew purple in the setting sun, and the wilderness spread out beneath us. Of course we had a radio and torches, and even had a flushing loo attached by a small bridge to our “bedroom.” As soon as the sun had set in a plethora of colours before us, we settled in with drinks provided in an ice cold box to listen to the sounds of the night. Immediately the long grass below us started to sway – we strained our ears and sat without breathing for what felt like hours. What was that? It sounded huge we whispered to each other. It sounded close, and it sounded very, very large. The torchlight showed nothing, but there it was again, swish, swish, swish went the long grass. Elephant? Lion? Buffalo? Leopard? Nervous giggles simmered under the surface as we manically strained our ears and eyes. I tried the torch again, and let out a shriek of pleasure – our huge hungry beast was in fact a porcupine who looked rather annoyed to have been disturbed. After that we relaxed and ate a delicious warm supper of chicken and rice, with crème brulee for pudding – the stars were out in force and we regretted not having studied our star books harder back at the lodge. The comfy mattresses provided the perfect spot from which to star gaze, and a beautiful pattern is formed above your head by the leaves of the old jackalberry tree, which forms one wall of the sleep out deck. Sleep came easily and we drifted off deeply into a type of slumber, which only happens when you sleep in the open clean air.

I nudged my friend excitedly. “Wake up – there’s a lion here.” I soon established that’s actually a very effective way of waking someone up quickly, and we sat enthralled as the unmistakable deep double calling of a male lion rumbled underneath us. It was so close that the ground moved when it roared, and the hairs on the back on my neck were standing upright. I surprised myself to find I wasn’t scared but in awe of what we were experiencing. The lion roared by our sleep out deck all night, and the harmony of it was magical. As is always the way in Africa we were woken at sunrise on the dot by the cacophony of birds who like to announce the start of their day with loud chirping – the noise is so happy and encouraging that even the laziest person couldn’t be offended by it, and it of course wakes you in time to see the sunrise, which is a wonderful way to start the day, particularly in Africa where the colours which greet you are nothing short of mesmerising. To conclude, we can understand why so many of the luxury safari properties are adding star beds to their experience. The top star beds in Africa are The Malori at Kalahari Tswalu (South Africa), the sleep out at San Camp (Botswana), Ol Donyo’s rooftop rooms starbeds (Kenya) and the Loisaba starbeds (Kenya). Of course there are others too, and star beds and sleep outs are an absolute must on any luxury safari. Check www.theluxurysafaricompany.com for different African luxury starbed options.

Sport taping:

Supporting movement or holding you together? Words By: Candice Howe

In recent years kinesiology tape has seen an enormous resurgence, with a growth of well-marketed, and more importantly, high quality sport tape hitting the market and its use and application being taken up by everyone from golfers to tennis players, rock climbers to CrossFitters, it is worth exploring the role of this product in the support of human joints and more importantly, human movement. WHAT IS IT? Kinesiology tape is a thin, elasticated, cotton strip with an adhesive back, which allows it to be effectively applied to the skin. Kinesiology tape closely replicates human skin in terms of thickness and elasticity, enabling full range of motion, structural support without restricting or irritating the skin or joints. Kinesiology tape was originally developed in the 1970s and adopted initially by the Japanese Olympic team and medical professionals. Tape works in two ways; initiating a proprioceptive response in the skin to support desired movement patterns and also creating a bio-mechanic response, lifting the skin away from the soft tissue below, allowing blood and nutrients to travel easily to the area of application, and accelerate healing or recovery in the area. WHAT IS IT USED FOR? Kinesiology tape has a number of functions: joint, fascia, postural and movement support, pain and swelling relief, performance improvement and skin protection. Joint, fascia, postural and movement support Joint and movement support are the most common applications of tape. Whether in a clinical or sporting setting, tape can be used to support an injured area, reinforce a better movement pattern or act as a proprioceptive support to an exposed area, for example, reinforcing postural manipulation after treatment or supporting a rugby player’s knee throughout a match. Different taping processes provide different types of support, drainage and

pain relief, and can also offer multiple type of support in one application which means that not only can a movement patterns be reinforced or supported, but movement-related inflammation can be minimised. Pain and swelling relief Kinesiology tape can also reduce swelling and bruising far faster that simply leaving the areas to heal unassisted, by facilitating blood and nutrient flow to the taped area through bio-mechanical lift on the skin. Tape brand Rocktape have also found that this process can be further accelerated by “lattice” taping an area. This method of taping can be used to help deal with swelling from injuries, as well as deal with leg or joint swelling in special populations – pregnant women, for example. Performance improvements The bio-mechanical lift and increased blood flow to a taped area, also allows more efficient flushing of lactic acid. This means, that while taping is not a miracle product for performance, it can support an athlete, particularly in an endurance setting, to “go stronger, longer.” Skin protection Tape can also be used simply as skin protection, for example, taping hands for pull ups or other exercises that can cause tears or blistering, or taping skins from protection when deadlifting or by extension, taping any area that could be subject to rubbing when participating in sport. The great thing about kinesiology tape is that, because is has similar elasticity properties to the human skin, it moves with the athlete in their activity or sport.

WHO CAN USE IT? The beauty of kinesiology tape is in its simplicity. As the tape is made up of cotton and a little elastic with an adhesive back, it generates very little reaction on the skin. As such, kinesiology tape really is for anyone. Originally used by top-level athletes and medical professionals, you will now see tape being used by everyone from fitness enthusiasts to pregnant women and even children. Given the proprioceptive qualities of tape and its ability to support, without restricting movement, tape is a good option for many people, with many different needs. IS IT DANGEROUS? Tape has very few down sides. The ease of application means that if a movement is not being supported as intended, the tape can be easily removed, and application reconsidered. In addition, as tape has a supportive, rather than restrictive function, less than ideal application is rarely enough to undermine or overwork an area sufficiently to cause a negative response. The most common downside of taping is excessive stretch in the application process, which can cause irritation, in a similar way to a rubbing shoe or piece of clothing. As mentioned above, as soon as the irritation is recognised the tape can be easily removed, thereby removing the irritant with minimal disruption. IS IT FOR ME? Tape can be used for everything from wrist support (in a classic taping fashion) to full joint support. Once the correct application of tape is taught, it really is for anyone, be it a “weekend warrior,” competitive athlete or structurally imbalanced rehab patient. Kinesiology tape is a great compliment to human movement, acting as a reminder and support to correct positioning, removing inflammation and aiding blood and nutrient flow to, as Rocktape says, “Go stronger, longer.” Industry-leading kinesiology tape, Rocktape, is now available in Dubai. Check out facebook.com/RocktapeUAE for details

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Bike and Airbag protection Al Yousuf Accessories brings you top end technology for your style and maximum safety

Whenever you are cutting the air and making your way ahead, there is always an equal and opposite force (Newton’s law) which is invisible and can blow you off like sticks in seconds! To fight against such resistance and other accidents, motorcycle helmets are considered as one of best devises to keep you save on road. But apart from the motorcycle helmets, there are several other motorcycle accessories and apparel which are also crucial for safety and riding comfort such as jackets, vests, gloves, boots and more. But each of the equipment and accessory has its weight and it (sometimes) cause inconvenience to the rider and that’s a headache. As far as the technology is concerned there are various possibilities available in the market such airbag-equipped biker’s lifejacket. Once you fall down from the motorcycle, the jacket will be inflated in less than half second. These jackets do not only save you from various accidents and weather condition, but also helps you to remain protected as well as lightweight. For example, the new rider life jacket by Hit-Air MX-7 is made in Japan using reflective material of high-visibility, strong “Lumidex” mixed with highly-breathable strong mesh and equipped with automatic inflatable airbag. This specialised jacket does not only save you from accidents but its lightweight features help you get extra comfort. As far as the safety and comfort is AIR-RELEASE

AIR-PUMP

AIR CHAMBER

concerned, helmets and jackets are the key devises to protect you in case of an accident, collision, or even a normal fall due to skidding or encountering an obstacle on the road while riding. They also help in protecting your head and upper torso from airborne obstacles, such as dirt, flying pieces of stones or glass, bugs, rain, snow and sleet. An important point to notice is that helmets and jackets can protect your upper body part whereas, but there is a safety parameter and that is your feet! Usually the riding boots are big and are heavier too, therefore, most of the time we just keep our self in our routine footwear while going on riding and that’s dangerous! While searching the airy options we do come across to new TCX R-S2 racing boot, the first motorcycle boots with an Air Fit System offering a precise fit every time. Featuring Precise Air Fit System (PARFS), air tech breathable lining, torsion control area and metatarsal control system. All these features are collectively making it worthy enough to get recommended around. Depending on the kind of roads that you ride, the average distance you ride every day and the amount of traffic in the roads, you should decide the amount of protection needed. You should always take

adequate safety equipment while riding such as helmets, jackets, boots, gloves, chest, etc. As far as the locations are concerned the Hit-Air life jacket and TCX Air Precise boots can be ordered through their websites and if you are in Emirates then you are lucky because you can easily find these products at any of the Al Yousuf Motors Outlets available throughout UAE.

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LIFESTYLE

Habitually healthy Baked Frittata with Farm Fresh Cherry Tomatoes and Avocado

Words By: Chef Christopher Zerbe

Well ladies and gents, Ramadan has come and gone. All those amazing iftar dinners filled with beautiful mezze, rice dishes, meats and cold salads…. Mmmm! Now for quite a few UAE residents, it’s time to get back onto your regular morning training regimens, complete with a hearty breakfast. There is always a large debate whether or not breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Personally, breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, however it’s also the meal I eat the least. I have always preferred to train on an empty stomach, but nowadays many athletes prefer to fuel up before their workouts. For some, it’s merely a “bulletproof” coffee, laced with grass-fed butter and or coconut milk for that caffeine kick plus the sustainable energy that comes from fats. For others, its carbohydrates coming in the form of grain-based dishes, and for some it’s heavily protein based for those long workouts over 40 minutes. I have found over the years that no two

Feeds: 6 people Cook time: 30 minutes approximately Ingredients

Amount

Preparation

Free range eggs

Beaten

Onion

1 small

Minced

Garlic

½ clove

Veal or turkey bacon

500g

Sea salt

Black pepper

Sunflower oil

As needed

people are truly alike or need exactly the same thing. We each have our own metabolism and we should feed it as we need it. For those that enjoy a hearty egg based breakfast complete with meat or vegetables, I put here my recipe for my breakfast frittata. These are fantastic and easy to make! You can even swap out the baking dish for muffin trays and make smaller ones to take with you. Give it a shot and let’s see how your breakfast cravings change when you see this frittata “light at the end of your sleep tunnel.” Enjoy!

Cherry tomato salsa Ingredients

Amount

Preparation

Cherry tomatoes

1 dozen

Cut into halves

Minced

Red onion

1tbl

Minced

Chopped

Sea salt and pepper

Avocado

2 whole

Extra virgin olive oil

As needed

Peeled/ Diced (stone removed)

Method: 1. Crack a dozen fresh free range eggs from your favourite farm (ours happens to be Greenheart Organic Farms) and beat vigorously. Set aside. 2. Preheat your oven to 177°Celcius. Top and bottom heat. Place your baking dish inside the oven while preheating to speed up the whole process. Put 4tbl of your favourite oil in the bottom. 3. On the stove top, sauté your onion, garlic and bacon (works great to substitute veggies too like broccoli, peppers, spinach). Set aside. 4. While working carefully so not to burn yourself, use a dry cloth to remove your hot baking dish from the oven, turn out the cooked bacon mixture (or veggies!) into your baking dish. Pour the beaten eggs over top and place back in the oven in the middle rack position. 5. Now that the frittata is in the oven baking, you have about 20-25 minutes until it’s cooked. This is the time to do a quick clean up and set up the plates with the accompaniments. 6. To make the Cherry Tomato and Avocado Salad, first wash everything! Cut about one dozen cherry tomatoes into halves. Add 1tbl of minced onion. Dice up two whole avocadoes. Place all into a mixing bowl gently and add a few dashes of raspberry vinegar, a twist of sea salt and black pepper and just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. That’s it! 7. Once the frittata is cooked through (just jiggle the pan and see if the egg has set) allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Place a small bed of fresh baby spinach on the plate, top with the tomato and avocado salsa, and cut a nice 4in square of the frittata and there you have it. A power packed classic breakfast!

The Cycle Bistro GPS location: Latitude: N 25° 02.792 Longitude: E 055° 14.384 04 425 6555 Phone:

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PRODUCTS A round-up of quality products available right here in the UAE

Xlite Brave Helmet Gold X802r 2,000 AED (previously 2,600 AED)

Available at Al Yousuf Motors Across UAE The X802R offers a more complete and efficient ventilation system ever designed for a helmet. In addition to the Adjustable Stability Device, the innovative rear spoiler that integrates permanent extraction of hot air from X802R is characterised by: • High flow air intake with defogging function • Front protection with integrated aerodynamic vent • Exhaust air extractor side • Direct entry front air intake • Upper air intake with widespread input

Hyperkewl Ultra Sports Cooling Vest 310 AED

Available at Adventure HQ Pull over with mesh ventilation, scoop neck and side zipper. • Ideal for motocross riders, runners, equestrians and cyclists • Can provide five to 10 hours of cooling relief per soaking • Lightweight, easy to activate and durable • Comfortable quilted nylon outer with HyperKewl™ fabric inner, water repellent nylon liner and black poly-cotton trim • Activated by simply submerging in water

Hyperkewl KewlShirt - Tank Top 335 AED

Available at Adventure HQ Traditional tank top styling, made with Spandex, HyperKewl™ fabric and waterproof nylon. • Designed to be worn against the skin for maximum cooling effect, with ventilation vents built into back and front panels • Best worn underneath a breathable sports jersey or on its own • Lightweight, easy to activate and durable

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PRODUCTS Endura MTB Singletrack Helmet 565 AED

Available at all good bike stores Lightweight cycle helmet with visor • Super lightweight in-mould cycle helmet with removable visor (230g based on size S/M excluding visor) • Certified to CE standard EN1078:2012 • Extended rear-wrap design for extra protection of lower head • ClearThru™ air vents maximise air flow with minimal vent narrowing technology • Internal HeadStream™ air flow channels direct air through the helmet • One-hand micro-adjustment and three position vertical adjustment for personalised fit • Compact chin strap with twin strap dividers • Antibacterial, fast wicking, removable padding (spare set provided) • Available sizes: S-M, M-L, L-XL • Available colours: Black, Kelly Green, Orange, Ultramarine

BUFF® new flag designs 85 AED

Available at many stores including Go Sport and Adventure HQ The original multifunctional headwear is made of seamless microfiber fabric, which is breathable and wicks moisture. When washed, BUFF® is colorfast, dries in minutes, and retains its elasticity. Polygiene® treatment ensures it has a long-lasting, yet natural anti-bacterial effect. BUFF® is a great versatile piece of equipment which belongs to many outdoor and sport enthusiasts. It can be worn in 12+ different ways to protect you from the sun, keep hair out the way, absorb sweat or as a helmet liner.

