OutdoorUAE - December 2011 by OutdoorUAE

The Outdoor Toys Issue

Price 10 Dhs

THE FIRST OUTDOOR MAGAZINE FOR THE UAE AND THE MIDDLE EAST ‘like’ us on Facebook! THANKS TO ALL for helping us surpass 1,000 likes!

Carstensz

Pyramid

Follow Atte on his adventure

Products! lots of them! We give you a few gift ideas

Belly

FLOPPING!?

The Yellow

BUMBLE-BEE

Daniel takes flight in a rather small machine

Oman

Odyssey Mike goes solo...

Yes, it can be quite rewarding...

Discover more and visit us online: www.outdooruae.com

Issue 12/2011 December

Editorial

A month of celebrations...

In Print:

Managing Editor Daniel Birkhofer Editors Kim Perks Laura Snook Marilena Cilta Graphics & Design James Russell Sales & Marketing (advertisement enquiries) Tara Atkinson Tel: 04-4502419 Mobile: 055 9398915 tara@outdooruae.com Published by: Outdoor UAE FZE P.O. Box 215062 Dubai, U.A.E. Tel. 04-4502419 contact@outdooruae.com www.outdooruae.com Distributor: Tawzea, Abu Dhabi Media Company P.O. Box 40401, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. Printed at: Galadari Printing & Publishing LLC P.O. Box 11243 Dubai, U.A.E.

No need for candles, cake, nor celebration, because that’s the way we’ve been working to get our baby to one year of existence! Yes it has now been one year of monthly OutdoorUAE goodness of bringing you the latest news, information about the community and getting you involved and outdoors. There has been no breaks for us getting all of the magnificent content from you all, but once we get issue number 12 in our hands (and in turn, yours), then we’ll have an excuse to celebrate. OutdoorUAE experts will know that there have been two issues before we started running monthly - but we won’t count these. There are a lot of people I have to thank for their help and support but the list would be too long. There is only one specific thank you that I want to make and that is to you. Yes, you are the most important people for us - in reading the magazine, liking us on Facebook (we finally surpassed 1000 likes!) or browsing through the website and of course in sharing your adventures with us, your photos and your feedback. We are a small team dedicated to adding value to the community and providing a connecting hub for everybody. With limited budgets and man-power we work hard to keep up with developments in the community and also with technical developments. So our gift to you will be the redesign of www.outdooruae.com which is going to be live in the middle of December. A new design and a much improved interface and structure should make the website as enjoyable as the magazine. December is alas, the month of Celebration and the whole team says happy 40th anniversary for the UAE. We hope to do our part to add more to the spirit of the Union in the years to come. Christmas and New Year is approaching so we have thrown in some great outdoorsy gift ideas for this month’s issue. Enjoy reading, go outdoors and celebrate whatever you want to celebrate! Daniel.

between the lines Daniel Birkhofer

Founder and Editor in Chief daniel@outdooruae.com

Kim Perks The information contained is for general use only. While we have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this magazine has been obtained from reliable sources, however the publisher is not responsible for any errors. All information in this magazine is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information. In no event will the publisher, its related affiliates or anyone else be responsible for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this magazine. All contents are under copyrights and may not be reproduced in any kind without written permission.

James Russell

Graphics and Photography james@outdooruae.com

Laura Snook

Copywriter and Editor

Business Development and Editor laura@outdooruae.com

Marilena Cilta

Tara Atkinson

Management and Administration marry@outdooruae.com

Sales and Marketing tara@outdooruae.com

our experts and contributors Tori Leckie

Ian Ganderton

Kit Belen

Pete Aldwinckle

Mike Nott

John Basson

Toby Foord-Kelcey

Cecile Guillemot

Writer, runner, blogger, adventurer and adidas athlete

Our fishing pro

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

Climber and all-round adventure seeker

Reg. at Creative City Fujairah P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.

The 4x4 expert

when you’re done reading, please recycle!

Climbing Expert

Moto/ATV and all round adventure seeker

Our equestrian pro

our list of contributors is always growing so please get in touch if you want to be one of them!

contents

Contents

46 Best Shots

Events Calendar

Events Reviews and Reports

Turtle Release Mad Canopies Ice Warriors Challenge II Belly Flopping Adventure HQ and GU Whatever Floats your Boat Dubai Push Race 2011 DMX The Yellow Bumble Bee Swift Rooms Global Champions Tour Dubai International Motor Show Yas Run

Products

Our Experts

The Next Level! Adventure Chick goes climbing! A Christmas wish... Hatta Crag

Spots & Locations

Tips n Tricks

FInal Thought

Directory

Atte Miettinen Luke Pledger

Laura’s Location Oman Odyssey

Beginner’s guide to camping ME4x4 Part 9 Surface Marker Buoys

Travel & Adventure

Carstensz Pyramid Slow Lane to Nowhere Cont.

People

Best Shots The photos on this page are from our readers. If you want to see one of our photos here please send them to contact@outdooruae.com We are looking forward to more great shots

Wayne Gray

Aaron Mare (pictured) Canon 7D

Rachel Bindu

Paradise in the middle of the desert Al Ain

Angela

Shisha pipe

Events Calendar

[sky]

3rd Dubai International Parachuting Championship & Gulf Cup Dubai Marina, from 29th of November till 10th of December

events calendar

The Dubai Parachuting & Gulf Cup has grown over the past three years to become today arguably one of the most recognized skydiving and parachuting competitions in the world. The best skydiving athletes from all four corners of the globe gather in Dubai to battle the most rewarding and honorable titles in this extreme sport.Â This year, it is expected that more than 55 different Countries will compete in Canopy piloting, 4 way formation skydiving (Women, Men & Mix), 4 way Canopy Formation, and Accuracy (individual & Teams). www.skydivedubai.com

[gree

World Green Tourism

Me et us!

Abu Dhabi, ADNEC, 5th to 7th of December

World Green Tourism (WGT), supported by the ADTA and the EAD is the only event in the region dedicated to the promotion of sustainable tourism. The inaugural World Green Tourism summit ran in November 2010 and proved to be a landmark event which paved the way for the development of a greener tourism industry.

ADRENALINE. PASSION. GLORY Email: info@skydivedubai.ae Tel: 800skydive or contact: 0971503488802

Web: www.skydivedubai.ae Location: marina behind the Habtoor Grand Hotel

New Years Eve 8pm â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;till 3am

AED 600 per person

includes beverages and Asian tapas

Overnight package AED 1,400

includes accommodation and 2 tickets.

VIP tables available

INCOGNITO All prices inclusive of service charge.

DJ Nathalie Brogan / DJ Chad Phunk / DJ Stew Magoo Relax@12, Aloft Abu Dhabi Hotel

Located at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre Khaleej Al Arabi Street, Abu Dhabi. For more info and bookings give us a buzz on 02 654 5013 Check out our Facebook page facebook.com/aloftabudhabi

[Run]

Johnson Arabia Dubai Creek Striders Half Marathon Dubai Creek, 9th of December

The course runs along the avenue to one of the world’s most famous golf courses at Dubai Creek, then over the creek, under the creek, around the creek, through the souk, over bridges and through tunnels. There is certainly no boring parts on this course. For first timers to Dubai it is the best possible way to see this great part of the city. For more information please visit: www.dubaicreekstriders.org

events calendar

[mot

DMX Round 4

o-x]

Dubai, Jebel Ali Track, 9th of December

Get yourself down to the DMX (Dubai Motorcross Club) in Jebel Ali to check out some thrilling and exciting motorcross and quad biking action. With classes ranging from cadets all the way to masters, this is an event where you can watch all the different categories on the newly revamped track, not to mention the awesome atmosphere and food.

[cycl

Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge 2011

Dubai Autodrome, 16th of December

Passing all the iconic landmarks of Dubai that have made the skyline of Dubai one the most recognisable in the world, it’s time for the Second Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge on the streets of Dubai, it’s time to challenge yourself to complete the 92 kilometre course! For more information visit: www.cyclechallenge.ae

[sail]

The Volvo Ocean Race

Abu Dhabi, ADIMSC, 30th of December

The Volvo Ocean Race is an exceptional test of sailing prowess and human endeavour which has been built on the spirit of great seafarers - fearless men who sailed the world’s oceans aboard square rigged clipper ships more than a century ago. For more information visit: www.volvooceanraceabudhabi.com

[Fest

Liwa Festival

]

Abu Dhabi Motors Club Organize Liwa International Festival /Moreeb dune from 2nd till 6th of January. The activities are going to include : Remote Control Cars Show, Falcon Race, Camel Race & Horse Race, Moreeb Dunes Champion for Bike, Moreeb Dunes Champion for cars. For more information visit: www.admc.ae

[Adve

ntur

Wadi Bih MTB & Adventure Race 2012

Dibba - Oman, 6th January

Starts: Golden Tulip Hotel, Oman. Route follows the Wadi Bih run course through the dramatic Wadi Khabb Shamsi into the stunning Musandam mountains. Solo: 35km MTB Hill Climb (1000m), Solo: 30km MTB Out and Back, Team of 2: 30km MTB Hill Climb ( 650m ), 8km Hike, 30km MTB downhill, 300m swim. www.wadiadventure.com

event reviews and reports

Turtle Release On the weekend of November 26th 2011, hundreds of guests and competition winners gathered to watch the release of six rehabilitated green sea turtles from the beach at Madinat Jumeirah. As part of the UAE 40th National Day Celebrations, a 40kg turtle was released back into the ocean. The turtle, called 'Emerald', was brought to the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project at Burj Al Arab three years ago after suffering from life threatening injuries. On the morning of the release, Emerald was fitted with a satellite tracking device that enables the public to monitor her movements throughout the world's oceans while gaining invaluable insight into the life of a turtle. Dubai’s only turtle rehabilitation project is the collaboration of Jumeirah’s Aquarium team and the Wildlife Protection Office, with essential veterinary support provided by the Dubai Falcon Clinic and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory.

Mad Canopies While the World awaits the fallout of Euro crisis, it seems there is no end to events across the UAE this winter. Since its inception 3 years ago, MAD Canopies have been the only dedicated supplier of fully printable tents in the Middle East, and this year have been enjoying a bumper events season. With top brands such as Bacardi choosing MAD Canopies to create their branded event structures for events over the cooler months (see image), MAD Canopies Managing Partner, Andrew Morrison, feels there is a maturing attitude to event branding in the region: "When we started in early 2009 not many companies could see the advantage in branding their events structures, they were pretty happy to just stick a flag beside their marquee. Now we see major brands such as Red Bull and Bacardi using Starshades at their events, as well as local entities such as Zayed Sports City." As well as providing large brand-able Starshades, MAD Canopies are also exclusive distributors of X-GLOO Inflatable Domes, and Instant Canopies, which are increasingly popular with active lifestyle brands for sporting events in the UAE - Intersport, Trionz and Sports 360 being but a few. "With the events calendar in the UAE being so busy, there are an increasing number of companies realising that the cost of renting structures actually outweighs the cost of purchasing their own branded tent or canopy. We only sell systems that go up and down in under 30 minutes and can be packed into a 4x4, making them very simple to use", added Mr. Morrison. So, if you're looking to standout at your next event, consider the benefits of branded structure, and make your brand stand out. www.madcanopies.com

Great gift ideas Nomad, Single Seat Kayak Feelfree For day touring, fishing, surfing or just fun on the water Available at: Go Sport, Adventure HQ, Al Yousef (Yamaha), Abu Dhabi: Noukhada Adventure Company, Al Yousef (Yamaha), Saharah Marine

Storm Headlamp

Standard 2,595.Wheel in keel 2,795.-

Black Diamond Waterproof, 100 lumens Max distances: 70m, 25m Max burn time: 200H, 125H Batteries: 4 AAA Available at: Adventure HQ

250.Australia, Watersports Sunglass

Standard BUFF速 BUFF速 Multi functional headwear

Document Wallet

Available at: Go Sport (Dubai Mall), Intersport, Ski Dubai, Rage Bike Shop, Adventure HQ, Picnico

Lifeventure Compartments for cash in different currencies, tickets, printouts, passport etc.

75.-

Polarized Filters out 100% UVA, UVB and UVC Available at: Adventure HQ

200.-

Boreal For day long wear on easy climbs, paths, trails, off-road and on the street. 2mm split leather with Vibram sole All round rubber protects shoe from sharp rocks Available at: Adventure HQ

Man 695.Women 695.-

Available at: Go Sport, Adventure HQ

165.-

Thermal Mug Lifeventure Watertight, in eleven colrs Available at: Go Sport, Adventure HQ

85.-

Distributor

Flyer, Approach Shoe

info@globalclimbing.com

event reviews and reports

Ice Warriors Challenge II It was an early start for the competitors of the 2nd Ice Warriors challenge on the morning of the 19th of November, which took place at SkiDubai. It was an early start for me too, but I was excited to experience the ‘simulated’ cold that I had missed since leaving the North of England. Apart from my preconceptions, I was also looking forward to seeing the challenging course set out for these athletes, and it looked really tough. I settled in, wrapped up warm and started to shoot the runners pushing themselves hard through the vast array of obstacles. The atmosphere and energy was definitely there, together with the encouragement of the staff and spectators. Participants of all ages and experience took on the arctic obstacle course that offered a variety of commando style challenges. These included, pacing down the 400m ski slope, tackling tough terrain, crawling through huge balls and hopping over walls of ice. The race supported and raised money for The Dubai Centre for Special needs. Congratulations to Amanda Nimon Peters (Women’s), Charles Dullin (Men’s) and James Partiger (under 16s). Make sure you’re at the next Ice Warriors challenge to truly test your fitness, in somewhat alternative weather conditions! James.

