OutdoorUAE - November 2014 by OutdoorUAE

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ENJOYING A RIDE TO NOWHERE TIPS & TRICKS

MEET THE DESERT RECOVERY KING 600KM ODYSSEY

PADDLE BOARDING THE BALEARICS

BASHING!

QATAR’S BIGGEST DUNES

SEAN JAMES

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Issue 47, November 2014

20K

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

Editor-in-Chief Daniel Birkhofer Managing Editor Andy McNab Editor Glaiza Seguia-Godinez Designer Jung Francisco 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

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

The Outdoors. The Great Outdoors. What does it mean? An endless desert? A moonlit mountain plateau? An alpine meadow? A featureless plain? A canyon, riverbank or white coral beach? Yes, of course, but we here at OutdoorUAE do not discriminate. Does it also mean throwing a Frisbee around in the park? Does it mean grilling some kebabs at a backyard barbecue? Does it mean dragging fishing net through a rock pool, or sitting on your balcony watching countless flights navigate the night sky? Yes it does, 100%. Just so you know, you don’t need to halfway up (or down) a cliff face, dangling by a rope or bunnyhopping over dunes to be outdoors. We are happy to hear from you no matter what you are doing - if it is outdoors (and responsible) drop us line or post us a picture - we would love to connect with you. The small team at ODUAE each want this magazine to grow – not to cash in, but because we desperately want to provide the regions’ outdoor enthusiasts and weekendwarriors with a better service, a first-class product and an overload of information and options. It is the start of the cooler season now, and our goal is to keep you busy, not just for a day or a week, but for months and months and months. So, your challenge this month, should you choose to accept, is to get busy with you smartphone or DSLR and send us an outdoor snap, just one, that’s all. Send it contacts@outdooruae.com. It really is very, very simple, and while you’re at it, you tell us, what features, stories or expert advice you would like to see in the upcoming issues. I may be new to the OutdoorUAE team, but not to the outdoor community. Over my fourteen years here in the UAE, I’ve been stuck in sand, gravel and mud; chased by snakes, stung by hornets, rays and jellyfish, shot at, sun-stroked and crippled by exhaustion. I have trekked and hiked from sunrise until sunset and accompanied on school expeditions and field studies all over the region; and like many of you, I love it, and will always go back for more; because what happens outdoors doesn’t just stay outdoors, it stays in your heart and mind. Without our dose of the outdoors we just wouldn’t be ourselves. We wouldn’t be happy. We wouldn’t be human.

Andy

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The information contained is for general use only. We have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this magazine has been obtained from reliable sources. The publisher is not responsible for any errors. All information in this magazine is provided without a full guarantee of completeness, accuracy and chronology. In no event will the publisher and/or any of our affiliates be held responsible for decisions made or action taken in reliance on the information in this magazine.

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

Andy McNab Managing Editor andy@outdooruae.com

Glaiza Seguia-Godinez Editor glaiza@outdooruae.com

Linda Turcerova Sales and Marketing linda@outdooruae.com

Jane Mesina Administration jane@outdooruae.com

Jung Francisco Designer and Photographer jung@outdooruae.com

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EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS

WHEN YOU’RE DONE READING, PLEASE RECYCLE!

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.

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

OUTDOORUAE

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

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

CONTENTS 18 RIDE2NOWHERE

15 THE UAE BAJA

EVERY ISSUE

24 PADDLING THE BALEARICS

05 BEST SHOTS 06 EVENTS CALENDAR 42 LIFESTYLE 46 PRODUCTS 60 PEOPLE 70 DIRECTORY

EVENT REVIEWS & REPORTS 16 DMX 2014-2015 26 THE IRONVET 28 ANDY’S CREEK WALK

TRAVEL + ADVENTURE 36 HONEY BADGER - PART 7 38 SIBERA EXPEDITION

LIFESTYLE 44 HABITUALLY HEALTHY

OUR EXPERTS 48 OFF-ROADING ABU DHABI - MARINA 50 AUTUMN RUNNING – TORI 58 DUNE BASHING QATAR - EULOGY

TIPS + TRICKS 66 OFF-ROAD RECOVERY 68 CATCHING SAILFISH – KIT 32 PETZL ROCTRIP

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60 CHAT WITH EVA CLARKE

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

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

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: Asil Abdo, Nilesh Rawal and Rob Jones. Well done! To submit your entries, simply email us at competitions@outdooruae.com with the subject “Best Shots.”

WINNER!

Asil Abdo

Diving for pleasure.

WINNER!

Rob Jones

From a different point of view.

Nilesh Rawal

In Ras Al Khaimah, taken from one of my weekly outdoor trips.

OUTDOORUAE

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

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

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

Featured Event

Dubai Off-road and Adventure Show 2014 November 6 to 8, Dubai Autodrome

Come join us for the inaugural Dubai Off-road and Adventure Show! This exciting event will bring together the outdoor community, brands and organisations together. It is a consumer show and social event with activities and exhibitors showcasing their products and services that visitors can try out. Fun visitor activation and interaction with the brands and products are the heart and soul of the event. This will ensure an informative, entertaining and thrilling event for the whole family and great branding and awareness opportunities for companies. The event will cater to different outdoor activities like off-roading, motocross, camping, diving, cycling, hiking, fitness and more. There will also be participation from different outdoor clubs, organisations and charities. For more information, visit www.dubaiadventureshow.com and like us on www.facebook.com/MeAdventureShow. For tickets, please visit www.ticketmaster.ae/event/2955.

Dubai International Triathlon 2014 November 7, 6:30am, Atlantis Resort, The Palm

The first half-iron distance triathlon to be held in the UAE features a 1.9km swim followed by 90km bike and a 21.1km run. The swim will take place in the waters off the Atlantis Resort; the two-lap bike heads off The Palm onto Hessa Street towards Sports City before returning to Atlantis; while the two-lap run is on the crescent of The Palm with the Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel providing the postcard backdrop to the course. The route is flat so athletes can expect some fast times. Registration is open to individuals in male and female age group categories and teams of three. Early bird registration extends till 30th June. For more information and registration, visit www.dubai-tri.com and www.premieronline.com.

Dial-A-Battery Desert Stinker 2014 November 7, 7:30pm, Al Qudra

A two-stage desert adventure run (10km or 20km distance) with no frills camping and no shower – there’s a good reason why this event is called the Desert Stinker! On Friday night, the horn will sound at 7:30pm and participants will head off to run in the dark with their headlamp. It will be a flat but challenging course marked with light reflective tape, then runners will return to camp to prepare for the morning’s start gun to run over the dunes. Sponsor Dial-A-Battery will be providing free battery testing over the course of the weekend and on Saturday there will be wall climbing and fun activities for the kids. For more information, visit www.urbanultra.com and www.premieronline.com.

Wadi Adventure Race 7 November 8, 9:00am, Wadi Adventure

The seventh edition of WAR will be harder, better, faster and stronger than ever. Be prepared for a new course and new obstacles that will test your limits! The event is split into different categories: Elite, A, B, C, D and E mixed men and women. Elites will be your super fit racer and looking to win the race, while E category will be your average to low fitness level racers who want to challenge themselves. The obstacles and details of the race will not be given out to any racers before the race. For more information and registration, visit www.wadiadventure.ae and www.premieronline.com.

Dubai Roadster’s Coast to Coast Challenge Fall 2014 November 14, 5:30am, Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park

This is a 216km cycling event from the Dubai coast to the Al Aqah Beach Hotel and Resort on the north coast of Fujairah. This ride will undoubtedly be a challenge and a wonderful day out on the roads of the UAE. Note that you will need a certain level of fitness to take part due to the distance and the amount of climbing. This ride is a group ride and not a race, and all cyclists must adhere to traffic rules and respect other road users. For more information and registration, visit www.dubairoadsters.com and www.premieronline.com.

OUTDOORUAE

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

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

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EVENTS CALENDAR ZOGGS Mina Mile Series Race 1 of 2 Season 14/15 November 15, 7:00am, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Hotel

This series of events offer swimmers of different ages and abilities the opportunity to test their skills and limits in the calm waters off Barasti Beach over 200m (12 years and under only), 400m, 800m and 1,600m. Enter this event and stand a chance of winning an all expenses week-long holiday in the French Alps. For more information and registration, visit www.supersportsdubai.com and www.premieronline.com.

Dubai Yoga and Music Festival 2014 November 20 to November 22, One & Only The Palm

Practise those ohms for the third annual Yoga and Music festival. The event will offer visitors a number of workshops and networking opportunities to meet with other like-minded individuals. Speakers from around the world will be at the event to educate the public on the art of yoga and its lifestyle. There will also be a screening of the Dalai Lama’s latest documentary “Compassion in Action” and a number of useful products and services on sale to assist visitors on their journey to harmonize and find inner peace. For more information, visit dubaiyogafest.com.

7 Emirates Run

November 21 to December 2, Downtown Dubai The 7 Emirates Run will witness seven teams of seven runners each run through all seven emirates of the UAE in 12 days. It is a charity ultra-marathon across the UAE, to raise funds to support children with extreme congenital limb deformities who require life-transforming surgery and post-operative care to give them the chance to walk again. A total of 575km will be completed by the end of the race, which will hold its finale at the Burj Khalifa. For more information, visit www.7emiratesrun.com.

5th Dubai International Parachuting Championship November 26 to December 7, Skydive Dubai, Dubai Marina

Drop by the fifth edition of the Parachute championships. The categories included in the competition are accuracy landing, formation skydiving, canopy formation, canopy piloting and artistic events. All categories are open for both men and women and visitors are welcome to the show which will take place at Skydive Dubai. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/DIPCDXB.

Dubai Grand Parade 2014 November 28, Meydan Racecourse

The Dubai Grand Parade returns for a second year through the iconic streets and breathtaking landmarks of Dubai featuring the world’s most incredible super, exotic, luxury, concept, extraordinary, modified and vintage cars and bikes in UAE. The participants include car clubs and private car collectors. The procession will feature over 500+ cars and bikes and will be led by Dubai Police Supercars and end with a display of awe-inspiring premium, super luxury and unique cars and bikes. It will also include a convoy of UAE women drivers and a decorative bus, hosting children from a Dubai based Charity. In addition to the Grand Parade, visitors can enjoy a complete motoring experience at the Meydan itself which blends art, fashion, entertainment and hospitality into one location. For more information, visit www.dubaigrandparade.com.

The Color Run

November 29, 9:00am, Dubai Autodrome, Motor City Colour yourself happy at The Color Run. It will begin and end on the Dubai Autodrome tracks and participants will start in waves that have a three to six minute interval between them while colour throws will occur every 15 to 20 minutes. This 5km run is open to all levels of runners and is all about the fun rather than the race. The requirements are simple, come dressed in white at the starting line and be covered in colour at the finish line. For more information, visit thecolorrun.ae. This is just a selection of the events taking place this month, for more upcoming events visit: www.outdooruae.com/event

OUTDOORUAE

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

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

NEWS + COMMUNITY

Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament Champion 2014 nets big prize This year’s Fujairah International Marine Club (FIMC) Offshore Fishing Tournament landed a worthy winner: Team Hot Rod. The champion anglers, who claimed the competition top spot with 382 points by reeling in a total of 12 fishes, secured a place at the Offshore WorldChampionship Finals, which will be taking place in Costa Rica, April next year. The members will get to pit their rod and line skills against 50 of the world’s best fishermen. Held under the patronage of HH Shiekh Saif Bin Hamad Bin Saif Al Sharqi, Chairman of FIMC and organised in collaboration with Palma Holding, a leading UAE-based real estate company, The Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament 2014 was held on October 17th-18th at FIMC. The two-day tournament was the first Offshore World Championship qualifying event to take place in the Middle East and was held with the aim of both promoting sports fishing as an activity and highlighting Fujairah as being the ideal big game fishing destination. “Everyone at FIMC extends their congratulations to Team Hot Rod who won this year’s Offshore Fishing Tournament, which took place off the fantastic Fujairah coast. The competition was fierce – a sign of the high level of skill employed by all contestants throughout the event, but ultimately there had to be one overall winner and the top place position was secured with Team Hot Rod’s impressive haul at 382 points,” said Ahmed Ebrahim Al Blooshi, Managing Director of the Fujariah International Marine Sports Club. Team Ocean Active came in second place at 233 points, while Team Al Ghawwas came at third at 199.6 points. “The sheer number and variety of fish caught by all competitors in the event has shown just what a superb location for sports fishing Fujairah is. We anticipate that this tournament will grow to be one of the leading big game fishing events in the region,” he added. Best Photo - Ocean Active

A total of 29 boats and 135 anglers registered for this year’s FIMC Offshore Fishing Tournament, which was conducted under the regulations established by the International Game Fish Association. An Award Ceremony, attended by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saif Al Sharqi, took place on October 18th, to recognise the efforts of all participants. As a competition that was open for all, there were various categories for winning, including Best Lady Angler and Best Junior Angler, which went Najla Naim from Team Ichiban and Tariq Derbas (11 years old) from Team Extreme Derbas respectively. Highlighting the community aspect to the tournament, the total value of all edible fish that were caught collectively was auctioned at 3,000 AED. Palma Holding multiplied the number by 10 donating a total of 30,000 AED to the UAE Red Crescent society for charitable distribution. The biggest Dorado fish weighed in at 8kg and was caught by Team Go Fish, while the biggest Tuna fish was 11.3kg and was caught by Team Frosti. The biggest Amberjack fish was 26kg and was caught by the winners Team Hot Rod. A further category of Best Photo of a Sail Fish was taken by Team Ocean Active. The FIMC Offshore Fishing Tournament proved a perfect blend of hard effort, good-natured rivalry and post-event celebrations. The competitors made an early

start on the first day, arriving at the centre at 5:00am for briefings and boat readiness procedures. Following two days of extensive fishing, the competition culminated with an evening awards ceremony and barbeque. “The Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament was characterised by friendly competition and the camaraderie that all anglers enjoy. We are planning that the contest will continue to grow over the years and become an established event that both promotes fishing sportsmanship and encourages the development of a big game fishing community in the UAE,” said Kareem Derbas, CEO and Co-Founding Partner of Palma Holding. “As a passionate angler myself, I can both vouch for the qualities of the sport as a hobby and for the first-class opportunities to indulge in it in Fujairah,” he added.

Best Lady Angler - Team Ichiban

Trips

Join the community

OutdoorUAE has been

organising and running events for a number of years. The people behind OutdoorUAE have established a successful, recognised brand based on experience and know-how. We know the outdoors. From 2015, we are offering OutdoorUAE readers the opportunity to join with us and experience some of the fantastic places around the world that you read about every month. In 2015, we are offering four international climbing trips. The climbs will tackle some of the most iconic mountains in the world. They are part of the seven summits collection and the highest peaks on the North American and South American continents. Join us for one of them or sign up for the treble. You may even feel inspired to write your own piece for the magazine.

What to expect?

All trips are run by experienced, professional and qualified western guides who have vast experience leading high altitude climbs. In addition, we use local agents and guides to support our logistics in country. Groups are purposefully kept small to minimise the impact on the environment and provide a highly personalised experience. After all, being in the outdoors is all about solitude, wilderness and tranquility. When you commit to join an OutdoorUAE expedition, you can be assured that we will lead you confidently at every step, starting from an initial one-on-one meeting

and setting your own tailored training path right through to getting the best photos on summit day and how to carry your water bottle to prevent it freezing shut. Outdoor UAE trips for 2015

Denali

Denali or Mount McKinley is the highest mountain peak in North America. It is 6,194m high and with a basecamp to peak rise that is considered the largest of any mountain in the world, a considerable challenge. 25th June 2015 – 20th July 2015 32,000 AED (excluding international flight)

Mount Damavand

Just a short distance away from the UAE is Mount Damavand in Iran. The highest volcano in Asia, it is the epitome of what a mountain should look like with its nearsymmetrical lines. Although a technically easy expedition and a great introduction to mountaineering at high altitude it still demands a good level of fitness. This trip will still put you on a summit of 5,610m, comparable to the height of Kilimanjaro but without the crowds. 8th August 2015 – 16th July 2015 7,000 AED (excluding international flight)

Carstenz Pyramid

The rock climb of Carstenz Pyramid in Papua New Guinea is one of the most exotic trips that we run. An approach through the steaming jungle to a monster rock buttress that is the highest on the continent of Australasia will be an experience to remember and one that not many people are lucky enough to encounter. Success rates are high on this mountain

and despite being very remote it is still a relatively short expedition. 7th November 2015 – 25th November 2015 77,500 AED (excluding international flight)

Aconcagua

Aconcagua is the highest mountain in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres at 6,960m. Expeditions to Aconcagua, Argentina start and finish in the beautiful city of Mendoza with its fine restaurants and vineyards. Although very popular with climbers, Aconcagua is still a hard climb and not to be underestimated. 15th December 2015 – 6th January 2016 22,000 AED (excluding international flight) For further details and an informal chat about adventures and travel contact Sean@outdooruae.com. Terms and conditions apply.

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

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Emirati surfer making waves in ISA 50th anniversary World Games in Peru Mohammed Rahma is making history as the first UAE National competing in a global surfing event As a continued effort to grow the sport and create awareness for surfing in the UAE, Mohammed Rahma, 27, will be the first Emirati National to compete in an international surfing competition, essentially making history and highlighting the Emirates as a surfing destination to the world. Mohammed, known as “Mo” learnt how to surf in 2010 following an injury in rugby which forced him into rehabilitation exercises in the water. It was while he was in the sea that he saw people surfing and decided he wanted to try it himself. Mohammed spent the next few years immersing himself in the sport, surfing at every opportunity he had at various beaches in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Fujairah as well as other international hotspots in Sri Lanka, Maldives, the USA and Australia. His passion for the sport has driven him to compete internationally and he has spent the last year training with a professional coach in Los Angeles (where he is currently based on a project for Etihad Airlines) to perfect his skills and raise his ability to compete on the global stage. “Surfing has changed my life. And as a young Emirati growing up in Dubai, I wish that I could have been introduced to this sport at a younger age. I get so much enjoyment out of it, which drives me to develop the sport in the UAE.” Mohammed made history in October when he joined hundreds of other

surfers from around the world, representing their countries in the International Surfing Association (ISA) 50th Anniversary World Games. “This is the first time that an Emirati is being represented in surfing, on the international surfing stage,” says Manager Carl de Villiers, owner of Surf Shop Arabia and long time supporter and sponsor of Mohammed. “I’ve watched him progress in his surfing and the fact that he is now representing his country in such an elite competition is really something to be proud of.” Mohammed has funded most of this journey himself. “My intention is not to

New beach safety campaign launched Words By: Andy McNab

As beach season gets into full swing, the first and most important number to have in mind is 996. This will get you through to the Marine Emergency Hotline. So, 996 if you are in any beach-zone trouble or spot an offshore problem.

Second up, if you are a keen water sports enthusiast, and we are talking about everything from jet skis to fishing

OUTDOORUAE

to paddling with your water-baby – you really should head to www.bihar.ae and check through the guidelines there. The Bihar [water in Arabic] campaign has recently been launched to coincide with the Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Protection Authority (CICPA) PR campaign aimed at promoting coastal safety and awareness. Now, although we here at OutdoorUAE are more than aware of our very responsible and safety-minded readership, maybe everyone, ourselves included, would benefit from a quick refresher on some basic beach and sea current advice. It’s no big deal, it is free public advice and

win but to raise awareness in the UAE for the sport of surfing, provide a platform for other young Emiratis to get involved, learn the sport and also represent their country in international competitions. I would love to see surfing being integrated into the UAE school curriculum and develop this sport amongst the local Emiratis. This is why I’m competing in the ISA Games. I want to show the UAE that we do have great waves to learn the sport, we do have facilities here to develop surfing and it’s just a matter of someone actually breaking that barrier and showing the world what we as a nation can offer.” Mohammed carried the National UAE flag in the Athletes Procession and competed for the first time against 192 other surfers from 32 countries from around the world. While they don’t expect to win, they do expect to put the UAE on the world surfing map. For more information on Mohammed, you can visit his new Athletes page: www.facebook.com/ pages/Mo-Rahma/717833374957931.

bihar.ae cicpa.ae Maritime Emergency Hotline

information. The new website is fast and user-friendly and very detailed at explaining quite a lot of do’s and don’ts. We would much rather avoid any unpleasant beach headlines (and closures) and also would prefer that you knew a little about some of the penalty fines in place for various coastal rule infractions. Also, you may at some point find yourself in the position where you feel compelled to lodge a formal complaint about dangerous or anti-social behaviour, it is always good to have a few solid facts in place to strengthen your cause. Bihar.ae offers some basic common sense advice and beach guidelines.

Organised by: Organised Organised by: by:

Tickets available at: Tickets available Tickets available at: at:

www.ticketmaster.ae www.ticketmaster.ae www.ticketmaster.ae Call Center 800 TMUAE / 80086823 Center TMUAE / 80086823 Call Call Center 800 800 TMUAE / 80086823

Approved by: Approved Approved by: by:

NOVEMBER 6th to 8th 2014 NOVEMBER6th 6thto to8th 8th2014 2014 NOVEMBER

love outdoors, we love the outdoors. love adventure, we love adventure. Sports, water, climbing YouYou love thethe outdoors, wemuch love thecommon! outdoors. YouYou love adventure, love adventure. Sports, water, climbing andand off-roading. We have so in Let’s meet up, at Thewe Dubai Off-Road and Adventure Show! Great for off-roading. have much in common! Let’s meet at The Dubai Off-Road Adventure Show! Great off-roading. WeWe have so so much in common! Let’s meet up,up, at The Dubai Off-Road andand Adventure Show! Great for for friends, families and getting together. friends, families getting together. friends, families andand getting together.

