OutdoorUAE - September 2016

Featuring the latest products and expert advice on how to look after your gear

Kit bag essentials

The must-have items, whatever your sport

Summer cycling achievements Reports from some of the UAE’s top female cyclists

Travelling around China with a baby

Bali

Cooking breakfast atop a volcano

Plenty of

PRODUCTS TO CHECK OUT

Price 10.00 AED 10.00 QAR 1.00 OMR

Tried & Tested:

TYR SWIMMING GEAR

Event Report:

THE 70KM IJEN TRAIL RUN

Vol. 6, No. 9 September 2016

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OutdoorUAE Team

The changing of the seasons…

The most amazing years of my life have been in the United Arab Emirates.

Working with different companies has made me more mature and a better person. In particular, to be a part of OutdoorUAE magazine is a great privilege.

It has been an enriching experience to be a part of the media industry. I’ve also dealt with so many different kinds of outdoor people who do activities that I could only ever imagine! I’ve enjoyed attending a range of events with many high profile people that I’d previously only read about in the newspapers or seen on social media before.

Summer is cooling down and OutdoorUAE magazine is coming out for another exciting issue this September. In this ‘gear’ issue, we feature different kinds of products that will help with your passion for the outdoors, plus we have new videos on our website. Our usual contributors (and some new faces!) have written fantastic articles that will make you want to get outside and get involved, especially now the temperature is beginning to drop. After more than six years in existence, OutdoorUAE magazineis still providing information and inspirationto our valuable readers.

Katherine Patangui Administration kathy@outdooruae.com

As the season changes, it’s also a change of scene for me, as this is the last issue that I will be working on. So it’s a heartfelt and sincere thanks to each and everyone of you who have been so supportive and made me feel so comfortable. These memories will be cherished forever.

Editor For editorial content and press releases Tel: 04-447 2030 Mobile: 055 5760322 editor@outdooruae.com Sales & Marketing (advertisement enquiries) Tel: 04-447 2030 Mobile: 055 8647125 nela@outdooruae.com Mobile: 055 9398915 margo@outdooruae.com Published by Outdoor UAE FZE In cooperation with A2Z EVENTS P.O. Box 215062 Dubai, U.A.E.

Tel. 04-447 2030 contact@outdooruae.com www.outdooruae.com Distributor Al Nisr Distribution LLC P.O. Box 6519, Dubai, UAE 800 4585/04-4067170 Printed at GN Printing P.O. Box 6519, Dubai, UAE © 2016 Outdoor UAE FZE Vol. 6, No. 9, September 2016 www.OutdoorUAE.com Twitter.com/OutdoorUAE

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© 2016 Outdoor UAE FZE Reg. at Creative City Fujairah P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.

Nela Macovei Business Development Manager nela@outdooruae.com

Margo Ciruelos Sales and Marketing margo@outdooruae.com

Ireneo ‘Jung’ Francisco Designer and Photographer jung@outdooruae.com

Ian Sebeldia Circulation

EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS

Kit Belen Our fishing pro

Dan Wright Freelance wilderness guide in the UAE

Jake Lyle Diving and Watersport Expert

Helle Bachofen Von Echt Elite Women Cyclist

Marina Bruce The Desert Diva and off-road expert

Youtube.com/OutdoorUAE

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.

All contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission.

Rachael Bruford Editor rachael@outdooruae.com

Facebook.com/OutdoorUAE Instagram.com/OutdoorUAE

Cover photo by: Rachael Bruford

Daniel Birkhofer Founder and General Manager daniel@outdooruae.com

WHEN YOU’RE DONE READING, PLEASE RECYCLE!

Nico de Corato Diver and heli rescue swimmer with Bergamo Scuba Angels

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CONTENTS

12 100 MILES IN BERLIN

14 BREAKFAST ATOP A VOLCANO IN BALI

4

18 CHINA WITH A BABY

EVERY ISSUE

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

06 EVENTS CALENDAR 07 BEST SHOTS 41 PRODUCTS 63 DIRECTORY

14 BREAKFAST ATOP A VOLCANO 18 CHINA…WITH A BABY 22 BHUTAN – DRUK PATH TREK 26 DEAD 2 28 DIVING IN THE PHILIPPINES

EVENT & ACTIVITY REPORTS

LIFESTYLE

08 BOULDER BASH 09 HIKING ROUTES: JEBEL JAIS 10 IJEN TRAIL RUN 12 100 MILES IN BERLIN

32 KIT BAG ESSENTIALS 36 DIVING WITH CHILDREN 39 HABITUALLY HEALTHY

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28 DIVING IN THE PHILIPPINES

32 KIT BAG ESSENTIALS

52 SUMMER CYCLING ACHIEVEMENTS

TRIED & TESTED

PEOPLE

40 SUNBLAST COCONUT WATER 44 QUECHUA CAMPING GEAR 46 TYR SWIMMING PRODUCTS

59 MAURIZIO SCHEPICI – POWERBOAT PILOT 61 OFFROADER’S CORNER: PATRICK’S LAND CRUISER

OUR EXPERTS

TIPS & TRICKS

48 OFF ROAD DRIVING - MARINA 50 FISHING - KIT 52 CYCLING - HELLE 54 OUTDOOR EDUCATION – HAYDON 56 DIVING – JAKE 58 BE A MORNING PERSON! RACHAEL

62 SUSPENSION TRAINERS BY FITNESS FIRST

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EVENTS CALENDAR

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STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

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S E P T

Dubai Desert Road Run

The UAE’s running season gets underway with a 10km race on private roads at The Sevens, with trophies for the first three people in each age category. A 3km fun run is a great way to get the family involved.

When: 24th September, from 6:30am Where: The Sevens Contact: www.premieronline.com

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S E P T

Urban Ultra Night Rebel

A challenging 10, 20 or 30km cross-country trail run that takes place after the sun has set.

When: 23rd September Where: WadiShowka Contact: www.premieronline.com SEPTEMBER

The launch of Fahrenheit Beachsports

If you’re in to all things watersports, be sure to check out the new Fahrenheit Beachsports, which offers surfing, SUPing, wake boarding, SUP Polo, kayaking, inflatables and flyboarding, as well asclasses just for children and ladies.

01

O C T

Stages TT Challenge (Stage One)

A time trial on a clockwise loop of the Al Qudra track.

When: 1st October Where: Al Qudra, Trek Shop Contact: www.dubaisportsworld.ae SEPTEMBER

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Abu Dhabi Junior Aquathlon (Race one) A children’s only aquathlon with categories based on ability and experience.

When: 24th September Where: TBC Contact: www.premieronline.com

When: Opens in September Where: Dubai Marine Beach Resort Contact: Facebook @fahrenheitbeachsports SEPTEMBER

23

NYUAD Indoor SUP Race

The UAE’s first indoor SUP race, in a 50m Olympic size pool. Includes sprint racing and other events.

When: 23rd September Where: NYUAD Pool, Saadiyat Island Campus Contact: www.premieronline.com

SEPTEMBER

26

Al Wathba Cycle Race Series 3 (Race One) An excellent event series for novice riders, the aim is for each group to chase the group in front.

When: 26th September Where: Al Wathba Cycle Track, Abu Dhabi Contact: www.premieronline.com

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BEST SHOTS Here are the best shots sent in by you for our monthly 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 Guidebook: Bishworanjan Das, Sanjay Pradhan and Andre Saladaga. Well done!

Bishworanjan Das

Base Camp, Tavan Bogdh National Park, Mongolia

Sanjay Pradhan

Kayaking at Wadi Adventure

Andre Saladaga

Sunset conversation at the top of Jebel Jais

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EVENT REPORT

ROCK REPUBLIC’S BOULDER BASH 2016 Come to the Land of the Brave Photos by: Nyi Nyi Aung

This summer, Rock Republic brought you the ultimate test of strength, endurance and willpower.

The annual Boulder Bash kicked off on August 7th and has been witnessing amazing progress across all categories –finishing in a spectacular live finals round on 27th August.

For the second year running, Boulder Bash proved to be a fantastic summer competition for anyone to join. Rock Republic’s Prime Minister, Vanda Turcerova, elaborates: “Summer is heavenly for bouldering; this is our season. We are one big family at Rock Republic and among us we know almost every member by their first name. We know their winter projects, who is progressing at what, their other hobbies or pets or kids. Without these athletes, we would not be successful. The annual Boulder Bash is a fantastic way to give back, push and motivate in the right way and of course, it is a fabulous excuse to get together and support each other. That’s how we roll.”

In line with recent announcements about climbing being introduced into the lineup

for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo 2020, the competition suits the international professional format other countries established long ago.

“I have worked and climbed all over Europe and beyond; Rock Republic became my pride a few months ago. Us climbers and boulderers are ecstatic at this month’s announcement and while on the Old Continent clubs and gyms are well established and can plug into the regional and national matrix for qualifications, here of course we have challenges ahead of us. Putting together a bouldering event this summer is just the beginning for us; expect more events of various natures as well as performance and technique classes starting in October 2016,” states Sebastian Crosina, Minister of Interior at Rock Republic.

The rules of the competition were simple.

Sign up for an AED 70 one time fee; climb for as long as you like and score on 60 routes until Saturday 27th August at 3pm.

Scores are tallied on the same day and the top 3 competitors are to battle live, on 3 special problems set up only for the finals.

Over 40 climbers signed up and pushed hard over the 3 weeks of the duration of Boulder Bash. Measuring their progress on weekly basis, it was evident for most how dedicated they were to coming back and working tirelessly to better their results. On

the 27th, top performers in their categories battled it out in front of supporters and friends and gave everyone a gripping finale to their fantastic 3-week long performances.

Emily Garbutt scooped first place in Junior with Master Zayn Reynolds coming in second - Emily also absolutely rocked all female problems. The ladies showcased unrivaled endurance with Homai Faridi strong in third place, determined Mayssam El Kaii placing second and the Ballerina Nemo Chang crushing first place and managing to break only one nail! What a battle!

The boys went head to head with incredible stamina and power, and put on an amazing display of determination and strategies across the walls. Tatsuya Kashiwamura killed the third spot, with Masaki Ishitobi close in second and Alan Goddard almost flashing all three finals problems!

Nyi Nyi, a veteran of bouldering and mountaineering and Republic’s Chief of Staff, explains the golden formula of making it into finals: “The real value of bouldering is progression. It is like those before and after photos; a few months can make a huge difference between your starting point and where you are or want to be. Our Bash is about that; keep coming and keep getting better. The more you come and train, the better the chance of being top five. If you don’t come back, you will stagnate where you already are without any progress. We at Rock Republic work super hard to bring you new experiences on and off the wall; for example Sebastian, Federico and myself have set up 45 brand new routes for this competition. Because we love it, we understand how to bring the love out in you too.”

Hill top village hike Jebel Jais Finally, the temperatures are dropping and it is time again to dust off our hiking boots for the winter season 2016/2017. The route for this month might still be a bit too long for September, or you may need to start at sunrise. This route is not very difficult but it is not clearly marked and there are many tracks and paths so it is easy to get lost. We highly recommend using a GPS to follow the route safe in the knowledge that you are on the right track. For those who dare, there is also an alternative bypass to the route which is much steeper and exposed.

Thanks to its easy access and scenic views, this is a busy hiking area and I have never encountered so many other hikers than when on this route. Simply follow the E311 or E611 to RAK, then follow the road signs to Jais Mountain (Jebel Jais). You can park your car in the wadi directly next to the Jebel Jais road,so a 4x4 is not required. The route is circular and you can do it in both directions. These instructions follow the route in a counter-clockwise direction, but in summer it might be better to do it clockwise since you will have welcome shade in the wadi on your way back.

Follow the wadi from where you parked

Cairns en route

Google Earth and route length and elevation

your car and take the next wadi on your left.

The wadi up to the first village is marked quite well with spray painted arrows and cairns (stones stacked on top of each other as markers). Once you reach the village, sticking to the route becomes a bit tricky and we were wandering around a bit until we found the correct path (you will see this also on the GPS route file). Make your way up to the hill top where you will find another cairn marking the high point of the hill. From here you have great views up to Jebel Jais, as well as the surrounding area with the winding road and other villages.

Hike down to the next village you can see when looking towards the road. In the village, turn left to enter the easy way down after a few hundred meters. You can enter the bypass in the village – it’s more exposed and steeper, and is therefore only

recommended for more experienced hikers.

Follow the path down until you reach the wadi again, and follow the wadi back to the Jebel Jais road. You will need to follow the road downhill for a few hundred meters to return back to where you parked the car.

OutdoorUAE do not take any responsibility for accidents or inaccurate or wrong route information. You follow this route at your own risk. Be aware that you might not have phone coverage and please carry enough water and a first aid kit at all times.

You can download this route online www.outdooruae.com/routes

ACTIVITY REPORT

Words : Aida Othman Photos by: Ijen Trail Running and Asia Trail Master

More than 40 ultra runners battled a route up an active volcanic crater and then ran back down – what enticed them? For me, it was about longing for a sense of adventure, to witness and to be charmed by the wonder of nature in an area that is remote yet famous among tourists. My first visit to East Java, Indonesia, and my first race in this stunning part of the world.

The Ijen Trail Run takes you on an ultratour around a stratovolcano area to see the large Ijen crater lake (the most acidic in the world) with stunning blue flames ignited by sulfuric gas at night. It’s a large sulfur mining area that is surrounded by forest, nature reserves, and agriculture.

Mandatory Gear

Out of the 17 items of mandatory gear listed on the website, two were not in my possession when last minute preparations were made. Overseas travel insurance was quickly sorted online the very last night before travelling and the first water kit (refers to water disinfectant) was purchased at the airport before departure. Later, I found out from fellow seasoned runners that the exhaustive list, which includes a waterproof jacket and long trousers, may not be entirely necessary for Indonesia trail conditions, but is rather a guidance of ‘good’ to have.

Getting There

The organiser of the event provided a van to transport runners to Sempol, where the race took place, from Surabaya Airport. It took 8 hours, which was a long day but on the plus side it gave me the chance to get to know other runners, such as the speedy Ann-Mari Lillejord who came 1st in the women’s category.

Registration and Race Briefing

“Never miss a briefing at any trail race event in Indonesia,” said Vincent Chalias, a French runner at the hotel lobby on race day. After a quick registration, we waited for the race briefing. Detailed information was given to avoid confusion, especially on the repeated

path from the tarmac section towards checkpoint 3 and then the path to the crater. A mask would also be given to us, and our attention was drawn to various types of signage we had to be aware of. We were told to pick up a yellow ribbon when reaching the crater. A light drizzle was also predicted the next morning for a few hours.

Start: Sempol, 11pm I had a simple dinner, which consisted of nasigoreng (fried rice) and sotoayam (chicken soup), cooked by a lady in the village. Going to bed rather earlier than usual, I woke up to the sound of my alarm at 9.30pm. Unfortunately, I found a hole in my Compressport sock which was the

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size of 50 cents and threatened to give me a blister some time into the run. An emergency stitch performed one hour before the race – thanks to my sewing kit packed at the last minute – proved to be a life saver. By 10.30pm, I had gone through the speedy and smooth registration and had received my pink fluorescent bangle.

Checkpoints One and Two: Krepekan and Kawah Wurung

The first 10km up to checkpoint one was a warm up run which saw us pass by cabbage farms and into a pine forest. One wrong turn led to an unnecessary climb on a rough slope, but I was quick to return to the correct route with the help of some other runners. I reached checkpoint two, where a bunch of volunteers awaited. Kawah Wurung (which means ‘failed crater’ in Javanese) is an open savanna covered in grass and green pastures with contouring hills – definitely stunning in daylight.

Checkpoint Three: Paltuding and Crater

After Kawah Wurung, there was a short vertical climb that slowed me down. A few runners, including three ladies, overtook as I allowed them to pass the narrow path. “Never mind,” I said to myself, as this race wasn’t particularly about time for me. My feet were beginning to get a little damp from the early morning dews, but not far later, I reached a tarmac section with a continuous steady uphill. A Chinese female runner passed me when I stopped to stretch. Then I saw the top runners come down from the crater. I reached checkpoint three after a slow hike – marking the starting point of a steep climb of 3km to the crater. I was given my mask, and off I went to the unknown after enjoying a cup of delicious hot chocolate.

Because this is a tourist area, the one way path going up to the crater had to be shared with other holidaymakers who were there at very early dawn. No doubt having them around added to the excitement as I continued moving forward for what felt like a forever climb. Initially, the view was less visible and dusty, but thanks to the full moon, some amazing breathtaking panoramic scenery was able to be enjoyed as I hiked above the white clouds. The sulfur

smell got stronger as I made my way closer to the crater, and I began to feel a bit chilly too. Tourists aside, the path was also shared with mining workers who were walking up and down carrying heavy loads of yellow sulfur to earn their living. Suddenly the pain in my legs was banished and this race I was battling for some hours felt very minuscule compared to the brave miners.

The emerald crater, complete with the stunning backdrop of sunrise, made it all worth it. “No blue fire,” said one of the volunteers as I arrived there just past 4:30am. He then tied the yellow ribbon to mark my summit.

Checkpoints four and five: Blau and Lerpenang

My sprint back downhill to checkpoint three was effortless as I cheered other runners who were still climbing. The day got brighter, and so did my pace and energy.

Towards checkpoint five, the path was shared with other runners from the 42km and 21km events. A fast runner ran passed me and said hi; later, I learnt it was Matt Phillips Long, the winner of the 42km race.

The route to checkpoint 5 passed through more villages and was accompanied by the sound of the river flowing.

Checkpoints six and seven: Blawan and Pedati

I had been warned about the last ascent

around Blawan. It was a long, never-ending climb to test what strength remained. I stopped for a bit to enjoy the view. Feeling more fresh, I picked up a long sturdy wooden stick from the bush, knowing that I needed support to tackle the steep hills.

“One km flat and then all downhill from here,” said the volunteer at checkpoint seven. I was very excited to reach Sempol and kept my pace strong down the zigzagging steep edge of the coffee plantations.

Finish at Sempol, Performance and Overall Organisation

I finished sixth female and 28th overall; not my best time for a 70km race, but what an incredible adventure it was! As well as a blue race t-shirt, finishers medal and black finishers t-shirt, Asia Trail Master, who sponsored the event, added in a cool Raidlight visor.

The overall organisation of the race was good considering that this was only the second event. It is indeed a great course (though I’m not too keen on the sulfur smell) and pretty much runnable (not very technical, nor the toughest I have encountered).

I learnt that this race is one of the ‘easiest’ races amongst other well-known trail races in Indonesia.

Accommodation and Surroundings

While there are plenty of local guesthouses, there seem to be only two hotels in the area: Arabica at the start line and Catimor about 5km away. I stayed for 2 nights in Catimor and enjoyed the beautiful waterfall nearby.

The hot springs are also handy for soothing sore legs after the race!

Thank you to Ijen Trail Running, especially Hadid and Arfan, for organising the accommodation and coffee plantation tour.

To new acquaintances: Fauzan Razi – terimakasih for your local knowledge.

To Indah, Vincent Chalias, and Laurent Roeykens – merci beaucoup for your support in making this trip a memorable one.

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ACTIVITY REPORT

Berlin Wall 100 Mile Race Report Words by: Gigi Young Photos by: Gigi Young and pebe-sport.de/Mauerweglauf

This is the eighth race report I have written on my ultra-running races, which are between 100km and 190km. Every single race gave me different experiences and different challenges.

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The more I run these ultra events, the more I respect them because we put our bodies out there for such a long time to test our fitness, our pain levels, our determination, and to push ourselves to the very limit and see how much we have left in the tank, or try to empty it! Sometimes we execute our race plan and everything falls into place and we achieve what we set out to do, but sometimes not! However, this time I was very fortunate in that I was able to overcome the tough periods of the race and managed

to complete it and exceed my own expectations.

When I was accepted to enter the Berlin Wall 161km race, I wasn’t initially as excited as I had been for some of the other previous events. For whatever reason, perhaps the course or the people, I didn’t really enjoy the Berlin Marathon in 2008. In May, I found myself in the position of having two 100mile events to choose from; one in Ireland called Connemara 100 miles and the Berlin 100 miler in Germany.

Having one of the biggest race fields with 350 registered solo runners and over 700 team relay runners, I decided the bigger field meant a bigger challenge and I wanted to feel the atmosphere and run with so many hardcore ultra-runners. The eventual outcome was proof that I had chosen a great race. The organisers did a superb job.

The entire route was marked very well with 27 check points featuring toilet facilities and a buffet table full of nutrition, hydration and various fuels for the runners, as well as for the support crews. The people managing the check points were so supportive, friendly and prided themselves in putting on a great feast for the runners.

This race is run in memory of the construction of the Berlin Wall and the victims of the border. Among the 138 people who lost their lives at the Wall, Karl-Heinz Kube

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was shot in an escape attempt in 1966. The race this year was dedicated to him. It was a very moving experience running the route and seeing the remains of the wall. The 100-mile route is along the former border; 100 miles against forgetting what took place and all the sadness that it created. As such, this race is not just about us ultra-runners but also has a bigger picture as a symbol of Hope. Shortly before passing the famous Brandenburg Gate at 7km we ran across a wall made of wooden bricks. In respect to the Berlin Wall motto “running without borders”, the idea is that this wooden wall would be torn down piece by piece. Each runner picks up a brick and carries it through the Brandenburg Gate to be discarded. It’s a symbol of breaking the wall down, and was a very emotional moment that gave me goosebumps! (We all got a wooden brick at the post race ceremony.)

60 -70 per cent of the route is off-road and features lovely countryside, where you find yourself running through forest and along lakes and rivers with spectacular views! Race day was a beautiful sunny day without being too hot. Many people were out with their bikes, dogs and sailing and everybody looked lovely until we stumbled across a large group of people sun bathing totally in the nude! I guess we ran through a nudist colony, though I did not see this in the race notes. Maybe that shows how much freedom they now have since the wall has been brought down! We didn’t have much time to keep looking however as we had a mission to achieve!