Belly Flopping ‘Bellyflopping.’ A word that describes what is often regarded as ‘unnecessary’ at swimming pools or even any place of water. But when there is 15,000 Dhs. involved for a good ‘Bellyflop’, suddenly that word becomes something of interest. Wild Wadi hosted an unconventional event for a niche outdoors market. Bellyflopping does not require much training (apart from building a tolerance to pain) so the entrants were plentiful. Much of the crowd who were observing must have thought, ‘What is going on? Why are these people jumping into the water like that?’ A vast amount of people participated for a chance to win 15,000 smacks. The crowd were well entertained and so was I. I am very tempted to hit the water hard for some hard cash, the next time this is on. Congratulations Darren from Australia!

James.

50% OFF

Introducing team BMC

On the Fox Casual ( T-shirt, Shorts, Jeans, shoes, Jacket)

Adventure HQ

announced in November the launch if it’s cycling Team BMC UAE, first non-local team to register with the UAE cycling federation. With a genuine desire to inspire people to experience the great outdoors, Adventure HQ established the team to enable riders to enjoy the thrill of training and racing within a cycle team in the UAE. Sam Whittam, General Manager and founder of Adventure HQ, aspires to increase expatriate participation in the local cycle scene. “After personally racing in a couple of the UAE Cycling Federation last year, I was blown away by the quality of racing available and amazed that more expats weren’t getting involved. Our aim is to increase the accessibility of racing in Dubai and the UAE. Offering a superior range of cycling gear and being home to a bike workshop boasting specialized mechanics in store, Adventure HQ possessed the expertise and passion to support Team BMC UAE, a team already at the forefront of competition in the region. Luke Pledger, team captain, currently leads the UAE Cycling Federation point tally and has earned his place amongst the top riders in the region after finishing in the top three of the last 3 races. With the support of Adventure HQ and GU, sports nutrition supplier, Team BMC UAE is vigorously training for the upcoming series of events and aims to be amongst the best teams in the region.

Luke Pledger Age: 31 Nationality: Australian About Luke: Spent his

youth waterskiing, representing State & Nation on 11 occasions. During this time he won many events and titles but re-occurring injuries forced him to switch sport to cycling at the age of 22 and he has never looked back. After consistently winning club races, Luke moved up to the Elite rider category racing the National Road Series. Moving to Dubai at the end of 2007 subsequently put an end to Luke’s racing ambitions. He is now overjoyed at this chance to rub shoulders in the peloton again.

Sam Whittam Age: 39 Nationality: Australia About Sam: Sam started road and velodrome

racing at the age of 14 after being inspired by TV coverage Le Tour de France. He got to live out his dream when he rode the 2011 course of Le Tour de France as a tour guide.

Gregg Petersen Age: 39 Nationality: South Africa About Greg: Greg started

his career as a triathlete, gaining provincial honours for the the Natal Junior Triathlon team on 3 occasions. He switched to mountain biking and was chosen to represent South Africa at 3 World Champinoships – Bromont Canada, Metabief France & Vail Co USA.

Ian Miller Age: 42 Nationality: British About Ian: He raced competitively for over 20 years in

the UK, Europe, Malaysia, Singapore and now UAE. Ian is a former 1st category amateur rider in the UK with periods racing in Belgium and France.

Stephen French Age: 45 Nationality: Australia About Stephen: Stephen

has been a recreational cyclist for life, dabbling in races when time permits. He competed in the Bud Light MTB series in Vail, CO over 4 years. He won the Veterans Sport Series – 2002, and the Veterans Sport King of the Mountain’s winner - 2003

Jesper Skov Age: 39 Nationality: Danish About Jesper: Jesper spend 2 years focusing on triathlong

with starts in the Olympic distance and finishing 2nd in the Ghantoot Tri –Race(team relay). He is also an actively runner in the UAE. Running achievements include finishing the Wadi Bih Run with a distance over 76 km. Jesper has always enjoyed cycling, competing in races both Denmark and the UAE. He finished 3rd in the Dubia 92 challenge in 2010.

Benedikt Köck Age: 30 Nationality: German About Benedikt: Benedikt boasts strong spring abilities

making him an ideal starter for short and medium climbs. He cycled competitively in 2000 and 2001 and also run several marathons in the last couple of years, with his best time being 3:06

Victoria Norval Age: 34 Nationality: South Africa About Victoria: Starting as

a young gymnast provided the foundation for a lifelong passion for sport. Recent achievement include finishing first place in the ladies competition of the Dubai Autodrome Criterium and 7th place overall in May 2011. Victoria also finished 1st place in the ladies completion of the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge in 2010. She is the first female cyclist to become a member of the UAE cycling Federation.

Available in our nine showrooms over all UAE.

Dubai - Tel: 04 3390621 | Dubai Auto sport 04 3388822 Abu Dhabi - Tel: 02 5588890 | Abu Dhabi - Buteen - 02 6660591 Sharjah - Tel: 06 5388066 | Ajman -Tel: 06 7410004 Al Ain - Tel: 03 7211444 | Fujairah - Tel: 11 09 2221188 Ras Al Khaimah - Tel: 07 2351592

event reviews and reports

Whatever Floats your Boat! Companies and school teams sailed to victory for the fourth year running in this year’s Whatever Floats Your Boat competition at Festival Marina, Dubai Festival City, helping to raise over AED 100,000 to help save the lives of Dubai’s native turtles. With spirits high and teams focused and hopeful, plenty of prizes were on offer for those that came out strongest. A special prize for corporate participants was on offer, where each member of the corporate teams was entered into a bonus draw to win a luxury weekend break at the Six Senses Resort in Zighy Bay, Oman, donated by Al Futtaim Travel. The lucky winner was an employee from GulfTainer. Having spent weeks perfecting their boats made from recycled materials in support of the Emirates Wildlife Society and the Worldwide Fund for Nature, three corporate teams and three school teams sailed away with a prize in three separate categories: From the company heats, team ‘Basha’ by Mourjan Marinas IGY, walked away with the overall trophy and top prize for the Fastest Boat with AED 2,000 worth of Festival Centre shopping vouchers. Team ‘KCT Grr Rafters’ by GulfTainer won brunch vouchers in the

Belgian Café at Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City for having the Best Boat Design, which was creatively crafted as a Yellow Submarine, inspired by The Beatles complete with guitar-shaped paddles. Finally, ‘The Tuggers’, dressed as sailors, from Al Badia Golf Club walked away with the prize for Best Costume, winning a relaxing Dhow Cruise Dinner along the Dubai Creek. Exciting prizes for the school children were also on offer, where the ‘Wave Runners’ from GEM Private School were the deserved winners of the overall trophy and top prize for Fastest Boat, winning tickets for an exhilarating helicopter tour of Dubai. Team ‘Aqua Phoenix’, also from GEM Private School, sailed away with brunch vouchers for Anise at InterContinental Dubai Festival City for Best Boat Design, and team ‘Eco-Pirates’ from Repton School, dressed as pirates, won Best Costume, taking home AED 1,000 worth of Festival Centre shopping vouchers. Whatever Floats Your Boat is an established annual event, organised by InterContinental Dubai Festival City in partnership with Mourjan Marinas IGY and Festival Centre. The aim of the event is to raise awareness of the importance of recycling and being ‘green’

and always supports a worthwhile cause where all fund raised throughout the initiative are donated directly to charity. OutdoorUAE were at the event giving away free copies of the magazine so make sure to look out for us at any future events! To register your interest in taking part in next year’s event, please email hayley.sturgess@ichdfc.ae

Dubai Push Race 2011 Friday 25th of November 2011 @ Mushriff Park A ‘Push Race’ is an idea that celebrates “push culture” (using push power as a form of inner-city everyday transport; skateboards, bikes, etc). Generally, a push race is an urban cross-country endurance race where participants race on their long-boards from one point to another. Taking place at Mushriff Park, the 4km course was in an ideal location; having flat sections, hill sections and great downhill sections. With 40 Participants entering the first Dubai Push Race on Friday November 25th 2011, this was the first event of its kind in the Middle East, and will certainly not be the last! The race was started in two groups; A and B, with the biggest surprise of the day being Antonio Piepo who entered division B (starting 30 seconds after the first group) and ended up taking the first over the line position.

Winners Division A: 1st Michael Vosloo, 2nd Mark Jayson, 3rd Sean Jahnig. Division B: 1st Antonio Piepo, 2nd Kristoffer Due Berg, 3rd Max Eldredge Overall the event was a great success and was sponsored by Beach St. surf & skate shop on JBR Walk (currently called ACT MARINE). Located opposite the Sheraton Beach Hotel, Monster Energy and Land Yachtz Longboards. The UAE longboard community keep in touch with each other using the Facebook page “Beach St.” and ‘Skateboarders of the UAE’.

Prizes First prize was a specially designed

one-off Land Yachtz trophy deck, designed by local graphic designer and long-boarder Cromwell Ojeda, 500AED cash from Monster Energy, a Land Yachtz 9to5 deck and a bunch of goodies from Monster. Tara.

Photo: Johanna Legaspi

• Arrive & drive karting sessions • Outdoor & indoor kart circuits

• 4,000 sq ft lasertag arena • Karting + lasertag combos

• Karting for kids 7 & older • Lap times provided

• Conference & hospitality suites • Group & corporate activities

dubaiautodrome.com

OutdoorUAE Official Media Partner

event reviews & reports

Rider Profiles and Results

Shelby Ingrilli: 250cc Name: Shelby Ingrilli Nationality: Australian How old are you? 17 Years Old What is your passion? Motocross and

going fast!

How is the season going so far? It’s

ok, could be better. I’ve been making mistakes and getting tired, but on the positive side it’s my first year in the bigger class but it comes with a lot more competition. What is your biggest achievement? I came 2nd overall in the Um Al Qwuain and Jebel Ali Championship in the 125cc’s

What is your main focus this year?

Get as fit as possible, be consistent in every race, do well at school! Also don’t get an injury.

What inspired you to get into Motocross? A friend got me into it and let me

have a go on his bike one day. My dad has always been into rally and motor sports so the support has always been there, but it was my friend who got me into it.

What would you recommend to our readers? If your getting into MX, make

and some training, maybe with friends or family who know what they are doing. A good place to start is with sandstorm who runs a school most Tuesdays, or get some training with a professional. (DMX used to organise professional training session and I went on one of them, it helped me a lot). Photo: Wayne Gray

sure you have the correct safety equipment

Sebastian Husseini: Quads Class/525xc Name: Sebastian Husseini Nationality: Half Dutch Half Lebanese,

I’ve grown up in Dubai, and lived here my whole life. How old are you? 26 Years old What Quad do you race? KTM 525xc How is the season going so far? I won the 1st race of the season so far in my class, but I was sick for the 2nd race so I’m low on championship points, but I have all intention of gaining the points I need for the rest of the season. What

What is your biggest achievement?

I was the 2007 World Champion for the Cross-Country Rally Championship in the Quad Class. I also won the Desert Challenge twice and numerous motocross / enduro championships in the UAE. Last summer we also went and raced in France. It’s the first time a UAE team raced in Europe, so this was great.

What is your main focus this year?

Get Seb Sports fully up and running, I’m also going to race in the Dakar Rally next year and I really want to win and not just finish it. (You don’t really race in the Dakar for the prize you go for the achievement).

would you recommend to our readers? Doing motocross and Quad

biking in the UAE is a great place to train for endurance racing. The terrain offered here is some of the best in the world and gives you an advantage on most riders because of the extreme conditions and temperatures. I would recommend giving it a go, but make sure you are safe and responsible. One location you should check out is Area 53 or Liwa. Another place is just after big red, take a right after the army camp there you’ll find beautiful big untouched dunes.

Photo: Wayne Gray

www.dubaimotocross.com event reviews and reports

125cc Class

Masters Class

1st : Jessie Lee Davidson 1st : Dean Jullien 2nd : Darren Berry 2nd : Godfrey Buisson 3rd : Jordyn Hamilton 3rd : Emily Mann

1st : Mitchel Malpass 2nd : Ryan Wynn 3rd : Joe Morritt

1st : Nic Bac 2nd : Medhy Menad 3rd : Brent Gregson

Clubman

MX2 Class

Quad Class

1st: Ross Runnalls 2nd: Sean Gaugain 3rd: Eric Delleuse

1st: Alex MacFarlane 2nd: Mohammed Al Shamsi 3rd: Nick Black

65cc Class

85cc Class

MX1 Class

1st : Colin Hindes 1st: Chris Moeckli 2nd : Marcus Truscott 2nd: Sean Gaugain 3rd : Rashid Ali Abdullah 3rd: Mark Ackerman

Senior Quads 1st : Colin Hindes 2nd : Marcus Truscott 3rd : Rashid Ali Abdullah

event reviews and reports

The Yellow

e e B e l b m u B Daniel’s experience of a gyrocopter flight in Ras Al Khaimah

The temperature’s very

comfortable at the moment and this particular day we also had the chance of rain. It was cloudy and windy so I wasn’t sure if we had the best conditions for a flight. When I arrived at Al Jazeera Airfield in RAK I was still motivated to do my flight, not wanting to have driven all the way from Dubai for nothing. I looked out of the window and saw Aurimas pushing a strange looking thing on the airfield, and there was the yellow Gyro-Copter looking to me much more like a bumble bee.