FREE ACTIVITIES: FREE ACTIVITIES: FREE ACTIVITIES: + ‘AAGHH!’ Test drive 4x4s on our thrilling off-road track + ‘AAGHH!’ Test drive on our thrilling off-road + ‘AAGHH!’ drive 4x4s onATV our thrilling off-road tracktrack + ‘YEAH!’ BeTest a co-pilot in 4x4s an

+ ‘YEAH!’ a exciting co-pilot inATV an ATV and quad demos + ‘YEAH!’ Be aBe co-pilot in an + ‘WOAH!’ Watch motocross + ‘WOAH!’ Watch exciting motocross and quad demos + ‘WOAH!’ Watch exciting motocross and quad demos + ‘GET PEDALING!’ Test ride different mountainbikes at the hill track + ‘GET Test mountainbikes at the hill track + ‘GET PEDALING!’ Test rideride different mountainbikes at the hill track + ‘PHAT!’ TryPEDALING!’ out the fatbikes at different the sand track + ‘PHAT!’ Try Test out at of the sand track + ‘PHAT!’ Try out the the fatbikes at the sand track + ‘RING! RING!’ ridefatbikes a variety road bikes + ‘RING! RING!’ Test ride a variety of road bikes + ‘RING! RING!’ Test rideSWEATY!’ a variety of road bikes + ‘GET READY TO GET Try out speedminton + ‘GET READY TO GET SWEATY!’ Try out + ‘GET READY TOConquer GET SWEATY!’ Try out speedminton + ‘GREAT VIEW!’ the climbing wallspeedminton + ‘GREAT VIEW!’ Conquer the climbing + ‘GREAT VIEW!’ Conquer thePaddling climbing wallwalland kayaks in our pool + ‘COOL OFF!’ Try Stand Up boards + ‘COOL OFF!’ Try Stand Up Paddling boards kayaks in our + ‘COOL OFF!’ Try Stand Up Paddling boards andand kayaks in our poolpool + ‘DON’T LOOK DOWN!’ Balance on the fun slackline + ‘DON’T LOOK DOWN!’ Balance onrope the slackline + ‘DON’T LOOK DOWN!’ Balance the fun fun slackline + ‘SPIDERMAN!’ Climb along theon high course (extra fees apply) + ‘SPIDERMAN!’ Climb along course (extra apply) + ‘SPIDERMAN!’ Climb along the the highhigh roperope course (extra feesfees apply) and much, much more much, much more andand much, much more

Thursday Thursday Thursday Friday Friday Friday Saturday Saturday Saturday

6th November 4:00 pm until 11:00pm November 4:00 until 11:00pm 6th6th November 4:00 pmpm until 11:00pm 7th November 2:00 pm until 11:00pm November 2:00 until 11:00pm 7th7th November 2:00 pmpm until 11:00pm 8th November 2:00 pm until 09:00pm November 2:00 until 09:00pm 8th8th November 2:00 pmpm until 09:00pm

If you need to take five away from all the excitement, check out If you need toArea, take five away from all the If the you need to take fivewhere away from all the excitement, outout Exhibition local shops andexcitement, servicescheck arecheck showthe Exhibition Area, where local shops services showthe Exhibition Area, where local shops andand services are are showcasing their great products. casing their great products. casing their great products. Network the OUTDOORS community and get connected with Network OUTDOORS community get connected Network thethe OUTDOORS community andand get connected withwith local adventure clubs and social groups. Hungry? Thirsty? local clubs groups. Hungry? Thirsty? local adventure clubs and social groups. Hungry? Not foradventure long! We’ve gotand yousocial covered with some Thirsty? great healthy Not for long! We’ve you covered some great healthy Not for long! We’ve gotgot you covered withwith some great healthy and convenience food stalls with a variety of offers and and convenience food stalls with a variety of offers and convenience food stalls withand a variety of offers andand beverages for everyone (kids adults). beverages everyone (kids adults). beverages for for everyone (kids andand adults). What? You need a breather? Okay. Pull up a bean bag, lie What? You need acatch breather? Okay. Pull a bean bag, What? You need a breather? Okay. Pullfrom up up aour bean bag, lie back, zone-out and a sunset-set pro DJs in lie the back, zone-out catch a sunset-set from in the back, zone-out andand catch sunset-set from ourour propro DJsDJs in the winter-cool area, just buta don’t get too comfortable because winter-cool area, just but don’t get too comfortable because winter-cool area, just but don’t get toothe comfortable because we’ll be cranking up the beats into night. we’ll cranking beats night. we’ll be be cranking up up thethe beats intointo thethe night.

Early bird tickets until (31st October 2014) only 30AED. Starting 1st November and(31st atOctober on-the-day gate entry, tickets 50AED. Early tickets until October 2014) only 30AED. Early birdbird tickets until (31st 2014) only 30AED.

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

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Off-road Adventure Routes Second Edition Words By: Andy McNab

There a very few people who epitomise the spirit of OutdoorUAE contributors more so than our recently relocated to Europe Mike Nott. Reading his farewell article in Issue 44 (August) was like reading a who’s who or what’s what of bucket-list ME adventures. As part of his long-term collaboration with ODUAE, Mike provided us with so much quality off-road content and stunning photos, that it was inevitable we should work with him to package as much of his experience and expertise up as possible and create a book of some of his recommended routes and words of wisdom. The book is expansive and covers everything from essential vehicle maintenance to best-fit recovery methods and of course, his pick of the routes – all in full, glorious technicolour replete with their highlights and pitfalls. The book was fully integrated to GPS and web-based mapping systems, and each drive tried, tested and graded – it fitted right into the market place alongside other well-known and established off-road guides. The book has proved very popular, and we suspect that a few of you may have a dog-eared copy buried beneath your passenger seat or in the bottom of your grab-bag. Some of you may even have taken your life (and sanity) into your hands on the Grade 3

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Saudi, Oman, Yemen Confluence Route, some of you may have crest-crossed on your way through the Grade 2 Al Maghrib Crossing or some of you may have played it “safe” with a Grade 1 Dubai to RAK road trip. A second edition book is scheduled for release next month, and this is an important follow-on-reading from the first installment. Firstly, this region is how it is, and some of his preferred routes from the first edition are no longer accessible for a variety of reasons or the initial route has undergone a few technical changes. The book will also contain some new and previously unpublished routes, such as the southern Emirates Route “To the Corner”, the northern Emirates route “Seven Emirates – Corner to Corner”

and four new Oman routes, including the “Dhofa Traverse” and the “Jebel Samham Exploration”. Mike has spilled sweat and blood to bring the public a new and definitive guide to the region’s most inhospitable corners. The photos and advice together are enough to sell this book – the routes are an added bonus. Advanced Off-road Adventure Routes Second Edition will be hitting the shelves in December just in time for you to get busy in the New Year and carve yourself some new tyre tracks over virgin territory.

EVENT REPORT

The Emirates Desert Challenge 2014/2015 Baja Round 1 Words + Photos By: Mark Ackerman

Forty degrees and two hours in the saddle. The Baja Round 1 was the season-opening race to really separate the men from the boys. This season’s Emirates Desert Challenge kicked off perfectly with a total registered competitor list of 98 bikes and five cars all competing, this was a recent record entry which set the scene for a great day of racing. The race was situated just off the Al Qudra Road in Dubai, making for easy access and tarred pits, the teams were able to set up on the road and it definitely helped to have professional pits, without all the dust and sand we normally have to deal with. The series is made up of several classes across all capacities and skill levels with the minimum age being 16 years old. The classes include the four-wheelers – quads, cars and buggies and the

two-wheel classes for 450cc, +450cc, Masters and a Marathon class for riders who wish to run the entire race without refueling. The races are two hours long, starting at 9:00am, with a route wellmarked out for competitors and watched over by marshals from the 4x4 club – who do an excellent job of officiating and recovering competitors. This year saw the first entry of teams, which meant riders could team up and collectively score points for the overall championship, which made an exciting addition to the already hotly-contested competition. The standout teams at the first event, in terms of results and presence in the pits included, Moto 1 Racing Team, SRG Portable Shade Husqvarna, Sandy Helmets, SebSports, Lunda, Vendetta and KTM. Improved support has been very encouraging, in particular, from race shops and manufacturers, most notably KTM, SRG Motorsports Husqvarna and SebSports. Previous support has been low, and with the support these teams provide riders and the professionalism they bring to the sport it really makes Baja feel more like a world-class event, which is set to continue its growth. Now! Down to racing. All kicked off promptly at 9:00am with the 450cc class starting, the class ranked from results of the previous years in order to ensure the same skill levels were starting together. Every minute saw another row of approximately 12 riders blast off into the dunes, where lap one of seven would begin over a distance of 18km. The pace in the 450 battle was hot right off the start, with an early lead coming from KTM with Mo Balooshi, Mohammed Jaffar, Ross Runnalls

and Jake Shipton. The rest of the class was split more than two minutes after several laps which really highlights the level of skill and fitness the competitors had over the two hours in 40°C. The cars and buggies run the same distance on a similar course, and fortunately there were no major incidents although several cars did battle it out with the very soft sand conditions. When the dust had settled and the race was flagged, Mohammed Balooshi (KTM Balooshi Racing) was left in overall first place, Mohammed Jaffar (KTM Balooshi Racing) second in a very well-run-race, Ross Runnalls (Liberty Kawasaki), Mark Ackerman (SRG Portable Shade Husqvarna) and Mark Grams (Sandy Helmets Honda) rounding out the top five spots. The cars and buggies saw a great turn out for local Emirati competitors, with Ahmed Al Fahim (Polaris Class T3) taking the honours followed by Mansour Al Helei (Nissan – Class T2) and British driver, Graeme Rose (Polaris – National Class) in third. Overall seven autos completed the race for a great day overall. Lock in November 14th for Baja Round 3. We know the riders would love to see you there to support this growing event. Follow any early developments and catch up with news and rider reviews at FB “Emirates Desert Championship” or at FB “Dune Raiders UAE”.

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DMX

dust and vrooms Words By: Andy McNab Photos By: Andy McNab, Nazeeb Nahas

In Dubai there are hot days, and then there are hot days. Mid-afternoon on the 10th October was one of the latter. It was the season opener for the hugely anticipated 2014/15 Dubai Motocross (DMX) season. Trackside the mercury pushed 42 in the shade, out on the circuit, helmet, race protection, team colours and ubiquitous mounted GoPros, it must have been like a cauldron. A couple of senior riders commented it was too hot out on track, but it’s the same, first race of every Dubai season. No matter whether young or old (there is a Masters Class for 40yr+ competitors), these teams have a job to do and although they know the season will get easier from a temperature perspective it won’t get any easier from a competitive angle. We stayed to catch a couple of races this weekend one of the MX2 races and a Master’s Class battle. The MX2 featured Ross Runnalls and Dale Jullien from the Green Daredevils. It was a race that Ross dominated from the first turn until the finish line. So quick he was out of the first turn the camera was playing catch up for the entire race, as well as the pack in pursuit.

OUTDOORUAE

Ross Runnalls dominated Trying to keep cool in the team area. his race start to finish.

MX2 are a mid-range MotoX bikes, equivalent to the old 125cc class. They buzz around like angry hornets and can reach speeds of up to 55-60mph, although with the tight corners and endless humpbacks of the Jebel Ali course, most don’t get a chance to max out the speed. In what was a rip-roaring race, without too many crash outs or upsets the teenagers from Kawasaki demonstrated that they mean business again this season. Fist place Ross and third place Dale. Well done! A mention must go out to Dean Jullien who finished in second place in an earlier MX2 race. Plenty braved the fierce heat that week

‘Top of the table’, an overheated Dean Jullien finished first in the 125cc category.

to support the teams and favourite riders, and with temperatures on the slide, the next big meet we are sure will see more thrill seekers in attendance. If you fancy a trip to that end of town (on the Jebel Ali Resort and Golf Course and carting roundabout), entrance is free, and most teams are perfectly happy for you to chat, grab a cold soda and find out a bit more about the bikes, their specs and riders. It’s a nice, laid back vibe (off the track). The next meet coincided with Halloween, but I think collecting points was on most junior riders’ minds ahead of collecting candies.

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

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

The tables don’t lie. Plenty of Green in the top half of MX1 DMX 2014/15 Championship MX1 Season: 2015 Pos 1 2 3 4

10/10/2014 10/10/2014

No. 731 18 1 250

Legend:

Name

Total

Diff

Gap

Jack Shipton Ben Menzies Ross Runnals Manfredi Caruso

50 44 38 33

0 6 12 17

0 6 6 5

1st place

2nd place

MX1 Total MX1 Total 25 22 18 20

25 22 18 20

25 22 20 13

3rd place

As you can see Green Daredevils are leading MX2 quite comfortably. DMX 2014/15 Championship MX2 Season: 2015 Pos 1 2 3 4

10/10/2014 10/10/2014

No. 1 2 555 23

Name

Total Diff 47 45 42 36

Ross Runnals Dale Jullien Ryan Blair Mohammed Jaffer

Legend:

1st place

2nd place

0 2 5 11

Gap 0 2 3 6

MX2 Total MX2 Total 22 25 20 18

22 20 22 18

25 20 22 18

3rd place

DMX 2014/15 Championship 125cc Season: 2015

10/10/2014 10/10/2014

Pos

No.

Name

Total

Diff

Gap

125

Total

1 2 3 4

5 73 22 31

Dean Jullien Darren Berry Nicholas Kefford Tiann Nolan

50 44 40 34

0 6 10 16

0 6 4 6

25 22 20 16

Legend:

1st place

2nd place

125 Total 25 22 20 18

25 22 20 18

3rd place

And young Abdullah Al Nuaimi doing fantastically well in the 85cc DMX 2014/15 Championship 85cc Season: 2015 Pos 1 2 3 4

No. 19 22 174 88

Legend:

10/10/2014 10/10/2014 Name

Total

Diff

Gap

Total

Eugenio Barbagilla Nicholas Kefford Abdullah Al Nuaimi Alexander Mortada

50 44 40 36

0 6 10 14

0 6 4 4

25 22 20 18

1st place

2nd place

3rd place

DMX 2014/15 Championship 65cc Season: 2015 Pos 1 2 3 4

No. 11 1 174 22

Legend:

10/10/2014 10/10/2014 Name Siguro Johansson Yurajsinh Kondedeshmvki Ahmed Al Nuaimi Jamie Horn

1st place

2nd place

Total

Diff

Gap

Total

47 45 40 38

0 2 7 9

0 2 5 2

25 20 22 18

22 25 18 20

3rd place

Do try to catch the next round if you can. Temperature will be perfect, maybe even on the chilly side, for Round 3 on Friday, 28th November and I guarantee, you will not be able to get the whine of those engines out of your head for the rest of the weekend. Don’t forget Jebel Ali Resort and Golf Course Roundabout 24°59’0.70”N 55° 1’16.10”E racing should be starting around 8:00am after safety checks and rider briefings. GO GREEN!

OUTDOORUAE

EVENT REPORT

Ride2Nowhere

3-Day MTB event Experience a taste of proper mountain biking in South Africa

Words By: Eulogy van Dyk Photos By: Stephan du Toit, Johan Theron and Reghardt Voges

How about taking a “Ride2Nowhere”? Some of the best time I have spent on my mountain bike is when I explore new routes in places a bit off the beaten track. Where you suddenly find yourself engulfed by mountains and valleys with no town or civilisation in sight, it literally feels like I am in the middle of nowhere. The kind of place where silence is golden and the beauty of nature captivates you! Nestled between the mountains of the Langeberg region in Western Cape, South Africa you will find a uniquely alternative, eccentric and therapeutic village called McGregor, known for its two white

entrance pillars, spectacular art route and great grape. It is a friendly and welcoming community with a main road called . . . (wait for it) the “Road to Nowhere”. In this beautiful town you will find off-the-beaten track routes, and it is the home of the Ride2Nowhere, a three-day mountain bike event that was established back in 2012. But rest assured, the race actually adopted its name from the main road of the town, which literally leads into the mountains to a dead end and therefore became a local legend adopting the name road to nowhere. This is the perfect race, where Racing Snakes and Weekend Warriors meet to compete for fun! The 2014 event took place from the 12th to 14th September and saw 215 riders lining up on the starting line. The event caters to a limited amount of parRiders on route

ticipants only, ensuring there are no major congestion problems on the route and to provide riders with quality time in Mother Nature. Abdulrahim (Rahim) Abdullah from the UAE, who learnt about the event via social media, joined us this year and this is what he had to say: “This was my first mountain bike stage race outside the UAE. Mountain biking is my love and hobby so what better excuse is there to go and explore other countries whilst riding your bike! “The name of the event intrigued me and I wanted to find out what this ‘riding to nowhere’ is all about. Upon arrival in the town of McGregor I realised that this little town is really hidden away from the big city life and consists of a beautiful farming community with friendly people. “I absolutely loved the event. The route was a great combination of different terrains for riding, there were some good challenging parts, and I really felt on a few occasions I am ‘in the middle of nowhere’

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

Rahim Abdullah (from Dubai), enjoying the view

because I could not see anybody or town in front or at the back of me. I can definitely recommend the race for mountain bike lovers. It is a fun weekend away, with a good group of people where you can really enjoy riding your bike in nature”. The event aims to retain the integrity and pureness of a classic mountain bike race with an adventurous and exciting route surrounded by breathtaking landscape. September is also flowering season in the Langeberg region and spoils you with a colourful picture in every direction! The route offers challenge and reward for all riders, with riding distances ranging between 40 and 60 kilometres per day to choose from. The route follows a cloverleaf format with each day’s starts and finish from the same venue in McGregor. Sixty percent of the daily route is on open gravel roads or jeep tracks, with a good combination of flat, rolling hills and one or two steeper climbs, the remainder of the daily route are single tracks, cattle paths or naturally eroded tracks. The ter-

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

The beautiful scenery of “riding to nowhere”

rain is mostly hard rock formation and few loose gravel sections (no crazy stuff, just Mother Nature providing us with some fun and exciting trails). With relatively short riding times per day it meant riders were finished by lunch time, leaving plenty time to experience the charm of McGregor with their loved ones during the afternoon. One of the big draw cards of the event is the relaxed atmosphere at the race village and between riders. The local community gets involved and benefits from the event by providing local hospitality and entertainment to participants throughout the weekend. From the brass band to the steel band, the jazz duet and fire dancers, there is plenty of activity paired with some legendary local “refreshments”. Some riders say the race briefing every night is also like watching live entertainment as the Route Director tries to explain “his show”. The event also caters and focuses on

supporter activities. Friends and families could go on McGregor town tours, donkey sanctuary visits and shop at the local produce market. Alternatively, there were spectator points on the route from which to cheer the riders on! Kids also have a lot of fun over the weekend with loads of entertainment, such as a MTB obstacle course, stilt walkers, clowns, jumping castles and face painting throughout the whole weekend. With the annual dates set in mid September, it is the perfect race to keep you motivated and those legs turning during the warmer summer months. It is also the perfect excuse to escape a bit from the summer heat in the Middle East. So if you are still wondering how to Ride2Nowhere, “well it goes down the road, up some hills, around a bend and then you find your way to ‘nowhere’”. Interested to join next year? Visit www.ride2nowhere.co.za for more information. Event date for 2015 is 11th to 13th of September. Many ladies also joined for the event!

OUTDOORUAE

EVENT REPORT

Moments from the Race 3

Desert Warrior Challenge… accomplished! Not only a challenge, but a real team building event Words By: Nicola de Corato Photos By: Nicola de Corato and Mary Samele

I just finished my first [the inaugural] Desert Warrior Challenge (DWC). A challenging obstacle-course run, designed to test the physical power, mental strength, teamwork and overall fitness of each and every participant. The courses were designed for participants with varying skill and fitness levels, including children to those of little physical fitness, and the extreme athlete striving for the real warrior challenge. It required mental toughness, strength and endurance . . . and most of all the ability to work as a team to overcome what lies ahead. You could participate as an individual, join a team or create your own team. And on the day, as the race progressed, numerous individual athletes naturally formed teams to help each other to pass the most challenging obstacles and to motivate each other. Completing a Desert Warrior Challenge course tested my physical and mental training unlike any other competition ever before (and there have been a few!). The obstacles and challenges throughout the course forced me dig deep within, to find the inner resource that we all have and rise up to overcome whatever it is that lay ahead. During the race I could underThe finish line with the team.

stand why the event motto is “Release your inner warrior”. Each course included a variety of obstacles, which required participants to run, crawl, jump, climb and most importantly work as a team to collectively get across them. Puddles of muddy water, ropes and netting became a way to test physical training, build teamwork and fine-tune problem solving skills. The course comprised a whopping 22 obstacles, some not so difficult (at least for me), especially the ones I were trained for (running in the mud for example, or in the sand, over small dunes or rough surfaces). Some others were a nightmare – crossing a tank filled with iced water for example or climbing the twin walls with very little grip was literally impossible for me without the help of the other participants. That’s where our team formed spontaneously; after that we went on together. Seven warriors in total all the way to the finish line; encouraging each other, supporting each other, helping each other. DWC provided the perfect environment for individuals to come together and challenge their boundaries with endless support, sportsmanship and camaraderie. Enjoyment and self satisfaction were the core values of this race and the courses were designed to suit all different abilities, providing challenge for even the elite athletes and “Hardcore Warriors”. The course design and obstacle layout were released to the warriors only on the day of the event, so even though I trained Moments from the Race 5

Yoga after the race.

Moments from the Race 4

Moments from the Race 1

a lot and felt very well prepared before the event, I needed to anticipate anything and everything the course could throw at me. I can say that without the help of other people I would not be able to reach the end without skipping many obstacles. The Desert Warrior Challenge has been organised in cooperation with the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), which was founded in 2005, has the aim of developing and improving sports in Dubai. DSC aims to create a comprehensive sports environment that meets the requirements of society and paves the way for the youth to cultivate their sporting and cultural talents and aptitudes in a way that leads them to achieve tangible results so that Dubai can become a leading name in the world of sports. Dubai Sports Council provides many e-Services including eJob, volunteer applications and rules of organising sports events in the Emirate of Dubai. The current Chairman is HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council. Desert Warrior Challenge was partnered with the best training facilities and programs in Dubai and across the wider region, to give participants all the tools needed to prepare for the big day. DubaiBlog was digital media partner of the event. Ready for the next warrior challenge?