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Polar V800 with integrated GPS gives demanding athletes a true picture of their recovery status MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Polar unveiled the world’s smartest and most advanced training computer, now available in the Middle East. Designed for professional athletes and demanding amateurs for whom sport is a way of life, the new Polar V800 with integrated GPS helps you reach peak performance just when you need it. It combines your workout training load with data on day-to-day activities, so you have a true picture of your required recovery time before getting out there again. It’s technology you’ll want on your wrist 24/7.

The Polar V800 encompasses the best of Polar’s design and technology and is used by top athletes such as Ironman world champion, Frederik Van Lierde. It features an integrated GPS and supports multiple sports, from running, cycling and swimming to skiing and triathlon. Not only does each sport benefit from its own customisable profile, but the Polar V800 also seamlessly changes between sports, recording your full performance, including transition times between each sport. Most importantly, the Polar V800 helps serious athletes gain an edge by training, and recovering smart. It offers: • Smart and accurate monitoring of training sessions as well as the smallest activities in your everyday life, thanks to an integrated activity tracker. Now every movement is registered, from your toughest workout, to a walk up the stairs. The Polar V800 tracks every activity, even when you are not training, and it will automatically adjust your recovery status

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to give a true account of how much rest you get in between hard sessions. • Instant analysis and in-depth insights into all your training and recovery on the Polar V800 when used with the Polar Flow web service. The Polar Flow mobile app connects seamlessly with the Polar V800, synching the data gathered instantly with the Polar Flow web service to provide a full picture of all the data you need to train properly. Polar Flow also connects you to a community of similarly minded athletes and friends through its social functionality. • The Polar V800 also offers a host of other unique features that makes it stand out. It records your heart rate even while swimming – making it perfect for triathletes – and includes the most accurate altitude readings with a built-in barometric pressure sensor. It has a high-contrast black and white display which is optimised for different sports. The screen is easy to read, even in low-light conditions, and is very power efficient. This contributes to the excellent overall battery life of the rechargeable Polar V800, which offers up to 14 hours of training time, 50 hours in low power GPS mode, or 30 days in time mode with 24/7 activity monitoring. Polar V800 also provides Running Index data on your aerobic fitness and running economy, as well as an Orthostatic Test to help you avoid over-training by gaining insight into recovery status over a long period of time. You can access four weeks of your training history at the touch of a button and can also share your Polar Flow data with your coach. The Polar V800 is made for the most demanding of sports and features a large, scratch-resistant, Gorilla Glass face, similar to that used on the most advanced smartphones. This is set in stainless steel with an aluminum core and soft, breathable polyurethane straps. It’s a combination of strength, lightness, style and comfort. Additionally, the Polar V800 features updatable software which will allow users to add new features from the comfort of their own home. This will include a power monitoring function for serious cyclists, which will be available in the middle of 2014 to be used in conjunction with new Bluetooth Smart power pedals. The wireless connection to a smartphone creates the possibility for further features, such as SMS notification and music control, which will be added as updates later in 2014. Marco Suvilaakso, Director of Product Management at Polar said: “Athletes have been waiting for our new flagship product and we are incredibly excited to be presenting it for the first time this year. This is Polar’s smartest and most advanced training computer ever. It is designed for the most demanding athletes

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and sports in the world. We know that its design, integrated GPS and smart training features will delight our customers, whether you’re running, swimming, cycling, skiing or even doing them all. The Polar V800 helps you know just when you need to recover from a tough session and when you are ready to get back out there.” “We are delighted to continue our work with Polar to introduce the ultimate flagship Polar V800 to all our sports enthusiasts in the region,” said Nicolas Girot, Founder of Sport In Life Distribution. This new device takes training guidance to the next level, no matter the sport, and we’re passionate the Polar V800 will bring superior workout benefits to professional athletes and demanding amateurs, for whom sport is a way of life.” Ironman world champion, Frederik Van Lierde, said: “I train up to 35 hours a week and I need a smart training tool that gives me deep insight into my performance, whether I’m swimming, running or on a bike. The Polar V800 goes with me anywhere. And because it also measures even my smallest activity, it helps me know how I’m benefitting from the rest I need to stay at the top of my game.” The Polar V800 with integrated GPS retails at AED 2,290. It will be available exclusively for pre-launch from Go Sport stores throughout the UAE, Qatar and Oman in July and thereafter available from all other major sports stores. For further information, please visit www.facebook.com/PolarME, www.polarv800.com and www.sportinlife.ae for a full list of retailers.

WAECO CFX Portable Fridge & Freezer For car & home use

Genuine WAECO compressor with integrated AC electronics

Up to 50 Â°C below ambient temp

Suitable for solar operation

12/24 volts DC and 240 volts AC

Suitable for vehicles with a single battery

www.waeco.ae â&#x20AC;&#x201C; info@waeco.ae Available at

Variable Va ri ab le Motor Speed Optimisation Mk 2

3 stage battery protection

USB charging outlet

German engineered

QATAR EXPLORER

Travel to Qatar: Part 2 Discover the outdoor adventures! Words By: Eulogy van Dyk Photos By: Erlanka Paquet

When planning your next outdoor adventure holiday why not choose Qatar as your connecting destination and make it more than a stopover. Or simply book yourself a long weekend away and come and discover the outdoor adventures of this small peninsula tucked away in the heart of the Middle East. When planning your next outdoor adventure holiday why not choose Qatar as your connecting destination and make it more than a stopover. Or simply book yourself a long weekend away and come and discover the outdoor adventures of this small peninsula tucked away in the heart of the Middle East. Just about any time of the year, you can find something fun and active, combined with a bit of adrenaline, to do in Qatar. The country has a variety of leisure and recreational activities that is easily accessible and definitely worth exploring. There is something for almost any type of adventurer. Here is a list of activities in no particular order, pick and choose your favourite one and head over to Qatar for some fun in the sun!

Desert adventures

The desert offers naturally a perfect playground for adventure seekers. The most popular and a favourite spot for local Qataris and expatriates is Khor Al Adaid (80km south from Doha) also known as the Inland Sea located in the south of the country. GPS Coordinates (24°37’21.1”N 51°19’32.6”E) There are a number of desert-centric activities that you can engage in such as

desert safaris, dune bashing, sand boarding and quad biking. Local tour operators offer a number of tours or rent your own 4x4 and explore the desert with a group of friends. It is possible to visit the desert all year round, but the cooler months from October through March are preferred.

Singing sand dunes

It sounds a bit “off tune” but it is true, 40km southwest of Doha, you will find this natural wonder also in Qatar. Reported often as a type of miracle by desert explorers, there are certain conditions in which the movement of sand grains can create a low murmur or “singing.” While the “singing” occurs naturally, it can be triggered by sliding down the face of the dune or running along its crest, whereupon each footstep creates a humming that cannot only be heard but also felt as a vibration through the feet.

Pack a picnic basket and blanket and head out for a brunch or lunch with the family and friends while the kids (or adults) climb up and down the dunes and enjoy the “singing.” (GPS 25°02’21.3”N 51°24’25.4”E)

Camping

Although Qatar has no official campsites or camping facilities, free camping is popular among expats and locals alike. There are no restrictions in place as of yet, but do be mindful of official government property. Popular sites are mainly at the main beaches on the east, north or west coast. It is however possible to take your tent with you to the desert in the south, find a dune with a view and set up camp for the night. Remember standard rules apply, leave it as you found it. Camping season is generally from October to April, but it is also possible to take a drive out in the hot summer months and spend one night there if you would like a change of scenery.

Water sport

Due to the fact that the peninsula is surrounded on three sides with the Arabian Gulf, water sport activities come as a natural choice for most people living here. Scuba Diving, sailing, wakeboarding, kayaking, kitesurfing, Stand Up Paddling, jet skis – we’ve got it all! Local tour operators (mentioned below) will be able to guide you with more information on how to participate in these. You are able to spend

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

below) provide a variety of tours for big or small groups.

Rock climbing

time in the water almost all year-round depending on the type of activity, however the cooler months between October and March is ideal.

Fishing trips

Choose between a traditional dhow or speedboat to experience a deep sea fishing adventure. Whether you are a seasoned fisherman or a novice wanting to have a new experience, the Arabian Gulf will have a special catch of the day for you. Local tour operators (mentioned

For some it might be difficult to believe that in a country like Qatar there are high enough natural “walls” to climb, however there are a few spots for these types of adrenalin seekers! Zekreet on the north west coast of Qatar near Dukhan has a number of large rock formations, with the highest of them being around 15m. Musfer Sinkhole (a karst cave in Umm Al Shabrum, central Qatar) is a popular location for those interested in bouldering. The Doha Climbers Facebook group is the best source to connect with during your stay here. Outdoor fitness: cycling and running Never leave your bicycle or running shoes behind! Doha Bay Corniche provides a beautiful setting for a morning or afternoon run, or alternatively visit one of the parks where multiple running tracks can be found. Although there are no major

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mountains, it is possible to explore the country and desert on your mountain bike just watch out for some camels that might cross your path. Road cycling is quite popular and it is possible to cycle on most of the main roads leading out of Doha. The national day ceremonial road (Al-Rayhan area in Doha) has a circular bike track of 18km for an easy ride. Normal traffic rules apply. So pack your favourite outdoor equipment and bring an adventurous spirit next time you travel to Qatar!

Flight travel time BY AIR

Average direct flight price from the UAE +/- 1,000-1,200 QR (round trip) Average traveling time +/- one hour (one way) BY CAR

Adventure tour operators in Qatar:

Driving from the UAE is not really recommended, as you need to cross the Saudi Arabia border that has its own challenges with visa, insurance and residency issues.

Company

Website

Arabian Adventures

www.arabianadventureqatar.net

info@arabianadventureqatar.net

Gulf Adventures

www.gulf-adventures.com

info@gulf-adventures.com

Regency Travel

www.regencyholidays.com

inbound@regencyholidays.com

Qatar International Adventures

www.qia-qatar.com

info@qia-qatar.com

Qatar Inbound Tours

www.inboundtoursqatar.com

info@inboundtoursqatar.com

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OUR EXPERTS

12 years, 12 memories and 1 regret Words By: Mike Nott Photos By: Collin Campbell, David Chambers, Eric Claudel, Ged Langosz and Mike Nott

It is said that all good things must come to an end but that’s not necessarily true. I suppose it depends on what comes after the “end,” and if what comes after it is “good.” Having spent 12 years in the UAE, and having had some particularly good times, we are leaving to settle in the Sierra Nevada mountains in southern Spain. I’d be mad to say I didn’t think that this was a “good” thing too, because it is. So, let’s not call it an “end” but instead a “change” and a time to reflect on what I’ve done and been involved in during my time in the UAE. Twelve years is a relatively long time to spend anywhere and I’ve always aimed at trying to do as much outdoors as possible, so rather than write an essay on “everything” and be open to accusations of being a bore, I thought I’d summarise by highlighting 12 memories and one regret. 12 Memories 1. Waking up to snow and ice on the top of Jebel al Jais. Barry Grosart and I had walked up to the top of Jebel al Jais in January 2005 and camped on the top in the shadows of Sheikh Saqr’s villa. It’s a spectacular walk from Wadi Galilah, though made somewhat redundant now by the new road. We got into our bivvy bags and awoke the following morning to a dusting of snow and hoar frost. The Sheikh’s retainers struggled to get anything out of the frozen water pipes but when they did they were kind enough to offer us some warming tea. 2. Creating the Advanced Off-Road Adventure Routes guidebook. Daniel Birkhofer and the team at OutdoorUAE were instrumental in publishing this guidebook and I owe them a great debt of thanks for taking it on and doing it so well. It encompasses at least 10 years of driving experience in the region and was a fascinating project to have completed. I also owe a debt of thanks to ME4x4, who got me going and with whom I did the vast majority of drives and all the other fellow travellers who I accompanied along the

way, through the Oman and the UAE. 3. Establishing the Musandam Adventure Race. Having been a keen participant at some of the great events in the UAE; Wadi Bih relay, Dubai Creek Half, Abu Dhabi Half, Ghantoot and Jebel Ali triathlons, amongst many others, I was looking around for an event that I could lay on. Having a fascination with the Musandam, the eventual organising of this event was something of a labour of love but a subsequent annual dent in my wallet, but it was too good an opportunity to miss. I think, and of course I would, that this is the most scenic and demanding one day adventure race in the region. I’m really pleased that Paul Oliver of Absolute Adventure has now taken it on for next year and beyond. 4. Completing the first Liwa Crossing by bicycle with Ian Ganderton, Shaun Ellis and Phillip Ramos. I’d got into cycling here in the early years of Wolfi’s Friday morning rides and remember setting out from The Lime Tree Café when the peloton was less than 30 riders. I started doing some local races and got Elite licence 001 from the UAE Cycling Federation in 2004 (definitely not a reflection of my racing abilities). I’d enjoyed the Coast to Coast race but then my road riding dropped off as it became a bit “same old, same old.” Liwa crossing

RAK Adventure Race

Having driven across the Liwa in my first years here, there was no way, then, that I believed I would ever cycle across it. But, with the foresight of Ian Ganderton, Pete Aldwinckle and Guida Verschut at Global Climbing, this unexpected opportunity was realised. It was an outstanding twoday effort and combined my love of the spectacular scenery with proving the art of the possible. This also lead, inexorably, to me organising the Al Barsha and Al Qudra evening sand biking TT series. Well, hardly a “series.” It was something to do in return for all the advantages I’ve gained from knowing the Global Climbing team, trying to support them in putting sand-biking on the outdoor pursuits map, encouraging fat bike owners to come and have a go and something to do with my own control freakery. 5. Opening the border gates to let Adrian Hayes and his Emirati companions back into the UAE after the Oman phase of their Empty Quarter Expedition. I was fortunate to be involved quite heavily in Adrian’s expedition, primarily in setting up the selection process for