Gyrocopter is a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust. While similar to a helicopter rotor in appearance, the gyrocopter’s rotor must have air flowing through the rotor disc in order to generate rotation. (Source and more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogyro) Although not very convinced of this ‘bee’ thing, I climbed into the small seats. Aurimas spotted my camera straightaway and was concerned about safety - if anything were to hit the propeller it would not be good, even a small stone could destroy it. I didn’t want to imagine the consequences of that happening. Grateful to Aurimas for this information, I felt much safer straightaway. To ensure

my camera was kept safe, Aurimas tied it to the seatbelts even though I was using the straps of the camera. After fixing the camera, Aurimas then connected the headphones and microphone for communication with the pilot while flying, then jumped into the gyrocopter himself. After he started the engine we felt a few drops of rain and the sky was cloudy. Aurimas asked me if I still wanted to fly and assured me the conditions were safe. He explained that we had 10m/s wind speed which whilst grounding all other plains was no problem for the gyro-copter. However, for our comfort he just waited a few more minutes, to see if it was just a few drops or if it would start raining. Luckily the raindrops stopped and we were ready to lift off.

Apart from commercial planes of all sizes, I’ve flown in a helicopter, power parachute and hot air balloon, so I’m not afraid of flying. However, as I mentioned before, this time there was a little uncertainty. Had I pushed Aurimas to fly even though the conditions weren’t good? By now it was too late, the engine grew louder with the increasing RPM and we were soon hopping down the runway. The gyrocopter is very light so you feel every little hump. Aurimas got the allclear from the tower and we were ready to launch. The gyrocopter accelerated down the short runway and we lifted off. We quickly gained altitude and within seconds reached a height of a couple of hundred metres. The engine noise, the wind in the open carbine and the vibration gave a very pure feeling of flying and connection to the machine. We were heading directly to the beach over the hotel. Slowly my confidence grew in the gyrocopter. The lift which pushed us up in the air was much stronger than I had expected from this ‘bumble bee’. Aurimas asked me if I was alright and whether I was enjoying the experience. I nodded which must have signalled for him to take his flying skills to the next level. After gaining altitude and levelling out at around 500m, he put the bumble bee into a nosedive. The surface of the ocean was approaching us at high-speed until he pulled up and continued the flight along the shore line with only about 25m between us and

the sea, until we turned inland and up to higher levels. Aurimas, sitting with the back to me, was unable to see the huge smile on my face. Suddenly my concerns and signs of fear changed into excitement and joy. Aurimas asked me if I wanted to fly further over the desert or if I wanted to return. Of course I wanted more! His next question was if I’d like to flight high or low. Altitude’s great for scenic views but flying low was promising more action and fun. “Let’s go low!” Aurimas said that he wanted to show me what happens if the engine fails. I suddenly remembered his initial concerns about anything getting into engine’s propeller … and the engine was off! The noise was gone and so was the forward force. However, instead of dropping down like a stone, which is what would happen to a helicopter, the rotor blades buffered the gravitation through their rotation and we slowly lost altitude without gaining speed. Aurimas pointed out a small sand track and told me that we could land there without use of the engine – no problem. Before touching down he re-started the engine and we gained altitude. He continued showing me different manoeuvres outlining the abilities of the bumble bee. By now I was very convinced about the safety of the gyro-copter and Aurimas’s skills as a pilot. After the technical demonstration it was time to apply the skills of the pilot and the abilities of the gyro-copter. I’ve never played computer games but this must feel like one. Aurimas was flying over the dunes at low altitude following the sand valleys, then over one dune down into the next valley, turning left, turning right, going up and going down. The impressions were like those of a flight simulator and the feeling in my gut like being in a very, very good rollercoaster. After an amazing flight of 15 minutes we went back to the airport, touched down with a smooth landing, safe and sound. After the flight I had the chance to talk to Aurimas a bit more, which would have been good to do in advance. Aurimas is from Lithuania and as I learned before is a very straightforward talker, coming directly on the point. After he told me about his flight-school in Lithuania and his teaching the pilots here at Al Jazeera Gyrocopter as well as aerobatic flying, I was impressed by both his knowledge and the experience he’d demonstrated during our flight. In the end I’m happy that it went this way… my initial concerns about the flight made the experience more intense than it would have been if Aurimas‘d had my trust from the outset. I’m sorry to take this experience from you but I hope on the other hand that my experience will convince other people to try it themselves and overcome any fears they may have. The flights are very affordable starting at 300AED and can be booked through Dream Days. Al Jazeera Airfield is in Ras Al Khaima on the E11, near Al Hamra Village. I will definitely be back with some friends to show them another great thing to do in the UAE! Daniel.

pilot’s details Name: Aurimas Bezaras Nationality: Lithuania Flight experience: 12 years Qualifications: FI(A), ASI & Gyro Instructor Gyrocopter Info: Speed: 35-185km/h HP: 100HP Max flight time: about 4hrs 17

event reviews and reports

Swiftrooms

Conservatories

Swiftrooms LLC,

a brother company of leading conservatory suppliers from UK, has made its way to the UAE and is offering homeowners an opportunity to develop their homes with custom-made conservatories, instantly increasing the value and prestige of any property.

A Swiftroom conservatory accommodates the needs of a growing family; adds coveted extra living space; and easily gives their property a unique and desirable edge over similarly built houses. It can be constructed in just a few days, causing minimal disruption to the home owner’s lives. It will increase the value of any property and alleviate the need for the owners to sell in order to move to a larger house.

ry. To conclude, a Swiftroom is a marvellous addition to any home; and a wise investment for any property owner. Swiftrooms LLC is the brother outlet of Swiftrooms UK, a company that has been creating quality customized Swiftroom conservatories for thousands of homes throughout the UK for over 20 years. Swiftrooms LLC is working in partnership with the well established Dubai Garden Centre and its parent company Desert Group. It is the only conservatory company in the UAE to be approved by Dubai Municipality. It is rapidly expanding throughout the UAE as a result of the superb service, impeccable, high quality products and dexterous expertise Swiftrooms LLC provide.

The conservatories differ from a traditional extension in numerous ways. Firstly, there is an almost limitless variety of shapes, sizes, fixtures and fittings; thus each structure will compliment any house shape or size and is catered to the desires and taste of the individual. In addition, each conservatory is pre-fabricated in the UK and in accordance BBA structural safety standards. Homeowners can be confident that only the best quality products are used and that disruption to their daily routine is minimal during the installation process, for example, minimal drilling is needed and, on average, a build takes only 5 days for completion, a swift installation indeed! Furthermore, conservatories merge the line of the outdoors with the indoors, providing an unparalleled connection between the surrounding landscape and the living space; thus, homeowners are no longer restricted to only enjoying their garden and the open skies when weather conditions and temperatures permit them to. A Swiftroom conservatory can be used as anything from an office to a playroom; a gymnasium to a majilis; a kitchen to a dining room...the possibilities are endless. For the eco-conscious, the glass structure provides an ideal opportunity to grow their own organic fruit and vegetables: a rare possibility in the harsh desert climate, and an endearing way to utilize one corner of their conservato-

details Sales, Marketing, Installations & Customer Services Dubai Garden Center, Sheikh Zayed Road. Dubai Office: +971 (0)4 347 4240 Mobile: +971 (0)50 319 1514 Web: www.swiftrooms.ae Mail: imran@swiftrooms.ae

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Photo: Stefano Grosso/GCT

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Picnico (Jumeirah beach road)

Adventure hQ (times square mall)

event reviews and reports

The Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi held at the Al Forsan International Sports Resort saw two battles unfold for supremacy. The Grand Prix alone had a purse of 400,000 euros that the top world riders were aiming for. The class also provided the showdown for the 2011 series title. The 2011 title challenge had come down to just two riders Australian Edwina Tops-Alexander and German Ludger Beerbaum. And it was an unpredictable finale with Ludger and Chaman coming unstuck in the treble combination in the first round, retiring soon after. Edwina and Cevo Itot du Chateau, out two horses later felled two fences down and although she did not go through to the second round of the Grand Prix she had won the 2011 GCT title. A just reward for a year of spectacular show jumping feits, she took home the 300,000 euro cheque as their part of the 1 million euros divided amongst the top 18 ranked riders. Edwina was ecstatic with the win. “I am so happy for the great horse Itot is. He has had a very good year.” commented Edwina directly after her ride. It was the way it played out today and as you can see anything can happen in show jumping. For sure I would have liked to have had a better place in the Grand Prix. It is sport and that is how it goes sometimes. Overall I am really happy with my GCT performances this year.” Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi played out between 8 riders who jumped double clear to go through to the jump-off to determine the ultimate winner. Source: www.globalchampionstour.com

event reviews and reports

Dubai International Motorshow The 2011 Dubai International Motor Show, the largest event in the show’s 22 year history showcased last month, more than 150 of the world’s top motoring manufacturers, a record number of global and regional launches along with some of the most exciting and innovative concept cars in the world. Visitors to this year’s show were among the first in the world to see the latest models from high profile exhibitors including Brabus, Chevrolet, De Macross, Jaguar, Land Rover and first-time exhibitor Lifan. In addition to the 500+ vehicles on display, there were also interactive features for visitors, including the Nissan Live Action Track, the Driving Dynamics Racetrack sponsored by Audi and Wheels, the MINI Test Driving Arena, and the Infiniti Fastest Tyre Change Contest on a replica F1 racing car. OutdoorUAE were at the event giving away free copies of the magazine so make sure to look out for us at any future events!

Dreamland When

was the last time you went to a water park in the UAE and actually had fun?.. Have a think... I’m not talking about the, ‘yeah that was great the kid’s enjoyed it’, or, ‘there were massive queues but it was a laugh’ type of fun, I’m talking about uninhibited, childlike, silly, laughing till you cry or can’t stay on your inflatable type of fun! If your answer is ‘ I can’t remember’ then we’ve got the place for you. Modestly nestled on the scenic coastline of Um Al Quwain, Dream Land Aqua Park is only 40 minutes drive from Dubai and sits right next to Barracuda for those who know the area. Dream Land is a park like no other with a real rustic feel from its landscaped gardens and natural scen-

ery, and is a perfect retro escape on your day off or weekend out with family or friends. Hang out at the pool bar and order your favourite cocktail, chill out in the ‘Dead Sea’, play volley ball and other sports, or race your mates around the 30 thrilling rides and slides, the park is queue free, friendly and fun, with loads to do and see. Also geared for overnight waterside camping, Dreamland has tents and cabanas available to rent, which save the drive back home after a long day of fun! Outdoor UAE will be reporting in one of our upcoming issues on this so stay tuned! Check out some of the special offers dreamland are running this season by logging onto their website and clicking on promotions: www.dreamlanduae.com Tara.

Dream Land is Located on Itihad Road Emirates Road: E311 to Exit 103 Tel 06- 7681888 www. dreamlanduae.com Fridays and Public Holidays are family days

ADNIC Yas Run TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

On the 27th of November 2011 at the Yas Marina Circuit: Gatonye Daniel and Emma Phillips won the inaugural ADNIC Yas Run. 2,153 runners followed the same route as Etihad Airways F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix winner, Lewis Hamilton, around the iconic track. The 16 year old from Kenya, comfortably won the 10km race from Ethiopian, Yassin Kedir Ebba, to cross the finish line, under the chequered flag, in 31 minutes 46 seconds. British national Emma Phillips and Gatonye Daniel each won free entry in to the UAE Healthy Kidney 10km run in New York, taking place in May 2012 as well as two return Etihad flights. Daniel, currently holidaying in Dubai from Kenya, commented: “I’m happy with my time, but you know there’s always room to improve. I finish my education this year and will continue to compete. I’m looking forward to racing in the UAE Healthy Kidney 10km in New York – it will be my first time to visit the city.” Walid Sidani, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company (ADNIC), said: “As Title Sponsor of the inaugural ADNIC Yas Run 2011, we are delighted to bring this fantastic community running event to Abu Dhabi. I must congratulate today’s winners, as well as each and every runner who participated.” “The community support evident during the event was beyond expectations. In addition to raising money for the event’s official charity, the UAE Red Crescent, we hope the ADNIC Yas Run has gone some way to highlight the importance of living a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise.” The 10km main race saw 1,229 individual runners and 48 teams. There were 732 children in the 1km and 3km races and more than 3,000 spectators. Other winners included Declan Ball in the children’s 1km, Paul Mueller in the children’s 3km and Zurich A in the 10km Team Relay.

On the move to explore We want to entice you to live your dream adventure. Come and join us explore the world and become a Rahhalah yourself.