Nico Blogger, marathon runner and triathlete, diver and heli rescue swimmer with Bergamo Scuba Angels. You can read my blog www.dubayblog.com, contact me on social networks or via email at admin@dubaiblog.it for information about this article or just to say hello. [OutdoorUAE contacted the organisers, who are, “Planning for March/April 2015 at this stage.”]

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ACTIVITY REPORT

mountain biking

Part 1

in The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Words By: Sean James

Still addicted to the high-life. This month our resident Tahr escapes the Dubai humidity to do a spot of extreme MTB in one of the world’s most stunning mountain regions. The domestic UAE mountain bike scene has grown hugely over the past few years. The number of trails that have been opened in and around the desert and mountains increases every month. As a result the experience of the riders here has also grown. There are many groups that ride regularly every week and for many mountain bikers, the UAE trails were their first experience of riding dirt. Naturally this desire and motivation has expanded and broadened, and now those bikers have started to explore lands further afield. In this month’s MTB section we will give mountain bikers here in the UAE a glimpse at a destination in a foreign country that will open your mind to the possibilities of travelling with your mountain bike. Nepal is a country that conjures up many images: high mountains topped with snow, temples festooned with prayer flags, the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu street-life and of course high-altitude climbing and trekking. Like the UAE, the mountain bike scene in this part of the Himalayas has exploded, and in the last 10 years Kathmandu has become home to many well-stocked biking shops as well as experienced agents operating tours to the far flung corners of this Himalayan state. I have spent a lot of time over the last 15 years in Nepal, and the care and levels of service given to western visitors by the Nepali and Sherpa people on climbing expeditions has been transferred

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to the many mountain bike tours that are available. If riding twisting high passes and narrow tracks with your own personal bike Sherpa to assist you when things get tough is your thing, then read on. The next two issues of the mountain biking section will be dedicated to looking at possible mountain bike tours in Nepal and showing you some of the many options available. This month we will look at biking around the Kathmandu valley and also biking the famous Annapurna Circuit. Next month, the epic Lhasa in Tibet to Kathmandu ride will be featured.

The Annapurna Circuit

The Annapurna Circuit is a classic. A world-renowned trekking route that is the aspiration of many and is consistently ranked as the best long distance trekking routes in the world. Situated in the central region of Nepal, the trail circles the Annapurna range and gives views of many peaks between 6,000 and 8,000m. On this ride you will pass the 8,000m peaks of Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna I. Over the years, parts of the Annapurna Circuit have been developed into a track

for motorised vehicles making it shorter, but it is still 230km long, taking 8-20 days to walk and the crossing passes of over 5,400m. Now it is also a popular mountain biking circuit, where motorised support is a definite advantage to mountain those cycling. The intention of the government is to develop the road along the whole circuit by 2017, which will dramatically change the appearance and atmosphere of the region. However what trekkers lose out on, mountain bikers gain. Although we describe it as a road it is still a Nepalese road! There is very little traffic, and on one of the sections from Muktinath to Tatopani it is possible to ride downhill either by the dirt road or by single track, a total of 3,000m in 2-3 days making it one of the world’s best downhill mountain biking areas [definitely sound preferable to cycling 3,000m uphill! – Ed.]. About seven hours drive from Kathmandu, or a short flight when the weather is good, is Pokhara. Pokhara is a much more relaxed town on the outskirts of a beautiful lake and it is from here that the most people start the Annapurna Circuit. The Annapurna area has only been open to foreign visitors since 1977 due to previous local disputes between guerrillas in neighbouring Tibet and the Nepalese army making it too dangerous. Now the area has fully embraced adventure tourism and all it brings to a developing rural

economy. Those who live in the comfort of the developed world and look at Nepal and complain that the culture is disappearing and is not what it was 30 years ago are missing the enthusiasm and need of Nepali people to better and improve their society. “Now that Nepal is more stable than in recent history tourist numbers have increased by approximately 10% a year to around 700,000. This is still not a large number for the range of adventure activities the country has to offer, and amazingly, tourism still only accounts for about 3% of the nation’s GDP. If you do decide to bring your own mountain bike to Nepal you will still feel part of a pioneering set of adventurers, having to overcome obstacles and barriers at every step. This is part of the fun. Still in 2014 only about 40% of Nepal’s population has access to electricity which highlights just how rural the country is, with more than one third of its people living at least a two hours walk from the nearest road. If you have been to Kathmandu you will know that access to electricity does not guarantee that it is available all day, and even the capital has regular power cuts every day.

High Altitude

Nepal is diverse in many ways, the people, climate and landscape all seem very different day-to-day. The Annapurna Circuit mountain bike trail passes through four different regions: Lamjung, Manang, Mustang and Myagdi. Lamjung and Myagdi are at lower elevations and predominantly Hindu, with lush green subtropical valleys, farming villages and terraced agriculture. Manang and Mustang are higher in elevation and mostly Tibetan Buddhist. The trail goes anti-clockwise and the highpoint is the Thorung La pass which is a hard-gained 5,416m high. At 5,000m the amount of oxygen available to breathe is 50% less than at sea level. Mountain biking and every push is hard work here but the views are spectacular. This is when you are reminded of the value of your personal Sherpa. All along the Annapurna Circuit are

teahouses in which you can eat, rest or stay. Some agents offer camping and this is equally pleasant as you have your own cook and mess tent. During the day on the trail you will not carry any equipment, save what you need to eat, drink and protect yourself from the weather. This means you can enjoy such famous sights as Poon Hill, which looks toward the Annapurna massif, and the spectacular and sacred shape of Macchupucchre, otherwise known as the “Fishtail Mountain” without being overloaded with mountain survival kit. Although the trail is normally fully supported don’t think that it will be easy. This is an adventure experience and as you can see from the pictures you will be crossing, and sometimes descending, very steep scree slopes, with your bike on your shoulder and scrambling in some parts, coping with altitude sickness, fending off hygiene issues and generally toughing it out to get you around in one piece. Nepal is basic but that adds to the experience, and makes it more real, according to the 2011 census, 39% of the total households do not have toilet in their houses, away from the capital that number gets much higher. Of course you could probably ride the distances much quicker than the schedule, but to counter the effects of altitude, a program of acclimatisation is necessary. Gaining too much height too quickly will lead to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). It is generally understood that gaining 300m every day when you get above 3,000m should be adhered to.

The Kathmandu Valley

The Kathmandu Valley offers some of Nepal’s best mountain biking. Riding in the valley is a completely different experience from the remote and tranquil Annapurna Circuit. Using Kathmandu as a base from which to ride every day is possible. The riding is on a mixture of dirt trails, jeep tracks, roads and single tracks and you will bike between the many temples, monasteries and viewpoints in the Kathmandu Valley that overlook the Himalayan range. All of the mountain bike operators are based around Thamel in

Kathmandu and although it doesn’t look possible, you can ride out from the centre of town. Hiring or replacing equipment is not a problem here as the shops are plentiful and well stocked. A typical day will see you heading off early, after coffee and cake from one of the many great cafés in Thamel, then fighting the chaotic traffic onto a steadily climbing paved road in the direction of Kakani. At the top of the climb you are rewarded as you can then enjoy one of the best technical trails in the valley, which was used as the Nepal Mountain Bike Championship course. The trail heads down on a wide undulating jeep track mixed with single track passing through the Shivapuri Forest and onwards to Budhanilkantha, a fifth century statue of the reclining Lord Vishnu. Where else in the world could you do this and then head back to your guest house, before having a steak and hops in the world famous Everest Steak House? As you can see from the map, there are so many other fantastic mountain biking tracks around Kathmandu and the scene is continuing to evolve and develop. Since starting to travel to Nepal I have used many different agents. For the past few years, I have used one of the largest, Makalu Adventures. The owner, Mohan provides a very personalised service and has an extensive network of guides, hotels and yoga retreats. This October each morning as we had breakfast in the tranquil Thamel Eco Resort, we would see groups of foreign cyclists, bedecked in their recently received flower garlands and prayer scarfs arriving from the airport with their bike boxes. They would spend a short time here before flying to Lhasa or Annapurna or taking day trips around the Kathmandu Valley. So Nepal is definitely a place to explore on your mountain bike. The best conditions and the clearest views of the mountains are in the spring and autumn – between March and June or September and December. Only a short flight from Dubai, you will enter a completely different world, in which your senses will be assaulted and your spirit calmed. Next month we look at the epic journey across the breadth of the Himalaya as we travel from Lhasa in Tibet back to Kathmandu, so do not miss that.

OUTDOORUAE An exotic location for a MTB ride

ACTIVITY REPORT

600km The Balearics

Part 2

Mallorca to Ibiza

Words + Photos By: Tati Coco SUP

After 15 days in the stunning island of Sardinia, I had to keep following my tracking plan. The next destination was Mallorca and Ibiza – the ever-popular stars of the Mediterranean Sea. In my opinion, Mallorca has a big sunny personality thanks to its ravishing beaches and remote mountains. When you arrive in Mallorca you want to hike the Serra de Tramuntana trails, paddle around all the coastline and discover every inch of this beautiful island. Mallorca has two faces, much like Ibiza has, one side you have the famous and ultra-modern party spots, luxurious villas and the crowded fashionbeaches – and at the same time, up and down the island, locals are embracing their roots and revamping long-abandoned fincas (estates) into refined rural retreats. Spend silent moments along the olive and almond groves and you will soon fall for the quiet charm of Mallorca’s hinterland, where summer is one long party. In Mallorca, I met lovely people, and enjoyed the hospitality of David and Maria

from Paddlesurf Aloha, where I spent really nice moments and had excellent local dishes. Also a big thanks to John Oliver who took me to some beautiful caves in the north of the island. Head west for cliff-sculpted drama and sapphire seas, or head north for hikes to

pine-flecked bays and breezes that carry kitesurfers, windsurfers and sailors across turquoise waters. Scope out deserted coves in the east, or dive off bone-white

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beaches in the south. There are a few special places I really loved from Port d’Andratx to Sant Elenhere which were grandiose and surprising. On the other side of the island, I want to highlight from Cala Santanyi to Es Caragoler and the famous arch, Es Pontas. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to go through it because of the strong winds. Finally, in the north there is a magical place going from Cala Formentor to Cala Figuera which is spectacular, but extremely windy. In Ibiza, my trip was completely different as I had my family with me. I stayed every night at my aunties’ houses, and had such delicious typical Spanish dishes. The big difference with the other three weeks was in my quantity of rest. As I was sleeping every night in the same bed and house, I finally had proper sleep and stopped being “on the road” finding new spots. In Sardinia and Mallorca I only slept few hours – around five per night – and when you are in the burning sun all day, paddling between six and eight hours non-stop,

that we paddled, the three of us, on my board and we did some mini exploration. Like that, my last 150km was extremely easy to achieve and I was the happiest SUP mummy. In conclusion, Sardinia is the destination I will recommend you to visit first. Explore and enjoy. Mallorca and Ibiza are also charming, but they have two faces, if you chose the peaceful, traditional roots, you will find amazing places and people. This was an incredible experience in my life, and even if people told me that I was crazy, I did it! I bring with me now, such a huge experience in my life, and I do not regret any moment, and as I always say, “every stroke is a new adventure.”

desperate to find some shade and tired, digusted with cereals bars, bananas and tuna – having a bed, a shower and delicious food is like being treated to five-star luxury. There is a moment that you overcome all – the heat, the loneliness, the exhaustion, the kilometres. You just forget all – who you are, why you are here and time loses all chronology. You are lost and empty, but you are offering your eyes and soul the most spectacular scenery. I almost completed all the island of Ibiza, and I really loved the north around Portinatx and the western coast with Cala d’Hort and the island of Es Vedra. Ibiza city is also beautiful for its old town with the castle on the top of the cliffs always looking after you. The best “gift” from my trip was when my little boy and husband joined me and spent the last kilometres with me. While I was in the water, they were never too far away, and we used to meet in my arrivalpoint spot. I was so happy to see them

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ACTIVITY REPORT

Three times the challenge… nearly Fire ends Ironman Challenge for now Words + Photos By: Chris Queen

I should be writing this as a newly anointed Ironman, a member of a group of insane individuals who think nothing of putting themselves through a day of hell with a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and topped off with a marathon for good measure. Alas, in spite of being as prepared as it is possible to be, it ultimately came down to an idiot with a match to bring the whole dream crashing down. Or should that be, somewhat ironically, extinguished?! Taper time

As the race approached, training reduced in overall volume and intensity but in a bid to better prepare for the high altitude of Lake Tahoe, and the even higher parts of the bike course, I worked with the team over at Talise Fitness, making use of their altitude room. The final 12 days of my taper saw me pull up outside the Madinat, wheel my bike past perplexed looking hotel guests and spend sessions training at up to 3,500m “above sea level,” accompanied by the various stars of MTV. In hindsight I am not sure how much of a physiological difference the training made in terms of altitude preparation, but the psychological boost going into a high

Taka (a fellow Dubai Tri Pirate) and I are about to leave Dubai for the US for our respective races.

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altitude race certainly made the experience worthwhile.

The final countdown

The final week is incredibly nerve-wracking before any big race, especially one for which so much preparation has been invested. Between a definite uptick in “patient aggression,” culminating in both a dog bite and cat mauling, concerns about anyone even sniffing near me, and worries that Iceland’s volcanoes were about to blow, the final week before a big race is a stressful one. Needless to say I survived, in spite of the fact that packing nearly killed me – I officially detest the activity! In fact, maybe I should add it to my pre-race training.

Airport dramas

Flight day finally arrived and the issue of how to lug my considerably sized bike box to the airport was solved by a good friend of mine who sacrificed sleep to ensure I made it to the airport for stupid o’clock. Check-in was anything but simple, initially due to the fact that I was acting as a chaperone for two rescue Salukis who were being relocated to new homes in the US by a local rescue group. The real drama, however, was when the friendly check-in assistant asked me if I had applied to “Esther.” “Sorry, who?” was my swift, puzzled response. “Who is Esther?!” Apparently a special visa known as an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) is required for entry into the US, something that I had completely overlooked in preparing for my trip. Visions of missing my flight, homeless dogs and the entire IronVet challenge crashing down in an instant formed in my mind and my response was to hastily enquire, with clear panic in my voice, whether I was able to apply for this visa now, as in right now?! Thankfully it was possible, although I had only fifty minutes in which to do it and had to somehow get access to the website. With my phone choosing the worst possible time to ignore any available internet connections I desperately wracked my brains for options, ultimately

Bike in transition. Racked and raring to go!

plumping to inconvenience the same friend yet again in the same morning. Thanks to her exceptionally good humour, speedy typing and credit card I had my application in, confirmation back and clearance to enter the US within thirty minutes. Phew! With disaster averted we rejoined the check-in queue, by now significantly longer, and were soon ushered through ahead of others due to the fact that our particular flight was due to leave soon. It should have been plain sailing from there but we chose the new team member who also happened to have a clear dislike of dogs and no idea of what to do about checking them in. Further delay and by now some very anxious foot-tapping and thoughts again of missed flights and ruined trips. In the true spirit of the morning so far, however, we were finally checked in, bike, bags and dogs whisked away and I raced through security and on to my gate. Fast forward 15 hours and our story moves to the USA.

Fire and arsonists

I had heard reports shortly before leaving Dubai of issues with wildfires in Northern California, and one in particular that was raging a short distance away from Tahoe and apparently threatening the race itself. I arrived in Tahoe on Friday with clear skies but an unmistakable smell of charred wood lingering in the air. The previous few days had apparently been appalling, with thick, noxious smoke enveloping the entire area, making it hard to even venture outside. Fingers were firmly crossed as everyone prayed to Mother Nature to keep the winds switched round, thus keeping the smoke away for race day. The fact that the fire was set intentionally made it even more galling, and the perpetrator is, at the time of writing, in prison. Smoky Squaw. Thick smoke covers the area, making the race impossible.

Once I was settled into my super sweet home for the week – a three bedroom alpine chalet with views out over Lake Tahoe, towards the Eastern shoreline and Nevada – it was time to head on over to Squaw Valley, host of the 1960 Winter Olympics and the site of the bike to run transition and finishing chute for the race. It was clear to see why Ironman had chosen this site for a race, with the beautiful valley rising up to majestic peaks, serving as the perfect backdrop to an epic finish. With race numbers, swim cap and transition bags firmly in hand, thoughts turned to final preparations, including having a set of Zipp race wheels fitted, giving my bike a real “race-ready” look. Concerns about the swim were quickly put to rest as I ventured into the lake to test out the waters, convinced that they were going to be bitingly cold. Refreshingly cool, and unbelievably clean and clear, was my rapid reassessment, as I enjoyed a pleasant swim past moored yachts and a packed lakeside restaurant, before donning runners and taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the forest during a short run, recapping the trials and tribulations that had brought me from a mere daft idea a year ago to now finding myself in California about to race for real.

The course

Revered as one of the toughest courses on the Ironman calendar, the entire race takes place at a base elevation of 6,200 feet, with the two-lap swim being in the crystal clear, cool waters of the mighty Lake Tahoe, at Kings Beach, a gently sloping public beach a short distance up shore from the cute little town of Tahoe City. Once on the bikes, the two and a third loop course was to take us along the lake, through Tahoe City and Olympic Valley, past Squaw Valley on to Truckee, before making the long climb up Brockway, topping out at over 7,000 feet, before a lengthy downhill back to Kings Beach. T2 was at Squaw Valley, home of the 1960 Winter Olympics, with the marathon taking runners out to the turnaround at Tahoe City, along the Truckee river, keeping eyes peeled for the plethora of wildlife species native to Tahoe, including bears. The two-loop run eventually finished back in Squaw Valley, with the mountains serving as the backdrop for what would have been a memorable moment.

The drama climaxes

With the air remaining clear all of Friday and Saturday, all was looking good for race day, with the organisers stating that a

final decision would be made on Saturday afternoon, which came and went. It was, however, with a sense of impending doom that the winds swung round late Saturday evening and the smoke started its insidious creeping re-invasion of the area, much like a Dementor scene from Harry Potter. Waking up to catch the buses from Squaw Valley on race morning it seemed as though the smoke was thicker than ever but with no announcement made we were all very much in race mode, chatting excitedly as we all headed down to the lake for the swim. With bike primed, special needs bags and nutrition prepared, and wetsuit donned, my initial race nerves soon converted to sheer excitement at the imminent start and the culmination of a year of gruelling work. Heading out to the lake shore, goggles in hand and race plans crystallising in my mind, I was now pumped and just eager to get started. Then the disaster… The race was cancelled! Called off at literally the last minute, with the pros even under starter’s orders and some age-groupers already in the water. The reason, as we all suspected but didn’t want to believe, was the unhealthy levels of smoke in the air making the conditions hazardous to human health. In spite of hearing the words and knowing at gut level that the decision was the only sensible one to be made, the sense of disbelief was palpable. So much so that most of us, myself included, simply ambled back towards transition almost expecting a second announcement to be made telling us that a terrible error had been made and that the race was to go ahead after all. No such follow-up came and so as quickly as excitement had peaked, a crushing sense of anticlimax washed through the crowd. We had come as close to starting the race as was possible and yet it had been snatched away. That was it. Our race was over before it had started and a year of preparation, it suddenly seemed, had amounted to nothing. Some athletes, whether through a sense of not wishing to accept that which had been stated or, more likely, on account of needing an immediate outlet for the caffeine induced energy about to burst out of them, completed the swim course and I later saw people out on bikes and running, in spite of the choking smoke that gradually crept as far as Tahoe City itself. In hindsight, I wish I had at least dived in and completed even one lap of the swim loop, but in my sense of numb disbelief I simply did what most did and collected my things before boarding the buses for a return to Squaw Valley, by then almost invisible on account of the noxious

Home for the week – a beautiful Three-bedroom chalet overlooking Lake Tahoe.

smoke blown in from King County. A return trip with my bike to take back the wheels, an expensive 24 hours of mere decoration as it transpired, and I turned my back on Squaw Valley for the last time during my trip, left to wonder what if and contemplate whether or not I would be returning the next year to legitimately claim my finishers medal. Talking of medals, the ones that we were due to receive at the finish were left out for us to pick up, an exercise that carried a sad sense of fraud about it. I collected one, more out of simply following the herd than actually wanting one, and even now I look at it with a deep sense of sadness, anger and disentitlement at being in possession of it. Why had Ironman even made them available? It seemed wrong that there were two thousand medals out there, awarded for a race that was never staged and owned now by people for whom they simply serve as painful reminders of a shattered dream.

The aftermath

Long story short, I ultimately signed up for next year’s race, determined to return and conquer it. With ice last year and now fire this time, every athlete will be keeping their fingers firmly crossed for a calm Mother Nature and finally getting to race Lake Tahoe. If you would like to continue following the training and racing exploits of Chris as he prepares for his new challenge of racing Ironman Lake Tahoe 2015, then you can do so via the website www.ironvet.net or via the Facebook page, Ironvet 2014. Similarly, if you would like to donate to the WVS and support Chris’ chosen charity in this challenge, then you can do so at www.justgiving.com/ironvet. Determined to have some fun, I took to the lake regardless.

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ACTIVITY REPORT

FAST TRACK TO FREEDOM

This month, Andy McNab gives his trusted 4x4 a summer break, and instead surfs the silver snake to get him to one of Dubai’s most accessible patches of prime real estate to stretch his legs. Walk Route A to B

Al Ras Metro Station (Green Line only) to Union Metro Station (Green and Red Line service)

Distance

2.75km

Time taken (with refreshment stops)

120mins

Cargo waiting to be loaded.