As a road runner myself, although the route was beautiful and it was so nice to breathe in the fresh air, I found it very challenging on my feet and ankles as I had never trained to run on gravel, grass and uneven ground. The most killing part was the uneven cobblestones in the various villages we ran through outside Berlin city.

It took me a long time to relax and find my running rhythm. The race did not allow support crew members to run with their runner until after 15 hours (9pm) from the start of the race - crew members were encouraged to cycle alongside to support their runners after the 17km check point. Consequently, my wonderful crew - Lesley, Nick and John - decided to rent a bike locally and support me by cycling alongside me. They carried all my hydration and fuel on the bike and as they cycled they all tried to tell me how wonderful the view was. They updated me with all the supportive messages from family and friends, whilst at the same time making sure I was eating and drinking enough over the 161km route. During the tough period of the race, as night closed in, I become very nauseous and couldn’t stop vomiting.

My crew did a great job trying their best to will me on, although they felt very helpless.

The key focus was to make sure we stuck to the traffic light rules (strict German law!) and kept to the directional markers on the road.

We had no intention of getting lost despite running in the pitch-black on an off-road route among the forests and dark alleyways of Berlin’s city suburbs. I was impressed my crew did not get us lost! Being runners themselves, they were all expecting and hoping to support me by running alongside me, but seeing them cycling for hours and hours on off-road routes on a rocky rental bike with NO CYCLING SHORTS was a real challenge! They all had very sore bottoms and walked a bit funny the next day.

With their amazing support, we did it again. I completed the race in 19 hours 53 minutes, which positioned me as fifth female overall. The result exceeded my own expectation for a sub 20-hour race. My crew simply did a superb job! This goal would not have been achieved without the three of them.

Dreams are always worth chasing, but to be able to chase it with your husband and wonderful friends is amazing! I’d like to thank my very dear husband John, my family for their support and my crew, Nick and Lesley, for supporting me for a third race. Of course, I’d also like to say a big thank you to all my running buddies back in

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Dubai who helped me throughout the journey of training: Andrea, Marek, Kerry, Julie, Jerry, Samantha, Malcolm and Brian.

Lastly of course, thank to all my running friends for your moral support!

I am for sure a runner and not a cyclist, but I think life is like riding a bike. In order to keep the balance, we have to keep moving forward. Quite a few friends asked me just 24 hours after the race, “what’s next?”. I am thinking but I will certainly find another challenge.

Thanks to the “A” Team for your support!

Gigi

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

Words + Photos by: Anne-Elizabeth Cecillion

For most people, Bali is a mystical island. Close to the Java Sea, part of Indonesia by rule but completely independent by feel, vibe and atmosphere. A surfer’s paradise that is also popular with trek seekers and culture lovers who go there to unplug and to be mesmerised by the numerous temples spread all over the island. Without a set schedule in mind, I jumped on an Emirates airlines flight for a 9 hour journey with stars in my eyes; I was finally going to Bali after thinking about it for years.

Once I landed in Denpasar (Ngurah Rai International Airport), I quickly cleared immigration (a non event), and jumped in the taxi that I had organised through the hotel. I highly recommend doing this as the myriad of independent drivers that greet you upon arrival can be quite daunting. I had looked at the map and the resort was only 70km away from the airport, which I thought would be covered in 45 minutes to an hour.

I could not have been more wrong as the

relentless traffic, very narrow roads and lack of discipline of the drivers made for chaos.

Between stopping for dogs or cats, plowing in traffic jams like bulls rushing through the gates in Pamplona, as well as the generally poor conditions of the roads, it took over three hours to reach a very remote resort on the west coast of the island. The turn to the entrance had me concerned for a minute, as the road just stopped and we were bouncing on a gravel road at night, with trees lining the way to a minuscule open aired reception only reachable after stepping over some stones scarcely spaced over a lovely pond. The check in was expeditious

and soon I was following a very friendly smiley man, dressed in traditional garb, on weaving paths with numerous sets of stairs poorly lit to my villa. Thankfully, they knew my approximate time of arrival and had turned on the lights in my villa. As we were approaching, the halo of torches created a safe heaven and lifted any concerns I had for my safety. The gentleman showed me around the villa and I was very impressed by the outdoor shower, which was completely private with its own waterfall at the back. After such a long trip I had only one desire, which was to sleep. This I did very peacefully after a hot shower and a bite of fruit in my room.

The next morning I set out for breakfast on the terrace, surrounded by birds and dragonflies. The fresh fruit salad was one of the best I have had in the world and the “American” breakfast was…not. But never mind. After admiring the sunrise over the ocean, I set out for a long walk on the black sandy beach to reach a lovely village some 3km away. I knew I only had a couple of days to relax before my trekking passion would take over, so I had to make the most of it. The day consisted of massages, yoga, relaxing in the pool and eating as much as possible all day.

I had arranged a scooter rental the following day to leisurely explore some of the temples, blessed trees (Bunut Bolong Holy Tree) and waterfalls in the area before relocating to Ubud for my Batur Climb.

Besides the constant dust and crazy traffic, I had a lovely day of exploration and was even invited to a local traditional blessing ceremony as I arrived at Rambut Siwi’s temple right when they were about to start. Shortly after, looking for dinner, I stumbled on Medewi Beach, a surfer’s community. I was stunned to feel thrown back to the 70’s commune lifestyle with huts just built along the seashore and handsome young men and women sporting flowers in their hair and obviously enjoying life to the fullest.

I unfortunately did not have time to stay and jump on the board but there is always next time, right?

At 8am the next day, my driver Sanjay and I started my trip to Ubud, where I would be based for the next three days. I decided on private transport with several stops along the way to see as much as possible, even if it meant seeing the famous sites crowded with other travel enthusiasts. The first stop was Tanah Lot, the temple by the sea that most of us have seen on postcards. Although it was melting hot and quite crowded, the site just possesses an ethereal, natural calming effect. A procession of monks was in progress and they slowly ascended the religious part of the site that is not accessible to foreigners. Their orange robes flowing in the wind created a stark contrast with the jutted black rocks emerging from the deep azure blue sea. Taking the time to observe them, I was in awe of the peaceful feeling that engulfed me.

We left for the next stop, Mengwi Temple, the Royal Temple with its typical Balinese towers. On the way I invited my driver and my guide for some suckling veal in a small stall along the road. I enjoyed it very much

but couldn’t help wondering how it was going to affect my digestive tract… (luckily I had no problems!). The next stop was for coffee Luwak; the most expensive coffee in the world due to the fact that the coffee cherries have to be partially digested by the Asian palm civet. Sanjay stopped at a coffee plantation that offers to show the whole process and even gives one the chance to play with one of the baby civets. I normally do not support that kind of operation since I am very aware of animal rights, but that particular plantation was known for their good treatment of the animals. I did enjoy the sweet taste of the coffee but I am not sure about drinking it every day. By now, we had one more temple to visit and a detour to a poor village so I could donate some money and what I brought with me to the villagers who literally have nothing.

It was a quick dinner and off to bed, as the next day our morning departure was set for 01.30. Right on time, my driver showed up and we drove to the starting point, which was one and a half hours away. Once there, confusion reigned as the message had not been delivered and my guide had not yet arrived. It was pitch black, and as I waited in anticipation, I heard German, French, Polish and Mexicans around me, all as eager to climb as I was.

Water temple, where people came to bathe in groups and prostrate themselves under holy water.

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Finally, Estewae, my guide, arrived and off we went at the front of the line, climbing in the dark with head torches lighting only a few meters ahead. The climb was mildly challenging, mostly due to the wet terrain, as although the incline was steep, my heart rate stayed low and I was climbing with little effort. On the way we passed several temples, which were more or less stone piles that my guide had to worship for good luck before we were allowed to continue. I sat by his side and took several deep breaths while silently feeling grateful for the opportunity I have to climb all over the world.

We made it to the top quite quickly and had to wait for sunrise for a couple of hours.

It was very windy and cold there and we huddled together for warmth while sharing travelling stories. I kept asking about breakfast but was told to wait a little more as the cooks had not made it to the top of the mountain yet. When they did, we happily cooked our own eggs in the fumaroles while they brewed our coffee. We were also given a mashed banana sandwich that one of the stray dogs stole from me! The light started to appear on the horizon and the sunrise was worth the wait. The sun’s rays grazed Mount Agun to the East and reflected on the lake down below. The sides of the crater looked nearly photo luminescent, so green was the grass growing on these parts. The temperature finally rose and the sun kept changing the colours around us. Clouds, blue skies, grass and brown earth all contrasted with one another and I felt sad to have to leave this beautiful place.

The way down, as always, was not so much fun and the terrain was muddy and slippery. The slopes on the other side of the crater got the better of my boots (the lace rivets broke down and I had to get a new pair after the trek). Midway down, Estewae

needed to worship in a small crevasse along a ridge, so off we went, crawling in a very narrow rocky cave sparsely covered with stalactites and stalagmites. After ten minutes, we reached a very small altar and switched our headlights off. It was pure darkness and silence in the bowels of the mountain, and the only distraction was a water droplet falling here and there. We stayed for what seemed like hours but in reality was probably only five or ten minutes. Then, we switched our lights back on and crawled back out of this deep crevasse under the volcano.

From that point onwards, the incline was quite easy on the legs and my next stop was going to be Kuburan Terunyan, a cemetery where people are not buried but rather layed to rest in the open air to decay in the elements. Legend has it that a very fragrant tree, the Taru Menyan from the Banyan family, masks the odor of the decaying corpses, but I have to say I do not find it to be true. It was fascinating though to witness the different beliefs that people have all over the world and how the villagers come to eat with their deceased loved ones and bring them gifts for the afterlife.

Crossing the lake to come out and return from the cemetery was very welcome as the fresh air cleaned my nostrils out. On the way

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back to my hotel I stopped at the Pura Tirtha Empul, (water temple), where people came to bathe in groups and prostrate themselves under holy water. The weather was dreadful with pouring rain, and after consulting with my guide it was decided that climbing Agun was too dangerous and that this would have to be postponed. Running out of time, I had to fly back to Dubai and plan another trip to Bali for Agun... Batur got my boots but I have a new pair and they are ready for Agun in the not too distant future.

Coffee Luwak

The number one most expensive coffee in the world is made from the number two of the jungle cat. Kopi Luwak, aka Bali jungle ‘cat poop coffee’ is produced in the jungles of Bali. After spending about a day and a half in the civet cat’s digestive tract, the partially digested beans are expelled in clumps through the defecation process, thus gaining the alias ‘cat poop coffee’. The collected beans are harvested, washed and roasted. Believe it or not, the coffee has a smooth flavour with a hint of caramel!

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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

China with a child China might not be the first place that springs to mind when you start planning a trip with a three month old child, but as Nicola and Nabin found out, travelling with a baby doesn’t have to mean all inclusive five star resorts…

Words by: Nicola Holmes Photos by: Soul Photography

Ni hao!

In January 2015, I was a few months pregnant with our daughter Maya, and struggling with morning nausea, when a wedding ‘save the date’ popped up from my cousin inviting us to share their special days in Cambridge in July 2015 (shucks, baby is due then so unlikely we’ll make it)…and in Changsha (China) in September (awesome! Baby will have arrived by then and so subject of course to a green light from the doctor for mother and baby, count us in!).

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A few family and friends thought we might regret the decision to travel with a three month baby in tow, but our view was that it’s easier to travel with a baby than a toddler or older, and we didn’t want to miss such a unique opportunity to see China and experience its culture…and so the preparations began.

Our key thought was; ‘if we’re going then let’s plan as if we won’t go back and travel to all the must sees’. Through our research we realised two key things; firstly, that we would experience four seasons across the threeweek trip, and secondly, that despite wanting to travel overland it would be impossible with the time we had…and so air travel it

was! With the help of a website called Ctrip (recommended for ease and price) and the advice of my cousin’s fiancée, we finalised the itinerary, and, some eight flights later, we were all booked up and ready to go.

We travelled direct from Dubai to Beijing and then on to Zhangjiajie where we visited the incredible Wulingyuan Scenic Area, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and noted for more than 3,000 quartzite sandstone pillars and peaks, caves, ravines, gorges, streams, pools, waterfalls and natural rock bridges. It is also where much of the epic movie Avatar was filmed. This was the scenic highlight of the trip for us and at times left us speechless.

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Next, we travelled to Changsha where the wedding was held. It was a traditional Chinese Buddhist ceremony and was a truly unique experience. Together with our Yorkshire family members, who had also made the journey over, we enjoyed the opportunity to wear traditional outfits and get involved in all the activities; even Maya had her own attire, slippers included. We also had the opportunity to watch the epic fireworks display which takes place weekly over the city and draws thousands of spectators.

Our next stop was Jiuzhaigou, a national park and another UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in the north of Sichuan province.

Having grown up visiting the English Lake District as a child, I felt a real affection for this beautiful area full of mountains, waterfalls and colourful lakes. It is also home to a number of Tibetan villages that retain their culture and traditions and can be easily visited as part of the trip. Shuttle buses drop you by the main lakes and then wooden boardwalks take you around and allow you to fully appreciate the scenery. Our favourite spots were Five Flower Lake, Reed Lake and Pearl Shoal Waterfall.

From here we flew to Chengdu for a visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, well worth a visit, especially to see the baby Pandas. We took a trip out to

visit the Leshan Giant Buddha and we had a day exploring the city where we visited the ancient Anshun Bridge and Jinli Street where the buildings are in the Qing Dynasty style.

Next was a quick stop in Xi’an, one of the oldest cities in China. It is also the starting point of the Silk Road and home to the world famous Terracotta Army. A few other sights we enjoyed when touring by rickshaw were Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Drum Tower, Bell Tower and the City Walls (which stretch for miles and are worth exploring by bike to avoid exhausted legs).

Shanghai was next where we spent a wonderful two days admiring the stunning architecture and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere of this city. Highlights included The Bund by night, the old French concession, Longhua temple and Old Nanshi district. A couple of “where to eat” tips from our friends living there are Sproutworks in Xintiandi, Baker & Spice on Anfulu and Ginger café overlooking one of the city parks.

Our final stop was Beijing where we were fortunate to have friends who hosted us for four days. The city was slightly overwhelming in both size and population. We decided to

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cut our itinerary and so focused on our top 5 which were The Forbidden City (an absolute must see, get the audio guide and afterwards take a walk in neigbouring Jingshan Park for the view over the city), Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace (a little out of town so prepare yourself for the traffic), Hou Hai (back lakes), which is great for dinner and nightlife, and Nanluoguxiang where you can still see Old Beijing with its narrow alleys, courtyards and traditional hutong neighbourhoods (take a pedicab tour but be prepared to haggle).

You could say we saved the best for last as the day before we left we hired a driver to take us out to the most popular tourist site, The Great Wall of China. There are a few popular access points to the wall, and we chose Mutianyu as it was deemed accessible for families. After an early start (to get ahead of the hordes of tourists) and a 1.5 hour drive, we took a cable car and then climbed up to one of the forts and onto the wall itself.

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TOP TIPS FOR TRAVELLING WITH A BABY Reflecting on the trip we want to give useful advice to other families planning to travel around China and so here are our top tips.

The only word I can use to describe the experience of walking along this remote and ancient wall, stretching over 20,000 km, is wondrous. Looking out over the hills you get a sense of the vastness and historical role this wall played in protecting the country as well as border control. On one particularly steep section Maya’s feeding cry could not have been better timed and meant I enjoyed an almost solitary pause to sit, breathe, listen to the silence, admire the views and implant our final and everlasting memories of this incredible country.

1. Travel light: take clothing that is adaptable to different seasons such as trousers that zip off at the knees and clothing that can be layered.

2. Time your flights: for long haul choose daytime flights, this way there’s no pressure to sleep, no concern about disturbing other passengers and on arrival you can hit the sack and get a good night’s sleep.

3. Book it all: book all the flights, hotels, drivers, guides etc before you travel.

This way you can focus on enjoying the experience rather than worrying about logistics.

4. Learn to meditate: it is a frenetic country and in places people, traffic, sounds and smells overwhelm you. Meditating, taking time out or even just a few deep breaths will help. Also a heads up for other Brits; queuing does not exist in China. It’s every man for himself, survival of the fittest.

5. Basic language skills: English is not widely spoken and so for smoother travels take the time to learn a few basic phrases before you travel and other useful words as you go. You could even use a pocket Chinese phrasebook or a translation app.

6. Check the weather: it was only when we looked at average temperatures for the time of year in each place we were planning to visit did we realise that we literally would experience four seasons in one trip.

7. Over budget: compared to most other Asian countries China is more costly in terms of hotels, transport and sightseeing. Budgeting accordingly means you don’t have to worry and feel that you are overspending.

8. Make the most of the day: the Chinese are notoriously early risers and so for you to have the best experience of the country, you should join them. This suited us (with Maya’s 5am wake time) and we fondly recall the daily sight of thousands of Chinese, young and old, partaking in Tai Chi in city parks and on city streets.

When considering what you need for travelling with a baby we feel five items are essential; 1. A carrier such as Baby Bjorn 2. A lightweight travel cot such as Koo-di (with Baby’s favourite blanket) 3. Pump (or formula) and bottles 4. Feeding shawl - breastfeeding in public is not common place and so this ensures you feel comfortable (and as result so does Baby) 5. A daily stocked change bag with nappies, wipes, mat, change of clothes and muslins (be aware it is rare to find babycare facilities and so changing nappies on the go is the norm!)

We will never forget the fascination people had with Maya; everyone wanted to hold her or touch her skin (especially her feet, for luck, apparently!). It was only towards the end of the trip that we realised that with her mixed British & Nepalese heritage she was often mistaken for a Chinese baby and that exclamations made were actually thanks and joy that we had adopted a child of their nation, especially a girl. Now that really would have been a lasting memory! Although Maya will have no memory of her trip to China, she does have a stamp in her passport and we have many many stories and photos that we look forward to sharing with her. Where next on the adventures of Maya…..???

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

The Druk Path Diaries:

Exploring Bhutan Words + Photos by: Fahd Abu Aisha

In part two of his journey on the Druk Path Trek, Fahd Abu Aisha discovers that yaks aren’t necessarily to be trusted…

Day 3, November 1st: The Land of the Thunder Dragon

I woke up numb and sore, having slept in a breached fetal position all night.

The sun was scorching our campsite, in contrast to the Arctic conditions encumbering us throughout the night. I enjoyed an outdoor breakfast while glowing rays kissed the snowy peaks of the mountains – a picturesque view. We cleared up our tents and made our way back up to the monastery to continue the trail beyond the monk’s hut.

The hike was relatively short. We traversed

up and down slopes through the forest for a few hours before we walked out on an open plain, delighted to happen upon our chef who had prepared lunch for us. It was there where I met Frank and Nancy again (the San Franciscan couple) and we picked up where we left off; sharing strategies on how to keep warm during the freezing nights.

With only one hour of hiking left to reach our next destination, I took my time finishing my lunch as it was only noon. I explored the ‘lunch site’ longer than usual in an effort to kill time in a productive and prudent manner. By then our chef and horseman had already made for the second camp, so Tashi and I bid our adieus to Frank and Nancy once more and we tried to catch up with our dynamic Chef/Horseman.

Tashi was not sure what their chef meant by ‘next camp’. It was still early but

reaching tomorrow night’s camp was going to be cutting it too close to make it in time before sunset. We continued our walk again into more forest; this time the atmosphere took on a darker, more ominous tone as tall skeletal trees hung lifelessly around us.

Tashi mused how ‘it would be the perfect horror setting for a movie.’ I responded nervously with a high-pitched giggle.

We walked for another half hour. As nonchalant and experienced Tashi was, I began to feel even he was getting anxious. Perturbed, I peered into the distance through the branches fretfully. With what sounded like a combination between a wail, a choked sob and a massive sigh of relief, he stopped to show me an arrow pointing forward drawn into the mud, confirming we were moving in the right direction. Sure enough, we walked out onto yet another open plain and 5 minutes later were surrounded by mountains, where the main camp lay.

Out of nowhere a massive cloud lumbered across the sky and hovered over us expectantly. A pregnant pause later it emitted the roar of the thunder dragon and began to pour down sacks of rain. We took shelter inside the main camp and waited for the rain to subside. We were the only people within a 20km radius.There was not much more I could ask for, seated with a warm cup of tea, and a view to die for.

Day 4, November 2nd: The Yak Crossing

It had poured heavily the night before, the raindrops beating violently against my tent.

The pitter-patter on the roof soon became white noise to me and I slept soundly throughout, blocking out the impending knowledge that the heavy, hell soaked night would have devastating results on today’s hiking path.

My memory of today’s surroundings is a bit hazy, so entrenched with mud was the path, that I focused all my concentration on getting one foot successfully in front of the

other. It is no exaggeration to say that it was impossible to navigate the route if you had not already done it before, as the trail was obscured by all the sludge. I had not done it before, so naturally I was the damsel in distress of the crew.

We faced our first real obstacle on the trek when we came upon a rushing river we needed to cross in order to continue our ascent. Due to the high winds and poor weather the night before, the make-shift bridge built for commuters had been blown away. My bridge building skills not intact, Tashi insisted we turn back into the forest to

find another way across.

Tashi scurried ahead of me trying to find an alternative route, and for the first time he was out of my sight for a few seconds. A twinge of panic set in. There were at least four potential footpaths that led in different directions from where I was standing. Thankfully before I had time to soil my last remaining pair of clean underpants, Tashi popped out of the trees with a victorious war cry, revealing he had found another way across.