Source: Professional Sports Group

Some of our adventures

• WILD Borneo; the last of the four remaining rain forests in the world. • Vietnam; The Mysteries of the Northwest, 7 days adventure trekking and reaching the peak of Fansipan • Thrilling Nepal; hike, cycle, raft and explore • East African Dreams; comfortable and challenging Safari adventures that are not for the fainthearted in both Tanzania & Kenya • Climb Kilimanjaro, an achievable big challenge that takes you to the roof of Africa • Mysterious Vietnam, seven days trekking and climbing Fansipan

Read more about WHO we are, WHERE we go, our SUSTAINABILITY and our “PAY BACK” promise on

rahhalah.com

Tel +9714 4472166

Carstensz

travel & adventure

pyramid

by Atte Miettinen

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Caution, caution, pull up, pull up.â&#x20AC;?

The flight instruments of the Cessna 208B Caravan flying us into the mountains were screaming as the pilot decided to fly low and give us a close-up look of the mountain range we were going to be climbing. Our destination was Sugapa, a small village located at 2000m altitude on the remote island of Papua, which was going to be the staging point for our trek to Carstensz Pyramid, the highest mountain in Australasia. Upon landing on an up-hill road, tilting to the right and doubling as a runway, we were greeted by the local Dani tribe. The tribe had been discovered only in 1938 and many of the tribesmen still chose to only wear the traditional koteca or penis guard with some having also decorated their faces with a sizable bird bone struck through the nose. We spent the afternoon in the village, mostly observing the rather chaotic process of porter selection for our 100km trek through the jungle to the base camp of Carstensz Pyramid. The process was made complicated by the need to appease each clan within the tribe, so that we would be granted safe access through their lands. After a night in the village, we set off for the mountain. We were met early in the morning by a motley crue of motorcycles, which would take us to the edge off the jungle. However, before we reached our destination, we were stopped by a roadblock. One of the clans wanted money for access through their land. With the clansmen carrying bows and arrows, knives and rifles, we were glad that after a long negotiation, our local guides managed to agree a fee and confirm that we would

travel & adventure

Atte building goodwill with a local Papuan in Sugapa

be given access to the jungle the following morning. The next six days were long. The porters carried most of the tents, food and gear, but trekking for 8-9 hours a day through thick jungle in shin-deep mud thanks to the ever-present tropical rains and regularly encountering swamp areas and rivers still took its toll on us. Therefore, when we reached the New Zealand Pass after spending most of day six crawling in a misty haze, and finally saw the brightly coloured tents of our base camp only an hour or so away, we were all ecstatic. Carstensz Pyramid is part of the Seven Summits, a mountaineering challenge consisting of the highest mountains on each continent. At 4884m, the mountain is not very high, however, it’s the most technical of the Seven Summits. After resting in the base camp for a day, we set out for the summit at 0200 in the morning with five western climbers and one guide our other guide had fallen ill during the trek to the base camp and would have been more of a liability than an asset during the summit bid. The route from the base camp to the summit was almost entirely rock climbing and required use of ropes and jumars. Our visibility was limited by the beam of our headlamps as well as the still present rain, which was creating mini-waterfalls down the narrow mountain gulley’s and soaking all the layers of our clothing down to the bone. After about six hours, we reached the most exciting part of the summit bid - a Tyrolean Traverse. This was a set of ropes extended between two rocks approximately 50 feet apart. Hanging off the ropes with 100m of emptiness below us was a stark reminder that only 100 people are foolish enough to attempt climbing Carstensz Pyramid each year. At 1030, eight and a half hours after setting off from base camp we stood on the summit of Carstensz Pyramid. After catching our breath, we admired the stunning views and grabbed a quick snack, recognizing that we were only half way and had a long descent ahead of us. Almost the entire descent was rappelling

Trekking day

down the same fixed ropes we had used for our ascent. However, given that we could now see the state of the ropes, I think most us would have preferred to still be in the dark, oblivious to the fact that some of the ropes could break at any time. The mood among the climbers was very happy when we reached the base camp at 1830 in the evening. However, given the 16 hour summit day, exhaustion soon overcame everyone and we retreated to our tents for a well deserved R&R. Early the next morning we set off for a trek back to Sugapa, all of us still feeling the effects of the previous day. Our porters and fellow climbers set off a bit before us so I was holding the back of the pack with my wife Delanii. Then, after about 1.5 hours of trekking, while heading over the New Zealand Pass, Delanii suddenly blacked out.

We consulted our options with the guide. Helicopter evacuation was out of the question and carrying her up and down mountain passes for several days was not feasible, so we were left with no choice but to approach an American-run gold and copper mine, located about two hours walk away from our location. We had been warned against seeking help from the mine, which had a reputation for not helping distressed climbers, but soon found ourselves at the edge of the huge operation flagging down a 4x4 with a roaming security guard team and requesting a doctor. The security called-in our “intrusion” to the mine and told us to stay-put while they waited for advice from management regarding what to do with us. Somewhat naively, we expected that it would only be minutes before someone would help us get to a doctor to get my wife checked out. However, as minutes turned to

Atte with Sudirman Range in the background which Carstenz Pyramid is a part of

travel & adventure

Dani tribesman

hours with no feedback, the reality of the situation started to sink in. After a few hours of waiting, I wondered deeper into the mine area and began stopping enormous Caterpillar earth moving trucks, with wheels probably 3-4 meters in diameter and the drivers sitting at what seemed a second floor height of an apartment building, asking for help. This seemed to only cause more frustration among the security who returned about an hour after this, telling us that the security chief

didn’t care what happened to us and told us to leave the mine. We insisted that we needed to get to a doctor and prepared to spend the night outside, in the rain, with all of our gear, including water proof clothing, tents and food with the porters, now trekking back towards Sugapa, somewhere in the middle of the jungle. After a few wet and cold hours in the pitch black night, one of the roaming security teams returned to our location bringing some wood and petrol to help us light a fire in an old rusty oil drum and stay warm as well as giving us access to a little portakabin to shield us from the rain – as long as we vacated it at dawn. The next morning came and since we were still there, the security decided to post two guards to make

Crossing the Tyrolean Traverse

Flying out of the goldmine to head to Timika - the island’s airport

sure we weren’t going anywhere. We were told that we could leave back to the jungle at any time, but even the security guards knew this was not going to happen without any gear, tents or food. So we waited it out. Finally, close to midnight, over 36 hours after we had arrived at the mine requesting help, one of the security guards had decided that the management was taking too long and had taken it upon himself to call an ambulance to come and check on my wife, who was clearly deteriorating. The paramedics arrived at the hut and gave her a quick check-up agreeing with our own diagnosis that she needed help. The paramedics evacuated her first to the mine’s own clinic, just 5 minutes drive away from our location and after giving her intravenous fluids and consulting with a doctor, moving her further to a hospital about an hour away, in a town completely run by the mining

The porters makeshift home

travel & adventure

Atte, Delanii & climbing leader Poxy at the summit

company Freeport-McMoran. My wife spent two days in the hospital receiving intravenous fluids and going through a full blood screen after which the doctors concluded that she was suffering from dehydration and exhaustion. After gaining her strength, the mine put us on a helicopter to the airport where we had taken our private charter flight to Sugapa and just another six hours later we were in Bali, without our climbing gear, but at a hotel, able to wash away the blood, sweat and tears we had expended over the past 10 days in the Papuan jungle. Our friends love our once-in-a-lifetime modern-day Indiana Jones story of climbing Carstensz Pyramid. However, to date, no-one has shown interest in joining my next trip â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Antarctica.

details You can follow Atte on his adventure on his blog: http://sevensummits.ae/

Atte.

now available

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Poxy and the expedition team

travel & adventure

Slow Lane to Nowhere by Patrice Wergifosse

Hi! I wish I could tell you that I’m

on the road again, but sadly it’s not yet the case. So once again no travel stories, sorry. I planned a 3 week pit-stop in Belgium and I am still stranded here 2 months later. Don’t ask me how or why I went with this decision, but with the engine in one workshop, the gearbox in another one, and the rest of the car in yet another it seemed like the only option. The gearbox and the engine are now back in the car, and at the time of writing these lines, I’m hoping it will only be a matter of hours before I hear the roar of the engine again. It’s difficult to imagine though after you’ve seen your engine stripped down to the last single screw. This work will be done without me as the guy doing the job doesn’t want stressed clients around him when he needs all his concentration. I can understand that. You know how it is when you want to change the curtains: “Maybe we could also repaint the walls in that nice yellow.”, then “Well, if we do these changes now, why not increase the height of the door, we always wanted to anyway.” So you end up with three times more work at five times the expected budget. It was exactly the same here: “As we’ve taken the engine out, we might as well have a look at the cylinder heads”, then “Since we’ve opened the cylinder heads, we might as well have a look at the pistons.” Then “You know, since we’ve opened the engine, it would be a pity not to change the rings and have a look at the conrods bearings”. It just goes on and on.

Cont.

So now I have a totally renewed engine which may not be a bad idea after 22 years of service, but may be bad timing financially speaking. I hope at least that I will feel as if I’m driving an F-16. Let’s see. One aspect of the trip that looked straightforward, but has ended up as my main bottleneck is the visa for Iran. I applied more than 6 weeks ago, yet still have no news. Apparently no news is good news, or at least that’s what I have been told. Since the end of summer the delays have increased to 2 months. My worst case scenario would be to fly to Dubai and apply from there, as it’s an easier process for Gulf residents. I have enough miles to do it for free, but I agree with you, it is a silly solution. The alternative is to go around Iran through Syria or Afghanistan. I love Syria, but it is probably not the best time to go and I’d rather use my air miles. Afghanistan - no comment. It has been pretty frustrating to have spent only 2 months out of 8 on the road (although those 2 months were amazing). I started my trip at the worst time; camping along the Gulf shore during the first days of August is not something I would advise even my worst enemy to do. And I’ll probably start my return journey during the depths of winter… at least I can be sure not to see too many tourists on the way. These 2 months in Belgium have not been quality time. I am on call everyday for my car, working in 3 different places, driving to get parts everywhere, as far afield as Germany, so it’s impossible to plan anything else. You know how it is when you go back home, you have a schedule that even prime ministers don’t have. I have never been back in Europe so long, and yet seen so few people. Pretty frustrating, but at least the weather has

been exceptional here, the driest November ever, even with restrictions in water use! I’ll send you few pictures of Belgium. I hope next month I can write to you from elsewhere. For more stories and pictures, you can go online and read the previous issues of OutdoorUAE or you can check out my blog: https://slowlanetonowhere. blogspot.com I’ll keep you posted! Patrice. (and Marcel, of course)

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our experts

Maybe a bit fast but there was no fall!

the

next level! by John Basson

With most activities in life there

is always the “next level”. Once you become comfortable with what you are doing the desire to progress to the next level is always there.

No different to any other sport is quad biking and off-road riding. Once the social/ beginner level rider wants to advance the following normally happens: “You have your 1st good tumble”. This (the tumble) immediately provokes fear of a possible repeat and you settle back to the level you were content with.

Etienne was just too slow and the front wheel dug in.

Here in the UAE there is a stage in your progression that is more psychological than anything else. At low speed the only thing that can happen is that you get stuck. You can’t really fall as you are not riding high on the dunes and your speed is just too low for anything to happen. (Apart from permanently getting stuck) Then as you start to increase the speed and venture higher up the side of the dunes at some stage you are bound to take a “little tumble”. Now in most other places in the world this also happens but for a different reason. Probably because your speed was too fast for your experience level at the time. Here in the UAE it is often the oppo-

site. You reach a point where the conditions you are riding require “MORE” speed than what you were willing to attempt. Naturally when you then tumble you either don’t attempt it again or try it, but at slower speed. Now you have reached a catch 22 situation, as going slower doesn’t help and you experienced first-hand that going a bit faster also doesn’t work. When these riders then want to join faster groups they always hold the group back and often don’t get invited with the more experienced riders. This was what made me decide to have a “training day’ for some of the social riders in the group. They are all very keen and always wanting to join us on the faster rides but… I invited the riders that were either new or wanting to go to the next level for a relaxing but learning outing. The slightly more experienced riders were sent off with Patrice and Jakes to attempt some faster riding. All we told them was to stay about 20 meters behind the “pros” and not just follow them, but focus on riding style, seating position and “line selection” (where they elected to ride or cross) on the dunes. If they stand you stand, if they lean left you lean left and most important was to ride the same speed as them. The lead guys would then progressively increase the speed and take them to the next level. I took the “very new” group and decided to ride for a while and then stop at selected dunes. Here I would explain what I was

Karen, also too slow on the side of the dune and the quad rolled over.

our experts

A lot more comfortable after a few attempts

going to do. Then demonstrate to them and they would then attempt the crossings one at a time. Except for one, all the tumbles all incidents were caused by them attempting to cross too slow, or ride too slow on the side of the dunes. Once this happened we would look at the line they attempted, discuss the incidents and re-attempt, this time with slightly higher speed. This was a great experience for the riders and all I can say to the better guys and girls out there. If “we” don’t help them they would never progress and get to truly enjoy the off-road riding. Remember there are many “natural” riders out there. To them everything is logical and common sense. For others a little help is all they need. Give it to them… PS: This DOES NOT MEAN that you should attempt everything at full throttle. Rather get stuck 10 times than one serious accident!!!!!!! Go for gold and ride safe, John Basson.

ek hic Cr Adventu goes

our experts

climbing!