**Do pack sun screen and water** Words + Photos By: Andy McNab So what do we know? Firstly, it cost countless millions of Dirhams, Dollars or whichever currency you care to use. It is driven by a robot, each day up to 140,000 people use it for their daily commute or coffee shop meet up. And if I remember correctly, I first wrote about its imminent arrival way back in ‘07. Until a few months ago, I was a selfconfessed “metrophobe,” for whatever reasons [robot drivers – you’ve heard of Skynet?] I had never really felt the need to do the two-railed cruise. No matter how many people recommended it, I wasn’t really that fussed. However, as soon as I broke my mass commute duck, I was instantly turned on to, not just an easier and less gridlocked system for getting from A to B, but also a never-seen-before perspective on the city. From the elevated ride the metro permits, you begin to spot open areas that were until now not an easy spot. Previously hidden trees and

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small patches of green popped into view, and there seemed to be a little more space between the buildings in even the most cluttered of neighbourhoods. Now that I am fully plugged in and assimilated into the Dubai Metro network I use it once or twice a week and I guess the question has to be asked, “is it the best way to see the city and get outdoors at the same time?” Over the next few months OutdoorUAE will wield its NOL card with impunity, as we hop on and hop off in pursuit of some of the city’s best kept open spaces and city walking routes for you to enjoy with family, friends, visitors or in splendid solitude. CREEKSIDE STROLL On opposing sides of the Creek, Deira and Bur Dubai have always been regarded the beating heart of the city. A place where the late night neon shines just as brightly as the daytime fabrics and gemstones. Where the pace of business is always lively and often frenetic and where

Bastakiya - faded face of ‘Old Dubai.’

Bikes, bikes and more bikes awaiting transfer to Iran.

shiny, new Dubai seems like a hazy desert mirage. ARRIVAL For our first outdoor excursion we’re jumping off the metro at Al Ras, “Ras”, meaning “head” in Arabic is right on the apex of the creek’s first meander. The

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Super-sized dhow.

Contrasting cityscapes

pass numerous small fishing and marine supply shops on your left. Although fishing is prohibited along all of the Creek, the shops are useful to know for pending outdoor activities. I even stumbled across a fly rod and feathers in one, which I am assured are not so easy to come by in the UAE. Also there’s a small Indian café, which is fine to refuel with sweet tea and a quick paratha bread. Swing a left at the end of the shops and Civil Defense, and enjoy the shade of a few trees as you pass St George’s Hotel left and library right. Pick either side of the street, although you will soon see, the waterside sidewalk provides the best vantage point over and along the Creek. Lace up you sneakers and enjoy a very pleasant walk. Simple as that. After around 200m you’ll approach the Dhow Wharfage which stretches for the best part of a kilometre. First you will pass the smaller dhows and they seem to get progressively bigger until we finish with whoppers. When you think, traditionally dhows were constructed using only wooden pegs and rope to hold the timbres in place, they are amazing vessels. These things should never be taken for granted, they may look battered and bruised in most instances, but they are still marvelous machines and testament to the local boat builder’s ingenuity and craft.

A SNAPSHOT OF YESTERYEAR Whether or not heritage is your bag, do take a brief pause and look across the water to the Bur Dubai/Bastakiya side, where you have got to appreciate this fading façade of Dubai. There is Bank of Baroda on the left, one large mosque Friendly faces from the cabin. centre, the minarets of another far right and in between all manner of low rise buildings, shops, cafes and restaurants, as underground platform is decorated with if to testify the age of this snapshot into numerous friezes that reflect this patch of the past there is a three-storey date palm Dubai and its maritime past. It is the point adding a splash of vert into an otherwise on the Creek at which pearling boats drab colour palette. Three-storey date would launch and dock during their grupalms do not grow over night – this is eling summer season. The pearls being “Old Dubai”. The buildings reflect that, counted out, sorted and priced, before and thank goodness they do. In a city captain and crew received their share of that knows no limits and changes on an any profits. One of my favourite “Old almost daily basis, it is good to see some Dubai” pictures is exhibited on the wall, evidence of a bygone era not only survive, the aerial photograph of the 1950s Creek. but thrive. A kink in the creek and a smattering of As you progress on your way one thing temporary barasti shacks and one humstands out about the Dhow Wharf, much ble-looking palace. It is an education in like many other parts of Old Dubai, it itself. A reminder of both past hardships, is not pretty. It is not dainty or shiny or and rapid pace of change and developshowy. It is sweaty and noisy and real. ment that swept through this part of town Tyres, white goods, battered sewing when the region’s fortunes changed. machines, car parts, A/C compressors Exit the station at Exit number two and what could best be described as a (Al Khor Road) (Khor, meaning creek). “pile” of bikes seem to be the main trade Once outside you should be pleasantly today. Rewind 35 years and that great surprised by the open space, although globetrotter and outdoorsman Michael you are in the midst of arguably Dubai’s Palin hopped on to a Dubai dhow and busiest business district, the station is made the trip across the Indian Ocean to slightly distanced from the 24-hour madthe then Bombay. I’m not sure whether ness. Directly ahead, you should see the you could get away with that these days, HSBC Bank HQ in the middle distance, and I doubt the dhows are equipped with this should be your direction of transit. a priority boarding, first class menus or EAs you walk towards the Creek, you will Gate, but for some salty old sea dogs out

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there, this is day-to-day life and a means to feed a family, and I guarantee, if you smile and wave up at them, they’ll smile and wave back as they take rest before their next crossing. Continue along with dhows on your right and notice Deira Spice Souk on your left – certainly worth a look if you have not seen before or if you need a fix of some “Iranian Viagra” (honey) or dried lemons (yum yum!) At this point on the waterfront is Deira Old Souk Abra station, where one shiny Dirham will get you across to the Bur Dubai side, expect wet feet and don’t expect an overbearing health and safety procedures demo. If you are wanting a little more sightseeing, and why not, you are here after all, 120 AED will buy you a private abra (water taxi) stopping off at a few points up the Creek, until you reach Creek Golf Course and then back. I guess if you have visitors in town or a lazy day itinerary you may fancy. PUT YOUR FEET UP Keep on along the waterside for a further 500m past Radisson Blu and glass-fronted Deira twin towers and you’ll come to a small municipal green space on the creekside, directly opposite the imposing Expo 2020 emblazoned Dubai Municipality office block. It’s not going to be a life affirming experience or the greatest park you have ever encountered, but it’s a pleasant, basic outdoor space which is home to two camels, and plenty of seating from which you can watch life on the creek gently pootle along. There isn’t any real shade here, so do be careful not to sit out during the hottest part of the day without water and a cap. Once you have had your fill of Creek life, dhows and abras. Cross the main road and head through the DM car park to the pedestrian overpass. From there you are basically at Union station and your walk has concluded. Nice and easy. Union is a green/red station, so from there you can literally pick your next destination and descend, descend, descend into the cool once more. PS: The walk can be done in reverse order and is the same distance. PPS: If you are feeling particularly active you can jog the route, it doesn’t cost any extra. Happy walking. Keeping watch over the Creek - DM’s very own humped guardian

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ACTIVITY REPORT

St Thomas Bay, sometime a quarter of century ago . . . Words + Photos By: Glen Grixti

Originally from the beautiful Mediterranean outdoor hub of Malta, now a globe-trotting blogger with a passion for one thing and one thing only – Glen Grixti is a kitesurfing enthusiast and expert. With over 25 years strapped to a board, it is safe to say he knows a thing or two about this “relatively” new open water pursuit. We’re starting today with a history lesson, so pay attention at the back! Back in the early 90s I was a windsurfing geek, and nothing could change the idea that windsurfing was the ultimate sport for me, but every true adventurer knows that outdoor sports keep evolving to feed the adrenaline cravings that fire in our brains.

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As I recall back, myself and fellow water sport geeks were having a group windsurfing session at St Thomas Bay in Malta, the small Mediterranean island I call home. A friend of mine showed me a picture of a new sport that was being talked about by virtually everyone. It was a picture of the two French brothers Dominique and Bruno Legainoux being propelled by a kite on a board and it tugged at my curiosity. Let’s dive into a bit of history! Kitesurfing (or kiteboarding) is one of the latest crazes to hit the world of extreme sports. While the sport may seem new to many people, with super lightweight kites, carbon fibre harnesses and state of the art boards, its roots can be traced back to China in the 14th Century, where kites were used to drag canoes out at sea. Through the years, the concept has evolved until it became what we see today as kitesurfing, and, as you would expect, as the sport has evolved, so too has the equipment. The first kite tested by the Legainoux brothers was done with a pair of water skis strapped to their feet, and that was patented way back in 1985. The same year

they did a presentation of their invention at the Brest International Speed Week. Unbelievably, the windsurfing companies were not interested in investing in this new sport, and this led to the brothers to further improving their kites. In 1987, Bruno gave a demonstration with the biggest wing ever made, (17mx2m), the following year prototype kites became smaller, lighter and were more stable. Great improvements were achieved and you could see kites propelling catamarans, small fishing boats, water skis and windsurf boards, skateboards, inline skates, inflatable boats, kayaks and buggies, almost anything and everything water or beach based. The inevitable breakthrough Around 1993, the two brothers met with Neil Pryde – a very well known windsurfing manufacturer and the first commercially obtainable kites could be found for sale under the name of Wipika Trademark. The ball had started rolling and Robby Naish and Don Montague (surf legends turned manufacturers) asked the brothers for a license as well. Kiteboarding started growing at an unstoppable pace and the

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brothers secured an intellectual property licensing agreement with Best Kiteboarding. The licensing agreement settled any intellectual property rights between the parties for inflatable kites and control systems, past and present. Kitesurfing was born. So, rewind quarter of a century and what we know today is already 25 years old, and back then, in the mid 90s, “trust me,” it was not easy to fly a kite. After moving to Holland in 2000 for my hotel internship I was desperately looking for a kite, and believe me they were still very hard to find. Finally I stumbled upon a small windsurfing shop that featured a Wipika sticker on the window, so I went straight in and walked out with my first kite. It came with a small hand pump to inflate the leading edge and, as I browsed slowly through the manual, I rigged the kite in a field with very soft grass. Later on my friend helped me launch and the kite started flying wildly from side to side, while I was being dragged around and leaving lines across the field like bad handwriting. I would not let go of the control bar until, “luckily” I now see, the kite wrapped itself around a tree. “This is madness!” But yeah, a hell of a lot of fun and it didn’t stop me from trying again and again. Of course the early model I got from Wipika kites was only controlled by two lines, and the concept of having four lines on the bar was still not popular, however, the same kite could be converted to four lines. Initially, the safety system was just a simple leash that was strapped around one arm and which created all sorts of tangling problems rather than actually acting as a safety leash.

Practise makes perfect(ish) By hook or by crook I was improving my kite control, and I could land and launch the kite safely without any injuries (to myself or anyone else!). In my next trip home to Malta my cousin joined me with his jet ski, which was the perfect safety device, and we decided to launch the kite in the water with a wind speed of around 23 knots (a fairly moderate wind). This was a new chapter, as the kite seemed to launch very easily out of the water while I was being “tea bagged” all over the bay until I ended up in the tuna fish farms a couple of miles out to open sea. My cousin came zooming across on his jet ski with the biggest laugh on his face, as he’d been lucky enough to see the whole charade unfold right in front of him. A few improvements Later on I converted the kite to four lines, and immediately, it had a totally different feel, as the kite could be sheeted (changing the angle of the kite relative to the wind) in and out of power better, which gave me more control, better manoeuvrability and also improved safety. Nowadays kites are mostly all controlled by four lines, with a few models having even a fifth line for a different perspective on safety, and the equipment has undergone some of the toughest tests in the extreme sports industry. Safety has always been one of the top priorities when designing kites, and also one of the sport’s biggest achievements. Many top brands now keep on developing the equipment and the evolution of kitesurfing gear, one of the reasons the

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sport is still growing rapidly and kites can now be found in every stretch of water with a bit of breeze, all over the world. Glen is a regular travel, adventure and kite-surf blogger, please visit his blogsite at, www.bordertube.com. You looking to get started with kitesurfing, or have a question you would like answering, please do not hesitate, drop us a quick line at, andy@outdooruae.com.

In months to come Glen will share a few real-life experiences and tips and is also here to field any of your kitesurf related Qs. So, if you have any ahead of the UAE season kicking off, send them in and we’ll test his knowledge.

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Prilep: Bouldering in the Balkans Petzl RocTrip Basecamp 5 Words + Photos By: Read Macadam and Tara Atkinson

Prilep in Macedonia (FYR) sits at the base of two open valleys full of golden granite blocks the size of your house. There are no trees, only rocks and grass as far as the eye can see. Fresh air courses over the hills. An ancient monastery presides over the whole scene. We could not see this vista yet because it was raining. Of course it was raining. This is the story of our trip so far. But we were resolved to boulder in Eastern Europe’s famed granite landscape. Once more the thwacking of the windshield wipers played a rhythmic soundtrack to our craning necks and exclamations of wonderment as glimpses of boulders appeared ahead of us in the murky grey morning sky.

As we passed through town, tobacco leaves strung up by the thousands under homemade wood framed shelters lined the street-side. It was said that at least 2% of the tobacco in each pack likely originates here, but the rural makeshift method belies the industrial scale of cultivation. Crossing a gypsy village with broken down trucks and archaic homemade tractors, we made our way towards the Petzl Basecamp at the foot of the boulder-strewn hills. Screech! We stopped suddenly at the foot of the grassy knoll upon which our little rental car would have to ascend. We both did a double take. The 300m uphill dirt track was a stream of greasy red-brown mud, rutted and glistening, the gooey texture a literal definition of slippery.

The Petzl Caravan in Prilep, Macedonia (FYR).

An old harvest truck in its final resting place, tobacco leaves drying in the background.

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“Allez!” Of course we drove up. That’s the thing about the Petzl RocTrip: you go for it! Tara at the helm, right foot planted and wheels spinning, the engine whined and the car slid upward, facing left, then right. “Use the grass!” Tara leaves the track for the firmer grass and we

accelerated up the hill and finally slid to a stop in front of another Petzl-Woodstock scene, the Petzl caravan ringed by tents, vans and people milling about. “What’s up, guys?” we inquired. “Rain. But it should clear up later!” We got a thumb’s up, and grinned back. Might as well head to town, so we set off back down, buoyed by the forecast of blue skies ahead and, from what we had seen, these hills have more than enough granite for many lifetimes of climbing. The thing about Prilep is that it’s a melting pot of culture. From the rural Balkan flavour of its muddy streets we were met by Soviet era sculpture and design, Ottoman influence, a gypsy village and of course the tobacco industry framing it all. Underneath an Art Deco Pepsi advertisement, endearingly hand painted on an old brick building at the town’s central market, we were greeted warmly by the Macedonians. “Zdravo!” Friendly and full of smiles they offered us samples of their fresh produce, and, with the taste of local salty cheese and olives on our tongues, we stocked up for four days camping nestled in the boulders. The ruins of an Ottoman era mosque stand guard over downtown Prilep.

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More and more climbers flitted into town. Familiar faces from our journey, road weary but excited to be in a new space. Over coffee at a cozy jazz café in the town centre, stories of the road were shared and before we knew it the sky was clear. They say a watched pot never boils… a watched sky never clears? Tara and I made it up the mud and back to camp just in time to boulder in the evening light. The boulders in Prilep are a beautiful playground. With a crash pad and excited info from Philippe Ribière – a man who considers Prilep one of his homes – we set off. The scale of the place is unfathomable – each hill that we crested added hundreds of ancient golden orbs into our line of sight, filling us up with excitement. Crash pads bobbed up and down as other climbers scampered up to revel in this natural masterpiece.

Where do we start?!? A question we and most of the others asked ourselves each day in Prilep, as we gawked at the dizzying array of rocks surrounding us. Finally we threw the pad down at a deeply featured boulder, stained on all sides with fluorescent green lichen, we both climbed, feeling free, unhindered by ropes and with golden light and wind filling our spirit. To climb free in the fading sunlight, as if on the edge of the earth, was uplifting after the previous week’s rain, and after a few more boulders we wandered back to camp by head torch; the lights of Prilep far below and a warm campfire welcoming us back to the caravan. The first thing you notice about the granite of Prilep is how rough it is on your skin. After only an hour of bouldering we were feeling our fingers. Back at camp we all compared our fingertips, imagining how they would feel after three more days of the same.

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Evening sunshine over Petzl Basecamp Prilep in an old tobacco field.

Day two dawned, cool and clear. With clinking bells and shouts of a shepherd and his flock we unzipped our tent to the view of dozens of sheep winding their way between a hundred boulders or more. We felt like we were awakening in a land of myth and legend. Morning at our campsite in Prilep. There is bouldering within steps of your tent.

We set off to Dabniça with the Petzl team and others. This sector – and I use the term “sector” loosely because it is really just a selection of boulders – a fraction of the total that have been cleaned and climbed within walking distance, and they sit above a tiny little village at the foot of the valley adjacent to our camp, replete with abandoned relics of buildings, sheep and a shepherd. We connected immediately with a group of friendly Romanians and began our day in the warmth of the Macedonian sun on some gymnastic, uncrowded lines. As we climbed, shouts of “Allez! Allez, uh!” reverberated across the hillside. The French Petzl team were up the hill working on climbing something that sounded exciting, so when we finished up it was time to hike up the hill. We arrived to a scene of boulder madness. Above the trail, 5m atop a giant boulder were the entire Petzl team, packing up their pads and leaving two epic looking boulder-shaped problems behind them. Pads came crashing down around us, people squeezed past as we climbed up to see what the rock was like. It was perfect timing, we had the entire wall to ourselves. Read warming up in the sun on an athletic 7B in Dabniça sector.

Tara enjoying her first boulder of the trip as the Treskavec Monastery sits on the hill in the background. “How’s the rock, Tara?” “Rough!”

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MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Petzl athlete Arnaud Petit floats effortlessly up the 7C in Dabniça sector.

A gorgeous 5m tall wave-featured overhang with large grain granite, it was like nothing I had ever seen before and made for a world-class 7C. Arnaud Petit poked his head around to see and, also joined us to try the beautiful line. After sussing out the starting move I managed to climb to the top on my second try, and in textbook Arnaud style he witnessed us all climbing, put on his shoes, evaluated his own sequence and then floated effortlessly upward to top out. The guidebook features a photo of Dani Andrada at full wing-span between two giant holes in a nearly perfect sphere shaped rock, and we immediately set off further up the hill to seek it out. This boulder is a must-do; it is long, high and has distinctive movement on perfect granite. It is not the hardest boulder, but it took me a few minutes to figure out how I could spread my hands so far apart without scraping my face across the rock! From the top of this high boulder the whole valley spreads out below and I could see other climbers laughing and sharing on the boulders beneath me. On our way we passed Arnaud and others trying an untamed boulder that followed an improbable line of shallow sloping edges up to a jump. None of us managed to climb the route, but we descended with smiles on our faces and stinging fingers back to camp, telling stories of old climbs and adventures. The next day, with hands shredded, we awoke, stiff and sore, but there is so much rock in Prilep that our excitement to explore new boulders won out and we set off into the hills above camp. Bouldering at Prilep is so accessible that within ten minutes we were all taking turns warming up. More and more people arrived and we progressed up the hill, feeding off each other’s energy. With an international group of Mexican, French, British, Canadian and Bulgarian climbers we played on an unbelievable block that can only be described as the granite version of the Imperial Death Star – if it were designed as a mushroom! Prilep is such a perfect venue for the RocTrip because bouldering really brings people together in climbing, creating a wild energy that cannot be shared from

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high up on a rope. After much laughter and a lot of stripped skin, we determined that a wire brush was required to progress past the archaic lichen and moss preventing our success on that route. The sun was too hot, a little early in the season for midday climbing, so we lounged and spotted other climbers on their problems through the afternoon.

Read trying the Death Star mushroom project. Daniel from Mexico and Guilhem from France showing their support.

The evenings are the best time to climb in Prilep – the ambience created by the evening light washing over greenstreaked orange granite amongst the tall grass is heavenly. Not to mention that the breeze and cooling temperature is perfect for your friction on the rock. That evening we moved up to Balvanija sector to climb in the magical orange evening glow. Leaving the crowds, and passing through thirty or more sheep and their friendly shepherd, with the scent of the wild dry herbs on the breeze, was an idyllic scene to say the least. On the way we crossed a large wild tortoise, inching his way across the grassy plains, reminding us in his own very essence to just slow down and take it all in.

Dan sending the right variation, a stretchinducing 7C dyno. Arnaud sneaks in one final climb, a beautiful and subtle 7A below the project.

Read making the stretch on a super classic 7A in Dabniça sector. A “must-do” boulder for any visitors.

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Climbers lounge in the hot midday sun.

The evening is the best time to climb – when we should probably have been resting our skin. After just two days bouldering my fingertips were in agony. The route I had my eyes on was just too painful for the state of my hands, so I settled for the stand-start, called it a day and left it to our American compadre Dan to send the right side variation 7C before we all headed down, exhausted and content. That night, in true Petzl RocTrip fashion, we partied to a high-energy Macedonian ska band that kept us all dancing around the campfire until far too late.

The Hounds riled up the crowd at Petzl Basecamp Prilep. It was great to unleash with the team after a great few days bouldering.

As camp slowly packed up, and one by one the tents came down and vans convoyed out of town, we decided that we were too enamoured by the raw scenery to leave, and so decided to stay an extra day in Prilep. In town, we bumped into Philippe Ribière and Andreas, a Belgian who had just lost all of his bags – passport and all. “Not to worry,” he said, “a new one will be ready in Skopje tomorrow so let’s enjoy the day!” The thing about unexpected travel hiccups is that they lead to new adventures! The four of us piled into the car and set off to visit the historic Treskavec Monastery that sits perched at the top of the mountain over town. The monastery is a must-see for any visitors, housing frescos from the 15th Century and incredible ornate wood sculptures. It was vacant, adding to the peaceful tranquility of the setting, and with a friendly cat we scrambled up the boulders above the complex to admire the competing views, both down on to the boulders below and to the golden sun set behind. As the sun set over the western mountains far on the horizon and a rich purple light flooded the tobacco fields beneath us, we shared stories of our trip, our passions, our life-philosophies and what drives us. A perfect end to our favourite stop of the Petzl Roctrip so far. The centuries old Treskavec Monastery is a great rest day activity. Check it out at sunset for epic views over Prilep and Macedonia’s western mountains.

