#74 November 2016

Off road adventures in the region
Exploring Indonesia
Beaches, jungles and traditions
Reports from Berlin and Chicago
Svalbard Part Two
In search of polar bears in the Arctic Circle
Plenty of
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Vol. 6, No. 11
November 2016
www.OutdoorUAE.com
MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
NOVEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
OutdoorUAE Team
Daniel Birkhofer
Founder and General Manager
daniel@outdooruae.com
Nela Macovei
Business Development Manager
nela@outdooruae.com
Whilst the UAE is not exactly known for vast forests, this quote by Robert
Frost is easily translatable to our desert environment if you replace the image
of luscious green trees with rolling, golden sand dunes. Off roading is a hobby
that many expats have become involved in since moving to the UAE; the ease of
getting to the desert and the range of vehicles readily available in which to do so
make this a popular weekend pursuit suitable for all the family.
This issue, we learn about how to minimise the risks involved, thanks to our expert Marina Bruce,
and we also hear about some of the adventures that are to be had in the local area. Furthermore,
we also investigate some of the products you might need when taking part in this pastime, such as
camping gear so that you can stay the night in the desert rather than having
to rush home. If you want to have some company on your desert outings,
check out our feature on UAE OFFROADERS, or join Marina on one of her
upcoming trips.
Dont forget, our Outdoor & Adventure show is on from 10th 12th
November at DIMC. If youre an off road fan, therell be plenty of
opportunities to indulge yourself, from our 4x4 display to all the essential
gear that youll need to stay safe and have fun. Even if youre not an off
Rachael Bruford
roader, but still love the outdoors, theres plenty to keep you occupied.
Editor
rachael@outdooruae.com We look forward to seeing you there!
Margo Ciruelos
Sales and Marketing
margo@outdooruae.com
Ireneo Jung Francisco

Designer and Photographer
jung@outdooruae.com
Ian Sebeldia
Circulation
EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS
Dan Wright
Freelance wilderness guide in the UAE
Editor
For editorial content and press releases
Tel: 04-447 2030
Mobile: 055 5760322
editor@outdooruae.com
Sales & Marketing (advertisement enquiries)
Tel: 04-447 2030
Mobile: 055 8647125
nela@outdooruae.com
Mobile: 055 9398915
margo@outdooruae.com
Published by
Outdoor UAE FZE
In cooperation with A2Z EVENTS
P.O. Box 215062
Dubai, U.A.E.
Tel. 04-447 2030

contact@outdooruae.com
www.outdooruae.com
Distributor
Al Nisr Distribution LLC
P.O. Box 6519, Dubai, UAE
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Printed at
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P.O. Box 6519, Dubai, UAE
2016 Outdoor UAE FZE
Vol. 6, No. 11, November 2016
Jake Lyle
Diving and Watersport Expert
Helle Bachofen Von Echt

Elite Women Cyclist
Marina Bruce
The Desert Diva and
off-road expert
www.OutdoorUAE.com
Facebook.com/OutdoorUAE
Twitter.com/OutdoorUAE
Bandana Jain
Outdoor and Lifestyle contributor
Instagram.com/OutdoorUAE
Cover photo by: Andrew St Pierre White
Youtube.com/OutdoorUAE
Jen Hardie
Family adventure contributor
The information contained is for general use only.

We have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this magazine has been
obtained from reliable sources. The publisher is not responsible for any errors. All information in
this magazine is provided without a full guarantee of completeness, accuracy and chronology. In
no event will the publisher and/or any of our affiliates be held responsible for decisions made or
action taken in reliance on the information in this magazine.
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2016 Outdoor UAE FZE

Reg. at Creative City Fujairah
P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.
WHEN YOURE
DONE READING,
PLEASE RECYCLE!
Kit Belen
Our fishing pro
CONTENTS
30 YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
34 6X6 ROAD TRIP
38 WEEKEND FAMILY ADVENTURES
EVERY ISSUE
PEOPLE
06 EVENTS CALENDAR
08 BEST SHOTS
43 PRODUCTS
63 DIRECTORY
22 OFF ROADERS CORNER

23 OFF ROADERS CORNER
26 MUSTAFA SAHIN
EVENT & ACTIVITY REPORTS

10 UMM AS SAMEEM
11 EMIRATES DESERT CHAMPIONSHIP
12 LENINS PEAK
14 CARROS DE FOC
OUTDOORUAE
16 BERLIN MARATHON
18 CHICAGO MARATHON
20 RED BULL CLIFF DIVING
49 QUECHUA CAMPING GEAR
51 EXPLORING INDONESIA
58 OFF ROAD
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
TRIED & TESTED
24 YAMAHA YXZ100R
27 BHUTAN - DRUK PATH TREK
30 YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
32 SVALBARD PART TWO
34 6X6 ROAD TRIP
36 DEAD2
49 QUECHUA CAMPING GEAR
LIFESTYLE
38 WEEKEND FAMILY ADVENTURES
41 HABITUALLY HEALTHY
42 DESERT ADVENTURES WITH BIG RED
OUR EXPERTS
51 EXPLORING INDONESIA - JAKE
54 NEPAL - DAN
56 CYCLING - HELLE
58 OFF ROAD MARINA
60 FISHING KIT
62 FITNESS FIRST
OUTDOORUAE
EVENTS CALENDAR
STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST EVENTS
NOVEMBER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Dubai Outdoor & Adventure Show
Organised by OutdoorUAE, this show at the stunning Dubai Marina will give you the opportunity to try free activities, buy all
the gear needed for your outdoor pursuits and relax with food from the UAEs best food trucks.
When: 10th-12th November
Where: DIMC, Dubai Marina
Contact: www.dubaiadventureshow.com
17
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The Colour Run
This popular and colourful 5km run is

back with a tropical theme!
When: 17th November
Where: Dubai Autodrome
Contact: http://www.thecolorrun.ae
NOVEMBER
17
OCTOBER
18
18
N
O
V
Beach Run AUH
Come and join in Abu Dhabis first ever