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Goanbananas and the QEII

choosing his travelling companions and elements of the administration within the UAE. Jeni, our two dogs and I travelled down to Umm Zummul early on a Friday morning and waited while they made their 10km dash across the dunes from Oman, through Saudi Arabia and up to the UAE border fence gate. As Adrian described in his book, I found the whole thing rather emotional and reminiscent of that scene in Lawrence of Arabia when he first sees and then meets Sherif Ali. We spotted them as small dots through the heat haze and mirage about 6km away across the sabkhah and waited, for what seems aeons, as they approached and grew in size until we finally opened the gates and let them in. 6. Celebrating John Young’s 50th birthday on the top of Jebel Qihwih in April 2007 and drinking icy bubbly. Jeni had been badly smashed up when she was knocked off her motorbike in the UK and was still recovering and just off crutches. Together with our son, Robert, our two dogs and the other revellers we headed up Jebel Qihwi and camped on the top plateau. I’d wrapped a bottle of Moet between two bottles of frozen water and insulated it by wrapping them up in towels. When we popped it about five hours later it was still icy cold and a real treat. 7. Discovering “Colosseum” and “Nant Bidey” and helping to initiate their development for rock climbing. I’d stumbled across both crags in the course of my work. Wadi Bidey was known but the “Nant” had not been put on the map amongst the UAE’s climbers. I took Toby Foord-Kelcey to Colosseum and it subsequently appeared in his book as an undeveloped venue. I took him and Pete Aldwinkle to Nant Bidey and was with Pete when the first bolts were placed by him on the huge West face. Colosseum has subsequently been developed by a small band of enthusiasts, predominantly Eric Claudel, and Pete and Toby developed Nant Bidey, including what remains the longest (11 pitches I think) sport route in the region. 8. Taking part in the RAK adventure

Stood on Sheikh Saqr’s patio

AUGUST 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Thesiger Expedition arrives in the UAE

races organised by John and James Falchetto and doing the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge in 2010. The Falchetto brothers were instrumental in setting up some great adventure races in RAK and they were the first to lay on such events, which arguably were the catalyst leading to an adventure race scene in the UAE that keeps getting better every year. The culmination for me was doing the last Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge in 2010 with Robin McGowan and Rob and Lou Willings. 9. Accompanying the QEII as it entered Port Rashid. My son, Robert, was a keen racing yachtsman at Dubai Offshore Sailing Club (DOSC) and so were with our yacht owning friends, Ged and Lesley Langosz. They invited us aboard their yacht “Goanbananas” as part of the huge flotilla that escorted the QEII into Port Rashid as it arrived to berth there. There were hundreds of sailing and motorboats in the frenzied flotilla (the equivalent of the Sheikh Zayed Road at sea, in rush hour) including Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s huge private yacht. Ged and Lesley had hoisted an array of coloured flags that distinguished their yacht amongst the melee of other vessels. It wasn’t exactly calm either and it required all of Ged’s skills as a helmsman to avoid a collision. 10. The Saudi Arabian Odyssey and the Hejaz Railway with David Chambers, Manuel Schmidt and Kim Merritt. This was without doubt, the best off-road trip in my 12 years in the region and one I’d been hankering to do for at least 20. The chance to roam freely around Saudi Arabia’s heritage sites and stunning landscapes for 16 days in our own vehicles, to visit Madain Salah and to drive the length of the Hejaz Railway were pretty much unrepeatable opportunities. 11. Getting shot at and then captured by Yemeni militia and interrogated by khat chewing policemen with my 16-year-old son. Colin Campbell, David Horn, Graham Kimber and his son, and my son, Robert, and I had set out on a five-day overland expedition closely following the borders of the UAE/Oman, Saudi/Oman and then Yemen/Oman. With inaccurate maps we’d strayed into the Yemen and were then chased, shot at, captured and then taken for questioning by Yemeni militia. However, Yemeni hospitality proved to be outstanding and we eventually managed to prove that we weren’t gun running

Colosseum

smugglers but silly tourists. A great story for Robert on his return to school. 12. Doing the Stairway to Heaven, solo in June and drifting “interestingly” off route on the descent. The Stairway should be on every self-respecting UAE mountain walkers’ to-do list. My mistake was to do it for the first time alone and in summer and without a decent route description. I ended up back climbing to the left of the Stairway, the heat melted the glue holding my boots together and the soles fell off as I climbed down, and I had to severely ration my water. I thought I’d had it. It was something of a personal own goal but reassuring, nonetheless, to know that I could cope. 1 Regret 13. Joining Rock Republic but then never going. I used to think of myself as something of a climber and used to climb quite regularly in Wadi Bih, Hatta and occasionally at Wonderwall but climbing has dropped off my radar in the last couple of years. When Pete and Guida initiated their plan for an indoor bouldering wall, I was quick to respond and signed up early on (membership number 7) but I’ve never taken advantage of using the wall and my time is now up. And so to the Sierra Nevada. Why? Well, because it has everything we need; superb mountain biking, road biking and a panoply of mountain sports; skiing, rock climbing, Winter and summer routes, as well as sailing on the Mediterranean, the delights of North Africa across the bay, and beer and tapas for 1.5 Euros! If you fancy visiting the area, and if I’m allowed a shameless plug, come and visit: www.spain-holiday.com/614 or www.spain-holiday.com/1711

Musandam Adventure Race

OUR EXPERTS

Mohammed’s “AWD” bikes Mohammed Ikram Khan Durrani, recently posted a picture on his Facebook featuring two good-looking bikes with the Dubai skyline in the backdrop. Their catching black and silver color scheme was definitely unique and immediately caught my attention. His caption was “My two new Christini AWD bikes have arrived! I cannot wait to test them this weekend!” I had never heard of Christini, and remember thinking why anyone would give a bike an “AWD” abbreviation in its name? This will just confuse everybody as internationally the term/abbreviation “AWD” is accepted and used John Basson to abbreviate vehicles with an All Moto/ATV and all round adventure seeker Wheel Drive system. These bikes, apart from their grasping colour scheme, were no different to the bikes I have, and surely could not have AWD. I left it at that and ignored the comments and replies made by other riders. Obviously there was a post that following weekend (the test ride weekend) and this time it was Ikram’s caption that caught my attention: “These bikes will change the way we ride in the UAE!” Intrigued with the statement I read all the comments and questions from other riders and behold, these bikes somehow, according to what I was reading, were driven by both wheels?! I immediately wrote to Ikram asking about this “AWD” and how this was possible without any chain or sprocket going to the front wheel. He simply replied with an Internet link to the manufacturer in the USA, Christini AWD Motorcycles. This jaw-dropping technology was not invented by Christini, but they have managed to produce their own very reliable,

affordable and good-looking bikes that incorporate this amazing AWD technology. They also have a unique patented designed that incorporates gears inside the “head tube” of the frame. I am sure that many of you are by now intrigued, like I was, about how this drive system works, so let me try to summarise in a nutshell: There are two sprockets attached to the gearbox, where normal bikes have only one for the chain to the rear wheel. This second sprocket drives a chain that runs almost vertical to just under the seat/tank of the bike. From there the system uses a drive shaft that runs forward, and into the frame where the front forks and handle bars are mounted/connected (called the “head tube”). Things just get more “interesting” from there on as they then have two shafts that are telescopic (one on each fork tube), that runs down and into a hub on the front wheel. Very ingenious design and concept! “Wow” was all I could reply after watching Christini’s video and obviously, apart from “wow,” there was my question to Ikram: “When do I get to join you on a ride?” A date was agreed upon and I had to contain my excitement regarding this “test ride.” As excited as I was, I was trying to figure out how this system could benefit a rider here in the UAE. If we had steep, muddy trails like in Europe or back home surely the additional traction would be great, but do we actually need it in the sand? This question kept going through my mind as I was trying to reason why one would want to get this bike here in the UAE. My bikes don’t have this and I am doing just fine, so why would any person want to spend extra money on a system you “don’t need?” D-Day: I met up early on the Saturday morning with Ikram for the test ride. We both had a busy schedule and knew that the ride was going to be short (this was perfect as it would give me reason to “book” a longer test ride in the future). Whilst we off-loaded and kitted-up I asked Ikram about the bikes, the Christini dealership, and his future intentions with this bold new venture. Ikram explained where the idea came from and that

his friend, Jack Field from Australia, who internationally races the Christini at Endurocross Events, was the one who suggested/ encouraged him. One of my first questions was, what was the price of the bikes and whether Ikram thought that a more expensive bike would actually sell if we don’t really need the additional AWD in the sand? “Who said they were more expensive?” was his reply. “They will be selling for the same, or maybe even a bit cheaper than known brands in the UAE!” Regarding whether we need the “extra” drivesystem. “Wait and you will see,” was his reply. Before I get into the actual ride let me tell you about the two bikes that we rode. One was a 450 four-stroke version based on the renowned Honda CRF 450X. Christini manufactures the engine, frame, rear suspension and the AWD system in their factory in the USA. The front suspensions are top end race proven Marzocchi shocks from Italy. Then they have the 300cc two-stroke version. The same frame, but they use a stock 300cc Gas Gas engine. All components on the bike looked top end and whilst inspecting the bikes I could see that Christini was very serious and meticulous in design. They want these bikes to succeed and know that if they were to economise on anything they risk getting a bad reputation. Christini also has a 250cc two-stroke powered by a Gas Gas Engine, a factory ready street legal 450 Dual Sport Model, a 450 Explorer Model, a 450 Supermoto Model and AWD framekit for most bikes on the market. Yes, you’ve read it right you can convert your standard bike to an AWD by mounting this kit and toggle between AWD and RWD modes at the flick of a switch. The weight difference between the standard bikes and these bikes is a mere 7kg! I got the 450 for the first half of the ride and Ikram gave me a short briefing regarding the handling of the bike and what to expect. He also told me that within 10-15 minutes I would be used to this “new/ strange” handling and would no longer be thinking about it. Enough talk as the bikes roared into action and Ikram took the lead in a cloud of sand and dust. There was no lack of power as the Christini whipped into action.

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The AWD system has an approximate ratio of 80/20 in its drive system. During normal operation the power is going only to the back wheel. The front wheel is still being supplied (ie the drive shaft is turning), but the ratio is only 20% of what is going to the back. As soon as the back wheel loses traction, and starts to spin, its rotation will no longer be 1/1wrt the front wheel. Then as the rear’s rotation reaches 80/20 ratio the front’s freewheel hub “engages” and you get additional traction. This means that you will only notice the difference in these bikes once the rear starts to spin. Typically during a “low” speed turn or climbing up a dune or any other obstacles like rocks, logs or concrete blocks (if you would like to do “hard endure”). These bikes will climb anything! It is almost as if the bikes “pull” you out of a turn preventing the back from skidding out too far. Going up a dune, well I don’t think I have to say anything, it is obvious! Look at the picture where Ikram is crossing a small dune. See how the front wheel is providing traction. He started with zero speed and easily crossed over. A regular bike would never have made it if it started from the same position. It was during these “slow” speed ridings that I realised the true value of these bikes in the UAE. I wrote an article some time back titled the “The Next Level.” It was about the problem new riders experience here in the UAE. They can ride a bike, but have no experience in sand. They try it, but continuously get stuck and struggle to ride in the sand. The problem is that they are too slow! One must ride faster to prevent the bike from getting stuck. This causes many new riders, sooner than later, to fall at “high” speed as they are trying not to get stuck, but still don’t have enough desert experience to select a safe “line” on the dunes. This has happened to many people and often causes them to sell their bikes after their first fall. I am sure that if many of these riders were on Christinis they

would still be riding today. You just “don’t” get stuck and can comfortably ride up and over dunes that would normally require a lot more speed and skill to cross on regular bikes. As Ikram explains: “Because the front wheel is driving, it stays on top of the sand whereas with any other bike the front wheel stays “within” the sand and the rider is constantly fighting it with the handlebars to maintain speed and balance. In short; due to this technology the sand feels like mud! On the Christinis you can be cruising and low revving whilst you climb dunes.” As your experience increases you can progressively ride faster, and as the performance of these bikes are on par with regular bikes you would by no means be limited in your future riding! According to Ikram these bikes will “Transform a beginner to a skilled rider, and a skilled rider to a professional, as they are mighty capable and easy to ride.” Above is a picture of Ikram riding on the windblown side of a dune which usually would be a “no-go” situation for many riders. As soon as one hit a section like this, a normal bike’s front sinks into the sand, and the rider usually gets thrown off the bike. The Christini makes it look like it was just another great place to ride. Ikram has tested these bikes in every possible terrain available in this country to make sure these bikes “have what it takes” and more than what most people will put them through. He has rode them on the softest beach sand, construction sites, over obstacles such as concrete pipes, cement blocks, rocks. Climbed the gravel filled mountains in Dibba, rode in wadis and more. You can check his exciting pictures on his Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. By the end of the day I was very impressed and convinced that there is a place in the market for these bikes. If you are new to sand, and not a very experienced rider, you should at least take the Christini AWD bike for a test ride before you finally decide on a bike. If you are a skilled rider and would like to take your riding to the next level or if you are from any country that has mountain trails to ride, and plan to take your stuff back home one day, I think that the Christini AWD bike will also be great on trails. To arrange a test ride, you can contact Ikram at: Ikram@automotox.com and at +971 55 5437392 Ride safe and now is the time to get ready for our winter riding! Regards,

John

PEOPLE

Laszlo Toth

Occupation: Former air force pilot and Hon. Counselor of Hungary Nationality: Hungarian Age: 47

Sky is definitely not the limit for Laszlo and the founder of the Dubai Paragliders group said their main goal is to give safe training and share to others the amazing experience of soaring high. How long have you been in the UAE? I first visited UAE in the year 2002 and I was sincerely impressed with what I saw in the country! After that visit, I decided to come back settle in UAE and open an Aviation Club. That time there was no real sports aviation activity in the country. Getting the permissions was extremely difficult. I started organising airshows and established paragliding club in Dubai under the name of Micro Aviation Club. I also was actively involved in establishing Emirates Aviation Association. In the year 2004, we have established Emirates Paragliding and Hang Gliding Organisation. Unfortunately, until today it is not recognised by the authorities. How did you get into paragliding? I started paragliding in 2000, but I started flying since 1982. Later, I was trained as a fighter pilot in the Hungarian Air Force. Is paragliding as risky as it looks? Paragliding is a leisure aviation activity. It is one of the safest aviation sports. If you have a proper training and you follow safe rules and regulations, then it’s “safe.” Is there a growing interest for paragliding today? There are more than 500 paraglider pilots in UAE. Unfortunately, conditions are not the best in UAE for this activity. We have little support from the local government. However, this does not stop people from all nations around the world to practice or train in their loved hobby. What needs to be first considered when doing this sport? Paragliding is a “weather sports.” If wind

speed is more than 20km/h and you are a trainee or novice pilot, don’t even consider opening your canopy. It is an absolute must to have good training from experienced instructor. Don’t start “selftraining” or get practice from the Internet! Always take good care of your equipment and do not go out flying alone. How many hours do you usually spend training? We usually practice in Jebel Ali area. You need about 10-12 sessions, one to two hours each to master the “beginners skills of paragliding.” This will include five to seven sessions on ground handling which is one, if not the most important in paragliding. During this period you learn how to take off safely without injuring yourself. Once you are good with the ground handling take off skills, we can go to the next step which is the “small hill” training. You will have 15-20 take-offs and landing from an altitude of approximately 50m. Here you will learn behaviours in the air as well as safe take-off and landing. If you do okay than we can continue with “high altitude” launches. This we do from 150m in UAE or sometimes up to 2,000m by visiting some launch sites of close-by countries.