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TRAVEL + ADVENTURE

The Honey Badger Episode 7: Zanzibar Destination: African Impact Volunteering Project, Jambiani

Diaries

Stiff after climbing Kili, worrying slightly about leaving our beloved Honey Badger in Dar es Salaam and seasick after a two-hour ferry ride in a squall, [a sudden strong wind], we finally made it to Zanzibar feeling “fragile”. Our self-pity was to be short-lived, however, and when we arrived at Jambiani, we were welcomed by a highly energetic group ranging in age from 17 to 40. Mark and Pauline, the Regional Project Managers, helped us settle into our separate dormitories and gave us a quick introduction to the teaching structure and volunteer rules and regulations. A good night’s sleep was followed by an early bike ride on two rusty bikes, which were to be our transport for the next two weeks. Our first ride through Jambiani Village to Sirajatil Nursery School was an uncomfortable reminder of bicycle seat purgatory, but the village was beautiful and full of a welcoming smiley community. We quickly felt at home until we arrived at the school where we were greeted by 50 children jumping up and down, screaming, “Teacher! Teacher!” Within minutes we had become a mobile jungle gym. James, the human tree, rarely had fewer than four children hanging off him as he walked into the school grounds. Mira had mistakenly worn a skirt and spent her first few minutes battling to keep it on amidst the playful chaos. Somewhat shell-shocked we sat down to watch Rob, a veteran volunteer, run the first lesson. Thankfully African Impact has a robust structure for teaching English, practicing motor skills and singing etc, so once the children had settled down everything fell quickly into place. We had a daily schedule of playing, reading and singing songs at Sirajatil, followed by the Nutrition Programme (porridge and snacks) at Ibrahim Nursery School, then teaching English, drawing and writing until lunchtime. By midday we had finished with the delightful whippersnappers and were ready for bed.

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However, a lunchtime dip in the Indian Ocean watching the dolphins offered some respite before we headed off to the adult English classes. The adult lessons were another legsplitting bike ride away at Kikadini School. The 90-minute sessions were rather more relaxing than the nursery school, and also a highly motivating opportunity to meet people who were driven to develop their English and improve their employment prospects. Ages ranged from 17 to 70 years old and the majority of the students came from Jambiani. Some were hoping to pass government exams by bettering their English, others were keen to learn how better to befriend tourists and sell them souvenirs on the beach. Each week focused on a new subject, such as tourism or global conflict, and a grammar topic like pronouns or the conditional tense. Lessons were planned a week in advance, supported by the African Impact team and a wealth of textbooks – we were also given a lot of freedom to address the needs and learning ability of each class. We both found the adult classes incredibly rewarding because the tangible impact on the community was so easy to see. At 5:00pm we started the final lesson of the day. Mira would head off to a women’s teaching project called the “Kanga Girls” and James shared his time between Kids’ Club [lucky James! – Ed.], a continuation of the human tree experience from the morning, and irrigating the African Impact vegetable patch. By 6:00pm we would all be back at the house – filthy and exhausted. Most evenings included a group game of Werewolves or the Belgian game. Despite the significant age gap within the group we all got along very well, and James had no issue fitting right in with the teenagers.

Aside from the teaching there were a number of other duties and voluntary activities, like harvesting the African Impact garden, collecting rubbish from the beach and helping the staff with whatever they needed for the day. Mira was also out of bed every day at 6:00am to join in the morning exercises with the local women on the beach. A full, but extremely fulfilling daily routine. Weekends began on Friday afternoons, but this was no opportunity to reduce the tempo. The entire group was ready to explore, and we started with a ngalao (small wooden trimaran) trip with snorkelling and fishing for octopuses along the reef. The next day was called “Aquaholics” and was brilliant. We started with scurfing (wakeboarding on a surf board), subwinging (one of the most fun things we have ever done) snorkelling and surfing. James was mesmerised by the subwing [imagine being towed underwater a little like Buzz Lightyear – Ed.] and could easily have spent the whole weekend gliding through the corals on it – a fantastic invention. Our second weekend was spent diving at the Mnemba Atoll, which is home to an aquarium-like coral reef with fantastic visibility. Unfortunately James’ camera broke and Mira’s dive ended with nausea and loss of balance after catching a cold from the nursery children. Whilst exhausting, our first African volunteering experience was an ideal combination of hard work, fun, and a clear benefit to the local community. We have every intention of returning to Jambiani and would like to thank the African Impact team for making it possible. If you would like to support the teaching and community project in Jambiani you can find out more about volunteering here: www.africanimpact.com. Alternatively, donations can be made through us here: http://www.gofundme. com/thehoneybadgerdiaries; or directly to The Happy Africa Foundation here: www.happyafricafoundation.org.

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Bali, the Mountains and the Sea Words + Photos By: Fareed Majeed

We had planned a holiday in Slovenia and Lake Garda and ended up in Bali, and it all started with a friendly smile and some advice from the owner of Café Betawi in Karama, that trekking through the sweaty jungles of Kalimantan might not be the best place for first-time travellers to Indonesia. That friendly smile was literally our first point of contact, when my wife Megs and I decided to head to Bali for our first holiday since moving to Dubai in 2012. We’re not the type of folks who research until their eyeballs turn to puree, so we didn’t question why the Etihad plane read “Seychelles”, if the person sitting in front of me could feel my knees through his seat, or why so many men kept asking me if I wanted mushrooms, of all things, on our late night walk through the streets of Kuta. “Do they come with cheese?” I was tempted to ask. The final plan for our 10-day holiday was simple, start with a day at Kuta on the west coast, followed with a drive into the hills of Tabanan for a jungle trek and stay at the Bali Mountain Retreat, and finally a drive down to the dive-centric little town of Sanur on the southeast coast. We decided against cramming up in one place for the entire trip, and packed light to keep logistics simple. In my opinion, there are two kinds of tourists: those with holidays of endless foot selfies by manicured lawns and bluetiled pools; and those who make sure they have extra cheese with their mushrooms. We were going to be the kind that had a little of the pool and extra cheese with everything. Between stuffing our faces with breakfast at the resort and bargaining for the fake Louis Vuitton, we made sure we saw as much of the sun-tanned party scene of Kuta that our jet-lagged limbs would allow to imbibe. We had booked a ride up to the Mountain Retreat since we were advised that most of the “city” drivers really didn’t know the way up to the place. A friendly guide picked us up from our hotel and we got chatting. There are a lucky few among us who are close to what they love doing, and our guide was just such a man. He was genuinely passionate about his

country, so much so that we took a detour and landed up at an organic farm that grew their own cocoa and coffee, right in the middle of postcard paddy fields. The highlight of this detour was a cup of freshly picked and ground civet cat coffee, yes, that’s right, you’ve read about it. Super, super expensive and passed through a civet’s digestive system! I would say usually I would never have ever imagined drinking something that was drying in a pile of civet poop a few hours ago, but man, that stuff was good! And buying coffee from an organic farmer feels good. From the farm, it was a 40 minutes drive up to the hills and we arrived at our Mountain Retreat. The highlight of our stay there was the trek through the jungle and up Mt Batukaru – six hours of trekking through lovely rainforest. We were picking snake skin fruit and cocoa fresh off the trees, understanding more about how the animals and birds interacted with the forest, learning why the Balinese pray before destroying any patch of forest to accommodate all that tourism-driven growth and identifying certain kinds of ivy that can leave one with burning, itching skin for days. We got to walk through valleys full of terraced rice fields, where the locals use the subak water management system to keep their crop nourished. Words fail me when I try and describe the calm our small group felt shuffling through those fields with nothing but the squish of mud beneath our feet and the soft trickle of the crystal streams all along our route. Back at the retreat, our dinner was spent getting to know the other guests; the owners Richard and Rani have managed to make their guests feel as if they are part of a little community of adventure travellers, a rare feeling when we were on an island that has been on the commercial tourist map for over 50 years. We found that there were surf schools

scattered across most of the island’s resorts and that’s exactly where we spent most of our time for the next five days, at a resort in Sanur. This area of the island was the first to open up to tourists back in the day, and has a reef a kilometre out from the main beach. Both complete SUP novices, Megs and I had a lovely sunsoaked time learning how to SUP and starting each day out on the water. High tide meant that we could SUP or kayak, and low tide was when we’d ditch the yaks for an evening walk across the bay. To sum up, what we finally got to do was nothing like the list I scribbled down, and thank God for that. All too often we are so guilty of converting a holiday into an exhaustive Lonely Planet to-do list and then come home more exhausted than we set off. So yes, Bali has really good snorkeling off Candidasa, amazing fabrics, wood and stone art at Ubud, Gamelan ensembles that you can head bang to and blissful yoga retreats scattered all over the island. You can spend days diving off a longboard, or sport fishing until your fingers are sore with bending all that wire leader. If you venture off Bali to the other islands in the archipelago, you can maybe sea kayak the Gili Islands, ride a fast boat to Lombok or swim with stingless jellyfish in Palau. You could fly into Palangkaraya airport and explore the thicker jungles of Kalimantan, or witness some amazing aquatic flora and fauna at Raja Ampat off New Guinea. What was most necessary for my soul was to make this beautiful part of the world my own, to stay until the names and the sounds and the good and bad of nasi goreng became familiar, to wait until the glass and steel and heat felt far, far away. To find out how few very different cultures live together in peace and harmony and to let the taste of Balinese coffee linger, to get to know the soil and the salt. And that’s exactly what we did.

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Navigating the crevasses

further Adventures in Si ber ia Part 2

This is part 2 of a climbing expedition to Mt Belukha in Siberia Words By: Sean James

It’s never pleasant to start walking in the rain and to leave behind the delights of a comfortable basecamp, but sometimes it’s necessary. Already we had been in Russia or more precisely Siberia over a week and had a mountain to climb. I was the leader of a commercial expedition with four clients and we had limited time, a tight schedule. Soon there would be a return flight from Barnaul in Siberia back to the UK. This was the first time that the company had run this expedition and I didn’t want to mess up by leaving us stranded in these Russian wastes while our flight took off to London. So we started out, heavily laden with equipment and supplies. Eight hours later after a grueling climb over moraine debris, ice and snow we arrived at Camp 1 well on Heading up into the mountain

At the start of the third day on the mountain it was essential to be the first away from Camp 1 so we were up early and packing our heavy rucksacks. Only an hour into the climb we came to the steep section of ice that we had heard about. Only about 400m in length and 45 degrees in angle, it was only passable with ropes and would take our team three hours to ascend. We didn’t want to be stuck behind other climbing parties who might knock debris down upon us and slow us down. Hence the reason for the shotgun start. It was as brutal, as we’d been told and being the first party that season we also had to fix the ropes. The pain and suffering of this section was soon forgotten however when we regrouped at the top. An immense view of the next glacier leading to Camp 2 and hopefully the summit indicated that we were making progress. During winter in Siberia the average temperature is -20°C and it can drop below -50°C. However the summer months of July and August are more manageable and are particularly suitable for visiting the Altai area and the glacier we were on now Drying equipment at camp 1 had good firm snow underfoot. The glaciers here are a permanent year-round fixture here but shrinking as global temperature rises. 30% of the Earth’s oil reserves are still locked under the permafrost here in Siberia and unlocking them could be a good thing or not. The melting of the ice

our way to the summit of Mount Belukha. In three days’ time we would hopefully be standing on top of one of the highest mountains, looking out over this empty patch of land on Earth known as Siberia. Over 800m higher at approximately 3,000m, Camp 1 is situated at the foot of the glacier proper. As glaciers always are, it was just a barren patch of rock and ice that needed scraping and digging before we could pitch our already wet tents. The glacier would eventually lead to the summit of Mt Belukha, the highest mountain in this range of mountains; the Altai in southern Siberia. At altitude, everything deteriorates quickly and looking after yourself is essential. Clothes stay damp, appetites disappear and even getting out of the tent to find a patch for the toilet is arduous. We would “rest” two nights at this camp with the next day spent practicing rope and technical skills. During our stay here avalanches and rocks from higher up rained down on the glacier around us constantly, all day and all night. It was very atmospheric but we think we loved it.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always hard work

The summit team

also releases a number of nasties. 2014 saw the discovery in the layers of ice of a giant 30,000 year old virus known as Pithovirus Sibericum. After a rather circuitous and winding route across the glacier to avoid the crevasses, we stopped for lunch, remaining roped together, just in case, before the final steep slope up to Camp 2. Camp 2 required more shovel work again but the snow was perfect for digging platforms and it is always a pleasurable task to see a small neat and orderly community appear on a snow slope where only a few hours before there was nothing. Only twice did we dig in the wrong place and stare open mouthed into a deep gaping icy chasm that we had uncovered. Those areas were quickly marked with wands so as to be avoided in the future. Many jokes about it being better to find them while digging than to drop down into them while asleep at night helped to cover the anxiety in the group. The expedition had suddenly turned from a pleasant hike in the forest to a real mountain expedition. The final summit day is impressive. From Camp 2 you cannot see the summit and it seems a long way off. There are no well-worn trails or Sherpas fixing ropes on this mountain like the popular peaks in Nepal. As usual for a summit day we started in the dark around 4:00am. This was not particularly early but meant that the temperatures although well below freezing were relatively manageable. The first couple of hours from high camp meandered through deep snow, around crevasses, across snow bridges and around toppling seracs until at first light we stopped for a break on a small flattish area at the start of the steep stuff. From here there was a choice to be made as a number of different routes led to the summit, still over four hours away. The

weather this year had left the initial slopes covered in bullet hard ice and we roped up into groups of three in the hope that if a member slipped the others could hold the fall. Being roped together has many advantages and disadvantages. Working together can provide much needed motivation to keep going if you are the first on the rope or to keep up as a member further back. As the morning light revealed more of the slopes and the clouds appeared far below us we made good progress. The climbing was edge of the crampon stuff and exposed, moving between ridgelines and islands of relative safety in the snowy landscape; as we zigzagged higher and higher up the mountain, the landscape of Siberia dropped precipitously away below us until we could go no further. We finally stood on the top of the highest peak for a long way in either

Five summit day above the clouds

direction. Standing on a summit, whatever the height is an exhilarating and uplifting experience. We could gaze out with a 360-degree view and there was nothing above us. Quickly taking summit photos and paying tribute to the memorial built to honour lost climbers, it was getting cold and windier. The slopes on the return were much easier to navigate as the sun had softened the surface. Plunging knee-deep with each step provided a form of braking and we descended directly down the fall line crossing and recrossing the tracks we had made earlier. Only twice did we have to leap the crevasses that started to appear because the snow bridges had become too weak to support our weight. Back at the high camp it was only 10:00am and there is always a temptation to pack up and keep going down. However the route below was still

First light over the glacier

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The horses lead the march back to the resort

Back to civilisation

relentless and we spent the rest of the day eating and sleeping. Tomorrow we would try and go from Camp 2 all the way to the basecamp. At this stage, the thought of a log cabin and Russian sauna was our idea of heaven. At altitude, strange things happen to sleep patterns and the dream state because of oxygen starvation. Much amusement can be had by trying to inteprete these visions. One member of our team talked frequently about trains and of course one cannot talk about Siberia without mentioning trains. The Trans-Siberian Railway took 19 years to construct and was finished in 1916. It was the dream of Nicholas II to provide closer links with Siberia and exploit the vast natural resources. Ugly industrial towns, packed with grim tenement blocks and factories pumping smoke and pollution into the environment owe their existence to this railway. The railway is in the south of Siberia and most of the population live alongside it. One of the reasons, the railway was built in the south is the weather. In the north, one village has the dubious reputation as having one of the worst weathers in the world. With a population of 500 it recorded a temperature of -71.2°C and is considered the Northern Pole of Cold, meaning the coldest known point in the Northern hemisphere. The permafrost there, the depth to which the ground is frozen solid, is said to reach nearly 1,500m. This desolate weather

Celebrating with the locals in the weather station

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Receiving our certificates

creates the taiga. Another word that can only be associated with Russia. Taiga is the most dominant vegetation in Siberia with a tundra belt on the northern fringe and a temperate forest zone in the south. Across Siberia the climate varies dramatically but basically it’s cold and even more so in the winter, which is long. The summer only lasts one month. Our climbing season was therefore very limited. We had only been in the region for 14 days but even over that short period, a change in the air mass was noticeable. On returning to our exclusive resort and the main road we were happy to leave the hardy locals to survive the long desolate. The period of time after climbing is always a period of reflection and calmness mixed with the rush and anxiety to get out and back to normal life. However we still had a three-day trek through the foothills with hopefully more experiences to come. The Golden Mountains of the Altai are so unique and diverse that they have been designated a natural UNESCO World Heritage Site. A vast area of 16,178 sq km, the UNESCO description of the site reads; “the region represents the most complete sequence of altitudinal vegetation zones in central Siberia, from steppe, forest-steppe, mixed forest, subalpine vegetation to alpine vegetation”. UNESCO also cited the Altai’s importance for preservation of the globally endangered mammals, such as snow leopard, the Altai argali and the Siberian ibex. And so we trekked back through some of the most amazing landscapes you would want to see. After nearly two weeks in tents, any opportunity to sleep under a roof with walls was a welcome relief and our guide

suggested we try the local weather station as he knew the people there. Perched on a hill overlooking the thick forests, we toasted our success late into the night with bottles and bottles of local fire-water whilst watching an international sporting event on a crackling television. Because there are relatively low rainfall levels here most of the water comes from the glaciers that receive snow during the winter months. In the summer this melts and the rivers rise becoming highest in the early part of July. We knew river crossings would be fun and indeed we needed to reroute our trek as one of the valleys had been washed out. The inconvenience this provided was outweighed by the spectacular display of huge waterfalls that were in full flow. Sadly our trip was nearly over and even in Siberia we could feel a sense of returning to civilisation and buildings. Roads, or dirt tracks appeared, smoke from buildings and bridges over rivers indicated we were close. We piled into the truck that was waiting for us and dashed for the shower and herbal teas that were awaiting us. After the Russian painter and mystical adventurer Nicholas Roerich made a pilgrimage to Belukha, many followed him and during the height of the summer, locals claim the area reaches Glastonbury proportions becoming a major centre for new age believers and others seeking shamanic enlightenment. Obligatory purchases of CDs of Siberian chill-out music, zithers, Siberian necklaces decorated with fake petroglyphs and fragrant tea made from Altai shrubs completed this remarkable journey for us. So if you had not considered visiting Siberia before and have something different in mind, you should make the effort. Everything is spectacular here and you will find yourself away from the crowds and enjoying a most singular and extraordinary experience. There are two videos that we made on YouTube showing the trek and climb. Trekking in the Altai mountains with Adventure peaks Team Leader Sean James http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=0269lozqKF0 Belukha - The Mountain (www.adventurepeaks.com) http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=nQZnY2DenNk

Let’s test the dunes, but safety first! It was a fantastic Friday afternoon and the weather was perfect for off-roading. The day had finally arrived when we were going to launch the All New 2015 Yamaha Raptor 700, Yamaha’s flagship model, and offer test rides to the customers. We gathered in the Al Badayer area, set up our tent and hoisted our Yamaha flags. With the rise in the number of people taking up ATV riding as a hobby, we were expecting quite a few customers to show up and have a go at the mean machine. As customers started to walk in, they were greeted and welcomed to a sight of the Raptors displayed upfront with the beautiful sand dunes of Dubai in the background. The main purpose of organising such an event was not only to launch the new extreme machine, but also to create awareness amongst off-road and ATV enthusiasts about the dangers of riding in the dunes and precautions to keep themselves and their surroundings safe. Even though it might be 50 degrees outside and all that safety gear might be heavy and uncomfortable, that’s no excuse for not wearing it. All it takes is one trip to the ground to appreciate the protection that safety gear gives to a rider. Foremost, safety begins with proper gear. Customers were given a short briefing about safety and the correct safety gear to wear before they could have a test ride. Customers were asked to wear a helmet and goggles along with body armour, gloves and appropriate riding boots. Each article of safety gear plays a vital role in the safety of the rider in case of an accident. They were

confidence while riding the most powerful ATV that Yamaha produces. A fun evening of riding would be incomplete without some good food to finish it all off. Food caterers were arranged to prepare food for the customers. All customers and riders finally sat down to enjoy dinner together while discussing their different experiences out on the dunes. The day ended on a high note with happy customers leaving with a smile on their faces.

instructed on the proper and safe operation of the ATV keeping in mind the other ATV riders in their surroundings. While riding in the tranquility of the beautiful undisturbed dunes, it is very important to not lose focus of what we are doing. Riders are always reminded to know their limits. They should never exceed the limits of their own abilities as well as push the boundaries of their vehicle. Each customer/rider that walked in for a test drive was on different skill levels and had to be guided accordingly. There were people ranging from complete newbies to the sport riders who were just short of turning pro. As customers finally set off into the dunes, many of them were seen applying what they had learnt in the safety briefing. For their safety, they were followed by a professional desert driver in a Yamaha Viking (ROV). After each test ride, customers were offered refreshments and were asked to fill out a form giving feedback about their experience. Customers were specifically asked about how safe they felt during the test ride and whether wearing the correct safety gear boosted their

Always remember: race wear not only helps you to look good while racing but also give you extreme comfort in tough racing conditions, whereas the protector such as shoulder, knee, elbow brace etc are usually covered under them. It is always recommended, while choosing the safety gear, may it be helmet, gloves or jersey always keep in your mind the track and weather conditions, distance and stunt requirement. You can find all off-road quality products at Al Yousuf Motors only.