Beach Run! This fun-filled family beach
run is suitable for runners of all abilities.
When: 18th November
Where: Abu Dhabi Beach,
opposite Urban Park
Contact: www.premieronline.com
24 hour Walkathon
Starting in Zabeel Park, participants in teams of 20

will test their fitness, endurance and strength for 24
hours on a dedicated route past some of Dubais
most iconic landmarks.
When: 17th November
Where: Zabeel Park
Contact: www.dubaisc.ae/HBMIEn
NOVEMBER
18
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Urban Ultra Coast to Coast

Cycle Challenge
This challenge stretches 220km with approx 1300m of elevation along smooth
tarmac roads, winding through dunes,
over mountain climbs and along the
beautiful east coast highway to the finish.
When: 18th November
Where: Sharjah Lagoons, Mamzar
TribeFit Sunset Yacht Yoga
Enjoy the weather this November and workout

in style by joining TribeFit for perform yoga on a
yacht, and experience a one of a kind yoga along
with the breath-taking views of Dubai Marina.
When: 18th November
Where: TribeFit, Dubai Marina
Contact: www.tribefit.com
11
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The Caracal Challenge
Tap into khaleeji traditions and use only the moon and stars
as our navigation system in our journey across Abu Dhabis
key desert spots. Learn about the wonders of our local
environment in this 15km walk under the stars.
When: 11th November
Where: Starts from Khalifa Park, ends near Arabian Nights Village
Contact: www.husaak.com/tcc
NOVEMBER
18
11
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Fighting Fit Dubai
Witness the adrenaline-filled climax of Season 2 of FIGHTING FIT DUBAI, Powered by Under Armour, at the prestigious
Emirates Golf Club.
When: 11th November
Where: Emirates Golf Club
Contact: https://www.facebook.com/FIGHTINGFITDXB/
YogaFest Middle East
This free event focuses on community, connection

and contribution. Therell be classes, workshops,
and the opportunity to buy yoga apparel and
accessories.
When: 18th 19th November
Where: Dubai Media City Ampitheatre
Contact: http://www.yogafest.me/
NOVEMBER
25
NOVEMBER
25
Palm Jumeirah 10km tunnel Run

The inaugural Palm Jumeirah 10km Tunnel Run
starts outside Aquaventure and takes runners
through the Palm Tunnel, finishing at Al Ittihad
Park on the Palm Jumeirah Trunk.

When: 25th November
Where: Starting outside Aquaventure
DMX Races Rounds 3 and 4
Continue the thrilling motocross season this

November, with free access for spectators.
When: 4th and 25th November
Where: Dubai Motocross Club, Jebel Ali Golf Resort
Contact: Facebook: DMX Dubai Motocross Club
NOVEMBER
25
Red Bull Drift Driving
In another fantastic event, Red Bull bring you a

Drift Driving bonanza that is guaranteed to give
you an adrenalin rush!

When: 25th November
Where: Ajman Port
Contact: www.redbull.com
BEST SHOTS
Here are the best shots sent in by you for our monthly photography competition! Thank you for all your entries, they were all great and it
was hard selecting the best photos this month. Congratulations to the top three winners, who will each receive Buff headwear, five free copies
of the magazine and the Advance Off-road Guidebook: Katie Aun, Hena Jacob and Gordon Rech. Well done!
Katie Aun
Walking in Wilderness
Hena Jacob
Georgia
OUTDOORUAE
Gordon Rech
Fatbike ride at Hatta MTB Centre
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Tel: +968 96778552
Fax: +96824701787
Contact person
Mr. R. K. Sunder
Email: sunder@ftgroupholding.com
DUBAI
Showroom No. 8, Al Ghandi Complex
Nad al Hamar Road, Ras al Khor
Tel: +971 4 2896100
Fax: +971 4 2894914
Email: sse@polarisuae.com
MUSSAFAH
M4, Sector 13, 10th Street
Tel: +971 2 5555144
OUTDOORUAE
ACTIVITY REPORT
Words by: Marina Bruce

Photos by: Sarah Brooks
Regular off roaders are likely

to be used to the various places
and types of terrain in the UAE and
Oman; the desert is, after all, a
giant sandpit. There is, however, a
very special place which is like no
other, a place where even with your
trusty mechanical camel you get a
sense of the challenge that the
intrepid travellers of not so long
ago had to face just to survive.
The Omani Rub Al Khali with the Umm
As Sameem deep within its heart is such a
place. The vast vista of unending sabkhas
(salt flats) and towering starfish dunes is a
sight to quicken the heartbeat of any dedicated off-roader, and while there are tracks
through it making progress easy, there are
still some challenges to be had and isolated
retreats where you can escape the troubles
and worries of the modern world, even in
the Mother of all Poisons as the Umm As
Sameem translates to.
My husband and I have made an annual
trek through the Omani Empty Quarter since
2012 and we have always wanted to share
this area with other outdoor enthusiasts;
in September 2016, with our partners Ibex
Adventures in Oman, we realised our dream
and organised a two-night expedition in this,
the most magical of locations.
After meeting in Ibri, we convoyed our
group around 100kms to our first waypoint
a sign saying we had reached the Roba
Al Khali (The Empty Quarter) and we
made a long stop for photos and to have our
picnic lunch, Scottish style. I should perhaps
explain that in Scotland the weather is often
rainy and many picnics are consumed in the
shelter of cars, but for our group last month,
it was dust laden wind we had to shelter
from!
Moving on, we crossed the enigmatic
Umm As Sameem, a 50km wide sabkah,
mentioned in Wilfred Thesigers Arabian
Sands and the focus of many Bedouin
tales. Today there are rough tracks
over the mud but back in the day of
camel trains this area was best avoided
as the terrain would have been almost
impossible for camels to negotiate; not
The sign
Salt crystals
The camp
only that, but when you are in the middle of