As we walked down this newly discovered trail to the river, Tashi stopped in his tracks and signaled for me to move back: ahead

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stood 4 beastly yaks. Curiously blinking at us, they staunchly remained guarded in front of the river we needed to cross. Tashi whispered that despite these being domesticated yaks, they could be highly aggressive if provoked. They could run up to speeds of 40km/h so there was no way we were going to make a quick escape. Whilst assessing the situation,Tashi, in an attempt to relieve the tension, told me a funny local tale about The Yak: Centuries ago, the yak and buffalo were best friends. Back then; it was the buffalo that was the hairy creature and not the yak. One day the yak asked the buffalo if he could borrow his hair as he was travelling to Tibet and the climate was much colder, to which the buffalo happily obliged. The yak, all dressed up in his hairy new get-up made for Tibet, and as the story goes, never came back. Until this day in Bhutan, when the buffalos do not have their heads down grazing the land or sleeping they are always looking north wondering when their friend the yak would return. Sneaky yak.

As much as this story did lighten the mood, it made me more cautious and distrustful of them. Tashi warned me not to look them in the eye, as it may feel like we are challenging them, and then we would really be in trouble. However, we needed to get behind them to cross the river. We approached them slowly, particularly the alpha male who didn’t take his eyes off of us and the only one standing directly in our path. Another two slow steps toward him and he started toward us. Tashi shouted to jump left, and without hesitation, we lunged onto the low hanging branches of the trees like frantic koala bears then swung onto the massive boulders that were anchored into the gushing river. The yak let out a snicker and turned away; content he had won the duel.

We hopped from boulder to boulder, doing our best to avoid falling into the river, where the current would have swept us further downstream. The boulders were more like mini islands so the challenge was not death defying but still challenging. We had finally made it across the river behind the yaks. I didn’t like them anymore.

And so we continued up the trail, with the river flowing downstream adjacent to us. As we climbed out over the trees, we reached

a flat platform where the water flowed over the cliff and into the river (a mini waterfall of sorts). The view overlooking the valley was mesmerizing. Five more minutes of climbing over the cliff and we had reached our destination – the shores of a massive lake randomly created so high up there and girdled in by 3 gargantuan mountains. Tashi would eventually explain that the water from the glaciers of those mountains would form the lake, which in turn, would spill over the cliff and into the valley to form the river we had just trailed up against. It was a truly a

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sight to behold as we stood alone, appraising the magnificence.

The government had placed a lot of trout in the lake to stimulate the habitat and Tashi thought it would be a good idea to try our luck at DIY fishing.

Using a bundle of yak hair (NOT plucked from our old friend’s backside) as a fishing line, he bent the pin we used to hold the sleeping bags together as a hook topped with a small piece of chicken that we were originally going to have for dinner. It ended abysmally and almost as quickly as it started.

There were no takers for our now sopping, soaked chicken.

By the time we conceded that we weren’t having a lush, gourmet seafood feast for dinner, the sun vanished behind the clouds and the wonderful unpredictable Bhutanese weather struck again. As the cold bit down on my spine and legs I fled to my tent to change into heavier clothing.

The seasoned chef and horseman had pre-empted this sudden weather change and disappeared out of sight to look for firewood, which they found. We sought out a cozy spot in a cave under one of the mountains, away from the rain. Tashi warned me that this would be the coldest night we would face. I prayed I would be able to sleep through it.

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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

QBE and Beginner’s Luck Words + Photos by: Chris and Amanda Fraser

Travelling around Africa and Europe in their trusty car, Magellan, Chris and Amanda’s road trip has well and truly begun! Here, we join them in Botswana as they venture through the stunning Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

We all know the story of the man who walked into the casino for the first time, threw all his hard earned savings on one black jack hand and walked away a rich man...beginner’s luck. Well we definitely hit the jackpot during our 11-day tour through the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Combining our luck with Jeremy and Nunny’s vast experience in the bush, we had a fantastic run. Of the 22 game drives we went on, we spotted the big cats on 20 of them...how about that?! With a total of 23 lions, 12 cheetah, and 1 leopard, we had non-stop action.

Our top moments included a cheetah kill, a blobbed cheetah hunt, a long leopard sighting, an up close and personal encounter

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with a lion and lioness, and a home visit from a male lion.

I learned on our third day that game viewing can be about spotting an animal and exercising a ton of patience, waiting for that one flash of excitement, or it can just be a matter of being in the right place at the right time. We were lucky to experience both.

As Chris and I were leading the pack, we decided to slow down and see what another parked car was observing. We had quickly assumed it was a secretary bird near the side of the road and were about to carry on when Chris suddenly nudged me, and Jem frantically called on the radio. Within a split second a cheetah darted across the road. A springbok started jogging towards us with the gemsbok running in the other direction.

All of a sudden, the springbok picked up speed as the cheetah leaped over a dead tree full speed ahead. Three springbok leapt across the road; two peeled left while one darted to the right. Game on. The lone springbok and the cheetah chased across the road, just meters from our car. The springbok tried to take cover behind a dead tree, but it was too late. The cheetah, true to its character, was too fast! Unfortunately, we did not see the cheetah take the small buck

down, but seconds later, we witnessed the springbok’s legs splayed in the air.

Simultaneously, a nearby jackal began calling his jackal friends, alerting them to the recent kill. The cheetah looked around and then dragged the springbok under a tree. Dinner was served.

Minutes after we had experienced the most incredible adrenaline filled moment, we received a call over the radio from Jeremy and Nunny telling us there was a female cheetah stalking and we should get there quick. As we approached, they motioned where the cheetah was. About 50 meters away from the female was a lone

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springbok milling around, oblivious to what was eyeing him down. Binoculars out, car off, we exercised patience. For the next hour, our eyes were peeled. The cheetah would scan the area: left, right, back. Left, right, back.

Creep. Continuing this pattern. After a long wait, the hunt seemed imminent. She was in position, looking very determined. As she was about to pounce, down came four curious cubs. Hunt over. However, this was an experience all on its own as we got to follow the family down the road, as Mum perhaps looked for more unknowing food.

On our second day in Rooiputs, we followed a male and female to a campsite just down the road from ours. All night we had been kept up with the exciting roars of male lions. These calls got us up and out of camp very quickly, despite the -8 degree temperatures! As we came down the hill

from our camp to the main road, the Ferrow’s spotted a beautiful male sauntering through the bush, coming directly between our two vehicles. We then tracked this beast until the road ended. Chris and I decided to head up towards camp to see if we could head the lion off, and that’s when Chris spotted the second male lion, with his female posting up at the camp. The four of us were fortunate to have these two lions to ourselves for some time. The two looked ready to bask in the sun, preparing for their daily cat nap. Every time both would get situated, the female would come up and tease the male, taking a

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swipe towards his face, ending in a frustrated grunt from the male.

Our 11 days of extraordinary sightings ended with a male lion traipsing through our campsite in search of water from the leaking shower. As a vehicle that had been tracking the male lion (sleeping 100 meters from our campsite) started slowly driving closer, we knew he was approaching. Chris and I jumped on top of the water tanks, Nunny took to the ladder of their vehicle, while Jeremy stood his ground at the front of our car. Walking with ease, the lion went directly to our shower. Unfortunately we had run out of water that morning. As the lion moved, so did Jeremy. Nunny and Chris came out of hiding to get a closer glimpse, while I kept my distance...remaining safe on the roof!

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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

Diving Malapascua

Words + Land Photos by: Ally Landes Underwater Photos by: Simone Caprodossi Drone Photo by: Simon Pierce

If seeing Thresher Sharks (Alopias pelagicus) are on your bucket list, then Monad Shoal in the Malapascua area in the Philippines is the perfect place for you. The Monad Shoal cleaning stations are known worldwide as the one place in which divers can consistently see the unusual and rare Pelagic Thresher Sharks. They can grow to 3m, with their tails making up 50 per cent of their body. They can be seen circling the cleaning stations in twos or threes, but remain solitary.

They are impressive sharks with huge eyes for hunting at deep depths. Their pectoral fins are much longer than those of other sharks which give them incredible manoeuvrability and speed. Their ribbon-like shaped tail is the Rolls-Royce of all tails and can whip fish into a motionless and stunned 28

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state, making them an easy morsel.

We received an invitation from the Philippine’s Tourism Board to go on over in July and discover some of their dive sites’ treasure troves. Malapascua came up on Pelagic Thresher Shark - Alopias pelagicus

the list of destinations to choose from and threshers were on the top of our ‘Must See’ list. With a direct flight over to Mactan-Cebu International Airport with Emirates, we were greeted by a driver from Fun and Sun Dive

Painted Frogfish - Antennarius pictus - at Gato South Wall

beachfront cabins, guest houses and boutique hotels. There are plenty of beach bars and restaurants, and many walkways to explore around the island that lead to food stalls, and artisans’ stands selling handmade wooden sculptures. The mornings start at 5am on the island for those off to dive Monad Shoal, a pace one gets used to fairly quickly.

Nudibranch - Nembrotha kubaryana at Chocolate Island 047A7556

THE DIVING

We were very fortunate to have Danilo and Leo, two pro critter spotters, as our dive guides. Malapascua turned out to be quite the macro location. Apart from seeing Thresher Sharks at Monad Shoal, the rest of the dive sites really are more about macro than anything else. and Travel, and made a3-hour journey by road to a boat port. From there, we climbed aboard a traditional Filipino Banca boat for a 30 minute journey over to Malapascua Island.

Malapascua Island’s white sandy beaches offer an array of accommodation, from

Painted Frogfish - Antennarius pictus at Chocolate Island and Lapus-Lapus

CHOCOLATE ISLAND Depths: 13 metres

Chocolate Island is labelled as the most amazing macro site in the Malapascua area.

It certainly started our first dive off with a big bang.

Highlights:

Reaper Cuttlefish - Sepia cf mestus - at Ka Osting

Frogfish – also known as Anglerfish – are just such a joy to come across. No two of the same species are ever alike and we were looking forward to seeing plenty more of these guys on the rest of our dives. Their rather shapeless and incredibly camouflaged bodies with webbed feet, can make them incredibly hard to spot. One of the coolest things about Frogfish are their humongous mouths and expandable stomachs in which they are able to swallow prey even bigger than themselves.

Striped Catfish - Plotosus lineatus - at Quillano

• Nudibranchs (Nembrotha kubaryana) and (Nembrotha milleri) • Painted Frogfish (Antennarius pictus) • Reaper Cuttlefish (Sepia cfmestus) • Striped Catfish (Plotosus lineatus)

KA OSTING Depths: 10 metres

This was such a fun night dive on both the dives we did here. Creatures come out of nowhere and can give you quite a fright like

Sea Moth - Eurypegasus draconis

Giant sized Ringed Sea Snake - Laticauda colubrina - at Ka Osting

Bobtail Hummingbird Squid Euprymna berryi - at Ka Osting

the very large Ringed Sea Snake did to me when it popped up through my view finder while I was busily focusing on something else, to then watch it swim directly under my nose and past my legs. You need to keep your wits about you.

made its entrance. A pleasant surprise to see.

One can also spot Oceanic Mantas (Manta birostris) here from time to time. We didn’t, but who’s to say you won’t on your trip over.

Our fourth dive was the best day we had had with the threshers. Although the water was a little murky, we had a continuous repertoire of sharks coming in and out throughout the dive all at one cleaning station. It was an absolutely thrilling show!

Highlights:

• Day Octopus (Octopus cyanea) • Bobtail Hummingbird Squid (Euprymna berryi) • Ringed Sea Snake (Laticauda colubrina) • Reaper Cuttlefish (Sepia cfmestus) • Robust Ghostpipefish (Solenostomus cyanopterus) • Ascidian or Sea Squirt (Atriolum robustum) accompanied by unknown Blenny • Decorator Crab (Camposcia retusa) • Saddled Toby (Canthigaster valentine) • Sea Moth (Eurypegasus draconis) • Devil Scorpionfish (Inimicus didactylus) • Flatworm (Pseudobiceros bedfordi) • Porcelain Crab (Neopetrolisthes maculatus) The Bobtail Squid is so small and incredibly hard to spot, unless you know how to look to find them. They are nocturnal and Danilo was quick to spot this one’s bioluminescent light and Simon Pierce and Simone Caprodossi each got to spend quality time photographing this little one. The males grow to no bigger than 3cm and the females to 5cm, making us believe this one was most probably a female. With their gorgeous peacock colours of small dark, electric blue and green dots, you can’t help but be marvelledby them. Their tiny eight arms and two tentacles, are just too cute.

There was such a variety of amazing things to see on this dive, it all seemed to have ended far too quickly and eyes at the back of the head would have been useful.

MONAD SHOAL Depths: 30 metres Highlights:

• White-spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus ocellatus) • Pelagic Thresher Sharks (Alopias pelagicus) Pelagic Thresher Shark - Alopias pelagicus

Flatworm - Pseudobiceros bedfordi - at Ka Osting

Mandarin Fish - Synchiropus spendidus - at Lighthouse

PASIL BAY Depths: 18 metres

This dive site’s topography has unique characteristics compared to those of the others and is covered in a carpet of green algae and dotted with lots of pretty Longspined Sea Urchins (Astropyga radiata).

Highlights:

Greater Blue-ringed Octopus Hapalochlaena lunulata - at Lighthouse

Monad Shoal is done by visiting cleaning stations and patiently waiting behind designated diver zones to watch threshers suddenly appear from out of the blue. It’s incredibly well organised and divers are made to kneel behind the rope barriers.

The dive masters will move you on to the next station if need be. Nitrox is definitely the way to go on this dive, so make sure to ask for it. Photographers and videographers are prohibited from using light as they disturb the sharks.

What a breathtaking sight it is to see them. They are much larger in scale than one imagines and they swim with such grace. That moment made the whole trip all the more worth it! They come in alone from the blue and they exit alone, but you can easily see 2-3 at a time.

The single White-spotted Eagle Ray we saw on the third dive with strong current, appeared on our descent along the anchor line and flew past us just as quickly as it had Hairy Frogfish - Antennarius striatus - at Pasil Bay

• Black-Pitted Snake-Eel (Pisonophis cancrivorus) • Hairy Frogfish (Antennarius striatus) • Porcelain Crab (Neopetrolisthes maculatus) • Ringed Sea Snake (Laticauda colubrine) The biggest highlight here was the small Hairy Frogfish perched in motion with the algae and the Black-Pitted Snake-Eel protruding from the sand it had buried itself in.

Known to scarper deeper in the sand from sudden movements made close to it, this snake-eel seemed quite relaxed as it stared back at us with its large golden eye.

LIGHTHOUSE Depths: 10 metres

The shallow dusk dive in search of the famous Mandarin Fish always extends into a night dive, doubling your dive time. The dive site here, although not a pretty one, is loaded with nooks and crannies for a variety of critters to play hide and seek in the rubbled bottom.

Highlights:

• Mandarin Fish (Synchiropus spendidus) • Estuary Seahorse (Hippocampus kuda) • Greater Blue-ringed Octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata) It oddly felt as if all the divers on Malapascua had come to join us on our dusk dive to find the Mandarin Fish. Once everyone settles on the first lot of Mandarin fish you find, move on to find another couple as you know they won’t move to follow you, and you can then get your shots from all angles. You cannot use regular lights when photographing the Mandarin Fish as it disturbs their mating ritual, so make sure to have red filters over your lights or else you won’t get them.

The very small Greater Blue-ringed Octopus – up to 7cm – is an elusive specimen

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was there and in my opinion, it counts as a check off my list.

and Danilo hit the jackpot. This dive site is the perfect location for this little guy with all the rubble around. This stunning and colourful little tentacled being of poisonous life, is an incredible find and one to be observed from a safe distance to avoid its venomous and possibly deadly bite.

VERDICT:

GATO SOUTH WALL Depths: 22 metres

Gato Island is a popular all day destination and 2 dives are normally done here, with 5 dive sites to choose from. The island is a marine reserve and its unique feature is the tunnel which runs through the entire island.

It’s a very popular location though and it can get packed with divers.

Highlights:

• Painted Frogfish (Antennarius pictus) • Ringed Sea Snake (Laticauda colubrine) • Big-Fin Reef Squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana) We had a very interactive moment with a small swimming Painted Frogfish – which rapidly grabbed the attention of every other diver in a matter of seconds. You may have to be quick in getting your shots.

GATO TUNNEL Depths: 22 metres

After a lovely lunch and relaxing surface interval on our Banca dive boat, we did our second Gato Island dive. The 30m tunnel is usually home to Whitetip Reef Sharks (Triaenodonobesus), but with the number of divers on this day, it was no wonder we didn’t see any. This is a great dive site with much to explore. It also makes some great photos with your dive group in the background with the surface light visible at either of the tunnel openings.

Highlights:

• Robust Ghostpipefish (Solenostomus cyanopterus) Gato tunnel exit

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Harlequin Shrimp - Hymenocera elegans - at Gato Tunnel

• Harlequin Shrimp (Hymenocera elegans)

We took seven days with travel time taken into account to get a full five days of diving done.

With an average of 4 dives per day, you get to see a huge variety of rich marine life that you don’t get to see in many other places.

Malapascua surpassed our expectations and the Philippines has a lot more underwater exploring to offer. The 5am dives with Thresher Sharks is a top start to each day. Whatever you do, don’t miss out on those!

The Robust Ghostpipefish and Harlequin Shrimps make great macro subjects and there are plenty of other things to photograph here, it’s a matter of being at the right place and the right time as it’s a large area to cover.

LAPUS-LAPUS Depths: 30 metres

This is an incredibly colourful reef, covered in soft corals, wire and whip corals and small fans, and has a very strong permanent current that brings everything to life.

Unfortunately, I had not taken the current into account and did not make the most of all the things to see on this dive. The cracks and crevices along the wall have lots to explore and I had to give the pair of frogfish a miss as I was on the last reserves of my air and needed to make the safety stop.

Highlights:

• Yellow Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) • Painted Frogfish (Antennarius pictus) • Vomer Conch (Strombus vomer vomer) The Yellow Pygmy is a rare find and although I did not see it with the naked eye, Simone got it with his super macro lens. I Yellow Pygmy Seahorse - Hippocampus bargibanti - at Lapus-Lapus

The fun and sun team

Planning your Trip:

WEATHER There are two seasons in the Philippines.

The wet season, July-October, and the dry season, November-June.

The weather is generally warm and tropical so you can pack light, remembering to bring a rain jacket or umbrella if going in the wet season. You will need it. The great thing is, come rain or shine, you can dive year-round in the Philippines.

Breaking the seasons down further, December through March is the northeast monsoon that can bring strong winds. April through June is usually dry with warm days and little wind. July through November is the southwest monsoon, which is wet, but the water is warm. Air temperatures average 2532°C with high relative humidity. We went in July, and we had only one wet day out of 7, and that did not deter us from the diving.

Who to Dive with and find Accommodation: FUN & SUN DIVE & TRAVEL

There is accommodation to fit everyone’s budget on the island which Fun and Sun Dive and Travel, can help you with. They will also take care of airport transfers. info@funsundivetravel.com www.funsundivetravel.com www.facebook.com/funsundivetravel

Gato tunnel entrance

Vomer Conch - Strombus vomer vomer - at Lapus-Lapus

Things to Bring:

A universal travel power plug adapter converter and a 6-way plug extension lead as we had so many different things to charge overnight with all the different camera batteries, lights, tablets, laptops, etc.

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Kit bag essentials:

What to carry to ensure you don’t get caught out!

Words by: Rachael Bruford Photos by: Rachael Bruford and supplied

Any athlete knows that the time before a race can be particularly nerve wracking. No matter what your sport is, you will most likely feel some pressure as this is when you will be truly tested; when all your training comes together, and hopefully the hours and hours spent preparing for an event will be reflected in a performance that you’re happy with.

However, nerves can also lead to mistakes when it comes to packing your kit bag, which can then have a negative impact on your race. Whether your next event is just round the corner or thousands of miles away, there are some items that you should always carry with you, just in case you happen to need them. By ensuring that your kit bag is always stocked with these things, you’ll have the time to focus on the task ahead of you, rather than running around trying to find last minute essentials.

Sunblock and sunglasses

Be sure to carry a travel-sized tube of sunblock for unexpectedly sunny days, even in countries that aren’t renowned for warm weather. If your race starts early, you may still need to protect your skin from the sun when hanging around afterwards.

Cap/ visor

Again, this is something that may not necessarily spring to mind, but a cap or visor is an ideal way to shield your eyes from the sun’s glare, whether you use it to race in or just afterwards. A cap can also protect your scalp from sunburn, which you really don’t want after you’ve exerted yourself.

Flip Flops

Every athlete knows the relief that comes with taking off your shoes after a run, cycle or even just a hike. Having a pair of shoes such as flip flops, that allow your feet to get some air and recover, is something you’ll really appreciate afterwards. There’s almost nothing worse than having to keep your sore feet in the same sweaty socks and trainers that you had to race in, whilst you hobble back home or to your hotel. Similarly, if you’re in a cold climate, be sure to bring a spare pair of warm shoes, and some socks.

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Insect repellent

This is always handy to have, even if you’re in an area that is not particularly known for mosquitoes or other critters. You just never know when you might need it, or if you’ll be able to buy some in the local area; so be sure to carry it with you. Also, carrying a soothing cream or some Tiger Balm will help with any irritation or itching if you do get bitten – not exactly what you want before heading into the race or when trying to get a good night’s sleep beforehand!

Towel

There’s something comforting about having your own towel to use after a shower, or even using it to sit on after the event, in the case of rocky or wet ground.

Toiletries

Whilst many hotels and shower facilities offer toiletries such as shampoo and shower gel, there’s something luxurious about using your favourite brands when enjoying a hard earned shower after your event. The feel

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and smell of these products will be sure to refresh your weary body. For example, after a race you might love having a hot shower and then lathering yourself in your favourite moisturiser afterwards. Psychologically, it’s a huge boost!