Rock climbing is gaining huge

popularity here in the UAE and after yesterday, I can totally see why. There is a thriving community of climbers of all nationalities and all abilities who seem to escape the urban hum drum every single weekend and hit the heights in RAK or beyond. Equally, there is a thriving community who hit the climbing walls here in the city, beginners to learn the tricks of the trade and those more advanced to scrub up on their technique, stay in practise or simply for some fun a little closer to home.

As for myself, I’ve always fancied being a rock climber. I’ve done a little here and there, along with some ice climbing in the Alps but certainly wouldn’t consider myself a seasoned pro, anything but in fact. It’s certainly a very cool activity, has an alluring rating that hits high on the scale and I must confess, my guide last time round was thanked with a petit bisou or two. I’m sure being hot and French helped in the proceedings! Dubai itself has no shortage of climbing facilities and the latest offering comes in the form of a fab new(ish) set-up at The Quay Club, Madinat Jumeirah. It’s great… three rock boulders and a traversing section, around 15m long, supplement the wall itself which has 10 lines, two routes on each, equipped with plenty of overhangs, bulges and cracks to keep everyone on their toes! The icing on the cake is the instructor, Dominic Ford from The Vertical Tourist. With years of experience under his belt, Dominic is a fully qualified and insured climbing coach as well as an experienced fitness trainer. Most of all, he’s kind, patient, motivational and very encouraging which is what you want when hanging off a wall. We started with a little intro and then, helmet on, hit the traversing wall then the climbing wall. Lots of climbs upwards and abseils downwards followed, my confidence growing progressively. Dominic is great at guiding your next moves so despite my oft confusion between left and right (particularly behind the wheel), I had no trouble following his instructions. This was without doubt one of the most enjoyable activities I’ve had for a while. Why? I think because it is equally challenging, physically and mentally. It requires physical strength, mental focus and great concentration. It also requires forward

planning and an element of strategy. This, I wondered, must make chicks better than boys and when I aired this, Dominic confirmed that indeed, climbing is a sport, up until the very highest level when sheer strength ultimately leads the way, where guys and gals sit side by side. Much then like endurance running. My final challenge was to go from beginning to end of the traversing wall, using only the yellow hand holds. ‘No way’, my first reaction but then, as ever, when a challenge has been set, I busied myself mentally preparing. Challenge completed but still with petrol left in the tank, I returned right back to the beginning, so rewarding that it was. I left buzzing and shall now put some serious thought into making time for lots more. I seriously recommend everyone give it a go. If new to the sport, it’s certainly a gentle start what with being in the confines of a luxurious hotel, having cool water to hand and fluffy handtowels at your disposal. Having said that, I now look forward to hitting the rugged rocks of the outdoors.

need to know Who: Dominic Ford at The Vertical Tourist What: Climbing Coach extraordinaire Where: The Quay Club, Madinat Jumeirah & elsewhere, in the wild outdoors of the UAE Call: 050 950 5262 Email: dominic@theverticaltourist.co.uk Website: www.theverticaltourist.co.uk Why: Because it’s GREAT fun. It marries physical and mental strength, building balance, confidence and concentration. Because it’s outdoors and is equally fab for seasoned climbers to hone their skills and for beginners to learn something new. It’s also suitable for all the family… few other sports remain ‘cool’ whether you are a big kid or a little kid. Last but not least, because it can’t possibly fail to give deserving adventure chicks very peachy behinds. Love Tori x

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

christmas The plane ride to Dubai from

Manila took almost 8 hours and 30 minutes. With my girlfriend (now my wife) beside me, we walked briskly through a long tunnel so we would be in front of the pack for the visa line. It was my first time in Dubai and I was very worried about a lot of things. I didn’t know if I would be able to adapt to the city and more importantly, where the heck was I going to fish?

I didn’t know a single fishing soul and the only contact I have that fishes is a cousin of mine that said he doesn’t fish that much anymore. “There should be some fishing here … it’s a city by the coast...” I said trailing off. “I’m sure you’d find some fish waiting for you when you find a spot, take out your passport, it’s almost your turn.” she said. About two weeks into my stay in Dubai, I went home with a few Spangled Emperors, much to the delight of the little lady... Within a couple of weeks, I’d met a few guys who shared my passion for fishing. We would go around the UAE and fish places we thought were pretty far flung. We discovered a few flats around the country that offered some fishing; walked mangrove swamps; shore fished from several fantastic beaches and rock hopped almost any fishy looking breakwater. Although it sounds silly to people outside of the region, I also kayak fished around The World and got into fly fishing and went after some terrific fish; jigged for tuna; trolled for marlin and fly fished for dorado off Fujairah. I did all of that and more...and I’m still doing it today. Progression?...not so much. As the years have passed, I have seen quite a few places ruined because people are not taking care of the environment they camp and fish in. What I can say is that there is rubbish everywhere. People just don’t dispose of their rubbish properly when they are out camping and fishing. What used to be the pristine flat that we fished for some time is now littered with rubbish from the start of the water to the other end of bank. It got so bad that they closed the flats side for fishing. I don’t blame the authorities. There are protected birds there and I’ve seen quite

our experts

wish

a few guys shamelessly putting nets at the edge of the water. When I can, I do draw their attention if possible. They grumble and take their rubbish with them when they leave, but had I not said anything, they would have just left it. Fishing an open beach one time, a friend of mine was hooked in his leg by a rigged leader left in the sand by some guy. This happened despite the fact that there are rubbish bins provided by the government near where you park your cars. We need to be more responsible. Most of us are visitors to this country and we should help maintain the areas we enjoy. We each have to do our part. It’s not only the rubbish, there’s also the matter of managing the fisheries. It is uncommon for someone to release fish here. People just take everything. When fishing in Ajman once, I saw a few people netting close to the shore, they caught a lot of fish and quite a few eagle rays. They took all the fish and left a few huge eagle rays to die in the sun. They’d got tangled in the net and they just pulled them to shore and left everything there. They were pretty angry as the eagle rays had messed their nets up. We also need to think of how our children would be able to enjoy the things we love doing. Managing the fish stocks of the areas we fish in is not only up to the authorities, but up to us. We need not take more than we can finish in one meal. I know that a lot of people are fishing to give the fish to their friends and family, but if you do this often enough, there will not be anything to catch down the line. My wish this Christmas is simple: it is that we take it upon ourselves to clean up the places where we fish and practice responsible fishing. Leave footprints, not rubbish. Take a fish or two and plenty for our kids. Have a blessed holiday season to all. Till next tide change, Kit.

our experts

Hatta I guess few people making

visa runs from Dubai pay much attention to the small hills by the road a few kilometers before Hatta town. There’s none of the grand skylines of the RAK or Musandam mountains and the quarry vehicles emerging from side turns certainly don’t suggest somewhere suitable for outdoor recreation. However, well hidden behind one of the hills is the UAE’s most accessible and popular cliff.

The history of climbing in this area reflects the uninviting landscape. Several waves of climbers have visited and left their mark; interspersed with long periods of neglect. The pioneers, as in several other places, were the old-school trio of Bill Wheeler, Tim Richards and Alan Stark in the mid-1990s. More accurately Bill found the cliff first, but the inspiration behind his discovery is not known. Besides establishing some good quality “trad” (non-bolted) climbs, they were also the first to spot that the cliff’s low humidity and exposure to wind made climbing possible all year round. In Alan’s words: “Bill’s interest lay in multipitch routes and as a result, Hatta was seen very much as a minor outcrop and was largely neglected until 1997 when its potential as a ‘summer afternoon’ crag was realised and development started in earnest… Whilst Tim and I climbed and camped most weekends during the winter - most of the serious climbing and new routing was left until the

Jose Molina on League of Shadows

Crag by Toby Foord-Kelcey

memsahibs went home. Hatta in the summer also meant leisurely starts on a Friday morning - particularly after the excesses of a Thursday night in Dubai.” Alan wrote up the routes in his draft guidebook in 2003, having left the UAE. Three years later Pete Aldwinckle undertook to compress the draft into a size more suitable for publication. He used Hatta for his first experiment on the basis that it was obscure (he had never visited) and only had a few routes. He took an axe to Alan’s prose, printed out the results then challenged himself and his partner Guida to find and climb the routes with only that information. The result was unexpected: “We climbed some of the trad routes but found so much opportunity for sport climbing.” Hatta Crag has strange rock. The surface layer is brittle and fractured but underneath is a strong fine-textured limestone that forms excellent holds. The natural angle is also almost always overhanging. With bolt protection, many spectacular features looked very climbable. Pete got to work developing the most interesting area that summer. As the central feature was a cave full of bats, the naming theme came from the Batman comics. Amongst Pete’s best routes from that period are

Christine Cauble negotiating classic Hatta gargoyles

“Gotham City”, a monstrous 30m pitch with apparently endless overhangs, and the supersteep but hold-infested “Justice League”, a great stamina test. Pete also discovered the subtle line of “Thin Slapping”, a blank-looking wall on small hidden holds. He also let me on the secret. Somewhat ruthlessly I took advantage of Pete’s short holiday in the UK to bolt “League of Shadows”, a large horizontal ceiling under Thin Slapping, and then make the first ascent on his return. One of the most improbable bits of rock I have ever climbed, the ceiling features a large horizontal flake large enough to jam one’s body behind and gain a rest. From there one actually feels to be climbing slightly downhill to gain the overhang’s lip; surreal indeed. Stupidly Pete and I then lost interest, having failed to explore beyond the sector we had developed, so another quiet period for the cliff ensued. However, I did write-up and publish the new sport routes in a PDF file online and also raved enthusiastically about the routes’ quality to anyone taking interest. Gordon Rech, a prolific new route developer elsewhere, eventually visited in 2007, took the trouble to look around more laterally and returned with his drill and support. Over the next two years Gordon and friends added over twenty new climbs, of which several,

like the straightforward but satisfying “Chic Habit”, are now the most travelled on the cliff. My personal favourite is Tom Kendall’s “Chloe”, a short but dramatic line through very steep ground on perfect holds. This crop of routes and escalating awareness amongst Dubai climbers of the cliff’s proximity to the city soon led to weekends where ten or more vehicles could be seen parked under the cliffs; unprecedented by UAE standards. The most recent exploration wave has come from Jerry Spring. With most of the obvious features developed, his attention has mostly been on filling gaps between routes. His finest work is probably “Tadaima” through the giant stacked overhangs left of Gotham City. Like being trapped inside an Escher painting, this route involves almost constant movement rightwards and outwards yet after lowering off a climber somehow arrives to the left of their start position. Its line is so hard to describe or photograph that I briefly considered including a small 3D plastic model with the guidebook. A few clouds are gathering over Hatta Crag. Most seriously quarry activity in the area is gradually closing in on the cliff. At the current rate of progress it will be gone in ten years. The cliff is also technically in Oman, though on the UAE side of all UAE border posts. Given the trend to more stringent border security it is likely that situation may evolve unhelpfully. There is already a police check for which a passport should be carried. Personally I am also concerned by the cliff’s popularity with beginners as it isn’t well suited to that role. The rock is usually too steep for safe top-roping; the narrow ledges under the cliff are vulnerable to rock fall and the number of easy climbs quite low. Evacuating a casualty down the long scree slopes below the cliff would also be very awkward. But for experienced climbers Hatta Crag is a great asset and it will be missed when it’s gone.

Scott Barber on Jana's Solution

our experts

about the author Toby Foord-Kelcey is the author of “UAE Rock Climbing”, the first printed guidebook to UAE and Musandam climbing, including full descriptions for Hatta Crag. More details can be found at www.redarmadapublishing.com

Toby.

Greg Caire on League of Shadows

people

Atte

My name is Atte Miettinen

and I’m originally from Finland. I’ve spent the last 12 years working on several exciting telecom start-ups and I’ve called Dubai my home since January 2007.

Over the past eight years, I’ve been climbing mountains all over the world and dreaming of the Seven Summits, climbing the highest mountains of every continent, which has only been achieved by 334 people in history, including no-one from my native Finland. I climbed the third of the Seven Summits in Indonesia in May and made a decision to turn my dream of climbing all seven into reality. I took a sabbatical from work and decided to dedicate the next 12 months into pursuing the four remaining mountains to complete my Seven Summits. The small number of people that have completed the Seven Summits is a great reflection of the challenge. I need to train and climb fulltime, spend five months on mountains often in extreme conditions as well as expose myself to serious physical and mental strain. However, I’ve always enjoyed testing my limits, whether professionally or through some personal challenge, so while I recognise the challenges and the severe risks that come with each mountain, I’m excited about the year ahead of me. I spent the first few months following my decision training in Dubai. My friends find it a bit crazy that I put on a backpack with 2025kg and climb up and down the stairs of our 55 storey apartment building for several hours, but its great preparation for the mountains. I also spend a lot of time in the gym, mostly running uphill on a treadmill but also doing some muscle work. Occasionally I also venture out to the desert and pull my wife on a car tire over the dunes, which is a great way of simulating the pulling of a pulk, which I need to do in two of the four mountains. Now I’m finally close to starting the first of my four expeditions. I’m currently in Chile, waiting excitedly for a break in weather so that we can fly to Antarctica, the highest, driest, windiest and coldest continent on earth, to climb its highest mountain, Vinson Massif (4897m).