it, all you can see is sabkah as there are no
distinguishing landmarks. There are stories of
herds of goats being consumed by the Umm
As Sameem and although we did not encounter any quick sands we did find evidence
of road signs sinking ever lower into the mud,
albeit over a period of years.
Arriving at our campsite shortly before
sunset we set up our tents in the shade of
a dune to shield us from early morning sunshine, before gathering around the campfire,
eyes skyward to see the first of the Orionid
meteors. There are a number of oil installations in the area but these were sufficiently
far away to cause minimal light pollution. I
mentioned before that this area was remote
- the nearest settlement to our camp was Al
Ghaba, over 150kms away, and the nearest
towns are Adam and Ibri, both over 200kms
distant this is a journey you certainly should
not consider on your own!
The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast
at 8am, our group split into two convoys for
some offroad driving. I led my group of 4x4s
on a 100km drive south of the camp, through
a dramatic dunescape lined with high, sharp
starfish formations which towered over us;

our drive was punctuated with short crossings
of small technical dunes where the islands
of sands converged on a white gravel plain.
Unusually, we saw very few signs of life during
the day with just a small Shrike bird landing
on my roof-rack and a set of bleached camel
bones on our return route to the camp.
My husband Neil took his group of AWD
cars on a track based drive to explore a
nearby rocky plateau as well as the outer
reaches of the Umm As Sameem itself. There
they did find signs of life by way of acacia
trees, a cricket and certain signs that camels
had visited recently!
By nightfall both groups had returned to
the camp for a rest before tucking into an
Omani feast cooked for us by our camp hosts
from Ibex Adventures. We were fortunate to
have the eminent archaeologist Dr Jeff Rose
with us and he gave a short talk which had
everyone enthralled with tales of the area
thousands of years ago.
The next morning saw us strike camp and
return to civilisation at Ghaba services where
we fuelled up and bid a sad farewell to our
fellow expeditioneers.
We hope to lead further expeditions to
the Rub Al Khali and Umm As Sameem at
least twice over the winter. To allow us to
complete the expedition in a weekend, we
have tweaked our itinerary to include a hotel
stay in Ibri on the Thursday evening followed
by a day of driving, one night camping and
another half day drive before we return to the
blacktop around 3pm on Sunday.
Full details will be posted on the Desert Diva
Facebook page in due course, but in
the meantime to enquire please email
marina@desertdivaevents.com.
Buggy winner Mark Powell followed by Ryan Trutch
Humaid Al Mashghouni (232) followed

by Rd 1 Quad Winner Fahad Al Musallam
Mohammed Balooshi (23) chased by Josh Brodalka (34)
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge winner Obaid Al Kitbe

returned to a quad for the first
time in several years, picking
up an impressive second place,
with Saudi rider Abdulmajeed
Al Khulaifi in third.
In the Auto competition,
Emirati Khalid Al Jafla begin
his title defense strongly with
the overall win and first place
in the T3 Class. 1993 FIA Middle East Rally Champion Sh.
Hamad Al Thani of Qatar made
a strong debut appearance in
the series with second overall
Rd 1 Moto Winner Sam Sunderland
and first place in the T1 Class.
Finally, Mark Powell was the winner in the
Buggy category, putting in an exceptional
The only other rider able to challenge Sunperformance in the Saluki Motorsport prederland was KTM UAE teammate, and last
pared Yamaha. He was followed in second
years champion, Ross Runnalls, who suffered
place by the British crew of Tom Bell and coseveral mishaps during the day including losdriver Patrick McMurren, with debutant Ryan
ing his drinking water pack and a badly timed
Trutch in third place, despite having rolled his
pitstop that lost him time on his rival and
Polaris several times.
limited him to second place. Emirati MohamThe opening event was held on Friday 14th
med Al Balooshi was third on the day, as well
October 2016 in the Al Lisali region of Dubai,
as winner of the new Veteran Class.
in sweltering temperatures.
In the Quad competition, Kuwaiti rider
For sure, this was a really challenging day
Fahad Al Musallam picked up his first ever
for all competitors. AS the opening round
win in the championship by employing a wise
of the season, it was probably the hottest
strategy of carrying a heavy fuel load to save
event of the year, and Im hugely impressed
time by not requiring refueling stops. Former
that so many competitors finished the race.
Fresh from
securing a frustrating
second place in the FIM
Cross Country Rally
World Championship
for the second season
in succession, Dubai
based British rider Sam
Sunderland returned to
the Emirates Desert
Championship with a
dominant win in the
opening round of the
series.
Even more importantly, I am delighted that

we had no injuries today, said ATCUAE
President and EMSF Chairman Mohammed
Ben Sulayem.
It was a pleasure to see such a strong
turnout today, as well as welcome our first
ever competitors from Iceland, Sudan and
Pakistan. This demonstrates the huge appeal
of this championship and its growing international reputation. We see this as the perfect
entry point for offroad motorsport in the region, and we are working to further improve
the discipline with the 2017 introduction of
the regional level Gulf Challenge competition, as well as our planned debut of our
Dubai round of the FIA Cross Country Rally
and FIM Baja World Cups, Ben Sulayem
concluded.
The Emirates Desert Championship is
organized by the Automobile & Touring
Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) and the Emirates
Motor Sport Federation (EMSF). Five rounds
will be held throughout the 2016-17 season
with the next event scheduled for Friday 11th
November 2016.
Rd 1 Overall and 450 class winner Sam Sunderland

(left), with Mohammed Al Balooshi, third overall
and Veterans class winner (Center) and ATCUAE
President Mohammed Ben Sulayem
Dana Miskulnig (Left, second Ladies Cup), Sune