Spare kit

This really does go without saying. How many of us have turned up to training with no shorts, no socks or (for the ladies) no sports bra? Ensuring you have a spare full kit in your bag means that there’s no need to panic if you do forget something, and you can also use it as something to change into afterwards.

Money

Some people try to race with a little money on them, just in case, but you should have some in your kit bag too, if only to deal with unforeseen transportation issues and after-event celebrations.

Phone

Definitely needed to check your official results and to let your friends and family know how you did! It’s also handy when meeting up with people afterwards and of course, in case of an emergency. More importantly, you’ll also need to make use of your phone’s camera to take the all-important ‘medal selfie’ afterwards!

ID/Medical and travel insurance cards

These should definitely be in your possession at all times if possible, but if not, be sure to keep them in a safe place in your bag, where they won’t get wet or damaged.

Plastic bags

For used smelly gear and shoes.

Headphones

Most major events will not allow headphones; however, it can be nice to listen to some music or your favourite podcast before or after the race.

Face or hand wipes

A great way to remove dirt and sweat before you head to the shower. We all know that being competitive can sometimes get a little messy, with gels and the like somehow finding their way all over your face and hands. This gives you the perfect chance to get rid of it without having to find water.

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Spare Gels/fuel

If you use energy gels or any type of fuel when you’re on the go, you’ll know the physical and psychological impact of forgetting them or not bringing enough. Be sure to pack some spares, but also check every now and again that they have not gone off.

If possible, bring a banana or something to consume immediately after your race.

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Hair brush/hair ties

Women (and men with long hair) will know only too well how matted and tangled long hair becomes when you’re pushing yourself to the max. Taking time afterwards to slowly brush out any knots will make you feel much more human again. Hair ties are funny things; one day you have millions and the next week they’ve somehow vanished. Be sure to keep plenty of spares!

Vaseline/anti-chafe

If you’ve ever stepped into the shower after a hard work out only to realise you’ve chafed, you’ll know that prevention is definitely the way forward! Be sure to apply this before your event to any areas that are prone to chafe.

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Medication

This should be kept in a safe place and should include any of your regular medication. In addition, think about carrying some Imodium (for obvious reasons!), anti-histamines, Ibuprofen or other painkillers.

Warm layers

During and immediately after your race, you may feel ridiculously hot. However, once you’ve finished and the sweat begins to evaporate, you risk getting a chill that could potentially make you ill. Be sure to include at least a sweater to put on afterwards.

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LIFESTYLE

Family adventure diving Words + Photos by: Jen Hardie

When we’re young, the sky is the limit for the adventures we can get up to. At least it was for me. Sadly, my exciting pre-children weekends of adventure made way for play dates, kiddie sports,

visiting attractions and childrenfocused activities. Before I knew it, those crazy adventure filled days were behind me. This past year, I began to miss the old adventure loving me and tried to find ways to seek adventure, while also including my kids, Matt (12) and Eva (7).

Our first family adventure activity was scuba diving. Luckily, parents can learn how to scuba dive together with their kids as PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) offers courses for youngsters from eight years old. In the UAE, we are blessed with perfect scuba diving weather all year round, so it seemed like a great fit for our first family adventure activity.

There are PADI centres throughout the UAE, but to get started, we stuck close to home and went to Dive Atlantis at the Atlantis Hotel. We started with the Open Water course. I was impressed with how good the team were in working with children, teaching key skills in a fun and easy to understand way, while still enabling them to be safe in the water. Atlantis is well set up for its introductory PADI courses, and you do your first few training dives in the dive centre’s pool, before further expanding your skills in the Ambassador Lagoon, swimming with 14 different types of sharks and rays as well as 65,000 other marine animals. It’s great to actually be in the water and see so many sea creatures at one time, especially for children and particularly when learning to dive.

Having that initial experience in the Ambassador Lagoon is what hooked my son Matt on scuba diving and left him wanting more.

Once you have your PADI Open Water

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qualification, adults can go to 18m and kids 10 years and older can go to 12m, which is more than enough to see great sea life.

After gaining our PADI Open Water certification at Atlantis, Matt and I were keen to dive more and see a greater diversity of sea life, so we headed to the East Coast.

Our next stop was Divers Down, who are based at the Miramar Al Aqah Hotel in Fujairah, to take our PADI Advanced Open Water course. This allows adults to go to 30m and kids to go to 21m. Divers Down are a well-run and professional dive centre that cater for absolute beginners all the way to highly experienced technical divers. There are always plenty of families taking courses or going out for fun dives whenever we are there, so we always feel right at home.

The East Coast offers a range of great fun dives for families. Some of the highlights for my son have been the black tip reef sharks, moray eels, turtles, lively cuttle fish, groups of 8-10 squid at a time, curious clown fish who might just try to nibble your finger if it’s mating season, and a playful jaw fish that will sometimes let you drop a shell down its hole and spit it out again. Great divesites with kids include: Dibba Island (16m), Hole in the Wall (15m), Martini Rock (3-22m) and Shark Island (16m). For more advanced divers, you can also explore Car Cemetery which holds around 50 wrecked cars spread out around 60 square metres featuring plenty of nudibranchs, moray eels, the odd manta ray and a few seahorses, if you look closely. Perhaps the most popular with my son is Inchcape 2, a wreck that sits at 21m, and is home to several nudibranchs, moray eels, rays and beautiful corals. Although you need a PADI wreck diving qualification to penetrate Inchcape 2, there is plenty to see circumnavigating the outside of the vessel.

My daughter Eva isn’t quite old enough to start the PADI scuba programme yet, which starts from the age of eight years old, so she will often join us on the dive boat and go snorkelling or free diving while we’re under

water. You need to check with the dive centre before you go, as each centre will have different policies. Often you will need to hire a PADI guide who will accompany your child in the water while you’re diving. But this offers a great opportunity for the whole family to stay together, yet still have an adventure.

If you have kids who are a bit too small for snorkelling independently, or who don’t want to be on the water, many hotels that have dive centres will also have babysitters that you can pre-book, or kids’ clubs, such as at the Al Aqah hotel, that they can go to while you’re diving.

Matt, Eva and I have managed to squeeze in about 30 dives/snorkel trips together as a family over the past year, both in the UAE and in Bali. Eva is now counting the days

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until she turns eight years old and can join the PADI Bubble Maker (2m) and Seal Team (4m) pool-based scuba programmes.

USEFUL INFORMATION:

PADI

www.padi.com Useful resource to find dive centres, learn about different qualifications, and sign up for e-learning Dive Atlantis www.atlantisthepalm.com Tel: 04 426 3409 Email: Dive.Atlantis@atlantisthepalm.com PADI Open Water course – 2,400 AED PADI Seal Team – 1,450 AED PADI Bubblemaker – 490 AED Fun dive in Ambassador Lagoon (certified divers) – 950 AED

Divers Down

www.diversdownuae.com Tel: 09 237 0299 (Fujairah) 055 988 8687 (Dubai) email: info@diversdownuae.com (Fujairah) dubai@diversdownuae.com (Dubai) PADI Open Water course – 1,900 AED PADI Seal Team – 1,400 AED PADI Bubblemaker – 275 AED Discover Snorkelling – 350 AED Skin Diver – 550 AED Explorer’s “UAE Diving” book Great resource listing all of the UAE’s dive sites and useful UAE scuba information – 149 AED Jen is an avid boxer, scuba diver, runner, rock climber and hiker who can often be found exploring the very best of the UAE and the world with her two kids Matt and Eva.

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Habitually healthy Gadgets, Gadgets, Gadgets Words by: Chef Patrick Ikinofo

Whether you are walking through a kitchen store or surfing the web for new equipment, it’s hard to deny the excitement that one feels when faced with the task of buying a new gadget. There are so many different gadgets in an array of various colour options that you are often tempted to buy them all. Yet the hard truth is that most of the equipment that you buy will soon render itself useless or will just collect dust after the initial enjoyment of the device subsides.

We at The Cycle Bistro understand that it’s not always possible to eat our delicious Paleo dishes and that sometimes you just want to cook at home. To continue following your Paleo diet or to just eat healthy dishes, we recommend having the following equipment in your kitchen.

A Blender

(Recommended Brand: Vitamix) Blenders are the most multi-functional pieces of equipment that you could possibly own.

The blender opens up healthier options to you

and your family, making everything from smoothies to soups. It allows you to create delicious foods by not limiting you to what is available at the supermarket. Owning a Vitamix blender makes a massive difference; it’s using professional graded equipment at home. Once you have used a Vitamix you will never turn back, and you will never have to, due to its robust properties.

Basics to great smoothie recipes Liquid (1/2 cup): You’ll need some liquid to get everything whirring in your blender, but choose wisely. Skip juices - they’re high in sugar.

Frozen Banana (1 cup): For natural sweetness and always rich, creamy (not icy) body, frozen banana slices are a must.

Frozen Fruit (1/2 cup): Frozen fruit makes a frosty smoothie without added ice. Buy ready-frozen fruit or freeze your own.

Try these: Blueberries, cherries, strawberries, pineapple, mango, apples, raspberries, blackberries, grapes.

Greens (1 cup): Add 1 cup of greens to help meet your daily veggie quota without overpowering your smoothie.

Try these: Baby spinach, kale (stemmed and chopped).

Optional: Have a sweet tooth? Add up to 2 tsp. liquid sweetener like maple syrup or agave.

A Sous Vide Machine

(Recommended Brand: PolyScience from Muddle-me.com) Sous Vide is a technique that brings food to a very precise temperature and holds it there for a period of time.

The immersion circulator clamps onto any pot or tank and allows you to select the set cooking temperature to a 1/10th of a degree. Some of the benefits include: preparing perfectly cooked food every time, helping to retain your foods’ valuable nutrients and packing plenty of flavour into your food by vacuum sealing your ingredients.

Always remember, should the mere thought of cooking be too daunting for you, The Cycle Bistro offers Paleo Meal Plans as well as delivery of our dine-in menu.

The Cycle Bistro GPS location: Latitude: N 25° 02.792 Longitude: E 055° 14.384 Phone: 04 425 3000

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Words by: Alin Epure Photos by: Jung Francisco and supplied

I have always been in constant search of a good quality and organic coconut water because of the fantastic health benefits that comes with its great taste. I must have tried a dozen different types of coconut water here in the UAE and was not able to find one which I can truly say that I like until I tried the Sunblast Organic Raw Coconut Water.

I have been trying to maintain a better lifestyle which involves going for a bike ride in the evening after a day at work or a quick dip at the swimming pool. Since the summer started, I have been sweating more than usual and feel very dehydrated after.

According to experts, water is never enough to restore the electrolytes that we lose after sweating vigorously. Drinking coconut water

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Triede&d tast

is one of the best ways to keep our body hydrated and get essential nutrients for us to function at our best on a daily basis. But we should always keep in mind that not all coconut water can serve this purpose, and that’s why we should always select the one which is closest to its natural form.

This is why I highly recommend Sunblast Organic Raw Coconut Water. Aside from the fact that it tastes so good that it feels like drinking it right out of the coconut shell, it is definitely all natural. It has been processed within 48 hours, chilled at 4 degrees to maintain its freshness and it didn’t undergo any heat treatment of any sort, which enables all the nutrients and enzymes to live.

Hence, the shelf life of each bottle is only 60 days.

Another interesting thing about Sunblast Organic Raw Coconut Water is its colour (which I found odd in the beginning), because it is pink! The science behind the pink

pigmentation is that the beneficial phenolicantioxidant of the coconut water reacts with the enzymes of the coconut water to turn it pink. This only happens with RAW and FRESH coconut water. The more the antioxidants, the pinker it turns.

Imagine a coconut water that is pink and contains most of the essential nutrients and antioxidants our body needs. How cool and interesting is that? Go grab one for yourself and give your body the treat it well deserves!

Available at all major supermarkets across UAE

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PRODUCTS A ROUND-UP OF QUALITY PRODUCTS AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE IN THE UAE

X-lite X-201 Ultra Carbon Motorcycle Helmet 1,300 AED | Was: 1,800 AED

Available only at Al Yousuf Motors across UAE The X-Lite X-201 Ultra Carbon helmet is a new, vintage inspired, open face jet helmet - featuring an ultra-lightweight carbon fiber shell. 3 Outer shell sizes guarantee a perfect fit, as does the helmet’s supreme comfort inner liner.

The inner padding is the perfect blend of vintage looks and modern functionality - offering a completely removable interior with a micro perforated liner and modern highly-absorbent fabrics. The X-201’s carbon shell gives the helmet an unmatched look and is incredibly low weight.

Five snap buttons on the outer shell allow the attachment of visors and/or peaks, and the helmet is finished with subtle metallic detailing. Double d-ring fasteners, which increase security and comfort, and an extra groove for glasses are concealed by interior flaps.

Alpinestars Rox Jacket 995 AED | Was: 1,195 AED

Available only at Al Yousuf Motors across UAE Rox Textile is an elegantly designed and stylish textile jacket featuring a durable advanced poly-fabric main shell.

Class-leading Protection • Removable and adjustable lightweight CE certified elbow and shoulder protectors offer the jacket a sleek sports fit yet provide class‐leading impact protection.

• Chest and back pad compartments supplied with PE foam padding (CE certified Nucleon protectors available as accessory).

• Comfort Performance Sport fit with pre‐curved sleeve construction for reduced fatigue and enhanced riding comfort.

• Strategically positioned accordion poly-fabric stretch inserts on elbow for excellent flex fit.

• Comfort textile collar plus wrist cuff edging for improved comfort and moisture-wicking.

• Lower rear profile design offers lumbar coverage and prevents jacket from riding up over pants.

• Waist connection zipper allows attachment to Alpinestars riding pants.

• Reflective details for improved rider visibility.

B’TWIN Rockrider 520S Full Suspension Mountain Bike

Quechua 2 Seconds Easy III Fresh & Black Pop Up Tent - 3 people

Available at Decathlon Mirdif and Ibn Battuta

Available at Decathlon Mirdif and Ibn Battuta

3,200 AED

MTB touring. Fullsuspension, sport touring mountain bike equipped with hydraulic disc brakes, rear air suspension, Shimano 27-speed drivetrain, and a fork lockout. Lighter and with greater precision!

Cycling comfort: 120 mm rear air shocks: lighter and smoother.

Comfortable saddle.

Efficiency: Shimano 27-speed drivetrain. Lightweight Suntour XOR fork.

Precision: Tektro hydraulic dual disc brakes that are more powerful and durable.

Ease of use: Fork with lockout feature. Shocks with a single adjustment: air pressure.

Lifetime warranty: B’Twin offers a lifetime warranty on the frame, stem and handlebar.

Suspension: 120 mm Size: M / L / XL front and rear Wheel Size: 26 inches Weight: 15.1 kg in M without pedals Colour: Black

540 AED

The new 2 Seconds, just as quick to pitch, now has the Easy system to help you fold it down. The Fresh and Black technology keeps the tent cool for a comfortable night’s sleep.

It also keeps it dark, making it a black out tent.

Easy assembly / dismantling: Free standing structure. Pitch in 2 seconds. Guided folding system: “Easy” Capacity: Sleeping width: 60cm/person.Improved useful length.

Heat reduction: Fly sheet, mechanical vents, Fresh & Black fabric for a good night’s sleep.

Darkness: It is dark inside the tent, even in the daytime: BLACK fabrics (patented outer).

Durability: Resists wind up to 50km/h (Force 6) - validated in wind tunnels on rotating plate.

Waterproof: Tested under shower at 200mm water / hour (tropical rainstorm) and in the field Easy maintenance: 2 year guarantee. Spare parts available at Decathlon stores.

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X-LITE X-802RR ULTRA CARBON:

LIGHT AND SPORTY HELMET The X-Lite X-802RR Ultra Carbon is the ultimate expression of sportiness of the Italian brand X-Lite, that belongs to the Nolan group. This helmet is the result of developments in racing seen before in the X-802, X-802R and X-802RR helmets, used by riders like Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner, Carlos Checa, and more recently, Danny Kent; all proclaimed world champions.

Shell

The shell of the X-802RR Carbon Ultra is made, as its name suggests, with a carbon fiber compound. This material ensures maximum resistance to any impacts, and is also very light. X-Lite has three different shell sizes, so there are plenty of scope to find what best suits you.

In fact, one of the most positive aspects of the introduction of this new fiber in the shell is the reduction of the overall weight. The X-802RR Ultra Carbon shows 1,240 grams on the scale for a M size, representing a reduction of between 80 and 100 grams over its predecessor, the X-802RR. Additionally, it also features a very good load balance, so that it shows very light once set.

Ventilation

The ventilation in the X-802RR Ultra Carbon is designed under the RAF (Racing Air Flow) concept, which creates a specific air ducting that proves more efficient for sporty driving experiences as evidence of the brand’s experience at racing.

Thus at the top we find three entries: a large central and two lateral closures ‘on / off’ type. Just looking at the aerodynamic shape of the shell we can imagine the air flow traveling andfinding its way out of the back, in the center of the spoiler.

The X-802RR Ultra Carbon also features an air channeler in the chin designed to improve aerodynamics, by letting air in and reducing friction.

Screen

The screen of the X-Lite X-802RR Ultra Carbon is made from Lexan material, which

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has anti-scratching properties. It’s also Pinlock-ready, the best anti-fog system on the market. It features a clear, wide view, one of the best in the market’s racing helmets segment.

The edges of the screen are topped by a rubber crown that improves the sealing and prevents the entry of air, water or noise.

bike riding with world renowned safety items, Al Yousuf Motors is always there to assist you in your adventurous endeavors by only following one rule, and that is “customer satisfaction.”

Inner

Inside the X-802RR Ultra Carbon Ultra we find a brand new construction material called ‘Carbon Fitting’. This is a brand new padding, created with carbon active filaments, a technology developed as a result of the X-Lite’s racing activities.

This material is 100% natural and bacteriostatic (anti-pollution), and stands out because it is an element with high thermoregulatory capacity. X-Lite states that the use of this type of padding decreases the temperature and the body’s O2 needs as well helping to decrease heart rate when racing at high stress level.

‘Carbon Fitting’ decreases static electricity that can be generated in the interior.

The X-802RR Ultra Carbon fastener is a double D system, as is compulsory for a helmet homologated for track use.

In summary, the X-802RR Ultra Carbon is the most advanced helmet from Nolan Group. Handmade in Italy, with a carbon composite shell of low weight and high strength fiber, it’s a very interesting combination for a very interesting price in the segment of premium racing helmets.

It is always recommended that you should choose quality safety items through authorized dealers such as Al Yousuf Motors, who offer good quality and a competitive price. Above all, you can find Al Yousuf Showrooms throughout the UAE. From training to the provision of complete

Please contact us any time for bike riding safety recommendations & accessories on the details below. It will be our pleasure to assist you.

Email: saferide@alyousuf.com Mob# +971 55 2179342

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PRODUCTS Nest Pro Goggle

Special Ops 2.0 Goggle

Available at selected GO Sport stores in UAE and Qatar

Available at selected GO Sport stores in UAE and Qatar

Go fast or go home with the Nest Pro Goggle. Equipped with embedded anti-fog, these latex free goggles retain clarity without the need for traditional anti-fog spray application. This performance goggle features a unibody design to fit various face types, as well as a wide peripheral range for optimal sighting.

Outsmart mother nature with the Special Ops 2.0 Transition Goggle. Advanced photochromic technology responds to changing light conditions by automatically transitioning lens colour from clear (for indoor use) to smoke (for outdoor use) and vice versa. All polycarbonate lenses include full UVA/UVB protection.

The Nest Pro goggle frame has a modern, grid-like effect, similar to the way a bird’s nest is intertwined for support. With a great backstory and even greater features, the Nest Pro competition goggles are perfect for triathlons, open water and training.

TYR Special Ops 2.0 goggles feature durable, hypoallergenic DURAFIT silicone gaskets that provide a comfortable, watertight seal and maintain their shape over time. They also feature embedded anti-fog, a unibody design and a wide peripheral range for optimal sighting.

95 AED/QAR

Features: • Embedded Anti-Fog • Wide Peripheral Range • Unibody Nosebridge • Double Strap Adjustments

Girls Ditsy Daisy Maxfit Swimsuit 110 AED/QAR

120 AED/QAR

Features: • Embedded Anti-Fog • Photochromic Lenses • Durafit Silicone Gaskets • Wide Peripheral Range

Women’s Reversible Brites Diamondfit Swimsuit

Available at selected GO Sport stores in UAE and Qatar

220 AED/QAR

With a fun floral print and awesome pink lining, the Girls Ditzy Daisy Maxfit Swimsuit is perfect for poolside play or building sandcastles at your favourite beach.

Available at selected GO Sport stores in UAE and Qatar

Durafast Lite fabric ensures UPF 50+ protection from the sun, as well as peace of mind for TYR parents, while the vibrant colour and Maxfit help every girl feel like a superstar. Engineered for growing swimmers, it is long-lasting and fully lined. The swimsuit features a flexible stretch, 200+ hours of performance, 360 degree range of motion and a lightweight feel for unrestricted comfort.

Durafast Lite: 88% Polyester/ 12% Spandex Features: • Lightweight and breathable fabric • Durafast Lite™ • UPF 50+ Protection • Youth Fit

Designed for today’s athlete, the women’s reversible brites diamondfit swimsuit is constructed with TYR’s most flexible textile, Hydraspan.

Featuring a medium neckline, sleek/flexible straps, keyhole back and moderate cut leg, the Diamondfit is ideal for athletes who want reliable coverage during every swim. In addition to a colourful trim, this reversible swimsuit also offers athletes a second, solid option.