I’m hoping to complete the round trip to Antarctica in approximately two weeks and after which I’ll have a week’s break. Then I continue to Cerro Aconcagua (6959m), the highest mountain in Argentina and South America. The expedition should take about three weeks, which means that I return to Dubai just before New Year. I’ll start 2012 with 2.5 months of training before heading to Nepal in March to climb the world’s highest mountain, Mount Everest (8850m). The expedition will take about two months, with summit bid expected in mid May. After Everest, I’ll have a week’s break before continuing to Denali (6194m) in Alaska, the highest mountain in North America. I hope to summit Denali next June and complete my Seven Summits. I expect the months ahead to form an unforgettable experience, but also recognise that pursuing my dream comes with major risks, which were recently highlighted by the need to complete a body disposal form for Mount Everest, outlining your preferences should you die on the mountain. Many think the challenge I’ve taken on is crazy, but I feel privileged regarding the opportunity to fulfil a dream and potentially also make mountaineering history in my native Finland. I’m thankful to my wife for understanding the desire to test my limits and happy that many companies, such as Halti, MTV3, Estlander & Partners and Nokia, have seen the value in partnering with me for this unique project.

Name: Luke Pledger Nationality: Australian What is your passion and how did you get into it?

•

2nd place at the Bay 2 Bay Classic in Victoria (2005)

•

Top 20 GC at my first attempt at the tour of Sunraysia, one of Australia’s premier tours (2005) and returning the next year to finish in the top 15 GC

•

Fastest time at the Wal Smith memorial 2006,

•

Finishing 24th in the Elite men’s Australian road championships in (2006 – 07)

•

Moving to Dubai at the end of 2007 subsequently put an end to my racing ambitions in Australia. Thanks to Adventure HQ and their incorporation of Team BMC UAE to the UAE cycle federation, I'm now overjoyed at this chance to rub shoulders in a competitive peleton again.

people

My passion is cycling! I started cycling at a young age, gradually increasing my confidence and ability. Cycling proved to be beneficial for my independence and also great training for water skiing, a sport I was also heavily involved in from a young age. From the age of 10, I competed throughout Australia, winning titles and major events. My success made me eligible to represent my State and Nation both within Australia and internationally. At the age of 22, after suffering from re-occurring injuries, I decided to focus my athletic abilities on the cycling arena. I’ve never looked back! After consistently wining local cycling club races, I began competing in the National Road series in the Elite rider category. My racing highlights include:

What would you recommend our readers if they wanted to get into what you do?

Firstly, make sure you have the right cycling gear and a quality bike that fits you correctly. Adventure HQ at Times Square Center has a great range of cycling equipment and accessories, as well as a bike workshop to keep your wheels in motion. You should also contact the UAE cycle federation to arrange a racing license. To race in the federation a fairly high standard of cycling is needed. If you would prefer to enjoy the sport for recreation rather than at a competitive level, contact your local bike shop or Cycle Safe Dubai who will point you in the right direction for some fantastic group training sessions.

Where and how do you usually practice it in the UAE?

With a full season of races ahead, I contacted my coach from Australia in August 2011. He is committed to sending me monthly training programs, with the aim of peaking for priority races. I train every day and average 2 -3 hours per day, with longer training sessions on the weekend. There are some great cycling routes in Dubai, particularly in the Hatta Hills. Most of my training takes place around the Nad Al Sheba and Accedemic City areas.

Do you have any specific tips & tricks for this?

Luke

To be a good competitive cyclist you need to spend a lot of time on your bike! For those who lead a busy life and lack time, the best option is to contact an accredited cycle coach who will recommend a training program, including different intervals and exercises that will maximise available time.

What is your next planned adventure?

My next race with Team BMC UAE will be held on UAE National Day, the 2nd of December 2011.

laura’s location

Swinging on a jungle vine.. this would never be allowed in Australia!

Lago de Atitlan,

Guatemala Laura discovers why Aldous Huxley labelled Lago de Atitlan as ‘one of the most beautiful lakes in the world’...

I am

always on the quest to leave the ordinary behind... discovering far flung destinations which are not on the typical tourist trail. So when I read a quote from English writer Aldous Huxley about one of the most beautiful lakes in the world... I knew that my next plane ticket was destined for Lago de Atitlan, a crater lake surrounded by three volcanoes and the striking highlands of Guatemala. "Lake Como it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlán is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing." Aldous Huxley. Recognised as the deepest lake in Central America, at 340m Lago de Atitlan’s organic

and mysterious charm whisk you away into a magical world of outdoor adventure, lakeside villages, Mayan culture, and ancient underwater worlds! The moment I arrived on “Miss Atitlan’s” shores, all I wanted to do was explore!.. Having just endured 30 hours of flying, an insatiable energy was burning through my veins as I looked at the majestic landscape which surrounded me. Hiking, horse riding, mountain biking, kayaking, yoga, rock climbing, scuba diving.... this corner of the globe was shaping up to be my ultimate ‘pleasure pad’! I had also been informed of the new age, bohemian village of San Marco’s, which offered everything from reflexology, yoga, massage and chocolate ceremonies!.... As an avid lover of raw chocolate, I knew these ceremonies would definitely have to become a part of my daily ritual! Lago de Atitlan is characterised as endoreic, which means there are no drainage outlets. As a result, the surface area of the lake can rise and fall dramatically, overtime submerging entire villages in the process. Subsequently, divers and archaeologists have uncovered ancient Mayan sites, meters underwater. Whilst I personally did not venture to the depths of 55 feet (the level of one of the uncovered sites) heavy rains over the past few years have caused a 2 meter rise in water level, thus leaving a lot of visible evidence of lakeside properties being partly submerged. This has had a devastating effect on some people’s livelihoods but proved to be a truly unique landscape for my early morning swims. Exploring underwater cobbled stone balconies and terraced gardens from the once

One of the many boutique ranches dotted around the lake...6 course degustation... permitted only after a full day of activity!

exposed lakeside guesthouses, was certainly much more interesting than the blue tiles I am used to on my lap swims back in Dubai! In order to fit everything in, I decided to mix things up, with a basic plan of incorporating an element of outdoor adventure and Guatemalan culture each day. I would plan my days so that I would start with an early morning swim as I watched the sun rise over the lake, followed by a cup of Guatemalan’s ‘nectar’...otherwise known as the best coffee I have ever tasted! Considered as one of the finest coffee’s in the world, in the end it was the coffee, not the chocolate ceremonies, which became part of my daily routine! The next 10 days saw me gallivanting up surrounding volcanos, cycling to lakeside villages, galloping on horseback, swinging from jungle vines across deep volcanic ravines, kayaking amongst pristine waters and free climbing on volcanic rock which hemmed the water’s edge. One of the beautiful aspects of Guatemala is that its tourism, whilst partly established, still has the raw elements of the Guatemalan culture, enabling tourists to capture a glimpse into the lives and traditions of the Mayan culture still evident today. Each day, it was not uncommon to find myself entering tiny doorways into local Guatemalan’s home’s, after being invited to do a traditional weaving or cooking course, with the local women. It was so unique and was an ultimate cultural absorption to have the opportunity to sit with a family of Mayan women, sisters, aunties, grandmas, mothers and daughters, working with them as they practised their livelihoods. No rehearsed speeches, no flashes of cameras

Learning the traditional weaving techniques

from other tourists, just me, my sister and a beautiful group of Guatemalan women, laughing and blushing coyly as we attempted their ancient technique of weaving. Each day, Lago de Atitlan and her three surrounding volcanoes, El Tolimán, Atitlán, and San Pedro, continually overwhelmed me with their graceful splendour. Utterly exhausted after each day, the memories of the hours I had just spent warmed the cockles of my heart as I reflected on the bounty of rich and vibrant experiences I had just endured. In agreement with Huxley, yes, Lago de Atitlan really is too much of a good thing! Laura.

fast facts Where: Lago De Atitlan, Guatemala When to go: Dec- Apr (dry season) Outdoor activities: Hiking, mountain biking, scuba diving, kayaking, yoga, horseriding Cultural activities: Spanish lessons, weaving, cooking Prices: Prices in Guatemala are extremely reasonable - Internet prices are quite inflated but when you get there you can easily live, eat and play for less than 50USD per day/night. Getting there: No direct flights are currently available. British airways proved to provide the most economical route otherwise Emirates is also an option. Questions: If you have any questions, please feel free to email me atlaura@outdooruae.com

Oman Odyssey our experts

alone... by Mike Nott

It is often stated that you

should not drive off-road alone and it is a sensible rule. However, as someone once said to me, when I was very young, ‘rules are for the guidance of the wise and the observance of fools’. It’s a philosophy that has got me into a few scrapes over the years but ever since I did a solo ascent of the Zuqspitz, in Winter, without map or compass when I was 19, I’ve not been too ‘phazed’ by going it alone at the edge of my experience and capabilities. And while I’m in this philosophising mode, I do think that solo adventures are highly developmental and increase self-belief and self-reliance. So, despite an invitation to several friends to join me on this odyssey but who were unable to make it due to work commitments, I set off for the Oman, alone.

My plan was to explore the myriad of mountain routes in and around Jebel Shams and Wadi Bani Awf, complete a 300km section of one of my guidebook routes through the eastern edge of the Omani Empty Quarter to discover any changes, and, finally to follow a 325km line of a wadi from Qitbit, on the Muscat to Salalah road, all the way to the edge of the Dhofar escarpment looking down onto Mirbat on the coast. Things went almost as well as I’d hoped but there were a few spanners

Dhofar Escarpment

thrown into the plan by vehicle problems, weather and one particularly bad error of judgment on my part. Anyway, the fact that you’re reading this means that I’m not stuck in the dunes, wishing for a satellite phone and running short on sanity and water. Packing for one of these trips is a bit of a science. You need to take all you think you’ll need but be disciplined enough not to take everything you have. My technique is to think of the car’s needs first and mine second. So, most of the space is taken up with vehicle associated gubbins: a plethora of spare parts, spare fluids, an array of specialist and general tools, two spare tyres, a diagnostic computer, waffles, hi-lift jack, sand shoes and three 20 litre jerry cans of fuel. For me: camping gear, food and water, minimal spare clothes and two indulgences – a Kindle and a new 47 litre ARB fridge/freezer. My aim is to keep all the packed equipment below the level of the car’s windows. If I can do that I know I’ve not over indulged and have, importantly, kept the weight down and maintained all round visibility. The Jebel Shams/Wadi Bani Awf massif contains some spectacular drives and is an area I’d not been to often. Despite having the Oman Off-Road Explorer book, I left it at home and had done all my route selection from Google Earth. My first objective was to head towards Al Iraki, then take the turning to Wadi Al Sehtan and follow it up into the hills and on to the end of the track at the mountain village of Yasab. This is a spectacular drive and highly recommended. As I was making

my way up the final climb I encountered a party of French, who waved me down. They had a flat tyre but didn’t know how to extract the spare from its rather inconvenient position under the rear of their car; a Toyota Land Cruiser. We finally managed to work it out and it was one of those blindingly simple processes but you had to know how. There was a small gap above the rear bumper that allowed you to slide in the jack bar and lower the tyre. Moral: know your car. Having done my bit for them I headed off, only to be waved down again by them as I retraced my steps later and they invited me to have lunch with them; ‘entente cordiale’ preserved. I then headed towards Wadi Bani Awf, intending to camp out on the summit ridge near where the track turns to tarmac. I’d seen an intriguing linking track but was thwarted by a rock fall, which was just too much to shift alone and with only a lightweight shovel. I retraced

Into the Dunes...

my steps and headed onto an alternative but longer way round and was again flagged down by some French - this time a holidaying couple trying to find their way to Al Hamra. Well, being the charitable chap that I am, and heading that way too, I suggested they tag along. We drove the spectacular route up to the top of the ridgeline, via a few deepish gravel pools, and found a great campsite, looking North to where we’d come from. The scenery here is breathtaking and camping here is a tremendous treat. Day two, after a chilly night, was not an auspicious day, if little indicators of bad luck were to be considered portents of worse to come. My right rear tyre was flat, punctured by a nail, from goodness knows where. Even though I had two spares, I considered a nail puncture an ideal candidate for a plug repair rather than changing the wheel. Thus, I extracted the nail, plugged the hole and reinflated the tyre, all with the wheel still on the car. This repair lasted for the remainder of the trip, which was to be another 3,000km, including some demanding off-road terrain. We headed to Jebel Shams and reached the military check-point. My French companions headed to the rest-house and I ploughed on to a track I hoped would lead to a viewpoint above Yasab. My bad luck was now twofold. My car just conked out as I was driving along the mountain track. Fuel starvation seemed the most likely cause and, to cut a long, and possibly dull, story short, I deduced that the fuel pump had thrown in the towel. This was where knowing your vehicle and having packed well paid off. I had a spare fuel pump

with me and had fitted it and was on my way again in less than an hour. The next piece of bad luck was that my intended track had been cut off from the main track by recent road works. With a group of us we could have shifted the larger boulders and made a linking route but, alone, this was going to be too much of a fag, so I continued around the Jebel Shams circuit, enjoying the spectacular route and the outstanding views. I was now a little ahead of schedule and decided to head to the Empty Quarter route and see how things played out. It took me about 3 hours to get to the intended turn off point, on the Muscat to Salalah road. I