Schaffler (Second from left, first Ladies Cup)
and Elisha dessurne (Centre, third Ladies Cup)
Mohammed Ben Sulayem (Second from left) along

with Sh. Hamad Al Thani (Left), Khalid Al Jafla
(Second from Right) and Abdullah Bakhashab (Right).
For further details about the

championship please contact
entry@atcuae.ae or check the website at
www.emiratesdesertchampionship.ae.
OUTDOORUAE
11
ACTIVITY REPORT
Mountain Graduation:
Words + Photos by: Amy Subaey
Most people do not understand why

on earth some of us would ever bother
to climb mountains. They may have
admitted to a passing fascination until
they saw EVEREST. That was all the
confirmation required to deem all those
who attempt such feats as completely
nuts. But there are also those among us
who remained undaunted, as determined
as ever to continue to pursue higher
mountains.
My daughter and climbing partner, Amira,
age 19, shares my passion for the mountains
along with those aspirations. Though we
have many years of mountain experience
trekking together, and a solid base of mountaineering skills through courses in Nepal
and Switzerland, much of our experience has
been what you would call catered climbing.
Though trekking peaks are certainly challenging in their own right, mountaineering
is just a whole new level. Trekking allows
you to focus on getting yourself up the hill,
while the porters carry the heavy boots and
sleeping bags. But, to go higher, we were
keen to learn independent skills of carrying,
camping and cooking as well gain a substantial amount of altitude.
Lenins Peak is in Kyrgyzstan, a former
Russian republic. The 7145m peak is in the
Pamir Mountain range and is a key part of 5
other 7000 meter peaks in the same range,
commonly referred to as the Snow Leopard.
It is famous in Russia and becoming more
popular among aspiring mountaineers due
to its reputation of being, supposedly, an
easy 7000m peak. I do believe that there
are better reasons to justify calling a peak
easy other than the money and the time it
takes to climb them. For one, the dangers
of crevasses, both those covered by recent
snowfall, which is constant, and those too
big to be covered, should probably be a bit
12
OUTDOORUAE
higher on the priority list. Insanely unpredictable weather and wind speeds that
further drop the temperature into the negative 30s especially at night. Some climbers
on this mountain mistook the easy description to justify their lack of safe climbing
procedures such as being roped to at least 3
other climbers going over glaciers filled with
crevasses. As a result there were lots of accidents. Perhaps another important fact would
better explain: out of 150 climbers in the
first 25 days of the season, only 2 actually
reached the summit. Even Mt. Everest has
better summit statistics! Judging from the
conversations with those descending along
the same route and our fellow climbers at
the advanced base camp, it seemed that
reaching Camp 2 was considered a really
great achievement. Getting beyond that to
Camp 3, worthy of a grand salute, and anyone who managed to even take a few steps
outside of Camp 3 towards the realization
of a successful summit, simply superhuman
status.
Physically getting in shape for a mountain
over 6000m required dedication. Though we
trained hard; on average of an hour per day
running, climbing stairs with ankle weights,
running up the slopes in Ski Dubai, weekend
back to back day hikes until the middle of

June, we still underestimated how hard it
would be to trek and be really comfortable
with the heavy pack and all of gear that is
suddenly on your body. Boots and crampons
weigh at least 1kg on each foot, a harness
with carabiners clanging, a constant reminder
of their extra ounces, slings and your axe in
one hand. Before you even put on the backpack, you are carrying at least an extra 5kg.
We addressed this gap in our training
in the weeks just before departure. We
headed to Nepal to do a training trek; carrying our 16kg packs for 6 days from 1500m
up to 4800m and back down. Then, after
4 days of rest, we headed to Mt. Elbrus,
at 5642m, in Russia with our UAE Trekker
Team to pre-acclimatize. With only one day
of rest between, we headed for Lenin with
our international team of 8 from France,
Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Germany, and USA.
In hindsight, there is perhaps a finer line
between intense preparation, and overexertion leading to exhaustion before your boots
even hit the snow.
Of the 21 days on expedition, 17 were on
the mountain, and 6 to 8 days of total self
-sufficiency. Calculating food rations was a
tricky business; though you need around
10,000 calories per day, you may not have

energy left to cook, or no appetite to eat
anything. Including more options for food
means additional weight, and every little
tuna can adds unwanted ounces. To top
up our meals, we opted for Chinese energy
bars that apparently are eaten on Everest
(that marketing technique worked well on
me) that could also double as tea, containing 5,000 calories in one bar.
When you arrive at Base Camp, your
guide, who will hopefully speak English, will
inform you abruptly, 6 pm. We discuss.
Though we chalked this up to the tough
talking slightly arrogant Kyrgyzstani attitude
at first, but we soon realized it was actually
our own arrogance/ignorance. The mountain weather determines your schedule, the
guide only interprets how you will adapt to
it.
Soon enough, we started to roll with the
rhythm of the mountain. Wake up timings on the mountain are always early, but
more often the sunrise wake-up call is due
to the fact that you have your been in your
tent since just after nightfall and will have
likely have to answer for your attempts at
staying well hydrated. So you extricate
yourself from your sleeping bag and make
a run around and over a hill in hopes that
nobody beat you to the five star toilet.
Otherwise known as the tin box with a hole
in the bottom. Breakfast means eating your
requisite fried egg, something with dill, and
a sausage. Experience already taught us the
folly of picky eating and meal skipping. In
Russia, they say no porridge, no summit!
Because of the resulting fatigue and lack of
energy from no food in your stomach. We
eat whatever is on our plate on a mountain
and are grateful for it.
After your breakfast, you will likely be
acclimatizing which means following the
principle of climbing high and sleeping low.
The trek is usually on slopes so steep that
they require a zig zag from one side of a
slippery rock to the other. The way back is
usually down a deep scree path where you
can literally ski your way to the bottom in
half the time it took to get up.
After 5 days of acclimatising, you will
arrive at Advanced Base Camp, where the
days are marked by how windy, how hot,
or how cold or how snowy they are. The