Is paragliding a regulated sport in the UAE? Unfortunately, there is no recognition of paragliding from the authorities in UAE. Hopefully this can change in the near future. How do you stay motivated with regards to this sport? Once you start paragliding, you get addicted to it really fast. It is the most exciting and still safe outdoor activity of the 21st century – I know pilots at age 75 still flying. You can fly free like a bird with minimum equipment for hours and hours. This is the ancient dream of mankind. Paragliding makes your dreams come true! What has this sport taught you? Paragliding gives you self-discipline, confidence, respect of nature and an incomparable feeling of ultimate freedom. What’s your best flying moment so far? That’s not an easy question. I flew over many and many beautiful locations worldwide. However my best or most memorable flight was when I first flew with my 19-year-old son Daniel from a 2,000m launch site in Turkey. Daniel has been flying since the age of 12. It was a proud feeling, as a father and an instructor, to see my young son flying along with me beside the Babadag Peaks.

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PEOPLE

Casper Steinfath Occupation: Pro SUP athlete Nationality: Danish Age: 20

The water athlete must have channelled his inner Viking as he won The Karrebæksminde SUP Race and grabbed the European Championship Title last month. At the last SUP All Stars in Abu Dhabi, Casper also took home the Sportsman Award. We chatted with the Naish rider during his last visit about his love of the sport. How is your first visit to the UAE? It’s beautiful! It’s so nice and warm here. The people we’ve met here are really hospitable. The wave pool was cool. It’s funny growing up in the ocean and thinking of an artificial wave: “What’s it going to be like surfing in the middle of the desert?” We took a two-hour car ride seeing nothing but sand, and then there’s little pool with perfect waves. It was unreal and was definitely beyond expectations. How did you get into SUP? My dad is from California and I’ve grown up as a surfer my whole life. Now I have transitioned into racing in the last three years. I’m focused on the racing right now, but the best training for it is surfing, so they complement each other. How did you prepare for this series? I finished school last year so this year I’m focusing 100% on my training. There are like six to seven events all over the world, and obviously, you have to do well in all these events – both in sprint and long distance. So I did a lot of distance training back home. I got the 7th place in Brazil, which was okay, because you know everyone is nervous and gauging each other’s level. It’s really good to get the nerves settled and now I can really focus on climbing up the

ranking. It’s a long year and I’m definitely looking at consistency. I want to focus on some of the European events because it’s obviously close to my home and it’s always nice to have family and friends there to support you. I feel like I’m gaining momentum and as the season goes on. Is the competition tighter this year? Definitely, as we saw in the long distance competition yesterday. It’s just amazing to see the level go up so much since the finals last year. This is like the finals right here. We’ve got people all over the world killing it. You know I think the competition is going to get higher and higher for every single event and that’s good because that means the sports is growing. What do you love about the sport? The beauty of Stand Up Paddling is you don’t need big waves to go have fun. Jen and Nick Scully took me paddling around this island and it was a great way to see the country, because as a traveller the best way to see a new place is from the water. I think this is the perspective more people should get. When you go paddling it’s fun and it’s a work out. It’s exciting because it’s new sports, new energy and the community is wonderful. Look, were hanging out

like family here and able to see amazing places around the world. It’s just a dream come true. How do you deal with the pressure? I’ve been racing for five years now and it’s been an incredible journey. I’m excited every time I go to race because you never know what’s going to happen – it’s so spectacular and dynamic. I feel the excitement more than the pressure. Though the pressure is a good thing too because it makes you want to do good. When you are out on the water you can’t be nervous, you just have to go with the flow and ride what comes at you. How do you motivate yourself? I’ve always been a competitive person. I definitely have this thing that I want to push myself. When I finish any physical activity I’m doing, I want to feel feel tired, like dead [laughs], so I know that I have pushed myself to my limits. It’s probably my personal goal to make sure I always go as high as I can; go as hard and fast as I can. How does it feel that younger SUP fans and athletes now look up to you? It’s so funny, when I started I was the youngest and now I see kids that are 15 and I see myself in them. Just think in five years how much would have developed in this this sport.

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LOCATIONS

Get outdoors in the UAE Hiking – A series of articles to help you start or progress your hiking in the UAE Words + Photos By: Sean James

So you want to climb 8,000m? Part 1

There are only 14 mountains that are higher than 8,000m in this world. The list of climbers who have stood on top of all of them is growing but still relatively small. Less than 30. Not only does it take a lot of effort, motivation and time but a great deal of money. In mountaineering, a lot of people aspire to climb the Seven Summits; a collection of the highest peak on each of the seven continents.

This challenge is within the reach of was the first person to have climbed all the average but undeniably still obsessed of the 8,000m peaks. This started an elite recreational climber. The Seven Summits club that is the lifework of many. Messner Challenge includes just one 8,000m peak, climbed the last of the 14 on October Mount Everest, so the whole challenge 16, 1986 and climbed all 14 without the could be said to be slightly easier than adduse of bottled oxygen. Now an attempt ing the collection of 8,000m to your CV. So what does it take to climb just one 8,000m? This two-part article will look at the statistics, challenges and difficulties behind an expedition to an 8,000m peak. In part two you will get first-hand, the views of people who have stood on top of an 8,000m peak. The first people to ever successfully climb an 8,000m mountain were Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal when they climbed Annapurna in Nepal on June 3rd, 1950. They were both from France. There had been many attempts before on nearly all of the 8,000m mountains but in 1950 Philip De-Beger on the top of Manaslu the time, conditions and technology were finally appropriate and the race to lay claim to the first ascents of the remaining 8,000m giants was underway. Climbers like lists, statistics and collections and 36 years later Reinhold Messner

8,000m expeditions always start with prayers and the blessing of equipment What’s that big one in the background? Oh it’s Everest and Lhotse

Bottled oxygen makes it easier but you have to carry it

Flying the Czech flag on Broad Peak summit. That’s K2 in the background

without supplemental oxygen is very rare and considered foolish by the risk adverse society that we live in. It wasn’t until over 25 years later in 2010, that the Basque climber Edurne Pasaban became the first female to complete all 14, her last being Shisha Pangma. The accomplishment took her nine years and she nearly lost out on becoming the first women when the Korean climber, Oh Eun-Sun who had similar ambitions, claimed to have climbed all 14. However there were discrepancies in Oh’s story, specifically that she had claimed to have climbed Kanchenjunga falsely. She was discredited by the climbing community and Edurne is now widely considered the first female. Conquering the world’s highest mountains was initially seen as an admirable nationalistic pursuit and planting a flag on a very small patch of ground that was very high up, a worthy cause. Italy and South Korea lead the world in climbers who have climbed all 14 8,000m peaks followed closely by Spain, Kazakhstan and Poland.

All countries whose citizens have very proud and patriotic traits. Last year, the Nepalese attempted to classify five more of their mountains as 8,000m. This is unlikely to be as a result of the discovery of new peaks that were hidden until now, but more a means of generating additional peak climbing fees and permits via tourism. The proposed peaks or points are definitely over 8,000m but their topographical prominence is in question. Prominence measures the independence of the summit of a mountain from those close to it. The new points have been until now considered subsidiary peaks of the original 14 and not distant enough or separated by a low enough col to warrant their own inclusion. The table below shows the current list of 14 8,000m peaks to help you choose which one is suitable for you. All 14 are in Asia, in the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges. The highest mountain outside of Asia is Aconcagua at a mere 6,962m.

Jake Meyer on the summit of Everest

What does it take? So is climbing an 8,000m-peak really that hard? Surely it is similar to doing an Ironman or Ultramarathon? Pay your local fitness instructor at the gym a visit. Tell them what you are doing and bingo. Twelve weeks later after your WODs have been recorded, you’ve put your oxygen tent up in the villa at Jumeirah, you’ve updated your blog, selected an appropriate charity, followed the scheduled workouts and dietary requirements you are ready. To a certain extent, that is how it happens. But what makes an 8,000m so special and so different from other mountains? Options For a start, there are only 14 8,000m peaks. This limits your chance of finding one that suits you. All of the 14 have different profiles, weather patterns, feelings and offer completely different overall experiences. There are around 160 mountains that are between 7,000m and 7,999m. A lot more choice to find one that is right for you. Imagine the same situation running a marathon. Some courses suit different people. Now imagine there are only 14 marathon courses, all courses only accessible at a certain time of year and some years the race does not take place because of the weather. In short all 8,000m peaks are difficult. People talk about an easy 8,000m. It’s like saying there is an easy marathon course. The Death Zone People often refer to any height above 8,000m as the Death Zone. This is one of the reasons that 8,000m are special. The Death Zone only exists on an 8,000m peak. A typical expedition will take over six weeks

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with only a few days, the summit days being spent in the Death Zone. Within the six weeks, time is spent acclimatising the body, approaching and setting up a base camp and putting in place anything from 4-6 different high altitude camps. The task is mammoth and is in proportion to the size of the mountain. A small army of people is required to just get one person to the top. One of the reasons it takes so long to climb to 8,000m is the difference in air pressure. People refer to this as the lack of oxygen. At sea level there is approximately 21% oxygen in the air. This, as most people incorrectly think does not change but remains the same at whatever height you are. However it is the barometric pressure that drops, known as Boyle’s Law. And it drops a lot. At only 5,500m, the pressure has dropped by 50%. This makes it more difficult to breathe as each gasp contains less molecules of oxygen; 50% less at 5,500m. Other interesting things also happen. Cooking takes on a different meaning as water now boils at 85°C as there is less pressure to keep the steam vapour from escaping. On the top of Everest, if you did not use bottled oxygen there would only be 33% of the oxygen available to you that there is at sea level. This creates a problem as the body cannot adjust immediately without long periods of acclimatisation. Acclimatisation is where the body starts to breathe faster and deeper to maximise the amount of oxygen that can get into the blood from the lungs. The heart will pump more blood to increase the supply of oxygen to your brain and muscles. The process varies according to different individuals but it is generally a painful process and one that must be monitored and not rushed. What actually happens to the body during the acclimatisation process? To give you an idea of how harsh altitude can be, the longest someone has spent on Quick Checklist Route planning

Google Earth Screen shot of the route You can download the GPS files here: www.outdooruae.com/downloads/Augusthike2014.zip

the summit of Everest is around 20 hours. That’s not long and he was a Nepali. Your body starts to notice the effects of altitude as low as 1,500m. At this point it automatically starts to change in order to survive. Within the first few hours, in order to cope with the lower pressure, the plasma volume of the blood decreases by 25%. The red blood cell count density therefore increases in an attempt to transport more oxygen around the body. The whole process takes time. At a height equivalent to Mexico City which is 2,300m, the body will take two weeks to adjust. Even then it will not operate exactly the same as a sea level. Other changes include faster, deeper breathing, more rapid heart rate and even up to 20% muscle wastage in fast and slow twitch fibres over a period of six weeks at altitude. These changes in the blood and body are often used by athletes when they are training at altitude to enhance their performance. The effects are similar to taking performance enhancing drugs such as EPO. Athletes are attempting to trick their bodies to carry more oxygen. One of the dangers is that the blood becomes too thick and cannot be pumped around the system any longer. But no matter how long an individual lives at altitude, they never fully compen-

Start point

25°36’50.70”N 56° 0’36.10”E

Off road driving required

No. It is possible to drive all the way to the start in a 2W saloon

Distance and Time from Mirdif to start

101km 66min

Navigation on hike

Very easy navigation

Time required for hike

5hrs – 6hrs but can be extended

Distance

12.3km

Elevation gain on hike

550m

High Point

540m but can be extended

Grocery / water on hike

Possible to encounter a vehicle on trail

Yes

Suitable for all the family

This hike is fairly long but easy under foot. The track up is possible to drive or MTB but arrange for transport back.

Directions to the start Enter the start point coordinates into your GPS device or follow the directions from Google.