Looking into Wadi bani Awf

our experts

Track from Yasab

reached the turn-off about an hour before dusk and headed onto the rough desert track, heading almost due west into the dunes. I carried on, through the darkness, passing the oil industry infrastructure’s bright lights, briefly stopping to deflate my tyres, until I was about 150km in. By this stage I was driving off track across the open sabkhah and was not really sure of what was ahead of me. A sense of self-preservation crept in and I decided to stop and camp and wait until the clarity of daylight allowed less fraught progress. The third morning was serene, though it turned out to be just a little too serene; the car wouldn’t start - same symptoms as the previous day. It couldn’t be the fuel pump, surely? Having crawled under the car and traced the fuel pump electrics, all seemed to be intact and the diagnostic computer had picked up nothing. It’s times like this that you need a little inner resolve and all thoughts of giving up, or even panic, must be suppressed. Anyway, what were the options? I had no phone signal (no satellite phone, though perhaps I should have) and it was a long walkout to any possible help. The only desirable option was to work out what was wrong and to put it right. Eventually I discovered the fuel pressure sensor was kaput and wouldn’t allow the car to start. By simply disconnecting the sensor cable, the problem was resolved, the car started but I was then faced with a dilemma; do I turn back or do I carry on? What were the odds of something going wrong again, how far did I have left to go? I had another 150km to go and the Empty Quarter dunes are just too enticing to be missed, so, I decided to carry on. I have to admit to certain nervousness and was not going to stop the car until I felt secure in doing so; having regained the Muscat to Salalah road. It turned out to be a good decision and the drive through the dunes was spectacular. I kept the route choice as simple as possible and when confronted by any dunes I felt to be too technical and offering the prospect of getting stuck, I avoided them as best I could. This wasn’t too difficult as this area consists of expanses of sabkhah that you can use to circumvent the worst of the dune fields. Your route becomes a little tortuous as a result but the break-down fear factor was playing a part in my decision making process by this stage. I reached the main road and was much relieved that there had been no problems and the drive, though a little stressful, had been all I’d hoped it would; achievable, navigable and done. I was now a full day ahead of schedule and looked forward to the wadi route from Qitbit; a motorway service station with a small gaggle

our experts

Late night deflation

of shops and even a basic rest-house. The car was running faultlessly and I pressed on down the road. This stretch of road is nothing if not remote and barren, normally. I had stopped to help a stranded motorist who needed fuel and had given him 20 litres from one of my jerry cans. I would then fill up at Qitbit and head south along the wadi line. About 2km short of Qitbit I was met by the most extraordinary sight. To my left there appeared to be an inland sea. Water as far as the eye could see to the South. As I neared Qitbit it was evident that there was something of a local disaster. The water was flowing strongly across the road and there were trucks, buses and cars washed off the road and onto their sides. This was an unbelievable sight so deep into the inner desert area. I carried on the final kilometre to Qitbit, slowly driving through the fast flowing water only to be confronted by a submerged Qitbit. My route was now under water and it was impossible to do. What now? I decided to drive to the southern end of my intended route and then reverse the route and head north. I arrived at the Dhofar escarpment at about 6pm, just before last-light and managed a few dusky photos from this great vantage point. What I had not been prepared for was the disturbing sight of so many dead animals on the sides of the roads in this area. Dead camels, cows, goats and donkeys were all evident. On several occasions I would come across them either walking the dark roads or even lying down in the middle of them. It engendered a much more cautious and alert style of driving. The tarmac ended at the escarpment and the route North began. I was to be disappointed however. I started along the track and was met by an Omani Army patrol, who said that further progress was forbidden. And, discretion being the better part of valour, it’s always best to not argue the toss and accept defeats without rancour and clamour.

Dhofar water damage

Breakdown - here!

I camped on the edge of the escarpment and achieved some daylight photos to add to the dusky ones. Solo excursions give you plenty of time to ponder your available choices and decide without the need for consensus; it’s liberating. I decided to try and parallel my intended route and then try and dip into it at points I’d identified as escape routes. I managed this but found that the whole area had been turned into a quagmire after the recent rains. There was evidence all though the area of the massive force of flowing water. It was impressive but also awesome and I was a little disappointed not to have witnessed it, from a safe vantage point. After several attempts to get onto the route but being thwarted by deep mud fields and wadis strewn with newly arranged boulders and washed out tracks, it was obvious that I was not going to complete all, or indeed, any of this route. Without the need for consensus, I decided to head back to the mountains in the North and explore some of the routes I’d missed out several days before.

Wadi Ah Sehtan

As I approached Nizwa the sky was lit with the most amazing ‘son et lumière ‘. A thunderstorm was brewing over the mountains and no doubt much rain was falling. Here I weakened and, having spent too many nights lying in cold wet puddles in my past, I decided to head for the Golden Tulip hotel for the night. I realised it was Eid Al Adha and hotels tend to be full, so I was apprehensive of being turned away but, as luck would have it, I got the last available room (it’s always seems to be the last available room in situations like this) and washed 4 days of grime off my nasally challenged body. The next day, on a whim, I decided to head up Jebel Al Akhdar and was able to provide a lift for a jebali and his daughter to their house at the village of Shnoot. The route up the jebel is a significant feat of road construction. I was amazed by the landscape and vowed to return to explore some of the more inaccessible points on foot. Having got to the end of the navigable road at A’Roos, I descended the jebel and headed round to the North side of the massif and into Wadi Bani Kharus. This is a spectacular wadi but there’s no stopping progress; the wadi track I was expecting is now a smooth tarmac road. It almost reaches the end of the wadi but the final haul up to the houses at Ad Dar is still an exciting track, but not for long. I retraced my steps back down the wadi and took the turning to Al Hijar, again on tarmac, but I wasn’t to be disappointed by my intent to drive the track over to Wadi

Here comes the rain

Safe and with car behind

hovered between turning back to higher ground and, stupidly, pressing on. Why I did what I did next I’m a little too afraid to analyse in the expectation that I would realise I was being ridiculous in my hopes and, ultimately, stupid; I pressed on. The conditions worsened, the track completely disappeared under water and the rain was so intense that the wipers were not at all effective. At times the depth of the rushing water reached over the bonnet and my headlights would go out, making any idea of direction pretty forlorn. Why hadn’t I turned back and stopped much earlier? Then, off to my left I spotted a stranded car in the water, headlights working and what looked like a track out of the torrent up to two small houses and dry land. I turned towards it, expecting to be floating at any point and managed, somehow to make it onto the track and dry land.

“

Wadi Bani Awf flooded

The conditions worsened, the track completely disappeared under water and the rain was so intense that the wipers were not at all effective.

Bani Awf. This is a fantastic mountain track and links the two main wadis. There is an aura of darkness to the track as it traverses an area of grey slate and was spookily reminiscent of North Wales, especially as it looked like rain again. I descended and as it was starting to get dark I needed to find a suitable camping spot. Nothing seemed appealing and I headed down towards Wadi Bani Awf. Having enjoyed the lack of a need for consensus, I was shortly to miss the sensible advice of others. I headed off down the wadi and thought that I would head out towards the main road. The earlier prospect of rain was now realised but not just an inconvenient drizzle that would mean me sleeping in a tent but an absolute deluge, and it was now dark. The track became flooded in parts but as the deluge continued the road turned into a fast flowing stream and my thoughts

”

Ultimately relieved to be safe and with a working car, I was asked to help the stranded car and with two recovery straps joined together, I managed to pull it out and on to the track. It wasn’t long before the rain eased and the other car driver and I took our torches and went to recce the way ahead down the line of the wadi. It was not good news despite the torrent subsiding. The track was, in parts, thigh deep in water and the going was not easy; water from side wadis had washed debris on to the track line and had cut gullies into it. We backtracked and decided to sit it out for the night and to try our luck the next morning. After a rather anxious and sleepless night the clarity of daylight and the passage of 12 hours had transformed our prospects. The torrent was now a babbling brook and what was left of the track had reappeared. The car, despite its dunking, started and we headed off down the wadi. We came across evidence of much damage but managed to pick our way through the debris and through the occasional, deep-ish pools and successfully reached the main road with so much apparent ease that there was almost a sense of disappointment. From here the journey was routine and Dubai was reached by lunchtime. I’d done 3,600km in 6 days, driving for an average of 10 hours a day and averaging 5.7km per litre; though these statistics don’t do justice to the real journey. Mike.

Strewth!

The beginner’s

guide to camping. the do’s and don’ts

tips n tricks

Camping in the UAE is very

different to what you might have experienced in your home country. The UAE is one of the safest and most enjoyable places to spend the night outdoors. There are no wild animals ready to eat you, no crazy locals wanting your cash and camping is allowed almost anywhere. The climate is usually very predictable and warm, the terrain breathtaking and the winter time is obviously the most popular time to go camping, for good reason… the temperature is perfect! However, there are a few fantastic spots to go in the summer too.

Nevertheless, you need to be prepared, especially as a novice, and it will take some planning, preparation and a few Dirhams before you should head out for the first time. You will need to know where you are heading to set up camp, who is going with you, and how long you intend to stay. A 4x4 is not always a necessity, as there are plenty of camping spots within walking distance from roads or tracks. However, if you do venture further for more peace and tranquillity, make sure you know what you are doing. If you are heading into the sands, never venture out alone and especially not in only one 4x4. Whether you are a novice or professional – getting stuck in the desert is inevitable but usually a fun part of the game. However, as dehydration and weariness set in, the situation can become extremely dangerous and even life threatening. If you are unsure of desert driving, take it slowly at first, listen to more experienced drivers in your group or take some lessons prior to your first trip. There are numerous off road forums in the UAE which welcome beginner campers and off road drivers (such as: www.dubai4x4. com; www.ad4x4.com; www.me4x4.com ). Join a couple of trips to get to know like minded folk and make new friends. Make sure your car is up to scratch in its service and maintenance – nothing is worse (and more expensive) than having to leave your car behind due to avoidable breakdowns. A few basic checks before heading out will save time and money in the long run: water / coolant levels, tire pressures and condition (all five tires), and having a relatively new battery.

Equipment: Tents

Although sleeping on a rug in the sand at first seems the most romantic thing to do, you will soon find that it is also the most uncomfortable. Buy a tent, or an awning, add to this a blow up mattress or a camping bed, and you will sleep like a baby. This is especially advisable if camping in the wadis or mountains. A tent will keep you, your children, and your gear, dry, protects from the elements (a dense fog likes to form in the early morning hours, drenching everything left outside), and helps in the occasional rain or sand storm. Add to this some good blankets or sleeping bags as the desert and mountains can become very cold at night.

Camp verb [I] to set up a tent or other temporary structure to give you shelter outside while you sleep or rest

Tyre Pump

Make sure you have a decent and reliable air pump with you. This will definitely come in handy if you decide to let your tires down for desert driving. The next petrol station might be a long way away and its best to minimize the time you drive on the tar road with deflated tires.

First-aid Kit

You never know when you might need one of these! Camping in the UAE is very safe but things can go wrong and therefore it’s best to be well prepared, and as the saying goes…better to be safe than sorry!

Cool Boxes

Invest in a good cool box, as there is nothing better than a cold beverage during the heat of the day or in the evening by the fire. Buy a decent size, as drinks, food and cooling elements quickly fill a cool box, and you could find yourself wishing you had bought the bigger one. Here’s a handy little tip for helping keep your cool box colder for longer: after you have filled it up, lay a few folded sheets of newspaper to make a nice tight fit over the top of the contents and be sure to use a fair amount so it is thick enough. This helps prevent the cool air from escaping when you open the lid. Pack the cool box with frozen meats, stews, water bottles and juice boxes so you don’t need to take up valuable space with cooling elements. If you want to splash the cash there are varying sizes of 12v fridges available at some of the outdoor stores in the UAE. You get what you pay for, and brands like Waeco and Engel, although pricey, do deliver a quality product. A large fridge becomes essential for trips longer than a few days, especially in the summer months, but be very careful not to forget to unplug them from the cigarette lighter when you reach camp, otherwise you’ll have a nasty surprise of a flat battery in the morning!

Charger

Remember to pack your 12v (cigarette lighter) mobile telephone charger. You may not always get full reception, but it’s amazing how much coverage there is.

Clothing

Whether you are camping in the sands or the mountains, in the winter or the summer, clothing is the most important element in your camping list. Always wear solid shoes / boots as soon as night falls, as rocks, creepy crawlies or nasty bushes will make your camp unpleasant and painful! In the cooler months, a couple of sweaters and jackets will keep away the chill, as the temperature drop at night can be extreme. Bring along a woolly hat for the night, something you can also sleep in, as you lose most of your body heat through your head. Always take a cap / hat and sun cream, and long sleeved shirts and trousers are a good option to protect you from the sun during the day.