variations are incredible. One minute the
sun is out and you urgently escape your
layers. The next minute, as the sun goes
behind the cloud, you search for them. You
spend most time in the group dining tent
and just outside it watching teams going
up or coming down and listening to stories
of those that have completed their first
acclimatization rotation. They are always
insane stories about crevasses, the unexpected difficulty, and the cold. Then, waiting
for 6pm to discuss what will happen at 2am.
The questions, though they have been
answered already, are nearly the same each
day. How long will it take to reach Camp 2?
What if the snow covers the crevasses? What
if I have to turn around? Our guide provided
calm, unwavering answers. Tonight we see
at 2am. We see the weather. If weather
good for climb, we go. If no, we sleep.
We go up, we see the snow. We see your
feeling. Not feeling good? We come back.
Feeling good? Good weather? We go up.
Yes, it really was that simple. But they
were not simple answers to accept. Not
feeling good - go downis not what you
want to hear when you have planned, prepared, and trained for six months.
In the end, your body tells you in no
uncertain terms what you will be allowed
to do. Thats just the end of the story. That
may sound like a wimpy cop-out for those
that are used to hearing push hard! You
dont know what your limits are until you
pass them!, but not when it comes to
oxygen deprivation at high altitude where
there are no water stations, sponge stops or
ambulances at the finish line. You must listen

to your body and let it define your limits. If
one day you could breathe and the next, for
some reason, finding the strength to get to
the toilet box is a challenge, you know that
this is a not a fight-on-through moment. The
difficult part is accepting that your body and
your mind have suddenly entered into an
unwinnable conflict; head wants to go up,
body wants to go down. Body always wins.
If you want to take your climbing to the
next level, past catered climbs and trekking peaks towards expedition level peaks
over 6000 meters, take a season to learn
these independent skills. Buy all of your
own gear to ensure good fit and comfort,
and learn how to use it all with confidence.
Train with weight, on your ankles and your
back. Get uphill as much as you can, for
extended periods. Learn the confidence you
need in mountaineering skills in the Alps or
on lower peaks in Nepal or India without
dealing with the effects of altitude.
Though most of us climb just for ourselves
and our own personal goals and ambition,
one team member, Mona Shehab from
Saudi Arabia, dedicated the attention she
received for attempting this 7000m meter
peak to funding Syrian childrens education
in Lebanon. Though her exciting posts and
eventful updates throughout the climb, she
received 100,000 USD in donations for their
education, which made her efforts completely worthwhile.
Throughout our previous trekking mountains and experiences, we have been lucky
to have experienced mountaineering mentors who have taught us valuable lessons in
our pursuit of our dreams. Lakpa Sherpa and
Chris Jenson Burke together have climbed
10 of all 14 8,000 meter peaks in the world.
Their attitude towards each expedition is
ultimately one of gratitude of the chance
to spend multiple weeks in the mountains,
to experience everything it offers, (bad
weather, storms, too much snow, too much
sun), to accept the outcomes of the expedition and to listen to your body. A summit is
a bonus, far from the only reason to climb.
Though this philosophy may seem very
relaxed for the challenges confronted on an
expedition, it captures perfectly the zen that
mountains inspire.
These are all important lessons to take
to heart when you head to higher and
tougher mountains where it is more likely
not to reach the summit on the first attempt.
In the end, every trekking and mountain
experience adds to your overall knowledge,
understanding and acceptance of the fact
that whatever happens on the mountain will
happen and you should learn to enjoy yourself, whether or not you get that summit.
ACTIVITY REPORT
How I overcame the

Chariots of Fire:
Words + Photos by: Anne Elizabeth Cecillon
Day Four
The next morning, after once again
a loaded carbohydrate breakfast, it
was time to go Joseph M Blanc, an
amazing refuge nested in between
emerald lakes and surrounded by
pine trees. Getting there was absolutely dreadful with vertical drops
off rocks that needed to be carefully mastered, but once at 2350
meters, I was rewarded by a very
comfortable bed and hot shower.
The stream beside me on the way down
dropped into a succession of small idyllic
ponds, each crowned with an effervescent
little waterfall. Along the path, bluebells
nodded in the grass; the amanita mush-
rooms highly poisonous, were shining a

brilliant scarlet. After a vertiginous descent along a rocky mountain face and the
constant ring of the cowbells rhythmically
accompanying my steps, I saw the refuge
briefly, hidden from view by pine trees, a
small stone house perched on a low finger
of granite jutting into a lake, the water virtually surrounding the refuge. At JM Blanc,
one can sit by the cottage and see trout in
the ice clear water. However, the weather
was deteriorating and an orange alert was in
effect for the next day with snow at altitude
and sleet below. Before dinner my traveling

companions challenged me to an oversized
MIKADO game and we shared many funny
moments while waiting for 19.00 and our
famous dinner. It came this time paired with
chicken and of course the ever present pasta. Dessert was again a piece of apple and I
was off to bed early for a very much needed
rest before the next portion of the trek.
Day Five
Day five was a long one with a quick stop

at Mallafre for lunch and on to Amitges
for the night. Little did I know that I would
end up with 38,800 steps, 236 floors and
28.36kms... Had I known, I probably would
not have left Joseph M Blanc! Early morning
after breakfast I started under a light drizzle
and cold temperature. I had decided the
night before to go around the next col as
the weather was menacing and deteriorating
and the guides were not recommending to
go to altitude. That would add a lot of miles
to my already long day but was safer.
I started full of enthusiasm and enjoyed a gentle upslope path followed by
downslopes around misty landscapes. The
path around the mountain was unmarked
and I had to go by the very vague information that the guide had shared with me
at the refuge the night before. The map
was helpful but unfortunately not detailed
enough to navigate by. I had been told that

I would reach two tunnels and to make sure
I had new batteries in my head lamp. When
I reached the second one and realised that it
had collapsed, I was a little disheartened but
soon found a path around this new obstacle.
The wet terrain made it hard to navigate
but after another 5 kilometres I was on fairly
flat slope waving my way through fields of
rasperberrys and blueberrys. After lunch at
Mallafre, it was on to dAmitges, the biggest
refuge of the trek. The walk to dAmitges
was long and strenuous for me having
suffered an injury on my knee, but I was
rewarded by stunning sights along the way.
Beautiful deep lakes and big thick waterfalls,
ducks waddling on the lake shores and wild
berries lining the path. After a well deserved
shower and the customary securing of your
bunk for the night, I enjoyed great conversations with my fellow hikers at the main table
as we shared a hearty meal. My feet were
absolutely destroyed and I spent 15 minutes
disinfecting, bandaging and preparing for
the next day. That night, before going to
bed, I was surprised by a white landscape.
It had snowed while we were having dinner
and the already peaceful mountains were
covered in a sparkling new coat of white
blanket. Sleep eluded me that night as I
knew it was the last evening I was to spend
in the mountains and I wanted to enjoy
every single second of my stay...
Day Six
Breakfast was awaiting at 07.30 and as it