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AWAKENING WEEKDAYS [6 – 10 AM]

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LIFESTYLE

Habitually healthy

Grass Fed Beef Cottage Pie Words By: Chef Christopher Zerbe

“Fall” is here! You know what that means right? This is the time of year that all of us love. Cool breezy days followed by even cooler, breezier nights. Perfect weather for all of your favourite outdoor adventures, events and activities. Whether it be camping in the wadis or mountain biking in Showka, this is the best time of the year to truly enjoy what the desert has to offer! With the addition of all these amazing outdoor activities comes the need for proper fuel the night before. With the running, swimming, cycling and triathlons happening this fall/winter season, the need for a proper “pre-race” meal is essential to your success. These meals should consist of lean protein, healthy carbohydrates and lots of vegetables! Of course simple grilled chicken or roasted turkey is a great choice, however, I tend to get a little bored with the white meat every now and again, and need a little change of pace. One of my favourites is an easy to prepare Grass Fed Beef Cottage Pie. This classic family style meal is quick to prepare, super cost effective and can even be made in advance. Try my recipe below and I’m sure you will agree that it not only hits the spot but also toes the line in pre-race nutrition giving you all the protein and carbs you need the night before your event without having to

“carbo-load” on heavy pastas and other wheat based baked goods. Enjoy! Prep time: 20min Cook time: 60min Method: 1. Start this recipe by pre-heating your oven (top and bottom heat) to 177°C. 2. Place a large saucepan on the stove and fill halfway with water and bring to a boil. 3. Add your peeled sweet potatoes that have been cut into one-inch cubes and boil till soft. 4. Once the sweet potatoes have cooked, carefully drain the water off and reserve about 150ml of the water. Mash the sweet potato and season with a bit of sea salt and black pepper. 5. While the sweet potato mash cools down, place your shallow sauce pan on the stove on medium heat.

Grass Fed Beef Cottage Pie with Sweet Potato Crust: Makes: (1) 9 x 13” baking dish Ingredients

Preparation

Quantity

Unit

Lean organic grass fed beef mince

Carrots

each

Peeled and diced (1cm cubes)

Yellow onion

each

Peeled and minced

Thyme

Rosemary

each

Beef stock

500

Bring to boil

Arrowroot powder

tbl

dissolved in 4tbl cold water

Sea salt

To your liking

Black pepper

To your liking

Garlic

cloves

Sweet potatoes

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Keep chilled till right before cooking!

pieces Stripped and chopped Stripped and chopped

Crushed and chopped Peeled, chunked, boiled, mashed

6. Add 2tbl of coconut or olive oil to the pan, and slowly add your minced onion and garlic, careful not to burn it! 7. Once the onion and garlic have browned, slowly add your beef mince in little bits at a time to keep it from clumping up and forming a giant hamburger in your pan! 8. While the meat is browning, continue to break up the meat and turning it with a spatula or your favourite wooden spoon like I do! 9. Now with the meat cooking, add your chopped herbs and a bit of the sea salt and black pepper to your preferred taste. 10. Add your boiling beef stock to the cooking meat and your carrots at the same time. Be careful not to add too much of the stock as you don’t want it to become “soupy”. 11. Lastly as all the ingredients in the pan are bubbling and simmering, add your arrowroot mixture to the pan and remove from the heat and continuously stir while it thickens into a nice gravy. (You can add a touch more stock or arrowroot mixture to get your gravy nice and thick but still pourable) 12. Now that everything is cooked, pour out the meat mixture into your baking dish and allow to cool a bit (if you try to put your mash on top now, it will just mix all together and start to sink.) I prefer to refrigerate it till the next day. 13. As for the topping, I like to use a 4L zip-loc bag! I fill it, zip it then cut the bottom corner off to create a simple cheap piping bag! Pipe out the potato mash on top of the beef mixture. Sprinkle a bit of the sea salt and some of the chopped herbs on top. 14. Now go ahead and bake off your “pie” until it’s nice and browned and crusty on top and starting to bubble around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to rest on the counter while you prepare your favourite side dish to accompany it. Bon appetit!

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

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Surf Ski Review

Stellar Elite Intermediate Words By: Graham Malkin

Last week I was offered the chance to try out a new surf ski – the Stellar Elite Intermediate. I had dabbled in surf skis over the years and I was keen to try out the SEI which had recently received some glowing reports. I tested it at the Jumeirah Sunset Beach around midday. After a solid hour spent paddling up and down, I am able to summarise the surf ski’s performance under the following categories – speed, stability and comfort/fit.

Speed

The SEI is 18in wide and 20ft (6.1m) long. It certainly has intermediate stability, but its speed exceeded my expectations. It takes a bit of hard effort to get it up to full speed, but once it reached the top end, it felt like it was racing along with minimum effort to maintain the momentum.

Stability

I found the SEI a little challenging at the start, but that is more a reflection on my skill level rather than the surf ski. I am more used to and suited to sea kayaks, and as many of you will be aware the surf ski is a different beast requiring more balance and core-stability. Like all the Stellars the stability is very predictable and kicks in early so the learning curve is minimised. Once you are up and moving, the ski feels stable (the water was relatively calm).

Comfort/Fit

The bucket width is tapered nicely for a more ergonomic paddling position with your knees closer together and supported by the sides of the boat. The bucket is also deeper than other Stellars with higher gunwales while your backside is planted in the back of the seat therefore limiting any sliding when seated. Due to the small “footprint” of the surf ski and its hydrodynamic design, it is not so easy to settle into a “relaxed” paddling position – pretty much the entire time a high or low brace seating position is required, and although this is great from a “workout” perspective it is never going to provide a particularly easy-going paddle experience. Having said that I am sure with a few more hours in the bucket, a more relaxed rhythm would begin to develop quite naturally.

Conclusion

The SEI offers intermediate paddlers with an all-conditions boat that has a high topend speed. The SEI also provides great stability for a surf ski of this nature at an affordable price (6,995 AED). One point

to maybe note is that, with a length of just over 6m, it is not the easiest watercraft to store or transport. Advantage Model (weight 14.6kg) Gelcoat finished heat cured infused epoxy Fiberglass and Soric core laminate is very tough and resists against punctures. Price: 6,995 QAR/AED; 760.3 OMR • Comfortable seat for effective hip rotation • Three-point quick release footboard • Strong Dyneema steering line • Low volume cockpit • Venturi drain with rubber plug • Paddle/boat-leash anchor • Narrow catch • Peaked deck to shed water • Three-rudder options from 4” - 9” • Very fast hull shape • Low wetted surface area • Good secondary stability • Swede form hull • Length: 20’ / 6.1m • Beam: 18.1” / 46cm • Depth: 13.8” / 35cm • Paddler: 5’-6’6” / 1.5m-2m • Capacity: 290lbs / 130kg Exclusively available at GO Sport stores Graham Malkin is a level 2 kayak coach (BCU), a leader of many kayak expeditions throughout Oman, National Park, Canada and Grade 4 white-waters throughout Africa. He is also a Mountain Leader (MLTE).

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PRODUCTS A round-up of quality products available right here in the UAE Corran Matrix SUP board 5,995 AED/QAR; 651.6 OMR

Available at GO Sport stores at Dubai Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall and Bawabat Al Sharq Mall in the UAE; Villaggio Mall and City Centre Doha in Qatar; and Muscat Grand Mall in Oman The Matrix is truly the master of all. Solving all the problems of flex and wobble of inflatable boards. This ultra rigid do-it-all board acts like a it’s a hard shell, with the advantage of being able to roll it up and put it in your Fiat 500, carry it on to an airline, or hike up the furthest peak in Peru. Once inflated, this board is fast and stable, making it possible to paddle long distances with ease, or fish off of it. Aside from its obvious pedigree design, we’ve solved the problem of the board flex in inflatable boards. Pumping it up to a sturdy 15psi after inserting the carbon rods, this board is almost as stiff as a hard shell board, with all the advantages of being able to roll it up. The cream on top is the innovative flip-up skeg that means you can launch into the water with the back of the board beached (keeping feet dry) and paddle over shallow shelves without getting bumped off.

Battery for eVolve V2 Torqeedo 2,895 AED

Available at Adventure HQ A lightweight, 6.6-pound, 320 Wh Lithium-Manganese battery (11Ah at 29.6V) powers the system’s featherweight Torqeedo motor. The battery is buoyant and completely waterproof, ensuring safety and there-when-youneed-it performance. Its built-in GPS unit generates pertinent information such as speed and range.

Distance Elite 695 AED

Available at Adventure HQ and The Cycle House Originally designed for our elite racing team, this shoe was tested and loved by some of the fastest runners in the US before being released to the public. The classic fourlug Newton ride with a seamless upper feels fast, light and efficient. The Distance Elite is great for high or low distance training and racing. We hope you love it as much as we do! Perfect for: the “Type A” athlete looking for an equally dedicated training partner. Likes: Race day PBs and crushing high-intensity workouts. Ride: Dynamic and race ready. Designed to amplify performance and maximise efficiency.

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PRODUCTS Trek Farley 9,000 AED

Available at Modell’s Sporting Goods, Ibn Battuta Mall, Mall of the Emirates and Mirdif City Centre Fatter is funner. Don’t let the fat tyres fool you. Farley is a pure performance bike that’s light, agile and handles just like a great mountain bike should. Ride it, race it, love it. Jackalope TLR 80mm wheelset (2857g) | Hodag 3.8” TLR tyres (1244g). Get the girth without the weight.

Drift Ghost S Action Camera AED 1,695.00

Available at Modell’s Sporting Goods, Ibn Battuta Mall, Mall of the Emirates and Mirdif City Centre Ideal for the casual user and prosumer alike, the Ghost-S is the most powerful Drift camera to date – twice as powerful as its predecessor. Boasting a leadingedge processor, Sony™ CMOS sensor, plus seven-element aspherical lens technology, the Ghost-S is capable of 1080p at 60fps, 12mp stills and unprecedented low-light performance. The result is extraordinarily smooth, rich video in any condition. Best in class battery life (3.5 hours) means you can record more and worry less. A vivid 2” Corning® Gorilla® Glass scratch-resistant LCD screen further distinguish the Ghost-S from its competitors. • Shoots stunning video including: 1080p at 60fps, 960p at 60fps, 720p at 120fps • “Scene Mode” and “Slow Shutter Mode” for improved low-light performance • Built-in LCD screen • 12MP, 8MP and 5MP still photos • Timelapse photography with intervals from 0.5s to 1min • Two-way remote control with LED indicators • Seven-element aspherical lens, leading-edge processor, and Sony™ CMOS sensor for crystal-clear footage • Adjustable bit rate • Flashback video tagging, clone mode and car DVR mode

6 Led Advanced Headlight 65 AED

Available at Carrefour, Lulu Hypermarkets, Adventure HQ and most supermarkets / electronics stores • Runs up to 75 hours (red LED) and 50 hours (two white LEDs) • Two focused white LEDs for spot projection • Two wider positioned white LEDs for flood beam • Four white LEDs for maximum light output • Two red LEDS for night vision • HDL33A1 is also available which is a 3 LED headlight priced at 55 AED

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Matt Traver tests the

Nite Watch MX10-209

Available at Instagram: @almekshah Facebook: www.facebook.com/almekshah Mobile:+971 55 4005441

WHERE/WHEN DID YOU TEST THE WATCH? Eastern Kazakhstan steppe and desert, 4,000-5,000m mountains in Tajikistan and endless swathes of sand in the Kyzul Kum Desert. WHAT WERE YOUR REASONS FOR DOING THIS CHALLENGE? Back in May, Jamie Bunchuk and I set off to begin the One Steppe Ahead expedition. Originally it was to celebrate the centenary of Sir Charles Howard-Bury’s horseback ride through Central Asia, by riding 1,100km across part of his original route in Eastern Kazakhstan. However the project developed from there turning into a documentary filming and writing project spanning across four separate Central Asian countries. WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLEGE? Negotiating the 45°C summer heat in Eastern Kazakhstan whilst looking after three horses! WHICH MODEL OF NITE WATCH DO YOU OWN? MX10-209. DID YOU WEAR YOUR WATCH FOR THE ENTIRE EVENT? I wore it every single day. Only at night would I take it off. Very often a night I would mislay it inside the tent amidst a jumble of clothes and filming gear, only to find it thanks to the illuminated dials! DID YOU USE YOUR WATCH FOR TIMING THE EVENT? Yes, I particularly found myself using the watch to gauge how long I was shooting a certain time lapse or sequence of scenes for.

DID YOUR WATCH KEEP GOOD TIME? Yes, it was unfailing. The only time I did get confused was in figuring out what the time was and having to manually change it when crossing various borders in Central Asia! DID THE WATCH BECOME COVERED IN MUD AND SWEAT? Yes, my watch has often been caked in dust and sweat, especially when rolling around in dirt trying to film from an awkward angle. DID YOU TAKE THE WATCH INTO OR UNDER THE WATER? Yes, dipping around in the occasional super salty Kazakh Creek. WAS YOUR WATCH SUBJECT TO HARD KNOCKS AND ROUGH TREATMENT? It wasn’t subjected to exceptionally hard knocks, but it definitely got banged around a lot inside of cars, on horses, scrapped against rock, blown with steppe dust and dirt and so on. WERE YOU ABLE TO EASILY READ THE TIME? Yes, I’ve never had any trouble reading the time on my MX10. Occasionally at night I might grab the watch the wrong way up and get confused at the time it shows, then with the help of the orange coloured night time dial at the 12 o’clock position, I quickly and easily realised which way is the right way up on the watch. I find it a useful feature if you’re someone who takes their watch off at night, which is what I do. WAS THE WATCH COMFORTABLE AND SECURE ON YOUR WRIST? I found the rubber strap comfortable and soft against my skin. I like the fact it was low profile as well so I could easily slip it under a glove or under my shirt sleeve. DID YOU NEED TO USE THE GTLS ILLUMINATION? I used it to illuminated dials all the time, every evening DID YOU DAMAGE YOUR WATCH IN ANYWAY? I’ve had no damage on the watch at all, it looks good as new. I’m impressed by the toughness of the glass.

WAS THE WATCH SUITABLE FOR THE ACTIVITY? Yes, absolutely. It’s a minimalist design, which I like very much. It makes my life simpler. WHAT WAS THE MOST EXTREME THING THAT YOU AND YOUR WATCH HAD TO ENDURE DURING THE EVENT? It was probably just the sheer amount of travelling involved, lugging around all the filming equipment/heavy bags, getting them and myself banged around loading up on to camels, horses, trucks and cars. To find out more about the One Steppe Ahead Expedition and release dates for the film and book, visit the official website at www.onesteppeahead.com. HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR WATCH OUT OF 10? COMFORT 10/10 DURABILITY 10/10 RELIABILITY 10/10 ILLUMINATION 9/10 APPEARANCE 9/10 DESIRABILITY 10/10

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PRODUCTS Five Ten Guide Tennie

575 AED (Colours available for men: Black Asphalt, Orangeade, Ca Sun; colour available for women: Charcoal Iris) Available at Adventure HQ in Times Square Mall in Dubai and in Dalma Mall Abu Dhabi The Guide Tennie is the most trusted approach shoe in history. Our proprietary Smedge Zone Toe delivers precision edging power and additional durability. Our new ErgoNomic last has an athletic-fitting heel, Natural Toe and form-fitting shape for walking comfort and climbing power. Stealth® C4™ outsoles guarantee no compromise in these go anywhere, do anything shoes. Upper material: Nubuck leather

Alpinestars BNS Tech Carbon Neck support 1,150 AED (previously 1,350 AED)

Available at Al Yousuf Motors Across UAE • Constructed from an advanced, high-performance carbon polymer compound to offer structural integrity and frame strength against heavy impact energies during a crash • Ultra-lightweight performance and comfort while riding • Resilience to low temperatures (below 0°C) • Designed to provide a customisable, secure and personalised fit with SAS (Size Adapter System) for a versatile fitment in size ranges XS-M and L-XL • Lycra-laminated foam padding kits; adaptable and interchangeable EVA foam pads allow compatibility with body protection systems • Incorporates a bio-organic engineering design for superb ergonomics

Hobie Outback 9,995 AED

Available at Adventure HQ A do-everything sporting powerhouse, Hobie’s Mirage Outback is large enough to carry plenty of fishing tackle, camera gear or even a date night picnic, with exceptional hands-free manoeuvrability. Built around the comfortable Vantage CT seat, the Outback is so stable you might be tempted to stand when you cast. Studded with thoughtful features such as molded-in rod holders, generous below deck storage options, and the smooth Twist and Stow rudder, the versatile Outback is ready for your outdoor adventure. • Crew 1 • Length: 12’ 1” / 3.68m • Width: 33” / .84m • Capacity: 400lbs / 181kg • Fitted hull weight: 78lbs / 35.38kg • Fully rigged weight: 91.3lbs / 41.41kg • Hull construction: Rotomolded Polyethylene

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Polar RC3 GPS Limited Edition Blue

1,450 AED (includes training device, USB cable and H3 heart rate sensor) Available at all major sports outlets and www.sportinlife.ae. The RC3 GPS is for runners and cyclists who want integrated GPS with smart guidance. Weighing only 58g and measuring just 1,37cm

in depth, this device is one of the lightest and slimmest integrated GPS devices on the market. Its supersized digital display makes it easy to read and customisable, allowing a user to display up to three rows of training data. With naturally placed buttons, the RC3 GPS is ergonomically designed and has a breathable wristband for maximum comfort. Benefits include: instant feedback after your session; tracks your route, speed and distance using built-in GPS; Running Index scores your performance; slim and lightweight design with rechargeable battery, plus it allows you to share your training with your friend. Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PolarME

Celebrate the off-road With the lovely UAE winter just around the corner what better way to enjoy the outdoors than on an off-road adventure. No matter what type of off-road entertainment you enjoy, Al Yousuf Motors and Yamaha got you covered.

Family off-road adventure The Viking VI: If you’re seeking a group fun outing then you will enjoy our Yamaha Viking VI. This side by side unit with its three spacious seats combines family and friend time with dune bashing. Enjoy the company of your beloved ones while riding those sandy dunes. The back cargo bed can host all your camping equipment and allow you to delve into new terrains that you wouldn’t have ventured into before. So seize the season and enjoy the outdoors, but remember these useful tips when you do: • Always setup camp before dark • Prepare a checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything • Dress for the occasion; make sure you have the right gear

Viking VI specifications: Engine Engine Type

686cc liquid-cooled w/fan, 4-stroke; SOHC, 4 valves

Bore x Stroke

102.0 x 84.0mm

Fuel Delivery

Yamaha Fuel Injection (YFI)

Dimensions LxWxH

153.5 x 61.8 x 76.6in

Wheelbase

115.6in

Turning Radius

244.1in

Ground Clearance 11.4in

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Fuel Capacity

9.7gal

Wet Weight

1634lb

Bed Capacity

600lb

Towing Capacity

1500lb

season in style! Raptor 700 specifications: Engine

The rebel The Raptor 700: Take on those crazy sand dunes and feel the torque. Aggressive styling makes the Raptor 700R look as menacing as it really is. The mighty Raptor 700R is ready to go whether the destination is the dunes, the trails or the track. Big power and lightweight, a combination that makes any ATV rider take notice, is standard on the Raptor 700R, with a hybrid steel aluminium frame and Controlled-Fill

YZ450 F specifications: Engine Engine Type

449.7cc liquid-cooled DOHC 4-stroke; 4 titanium valves

Fuel Delivery

Yamaha Fuel Injection (YFI), Keihin® 44mm

Ignition

TCI: Transistor Controlled Ignition

Transmission

Constant-mesh 5-speed; multi-plate wet clutch

Final Drive

Chain

Dimensions LxWxH

85.6 x 32.5 x 50.8in

Seat Height

38.4in

Wheelbase

58.3in

Ground Clearance 13.2in Fuel Capacity

2.0gal

Wet Weight***

245lb

aluminium sub-frame and cast aluminium swing arm combining to produce a superstrong structure and the lightest ATV in its class. However when you’re feeling the wind in your face, don’t forget these important tips: • Be careful while going over rocky terrains or large obstacles • Make sure you wear the appropriate gear while riding • Check petrol and oil level so not to get stranded during your trip

Engine Type

686cc liquid-cooled w/fan, 4-stroke; SOHC, 4 valves

Fuel Delivery

Yamaha Fuel Injection (YFI), 44mm

Ignition

32-Bit ECU

Starting System

Electric

Transmission

5-speed w/reverse; wet multiplate clutch

Drive Train

2WD; sealed O-ring chain, eccentric adjustment

Dimensions LxWxH

72.6 x 45.5 x 43.9in

Seat Height

32.7in

Wheelbase

50.4in

Ground Clearance 4.4in Fuel Capacity

2.9gal

Wet Weight

422lb

A winner right out of the crate YZ450F’s revolutionary rearward-slantedcylinder design is an innovative approach to achieve unmatched mass centralisation. Concentrating the motorcycle’s heaviest components (engine mass, fuel tank, exhaust system and air box) toward the centre of the machine, as well as the rotational mass of the valve train, helps achieve superior, nimble handling. The 4-titanium-valve cylinder head is matched to a fuel injection system that provides superb power feeling across the RPM range. The adjustable fuel injection system uses a 44mm throttle body fed by a high pressure battery-less electric pump to ensure optimum fuel atomisation and air/ fuel calibration for a wide range of riding

conditions. The YZ450F instantly adapts to changing air/fuel mixtures depending on altitude and temperature, for an engine that delivers no matter what conditions. To learn more about those exciting products and much more, visit any of Al Yousuf Motors showrooms or see us at the Dubai Off-road and Adventure show this month at the Autodrome.

OUR EXPERTS

Off-roading in Abu Dhabi Emirate

Off-roading enthusiasts in the largest emirate of the UAE are really spoilt for choice when it comes to sand dune driving; some of the most beautiful and challenging desert terrain in the world can be found here. In this off-road article I have listed a few of the best areas to visit. You should only off-road if you have a 4x4 in very good condition and I always recommend a minimum of three cars for any trip over sand dunes. See “Staying Safe Off-road” in OutdoorUAE September 2013. The coordinates given are for the centre of each area. If you want to Marina Bruce drive somewhere in particular you is The Desert Diva – read her will need to study Google Earth or blog at www.thedesertdiva.com published maps (there a only a few) Oasis Offroad is a free to to find tracks in, or alternatively join join offroad club based in Al Ain offering family trips and an off-roading club such as Oasis overland adventures in the Offroad who regularly drive all over beautiful sand dunes of Al Ain the emirate. and beyond. Their website is www.oasis-offroad.com and their Facebook page is www.facebook.com/ OasisOffroad

Abu Dhabi

• Al Khatim – N24 14.283 E54 58.382 - extremely popular with the Abu Dhabi (AD) off-roading community and also tour groups, this area is typified by white sand and small and medium dunes with some extremely technical sections. • Al Khazna – N24 14.265 E55 11.355 and N24 20.686 E55 12.589 - generally a bit quieter than Al Khatim, you can choose to travel east towards AD or West to the Sweihan area. Head westwards parallel with the walled area and you will come across some massive pale coloured Camping near Gate 4, Camel Gatch

dunes with some challenging climbs along the way. Part of the area is fenced off to protect wildlife but if you are lucky you may still be able to spot and snap some gazelle running up the dunes in the preservation area.