TYR Hydraspan swimsuits ensure 360 degree range of motion and provide a superior fit wear after wear.

Hydraspan: 80% Nylon / 20% Spandex Features: • Reversible • Double Binding Diamondfit • Complete Comfort • Hydraspan: 100 + Hours of performance • UPF 50+ Protection

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Words by: Dan Wright Photos by: Daniel Birkhofer

Being keen ‘weekend explorers’, my wife and I like to get out camping with our son whenever we can, and before he was born we also spent a lot of our spare time mountaineering. I discovered the Quechua brand back in 2000 when I was working in France as a Climbing Instructor and there was a big Decathlon store nearby.

Decathlon was my first experience of an ‘Outdoor Superstore’ and it was like an Aladdin’s cave for me! Ever since then I have been buying and using Quechua kit because it is designed well, is cost effective and very functional. The following 12 products all come from the Quechua line and are all great for different reasons: 1. Folding Table – Unlike most of its competitors it is both well priced and reasonably strong. I have three of these which I use at base camps on treks with groups in Nepal and we put them in the dining tent end to end. They can take the full weight of a meal and all the serving bowls and bottles and when not in use they fold flat.

2. Folding Chair – We use these chairs with our trekking groups and they feature a convenient cup/can holder in the right hand arm.

They collapse into their own carry bag and we find them functional and comfortable.

3. 2 person folding tent – The real benefit of these for use out here in the Middle East where night temperatures can be hot is that they have flaps in both sides which can be raised to allow airflow through “no-see-um” mosquito mesh, but they still keep the insects out. They are very quick to set up (less than 10 seconds) and very quick to take down (if you know the secret art of folding one!).

4. Gas Stove – This features a very stable base on three folding legs under which the

gas cylinder screws into the base of the stove. I found the stability to be great, especially with a heavy pan full of water or pasta.

If you add a wind shield to it then it dramatically decreases the cook time as all the heat is deflected back to the pot.

5. Hooded Sleeping Bag – This sleeping bag features a simple left hand zip with a hood, and is made from synthetic fiber. Rated for 1 to 2 seasons, the square end means you can unzip the whole bag into a rectangle to use as a duvet if it’s too hot to keep zipped up.

6. Inflatable Cold Box – We all know that air is the greatest insulator, but the problem with a rigid cold box is that it takes up so much room. This inflatable cold box folds flat for storage but inflates easily for use. It has a convenient carry strap which makes it easier to handle than the rigid boxes’ end handles.

7. Double Inflatable Mattress – Not as thick as the version you buy as a spare bed at home but then not as thin as the more traditional inflatable pads for camping.

This mattress is quick to inflate (especially if you have a car socket pump!) and just right for 2 people in a 2 person tent.

Cover it with a fitted sheet, use a sleeping bag that opens out into a duvet and with a couple of pillows you have a very luxurious camp bed!

8. Collapsible Camp Bed – I especially like using these to sleep outside with no tent either under an awning or under the stars! It stands around 40 centimeters off the ground which means you won’t find any creepy crawlies in your bed at night and it has the comfort of a normal bed with no hard rocks

to lie on! It is quick to set up and take down and comes in its own carry case.

9. Aluminum 1 litre water bottle – These bottles are designed to hold any liquid and for the gourmet chef out camping you can use one for olive oil and another for a readymade marinade – just make sure you label them so an unsuspecting guest doesn’t drink one thinking it’s water!

10. Aluminum Cup – These are very light weight with a folding handle covered in rubber to insulate your fingers from hot drinks.

It also has a convenient scale down one side in millilitres, so you can measure out liquids for cooking.

11. Aluminum Plate – Also extremely lightweight and ideal for spaghetti bolognese or a nice goat’s cheese salad. Very easy to wash and store.

12. Camping Lantern – I have several of these for camp site use. It takes two AA batteries but these last for several nights. It has three settings; bright light, low light and red light. When I camp in the desert I put one at each end of camp on red light all night to give quad bikers ample warning that our campsite is there! You can hang it or place it on the table as a lantern.

One of the greatest features of buying Quechua kit is that it is so well priced. The above 12 items which form the basis of your campsite for the weekend (just add people, food and pets!) comes to just 1,892 AED in total, making it a great deal for a wide selection of kit. So get on down to your nearest Decathlon and check out their huge range of Quechua products!

The Ohio-based Lum-Tec Combat B32 is a stylish watch that incorporates gunmetal PVD titanium carbide hard coating, making it perfect for active people in the UAE. The old world style brown leather straps, included alongside black nylon straps, certainly make this watch a versatile accessory for a range of occasions and activities. Made of 316L stainless steel with a bead blasted finish, the watch is also water resistant to depths of up to 200m.

Furthermore, the prominent hands and curved sapphire crystal display, with clear anti-reflective coating, means that the time can easily be read, no matter what conditions the user finds themself in. The B32 GMT is limited to 150 pieces, making this an exclusive purchase that is both stylish and practical.

Specifications:

• Complete assembly in Ohio • 43mm width excluding crown • 22mm lug width • 13mm thick • 316L stainless steel. Bead blasted finish • Gunmetal PVD titanium Carbide hard coating

• High-tech Viton® gaskets • Precision screw down crown with double diamond sealing system • Curved sapphire crystal with clear anti-reflective coating • MDV® Luminous technology.

Old radium tone

• Threaded stainless steel caseback • 200 meters/656 ft. water resistance • 2 straps included: black nylon and old world style brown leather with matching hardware • Extra spring bars included for fitting other straps • All Swiss made R515 Quartz movement • Two year limited warranty • Limited numbered series of 150 • Free lifetime battery replacement service • Free lifetime pressure testing and seal lubrication/cleaning

Available at Instagram: @almekshah Facebook: www.facebook.com/ almekshah Mobile: +971 55 8008829 OUTDOORUAE

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Words by: Dana Epure Photos by: Jung Francisco and Ian Sebeldia

As a parent, you always want you and your family to be the best. The beginning of the school year is always a good time for a fresh start when it comes to new activities and the gear needed to enjoy them. My daughter is an amazing swimmer and to encourage performance I always try to offer her the best equipment you can find in Dubai, and I’m always on the lookout for high end technology and quality materials for a reasonable price.

I had known about TYR swimming goggles for a long time, and when we got the chance to try a wider range of swimming products from GO Sport I was nothing but excited and curious. Named after TYR, the Norse god of warriors, this American brand is cultivating a culture of greatness that is often chosen by both athletes and water enthusiasts at entry level because of the great features and technology behind the products.

The TYR WOMEN’S REVERSIBLE BRITES DIAMONDFIT SWIMSUIT is very comfortable and flexible. What I like most is the fact that it is reversible, giving you two swimming suits in one with two different colours.

Featuring a medium neckline, sleek/flexible straps, a keyhole back and a moderate cut leg, this swimsuit fits on any body shape very well and it has also an impressive UV protection of UPF 50+. More than that, although it seems a bit thick because of the reversibility, it dries fast and I feel comfortable all the time.

My daughter is 11 years old and it is always a challenge to find equipment and clothes that will fit her for a longer time. TYR GIRLS’ PHOENIX SPLICE DIAMONDFIT SWIMSUIT fits her perfectly as it is very flexible and has a similar cut and design to the women’s swimsuit. With UPF 50+ protection, it is chlorine proof and has an antimicrobial lining for odor

protection and long lasting freshness. As we all know, kids like to enjoy the water forever, this swimsuit is conveniently designed to last through more than 300 hours of swimming, so it would be guaranteed for a full year’s use.

Other basic pieces of equipment are the goggles and the swim caps, so you can keep your eyes and ears protected and your hair dry. My daughter liked the KID’S SWIMPLE goggles from TYR because the straps adjusted quickly and had a secure release button.

The soft silicone fits well on her face, sealing her eyes with no fog effect and, of course, the colour is so joyful. From a parent’s perspective, I appreciate that the TYR kids goggles are tested and approved in accordance with the Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines. This confirms once again that special attention to health and safety is given

For more info please visit www.gosport-me.com

for these products.

The MONSTER SWIM CAP is very funny looking. It fits well on the head, covering her hair and ears so that no water gets inside and the hair keeps completely dry, even it is long and gathered under the cap or if the swimming session is long. My cap is also wrinkle free silicone with minimum drag. It fits perfectly and keeps my hair dry and ears protected.

The BLACKHAWK goggles I used are transparent and mirrored, being designed for racing as they have a low profile with wide peripheral viewing. They are very comfortable, leaving no marks on my face, and are easily adjustable with five removable nose bridge size options.

NEST PRO goggles have an interesting grid-like effect frame, similar to the way a bird’s nest is intertwined for support. They have integrated anti-fog treatment and a double strap adjustment, and are useful for training, open water and triathlons.

Sometimes we use kickboards to build leg strength, and pull floats for my daughter to concentrate on arm stroke and technique.

Both Adult and Junior kickboards are very light, don’t get soaked with water and are chlorine resistant. The pull float that my daughter uses is simple and ingenious for practicing correct techniques and discipline in swimming.

I recommend TYR products for all families, as they are so appropriate for a range of needs and to encourage performance. TYR products offer excellent value for money, as they are comparable in quality to high end brands, yet do not come with such a hefty price tag. This swim gear is also good for all water enthusiasts, more advanced swimmers or athletes, and is designed to look good, fit well and stand the test of time. You can find the full range in selected GO Sport stores.

OUR EXPERTS

Discover Desert Driving!

Words + Photos by: Marina Bruce

One of the best things about living in the UAE is the ease of access to the outdoors. Some may choose to bike, climb or paddle to discover new places but for a self-confessed petrol head like me there is only one way to explore, and that’s using four wheels!

Desert driving

The first time I sat behind the wheel in the desert I thought, “I regularly drive on snow and ice, how difficult can sand driving be?”

I discovered in the next few hours, in fact over the next few years, that there is far more to it than you would imagine!

Deflating tyres to correct pressure is important by Donald Matheson

You need to think about so many things that your brain goes into overdrive and after your first two hour drive you will probably want to go home and sleep for hours! For instance, you need to look where you are going, watch your speed, keep an eye on your rev counter, listen to your engine, keep enough distance between you and the car in front...and that is just when you are travelling over flat sand!

There are certain similarities to snow driving in that moderation of power is extremely important – too much and your car will be out of control which is never a good thing; too little and you are likely to get stuck, although at least if you get stuck in sand you won’t get frostbite!

Wadi driving

There are many wadis (dried up riverbeds) to be explored in the Northern Emirate, and even more in Oman (see my article on Wadi Aydam in last month’s OutdoorUAE); many people choose wadis where they can camp/ swim/climb and make a weekend of it. The driving skills required here are completely different to those employed when desert driving; whereas in the desert power is everything, wadi driving and rock crawling need a somewhat gentler approach to steer through the rocks and ledges you will typically encounter.

Climbing is fun

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The difference between 4x4s and AWD/4WD

All Wheel Drive cars generally have permanently engaged 4WD; power is delivered to each wheel via a computer, ensuring good road holding. The computer decides which wheel to channel the power to and this takes a split second. In sand, often this tiny delay means you can find yourself stuck!

Many experts are of the opinion that prolonged sand driving can put immense strain on the vehicle’s drive train, possibly leaving you with a broken down car at the edge of the desert and a hefty repair bill to follow.

However, that is not to say that a well maintained AWD cannot take you into the desert on a camping trip, especially if you know what you are doing and take care.

4x4s are usually often more expensive, but with an experienced driver behind the wheel should be able to traverse a variety of extreme terrain. Most have part-time 4 wheel drive which means that 2WD, normally to the rear wheels, is used for road driving, cutting down on fuel and tyre costs. When you hit the sand or the rocks, switch it into 4WD and a series of differentials will deliver equal power to each wheel. There are times when maximum power and control are required – a 4LOW function changes the gear ratios to assist out of the trickiest of situations.

Remember though that most 4x4 cars have a maximum speed of 45kph when this is selected – so you will need to change back to 4HIGH for more moderate terrain.

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Even low cars can tackle some terrain

Perfect convoy driving by Debra Galvin

Acquiring off-road driving skills

I picked up my elementary off-roading skills as a member of a couple of great off-road clubs, and once I thought was reasonably competent I started my own one, Oasis Offroad, to pass on the lessons I had learned.

Instructional styles vary from club to club and Oasis Offroad starts rookies off with an “Easy Introduction to Offroading” whereas many others adopt a “follow me and you will soon pick it up” style. Do some research before signing up to a club to make sure you choose one that suits you.

Over the years I have seen many drivers capable of advanced manoeuvres who lack some fundamental skills, and I am a great believer in learning to walk before you can run. I like to coach new and improving drivers in soft skills while they hone their practical ones; things like recognising when to check and deflate your tyres some more (after half an hour on a hot day as pressures may have risen, or if the going becomes much softer) or understanding some basic causes of overheating cars in the summer (leaving the a/c on when climbing dunes, too many people in the car or carrying too much stuff).

I cannot condense what I have learned in 20,000kms of sand driving over 500 trips into one article, but here are some top tips for you.

Consider fixing an offroading flag to the rear of your car This makes the drive much safer as those following you will see where you are if you cross a small dune.

Turn off your traction control, should you have it as it can work against you in the desert.

My Patrol Safari does not have this but I do disable the ABS when off-roading and some vehicles are best with their airbags disabled when off-roading.

Driving on flat terrain

Choose your gear Highish revs are your friend when off-roading so I suggest that you limit your automatic gear to 3. If you are lucky enough to have a manual car then you will find yourself using gears 1 and 2 most, with occasional 3rd gear when on easy terrain.

Watch where you stop Starting off from soft flat sand can be very tricky. Instead try to park on a slight downslope thus enlisting the help of gravity when you move off.

To reduce situations with multiple stuck cars, always keep a good distance from the car in front as that way you can choose where you stop (see above.)

Before you select 4x4, prepare your car

Deflate your tyres It’s a good idea to start at 15psi as you are unlikely to unseat your tyre from the rim at this pressure. Later you can gradually deflate them to the optimum pressure for your car, your driving style and the prevailing sand conditions; I deflate mine to 12.5psi, front and rear.

Check that everything is secure Use a cargo net or boxes with bungee cords to keep everything in place should your car go for a short flight! (Whenever the car is moving make sure you wear your seatbelt too)

Learning when to stop by Dennis Templeton

Be vigilant and concentrate on where you are going at all times Keep your eyes open for rocks, burrows and hidden small steps, all of which may cause damage to your car.

Driving over dunes

The only way to learn just how much power to apply when driving up dunes is to practise – too much and you will fly over the top and may even damage your vehicle, too little and you will not make it all the way up, or may get crested.

When driving down a dune always keep your wheels straight and the weight of the engine will assist you in reaching the bowl at the foot.

Never ever slam on your brakes – you risk your front wheels digging into the sand and your car somersaulting!

And finally the most important rule of all: Never ever go on your own – even experienced drivers get stuck sometimes!

Even the experts get stuck by May Mayer

Marina is running some half-day off-road coaching sessions in October and November, just outside Al Ain. The 4-hour program will include both theory and a practical session; an extensive safety briefing; coaching on the most common obstacles such as crests, climbs and bowls; followed by a short scenic drive to bring it all together.

Groups will be small – a maximum of 4 vehicles per practical session; separate sessions will be run for low or long cars and these will also be suitable for AWD and 4WD cars – find out what your Kia Sedona, Ford Explorer or Hyundai Tucson can do! To find out more please email marina@desertdivaevents.com.

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OUR EXPERTS

The insides of the reel seat are also notorious for salt deposits, don't forget to wipe this part down or if there's salt in it already use a coton bud to take it off

All that's left after wiping them all down is to put them in a place where they can dry - loosen the drags before you store them

Words + Photos by: Kit Belen

Buying new rods and reels is always a happy occasion for us anglers. We take them out of the box and treat them like babies. I even know of a few people that keep them close to their bedside when they are first purchased, probably for them to wake up and know that they really have them and that last night’s unboxing was not just a dream.

The salinity level of the waters in the UAE is quite high, increasing the likelihood of salt affecting your gear. While the steps of cleaning your gear are quite simple, a lot of people often make the mistake of washing everything down with a hose. The pressure from the water exiting the hose actually does more harm than good in the long run.

The stream of pressurised water pushes salt into the hard to reach places of both rods and reels. In reels, salt deposits will be in the corners beneath reel seats, between the bail roller on spinning reels, between the drag washers and many more places where you think water would not get pushed into. Rods suffer corrosion from the places where the guide foot meets the blank. Even the best made rods have gaps between the epoxy and the blank, where the salt deposits will seep in, and before you know it, you will start to see rust forming in those areas.

While there are a lot of people who pay close attention to their gear and clean it as they should, quite a lot more try and fail.

This is the main reason why a lot of people have a growing collection of corroded rods, reels and lures.

I allocate a couple of compartments for lures I use when I fish so the other lures in the box won't get wet and get salt on them

Don't forget to wash your line - the line is what gets wet the most, next to the lure

Cleaning lures is a very simple matter. The easiest way I have found starts when you are out in the water. As a matter of practice, I usually have a separate compartment in the tackle box reserved for lures that I have used while in session. This separates them from the bulk of the lures that have not touched water or the ones that are brand new. When I get home from fishing, it would then be very easy for me to separate the lures I’ve used and rinse only those.

Rinsing lures is a very easy task, however it might be the one that gets ignored the most. In my case, I usually just put them in the kitchen sink and rinse each lure in warm running water. Lures are not subjected to the same pressures as a rod and reel and the parts that might rust are the hooks and split rings, which you should change from time to time anyway.

Before going into the rods and reels, I want to mention something that I have mentioned a lot before. With rods and reels, you really get what you pay for. The more expensive items have features that are not only made to make the reel run smoother or stronger, they are also more improved with seals and are usually protected from corrosion by having higher quality saltresistant bearings and plating. Some cheap reels might just be anodized, while the more expensive reels have a type of anodising that is specifically developed to combat corrosion (like type 3 anodising). Higher priced reels such as the Shimano Twin Power and Stella, to name a couple, are “saltwater sealed”, which means they have seals in their bodies that protect the insides from saltwater intrusion. Both reels also have the special type of anodisation. Daiwa has taken

reel sealing to another level with their MAGSEAL technology. Daiwa utilises magnetic oil that seals the areas of water intrusion – making their reels practically waterproof. This is done on top of their anodisation. The problem with these reels are the price tags they command. However, if you have reels such as these, they negate the problem of buying a cheap reel and having to replace it after a few months of use.

The reason why these reels are easy to maintain is because the makers have taken into account how most people wash their reels. Also, most Japanese domestic market reels are sealed differently than their US/EU counterparts. This is one of the main reasons why I choose to buy the Japanese models over their western counterparts; the Japanese models are just built better. But be warned, they are usually also more expensive. At times, the Japanese manufacturers build a mid-priced reel and throw in the waterproof feature – reels that come to mind are Shimano’s Exsence and Daiwa’s Caldia and the cheaper Freams. All three reels are sealed, the Exsence with some sort of super gasket and both the Caldia and Freams with the MAGSEAL.

MAGSEALED reels are not just for show - they really keep the water out when you use the reels and when you wash them - they are worth the extra money

Some reels are easier to clean than others, this MAGSEAL reel from daiwa can take a washdown straight from the tap

Rinsing Reels

Before cleaning your reels, make sure you tighten the drags as much as you can before they get in contact with water. Doing this will prevent water from getting inside the drag housing and getting to your drag washers – salty water getting inside the housing and drying up will give you a bumpy drag.

Unless you haven’t figured it out, you also need to take the reel off the rod. washing them together is not a good idea, even if your reel is sealed.

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For the top end models and mid end models that have seals, you can dunk them in a bucket of water or literally take them to the shower, run the reels in water, let them drip a bit, then spin the handle a few times before wiping them down with a soft cloth. You can then air dry them before loosening the drag and put them away for storage. It’s that simple and it’s part of the reason why these reels are expensive in the first place.

I can almost guarantee that if you do the same process above for reels such as Penn Battles, you will immediately feel a knock in the bearings after a few weeks.

For other models that are not sealed, doing what I described above will break them, and this is exactly where a lot of people fail.

Countless times, I have seen people washing their gear as soon as they get off the boat, and they rinse the reels by using a hose. They rinse their reels on the rod (this will push the salt into the threads and it will freeze the threads - commonly seen with

You can easily side it back and twist it back on after wiping it down thoroughly

The threads of your reel seat always get some salt deposites - don't miss this part, slide the threaded part all the way up, or completely dislodge it if your reel seat allows it.

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trolling setups), rods that look new because and they are of this, so this is a method I left wondering really stand behind. why they can’t The main reason why take the reel off I prefer this over a wash the rod after a down is simple; your rods while. and reels only get subjectThe best way Warm soapy water and foam pads ed to salt spray when you are all I use to wipe out the salt to clean mid use them, so you only have end reels is to a film of micro particles you use an absorbent foam pad need to get rid of. These minute particles (about 7 AED in Carrefour for will deposit themselves in the tiniest crevices a pack of 5) dunked in warm if you wash them with flowing water, but you soapy water and wringed can effectively take them off with a rag or in out. I usually wipe the reel my case, the foam pads. down and rinse the foam pad The last thing you need to make sure of in running water, wringing it is to check that everything is dry before you out before dunking it again put them away; otherwise they will smell in the soapy water, then funky when you next take them out for a wringing it out and wiping it fish. down thoroughly once more.

I made a video together with this article if I repeat the process about 3 you want to see how I do it. Just go to times before wiping it with youtube and search for my name (Kit Belen) a soft dry cloth. Again, keep to find the channel and look for the video in mind that you need to with the same title as this article. tighten the drag before doI hope this helps you and your gear. ing this.