was the last day of the trek, I was a little sad
to leave this beautiful park. I had to detour
to make the Saboredo refuge and earn the
right to say that I completed the Carros de
Foc. So off I went in the snow and ice, each
step a careful one as the terrain had become
very slippery. Slowly I climbed again to pass
yet another col and the wind was howling
around me, slicing through my light jacket. I
was reminded of the fickle nature of mountain weather and how much I was unhappy
to carry my winter gear at the start of the
trek, thinking that I would not get to wear it;
I could not have been more wrong! At the
top, it was so cold that I could not really stay
and enjoy the scenery. My camera froze and
I had to press on to get on the other side of
the mountain where the wind would be less
fierce.
As I was going down, I saw a group
stopped ahead of me. I learnt that one of
the men was seriously injured and had to
be air lifted from the mountain. This was the
Spanish gentleman I met in several other
refuges who was traveling by himself and
only last night actually started trekking with
a group of his countrymen. He could not
have chosen a better day to be with people
as they cared for him while waiting for the
rescue.
They did not need my help so I continued
on to Colomers knowing that I had to beat
the daylight remaining. Along the way, I
was welcomed by huge cows either laying
down and relaxing or grazing. Their constant
cow bells felt comforting. The last part to
Colomers felt impossible as my knee was
screaming in agony. Once I started though,
there was no way I was going to quit my
quest of completing the trek. My trekking
partner took off and left me behind and
I kept fighting mentally to finish as every
corner seemed to be the last but was not. I
guess the hardest part of all was to not have
progress points or information. Suffering is
easier to bear when you know more or less
how long it is going to last. But in this park,

the indication boards are few and that is part
of the charm but also an obstacle to surpass.
I finally reached yet another dam with
what seemed to be the refuge on the other
side. Elation engulfed me as I crossed the
dam, only to realise that what I thought was
the last check point was... not! The abandoned house standing in front of me was
not the refuge. The dirt track weaved along
a stunning azure water lake but to be honest, all I was concentrating on was finishing
and reaching the refuge for my last stamp. I
was getting hypoglycemic and my legs were
aching, but as I arrived at the real refuge,
victory felt very sweet. After drinking coffee,
eating a dry sandwich and bandaging my
feet once more, I started my way down,
right from where I had come from.
Carros de Foc, I have conquered you and
I have learned a lot from you. I will recommend you to healthy outdoors enthusiasts
as it was an absolutely fantastic experience,
and as one of my traveling companions
said, this place has been struck by the Hand
of God. A word of caution though; it is not
for the faint of heartexpect sore legs but
happy spirits!
OUTDOORUAE
15
EVENT REPORT
Words by: Nada El Sawy

Photos by: Anja Schwerin
At times it seemed that I was not

meant to run the Berlin marathon. When
I signed up back in 2014, I mistakenly had
noted the wrong deadline and missed it by
a couple of days. I decided to sign up with
a charity, Mdecins Sans Frontires, and
secured my spot for 2015. But a couple
of months before the race, my brotherin-law announced he would be having his
wedding the same weekend and I had to
cancel.
Luckily, I was able to defer my place to
2016. I was determined to run it as part
of my goal to run all six marathon majors
(Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York,
Tokyo). So far I had run Los Angeles twice,
Dubai, and Paris, but none of the majors.
What is the big deal with the majors? Well,
it is the running worlds equivalent of climbing the seven summits. It is considered an

achievement and upon completion, you are
awarded with a Six Star Finisher certificate
and medal. It also is not easy to get into all
six, many of which have lotteries and qualification times.
Boston is perhaps the most coveted of the
bunch, given that one must qualify with a
competitive time. Getting a Boston qualifier
(BQ) time was my main goal for Berlin. That
also had been my goal in Paris in April. The
BQ time for my age group is 3:40, but for
2016 there were so many entries the cut-off
was 3:37:28. My Paris time of 3:39:18 was
not fast enough for 2017, so Berlin was my
chance for 2018.
The Training
For more than a year now I have been

training with the Desert Road Runners club
in Dubai. The challenge for Berlin was that
most of the training fell in summer. When
I started training in June, not only was it in
40C degree heat and extreme humidity, it
was while fasting for the month of Ramadan.
I worked around that by breaking my fast
with dates just before a speed workout and
doing my longer runs late at night.
At the expo
Pre-marathon pasta dinner with

fellow Dubai runners and friends
16
OUTDOORUAE
The rest of the summer I was travelling,

so I was able to escape the heat of Dubai.
In July, I was in the north coast of Egypt,
mainly doing my runs back and forth on a
one-kilometre path along the beach. I hit a
snag in my training schedule, though, when
I was injured not during running incidentally. I fell on my knee on the sharp edge of
marble stairs, leaving me with stitches and
instructions not to run, exercise, or swim for
two weeks.
Undeterred, I got back on schedule in Los
Angeles in August. I joined a running club
there, which helped with motivation and
enjoyment. My longest run at 32 km was in
Seattle, a great way to see the entire city. By
the time I arrived back in Dubai in September, the majority of the training was behind
me and I felt ready for the big day in Berlin
on Sunday, September 25.
The Day Before The Race
I took a flight from Paris (where I was for

a conference) to Berlin on Saturday morning. The girl sitting next to me on the plane
was wearing a Garmin watch and a Chicago
Marathon jacket. I took a wild guess, Are
you running the Berlin marathon?
Of course she was. She was flying all the