Al Ain

• Sweihan – N24 23.582 E55 32.383 - Probably the most popular area for off-roading in Al Ain, this area is currently being explored for hydrocarbons. At the moment there are numerous sand-tracks and equipment all over the west of the area and it should be avoided completely until operations finish at the end of January 2015. Once it is open again you will be able to visit the massive “Sand Mountain,” known locally as Nagrah as well as the famous “Old Lady Dune”. The dune lines run from west to east and are interspersed with sabkah (thin, crusty salt flats - so drive cautiously!). • Zakher – N24 03.166 E55 39.570 – a relatively small spit of sand dunes slowly being encroached upon by the Al Ain Industrial area; for the moment it offers some fun driving and with Jebel Hafeet as a backdrop, so get the cameras out because it offers some great photo opportunities. Al Ain is famed for its red sand dunes and you will find the reddest of them here.

Liwa

• Himeem Area – N23 05.599 E54 26.858 - much of this area is fenced off with locked gates but there are some areas where access is still allowed. You will find all types of driving in this area from sandtrack to undulating dunes, as well as some high climbs and 40m slipfaces in the south.

• Liwa Crescent – N22 59.250 E53 42.427 – this is where the real Rub Al Khali (Empty Quarter) starts and some of the most spectacular “dunescapes” can be found. Huge dune (massifs) rise up from wide expanses of sabkah. The driving can be tricky and is definitely not for the novice. There are oil and gas operations to the east of the Moreeb Hill and you should keep well clear of these. The UAE/KSA border fence runs along the south of this area and you should keep off the military road immediately adjacent to it – in fact you should keep as far away from the fence as you can, ideally 2km or so, to avoid any misunderstanding. • The Maghreb – N23 21.476 E52 42.771 – the most remote area in the UAE offers some great driving over mixed terrain. It’s easiest to tackle this area on a north-south route and two can be found in Mike Nott’s book “Adventure Offroad Routes: UAE and Oman” (see Routes 1 and 2, pages 70 -76) which is available from the OutdoorUAE online store. • Madinat Zayed (MZ) – N23 19.576 E53 29.305 – typified by rolling dunes and steep slipfaces, a popular route crosses this patch of desert starting at 18km south of MZ and proceeding westwards to the Arada-Ghayathi road. There are very few restrictions in the area and a multitude of beautiful places to camp overnight where you really will be “away from it all”.

Camping spots

A 4x4 is required in all cases on the list and I recommend minimum two cars, with a recovery strap plus a tyre gauge and a means of deflating the tyres. A compressor is useful to have The vastness of the Himeem area

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

too. Many of these places are accessible by crossover SUVs – but if in doubt walk the track before committing your car. You can read more camping tips in OutdoorUAE April 2014 edition. It is possible to camp almost anywhere that is not cultivated or fenced off, but do keep away from local properties and remember it is never a good idea to camp downwind from a camel farm. Please be respectful when camping andalways take all your garbage home.

Al Ain

• Al Ain - Camel Gatch* – Take the gatch track north from the “Camel Roundabout” N24 15.785 E55 40.249 – note there is a gatch which runs parallel to the “private road” which you should use. Keep going for around 14km until you are far away from the streetlights of Al Ain. There are gaps in the fence to allow access to farms and dwellings and the two best ones for camping are at N24 21.683 E55 37.536 and N24 22.932 E55 37.297. • Sweihan Gatch – Once the oil exploration project has been completed early in 2015 you will find some great places to pitch your tent off the gatch which runs between Al Saad and Sweihan. Enter the desert at Gate 15 N24 21.631 E55 24.024 then drive along the gatch, carefully cross the pylon gatch, then head along a sandtrack to reach a sabkha at N24 23.532 E55 30.400.

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Zakher Area, Al Ain

Liwa

• Himeem – N22 51.940 e54 21.394 – a gatch track leads you through an unmanned gate into beautiful dunes and sabkah. You don’t need to go far to find some nice secluded places to pitch your tent. • Liwa Crescent – N23 01.203 E53 44.843 – turn off the main road here then follow the gatch and sand track for about 3km, past some farms and onto a beautiful deserted sabkah. The only time this area is likely to be busy and noisy is during the Liwa Festival in Late December or early January. • Maghreb – N23 15.861 E53 08.879 – this gatch track leads you to a telecoms mast, a disused farm and some very easy dunes beyond. Don’t worry about camping near the road – on a busy night you will be lucky to hear three cars an hour! • MZ North East - N23 30.230 E53 44.464 - Drive through the disused fodder farm to the gap in the trees at the other side, and

continue up the gatch. Fork left at N23 27.348 E53 41.507 and follow a gatch with small pylons, and you should find many camping opportunities. This area is great for winter camping or when you are visiting the Al Dhafra Camel Festival. • MZ North West – N23 08.050 E53 17.457 – a faint gatch track will take you to a date plantation, but beautiful camping spots abound from just 1km in from the road. Before pitching your tent in the shelter of one of the deep bowls here, make sure you are 100% confident you can get back out. So what are you waiting for – the weather is now perfect for spending lots of your free time outdoors – dust off that tent and set your GPS for a desert adventure! [Our sentiments exactly Marina. Thanks for the advice and encouragement – Ed.] *Gatch is a type of limestone which is used in making hard gravel tracks throughout the desert.

OUR EXPERTS

e r u t n e v i h C ck Ad e Autumn leaves

th rejuvenates amongst

Tori

runner, writer, blogger & adventurer PS. My email address is tori@fitchicksandfastwomen. com for thoughts, ideas, and suggestions… or just to say hello!

Despite the incessant summers in the UAE, for much of the year, we’re of course, blessed with perfect weather. Blue, cloudless skies, near daily sunshine and if we’re lucky, in winter, the odd occasion to throw on our winter woollies [cannot come quickly enough! – Ed.]. One thing we’re devoid of however, is proper seasons… something most expats probably take for granted before moving to the desert. But as and when we all head home for holidays at varying times of the year, we observe the seasons in all their glory and

OUTDOORUAE

get excited at the first sighting of a spring flower or the burnt red leaves of autumn. I’ve just returned from the UK where autumn was at its best. I enjoyed long runs getting lost in the colours… the reds and browns and golds that quite simply, take your breath away… the golden translucence of the leaves that cast a beautiful glow on everything you see… the burnished golds, the brick reds and the bright yellows that crunch under your feet on the forest trails… the clean, crisp air that keeps you cool and makes you feel so very alive. Autumn running is exuberant… you find yourself falling into a perfect rhythm, complete harmony as all that nature has to offer, throws us promise of change, hope and golden light. Running during the seasons just seems to make sense of everything. It’s an active and beautiful reminder that all is in flux… everything around us and within us constantly evolves. I suppose a wonderful metaphor for this amazing journey we call life.

But as Robert Frost said, ‘Nothing gold can stay’… and inevitably the days get shorter, the sunlight fades and the days get gray and gloomy. Winter arrives and then we’re suddenly delighted to call the UAE our home, a place where the sun rarely hides her smiley face and a chill rarely cools the warmth of our bodies. And now that we’re entering the throes of the race calendar, whether you have the chance to run home or away, it’s time to get those trainers on and get out and run. Fast or slow, long or short, you’ll still be lapping everyone on the couch. Over & out.

Love Tori x

Photostory – Father and son time at Showka for Pete and Tom, foothills of the Hajar, Ras Al Khaimah 25° 3’16.91”N 56° 1’25.01”E Spending time living outside is good for the soul. Life is simpler, distilled into only what is important, the modern world kept at arm’s length. It seems there is more of that most valuable of things – time. Time to see what is around you and time to share it. Outdoor gear needs to be functional, adaptable, lightweight and dependable. Vango gear has evolved over decades in the outdoors meaning you can just enjoy your time.

Distributor of awesome outdoor brands • www.globalclimbing.com • info@globalclimbing.com • +971 (0)4 882 9361

QATAR EXPLORER

desert safaris in qatar

Exploring off-road adventures

Photos By: QIA/Eulogy van Dyk

As outdoor lovers most of us seek that adrenaline rush either once in a while or daily! We love spending time in Mother Nature and for those of us living in the Middle East the desert provides the perfect playground. The State of Qatar might be a very small country, but there are definitely loads of off-road advenEulogy van Dyk tures to explore! One of them, conOutdoor loving sidered by most of the locals at the Qatar explorer “highlight of off-road tourism” in Qatar, is the desert safari to Khor Al Udeid aka “The Inland Sea.” Why do we consider this a highlight? A desert safari tour is a good combination of adventure and relaxation - depending on how you approach it. You can either cross the desert via adrenaline pumping dune-bashing or take it a bit easier via the “desert highway.”

Sand dune bashing adventures

Either way, the setting of Qatar’s desert is just fantastic. It consists of wide, open spaces and big soft sand dunes which are the perfect place for viewing the sunrise and sunset! It is far away from the city and basically surrounded by water because the Inland Sea also forms the border between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In general it is just a great mixture of crossing the desert and going to the beach where you can swim, fire up a barbeque and spend quality time in nature.

Free camping with a group of friend at the Inland Sea

The best time of the year to go on a desert safari would be when the summer heat cools down, so from mid-October or the beginning of November right through and up until late March to the beginning of April, before the temperatures starts to rise again. It is however possible to go during the hot summer months in the afternoons after 3:00pm and enjoy the sun set over the desert. Local tour operators provide air-conditioning camps, which make it possible to extend overnight during this time of the year. During the winter season it is best to head out early morning to get the most of your day out in the dunes! The location and route for these desert safaris is set only in the south-eastern part of the country. Starting from the Sealine Beach Resort, and then heading down to

MIDDLE EASTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

A group of people getting ready to go on a desert safari with local tour operators

Khor Al Udeid (Inland Sea) where you will find Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most impressive crescent shaped sand dunes, that rise up to 40m high. If you are not familiar with the area it is best to book a trip with a local tour operator first or go with a group of friends that have thorough local knowledge. The local tour operators, that provide half day, full day and overnight tours also provide you with an experienced driver and a first-rate vehicle that will take you on an exciting and unforgettable roller coaster ride over the magnificent sand dunes. During these tours you will also Overnight camping with a local tour operator have the opportunity to go for a camel ride and sand boarding or skiing down some of the high a dip in the tranquil Gulf waters and enjoy a dunes. They also have permanent desert camps barbeque at night. where you can play some beach volleyball, take It is also possible to attempt the journey of a desert safari on your own. *OutdoorUAE says, solo driving only ever recommended for very experienced off-road enthusiasts or with a group of friends, but please, note four-wheel-drive vehicles are essential and, again, only experienced drivers should attempt the driving. Free camping is available all along the coast so pack in your tents, mattresses, chairs and just remember to take enough water with you! Come and experience the off-road adventures, but also the serenity of the Qatar desert, far from the rush and noise of the city life and witness spectacular sunsets with no sound but the breeze and the shifting sand.

Sand dune bashing adventures

Sunset in the Qatar Desert

LOCAL TOUR OPERATORS IN QATAR: Arabian Adventures

+974 4436 1461

www.arabianadventureqatar.net

Gulf Adventures

+974 4422 1888/1868

www.gulf-adventures.com

Recency Travel & Tours

+974 4434 4503/4718

www.regencyholidays.com

Qatar Desert Gate

+974 555 94016

www.qatardesertgate.com

Qatar International Adventures

+974 4455 3954

www.qia-qatar.com

Qatar Inbound Tours

+974 7745 1196

www.inboundtoursqatar.com

* Please see the Qatar Directory in the back of the magazine for a more comprehensive list of tour operators

PEOPLE

Eva Clarke Occupation: Specialist fitness trainer Nationality: Australian Age: 35

The UAE’s fittest female and former military fitness instructor is in the habit of never quitting and always pushing herself to her physical limits. The multiple Guinness World Records holder – her latest achievement were the Most Knuckle Push-ups in One hour and Most Knuckle Push-ups in 24 hours last January and February – also finished first in the woman’s category and third overall in the individuals of the recent Red Bull Sultan of the Desert 2014. Congrats on the Sultan of the Desert 2014! How do you feel? I really enjoyed the difficulty of the event; the heat was just another test of endurance. Just finishing felt good, placing in the overall was a bonus. There were many times in the event that I was questioning my sanity. But there were only two ways I was finishing the day and that was either by completing the three disciplines or being medivac-ed out. I’m glad I had the grit to finish and the luck not to have blown a tyre. You mentioned that this event was tougher than breaking records. Surprisingly, I was able to do my HUA session the next day! I really thought I wouldn’t be able to do much because I muscled through the event. It was all the little scratches and bumps that got me. I got some blisters in between the forefinger and thumb, and that messed with my lifts that week. I guess I can say my body has adapted to endurance activities. I did say that it was harder than breaking records and that was a stuck-in-the-moment quote. I can tell you in complete honesty the kayaking was torture for me. How tough was the course? As I mentioned, it was the kayaking. To overcome this, I would certainly have picked up the paddle more often and got into a kayak to do some specific training/ paddling. You really need to learn the efficiency skills of paddling especially with

strokes. I was just muscling it and the burn was intense. The carry was the easiest part of the event, I would have preferred an 8km kayak carry then the 8km paddle. I also need to mention my team, the HUA boys. They helped me out immensely in the kayak. Glenn was coaching me and he set up my kayak, and my hubby rode up alongside me as I carried the kayak and I also had my buddy Flavio kick start me in the run so the HUA team really led me to the finish line. You’re a world record holder and have numerous achievements under your belt. How do you keep motivating yourself to continuously top your personal best? I hate disappointing myself. I am very good at being accountable for what I say and do. I am the type of person who can’t sleep if I haven’t done the amount of push-ups I said I was going to do that day. My feats aren’t exceptional to me, they are just my goals. I feel exactly the same way anybody feels when they reach a goal or set a personal best. I think it’s human nature to always be better than the person you were yesterday, so it’s not hard to remain motivated. I am the kind of person that enjoys breaking records. It has become a part of me now so when people hear about it they’re like “well, here she goes again.” What is at the core of HUA Fitness? I established HUA Fit in 2010. My vision is to promote fitness with a broad range of exciting exercise avenues. Some people seem to get tunnel vision with exercise programs; they are so caught up in one genre either branded as a gym junkie, Les Mills guru, CrossFitter, bodybuilder etc. But with HUA Fitness I offer a total package which targets every genre on the market and I coordinate programs that push the limits with exciting exercise prescriptions and combinations that keep my team on top of their game.

What is your approach as a trainer? I pride myself on leading by example and I always get involved with my team. If I expect them to give 100%, they know that I’ve done it or I can do it! I loathe trainers that bark orders, yell and scream yet not be able to do what they command. My clients and I have a mutual respect therefore I believe that if we have faith and trust in each other, the entire team stays motivated. Yes, we have members that find things too hard or too tough, but hey, that’s life! We can’t quit the small stuff and then expect big things to happen to us. I revert back to asking them how tough do they really have it?! If your life is tough because your training is tough then you should be bloody thankful. Being a wife and mum of three, how do you balance family and work? Family is always first; without my HIT mob (Harley, Isabella and a Tyla) I wouldn’t be who I am today! What I do has never taken precedence over being a parent. I will always be a wife and mum first and foremost. Maybe the military instilled my time management skills because I seem to be at every event my kids partake in. I do most of my training when they are at school and I participate in my HUA group training-sessions. If I have a class, I go in an hour early and hit the weights. But generally it’s either me doing an event or one of the kids participating in an event. Seven days a week, someone is in our house training or participating in a sporting event. That is how we roll in the HIT mob house; we support each other and respect training time. When we holiday it almost takes us a week for us to relax because we are not sure what to do with ourselves. I just can’t wait till I get to go to more of my kids events and they come to less of mine. Are you planning on smashing more world records soon? On 9th January, Lee Ryan and myself with Zettanet racing team are raising 50,000 USD to kick childhood cancer’s butt at the Dubai Autodrome. My next three Guinness records are most knuckle push-ups in one minute, 60 minute burpees and most burpees in 24 hours. Later in 2015, I am going for another charity Guinness World Records. Watch this space as I rise to new heights in 2015.

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

How could you say it any better than the author himself? “The benefits of doing a selfsupported overnight hike are myriad . . . [and] will open your eyes to so much more in the UAE wilderness.”

Overnighters Most people’s hikes in the UAE are single day events and they return home in the evening. Alternatively they camp beside the car in a beautiful wadi or enjoy the cool of the desert beside a campfire and BBQ and then hike again the next day. There are definite benefits and pleasures to “car-camping”, but have you ever thought about doing an overnighter? A multi-day hike where you carry everything you need for the duration of the trip. For the purpose of this article, an overnight hike is not camping beside the car. There is a sense of freedom and intrepidation setting out from your vehicle knowing that you will be camping somewhere for the night and not returning until the next day. The benefits of doing a self-supported overnight hike are myriad and once in a while, putting aside the home comforts for a weekend will open your eyes to so much more in the UAE wilderness. Overnight hiking definitely requires a shift in thinking and a learning curve, but the rewards will soon far outweigh what you may perceive as any initial discomfort. Your experience in the wilderness of the UAE will be signiﬁcantly increased as you bed down on a high plateau overlooking a

twinkling village, with shooting stars rushing over your head. The anchors of modern life will be cast off and you will experience the freedom of roaming the emptiness at will, at least for one night. Suggestions for an overnighter Probably one of the most spectacular places in the Middle East is the Musandam Peninsula. Often compared to Norway, because of its jagged mountainous inlets (fjords), the Musandam region has steep cliffs that are stunning and breathtakingly drop directly into the sea. Most residents of Dubai and Abu Dhabi will know Musandam as a trip on a dhow from either Khasab or Dibba, where they spend a day cruising on these wonderful large wooden Arabian style boats with coolers full of iced drinks and food. Jumping off into the sparkling waters occasionally, you will see dolphins and turtlesand then return at night for the drive back to the big cities. But Musandam is ideally suited to an overnight hiking trip. Access to Musandam is restricted and controlled. The Omanis knew what they

were doing when they held onto this gem of land. The mountains drop sheer into the sea and the only way to get across between the tendrils of the peninsula is to flag down a passing fisherman and beg a lift or climb up and over the peaks which are nearly all over 1,000m high and some up to 2,000m. Although it looks isolated the peninsula is full of life. Villages are dotted all over, but there are no roads that lead out the mainland to the peninsula. Villages like Kumzar and Ash Shishah have vehicles with which to unload and transport goods but they go nowhere beyond the village. It would be a shame if development stretched this far. I’m sure the local inhabitants want all the services of the mainland but it would be a tragedy if another highway was constructed and you could drive straight to the tip. Exploring this area is not for the inexpe-

rienced or fainthearted, however if you do, the rewards are staggering, and you will be blessed with world-class sunsets, welcoming locals and crowds of curious children. If you look on Google Earth there is even a national park called “Warm Beach National Park”. So the overnight hike we attempted started near Khasab and finished at the northern most point of Musandam near Kumzar. At the outset it was simply an idea. We had wanted to walk the whole length of the Musandam Peninsula for a long time. There were no trails, only a line we had drawn as a guess on Google Earth. Back in Dubai it looked kind of feasible. Whether we had enough firepower in the legs or could find water, we didn’t know. Planning all the details of an overnighter is a very important part of the whole process. We thought about getting a boat from Khasab to Kumzar, at the far end and then hiking back, however we had heard from others that they had not been allowed to leave the boat to hike around the area. So we thought it better to hike out from Khasab and then try and get back by boat taxi, apologising for entering any forbidden areas [please do check Omani Ministry guidelines and travel advice at www.oman.om – Ed.]. As it turned out, all of the inhabitants that we met were some of the friendliest and most accommodating people you could wish to encounter. A Long, Long Time Ago… The history of Musandam is complex. Simply for the sheer beauty of the area you can see why the Omanis have held on to it. The language they speak was believed to be unrelated to Arabic and more influenced by Persian and Portuguese. When you

stand on Jebel Harim, the highest point in Musandam and look out across the sea you can almost imagine seeing Iran and those other fiery countries just 80km away in the haze. Like most mountains in the world, millions of years ago they were covered by vast oceans. The Musandam fjords were created some 300 million years ago by a shift in the plates. As we wandered along the crumbling ridges it was possible to see ancient deserted settlements and the petroglyphs [a pictogram created by carving or removing rock] of camels in the sandy, hot rock. Apparently these have survived for over 2,000 years. Now Musandam has a population of about 30,000 people, although you wouldn’t believe it when you visit. Most of these inhabitants are concentrated in just two towns, Khasab and Dibba. Many of the other villages on the peninsula are waterlocked meaning they can’t be reached by road. They are completely isolated and have their own unique dialect. From our lofty trails we were lucky enough to see the boat traffic and taxi services ploughing up and down the coast. It is very impressive, and made us wish we had taken the easier and lower path. In an Omani government initiative to slow youth migration and prevent these villages becoming deserted, they are provided with free electricity and water. Although not published officially, the network of sea traffic is very useful for

hikers, I have used it many times and the locals have definitely saved the day in the past. On previous hikes and adventures I have often hitched a ride across a bay to cut short a long climb across a high ridge of peaks. At other times, a lift all the way back to Khasab has been most welcome even if it sat amongst the rubbish sacks of the municipal waste collection boat. Hiking on the Musandam Peninsula carries a sense of mystery and uncertainty. On one overnight hike, as night fell we unrolled our mats overlooking a quiet bay. In the descending dark, a mega-yacht pulled in far below us and moored for the night. A short time later lights and loud music came drifting across the water. Clearly a good time was being had by all aboard. Next morning a naval patrol boat slid into the bay towards the floating palace and clearly communicated with the party goers. The yacht packed up and disappeared silently back out of its overnight berth. As we shouldered our packs, we felt we had witnessed something that could only happen in this part of the world. Hiking in this particular region can be sensitive, and rumors could suggest that villagers are suspicious and unwelcoming. As you hike through some of the smaller villages they always seem deserted and closed up, however, many is the time that I’ve waited around, resting under a tree or at a water tap and been invited into the heart of the Omani family home and offered food, rest and water - maybe they thought I was a “freelance businessman” and could do some grey-trading. They must have been disappointed when they discovered I was not from Iran and not bringing cattle, spices or agricultural goods in exchange for their TV sets, computers and other electronic goods. As exciting as it sounds, this trade is legal, as Oman is a free trade zone, and it is regulated. The situation is slightly different on the other side of the Strait and only ninety minutes away. So the plan was to hike the whole of the Musandam Peninsula in a weekend. A distance of nearly 40km with a height gain of 4,000m. The “trail” would try to cross

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

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

the highest mountain, Jebel Al Harim with an altitude of 2,087m. This was definitely an overnighter. A tent was not necessary as it was October and still pretty hot. We would only be limited by how much food and water we could carry. On! On! Our packs were pretty heavy and we set out on the Thursday evening in stifling humidity. Unfortunately for us the weekend had decided to really heat up again and there were to be no sea breezes for us. A few hours in the dark and we reached out first camp spot overlooking the dark outlines of the bays. Below us the twinkling lights of fishing boats and the villages lit up the wilderness. The next day we started early accompanied by the most beautiful sunrise. Our pace slowed and we ran out of water and pretty quickly it was stifling. Our Plan B – an immediate return to the AC of the car was made when we decided to quit, and involved a 2km swim out to the daily dhows and hitching a ride back. We sat around most of the day in some shade Quick Checklist Route planning Start point

26° 8’55.75”N56°17’44.00”E

Off road driving Yes but the track is well graded.It is required possible to drive all the way to the start in a 2wheel saloon. **Valid Omani motor insurance required. Check with your insurance provider first. Oman motor insurance can be purchased at border crossing.** Distance and Time from Mirdif to start

195km 165min – Oman Border Crossing. **International border crossing, please check passport status and relevant travel advice, crossing fees may apply to some nationalities.**

Navigation on hike

Requires some scrambling. Nearly all of the track is not undefined, steep and loose rock.