The rods are wiped down Till next tide change, with the exact same process, keeping in mind that you need to pay close attention to the guide feet. You also Our fishing pro who shares need to wipe the reel seats his experiences and down move the threaded expertise with OutdoorUAE foot all the way up and all the through his regular column. way down to cover all of the thefishingkit@gmail.com threads. I have 10 year old

Kit

I pay close attention to the part where the guide foot meets the blank because this is where salt usually deposites on rods

OUR EXPERTS

Women

n Wheels

Summer Adventures on Two Wheels Compiled by: Helle Bachofen von Echt

As blistering temperatures scorch the Arabian Desert, our committed cyclists pack up their biking equipment and jet off to their selected locations around the world seeking cooler temperatures, higher mountains, cycling events and new challenges in general.

I caught up with some fellow female cyclists to learn about their cycling adventures this summer.

Liesl at the Sani river crossing

on the podium after placing second in my age category! Wow, what a start!

Day two: On Wednesday the second challenge took place. Les Prix des Rousses is a ride of 40km with an elevation of 1,800m.

I finished in 2 hours and 19 minutes, which earned me third place in the women’s category! Podium again!

Day three: Then on Saturday the big

event arrived; La Marmotte. I was quite nervous about this 174km ride with nearly 5,000 meters of elevation, but the previous rides gave me confidence that I could do this. It was tough; long climbs, cold and windy on top of the Galibier, but also had beautiful descents, great support and people to ride with. I finished in the official time of 7 hours and 30 minutes of which I am super proud. Jasper finished eleventh overall in 5 hours and 59 minutes, an amazing result out of 7000 people participating.

Day four: The last event was the Grimpee

Yvonne van Hattum

La Marmotte Granfondo - Yvonne van Hattum scoops up medals in France.

After catching the ‘cycling bug’ one year ago and making fast improvements on the bike, my partner and I decided to participate in La Marmotte Granfondo this summer.

We took the full challenge by registering for ‘Le Trophee de l’Oisans’ which consists of four challenges, with La Marmotte as the main event.

Day one: Sunday saw the first first chal-

lenge in the form of La Vaujany; a ride of 186km with 4,300 meters of elevation. This was a tough but beautiful ride with the finish in Vaujany (where the pros also finished a stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné this year). To my own surprise I was called 52

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de l'Alpe, a ride straight up the 13km long Alped’ Huez, which seemed like a crazy thing to do the day after La Marmotte, however 174 other (crazy) people still participated!

The entire week was a fantastic experience. La Marmotte Granfondo was a great challenge that made me a better and stronger cyclist. I highly recommend it to everyone!

We settled in to Orta San Giulio, just north of Milan. Our training for this holiday had consisted of various events at Jebel Jais as well as our usual weekly group and solo rides.

Orta proved to be the perfect choice; a beautiful little lakeshore town with cobbled roads and an eclectic group of restaurants and bars for recovery sessions. Pizza and Gelato make a scientifically proven recovery system; well, at least we thought so!

The local area was stunning for riding with a great choice of undulating routes around the shores of Lake Orta and Maggiore. Even the touristy main roads were a pleasure to ride on with traffic rarely being an issue.

We also found a couple of really decent hills; the most notable was Mottarone, a climb of 1,200m topping out 15km from Orta, at a Ski resort. With gradients of up to 18 per cent and constant grinds of 15 per cent, it was a monster of a climb. Unfortunately due to my injured shoulder, I did not climb Mottarone, but Megan, Sara and the boys all managed to get to the top.

A cycling holiday with friends proved to be never less than entertaining, with lots of laughter and mickey taking, not to mention the ever present Strava fuelled competitive nonsense. We all came away thinking that it was one of our best holidays ever.

Lakes of Italy - Dawn Roberts and team AGMC Rolls Royce find the perfect mix of gelato and casual hill climbing After a cycling holiday in Tuscany last year, summer holidays this year were always going to be about two wheels. It started off as just the two of us, but then somehow our riding friends here in Dubai were roped in.

As a result, eight of our Team AGMC Rolls Royce crew found their way to the Italian lakes.

Dawn Roberts

Liesl at the Sani finish line

Sani2C, South Africa - Liesl Rademeyer takes on a Three-in-One MTB adventure I knew it was 267km and had about 3,765m of climbing, but what I didn't know was how much it would change me.

The KAP Sani2C is the largest multi-day

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paired mountain bike event in the world, with three events over three days with 4,500 riders. This event creates over 10,000 jobs through the upkeep of the race villages as well as building and maintaining trails. More than AED 2 million was distributed to the underprivileged in 2016, including 40 sponsored pupils.

I had four months to prepare for this event and I used a professional multi-stage training program as a base. I spent hours training on the indoor home trainer. I rode outdoor on Al Qudracycle track and I spent most weekends in the mountains of Showka and Hatta. However, I didn’t spend nearly enough time in the gym; a lesson welllearned.

Day one: Our journey started from the Sani Pass in KwaZulu-Natal, but the wet conditions and my race-nerves caused a major wipeout, and 30km later I got five stitches in my elbow.

Day two: With my injured arm strapped

up, we took off and went down the Umkomaas valley, which had rolling single tracks and breath taking views. I was in pain from my fall however. Everything hurt and that little voice was telling me: 'I can’t do this! I am too old, too unfit and too overweight!’ It was hard, but with the support of my amazingly patient partner, we made it to the end before sunset.

Day three: The third and final stretch had

us gliding through sugarcane fields, and then you smell the Indian Ocean and it hits home: 'I DID IT, I can do anything!'

I still get emotional thinking about crossing the finish line and how blessed I am to have had the opportunity to dig deeper than ever before. Life is such a gift, you have to grab it tight, with both hands and your bicycle.

Tower of London, Big Ben and finish by cycling down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace”. Why not? Sounds great. 160km was set to be no problem, as I had previously completed the 212km UAE-based Coast to Coast Challenge.

My training plan had been going well, however I hadn’t factored in the three weeks holidays in Thailand with my husband and 3 children leading up to this challenge. While we had a great time diving and trekking, there wasn’t any time for riding. So when I arrived back from Thailand I managed to squeeze in a couple of 85km rides before packing my bike all by myself (usually my husband packs it) and heading off to London. The first thing I did when I arrived was to build my bike with no help.

On the morning of the ride I awoke with knots in my stomach. Not again! Why do I always doubt my strength and ability?

It was a warm sunny day in the mid 20’s with very little wind. Just perfect for smashing it.

I had joined up with another four riders from the Dubai based Loopers cycling group for support and encouragement, and as we set off from the Olympic Park I think my riding partners forgot we were targeting sub 6 hours and not sub 4! I hung on for dear life as we raced our way through London.

Unfortunately there were a couple of bad accidents and we got delayed while the people involved were airlifted to hospital.

As we slowly restarted in waves, I got severe cramp in my quads several times, causing me to stop and stretch. Once stretched we cruised onto the Leith Hill climb at approximately 55km, where I got into rhythm and cruised up the 2.3km climb and on to the Box Hill, which is one of Britain’s most iconic climbs given its close proximity to London.

The 4.3km climb with an average gradient of 4 per cent and a maximum of 13.3 per cent turned out to be a breeze and a post ride email notification confirmed I ranked 207th.

Next year I will smash it.

The residents of London created a great party atmosphere and were handing out food and drink while singing and dancing. I shed a few tears as we crossed the line, and all in all I am very pleased that the Dubai Loopers started and finished as a team, rolling over the line in 5hrs 21 mins.

Chasing the Pros – Cycle Hub girls Laura Holton and Aimée Wright on tour in the French Pyrenees

Louise Cairns

Prudential Ride London – Louise Cairns takes on the 2012 Olympic road race route in the UK “Ride around London” they said; “See the

We were both lucky enough to follow this year’s Tour de France as it reached the French Pyrenees. We joined onto a seven-day group tour, which was run by Aimée’s parents’ cycling holiday company, Pyrenees Multisport.

Each day offered new exciting climbs, all famous from the Tour, which had to be completed in time for the mad freebie grabbing session as the race caravan came through. We battled against our rivals for the key rings, Haribo sweets and polka dot hats. After completing our own rides, we were able to enjoy the special moment as our idols came blasting through in a colourful lycra blur.

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Aimee and Laura

Aimée

One of the most exciting days was riding through Andorra up the Port d’Envalira (2,408m), which is the highest paved climb in the Pyrenees. As soon as we reached Andorra we were sucked back into the Tour de France excitement as the pro teams were all out on their recovery rides. Some teams cheered us as they rode past, some even allowed us to hitch a ride up the climb (for about two minutes) and we even got the chance to see what goes on inside the team buses on a rest day (a lot of washing and maintenance!).

Laura

This was my first time riding in the mountains and experiencing the Tour de France.

A memorable moment was descending down the Col de Peyresourde. This was particularly special because previously, on the first day of our Pyrenees Multisport Tour, Aimée and I had watched the pros descend this Col on a large screen from the finish line. I admit that I was nowhere near as impressive as Chris Froome (he was crouched and pedaling on his crossbar!), but it certainly felt pretty fast! Experiencing the Cols featured in this year’s and previous years’ Tour de France made me appreciate the incredible fitness and courage that these professionals have. I am very much looking forward to finding out the route for next year’s Tour de France…and planning my summer vacation accordingly!

Helle Bachofen von Echt is a Dubai based amateur road cyclist competing in both local and International events.

She is team leader of a UAE based female amateur cycling team and she is also an Indoor Cycling Instructor at Flywheel Sports Dubai. Helle loves traveling with her bike and you can follow her adventures and racing in pictures on instagram @thegirlwhocyclesinthedesert and her blog page www.hellebve.com

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OUR EXPERTS

Educat ion Words + Photos by: Haydon Kerr

It’s that time of the year again when students are back in class, teachers are looking for exciting experiential learning opportunities and parents are back at work and out of holiday mode. At Deira International School, this is also a great time for our returning teachers to show off what Dubai has to offer to the ‘newbie’ staff!

As well as the usual revision of important policies, procedures and exam results, our induction and inset week dedicated a full day to staff team building and experiencing some of the latest attractions to hit Dubai. With nearly 200 participating staff, it was important to make sure that there was something for everybody to enjoy, and that we weren’t just going to the usual haunts.

With particular attention to locations that teachers could use as class trips for enhancing learning and fun, a route was devised across the Emirate. Each of the 10 groups

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would discover new things on offer while trying to complete a list of around 20 challenges with photo evidence. Some of these challenges included asking teams to get a group selfie in a forest, a group shot of everybody in National UAE dress and even of somebody in the group holding a snake.

From the exciting to the absurd, this action packed day provided plenty of laughs!

One of the stops along the way was to the new City Walk of Dubai. Located just

a stone’s throw from the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa, there’s plenty already operational, although there is heavy construction continuing on many other projects. However, one of the new attractions that is open for business is ‘Hub Zero’. With innovative experiences geared towards young gamers and the inner child in adults, Hub Zero blurs the lines between the real and virtual worlds.

Upon arriving, our group were impressed with the range of immersive activities and

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were treated to a few hands on experiences such as at Double Agent, where we were asked to race against the clock while dodging a maze of lasers! With other attractions inside Hub Zero named Battlefield, Resident Evil and Hack Attack, there is plenty for entertaining youngsters with a penchant for high octane fun. Parents with younger ones can also set their little adventurers free in the awesome soft play area and toddler karting track while enjoying a coffee at the Hub Café. In true teacher fashion, there were already learning outcomes and lesson objectives being formulated to tie in with a class trip to this virtual playground!

Also located at City Walk is the impressive towering white building that houses 4 levels of tropical rainforest! With ‘The Green Planet’ not quite open to the public at the time our group visited, it was amazing to see what is on offer within this huge bio-dome.

Boasting the world’s largest indoor artificial yet life sustaining tree, there are thousands of living plants and animals inside this firstof-its-kind structure in the Middle East.

People of all ages will enjoy exploring the different levels of the indoor tropical forest, from the flooded floor to the canopy tree house. On site are purpose built classrooms to cover the many topics which can be covered throughout the year. Catering to school groups, families and individuals, The Green Planet has guided tours for those wishing to delve into the education side of things or simply stroll around the various exhibits at their own leisure.

Our final stop within City Walk was ‘Mattel Play! Town’. This magical place is open for parents to bring children and experience any or all of the themed attractions including Barney, Thomas and Friends, Fireman Sam, Bob the Builder and Angelina Ballerina all under one roof! More for the younger kids, Mattel Play! Town has loads of dress up and action stations that reinforce positive values through play. Their large team of fun

staff will ensure a great time for groups and individuals that visit. Even some of our own staff couldn’t help themselves around the sand pit play areas!

As our group moved on from City Walk to other locations around Dubai, the new teachers were more and more impressed with the attractions that were available with a focus on fun, education and adventure.

As a resident of 10 years in Dubai, I have also been impressed at the number of projects coming online for students in recent years. It was refreshing taking newcomers to the region; places that were also new to me.

A tour of major Dubai attractions wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the world famous Aquarium at the Dubai Mall. With King Crocs and the official Discovery Channel Shark Week exhibit, this place never ceases to evolve with Curator and General Manager Paul Hamilton at the helm. With groups of teachers that had visits to the Dubai Mall Aquarium ranging from zero to literally hundreds, all agreed that the latest instalment for Shark Week is cutting edge visually and educationally.

A lot of careful thought is being poured into ventures that are enhancing the UAE

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experience for not only the tourists, but also for the residents who continue to settle here. From an educational point of view, this is an exciting time as these new activities provide a reenergised approach to planning experiential learning outside of the classroom.

Our staff groups managed to cover many other Dubai experiences, such as taking Abra rides across the Creek. We watched as the dhows were loaded full of goods, and one of the challenges was to see if we could get involved! The friendly faces all along the waterfront welcomed our teams and shared some laughs along the way. Whether stepping into the iFly suits and spinning out of control, or throwing on the Ski Dubai outfits to complete other challenges, our staff got to hang out together in a range of fun environments.

So many adventures await those who wish to try new things and learn about how play can be super educational. Whether parents want to show children the new wonders of Dubai, or teachers want new activities for class groups, or a team of adults want to make some sort of competition out of exploring new attractions, there’s definitely lots more on offer these days. Exciting times!

OUR EXPERTS

Experience

THE NIGHTLIFE OF THE OCEAN

Words by: Jake Lyle Photos by: Jon Lyle

Picture a street or a plaza during the day; think about the type of people walking around, the brightness, the colours and everything that’s going on. Now picture the same area at night-time. The people, the brightness and the all the activity is very different. The exact same goes for the ocean. The things you may see on a typical daytime dive vary greatly to the opportunities that are present at night. It’s something that every diver must experience, and it’s certainly something that a diver will never forget.

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Diving itself already carries with it so much mystery and intrigue, as there is no other recreational activity that lets you explore something so vast and so untouched as the ocean. So much of the ocean hasn’t had the pleasure of meeting humankind, and so it is up to us to explore the unexplored. It’s this mystery and unfamiliarity that makes diving so interesting and addictive. What will the environment be like when you get down there? And what creatures will be waiting on the reef for your arrival? Take that excitement and that fascination and multiply it by one hundred – as that is the effect of the night.

The ‘unknown’ element of every dive drastically increases, but it’s not something you wonder about before the dive which is then cleared up for you as soon as you jump into the water - it’s something that you wonder about for the full duration of the dive, as in every moment you are never aware of your full surroundings. Unlike a typical dive, all that you are completely aware of is the thin

line of light in front of you, illuminated by your dive light. For those who live for adventure and thrill, this overwhelming fear of not knowing is priceless. Granted, night diving is not for everyone, and once you do it you will either love it or hate it. However, I personally have never met anyone who has hated it.

So where do you start? Do you just get on a boat in the night, head out and plunge down into the abyss? That’s certainly one way of doing it, but the best night dives are the ones that begin at sunset, or dusk. This gives the best experiences. So whether you’re doing a beach entry or you’re taking out a boat, you’re still granted that last sliver of light during the golden hour. Not only does this mean you get to ride out into a picturesque sunset and give your camera a real workout, but it also makes the kitting up process much easier. Having to get your equipment ready and strapped on in the dark is no small feat, so doing it during the fading daylight is a much more sensible option. Although, most

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dive boats that undertake night diving will be equipped with floodlights to help you get in and out of your gear, so it’s never really a problem.

There’s not a great deal of special equipment required for a night dive, as it is still very similar to your typical daytime dive.

There is though one crucial item that you’ll want to equip yourself with prior to entering the water, and that’s your dive light. Although it may seem obvious, I’ve seen divers jump into dark water, descend a few meters and only then realise they can’t see anything. To properly defend yourself against any such situation, the safest way to do it is to get a light that you can clip on to either your wrist or your BCD – because the last thing you want to do is end up on the bottom of the ocean without a light.

As the sun sets and you ready yourself for one of the most memorable experiences you have ever had, you may look into the water you’re about to plunge into and think ‘why am I doing this?’ Cast those thoughts aside and take the giant stride into the water. As there is still some daylight present, during your descent you may be lucky enough to see the very last few rays of sun shooting through the dark blue water, creating a pattern of glassy lines. This brightness however will soon become but a distant memory once you’ve acclimatised to the darkness. Some people are aware of it and other’s aren’t, so you may notice how quickly the light fades to darkness, transforming your surroundings, or you may be one of those people who suddenly find themselves in a cloak of darkness as they thought just a second ago it was light. If you don’t notice it, it means there are much more interesting things in front of you to focus on – which is a good thing!

You may also find that when the darkness

finally sets in, your senses are slightly enhanced. You notice when even the smallest creature swims beside you, or perhaps it’s just the current from your buddy’s moving fins. You’re listening out for sounds around you, to give you clues about your environment that unfortunately your eyes cannot provide. This is a very unique feeling of tranquillity mixed with a dash of fear.

The thin line of sight illuminated by your torch is your primary focus, although a few looks and peaks into the darkness either side of you are not uncommon, when your curiosity finally gets the better of you. Often with first time night divers, their ability to keep their torch facing down on the reef rather than facing other divers right in the eye is limited. So the best thing you can do on your first night dive is be sensible with your light – remember that you’re down there to see the reef and not to blind your buddies. As well, try to make your movements with your light slow and cautious, as rapid and frantic movements with your light will often convey a sign of emergency and may cause other divers to come to your rescue, or the dive may even be called off early. In the rare case that you lose your buddy or get separated from your group, there is a procedure that many divers undertake that is different from any daytime protocols. Take your dive light and shine it on your chest, ascend 2-3m, so no surrounding coral or rock faces are blocking you, and spin 360o once. This will hopefully signal to your buddy your location and they will reach you promptly. Many divers also like to just clip a chemical luminescent rod to either their regulator or BCD, so they can quickly find their regulator in the dark, and so other members of the group can constantly keep eyes on them.

So what makes it different to a daytime

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dive? Aside from the drastically different environment, enhanced senses and the need to use a light, what you see will also be a great change from the day. Everybody is aware that large, and even small, predators hunt at nightime. It’s when they’re best camouflaged and they can creep up on their prey with the greatest ease. But relax – they’re not there to hunt you. During a night dive, it’s not uncommon to encounter larger species of marine life that are otherwise shy or sleeping during the day. This can vary from sharks and manta rays, to eels and octopi. Not only do you see creatures that would be difficult to find during the day, but you also see them in action. During the day you may find a White Tip Reef Shark laying on the sound inside a cave, whereas at night you will see the very same shark swimming and darting after its dinner. These hunting spectacles are often on a large scale, depending where you go, and if you’re lucky and you pick the right spot on the right night, you will be exposed to one of the greatest shows on earth. You can pick a spot, relax and watch the ocean’s nightime activities unfold. Sharks twisting and turning after their prey, free-swimming eels searching for a meal of their own and manta rays flipping and tumbling above you, taking full advantage of your bubbles.

It is this commotion and poetic chaos that can only be experienced at night, making a night dive a crucial step to becoming a truly veteran diver.

If you have dived before, then you must be well aware of the underwater spectacles that await you below the surface, and if you haven’t, now you are. But the phenomenons present during the day are vastly different to those at night. The hustle and bustle in the darkness of the night contrasts with the clarity and tranquillity that can be experienced during the day. But either way, much like out on the street, you must experience both the night and the day for a full and complete perspective of the environment. So grab a light, build up the courage and head on out into the night.

Rise and Shine!

How early morning exercise sets you up for the rest of the day Running, or doing any exercise, as the sun rises is motivating. The prospect of a whole new day ahead of you makes you pick up the pace, run with a spring in your step, and imagine all there is to look forward to and all that can be achieved. It makes you feel alive, fit, happy, and grateful. On the other hand, there’s always that sense of dread as the sun rises: how much further do I have to go?

How much longer before the heat becomes unbearable?

Of course, running every morning is not always possible, and running in the heat/ humidity does have its benefits (raising your heart rate, which means that you may run at a slower pace, but when the weather cools down you’ll find yourself able to run a faster pace with the same amount of effort). It’s just nice, a couple of times a week at least, to drag yourself out of bed, pull on your trainers, and greet the day the way you mean to go on: pushing forwards, challenging yourself, and breaking your own personal records.

Words by: Rachael Bruford Photos by: Supplied

Yesterday morning, I woke up at 4am, lay in bed for a while, then went downstairs to sort myself out with a coffee and a banana.

By 5am, I had got dressed, jumped into the car to head towards the beach track, parked at my destination and was at the start line ready for my planned one hour run.

With the temperatures and humidity still high in the UAE, I was not particularly surprised to see that I was not alone. Waking up early to work out – whether it’s paddleboarding, running, cycling or boot camp style activities – is not unusual, particularly during the summer months. In fact, during my marathon training over the summer, I began a couple of runs at 4am, in the hope of completing them before the dreaded hour of 7am.