The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial
Church on Kurfrstendamm street
way from Guatemala to run her second of

the marathon majors. Like me, her goal is to
complete all of them.
I asked her if she was going to head to the
expo right away. The email from the organizers said the peak would be 10 am - 2 pm,
so I was debating whether it would be wiser
to wait and go late afternoon. Oh no, Ill
go right away. Otherwise, its too risky, she
responded.
I can certainly relate to that feeling.
Anxiety takes over and I think such irrational
thoughts as, I better go buy bananas now
or else the supermarket might run out of
them, and then what will I do??
But I opted to stick to my original plan of
going to the expo later. After I got to the
hotel, I went for a slow jog to the start at the
Brandenburg Gate, which turned out to be
only 15 minutes away. The city was buzzing
with crowds and excitement, and runners
everywhere.
It was a good call to go to the expo later
in the day. As I emerged from the underground, there were droves of people leaving.
I walked straight to the race packet pick-up
area, which was virtually empty. The goodie
bag was definitely a disappointment, though.
The woman in front of me in line could
not believe there was no T-shirt included.
Are you kidding me? she said, as her jaw
dropped.
Considering entry to the Berlin marathon
is 100 euros, I was even more surprised that
our race kit consisted of a sponge, beef
jerky, and Adidas shower gel (which I had to
give away anyway because I only had carryon luggage).I still decided to buy a T-shirt
as a souvenir (not the official race T-shirt,
though, because that was supposed to have
been pre-ordered). It certainly made me appreciate the Eiffel Tower Finisher shirt that
I got at the end of the Paris marathon.
After stocking up on energy bars and
other runner essentials, I headed to the
ASICS pace band stand to print out a wrist
bracelet with ones projected 5km split times.

My strategy was to go for a five-minute
per kilometre pace, which would get me a
time of 3:30:58. Factoring in slowing down
for water/food, hitting the wall, and other
unexpected problems, I was really aiming for
around 3:35.
To get my mind off the race, I left the
expo to walk down Kurfrstendamm street
for some shopping. As I exited the H&M
store across from the famous Kaiser Wilhelm
Memorial Church, which was bombed during
World War II, a nationalistic, anti-Merkel,
anti-refugee, anti-Islam parade passed by,
flanked by police cars.
This made me feel sad. Here I was, a
Muslim woman running the Berlin marathon,
camouflaged in a sea of runners, while my
religion is being misrepresented by terrorists. Then I saw some on-lookers booing and
giving the thumbs-down sign, and I realised
that a small parade of a few dozen people
was not the true spirit of Berlin. I would see
the true spirit the next day, at the marathon.
But running is more about pasta than
politics, and carbo-loading was the next item
on the agenda. Although my
husband and kids could not
come with me to Berlin, several
members of my Dubai running
club were there. We stuffed
ourselves and talked race strategy, calling it a night at 8 p.m.
so that everyone could get
back to their hotels.
As I lay in bed I took another
look at the race information
guide and realised that no
headphones would be allowed.
That surprised me, but I figured
I better not risk it and ditched
the plan to take my iPod. There
was nothing left to do, but try
to sleep, which is always near
impossible for me.
Race Day
I woke up at 6:45 a.m. on race day to have

oatmeal, a banana, and a cup of tea. I met
my running club buddies for a pre-race
photo and then to the most time-consuming
part: waiting in line for the toilets. That took
40 minutes, giving me just enough time to
jump into my pen, ready for the start at 9:15
a.m.
I felt as if I could see nothing around me
and I could not tell where we were in relation
to the starting line. I looked to the big screen
to see family and friends of runners sending
heart-warming good-luck messages. Then,
as energetic music began blaring and the
start gun went off, I could see thousands of
people running on the screen until finally
people around me started running too.
We were very lucky with beautiful, sunny
weather, starting at 10C and warming up
Celebrating after the race at one of Berlins gardens
Former DRR member Anja Schwerin

holding up a sign at the 10K mark
to around 20C. The course began in the

Tiergarten park running towards the Victory
Column. The Berlin marathon is known for
being a flat course and indeed there was not
even a slight incline the entire race.
I started off strong, sticking to my five-minute per kilometre pace. I looked forward to
the 10km mark when I would see a German
friend, who had moved back to Berlin from
Dubai. When I spotted her and
her red GO sign with the Desert Road Runners logo, I waved
my arms and was all smiles.
The atmosphere and spectators
were amazing. There were bands,
people clapping in sync and
whirling noisemakers, and plenty
of young children holding out
their hands for high fives. While
in Paris, the signs read Allez! Allez! (Go! Go!), in Berlin they read
Lauf! Lauf! (Run! Run!).
Meanwhile I was having my
GU gel or Clifbloks every 10km,
water and sports drinks along
the way, and everything was
going fine until the 20km mark. I
decided to quickly use the toilet
and from that point onwards I
had a painful side cramp that
would just not go away. I significantly slowed
down the second half of the race, sometimes
clocking 5:30 per kilometre.
Towards the end all I could think about
was seeing the Brandenburg Gate. When I
finally saw it in view, I glanced at my watch,
thinking that I could maybe still break 3:37.
I raced toward the gate and put up my arms
in victory. I did not realise, though, that the
finish line was actually past that point. I kept
going and finished in 3:37:55.
A few days later, upon returning to Dubai,
I got my rejection e-mail for Boston 2017.
The cut-off time was 3:37:51. While I do not
know what it will be for 2018, I am certainly
cutting it close. Nevertheless, I was so
happy to have completed my first marathon
major and Berlin should be on everyones
bucket list.
Chicago Marathon
2016
Words by: Rachael Bruford