Time required for hike

2 days (1 way = 3.5 – 4hrs but can be extended)

Distance

5.6km – 1 way

Elevation gain on hike

629m – 1 way

High Point

713m

Grocery / water No **Essential knowledge** on hike Possible to encounter a vehicle on trail

Suitable for all the family

Requires experience in scrambling, decision making and route finding. Nearly all of the track is not undefined, steep and loose rock. Once at the top of the first climb it is easy to see the beautiful bay below. **Young/infant family – not advised**

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

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and eventually kindly villagers again took us in and then ferried us back to Khasab. On arrival in Khasab they even arranged for a ride back to our car. Lucky because there are no public transport or taxis in the village. Overnighters are exciting. Starting on a Thursday evening and only planning to come back on Saturday gives a truer sense of freedom. You have a rough objective but are open to whatever adventures occur on the way. You can set yourself challenges that are possible or not. I will definitely be “planning” some more overnight trips. Tips for an overnighter: 1. Be open to new experiences. 2. Go with someone whose company you enjoy. 3. Stop early. If you don’t know exactly where you are going to camp for the night, make sure you stop early when it is still light and you spot a location that is suitable. Setting up camp in the dark is unpleasant. 4. Camp location. Setup somewhere flat and safe with a great view. After all that’s why you are there. If there is chance of rain, don’t stop in a wadi that is likely to flood. 5. Clothes. Take extra clothes for the evening if you expect it to be cooler. 6. Equipment. Don’t bring duplicate equipment within the group such as stoves, lights, a tube of toothpaste, if you can share. And only take essential items. Do without luxuries for a night. A good weight for your backpack should be about 8kg. Remember 1L water weighs 1kg. Practice packing at home and don’t leave it until you step out of the car. 7. Check weather. Before you go make sure you are aware of what is happening with the weather on both days and plan accordingly. 8. Food. Most people take way too much food. Take enough to provide you with energy to get through the two days and items that you really look forward to eating. Don’t skimp on what you take, don’t take food you wouldn’t eat at home e.g. dried muesli bars. 9. Pay attention to first aid kit and hygiene. Can you cope with blisters, sore patches, sun screen, cuts? 10. Leave your itinerary with someone sensible and say when you will be back. 11. Don’t overload yourself. Carrying a heavy pack will detract from the experience. As a rough estimate all camping equipment required for one night should

weigh a maximum of between 7-8kg. As you become more experienced you will find that your packing will be less and you can do without the luxuries for one night. 12. If you don’t want to do two full days hiking, leave after lunch on the first day. Camp in the wilderness. Get up, have breakfast and make sure your walk on the second day gets you back for lunchtime. You won’t have to carry as much weight but you still get the experience of camping out. Suggestions for an overnight Anyone who has tried or completed a hike in Musandam would rank it as one of the best adventures they have done, however, the whole route requires an extreme level of navigation, confidence, travelling at speed and personal survival skills. You must be able to judge the terrain and have a desire to be in remote, potentially dangerous locations. I will definitely try to complete it some time. What this article is trying to do is to show how rewarding overnight hikes can be. Try planning your own routes in the areas that you already know. Maybe extend a familiar hike so that you feel more within your comfort zone. A hike for November There are many areas in the UAE suitable for overnighters. We suggest a shorter version, still in Musandam; hiking from near Khasab to one of the remote beaches and back again the next day. Download the GPS from OutdoorUAE this month and check out the 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.

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LOCATIONS

Victoria Star Dive sites in the UAE and Oman How to get there: Every weekend we have scheduled dive trips to the wrecks of Dubai from our Dive Centre based at Atlantis, The Palm. We normally do the wreck dives on Saturdays, but other days can be booked if there are enough divers going out. The boat trip takes around 45-50mins to reach from The Palm, which is ideal for residents and visitors to Dubai.

Description:

The Victoria Star has already been referred to as one of the best dives in Dubai! She is a general cargo carrier registered in Sierra Leone and was built in 1972 in Hungary. The Victoria Star sunk on the 31st July 2013 while carrying concrete blocks near the shipping lanes between Dubai and Sharjah. This makes her very accessible to divers in Dubai. All crew abandoned the ship by life raft and were saved before the vessel went down, and she was anchored. She is lying upright and is very much intact which makes this wreck a fantastic dive. The top of this wreck is at around 15m which even makes it accessible for Open Water divers, and the sand around the bottom is around 26m making it a great training location for all divers beyond the Scuba Diver level, especially Deep and Wreck diving. There is a lot of marine life that call this wreck home, including a variety of small soft and hard corals growing on her. You can expect to see, very curious batfish,

angelfish, boxfish, sea snakes and some leopard rays on the sand. Visibility is normally around 5-10m, depending on the day. As with all sites in Dubai, beware of jellyfish when they are around. It is recommended that you wear at least a rash-guard and gloves for protection, and carry a torch. Water temperatures range from around 20°C in winter, up to 34 in summer.

On deck

Location:

UAE/Dubai

Depth:

Up to 26m

Type of dive:

Wreck

Level:

Great for Open Water and up!

OBSERVATION:

“This is by far the best wreck dive, if not the best dive, I have done in Dubai! The wreck is in great condition, and is perfect for teaching Wreck Adventure & Specialty dive lessons. Not sure why, but visibility is normally better here than on other wrecks in Dubai.” Don from Dubai

Contact:

Al Boom Diving, Al Wasl Rd. Call Centre: +971 4 342 2993 or abdiving@emirates.net.ae Al Boom Diving, Atlantis, The Palm: +971 4 263 3000

Wheel house

Victoria Star before

In the hold

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TIPS & TRICKS

DON’T DIG IT. JACK IT. Words + Photos By: Andy McNab

Frank Murray arrived in the UAE just in time for the new nation’s third birthday. In his time here, he has worked on some of Dubai’s defining projects and now, semi-retired he focuses on the vital and possibly life-saving service of desert recovery. This is one outdoorsman you definitely would want to turn up when you’ve burnt out your clutch trying to rock yourself out of a miserable situation. So you’ve got all the kit? Of course you have. You have spade? “Yes.” You have a towing strap? “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” You even splashed out and bought a half decent GPS. “Yeah, picked it up on Dubizzle for a song.” Two-at-once tyre compressor that costs the same as a Biz Class return to LAX? Nitrous blast canister? Chainsaw? No? We didn’t think so. Any of us could go into an off-road store and blow a month’s salary and feel like we have it all covered. But, it’s not until you come back to your car the following morning to find wadi fish swimming between driver’s and passenger seats, or that you have impaled your beloved fourbie on a tree that it sinks in that, as our November issue 4x4 recovery guru, Frank Murray puts it, “you’re not an expert at anything until you have made every mistake imaginable and learned from them.” And he will freely admit, he has done that and more. Frank came to the UAE in ‘75 (you do the math) and was contracted at that point in time to be part of the Dutco team that built the Dubai to Hatta Road. At the time the road only headed in one direction, from Hatta to Dubai, because, all the natural resources (gravel, crushed rock and boulders) needed to get an infant Dubai up and running, was located in that mountain region. Their job was to construct the return route. So, living out in Hatta in the mid-70s must have been the very meaning of a hardship posting? “No, not at all. It was my first job overseas, away from the UK. You had to love it for what it was. We [the work crews] lived in messes (camps) and we were here to do a job.” But, I suppose having the Hatta Fort Hotel nearby must have been some sort of comfort? “Erm. Who do you think built that?”

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Frank has stories, and not just “stories stories” we all have those. These are real stories and enough to fill a book the size of a telephone directory, and then some. But OutdoorUAE are meeting with him in Al Quoz, at his workshop, not to yawn about how things were, we’re here to take a peek into the back of his 10-year-old, fairly standard, off the peg Land Cruiser GXR to check out what separates the men from the boys, and the weekend hobbyists from the cool, clinical professionals. Frank’s company AAA Recovery is the UAE’s only real desert recovery specialist service. End of story. Ninety percent of Frank’s recoveries are recced first in his personal 4x4. If a job can be recovered there and then, he will roll up his sleeves and work, to get you unstuck. If back up and the heavy guns are needed then he calls the Rashidiya Depot and mobilises his workforce there. Hopefully over the next few months, years, decades(?) we’ll be able to tease a few real-life adventures (and expert insight) out of this soft spoken Scot. But as Frank has stressed already ten times in this hour-long chat: “If you’re here to publish my trade secrets forget it.” But, a worldclass desert recovery is more than just a little expert insight. When pressed upon the value of his desert recovery fleet (which he has been collecting and adding to since

he imported his first German-made MAN truck 1975 into Rashid Port [which he also had a hand in building]) he sucks through his teeth. Right, let’s get the trunk open and check out what the pro has to show. Welded on to the front of the LC we have a heavy duty winch with jack for a remote control pad. “A common mistake some people make is they’ll buy a top of the range winch and that’s fantastic. Generally in these things you get what you pay for, but, then somebody in a back street workshop will cut costs by fitting it with some cheap screws that can’t contain the forces needed to operate the winch. Re-

9. Frank’s Mystery box

8. Double hose compressor – “You’d probably cry if you had to pay for this machine. It wasn’t a cheapy 150 AED job from a grocery store. It was around 12K and that was a while back. But, has it broken down? Has it let me down? Has it prevented a recovery? No, no and no. If you do something for a livelihood, your kit must work, or else what? You may as well be doing this as a hobby.”

6 7

6. High Jack – “My go to for basic sand recovery. You can keep your shovel and spade and sand tracks, I don’t even carry them, well, actually I do have a shovel. But, you have to think, any sand you remove from around sunken tires, what are you actually doing? You are digging the vehicle deeper into the sand. Why? You keep going and soon you’ll be stuck so deep you’ll be calling me out. Best thing, high jack your vehicle, filling the sand below the tires, compact it down, lower the vehicle and away you go again. Providing nothing too serious or vehicle damage. Recovery time 5-10min. Also, possible to use as an improvised winch, if you extend, attach and the bring the two lugs together, kind of like horizontal reverse jacking. ”

sult? First time you try to winch, either the winch is flying off the front of you vehicle quicker than you can say, “wasted money” or the cable may snap and then you could be losing a finger or eye or worse. No joking matter. Seriously. Both GPS by Garmin, “Nothing special here, off the shelf and out of the box. One I use mainly for major roads and getting out of town the other, slightly more detailed with uploaded satellite maps for looking at specific, hard-to-reach off-road locations.”

“BEWARE THE RED-THUMB or Tarthuth as it is known by the Bedu.”

1 2

4 3

3. Garden sheers – “Well, I was just doing a wee bit of gardening earlier – no real purpose in recovery.”

5. Air Jack (exhaust pipe fitting checked and tested) - “These jacks are a pretty good, common sense invention. Obviously, they vary in price, this one cost over 5K because it is military-grade and virtually bulletproof. Cheaper ones or fabric-based ones, you might need to be extra careful, you may find they get ripped by a loose screw or piece of metal underneath the car and then they’re just about useless. Always 7. A tow rope with try to place a thin piece of wood assorted lugs – “Many cars now, or stiff card between jack surface you’d be looking an age for a towand chassis surface. Also if you’re in hook, because they’re just not there. sand, flatten and compact the sand Ford for example, I don’t think any of around the base of the jack to give their current models have a tow hook. a more stable lifting platform. Also Instead they have “lock in” lugs. Nothdouble check the hose adaptor. You ing the matter with that, just as a recov- try fitting a circular adaptor on to an ery service we have to be prepared for oval exhaust pipe and you’ll be all fittings, sizes and shapes. You cannot fuming. They just won’t couple.” fit a tow-hook onto a bumper, you’ll end up tearing the vehicle to pieces!”

1. Chainsaw – “No, I don’t use this for every recovery obviously. But, once a year, somebody, somehow will manage to get hooked on to a tree or shrub or bush or something wooden. If you try moving a car against a tree in a tug-o-war style scenario then you’ve had it. The car’s probably gonna be a wreck.” 2. Nitrogen Blast Cylinder – “Firstly, Nitrogen is inert, and so safe to transport. This can be used to inflate tyres, but I would normally just use an air compressor for this job. This is more specialised, if a deflated tyre has popped off its rim, it is damn difficult to get back into place. Often you will use a blast of air to kind of pop it back onto its beading. That is really why I carry this.” 4. Angle-grinder – “Not an everyday piece of kit. It’s there really as a backup tool if say a steel cable winch has got snagged on something or won’t reverse coil or maybe needed for a vehicle collision or similar.”

Frank Murray’s top 3 tips for 4x4 recovery

1. Be truthful. If you explain your situation as a “regular” stuck-in-the-sand recovery and it turns out that your front axle has snapped or that you wheel is lying twenty metres away from the vehicle (it happens, trust me), then I do U-turn and call for the appropriate recovery vehicle. It will cost you time and money, it will cost me time but not the money. 2. Try not to panic too much. Nobody likes getting stuck, and first time maybe we all panic and that’s just that. But truth is, within a 30km radius of Dubai currently, particularly at weekends, you’ll probably never be more than 250m from somebody else doing some driving and anytime during the day and you’re unlikely to be more that 5km from a petrol station or farm. 3. What are you going to do? Head of into the desert without any self-recovery kit, water or anything? Please, do yourself a favour. Get some kit and at least read up on some basic recovery techniques. I don’t want to lose business, but I also don’t enjoy reading desert horror stories, especially when they are easily preventable.

TIPS & TRICKS

When releasing a sailfish, you have to be careful of it’s rough bill. Always wear gloves.

Sailfish

The sailfish is one of the

most beautiful fish, as well as one of the fastest you will ever encounter in your fishing life. By design it is a supremely acrobatic fighter and spectacular adversary in light to medium blue water tackle. Sailfish have been clocked traveling at speeds of 110km/hour - with this kind of speed one can easily peel 100m of line in about four seconds flat. Its speed and acrobatics make it one of the most desirable and prized game fish in the world. There are two species of sailfish, the species native to the Atlantic Rigged baits are very Ocean (Atlantic sailfish - Istiophorus effective in slower speeds albicans) and the other, found in and when the fish are concentrated in a small area. the Indo-Pacific region (Istiophorus platypterus or the Indo-Pacific sailfish) this is the species that we find in the Arabian Gulf and off the east coast. Sailfish grow quickly, adding 1.2 -1.5m (4-5ft) in length in a single It’s easy to go through a lot year, and feed on the surface or at of bait in one day, preparing middle depths on smaller pelagic a lot of them ahead of time forage fish and squid. Generally, spells success. sailfish do not grow to more than 3m (9.8ft) in length and rarely weigh over 90kg (200lbs). The fish are named sailfish because of the large sail-like fin on its back, the other striking feature of this fish is the long bill-like protrusion on its nose - earning it a place in a prestigious group of game fish collectively known as billfish. The sail is normally kept folded Small lures such as this one from Williamson are good down and to the side when swimfor trolling at faster speeds. ming, but it may be raised when the sailfish feels threatened or excited – thus making the fish appear much larger than it actually is. This tactic has also been observed during feeding when a shoal of sailfish use their sails to “herd” a school A good trick to make your baits last longer is to put it of fish or squid. It is speculated

Photos By: Soolyman Sportfishing that they use their sails as a reflector for ultraviolet light to temporarily blind their prey. The sail is also used in mating displays, when there are many males vying for the attention of a single female. Where to find and availability Dubai was a famous destination for sailfish prior to 2005. There was a healthy population of a suspected endemic subspecies inhibiting the gulf. There are still rare reports of sailfish caught in the gulf, especially more towards Iran’s waters. Very sadly, the vast majority have all disappeared due to overfishing and the lack of habitat conservation. In the gulf, you can target them in the Musandam, however, a trip to Fujairah on the east coast of the country is your best bet for snagging a sailfish. Present all year round sailfish are biggest and most often caught in the months when the water temperatures shift from warm summer to the cooler temperatures of the winter and vice versa. How to catch Most of the sailfish caught in the region is caught while trolling. Trolling with dead bait is also very popular, rigging fresh baits such as ballyhoo, squid, small tuna, flying fish and mackerel is standard technique the world over. Popular trolling lures are smaller, skirted trolling lures; also a combination of dead bait behind a skirt is often used when searching for actively feeding fish. This is the method used by charter operations such as Soolyman Sportfishing as a standard for sailfish trolling.

Sailfish have beautiful colours when they are excited.

Trolling for sailfish is an art on its own, other methods can also be employed to catch them effectively such as, live baiting, which has proven very effective in tournaments around the world. When used with kites, live baiting is a very efficient way of catching them. Conservation Although the sailfish is not listed as endangered, microenvironments such as the Arabian Gulf let us see how a population can be easily decimated when indiscriminately targeted without conservation. Speaking with a few long time local sport fishermen, stories of 50 sailfish in one day is not uncommon, a steep decline of their population was noticed in the 90s and continued until their disappearance around 2005. The lack of education and understanding of this precious resource has effectively taken a potential multi-million dollar tourism industry to extinction. People from all over the world travel for a chance to catch this fish. Anglers from the US and Europe travel to Africa and South America to try there luck at catching them.

The sailfish is prized not only for its beauty, but for its legendary speed and acrobatics.

behind a trolling lure.

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It’s common to see your line peel at an alarming rate behind the boat, and for the fish to jump in front of and well ahead of it.

A sailfish ready to jump and greyhound on a mirror like surface is magic!

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FINAL THOUGHTS Sorry to hear that one of our most dependable and stalwart contributors, Ian Ganderton, is a bit banged up at the moment. After landing flat at the Emirates Desert Championship of the Baja Round 1, he required over two weeks in hospital, 14 pins and a couple of steel plates to fix his badly broken ankle. Good news is he’s already back in action (albeit on crutches) shooting (with a camera) riders at the Baja Round 2 and has targeted new year for a return to competitive riding. Unlucky Ian, specially in light of your October sign off “I’m also conscious of how important it will be to remain injury free.” Best wishes from the OutdoorUAE team for a speedy recovery and more high octane stories.

“Ow! Ow! Ow!”

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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

YAS MALL Abu Dhabi Opening Soon

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

d u bai inter n ati on al boa t s h ow

A Di sc ove r y of O ppo r tu n ities & E ver la s t ing Rela t ion s hips See you soon

3~7 ORGANISED BY

VENUE

March 2015

To be pa r t o f th e eve nt , c ontac t us

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

Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971 42959428, www.arabiatours.com 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, 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,

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

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, 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

Walltopia’s ME Sales Showroom and Bouldering Facility Single visit: 80 aed Special rates for kids at weekends 10-visit pass: 500 Courses for beginners every month

Unleash the Beast! facebook.com.rock.republic.dubai info@globalclimbing.com 04 88 29 361

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, 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

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE 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 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 PORTABLE SHADE UAE, Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE, +971 4 3469600, www.portable-shade.net 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 Equestrian Clubs/Centres Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, +971 24455500, www.adec-web.com Al Ahli Riding School, Al Amman Street, DubaiSharjah 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

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

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 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,

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

+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 AAA Service Centre, Al Quoz, Dubai, UAE, +971 4 285 8989, www.aaadubai.com Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744, www.icon-auto.com Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2, Dubai, UAE, +971 4 3469600, www.mebarauto.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 Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2, Dubai, UAE, +971 4 3469600, www.mebarauto.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 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

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

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

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.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

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

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,

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

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, +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

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The Dubai Mall Dubai 2ndDubai Level Mall The

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