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AUGUST 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

sate for the lack of oxygen and never regain the level of aerobic power or endurance performance they could have at sea level. On an expedition there is a gradual decline in all functions of the body and with the exception of no one, the moment you start walking into basecamp and climbing higher is a race against time to reach the summit before your resources are depleted. Above 8,000m there is no acclimatisation and the body simply deteriorates. That is why it is called the Death Zone. Part 2 next month will get comments, reflections and pointers from people who have climbed 8,000m peaks and how you can best prepare for an expedition at altitude. A hike for August The hike this month is not going to 8,000m, but in this most hot and humid month it will feel like you are short of oxygen. As always in the summer be aware of your liquid intake and take adequate precautions to protect yourself against the heat. The route starts from near Khatt Springs hotel and climbs up a fantastic wide graded track. When the weather is clear there are amazing views over the RAK plain. The walking is easy underfoot and navigation up is simple. At the high point take a turn north and follow a slightly fainter track back down. Shade is difficult to find on this route. The author has guided hikes, treks and climbs all other the world. He gained his qualifications from the British Mountaineering Council, a national representative body for England and Wales that exists to protect the freedoms and promote the interests of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers. At present he lectures in a college in the UAE. Before that he worked for a private company that trained the UAE military forces. He has also appeared on TV programmes in the UK and Brazil talking about outdoor activities.

LOCATIONS

Dibba Rock Dive sites in the UAE and Oman How to get there: This site is around a 20-minute trip on our speed boat from the Al Boom, Al Aqah Dive Centre located at the Le Meridien Hotel. The drive to Al Aqah from Dubai normally takes 1.5-2 hours. Alternatively, if you are not driving yourself to Fujairah, you can also use the Al Boom bus transfers from Dubai. Meeting point is from the dive centre in Al Wasl Road. Other pickup points are available, please contact the call centre for more info. Description: As Dibba Rock is an island, it has a shallow and deep side ranging from around 4m down to around 16m. Dibba Rock is a marine reserve where fishing and shell collecting is prohibited and it provides a variety of different diving conditions. On the west side of the rock, the sea is shallower and is a perfect area to complete open water courses, take specialties such as naturalist or to simply enjoy snorkeling. The corals are truly incredible and definitely some of the best in the UAE, but the area is still in recovery from damage caused by a red tide in the winter of 2008-2009.

Location:

Fujairah, UAE

Depth:

Up to 16m

Type of dive:

Rocky island pinnacle which slopes down to form a reef covered in a variety of corals.

Level:

Great site for snorkelers, novice divers and up.

Turtles are fairly common here, as are rays and blacktip reef sharks. Small morays can be seen hiding in the coral bed while large porcupine fish and puffer fish hover over the rocks. Parrotfish species feed off the coral beds and groups of schooling banner fish, damselfish and butterfly fish flit around the rocks and coral beds. Pipefish are not uncommon, although can be difficult to spot and seahorses have been recorded at the site. The east side of the rock drops to around 16m in depth and makes for a very interesting pleasure dive. Turtles can be seen resting in crevices in the rock face and lionfish can be seen resting on the sides of rocks, sometimes in groups of up to five at a time. Be aware of the usual suspects on the East Coast, such as lion fish, urchins, scorpion fish, and occasionally jellyfish! Hopefully you will get a chance of seeing a whale shark close to the surface, or a zebra shark on the sandy bottom.

OBSERVATION: “I went to Fujairah with a group of my friends, who are certified divers, and I am not a diver, but I really enjoyed the snorkeling while my friends did their dive.” Bietha, from Jumeirah “Dibba Rock is one of my favourite dives that I did on the East Coast and I really enjoy diving it at high tide so I can do a full circuit round the island.” Dexter, from Saudi “Turtles and blacktip reef sharks were definitely the highlight for me!” Jayson, from Palau Contact: Al Boom Diving, Al Wasl Road. Call Centre: +971 4 342 2993 or abdiving@emirates.net.ae Al Boom Diving, Al Aqah, Fujairah: +971 9 204 4925 or andrew@alboomdiving.ae

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TIPS & TRICKS

Five tips to increasing your climbing skill Words By: Read Macadam

Climbing is skill-based. Yes, of course, we must recruit finger strength and build muscle, but without being able to masterfully use our strength, to use it effectively, our potential is limited.

will be insufficient, making the shoes slip easily on poor footholds. But, do not go so tight that you are constantly distracted by pain! Modern shoe design means performance does not have to be cripplingly painful in this day and age. Performance climbing shoes have been designed so that zone at the end of the toe box is the power point of your shoe. It is from this point that you can pivot and generate upward momentum. If you find

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that you place your foot on the wall midway down your foot, at the zone outside of your pinky toe, or near the ball of your foot, you are using bad footwork. Silent feet. Practice your footwork on easy routes or by traversing across the wall without making a sound with your feet - no thuds, kicks or scratches. You will notice that to climb silently you must watch what you are doing to place your feet precisely. This is the lesson; it forces you to slow down, relax and breathe. As you progress, try to do this exercise on the worst possible footholds for maximum benefit. 2. Learn how to back step and step through. The back step allows you to reach further than in the square, frog, position and climb with straighter arms, which means you are more efficient on the wall.

So, much as a student of the piano must practice the scales, starting slowly, mastering the subtle finger movements and building their dexterity in order to perfectly play a classical or a speedy jazz number, we climbers must practice ours: body positioning, proper footwork, grip, commitment, sequence reading and being able to just breathe. You would be surprised how often the last one is holding people back! When we practice skills, we are creating traces of memory impressions left by the experience. Habits, essentially. I like to think of these as deposits in a skill bank. In order to be able to quickly negotiate hard sequences of moves as we encounter them it is a very sound strategy to have a large bank of very good habits to draw from.

How can we fill our skill bank?

Two words: climb more. Climbing is naturally the best practice for climbing. But we do not just want to climb more; we want to climb smart, because what would be the use of filling your bank with bad habits?

Image 1: In this example I am back stepping off of my left foot with my right hand engaged and reaching up with my left hand. My right foot is flagging against the wall for balance.

Here are five simple strategies to help you fill your bank with good habits. 1. Get yourself some high performance shoes and practice your footwork. New climbers: resist the urge to start off with a basic pair of comfy shoes and then progress into a high-end shoe as your climbing improves. Your shoes are essentially the only piece of climbing equipment that will directly impact your performance, so why should you compromise? Climbing in poorly fitting shoes will create bad footwork habits, but a properly fitting pair of high performance shoes will give you more precision, more power and more edging ability. Choose the shoe that fits you best. Your shoes should be snug and free of dead-space so that your toes curl slightly giving you the most power at the end of your big toe. If your shoes are too loose the tension created between your curled toes and heel

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Image 2: After I have reached the next hold with my left hand I will step through allowing my left foot to pivot as I rotate my body to face in the opposite direction by stepping my right foot across and in front of my body.

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Image 3: Once I have stepped through, I will allow my left foot to flag out in front of me for balance. Repeat as you progress across the wall. Practice your back step and step through technique with the silent feet drill from point number 1.

3. Know when to rest and when to stop. Adequate rest is critical to allowing you to practice climbing well. Emphasis on “well.” When we become really tired our technique becomes lax and our climbing becomes sloppy. Sloppy climbing fills our bank with bad habits and exposes us to potential injury so, if you start to get too tired, yet want to climb longer, take your level down a notch so you can focus your practice on climbing well. If you are done climbing for the day, but want to finish off your energy, then finish by doing pure strength based workout rather than a skill based, climbing specific drill such as weights, push-ups, pull-ups or otherwise. Listen to your body. A typical rest time

for a boulderer is up to three minutes between a good attempt. Of course, required rest will be much longer on roped routes. 4. Practice going for it and conquer your fear of falling. What use will all of this good technique be if you are unable to climb above a bolt due to fear? Here is a shocker: each time you get scared and call for tension you are actually practicing giving up, effectively engraining the habit of surrendering to your fear. Practice taking lead falls until you can let go with ease. Start small, clipping and falling at the same height as the bolt and progress until you are comfortable to lunge dynamically for a hold even high above the last bolt.

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5. Work on your weaknesses. Are slopers your nemesis? Try climbing on routes with slopey grips for a few weeks. Are overhangs killing you? Do the back step drill on the steepest wall you can find. If you climb to your comfort zone you are limiting yourself to a narrow style of climbing. The thing about earning skills is that we need to practice what we are not good at in order to improve. Go out and climb routes of many different styles to deepen your skill bank. Regardless of your ability, the thing about creating and storing these memory traces is that you cannot build them by climbing at your limit. Quite simply, at maximum exertion we use only the most deeply founded skills we have already banked in order to hang on, so there is no chance to learn new ones. Take it down a level when you practice these basics and, better yet, get in the habit of incorporating all of these drills into your warm-up routine so that you start each climbing sessions off on the right foot. Happy climbing. Read is a personal success coach and rock climber based in Muscat, Oman. For the past six years, he has been establishing the hardest DWS and sport routes in the GCC. Read is sponsored by TRAKS Pro Gear and Training, representing Petzl and Andreas Boldrini. Follow Read at www.readmacadam.com.

Our fabulous fat friend Why most diets don’t work and how a high fat, low carbohydrate diet can change it all Words By: Trace Rogers, Coach and Founder of SuperTRI

So many of us have tried and failed repeatedly to lose weight. We have embraced low calorie diets, ramped up our physical activity only to find that we may experience fitness gains but weight loss remains elusive. Here’s why and how you can make that permanent change. Why low-calorie diets don’t work?

Not all calories are equal, meaning that we do not metabolise food in the same way. Simply put, if you are carbohydrate resistant, your body will experience the toxic effect of stored fat and the capacity to use stored glucose will be diminished resulting in fat gains. Carbohydrates do not satiate the appetite for long. So having a low-calorie diet

means that you constantly feel hungry and lethargic which makes it easier to fall off the diet bandwagon.

How a high-fat diet leads to a healthy lifestyle, improved athletic performance and ultimately fat loss.

Given that fat has more calories per gram than carbohydrates or protein, eating healthy fats will result in sustained energy and less desire to top up on food intake. In this way, we can train our bodies to fuel for longer on less. Over time, your body also becomes more efficient at metabolising existing stores of fat as energy – a state known as ketosis.

Cholesterol and heart disease

Recently a few ethical scientists (those that don’t manipulate the outcome of studies to justify their own agenda) have come to realise that there may be absolutely

no truth in fat elevating cholesterol levels which then go on to block arteries and cause heart disease. This highly manipulated theory was based on insufficient studies applied to a small minority of the world population. When the same study was widened to a more acceptable majority, it was discovered that the link between heart disease and cholesterol could not be proved. In the next edition we will go into detail about how to effectively apply a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. Until then, think twice before consuming food high in sugar and consider replacing carbohydrates that are high in sugar with healthy animal and vegetable fats. For more on this topic, please refer to the publications of: Prof Tim Noakes (with Michael Vlismas), Challenging Beliefs, Memoirs of a Career; Prof Tim Noakes, The Real Meal Revolution; and Gary Taubes, Good Calories, Bad Calories.

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TIPS & TRICKS

How and what to catch in the Middle East #7

Yellowfin Tuna Words By: Kit Belen

The yellowfin tuna needs no introduction; I hold this fish so dear, my four-year-old daughter can say Thunnus Albacares since she was three. It is called “gaider” in the UAE local tongue, although recorded as present in the Arabian Gulf it is commonly found in the East Coast of the country. This fish gets its name from the prominent yellow second dorsal and anal fins that grow long upon maturity, its smaller fins are also coloured yellow. Juvenile yellowfin tuna are often confused with close cousin, the bigeye tuna. They are difficult to distinguish because the bigeye tuna has the same body shape and also has yellow fins, when they reach maturity, the bigeye tuna does not have the long yellow dorsal and anal fins of the yellowfin tuna. Reaching an excess of 2.4m (7.8ft) and weights of up to 200kg, the yellowfin tuna is one of the bigger tunas. The specimens you are most likely to encounter in UAE waters would be up to 30kg on the top end, and about 3-8kg on average. There are records of fish of 80kg landed in Fujairah in past years.

Poppers for big fish such as tuna are now very common sights in most tackle shops

Trolling lures such as these are popular when the big boys come to town

Tuna feather

Tuna feathers such as this example are good trolling lures for tuna

Small trolling skirts such as this are as popular as ever

Jigs have risen in popularity in recent years, and with good reason - they produce well!

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Deceivers are a great all around fly and tuna love them

Where to find Yellowfin tuna are epipelagic (sunlit zone of the water column) fish that inhabit the mixed surface layer of the ocean above the thermocline. Research has found that yellowfin tuna mostly range in the top 100m (330ft) of the water column and rarely dive under thermocline although they are capable of diving to considerable depths, up to 1,160m (3,810ft). When they are closer to shore in Fujairah, they can be found around the numerous parked tankers but oftentimes found well offshore, about 40 nautical miles (64km) into the Indian Ocean. Around the tankers, they will swim anywhere from 9m (30ft) to just above the sea floor. How to catch Since the yellowfin tuna is one of the world’s most popular fish, it’s natural that a lot of sports fishing methods were developed around the fishery, as such you can target the yellowfin tuna with quite a broad range of techniques, from the traditional trolling to the more recent rage of popping and jigging. By far the most popular sport fishing method for catching sizable tuna is with trolling, there are a multitude of skirted

Clouser deep minnow Flourocarbon line, a strong hook and swivel make up a simple tuna live baiting rig

Live baits are nose hooked to give them the best swimming freedom to attract tuna

trolling lures made especially for tuna but the king of the hill has always been the “tuna feather.” It is a bullet head lure with feathers for the tail. Drifting from a boat with live baits is also a very good option for those that don’t mind getting their hands slimy. This is an excellent method when the tuna less aggressive. Vertical jigs of all sizes and shapes can be potentially used for tuna, although there are specific models designed primarily for them. Jigs are extremely effective when the tuna are feeding deeper in the water column. Poppers and stickbaits have also been quite popular in recent years. These lures give the angler the best and most exhilarating takes – since the explosion from the fish trying to bite the lure is on the surface of the water, it gives the anglers a look at the violent take of the lure – a truly addictive sight that you want to experience over and over again! Poppers and stickbaits are best used when the tuna are boiling on the surface, chasing small baitfish. When you have the space on the boat, time and more importantly, the chance to fly fishing for tuna it will be one of those times you wished you could do a lot of. A multitude of flies will work for them including the lefty’s deceiver, a heavy clouser deep minnow, the surf candy and any fly that looks like a small baitfish or a squid. One thing to take note of is the hook, they have to be made of high carbon steel – a good fly would have a Gamakatsu SL12s for the hook, or similar from other reputed manufacturers. Availability and conservation The yellowfin tuna is not listed as overfished. Smaller fish should be released so stocks will not be depleted.