As much as I dislike getting out of bed at such an hour (I’ve cursed my alarm clock and pressed ‘snooze’ more times than I’m willing to admit), I’ve come to the realisation that I love early morning running. Yes, some people must think I’m a little odd for sacrificing those last few hours of sleep, but what I gain from a good, solid early morning run more than makes up for it.

I’m not somebody who deals with the heat and humidity very well. My heart rate increases as my pace slows, and the mental battle feels like it is being lost with each heavy step.

Although I do make use of the treadmill and the indoor track during July and August, I still believe that, despite my complaints, nothing beats running outside. In the hotter months, the only way to do this is to get up early.

Although the UAE offers perfect training conditions in the winter months, even then, it’s still beneficial to avoid running between 8am and 5pm. We are all familiar with the risks of becoming dehydrated and battling heat exhaustion, and this is something that must still be considered during the cooler months.

In the mornings, this is not so much of a concern. At 5am yesterday, the temperature was teetering around the 31degrees mark, with a humidity of around 66%. Whilst still not ideal, it made for a much better run, and I certainly felt relieved to be finishing my run just as the sun had risen above the buildings that surround the track. Had I left it any later, I would have certainly paid for it.

There’s also something about simply being up at that time: setting off in the dark or twilight, with very few people around you, watching the sun rise as a whole new day begins, and certainly not least of all, having completed your exercise before most people are even out of bed! At the beach track, I’m not that strange woman who gets up at an unearthly hour to run. There are plenty of people, of all different nationalities, backgrounds, and shapes and sizes, who run or walk before getting on with the rest of their day. I’m simply a face amongst the crowd, another busy person who fits in what I enjoy when I can, and who is dedicated enough to do it properly.

Top Tips for becoming a morning person

• Make sure you set your alarm.

Try to give yourself something to look forward to upon getting out of bed, such as a nice cup of coffee.

• Lay out everything you need the night before.

That way, you don’t have to think about what to wear or what to bring with you.

• Arrange to meet a friend.

Making plans like this will make you less likely to roll over and go back to sleep.

• Make sure you sleep early the night before Getting up early to exercise does not mean having less sleep, although we are all guilty of this at some point. Ensure you get adequate rest by turning off technology in the hour or two before bed, and by avoiding large meals late at night.

• Know when you need to rest Of course, there are bound to be times when a sleep in is needed for the good of your health. Learn to recognise the difference between needing an extra hour of sleep and making excuses.

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

SEPTEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

PEOPLE

Maurizio Schepici, powerboat pilot Maurizio Schepici was born in 1975 in Messina in Italy, and founded the Tommy Racing Team in 2011. The team is named after his dog, Tommy Words by: Nico de Corato Photos by: Nico de Corato and supplied

Powerboats are like the Formula One of the oceans. This motor sport on water can be thrilling and dangerous at the same time.

One classic powerboat race is the Cowes-Torquay, set to take place at the beginning of September, when several top boats and pilots will undertake another exciting and challenging course. Motor boating enthusiasts have enjoyed this classic contest for years; the first Cowes-Torquay race took place in 1961!

Fans come from all over the world to check out the field of competition, boats and drivers, and to view the action as powerful boats and advanced engines go head to head in battles at high speeds.

The Cowes Torquay Powerboat Race is organised by the British Powerboat Racing Club, and this year Tommy Racing Team, a team very well known in the UAE, will take part.

Boat pilots Maurizio Schepici and Gabriele Giambattista will race the Cowes Classic as Tommy Racing Team. It will take great courage and seamanship on their part to come out on top at the end of the day and receive the prestigious Beaverbrook trophy.

We had chance to meet Maurizio, who is also the owner of the team, for a quick interview.

We know in the past you were a hammer thrower, with a lot of records still unbeaten; how did you become a powerboat pilot?

In 2000 I moved from Messina to Rome

Arab tradition and culture. I love coming to the UAE out of the race season. I spent a couple of New Year's Eves in Dubai.

How is Dubai changing thanks to Expo 2020?

for work and here in the capital I discovered powerboating, and was immediately fascinated by these racing cars of the sea, able to fly at extreme speeds over brutal waves. The first offshore catamaran I tried was a Moretti 3000. In 2011, I created my own team.

Looking to the future and your ambitions, what would you like to achieve in your racing career?

I wish hope to grow further, and maybe even experience other categories.

You could say you are a real pilot only after you capsized...

Of course! And you can confirm that, since you were with me during my first one. It was in Naples in 2011 during a Class 3 race.

Expo 2020 is widely expected to work as an economic catalyst as it generates economic benefits in the form of increased tourism, job opportunities, and hospitality revenues.

Dubai is becoming a larger hub; the population is rapidly increasing. The Government is already working hard to ensure perfect organisation of the Expo and to get the maximum benefit from that: financial benefits, both during the run up to the event and after, in terms of large construction activity, and investments from outside the country, among others.

What is the best advice you can give to those who wish to approach the world of motorboating?

If you want to do well in racing you have to get professional training. This is particularly relevant in the championships where the boats are all identical (very common in the lower categories), as you need every advantage you can get and need to learn how to squeeze every mph from your boat – that’s what makes the difference between winning and losing. It is also important to learn how to race creating a safe environment, together with being comfortable with all the safety procedures.

You often come to the UAE to watch and take part in powerboat races.

Tell us something about your stays in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Although powerboating is often associated with parties on glamorous beaches, ports & yachts, when you are involved in a 3-day stage schedule you can’t afford to be anything less than focused on the race and at your sharpest; so the race weekend for the pilots and their team doesn’t really allow for too much fun….. but when the stage is over we can let our hair down a little. I love how the UAE fuses incredible architecture with

OUTDOORUAE

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THE

OFF-ROADERS corner

Name: Patrick Bol Nationality: Netherlands Occupation: Owner of Desert Max (Operational Oct 1st) Vehicle: 2015/06 Toyota Land Cruiser Pickup LC79 DC 4L VXR

Patrick's LC79 is the ultimate camping car for those wishing to explore the vast deserts of the UAE. Bought in Abu Dhabi and modified here, it's the perfect vehicle for sailing over tough dunes and relaxing after a hard day of navigating.

Tell us the background story of the car…

We have enjoyed off-road expeditions for the last two decades with a group of friends, riding mostly enduro bikes and buggies through the desert far away from tarmac roads.

I vividly remember last year a 1400km offroad Oman enduro expedition. We were in the South of the soft Wahiba sands and two of our motorbikes without sand scoops started to struggle in the soft dunes. The nearest asphalt road was at least another 50km away, but we were closely observed by a local camel herder who effortlessly moved around and gently parked his Toyota LC79 on top of the dune. About an hour later the conditions improved as we drove a “soft desert piste”, with speeds over 90 km an hour. The herder overtook us with his Land Cruiser pickup, this time with a full grown camel in the back as he cheerfully opened the window to wave at us shouting, “That’s the one car I want!”

Whenever we travelled in the UAE or Oman, we always noticed these indestructible vehicles favoured by the locals, with an impressive one ton load capacity in the tray and a 130L fuel tank as standard. On top of that, you can get Toyota parts everywhere.

When I started my own self-drive expedition company with operations in the UAE, Oman and East Africa, I thought, “when in Rome do as the Romans do”. The choice of the lead vehicle was easy and I selected the extremely reliableLC79 DC 4L VXR. In the desert the extra grunt of the 228hp engine is most welcome and I even considered more horse power.

When you drive this manual car in town you realise it’s old fashioned in design. It’s not fully adapted to modern traffic or shopping malls, nor does it have fast breaking or sharp U-turn ability. This machine is designed for the outback and to function on a farm for the next 25 years. So I told my five year old

son that I had bought him a car that he will drive once he gets his licence.

What modifications have been made, performance and cosmetic wise?

After buying the car from a trader in Abu Dhabi we took it for a spin, and then headed to Liwa to test its capability. Here we tested suspension, tire width and size, and vehicle balance when fully loaded.

Since I don’t know enough about cars it was time to turn to the professionals. I asked the Dakar veteran Sebastian Husseini, owner of SEBSPORTS, to orchestrate the rebuild.

We basically turned the LC79 into an overland camping car. For that purpose the Toyota is a great platform as the chassis is really heavily built. In the pictures you can see the most obvious upgrades. By far the best modification for money is the suspension of Old Man EMU shocks with enhanced spring packages. This really improved the ride both on and offroad. We added wheel spacers on the rear axel as Toyota had previously re-designed the engine bay with a wider front axel to accommodate the mighty V8 4.5l twin turbo diesel without bothering about the rear track width.

Thunder 4x4designed and built the aluminium canopy to great precision and strength, including preserving the rear camera. The canopy ended up weighing the same as the steel pickup tray. For safety, we added an exoskeleton roll cage integrated with a roof rack, and improved the brakes. By the time we finished, the car had doubled in value.

Do you have something that you consider to be a ‘special feature’ of the car?

There are several special features such as a 67 litre Engel refrigerator powered by a Dual battery system, a tire pressure and temperature system that’s integrated with the

standard NSV central control panel, and last but not least two under seat compressors to speed up tire inflation.

What were your other options before you bought this car?

I have always been in love with the legendary Land Rover Defender; however, when I tried one at the dealer my 6’7’’ (2m) tall body did not fit in as anticipated, as I could not see out.

We also looked at the LC 200 automatic GXR 4.5L twin turbo diesel. Desert Max is building up two of those vehicles which will serve well in our luxury tours.

How often do you use your car, and what activities do you take part in?

In the winters we drive in the UAE and Oman and in the summer Desert Max organises trips where the cars get shipped from Dubai to Djibouti for60 day self-drive expeditions from Addis Ababa to Cape town.

Are you planning any future modifications?

This car only misses a proper stereo. My wife votes for a shower but Desert Max Man 6x6 already provides us with shower and toilet modules.

What 4x4 do you dream of owning?

If money was not a problem, the choice would be a Mercedes AMG G 6x6.Just watch Top Gear; now that is a machine.

Want your 4X4 to be the next feature?

It’s all simple! Just send us an email at editor@outdooruae.com with the subject “Off-Roaders Corner” and you and your car might just be the next one on this page!

Shift into Gear at the Gym Words by: James Sidhu Photos by: Jung Francisco

For the average person, standard gym training tactics used to involve a splash of treadmill cardio, a dabble in the free-weight area and a sprinkling of abdominal crunches to top it off.

Now, trends have shifted into more exciting freestyle training methodologies, which involve engaging with pieces of equipment that better suit functional movements and are far more accessible than the imposing barbell/dumbbell lifts that were common place before. Let's take a look at one piece of equipment that has really exploded onto the gym scene, which offers a great alternative to developing functional strength; the Suspension Trainer.

What is a Suspension Trainer?

The Suspension Trainer has roots in military fitness training, but has now seen global success with its ability to add increasing load to functional based movements, with the user’s own bodyweight as resistance. The Suspension Trainer can be adjusted in length to suit the exercise and the proportions of the person when using it and is an ideal training tool for anyone looking to improve functional strength.

Suspended Row

A great place to start is with the Suspended Row; it strengthens the upper back, which is a key weakness in many, and it also benefits the core and grip strength.

To perform it: • Start by shortening the straps to the highest they can go • Grab the handles in front and stand completely straight, with the spine in a neutral position • Step backwards until there is full tension in the straps 62

OUTDOORUAE

• Have the feet shoulder-width apart for stability • Have the palms facing each other and keep them close to the torso (just under the chest) • Start to lean back and extend your arms out, rotate your wrists so that palms are facing down at full extension • Pull yourself back in, while rotating the palms back to facing each other to complete the rep • Keep the back straight and core engaged at all times Top Tips The great thing about using the Suspension Trainer is that the intensity of it is controlled entirely by you! The taller you stand, the easier this exercise becomes. If you lean further back at the start; it becomes more difficult to pull back in. Another progression is to bring the feet together, so there is less stability. You could even go for a single leg variation to make it even harder!

Suspended Push-Up

Just like the row, it is an ideal place to start and works the opposing muscle groups, with the chest and shoulder getting engaged the most.

To perform it: • Start by lengthening the straps to midlevel, as you will need additional length to get depth in this exercise • Grab the handles in front and stand completely straight, with the spine in a neutral position • Now walk forwards and extend the arms out until there is tension in the straps and the straps are both aligned slightly above the shoulders (not touching) • Palms should be facing down throughout the exercise and arms shoulder-width apart • Lower the body down to parallel with the chest, or just under the hands • Push back up to the starting position to complete the rep • Keep the back straight and core engaged at all times Top Tips Just like the row, you can adjust the intensity by modifying your stance for the exercise.

This time you would lean further forward to increase intensity, or stand tall to reduce the effect of gravity and the amount of bodyweight involved. Again, going from a split leg stance to close feet and even single leg (advanced level only!) will progress this exercise.

Suspended Squat Jumps

This one gives your cardio a run for its money, burns fat and also develops explosive strength by working all of the leg muscles.

To perform it: • Set straps to mid-length for this exercise • Grab the handles in front, so that the palms are facing each other, shoulder-width apart • Standing straight, with a neutral spine and feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart, go into a deep squat and then explode up into a jump • You can rotate the wrists down in the jump, if it feels more comfortable • Immediately drop back into a squat and repeat • Keep full tension on the straps at all times (leaning slightly back with your weight helps, however, the back must remain straight) Top Tips This one is a high-energy, cardio intensive exercise; the faster and higher you jump, the harder it gets! You could try a single-leg jump variation for a real burn, or, remove the jumping portion to take the intensity down a notch.

Suspension Trainers are a great way to kick-start a functional training routine in the gym. Give them a try next time you want to add some spice into your programme!

James Sidhu Senior FM DIFC Fitness First

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

SEPTEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

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, www.decathlon.com Go Sport, The Dubai Mall: +971 43253595; Abu Dhabi Mall: +971 26454595; Bawabat Al Sharq Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 25868240; Yas Mall: +971 25650812; MOE: +971 4395 8951, www.go-sport.com 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 43599905; Online store: +971 43149001; Retail store: +971 43504400, http://en-ae.sssports.com

Adventure tours and desert safaris

Alpha Tours, P.O. Box 25718, 27th Floor, Burlington Tower, Business Bay, Dubai, +971 47019111, www.alphatoursdubai.com Dadabhai Travel, SR 1&2, GF, Gulf Towers, Oud Metha Rd. Dubai, +971 43885566, www.dadabhaitravel.ae Desert Rangers, P.O. Box 33501, Dubai UAE, +971 44569944 or 507035111 www.desertrangers.com Desert Road Tourism, Office 503, 5th Flr., Al Khor Plaza, Dubai, +971 42959429, www.desertroadtours.com Dreamdays, First Floor Rm. 107 Ibn Battuta Gate (Offices) Sheikh Zayed Rd., Dubai +971 44329392 or 44329393, www.dreamdays.ae Dream Explorer LLC, JLT, Dubai, P.O. Box 214576, +971 44563390 www.dreamexplorerdubai.com Dubai Relax Travel, P.O. Box 37459, National Towers: Churchill Tower Suite #614, Business Bay, Dubai, +971 528996307, www.dubairelaxtours.com Explorer Tours, Umm Ramool, Dubai, +971 42861991, www.explorertours.ae Gulf for Good, P.O. Box 506006, 1/F, Building 4, Dubai International Humanitarian City, Dubai, +971 43680222, www.gulf4good.org Gulf Ventures, Dnata Travel Centre, +971 44045880, www.gulfventures.com MMI Travel LLC, Mezzanine Floor, Dnata Travel Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 4 4045999, www.theemiratesgroup.com Net Group, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, +971 26794656, www.netgroupauh.com Oasis Palm Dubai, P.O. Box 181258 Dubai, Office 404, Royal Plaza Building Al Rigga Street, +971 42628889 or 42686826, www.opdubai.com Rahhalah, Shata Tower – 27th Floor, Office No. 2711, Media City, Dubai, +971 44472166, www.rahhalah.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Fishing, Camping, Kayaking, & Adventure Club, +971 5 04920860, mohammed.almahrouky@gmail.com

Air

Balloon Adventures Emirates, Office 123 Oasis Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43884044, www.ballooning.ae Dubai Paragliders, +971 552120155 or 552250193, www.microaviation.org Jazirah Aviation Club, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72446416 or 555531318, www.jac-uae.net Seawings, Dubai,+971 48070708, www.seawings.ae Skydive Dubai, The Palm: Al Seyahi St, Dubai Marina, +971 43778888, www.skydivedubai.ae

Boating & Sailing

Manufacturer Al Fajer Marine, Dubai, Al Quoz, +971 43235181, www.alfajermarine.com Al Jeer Marina, RAK border Musandam, +971 72682333 or 504873185, www.aljeerport.ae Al Shaali Marine, Ajman, +971 67436443, www.alshaalimarine.com Al Yousuf Industrial, LLC, +971 4 3474111, www.aym.ae,

yamboats@alyousuf.com Elite Pearl Charter, P.O. Box 214173, Saeed Tower 1, office #3102, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43889666, www.elitepearlcharter.com Gulf Craft, P.O. Box 666, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street, Ajman, +971 67406060, www.gulfcraftinc.com Distributors and Dealers Art Marine LLC, Al Quoz Industrial Area, Sheikh Zayed Road, 3rd Interchange +971 43388955, www.artmarine.ae or www.artmarinechandlery.com Azure Marine Dubai, +971 4 3706886, www.azuremarine.net Luxury Sea Boats, Showroom #8, The Curve Building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 4 3284629, www.luxuryseaboats.com Macky Marine LLC, Box 37594, Ground Floor, Marina Yatch Club, Office # 5, Dubai Marina, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 505518317, www.mackymarine.com Nautilus Yachts, Sharjah, +971 553419494 or 503419494, www.nautilusyachts.com The Boat House, P.O. Box 71628, Al Quoz, Dubai, +971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae UAEBoats4Sale, Dubai Marina, +971 42932465, 567001801, www.uaeboats4sale.com Western Marine, P.O. Box 52938, Sheikh Zayed Road, Knotika Marine Mall, Dubai, +971 44327870 Equipment Ali Khalifah Moh Al Fuqaei, Ground Floor, Tara Hotel Building, Abdul Nasser Square Street, 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 or 553899995, www.bluewatersmarine.com Extreme Marine, Dubai Marina Branch, +971 43992995, www.extrememarine-me.com Japan Marine / D1 Marine, WS # 110, Dubai Maritime City, +971 4 4426395 or 55 1666035, www.japanmarine.co Rineh Emirates Trading LLC, Al Quoz, Dubai, www.rinehemiratesme.com, +971 43391512 Repairs and Maintenance Extreme Marine, Jebel Ali Branch, Jebel Ali, Industrial Area, P.O. Box 97705, Dubai, +971 48830777, www.extrememarine-me.com Rineh Emirates, Sheikha Sana Warehouse 1, Al Quoz, +971 43391512, SNS Marine, Dubai Creek & Yacht Club, Dubai, +971 501405058, www.snsmarine.ae The Boat House, P.O. Box 71628, Al Quoz, Dubai, +971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae Cruise Operators Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi, +971 26665491

Al Marsa Travel & Tourism, P.O. Box 32261, Sharjah, UAE, +971 65441232; Dibba, Musandam, Oman, +968 26836550 Bateaux Dubai, Dubai Creek opposite the British Embassy, +971 48145553 Bristol Middle East, Marina Heights Tower, Dubai Marina – Marina Walk,Dubai, +971 4368 2480, 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 43282930, 50 3716377, www.edenyachting.com Emirates Yatching, P.O. Box 8380, Dubai, +971 42826683 El Mundo, Dubai, +971 505517406, www.elmundodubai.com Four Star Travels and Tourism, Dubai, +971 561012599, www.4startravels.com 4 Yatch Chartering LLC, Toll Free: 800 YACHT (92248), Office #4, Dubai Marina Yatch Club, Dubai, www.4yachtchartering.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 48706668, www.happydaysdubai.com LY Catamaran, Bur Dubai, +971 566506683, www.lycatamaran.com Marine Concept, P.O. Box 282586, Office 611, Al Barsha Business Centre, Dubai, +971 43958022, 559603030 www.marine-charter-concept.com Nautica1992, Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection, Dubai Marina, +971 504262415, www.nautica1992.ae Noukhada Adventure Company - P.O. Box 73373, C/O Ali & Sons Real Estate LLC, Plot No. 29, Abu Dhabi – Al Ain Rd, Um Al Nar, Abu Dhabi, UAE - +971 25581889 www.noukhada.ae RAK Marine LLC, Ras Al Khaimah City Hilton Marina, +971 72066410, 504912696, 507682345 Sea Hunters Passenger Yachts & Boats Rental, Dubai Marina, +971 42951011 Smoke Dragon of London Yacht, Abu Dhabi International Marine & Sports Club, +971 507011958 or 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, 800892, 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 or 504873185, www.aljeerport.ae Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road, Al Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE, +971 42394760 or 42959477, 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 26907725 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 www.jebelali-international.com Pavilion Marina, Dubai, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +971 44068800 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, www.facebook.com/DubaiDawnPatrol Dubai Diggers, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, pier next to 360, Dubai, +971 501547175, 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, +971 551222252 or 502550666, www.gulfcamping.com Jack Wolfskin, Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi, +971 24437802 Tresspass, 2nd floor above ice rink, The Dubai Mall, +971 43398801 Urban Peak, PO Box 9587, Office 502E, Ibn Battuta Gate Offices, Dubai, +971 44548805, www.urbanpeak.com Tour Operators Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43926463, www.adventure.ae Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza – 503, Dubai, +971 42959428, www.arabiatours.com Libra Travel & Tourism LLC, +971 43397700, www.facebook.com/ LibraTravelDubai Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +971 506595536, www.mountainhighme.com Sheesa Beach, Musandam, Dibba, +971 50336046, www.sheesabeach.com