Do’s

• Respect others. If your camp is close to others, avoid making too much noise or doing doughnuts with your car!

Wood

Bring some wood along from home, especially for camping in the dunes. Finding wood to burn out there can be difficult, therefore, before leaving, scavenge your nearest building site, or ask your neighbour if you can have his tree cut offs. A roaring fire will not only keep you warm and provide enough amber for your BBQ but it’s an essential part of the camping experience. There is nothing more relaxing, romantic and mesmerizing than a nice camp fire.

Water

It goes without saying, that water is absolutely essential, and unforgivable if you forget it. You need to wash, brush your teeth, cook and of course, rehydrate after a long day digging out your car. As an estimate, account for 15 litres/person/day of non-drinking (tap water) for washing up dishes and showering. Then at least 5 litres / person/day of drinking water. It’s best if you can buy a jerry to fill with tap water for washing and buy the normal packs of mineral water from your local super market for drinking.

Furniture

A solid table and some good camping chairs are not essentials, but make camping all that more comfortable, especially if you’ve camped in a wadi.

Lights

There is a huge variety of camp lighting out there. Some like to take their generator along and have it bright. Others prefer the gentle hiss and warm glow of gas lights. A good torch is essential and a head torch is great if you need your hands free, for barbequing or going behind the next dune.

• Ask before taking a picture of anybody you meet on your trip, be it local or expatriate. • Take care of the environment and nature. Try to keep on the already established tracks. The environment in the Middle East is harsh – the flora and fauna are already having a tough enough time to survive without your tires ripping everything to bits.

s t ’ n o D

• Litter. As the ancient Greeks have already said: leave only footprints! We are environmentally conscious campers and we implore all our customers to camp or use their new toys responsibly. If you camp, make sure not to leave any rubbish behind. This is not only an eye-sore for others, but will damage the fragile flora and fauna of the environment around you. • Leave home without water. Be it tap or drinking water, always take along at least five litres per person per day to cover drinking requirements.

• Forget your shovel and at least one strong tow rope. If you are more advanced, invest in some good, solid and not too heavy tyre tracks. They are more useful than you might give them credit.

INSPIRING CONSERVATION Why not become part of a small international team of volunteers working in wildlife conservation? Open to all, no special skills required, with team members from all walks of life, of all ages and from all over the world. Have fun, a lifetime adventure and make a hands-on contribution to wildlife conservation. More info:

www.biosphere-expeditions.org

You can never have enough shade, and invest in a quality awning. Always tie it down with guy ropes securely as winds are often unpredictable.

JOIN COME & ROJECT! P OUR UAE Ways of the desert: conserving Arabian oryx, Gordon’s wildcat and other species of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.

David.

David is an avid camper and running an online store for all off-road and camping needs in UAE: www.blingmytruck.com (Products contained in article available online) 51

www.biosphere-expeditions.org/emirates

Shade

Part 9

the waypoint lists in the route descriptions in this chapter. To create the described routes you will need to link up the waypoints in the correct order as per the route description. You will also be able to make up routes that cover smaller sections of some of the longer routes or just link up waypoints of your own with the ones in the guidebook’s routes.

tips n tricks

Changes Over Time

MIKE NOTT BRINGS YOU HIS SERIALISATION OF THE ULTIMATE OFF-ROAD GUIDE

Guidebook Routes With the exception of Route 13, all the routes in the guidebook have been driven by the author. Some were driven solo but the more remote and demanding routes were driven with a group. You will see that some of the routes are ‘crossings’. The routes do cross the named areas but they do not purport to be the definitive routes across them. There are a huge number of possible variations to the routes and you should not shy away from finding alternative ones of your own, if you wish. The routes in the guidebook, however, can be described, in terms of driving technicality, as ‘reasonable’ routes through the areas rather than the most ‘demanding’ ones. The aim was to successfully complete the route and not to put vehicles or people under unnecessary stress or pressure.

Right of Way

One important caveat that must be stated here is that there is no right-of-way. Some of the routes in the guidebook run adjacent to international borders and through areas that may be government controlled or privately owned land. You have no right of access and you may be discouraged, or even prevented, from going there by government, security and official tourism agencies. If you choose to do any of the routes in the guidebook, you do so entirely at your own risk.

Grade 2 Duration: Can be completed in 2 days. Remoteness: Relatively remote, though within 40km of major escape routes. Difficulty: Includes technical dune and/or wadi/mountain driving.

Grade 3 Duration: Requires more than 2 days. Remoteness: At times exceedingly remote, over 60km to major escape routes. Difficulty: Includes very technical dune and/or wadi/mountain driving

Basis of Routes

Route Difficulty/Grade Criteria

All the routes are graded, in order to give you a better understanding of the difficulty, remoteness and commitment required. Depending on your previous experience and confidence, it is hoped that you will see yourself in each of the Grade Criteria and therefore know which routes are within your capabilities. If a route doesn’t meet all the criteria for a particular grade, it will have been graded on the most demanding of the three criteria and an explanation is given in the route description as to why it has been graded thus.

The routes are shown on road mapping of various scales. The scale is displayed on each image together with the direction of True North. Larger scale maps are included, in order to give you a sense of where the routes are on a broader view. The maps are not intended to be used for navigation. For planning and navigating each route, see the Navigational Software CD paragraph below. The distances and direction to and from the start and finish points for each route are based on users of the guidebook travelling to and from Dubai. This is not some from of perverse exclusion but merely to give users a handle on where the routes are. It’s a safe assumption that most users will be based in Dubai but that’s not meant to exclude, or make it more difficult for, users from anywhere else. The distances quoted are the actual distances driven on tarmac roads but are the straight-line distances between waypoints for the off-road distances (that is, the distance between the start point and finish point via all the waypoints in the route descriptions).

Grade 1

Navigational Software CD

Duration: Can be completed in 1 day. Remoteness: Not remote, relatively close to large population centres and major roads. Difficulty: Relatively simple dune and/or wadi/mountain driving.

The guidebook comes with a navigational software CD containing all the routes as individual files with all the waypoints shown, as well as relevant fuel stations. The routes are saved in the .gpx file format. You will need appropriate software that can open .gpx files (such as Garmin’s Mapsource™) in order to be able to use the CD. All the waypoints listed in the route descriptions are loaded onto the CD. Each individual waypoint’s ‘comment’ box contains the same description as that in

As you will no doubt be aware, the amount of change, particularly in the UAE, can be intimidating as well as infuriating. Areas that were once ‘wilderness’ become construction sites, or farms or even nature reserves. It is highly likely that you will encounter something unexpected on a route that was not contained in the route descriptions in the guidebook. This may be the construction of an impenetrable fence, a new tarmac road, a new quarry or even a railway line. Natural causes can also dramatically alter a route. Dunes can drift over tracks and flooding in wadis can wash away tracks and block gorges. You will have to be prepared to encounter these changes and deal with them as you meet them. It is unlikely, except for the most extreme of changes, that you could not complete your trip by finding an alternative way round.

Waypoint Co-ordinates

All Waypoint co-ordinates are given using the WGS 84 datum using Latitude and Longitude in degrees and decimal minutes (e.g. N25 13.421 E55 21.573).

carry. For the shortest route you may, reasonably, decide to carry no extra fuel. For the two longest trips you may have to carry up to 100 litres of extra fuel, depending on the your vehicle’s range and its average off-road fuel consumption.

Landmarks and Sights En-Route

Rather than a bland A to B listing, the routes contain some of the sights that can be taken in en route as well a definite ground features (e.g. ‘fence corner’, ‘small plantation’, ‘track junction’) and they act as a form of re-assurance that you’re on the right track. However, a lot of the dune driving routes cannot be so descriptive. Many of the waypoints are on featureless dunes and are there to act as a general direction guide, rather than marking a definite ground feature.

Accommodation Options

Difficult Sections

Where the driving is technically difficult comment is made in the ‘Detailed Description’.

route sections are locations of sites that have been used when undertaking the trips. There is also some guidance given to where to stay before and after the off-road element of the trip. Photo Credits: Colin Campbell, Shaun Ellis, Albert Mahesh, Gordon Smith and the Author.

THE ROUTES Southern UAE

Route 1 - Al Maghrib Crossing, Grade 2 Route 2 - Al Maghrib Exploration, Grade 2 Route 3 - Liwa Crossing, Grade 2 Route 4 - Al Humrah Crossing, Grade 2 Route 5 - Tropic of Cancer, Grade 3 Route 6 - Go West!, Grade 2

Route 7 - Dubai to Ras Al Khamia, Grade 1 Route 8 - Masafi to East Coast, Grade 1 Route 9 - Khatt Exploration, Grade 2 Route 10 - Hot Rock, Grade 2 Route 11 - Hatta to Masafi, Grade 2 Route 12 - Seven Emirates Border to Border, Grade 3

Fuel Options

Oman

Under each of the routes the location of the nearest petrol station to the start and finish is given and the approximate distances involved. For the longer routes you will need to divert to petrol stations en-route. The details of these diversions are also included in the route description where appropriate. The distances given between petrol stations will allow you to decide how much extra fuel to

Escape Route Options

All the routes give escape route options. You may or may not chose to use them if you need a quick and/or safe way out in an emergency, or for any other reason that dictates that you need to cut the trip short. In your trip planning and preparation you may find there are better escape routes, which of

Northern UAE

course you should use. The point is that you need to have a ‘Plan B’ to get you and your group out of the area as easily as possible if the situation dictates. The escape routes that are given are in addition to the possibility of back-tracking to the start point or being near enough to the end to reach the finish point.

Route 13 - Starfish Dunes, Grade 2 Route 14 - Wahiba Crossing, Grade 3 Route 15 - Oman Empty Quarter, Grade 3 Route 16 - Rock and Sand Tour, Grade 3 Route 17 - Oman/Saudi/Yemen Confluence, Grade 3

look out! For Mike’s new guide book entitled, ‘Advanced Off-road and Adventure Routes - UAE and Oman’, that should be released January 2012. So be sure to pick up your copy! 53

tips n tricks

It is assumed that you have camped out in the desert and mountains before, and in all seasons. There is excellent guidance in some of the other regional guidebooks regarding camping equipment and practice if you are looking for more detail than is contained in this guidebook. What you will find under the

tips n tricks

SMB surface marker buoy

Have you ever had to wait for some time to be picked up by the dive boat because nobody on the boat has spotted you yet? Have you had problems trying to get the attention of the boat crew due to rough weather and choppy conditions? Have you had boat traffic pass directly above you when you have been ascending from your safety stop? If the answer is yes to just one of these three questions then you need to start using a surface marker buoy (SMB), and even if you have not yet had any of these experiences, you never know when you will, where you should be carrying one in an event of any emergency situation. Other options for attracting attention such as whistles are almost useless to a boat crew with engines running and busy picking up other divers, so a bright visual marker makes sense. Of course there is no point in carrying one if you are not trained in using it properly especially when deploying it underwater for the safety stop.

Use of the SMB from depth is also something that should be taught and practiced, as it can be easy for an inexperienced diver to ascend suddenly if they do not let it go quick enough when â&#x20AC;&#x153;shootingâ&#x20AC;? it to the surface. Care must also be taken to avoid the line getting caught on the diver or the equipment, which could also potentially cause the diver to ascend. The finger spool helps to avoid this. Easy Steps to Deploy an SMB underwater

1. Remove the SMB from it holder or BC pocket and unwrap. 2. If not already connected to a line, do so now. 3. Ensure that the line will unravel freely and will not get caught on equipment. 4. Dump a small amount of air from the BC to become temporarily negatively buoyant. 5. Prepare the SMB for filling by ensuring that the air filling point is open. 6. Using the Octopus second stage, inflate the SMB. 7. As soon as you feel the SMB pulling upwards, release the SMB 8. Adjust your buoyancy accordingly in order to maintain the safety stop depth. 9. Whilst ascending, wind in the line using the finger spool to avoid entanglement.

On the surface it can be deployed fairly easy for boat pickup by simply unraveling it and using any second stage to inflate it. So if you do not already have one, go out and buy one, and then practice using it. Inform the boat crew before you dive that you will be using the SMB. If you do not come up the anchor line, the crew will be aware as there could be other dive groups in the area especially on popular dive sites. If you miss the anchor line and surface some distance from the boat this may save you a long surface swim too. Hopefully you may never need to use your SMB in a real emergency, however it is better if carried on the dive rather than left in your dive bag. Gordon.

Shameful... the final thought

David Wernery www.pnsfexpedition.com

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the final thought...

On a past Friday morning, my wife and I came across this site opposite the big Spinneys at The Springs, Dubai. We were shocked, disgusted and ashamed to see this in a city which prides itself in being beautiful and clean. We presume this is a temporary taxi stand, and with all due respect to the drivers and the taxi company - this should not be allowed. What I think is happening, is that the drivers discard their waste there and then. We saw fast food left overs, packaging, cans, water bottles and glass. I approached them, but maybe because it was very early for both them and me, I was greeted with complete disinterest. All I could do was take some pictures, however the following date I reported the matter to the RTA and they promised action.

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