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TIPS & TRICKS

Apps for the outdoors Google Earth

Words By: Glaiza Seguia-Godinez

Developer: Google Inc Compatibility: iPhone, iPad and iPod touch (iOS 4.3 or later); Android devices File size: 29.2 MB Price: Free Hold the world on the palm of your hand – literally. The search engine giant used the same satellite imagery as seen in the downloadable desktop version to this app chockfull of 3D maps. It displays coordinates and altitude, routes and terrain, and search tool for locations. Explore sites and landmarks around the world with the virtual tours that will “fly” you there. Or check out the geo-located Panoramio photos pinned in the map. Easy panning, zooming and rotating view options, but the app is only as good as your internet connection.

GotoAID First Aid

Developer: Jaargon Inc Compatibility: iPhone, iPad and iPod touch (iOS 4.0 or later); Android devices File size: 48.2 MB Price: 17.99 AED in App Store; 18.33 AED in Google Play Simple and practical instructions you can refer to in case of an emergency or if just want to refresh your first aid knowhow. The app is created for non-professionals and includes easy-to-follow steps with graphics on appropriate responses to different scenarios: medical emergencies like how to perform CPR, how put pressure on a wound or what to do if you get stung by a jellyfish; disaster preparedness for tornado and earthquake; list of emergency numbers in different countries; and first-aid for your pets. This app also has a free version.

We would love to hear your recommendations or alternative smartphone apps for the outdoors.

Useful knots #6 Bowline

The bowline knot is an easy and useful knot to tie a loop at the end of a rope. It is reasonably safe and does not slip or bind easily. If safety is of importance, you should use a more secure knot, if there is no load, shakes can undo the knot. Just make sure the tails’ end is not too short. The knot is easy to tie and also to untie if there is no load on the rope, with load it is not possible to open the knot. The knot is often used to fasten mooring lines to a ring, it can be used to connect two ropes or for any purpose when you need a loop at the ropes’ end.

Grasp together & pull

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UAE DIRECTORY General Sports Equipment Megastores

Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, +971 43466824; The Beach on JBR, Dubai: +971 44304419; Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 24456995, www.adventurehq.ae Decathlon, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre, +971 42839392 Go Sport, The Dubai Mall: +971 43253595; Abu Dhabi Mall: +971 26454595; Bawabat Al Sharq Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 25868240 InterSport, Dubai Times Square Centre: +971 43418214 and Dubai Festival City: +971 42066581,www.intersport.ae Peiniger BMT Est., CBD, Khalifa Street, Yateem Optician Bldg., Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 26262332, www.peiniger.org Sun and Sand Sports, most shopping centres, +971 43504444, www.sunandsandsports.com

Adventure tours and desert safaris Alpha Tours, Off #512, 5th Flr., Al Qwais Bldg., Al Ittihad Road, Deira, Dubai, +971 42949888, www.alphatoursdubai.com Bike and Hike Oman, PO Box 833, Ruwi, Postal Code 112, Oman, +968 24400873, www.bikeandhikeoman.com Dadabhai Travel, SR 1&2, GF, Gulf Towers, Oud Metha Rd. Dubai, +971 43885566, www.dadabhaitravel.ae Desert Rangers, Dubai, +971 43572200, www.desertrangers.com Desert Road Tourism, Office 503, 5th Flr., Al Khor Plaza, Dubai, +971 42959429, www.arabiantours.com Dreamdays, First Floor Rm. 107 Ibn Battuta Gate (Offices) Sheikh Zayed Rd., +971 44329392, www.dreamdays.ae Dream Explorer LLC, Shop no # 9, Plot # 312-504, Al Musalla Building , Mina Bazar, Bur Dubai, +971 43544481, www.dreamexplorerdubai.com Dubai Relax Travel, National Towers: Churchill Tower Suite #614, Business Bay, Dubai, +971 44221776, www.dubairelaxtours.com Element Fitness, Dubai, +971 502771317, www.element-fitness.net Explorer Tours, Umm Ramool, Dubai, +971 42861991, www.explorertours.ae, Gulf for Good, Dubai, +971 43680222, www.gulf4good.org Gulf Ventures, Dnata Travel Centre +971 44045880, www.gulfventures.com MMI Travel, Mezzanine Floor, Dnata Travel Centre, Shk Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43166579, www.theemiratesgroup.com

Net Group, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, +971 26794656, www.netgroupauh.com Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +971 42628889, www.opdubai.com Rahhalah, Dubai, +971 44472166, www.rahhalah.com Vera City Tours, Downtown, Dubai, UAE, +971 556100414, www.veracitytours.com Wild Guanabana, Dubai, +971 567954954, www.wildguanabana.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Fishing, Camping, Kayaking, & Adventure Club, +971504920860, mohammed.almahrouky@gmail.com

Air

Ballooning Adventures Emirates, Dubai, +971 42854949, www.ballooning.ae Dubai Paragliders, www.microaviation.org, +971 552120155 or +971 552250193 Jazirah Aviation Club, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 6139859, www.jac-uae.net Seawings, Dubai, www.seawings.com Sky Dive Dubai, Dubai, +971 501533222, www.skydivedubai.ae

Boating & Sailing

Manufacturer Al Fajer Marine, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43235181, www.alfajermarine.com Al Jeer Marina, RAK border Musandam, +971 72682333/+971 504873185, www.aljeerport.ae Al Shaali Marine, Ajman, +971 67436443, www.alshaalimarine.com Alyousuf Industrial, LLC, +971 43474111, www.aym.ae, yamboats@alyousuf.com Elite Pearl Charter, Saeed Tower 1 office # 3102, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE, +971 43889666, www.elitepearlcharter.com Gulf Craft, Ajman, +971 67406060, www.gulfcraftinc.com Distributors and Dealers Art Marine, Shed Nr. 31, Jaddaf, Dubai, UAE, +971 4324061, www.artmarine.ae/ www.artmarinechandley.com Azure Marine, Dubai, +971 43404343, www.azuremarine.net Luxury Sea Boats, Dubai, +971 505589319, www.luxuryseaboats.com Macky Marine LLC, Dubai, +971 505518317, www.mackymarine.com Nautilus Yachts, Sharjah, +971 65576818, www.nautilusyachts.com The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae UAE Boats 4 Sale, Dubai Marina, +971 44471501, www.uaeboats4sale.com Western Marine, Marina Yacht Club, Dubai, +971 43039744 Equipment Ali Khalifah Moh Al Fuqaei, Deira, Dubai, +971 42263220 Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11, The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43808616 / +971 553899995, info@bluewatersmarine.com, www.bluewatersmarine.com Extreme Marine, Dubai, +971 43992995, www.extrememarine-me.com Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +971 559299111, +971 42828255, uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co Rineh Emirates Trading LLC, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43391512, www.rinehemiratesme.com Repairs and Maintenance Extreme Marine, Dubai, Dubai Marina, +971 43992995, www.extrememarine-me.com Rineh Emirates, Sheikha Sana Warehouse 1, Al Quoz, +971 43391512, info@rinehemiratesme.com, www.rinehemirates.com SNS Marine, JAFZA Techno Park, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 501405058, info@snsmarine.ae,

www.snsmarine.ae The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae Cruise Operators Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi, +971 26665491, www.marinaalbateenresort.com Al Marsa Travel & Tourism, Dibba, Musandam, +968 26836550, +971 65441232 Bateaux Dubai, Dubai Creek opposite the British Embassy, +971 43994994 Bristol Middle East, Dubai Marina, +971 44309941, www.bristol-middleeast.com Captain Tony’s, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, +971 26507175, www.captaintonys.ae Delma Industrial Supply and Marine Services, Al Bateen Jetty, Abu Dhabi, +971 26668153, www.delmamarine.net Eden Yachting, Dubai Marina, +971 504586171, www.edenyachting.com Emirates Yachting, Dubai, +971 42826683 El Mundo, Dubai, +971 505517406, www.elmundodubai.com Four Star Travel and Tourism, Dubai, +971 42737779, www.fourstartravels.net 4 Yacht Arabia, Shop No. 5, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, 800 92248, www.4yachtarabia.ae Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah, +971 92449888, www.rotana.com Ghantoot Marina & Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 529933153, www.ghantootmarina.com Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai, +971 558961276, +971 503960202, www.happydaysdubai.com JPS Yachts and Charter, Room 225, Emarat Atrium building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43437734, www.jpsyachts.com Khasab Divers, Oman, +971 567255889, khasab.diver2@gmail.com Khasab Musandam Travel & Tours, PO Box 411, Khasab, Musandam, +968 93350703, info@tourkhasab.com Khour Shem Tourism, Oman, +968 26731919, www.khourshemtours.com LY Catamaran, Dubai, +971 505869746, +971 566506683, www.lycatamaran.com Marine Concept, Dubai, +971 559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.com Nautica1992, Dubai, +971 504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Noukhada Adventure Company, Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 26503600, www.noukhada.ae RAK Marine LLC, Ras Al Khaimah City Hilton Marina, +971 504912696, +971 72066410 Sea Hunters Passenger Yachts & Boats Rental, Dubai Marina, +971 42951011 Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971 503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Smoke Dragon Of London Yacht, Abu Dhabi International Marine & Sports Club, +971 507011958 / +971 504546617 Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai, +971 42573084 The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111, www.the-club.com The Yellow Boats LLC, Dubai Marina Walk – opposite Spinneys, Intercontinental Hotel Marina, +8008044, www.theyellowboats.com Marinas Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, Abu Dhabi, Breakwater, +971 26815566, www.adimsc.com Abu Dhabi Marina, Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area, +971 26440300 Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam +971 72682333 / +971 504873185 www.aljeerport.ae Al Mouj Marina, Muscat, Oman, +968 24534554, www.almoujmarina.com Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road, Al Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE, +971 42394760-61, www.cruiseindubai.com Dubai Creek Marina, Deira, Dubai, +971 43801234, www.dubaigolf.com Dubai International Marine Sports Club, Dubai Marina, +971 43995777, www.dimc.ae Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai, +971 43627900,

www.dubaimarinayachtclub.com Dubai Maritime City Harbour Marina, Dubai, +971 43455545 Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, Dubai, +971 43941669, www.dosc.ae Emirates Palace Marina, Abu Dhabi, +971 43388955 Four Seasons Marina, Doha, Qatar, +974 44948899, www.mourjanmarinas.com Fujairah International Marine Club, Fujairah, +971 92221166, www.fimc.ae Intercontinental Abu Dhabi Marina, Al Bateen, Intercontinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +971 26666888, www.intercontinental.com Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa Marina, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 48145555/5029, www.jebelali-international.com Lusail Marina, Lusail City, Qatar, +974 55843282, www.mourjan-lusailmarina.com Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, Muscat, Oman, +968 24737286 (ext 215), www.marinaoman.net Pavilion Marina, Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +971 44068800 The Pearl–Qatar Marinas, Doha, Qatar, +974 4965801, www.ronauticame.com Umm Al Quwaim Marine Sports Club, Umm Al Quwaim, +971 67666644, www.uaqmarineclub.com Dragon Boat Groups Dubai Dawn Patrol Dragon Boating, Dubai +971 508795645 (Michael), www.dubaidawnpatrol.org Dubai Diggers, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, pier next to 360, Dubai, +971 501547175 (Nick Hando), www.dubai-diggers.com UAE Dragon Boat Association, +971 507634008, www.dubaidragonboat.com

Camping & Hiking

Equipment Blingmytruck.com, +971 505548255, www.blingmytruck.com Gulf Camping, Dubai, UAE, www.gulfcamping.com Jack Wolfskin, Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi, +971 24437802 Picnico General Trading, near Sharaf DG Metro Station, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43951113 Tresspass, 2nd floor above ice rink, The Dubai Mall, +971 43398801 Tour Operators Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, www.adventure.ae Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971 42959428, www.arabiatours.com

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Libra, +971 559228362, www.libra-uae.com Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +971 43480214, www.mountainhighme.com Sheesa Beach, Musandam, Dibba, +971 50336046, www.sheesabeach.com

Caving

Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +971 43480214, www.mountainhighme.com Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +968 24543002, www.holiday-in-oman.com Oman World Tourism, Oman, +968 99431333, www.omanworldtourism.com

Climbing

Equipment Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai, Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +971 43466558, www.barracudadubai.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai, +971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi +971 24437802 Services Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, www.adventure.ae Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi, +971 26429995, www.alshaheenme.com Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Dorell Sports Management, Dubai World Trade Centre, +971 43065061, www.climbingdubai.com E-Sports UAE, Dubai, +971 42824540, www.esportsuae.com The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111, www.the-club.com Information UAE Climbing, +971 506456491, www.uaeclimbing.com

Mountain Biking & Cycling

Equipment/Dealers Bikers JLT, Unit H6, Cluster H, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAE, +971 526221888, products@allbikers.net Cycle Sports, Shop No. 1, Al Waleed Bldg., Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +971 43415415, www.cyclesportsuae.com Fun Ride Sports, 301, 3rd floor, Mushrif Mall, Abu Dhabi, Rm. 4, Mezzanine floor, C-13 Bldg., Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi, info@funridesports.com, www.funridesports.com Micah’s Bike Shop, Warehouse no.4 6th St. Al Quoz 3, Dubai, +971 43805228 Peak Performance, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall, Dubai, +971 43413056 / +971 43308023 Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha 1, +971 43255705, www.probike.ae Rage Shop, Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Festival City, +971 43369007, www.rage-shop.com Revolution Cycles, Shop G05, Apex Atrium, Motor City, Dubai, +971 43697441, www.rcdxb.com Ride Bike Shop, Dubai Mall, Festival City, Oasis Centre, Mirdif City Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43750231, www.ridebikeshop.com Sportz Unlimited, Sheikh Zayed Road & Jebel Ali, Dubai, + 971 43388644 Tamreen Sports LLC, Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 26222525, www.tamreensports.com The Cycle Hub, Motor City, Dubai, +971 505528872, www.thecyclehub.com Trek Bicycle Store, Seih Al Salam, Al Qudra Road, Dubai, +971 48327377, www.trekbikes.ae Trikke uPT, Dubai, +971 45081202, +971 556096757, www.trikkeme.net Wolfi’s Bike Shop, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43394453, www.wbs.ae Operator Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, +971 506259165,