Caving

Mountain High Middle East, Dubai, +971 43480214, www.mountainhighme.com

Climbing

Equipment Adventure HQ, Sheikh Zayed Rd., Dubai Times Square Center, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, Dubai, +971 43466558, www.barracudadubai.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai, +971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com Jack Wolfskin, Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi +971 24437802, www.jack-wolfskin.com Services Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43926463, 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 28137444, 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 43697817, 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 Cycle Sports, Shop No. 1, Al Waleed Bldg., Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +971 43415415, Fun Ride Sports, 301, 3rd floor, Mushrif Mall, Abu Dhabi, Rm. 4, Mezzanine floor, C-13 Bldg., Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi, +971 24455838, www.funridesports.com Micah’s Bike Shop, Warehouse No.4 6th St. Al Quoz 3, Dubai, +971 43805228 Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha 1, +971 43255705, www.probike.ae Rage Shop, Al Ghurair Centre: +971 4294 8634; MOE: +971 43413388; Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 24437617, Dubai Mall: +971 44341549, www.rage-shop.com

OUTDOORUAE

63

MIDDLE EAST’S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE Revolution Cycles, Shop G05, Apex Atrium, Motor City, Dubai, +971 43697441, www.rcdxb.com Ride Bike Shop, Sheikh Zayed Road: +971 43395602; Mirdif City Centre: +971 42840038; Al Seef Village Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 26337172, www.ridebikeshop.com Sportz Unlimited, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, + 971 43388644 or 43391333 Tamreen Sports LLC, Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 26222525, www.tamreensports.com The Cycle Hub, Motor City, Dubai, +971 505528872 or 44256555, www.thecyclehub.com Trek Bicycle Store, Seih Al Salam, Al Qudra Road, Dubai, +971 48327377; Shop #5, Reemas Building Al Quoz 1, Exit 46/47, Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai, +971 43211132 www.trekbikes.ae Trikke UPT, P.O. Box 53527, Dubai, + 971 43434499; P.O. Box 33869, Abu Dhabi, +971 26333377, www.trikkeme.net Wolfi’s Bike Shop, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43394453, www.wbs.ae Operator Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43926463, www.adventure.ae, info@adventure.ae Clubs Abu Dhabi Tri Club, www.abudhabitriclub.com Cycle Safe Dubai, Dubai Autodrome www.cyclechallenge.ae Dubai Roadsters, +971 43394453, 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, Dubai, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Blue Waters Marine, +971 43808616, Dubai, www.bluewatersmarine.com Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi, +971 26710017, www.gulfmarinesports.com Premiers for Equipment, Sheikh Zayed 1st. Road, Abu Dhabi, +971 26665226, www.premiers-uae.com Dive Shop.ae, Building #123, Street 26, Area 369, Al Quoz Industrial Area 4, Dubai, +971 43414940, www.diveshop.ae 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,

64

OUTDOORUAE

+971 26437377, info@divemahara.com, www.divemahara.com Arabian Diver, Hilton Marine, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72226628 or 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 28015454, www.divemahara.com Divers Down, +971 559888687, Dubai; Fujairah, Rotana Al Aqah Hotel Resort & Spa, +971 92370299, www.diversdownuae.com Emirates Divers Centre, Abu Dhabi, near Meena Fish Market, +97126432444, www.edc-ad.ae Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, +971 506130486 contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com Freestyle Divers, Al Corniche Street, Dibba, Fujairah, +971 504514259, www.freestyledivers.me Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa - Al Aqah Beach, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah, +971 92449888, www.rotana.com Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000, www.lemeridien-alaqah.com Neptune Diving, +971 504347902, www.neptunedivingcentre.com Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment), Dubai, +971 44068828 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 506683430, 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 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.facebook.com/FSDCuae Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com, www.freedivinguae.com Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah, +971 507840830, www.bsac406.com

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, +971 43444468 Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +971 43390000, 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 or 553899995, www.bluewatersmarine.com Challenging Adventure, Wadi Al Bih Ras Al Khaimah, +971 561060798 or 44538386, 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 43926463, www.adventure.ae

SEPTEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM 800 Sport, Al Quoz, Dubai +971 43467751, www.800sport.ae Flip Flop Arabia, +971 556881793, 501084010, www.flipfloparabia.com Global Climbing Trading LLC, Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai +971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com Highbury Trading FZE LLC, P.O. Box 16111, RAK Free Trade Zone Authority, Ras Al Khaima, +971 526799506, www.highburytrade.com Jack Wolfskin, Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi, +971 24437802 Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735, www.kitesurfsup.com Picnico General Trading, near Sharaf DG Metro Station, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43951113 Portable Shade UAE, Jebel Ali, Dubai, UAE, +971 508897125, www.portable-shade.net Sport in Life Distribution, Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Khor, Dubai, UAE, +971 42896001 or 42896002, info@sportinlife.ae, www.sportinlife.ae Tresspass, The Dubai Mall 2nd floor above ice rink, +971 43398801

Horse Riding

Al Boom Diving, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Fujairah, +971 43422993 Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club, Al Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72432274, 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, +971 42394760 or 42959477, 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 503366224 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 507050433 or 506947764, www.seaworlddsf.com Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai, +971 48706668, 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 25581889, www.noukhada.ae Ocean Active, +971 504592259, www.oceanactive.com Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +971 503336046, www.sheesabeach.com Soolyman Sport Fishing, Umm Suquiem, Fishing Port No. 2, Jumeirah Beach, +971 508866227, 508866228 or 503402379, www.soolymansportfishing.com Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai, +971 42573084, www.summertimemarine.com 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

Equipment Al Asifa Horse Equestrian Equipment & Requisites Trading P.O. Box 77282, AL Khawanij 1st , Dubai, +971 554733110, www.asifa.ae Black Horse LLC, Baniyas West, Near Empost Abu Dhabhi, +971 25866205, 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, Dubai-Sharjah Rd., +971 42988408, www.alahliclub.info Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com Al Jiyad Stables, Behind Dubai International Endurance City, Dubai, +971 505995866, info@aljiyad.com, www.aljiyad.com Al Sahra Desert Resort Equestrian Centre, Dubai, +971 44274055, equestrian.centre@alsahra.com Desert Equestrian Club, Mirdif, Dubai, +971 503099770 or 501978888 Desert Palm Riding School, Near Al Awir Road (going to Hatta-Oman), Dubai, +971 43238010, www.dubaipoloclub.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 Hoofbeatz, located just inside the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai, +971 569424551, www.hoofbeatz.com Mushrif Equestrian and Polo Club, Mushrif Park, Al Khawaneej Road, Dubai, +971 42571256, www.mushrifec.com Rahal Ranch, Al Wathba Racing Area, Abu Dhabi, +971 565066741, 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

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

Jet Ski Dealers

Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Rd., Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +971 44426395, uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co Liberty Kawasaki, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, Direct: +971 45019442, 45019412 or 43419341, www.libertykawasaki.com

Stand up Paddling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding Book Your Test Drive

Call : 055-2385880

Motocross & ATV’s

Motorcycling

Distributors and Dealers Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Rd., Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Ducati, Al Salam Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 24918593, www.ducati.ae Duseja General Trading Co. LLC, Warehouse No: B3, Alquoz Ind Area #3, Umm Suqeim Road next to Max Garage Diagonally opposite Lulu Hypermarket Al Barsha, +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, Interchange4, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, Direct: +971 45019442, 45019412 or 43419341, www.libertykawasaki.com Polaris UAE, Al Ghandi Complex, Nad al Hamar Road, Ras Al Khor, +971 42896100, www.polarisuae.com Tristar Motorcycles, Al Awir Road, Nr Oman Transport, +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 67681166 2xWheeler Adventures, Dubai, +971 44548388, www.alainraceway.com

SEPTEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

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 Desert Road Runners www.desertroadrunners.club

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

Dealers Al Badayer Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, +971 68861161 or 507842020, www.albadayerrental.com Al Shaali Moto, Ras Al Khor, +971 43200009, www.alshaalimoto.com Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha Golden Desert Motorcycles, P.O. Box 47912, E-44 Hatta road, Al Badayer Madam, Sharjah, +971 529484616 or 505 033 800 Just Gas It, Hatta Rd., Al Aweer, Dubai, UAE, +971 559031664, www.JustGasIt.net KTM, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, exit 42, +971 43468999, www.ktm.com Liberty Kawasaki, Interchange 4, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, Direct: +971 45019442, 45019412 or 43419341, www.libertykawasaki.com Motoventure, Hobbies Club, Al Awir, Hatta Road, Dubai, +971 555437392, www.motoventure.net mxDubai, Al Ain Road Dubai, +971 55 2090832, www.mxdubai.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 26441478, www.polarisuae.com Sebsports, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1 Dubai, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com Equipment Sandstorm Motorcycles (Rental), Al Quoz, Dubai, +971 43395608, Sebsports, Dubai, Al Quoz Industrial Area 3, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com 2XWheeler, Motorcity Dubai, +971 44548388, www.2xwheeler.com

| |

Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, 800 YAS (927) or +971 26599800, www.yasmarinacircuit.com

Off-Road

Dealers Bling My Truck, +971 503634839 or 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 2858989, www.aaadubai.com Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744, www.icon-auto.com Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2, Dubai, UAE, +971 43469600, 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 or 505548255, www.blingmytruck.com Heartland UAE, Al Mafraq Industrial, Abu Dhabi, +971 569796524 or 506472447, 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, 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.desertroadtours.com Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +971 4 2628832 or 4 2686826, 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

Equipment Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai, +971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43468000, www.masaoodmarine.com Kitesurf Dubai, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqueim and Jumeirah 3 +971 505586190, www.kitesurfdubai.ae Picnico, Al Fairdooni Building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Near Sharaf DG Metro Station and Mall of Emirates, +971 43951113 Surf Dubai, Umm Suqeim, Dubai, +971 505043020, www.surfingdubai.com Surf Shop Arabia, Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai, +971 564716180, www.surfshoparabia.com Surf School Arabia, +971 556010997, www.surfschoolarabia.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, Umm Suqeim Beach, Dubai, +971 504965107, www.dubaikitesurfschool.com Duco Maritime, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi, +971 508703427, www.ducomaritime.com Dukite, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqeim, Dubai,+971 507586992, www.dukite.com Kite Fly, Dubai, +971 502547440, www.kitesurf.ae 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, www.shamalkitesurfing.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 43791998, 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, +971 26395997, www.watercooleduae.com Clubs Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle, www.abudhabisup.com UAE SUP and Surf Association, +971 26665588, www.ridersuae.com

Water Parks

Aquaventure Atlantis, Dubai, Palm Jumeirah, +971 44260000, www. atlantisthepalm.com 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, P.O. Box 51234, Sas Al Nakhl, Abu Dhabi, +971 28853555, www.adgolfclub.com Al Tamimi Stables, Sharjah, +971 67431122 or 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 44262000, www.atlantisthepalm.com Dubai Dolphinarium Dubai, Creek Park Gate No. 1, +971 43369773, www.dubaidolphinarium.ae iFly Dubai, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre, +971 42316292, www.iflyme.com Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, +971 25578000, www. sbgolfclub.ae Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, Sharjah, +971 65487777, www.golfandshootingshj.com SkiDubai, Dubai, Mall of the Emirates, +971 44094000, www.skidxb.com Spacewalk Indoor Skydiving, Abu Dhabi, +971 26577601 adcountryclub.com/spacewalk/aboutspacewalk/

Health, Safety & Training

Safety Lessons Marine Concept Yacht Charter & Sea School, Rania Business Centre, Dubai, +971 559603030, www.marine-charter-concept.com Sport and Health Centres Bespoke Wellness, Dubai, +971 553724670, www.bespoke-wellness.com

Running Clubs

OUTDOORUAE

65

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

SEPTEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Original Fitness Co., C6 Tower Al Bateen Bainunah St, Abu Dhabi, +971 2406 9404;

P.O. Box 126469, Office 508 The Fairmont Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43116571 www.originalfitnessco.com

Orthosports Medical Centre, 5B Street, Jumeira Beach road, Dubai, 800 ORTHO (67846), www.orthosp.com

The Physio Center, Suite 405, Building 49, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, +971 44370570, www.physiocentre.ae

OMAN DIRECTORY

Al Sawadi Beach Resort, P.O. 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, P.O. Box 940, Muscat, Oman, +968 97899094, 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 Khasab Musandam Travel & Tours, P.O. Box 786, PC No. 811, Khasab, Musandam, Sultanate of Oman, +968 91713449, info@tourkhasab.com Al Mouj Marina, Muscat, Oman, +968 24534554, www.almoujmarina.com Moon Light Dive Center, P.O. Box 65, Madinat Qaboos, Muscat Oman, +968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com Nomad Ocean Adventures, +968 26836069, Dibba, Oman; Fujairah, +971 508918207, www.discovernomad.com Diving Centres Euro-divers Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, P.O. Box 940, Postal Code 100 Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, +968 98194444, www.euro-divers.com Extra Divers Zighy Bay, Oman, Musandam, +968 26735555, www.extradivers.info Moonlight Dive Center, Near Grand Hyatt

Muscat, Shati Al Qurum, Oman, +968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com Oman Dive Center, Muscat, Oman, +968 24284240, www.omandivecenter.com Oman Dive Center Resort, P.O. Box 199, Medinat Sultan Qaboos, Oman, +968 24824240, www.omandivecenter.info Omanta Scuba Diving Academy, Al Kharjiya Street, Al Shati Area, Muscat, Oman, +968 99777045, www.omantascuba.com Oxygen Diving and Adventures, P.O. Box 1363 PC130 Alazaiba, Muscat, Oman, +968 92537494 or 9723 2661, www.o2diveoman.com Scuba Oman, Oman, +968 99558488, www.scubaoman.com Seaoman, P.O. Box 2394, RUWI PC 112, Oman, +968 24181400, www.seaoman.com

P.O. Box 117, Postal Code 421, Bediyah, Ghabbi, Oman, +968 99310108, www.safaridesert.com

Stand Up Paddeling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding

Boating & Sailing

Clubs

Horse Riding

Adventure tours and desert safaris

Bike and Hike Oman, P.O. Box 833, Ruwi, Postal Code 112, Oman, +968 24400873, www.bikeandhikeoman.com Dolphin Qasab Tours, P.O. Box 123, P.C. 811, Khasab City, Musandam, Oman, +968 26730813, www.dolphinkhasabtours.com Go Dive Oman, Marina Bander Al Rowdha Dive Center, +968 9548 3813 or 98194444, www.godiveoman.com Khour Shem Tourism, Oman, +968 91713449, www.khourshemtours.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, http://omantrekkingguides.tumblr.com Cruise Operators Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam, +968 26836551, www.sheesabeach.com

Diving

Equipment Al Marsa Musandam, PO Box 44, Dibba, Sultanate of Oman, +968 26836550; UAE: +971 502124100, www.almarsamusandam.com

QATAR DIRECTORY Adventure tours and desert safaris

Al Mulla Travels, P.O. Box 4147, Doha, Qatar, +974 44413488, almullatrvls@qatar.net.qa Alpha Tours, P.O. Box 13530, Doha, Qatar, +974 4344499, info@alphatoursqatar.com Al QAYED Travel & Tours, PO Box: 158, Doha, Qatar, +974 44072244, www.alqayedtravel.com Arabian Adventures, PO Box 4476, Doha, Qatar, +974 44361461, www.arabianadventureqatar.net Black Pearls Tourism Services, P.O. Box: 45677, Doha, Qatar, +974 44357333 E2E Qatar Travel and Tours, PO Box 23563, Doha, Qatar, +974 44516688 or 444515995, www.e2eqatar.com Falcon Travels, PO Box 22031, Doha, Qatar, +974 44354777, www.falcontravelqatar.com Gulf Adventures Tourism LLC, P.O. Box 18180, 29 Aspire Zone Street, Aspire Zone Al Ryyan City, State of Qatar Switchboard: +974 44221888, www.gulf-adventures.com Net Tours Qatar, P.O. Box 23080, Doha, Qatar, +974 4310902, www.nettours.com.qa Regency Travel & Tours, +974 44344444, www.regencyholidays.com Qatar Adventure, P.O. Box 13915, Doha, Qatar, +974 55694561, www.qataradventure.com Qatar Inbound Tours, P.O. Box 21153, +974 77451196, www.inboundtoursqatar.com Qatar International Tours, P.O. Box 55733 Doha, Qatar, +974 44551141, www.qittour.com Qatar Ventures, Barwa Village Bulding #12 Shop #33, Doha, Qatar, +974 55776679, www.qatar-ventures.com

Cycling, Running & Triathlon Qatar Chain Reaction, www.qatarchainreaction.weebly.com Qatar Sandstromers, +974 77775207 or 77776634, www.facebook.com/ QatarSandstormers Velostar Doha, https://www.facebook.com/ groups/587539064642288/ Doha Bay Running Club, www.dohabayrunningclub.com TriClub Doha, www.triclubdoha.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, The Pearl(Parcel 9) +974 40027513, Souq Jabor +974 44430322.

Office: +974 44417935, www.galaxysportqatar.com GO Sport Qatar, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, +974 44631644; Villaggio Mall, +974 44157463, www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar Sun & Sand Sports Qatar, City Centre Mall, +974 44837007; Dar Al Salam Mall, +974 44510179; Mustafawi Exhibition, +974 44935183, en-ae.sssports.com

Boating & Sailing

Equipment Regatta Sailing Academy, Katara Beach +974 55503484 www.regattasailingacademy.com Distributors and Dealers Speed Marine, Speed Marine, Museum Road, P.O. Box 9145 Doha, Qatar, +974 44410109, www.speedmarinegroup.com Marinas Four Seasons Marina, Doha, Qatar, +974 44948899, www.mourjanmarinas.com Lusail Marina, Lusail City, Qatar, +974 55843282, www.mourjan-lusailmarina.com The Pearl–Qatar Marinas, Doha, Qatar, +974 44953894, www.ronauticame.com

Add your free listing to the 66

OUTDOORUAE

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

Camping & Hiking

Caving

Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre, Oman, +968 24543002, www.holiday-in-oman.com Oman World Tourism, Oman, +968 24565288, www.omanworldtourism.com

Fishing & Kayaking

Equipment Az’Zaha Tours, +968 99425461, www.azzahatours.com Water World Marine Oman, P.O. Box 76, Muscat, 113, Sultanate of Oman, +968 24737438, www.waterworldoman.com

Manufacturer Saphire Marine, PO Box: 11, Post Code 118, Muscat, Oman, +968 24568887, 24566566, 24561619 or 24568881, www.sapphire-marine.com Marinas Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, Muscat, Oman, +968 24737286 (ext 215), www.marinaoman.net

Tour Operators Safari Desert Camp,

Fishing & Kayaking

Equestrian Clubs/Centres Al Shaqab, P.O. Box 90055, Doha, Qatar, +974 44546320, www.alshaqab.com Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, Racing and Equestrian Club, P.O. Box 7559, Doha, Qatar, +974 44197704, www.qrec.gov.qa

Diving

Equipment/Centres Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street (near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar, +974 44435626 Doha Sub Aqua Club, Doha Sub-Aqua Club, PO Box: 5048, Doha, Qatar, +974 50483794, www.dohasubaquaclub.com Extreme Adventure, P.O. 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, P.O. Box 2489, Doha, Qatar, +974 44449553, www.pearl-divers.org Poseidon Dive Center, P.O. Box: 11538, Ras Abu Abboud Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2, 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 Marine Centre, Souq Al Najada cnr of Grand Hamad and Ali bin Abdulla Street; +974 55319507 or 4375065, www.qdive.net World Marine Centre, PO Box 6944, Doha, Qatar, +974 44360989, www.worldmarinecenter.webs.com Qatar Divers, Marriott Hotel Marina Near Old Airport, Ras Abu Aboud Area, Doha, Qatar, +974 55246651, 40405156, www.qatardivers.com Qatar Marine, Go Sport City Center West Bay, P.O. Box 16657, Doha, +974 55319507, www.qatarmarine.net Qatar Scuba Centre, 187 Al Mansoura Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar, +974 66662277 or 44422234, www.qatarscubacenter.com

Equipment Al Kashat, Fishing and Hunting Equipment, Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq, +974 70057489 Al Mamzoore Marine Equipment, P.O. Box 6449, Old Salata, Doha, Qatar, +974 44444238, almamzoore@qatar.net.qa Extreme Adventure, Shop 3,4 Ahmed Bin Ali Steet, Doha, +974 44877884, www.extreme.qa Fish World, P.O. Box 1975, Doha, Qatar, +974 44340754 State of Qatar (QatarSub), Souq Waqif, next to the Falcon Souq, +974 4431234, www.stateofqatar.com Operators Paddle Qatar, +974 55490895, www.paddleqatar.com

Stand Up Paddeling, Kite & Surfing, Wakeboarding

Equipment, Operators Fly-N-Ride, Ras abu Aboud, Doha, +974 33117089, Flo Kite School, Westbay, Doha, +974 33155628, www.flokiteschool.com Kitesurfing Qatar, +97430179108, www.kitesurfingqatar.com QSUP, Qanat Quartier, Costa Malaz, The Pearl-Qc, Doha, Qatar, +974 66602830, www.qsup.me

Cycling (Road & Off Road)

Bike Servicing, Equipment Carbon Wheels Bike Shop, Al Maha Center 10, Salwa Road, Doha, +974 44419048, www.facebook.com/CarbonWheelsQTR Flash Bike Shop, Mesaeed New Souq, Shop C.06, +974 6600 9116, www.flashbikeshop.com Skate Shack, Salwa Road, South Doha, +974 44692532, www.skate-shack.com Galaxy Sport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, +974 44822194; Villaggio Mall, +974 4456 9143; Ezdan Mall, +974 4492 2827, www.galaxysportqatar.com Sportswell, Salwa Road, South Doha, +974 44151687

ONLINE DIRECTORY

exhibitions