OUTDOORUAE

www.adventure.ae, info@adventure.ae Clubs Abu Dhabi Tri Club, www.abudhabitriclub.com Cycle Safe Dubai, Dubai Autodrome www.cyclechallenge.ae Dubai Roadsters, www.dubairoadsters.com

Diving

Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, +971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, +971 43444468 Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, Dubai www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Blue Waters Marine, +971 42232189, Dubai, www.bluewatersmarine.com Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi, +971 26710017, www.gulfmarinesports.com Premiers for Equipment, Abu Dhabi, Sh. Zayed 1st. Road, +971 26665226, www.premiers-uae.com Scuba Dubai, Al Barsha, Al Khail Road, Dubai, +97143414940, info@scubadubai.com Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah, +971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com Diving Centres Al Boom Diving (equipment), Dubai, Al Wasl Rd, +971 43422993, www.alboomdiving.com Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam, +971 72682333, www.aljeerport.ae Al Mahara Dive Center, near Muroor St across from main bus terminal, +971 26437377, info@divemahara.com, www.divemahara.com Arabian Diver, Hilton Marine, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72226628, +971 502428128 www.arabiandiver.com Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Coastal Technical Divers, glenn@coastaltechnicaldivers.com, www.coastaltechnicaldivers.com Deep Blue Sea Diving, International City, Dubai, +971 44308246, www.diveindubai.com Desert Islands, Sir Bani YAs Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 28015400, www.divemahara.com Divers Down, Fujairah, Rotana Al Aqah Hotel Resort & Spa, +971 92370299, www.diversdown-uae.com Emirates Divers Centre, Abu Dhabi, near Meena Fish Market, +97126432444, www.edc-ad.ae Euro-Divers Oman, Muscat, Oman, +968 95035815, www.euro-divers.com Extra Divers Ziggy Bay, Oman, Musandam, +968 26735555, www.extradivers.info Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com Freestyle Divers, Dubai, Al Wasl & Dibba, Royal Beach Hotel, +971 43944275, www.freestyledivers.com Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa - Al Aqah Beach, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah, +971 92449888, www.rotana.com Global Scuba Dive Center, Civil Aviation Club, Oman, +968 99317518, www.global-scuba.com Khasab Divers, Oman, www.khasabdiver.com Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000, www.lemeridien-alaqah.com Moonlight Dive Center, Madinat Qaboos, Oman, +968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +971 503289642, www.holiday-in-oman.com Neptune Diving, +971 504347902, www.neptunedivingcentre.com Nomad Ocean Adventures,

AUGUST 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

www.discovernomad.com, +971 508853238, Dibba, Oman Oman Dive Center, Muscat, Oman, +968 24284240, www.omadivecenter.com Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment), Dubai, +971 44068828 Scuba Oman, Oman, +968 99558488, www.scubaoman.com Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah, +971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com Scuba UAE.com, +971 502053922, www.scubauae.com 7 Seas Diving Center, Khorfakkan, +971 92387400, www.7seasdivers.com Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah, +971 50784 0830, www.bsac406.com Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971 503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Sky &Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005, www.watersportsdubai.com The Dive Shop, 34G, European Center, Green Community, Dubai, UAE, +971 48135474, www.thediveshopdubai.com Clubs Atlantis Underwater Photography Club, Dubai, +971 44263000 Desert Sports Diving Club, Dubai, www.desertsportsdivingclub.net Emirates Diving Association, Diving Village, Al Shindagha, Dubai, +971 43939390, www.emiratesdiving.com Filipino SCUBA Divers Club (FSDC), Dubai, UAE, +971 566952421, www.thefilipinoscubadivers.com Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah, +971 507840830, www.bsac406.com

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, +971 43444468 Al Kashat, Shop No. 14, Souq Waqif, Doha, Qatar, +974 44175950, www.alkashatqatar.com Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai, Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +971 43466558, www.barracudadubai.com Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11, The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43808616 / +971 553899995,

New rates for 2014 Single visit 80 aed 10 visit pass: 500 Summer Sizzler 1 May to 30 Sept (5 months) 1,500 Courses starting in May for beginners and intermediate facebook.com.rock.republic.dubai or info@globalclimbing.com 04 88 29 361

www.bluewatersmarine.com Challenging Adventure, Wadi Al Bih Ras Al Khaimah, +971 561060798, contactus@challengingadventure.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai, +971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre, +971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com Operators Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900, www.adventure.ae Al Boom Diving, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Fujairah, +971 43422993 Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club, Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72434540, www.alhamramarina.com Al Mahara Dive Center, Downtown Abu Dhabi, +971 501118125, www.divemahara.com Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road, Al Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE, +974 4 2394760-61, www.cruiseindubai.com Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi, +971 26429995, www.alshaheenme.com Al Wasl Charter & Fishing (Al Wasl Passenger Yachts and Boats Rental LLC), Airport Road, Al Owais Building, Dubai, +971 42394761, www.cruiseindubai.com Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, +971 506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Barracuda Diving Centre, Fujairah International Marine Club, +971 9222558 Belevari Marine, Abu Dhabi, +971 26594144 Captain Tony’s, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, +971 26507175, www.captaintonys.ae Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai, +971 53244550, www.funbeachsports.com Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai, +971 558961276, +971 503960202, www.happydaysdubai.com Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +971 26811900 Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000, www.lemeridien-alaqah.com Nautica 1992, Dubai, +971 504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Noukhada Adventure Company, Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 26503600, www.noukhada.ae Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre, +971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971 503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Soolyman Sports Fishing, Dubai, Umm Suqeim, +971 508866227, www.soolymansportsfishing.com Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai, +971 42573084, www.summertimemarine.comz Xclusive Yachts, Dubai, Dubai Marina, +971 44327233, www.xclusiveyachts.com

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Clubs Abu Dhabi Camping, Fishing & Kayaking Club, mohamed.almahrouky@gmail.com Dubai Surfski & Kayak Club, Kitesurfers’ Beach, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai, +971 554986280, www.dskc.hu

General Sports Equipment Distributors

Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha 800 Sport, Al Quoz, Dubai +971 43467751, www.800sport.ae Flip Flop Arabia, flipme@flipfloparabia.com, www.flipfloparabia.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai +971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com Goal Zero, +971 509128353, www.goalzero.ae Highbury Trading, Dubai, UAE, www.highburytrading.ae Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai, +971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi, +971 44437802 Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735, www.kitesurfsup.com Sakeen General Trading, +971 47094224, www.sakeen.ae Sport in Life Distribution, Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Khor, Dubai, UAE, +971 42896001, +971 42896002, info@sportinlife.ae, www.sportinlife.ae Tresspass, The Dubai Mall 2nd floor above ice rink, +971 43398801

Horse Riding

Equipment Al Asifa Horse Equestrian & Requisites Trading, Al Khawaneej 1, Dubai, +971 554733110, www.asifa.ae Black Horse LLC, Abu Dhabi, +971 26422237, www.blackhorseuae.com Bonjour Equestrian Supplies, Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Kho, Dubai, UAE, +971 42896001, +971 42896002, info@bonjourequestrian.com, www.bonjourequestrian.com Cavalos Equine Care and Supplies, 16th Street, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi, +917 22222433, www.cavalosuae.com Emirta Horse Requirement Centre, Sheik Zayed Rd, Dubai, +971 43437475, www.emirtahorse.com Horse & Carriage Equestrian Equipment LLC, Dubai, +971 42895069, www.horseandcarriageuae.com Mirzan Equestrian Equipment, Dubai, +971 44472808, www.metdubaihorse.com Equestrian Clubs/Centres Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, +971 24455500, www.adec-web.com Al Ahli Riding School, Al Amman Street, Dubai-Sharjah Rd., +971 42988408, www.alahliclub.info Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com Al Jiyad Stables, Behind Dubai International Endurance City, Dubai, +971 505995866, info@aljiyad.com, www.aljiyad.com Al Sahra Desert Resort Equestrian Centre, Dubai, +971 44274055, equestrian.centre@alsahra.com Desert Equestrian Club, Mirdif, Dubai, +971 503099770 / +971 501978888 Desert Palm Riding School, Near Al Awir Road (going to Hatta-Oman), Dubai, +971 43238010, www.desertpalm.peraquum.com Dubai Polo Academy, Dubai, +971 508879847, www.dubaipoloacademy.com Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai, Arabian Ranches, +971 43618111, www.poloclubdubai.com Emirates Equestrian Centre, Dubai, +971 505587656, www.emiratesequestriancentre.com Ghantoot Polo & Racing Club, Exit 399, Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi, +971 25629050, www.grpc.ae Golden Stables Equestrian Club, Al Khawaneej, Dubai, (Nouri) +971 555528182, www.goldenstables.ae

HoofbeatZ, located just inside the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai, +971 501810401, www.hoofbeatz.com Mushrif Equestrian and Polo Club, Mushrif Park, Al Khawaneej Road, Dubai, +971 42571256, www.mushrifec.com Qudraland Community, info@qudraland.com, www.qudraland.com Rahal Ranch, Al Wathba Racing Area, Abu Dhabi, +971 566127914, www.rahalranch.com Riding for the Disabled, Dubai, lessons@rdad.ae, www.rdad.ae, Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club, Sharjah, Al Dhaid Road, +971 65311188, www.serc.ae Racecourses Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, +971 24455500, www.adec-web.com Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, Exit 399, Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi, +971 25629050, www.grpc.ae Jebel Ali Racecourse, off the main Abu Dhabi - Dubai Highway (Sheikh Zayed road) beside the Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, +971 43474914 Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse, Al Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, +971 43270000, www.meydan.ae Sharjah Racecourse, Al Dhaid Road, Sharjah, +971 65311155, www.serc.ae Equine Hospitals/Clinics Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, next to Dubai Equestrian Hospital, Zabeel 2, Dubai, +971 43375165, www.cvrl.ae Dubai Equine Hospital, behind World Trade Center, Zabeel 2, Dubai, +971 43178888, www.dubaiequine.ae Gulf Vetcare, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, +971 508617590, www.gulfvetcare.com Sharjah Equine Hospital, Bridge No. 6, Al Dhaid Road, Sharjah, +971 65311881, www.seh.ae

Jet Ski

Dealers Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +971 559299111 / +971 42828255, uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43419341, www.libertykawasaki.com Rentals Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai, +971 53244550, www.funbeachsports.com Regal Promotions, Level 14,Boulevard Plaza Tower 1, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard. Downtown Dubai, PO Box 334036 Dubai, UAE, +971 44558570, info@regalproms.com The Cove Rotana Resort, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 7206000, www.rotana.com Xventures, Dubai, +971 555404500, www.x-ventures.ae

Motocross & ATV’s

Dealers Al Badayer Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, +971 507842020, www.albadayerrental.com Al Shaali Moto, Ras Al Khor, +971 43200009, sales@alshaalimoto.com. www.alshaalimoto.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Golden Desert Motorcycles Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai, +971 551532550, www.goldendesert-dubai.com Just Gas It, Hatta Rd., Al Aweer, Dubai, UAE, +971 509192394, www.JustGasIt.net KTM, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, exit 42, +971 4323151, www.ktm.com Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43419341, www.libertykawasaki.com Polaris UAE (atv’s), Ras Al Khor, Nad al Hamar Road, Al Ghandi Complex, Dubai, +971 42896100, M4, Sector 13, 10th Street, Mussafah Industrial, Abu Dhabi, +971 25555144, www.polarisuae.com

AUGUST 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Sebsports, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1 Dubai, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai, +971 48321050, www. wildx.ae Equipment Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971 42959429, www.arabiantours.com Sandstorm Motorcycles (Rental), Al Quoz, Dubai, +971 43470270, www.sandstorm-motorcycles.com Sebsports, Dubai, Al Quoz Industrial Area 3, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com 2XWheeler, Motorcity Dubai, +971 44548388, www.2xwheeler.com Wild X, Dubai, Um Al Ramoul Industrial Area, +971 42852200, www. wildx.ae Workshops and Services Moto-X and Quad, PO Box 476214, Dubai, UAE, +971 50 6169727, www.gasgasmotos. me

Motorcycling

Distributors and Dealers Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, www.aym.ae/yamaha Ducati, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu Dhabi, +971 25535771, info2@ducati.ae, www.ducati.ae Duseja Motorcycles, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43476712, www.dusejamoto.com Harley-Davidson, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu Dhabi, +971 25540667, hd.auh@harley-davidson.ae, www.harley-davidson-abu-dhabi.com Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange4, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 42822144, www.libertykawasaki.com Polaris UAE, Al Ghandi Complex, Nad al Hamar Road, Ras Al Khor, +971 42896100, www.polarisuae.com Tristar Motorcycles, +971 43330659, www.tristaruae.com Workshops and Services Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com Dubai Autodrome, Dubai, +971 43678700 www.dubaiautodrome.com Emirates Motorplex, Umm Al Quwain, +971 67681717 2xWheeler Adventures, Dubai, +971 44548388, www.alainraceway.com Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, www.yasmarinacircuit.com

Off-Road

Dealers Bling My Truck, +971 503634839 / +971 505548255, info@blingmytruck.com, www.blingmytruck.com 4x4 Motors LLC, Shk. Zayed Rd, Dubai, +971 43384866, www.4x4motors.com Liberty Automobiles, Dubai, 800 5423789, www.libertyautos.com Repairs and Services Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744, www.icon-auto.com Off Road Zone, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43392449, www.offroad-zone.com Saluki Motorsport, Dubai, +971 43476939 www.salukimotorsport.com Equipment Advanced Expedition Vehicles, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +971 43307152, www.aev.ae Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Bling My Truck, +971 503634839 / +971 505548255, info@blingmytruck.com, www.blingmytruck.com Heartland UAE, Al Mafraq Industrial, Abu Dhabi, +971 567231967, www.heartlanduae.com Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744, www.icon-auto.com Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai, +971 48321050, www.wildx.ae Yellow Hat, Nad Al Hamar, and Times Square Center, Dubai, +971 42898060, www.yellowhat.ae Tour Operators Arabian Adventures, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +971 43034888, www.arabian-adventures.com Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503,

Dubai, +971 42959429, www.arabiantours.com Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +971 42628889, www.opdubai.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Off- Road Club, www.ad4x4.com ALMOST 4x4 Off-Road Club, +971 507665522, www.almost4x4.com Dubai Offroaders, www.dubaioffroaders.com JEEP Wrangler JK Fun Club, suffian.omar@yahoo.com, www.jk-funclub.com ME 4X4, www.me4x4.com

Running

Clubs ABRasAC, Dubai, www.abrasac.org Abu Dhabi Tri Club, Abu Dhabi, www.abudhabitriclub.org Abu Dhabi Striders, admin@abudhabistriders.com, www.abudhabistriders.com Al Ain Road Runners, Abu Dhabi, +971 504188978, alainroadrunners@yahoo.co.uk Mirdif Milers, Dubai, www.mirdifmilers.info Dubai Creek Striders www.dubaicreekstriders.org

Stand up Paddling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Ikönic Brands, Suite 509 Düsseldorf Business Point Al Barsha Dubai, UAE +971 506874178, info@ikonicbrands.com Kitesurf Dubai, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqueim and Jumeirah 3 +971 505586190, www.kitesurfdubai.ae Pearl Water Crafts, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, +971 553749398, www.pearl-watercrafts.com Picnico, Jumeirah Beach Road Opposite Sunset Mall, Dubai +971 43941653 Surf Dubai, Dubai, Umm Suqeim, +971 505043020, www.surfingdubai.com Surf Shop Arabia, Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai, +971 43791998, www.surfshoparabia.com UAE Kite Surfing, +971 505626383, www.ad-kitesurfing.net Distributors Kitepeople Kite & Surf Store, International City, Dubai, +971 504559098, www.kitepeople.ae Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735, www.kitesurfsup.com Operators Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com

OUTDOORUAE

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Dubai Kite Surf School, Dubai, Umm Suqeim Beach, +971 504965107, www.dubaikitesurfschool.com Duco Maritime, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi, +971 508703427, www.ducomaritime.com Dukite, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqeim, Dubai,+971 507586992, www.dukite.com Kite Fly, Dubai, +971 502547440, www.kitesurf.ae Kite4fun.net, Abu Dhabi, +971 508133134, www.kite4fun.net Kitepro Abu Dhabi, Yas Island and Al Dabbayyah, Abu Dhabi, +971 505441494, www.kitepro.ae Nautica1992, Dubai, +971 504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Shamal Kite Surfing, Umm Suqueim Dubai, +971 507689226, astrid@shamalkitesurfing.com, www.shmalkitesurfing.com Sky & Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton, Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005, www.watersportsdubai.com

OMAN DIRECTORY Adventure tours and desert safaris

Dolphin Qasab Tours, PO Box: 123, P.C. 811, Khasab City, Musandam, Oman, +968 26730813, www.dolphinkhasabtours.com Go Dive Oman, Capital Area Yacht Club (CAYC), Sidab Muscat, +968 99289200, www.godiveoman.com Nomad Tours, PO Box: 583, Postal Code 100, Muscat, Oman, +968 95495240, www.nomadtours.com Oman Trekking Guides, PO Box: 917, NIZWA, Oman, +968 95741441, www.omantrekkingguides.com

Diving

Equipment Al Marsa Musandam, PO Box: 44, Dibba,

QATAR DIRECTORY Adventure tours and desert safaris

Al Mulla Travels, PO Box: 4147, Doha, Qatar, +974 44413488, almullatrvls@qatar.net.qa Alpha Tours, PO Box: 13530, Doha, Qatar, +974 4837815, info@alphatoursqatar.com Al QAYED Travel & Tours, Al Qayed Holding Bldg., D-Ring Road, PO Box: 158, Doha, Qatar, +974 44072244, www.alqayedtravel.com Arabian Adventures, Al Asmakh Street, PO Box: 4476, Doha, Qatar, +974 44361461, www.arabianadventureqatar.net Black Pearls Tourism Services, PO Box: 45677, Doha, Qatar East Marine, West Bay, Doha, Qatar, +974 55200078 E2E Qatar Travel and Tours, PO Box: 23563, Doha, Qatar, +974 44502521, www.e2eqatar.com Falcon Travels, PO Box: 22031, Doha, Qatar, +974 44354777, www.falcontravelqatar.com Gulf Adventures, 29, Aspire Zone Street Aspire Zone Al Rayyan City, PO Box: 18180 Qatar, +974 44221888, www.gulf-adventures.com Net Tours Qatar, PO Box: 23080, Doha, Qatar, +974 4310902, www.nettours.com.qa Regency Travel & Tours, Suhaim Bin Hamad Street, Doha, Qatar, +974 4434 4503/4718, www.regencyholidays.com Qatar Adventure, Al Matar Street, PO Box: 13915, Doha, Qatar, +974 55694561, www.qataradventure.com Qatar Desert Gate, Doha, PO Box: 18496 Ad Dawha, Qatar, +974 55594016, www.qatardesertgate.com Qatar Inbound Tours, Commercial Street, Al Muaither, Al Rayyan, PO Box: 21153, +974 77451196, www.inboundtoursqatar.com Qatar International Tours, PO Box: 55733

Surf School UAE, Umm Suqeim Beach and Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai,+971 556010997, www.surfschooluae.com Watercooled, Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa, Dubai, +971 48876771, www.watercooleddubai.com Water Cooled, Watercooled Sports Services LLC, Hilton Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 26395997, www.watercooleduae.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle, www.abudhabisup.com UAE SUP www.uaesup.com

Water Parks

Aquaventure Atlantis, Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, +971 44260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae Dreamland Aqua Park, Umm Al Quwain, Emirates Road, +971 67681888, www.dreamlanduae.com Wadi Adventure, Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain, +971 37818422, www.wadiadventure.ae Wild Wadi Water Park, Dubai, +971 43484444, www.wildwadi.com

AUGUST 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Other leisure activities

Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, + 971 25588990, www.adgolfclub.com Al Tamimi Stables, Sharjah, +971 67431122 \ +971 44370505, www.tamimistables.com Blokart Sailing, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, +971 556101841, www.blokartme.com Children’s City, Creek Park Gate No.1, Dubai, +971 43340808, www.childrencity.ae Dolphin Bay Atlantis, Dubai, +971 44260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae Dubai Dolphinarium Dubai, Creek Park Gate No. 1, +971 43369773, www.dubaidolphinarium.ae iFly Dubai, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre, +971 42316292, www.iflyme.com Sadiyaat Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, +971 25578000, www.sbgolfclub.ae Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, Sharjah, +971 43999005, www.golfandshootingshj.com SkiDubai, Dubai, Mall of The Emirates,

Sultanate of Oman, +968 26836550, www.almarsamusandam.com Al Sawadi Beach Resort, PO Box: 747, Barka - Al Sawadi, Oman, +968 26795545, www.alsawadibeach.info Diving UAE & Oman, www.dive-uae-oman.com Euro Divers CAYC Oman, Marina Bandar Al Rhowda, PO Box: 940, Muscat, Oman, +968 95035815, www.euro-divers.com Extra Divers Musandam, PO Box: 498, PC 811 Khasab, Musandam, Oman, +968 99877957, www.musandam-diving.com Global Scuba LLC, +968 24692346, www.global-scuba.com Moon Light Dive Center, P.O. Box: 65, Madinat Qaboos, Muscat Oman, +968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com Oman Dive Center Resort, PO Box: 199, Medinat Sultan Qaboos, Oman, +968 24824240, www.omandivecenter.info Omanta Scuba Diving Academy, Al Kharjiya

Street, Al Shati Area, Muscat, Oman, +968 97700564, www.omantascuba.com Oxygen Diving and Adventures, PO Box: 1363 PC130 Alazaiba, Muscat, Oman, www.o2diveoman.com Seaoman, PO Box: 2394, RUWI PC 112, Oman, +968 24181400, www.seaoman.com Sub Aqua Dive Center, Hilton Salalah Resort, PO Box: 699, Salalah 211, Oman, +968 99894031, www.subaqua-divecenter.com

Doha, Qatar, +974 44551141, www.qittour.com Qatar Ventures, Barwa Village Bulding No. 12, Shop No. 33, Doha, Qatar, +974 55776679, www.qatar-ventures.com Clubs Doha Sailing Club, Doha Sailing Club, PO Box: 4398 (9995), Doha, Qatar, +974 44439840, www.qmsf.com

+974 44435626 Doha Sub Aqua Club, Doha Sub-Aqua Club, PO Box: 5048, Doha, Qatar, +974 66304061, www.dohasubaquaclub.com Extreme Adventure, PO Box: 33002, Shop 3, 4 Ahmed Bin Ali Street (Bin Omran), Doha, Qatar, +974 44877884, www.extreme.qa GoSport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +974 44631644; Villagio Mall, Qatar: +974 44517574, www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar Pearl Divers, PO Box: 2489, Doha, Qatar, +974 44449553, www.pearl-divers.org Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2, PO Box: 11538, Doha, Qatar, +974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com Qatar Scuba Center, 187 Al Mansoura Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar, +974 66662277, www.qatarscubacenter.com Q Dive, Souq Al Najada cnr of Grand Hamad and Ali bin Abdulla Str.; Al-Odeid Aisle numbers 129-132, +974 55319507, www.qdive.net World Marine Centre, PO Box: 6944, Doha, Qatar, +974 44360989, www.worldmarinecenter.webs.com Dive Centres Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street (near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar, +97444435626 Pearl Divers, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed Street, Doha, Qatar, +974 4444 9553, www.pearl-divers.org Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2, PO Box: 11538, Doha, Qatar, +974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com Qatar Divers, Marriott Hotel Marina Near Old Airport, Ras Abu Aboud Area, Doha, Qatar, +974 44313331, www.qatardivers.com Qatar Marine, Go Sport City Center West Bay, PO Box: 16657, Doha, +974 553199507, www.qatarmarine.net Qatar Scuba Centre, 187 Al Mansoura Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar, +974 66662277 / +974 44422234, www.qatarscubacenter.com

General Sports Equipment Megastores

Galaxy Sport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +974 44822194; Villagio Mall, Qatar: +974 44569143; Ezdan Mall, Qatar: +974 44922827, www.galaxysportqatar.com GoSport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar: +974 44631644; Villagio Mall, Qatar: +974 44517574 www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar Sun & Sand Sports, City Centre Mall, Qatar: +974 44837007; Dar Al Salam Mall, Qatar: +974 44932973, www.sunandsandsports.com

Boating & Sailing

Equipment Regatta Sailing Academy, Al Isteqlal Road, West Bay Lagoon, PO Box: 18104, Doha, Qatar, +974 55507846, www.regattasailingacademy.com Distributors and Dealers Speed Marine, Speed Marine, Museum Road, PO Box: 9145 Doha, Qatar, +974 44410109, www.speedmarinegroup.com

Horse Riding

Equestrian Clubs/Centres Al Shaqab, PO Box: 90055, Doha, Qatar, +974 44546320, www.alshaqab.com Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, Racing and Equestrian Club, PO Box: 7559, Doha, Qatar, +974 44197664, www.qrec.gov.qa

Diving

Equipment Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street (near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar,

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Stand Up Paddeling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding

Equipment, Operators Kiteboarding Oman, Sawadi Beach, PO Box: 133, PC 118, Muscat, Oman, +968 96323524, www.kiteboarding-oman.com Oman’s Kite Center, +968 94006007, www.kitesurfing-lessons.com

+971 44094000, www.skidxb.com Spacewalk Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, +971 24463653, www.spacewalk.ae

Health, Safety & Training

Safety Lessons Marine Concept Yacht Charter & Sea School, Rania Business Centre, Dubai, +971 559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.com Safety & Leisure Training Middle East, Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +971 44502418, www.sltme.com Sport and Health Centres Bespoke Wellness, Dubai, +971 553724670, www.bespoke-wellness.com Original Fitness Co., C6 Tower Al Bateen Bainunah St, Abu Dhabi, +971 2406 9404, www.originalfitnessco.com Orthosports, 5B Street, Jumeira Beach road, Dubai, +971 4355060, www.orthosp.com The Physio Center, Suite 405, Building 49, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, +971 44370570, www.physiocentre.ae

Camping & Hiking

Tour Operators Safari Desert Camp, PO Box: 117, Postal Code 421, Bediyah, Ghabbi, Oman, +968 99310108, www.safaridesert.com

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Az’Zaha Tours, +968 99013424, www.azzahatours.com Water World Marine Oman, PO Box: 76, Muscat, 113, Sultanate of Oman, +968 24737438, www.waterworldoman.com

Boating & Sailing

Manufacturer Saphire Marine, PO Box: 11, Post Code 118, Muscat, Oman, +968 99877243, www.sapphire-marine.com Qdive Marine Center, PO Box: 16657, Doha, Qatar, +974 44375065, www.qdive.net World Marine Centre, Old Salata Street, near the Qatar National Museum, Doha, Qatar, +974 55508177

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Al Mamzoore Marine Equipment, PO Box: 6449,Old Salata, Doha, Qatar, +974 44444238, almamzoore@qatar.net.qa Fish World, PO Box: 1975, Doha, Qatar, +974 44340754

Motocross & ATV’s

Dealers Qatar Adventures, Barwa Village, Building # 9 Shop # 11, Doha, Qatar, +974 77700074

Fishing & Kayaking

Spearfishing Shops Equipment Al Kashat, Fishing and Hunting Equipment, Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq, +974 66724828 Extreme Adventure, Shop 3,4 Ahmed Bin Ali Steet, Doha, +974 44877884, www.extreme.qa State of Qatar (QatarSub), Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq, +974 4431234, www.stateofqatar.com

Stand Up Paddeling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding

Equipment, Operators Fly-N-Ride, Al Muthaf Street, Doha, Qatar, +974 4498 2284, www.fly-n-ride.com Flo Kite School, Westbay, Doha, +974 55041039, www.flokiteschool.com Kitesurfing Qatar, +97430179108, www.kitesurfingqatar.com QSUP, Qanat Quartier, Costa Malaz, The Pearl-Qc, Doha, Qatar, +974 66602830, www.qsup.me

ONLINE DIRECTORY

Available at: Go Sport The Dubai Mall and Bawabat Al Sharq Mall in Abu Dhabi, Adventure HQ in Times Square mall in Dubai and Dalma mall in Abu Dhabi. Qatar Doha: Go Sport in Villaggio Mall, Doha City Centre Mall

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