Photos by: Marathon-photos.com
Oh no Those were the first

words that I uttered when I realised
that my application to run the Chicago Marathon had been accepted,
my name picked out in the ballot
amongst thousands of applicants,
having entered some months previously when I was sure that I didnt
have a hope of being successful.
Previous entries into the lotteries
for London (several years in a row)
and New York marathons had resulted in rejection emails, and I was
certain that the entry for Chicago
would go much the same way.
In fact, I half hoped that I WOULD be one
of those who didnt get picked; it was early
April and I was training for Edinburgh, my
second marathon in 2016 after completing
Dubai marathon in January. The thought of
training for a third marathon in ten months
and, whats more, doing so during the stifling
heat and humidity of a UAE summer, was
not something I particularly relished the
thought of doing. But I was in, and there
was no going back. After all, it was to be my
first marathon major, and the thought of a
flat, fast course with plenty of crowd support
appealed to me, outweighing the doubt
and reluctance in my mind. I pushed away
any thoughts of Chicago until after I had
completed the Edinburgh Marathon in May,
had most of June as a recovery month, and
began training for Chicago in July just as
the temperatures and humidity made their
annual leap from hot to unbearably hot.
Thankfully, during July and August, I was
able to make use of the indoor track at
18
OUTDOORUAE
Dubai Sports World. Although only 600m

long, the air conditioned environment was a
welcome relief, and I was able to complete
my long runs (up to a distance of 35km) successfully, albeit suffering from a huge dose of
boredom. I was fortunate enough to visit the
UK and Germany for a week in August, which
gave me the opportunity to train outside and
see what kind of pace I was capable of without the heat and humidity factor. As I was
comfortably running at around 5:03/km, I set
a goal to complete the Chicago Marathon
in 3 hours 40 minutes, meaning that I would
need to run an average a pace of 5:12/km
for the duration of the race. My previous
marathon time in May was 3:45:14, and I
did doubt whether I would be able to knock
so many minutes off in a matter of months.
However, I decided to go for it and consoled
myself that I might at least get under 3:45 if
my race didnt go to plan.
Training with my club, Desert Road Runners, was a real confidence boost, as was
logging my runs on Strava and Instagram.
The rise in temperature at the end of August
also coincided with the peak of my training, and the closure of Dubai Sports World.
Begrudgingly, I took to the treadmill, now
known as the dreadmill, to complete
my interval sessions and long runs. Two
mind-numbing 36km runs and countless

other sessions later, I found myself escaping the heat and heading to California in
September. This was a belated honeymoon
for my husband and I, and the plan was that I
would stay in the USA until the marathon.
The cooler temperatures of the States
brought with them other challenges. The first
was to continue running on an almost daily
basis whilst on honeymoon, and the other
challenges included altitude and hills. Staying at Lake Tahoe, the altitude was almost
2000m above sea level, and I could definitely
feel my lungs burning as I ran through beautiful forests, struggling to maintain pace.
Then came the hills. Yosemite National Park
is by no means flat, and it was impossible
to get close to marathon pace. I began to
doubt myself, thinking that this represented
a loss of and lack of fitness. It was not until I
found a fairly flat track on which to do intervals in San Francisco that I began to realise
that perhaps those few weeks struggling to
run might actually have done some good.
Staying with family and friends in Vancouver and then Connecticut, I entered the
taper phase and worked on self belief and

trusting in my training. My final long run
through Central Park was an hour at marathon pace, during which I felt unstoppable,
despite the fact that it was, unknown to me,
pretty hilly.
Travelling to Chicago five days before the
event, I stayed with friends who ensured
that my nutrition was on point. Plenty of
salmon, quinoa and sweet potatoes, as well
as the odd dish of pasta, were served. By
race day, I felt light, nimble and ready to go.
Even more importantly, I felt confident and
relaxed, despite convincing myself that I had
every injury possible; I knew that this was just
anxiety.
On the day of the race, conditions couldnt
have been any better; clear skies, not too
much wind, and a high of sixteen degrees.
This was perfect running weather and I was
determined to make the most of it! The race
started at 07:30, and I had planned to run
with the 3:40 pace group. However, due to
a last minute pit stop I was unable to reach
them in the crowded corral, and they started
way ahead of me. As I waited to start, silence
descended and golden autumnal leaves
floated towards the ground like confetti. It
was the perfect moment for stillness and
contemplation, before Bruce Springsteens
Born to Run flooded the speakers and energised me for those first steps.
My aim was to start slowly and try to
speed up as the race progressed. I realised
immediately that the GPS on my watch was
completely off thanks to the tunnels and
tall buildings en route, so I focused instead
on ensuring that I was on track every time
I reached a mile marker. Thankfully, I had
saved myself from having to do maths by
buying a temporary pace tattoo.
The first half passed uneventfully, just as I
had planned. After a too fast first kilometre
and then a bit of congestion in the crowd
of runners, I had settled into a comfort-
able pace that would bring me in at 3:40.

Spotting the pace group up ahead, I slowly
caught them up and ran with them for a
while. But something felt wrong. Not only
was it crowded around the group leaders,
but to me the pace felt slightly too easy. Or
perhaps not hard enough. For 5km I thought
about slowly overtaking, knowing only too
well that speeding up too early could be
a big mistake and result in me blowing up
and missing all my goals entirely. However, I
felt good, and thinking to myself, trust your
training, you can do this, I slowly made my
way past them, increasing my pace a fraction.
At about 30km, there was a quieter section of the course, which again allowed for
a moment of calm and reflection. Yes, I still
felt good, but there was a lot of work to be
done. Visualising the finish and how good it
would feel, I pushed on and soon entered
China Town, which was an incredible, almost
raucous experience that was just what I
needed.
The last five miles passed by surprisingly quickly, and I found myself overtaking
people who had begun to suffer. One man
shouted about how strong I looked as I
passed him, giving me an extra boost. By
now I was tired, but not in any pain apart
from (surprisingly) feeling that my toenails
were bruised. Whenever I felt my pace begin
to slow, I did a 10-20 second surge as I had
practiced in training, and I remember feeling
amazed at how much that helped me keep
going.
In the final mile, I knew that there was a
small hill, which I had prepared for in training. Seeing it in reality was demoralising (it
was actually only a bridge but may as well
have been a mountain at this point), but I
told myself, you trained for this, and its
nearly over. Dont give up now! Somehow,
I managed to increase my speed in those
last miles to under 8 minutes per mile. The
crowd and the fact that I was nearly done
pulled me through. Hill conquered, the sign
read 400m to go. I pushed, telling myself
that someone would take care of me if I fell
over the finish lineall I had to do was get

there, and afterwards I could be ill and in
pain. I had to make it worth it!
In the final straight, I looked at the time
on my watch. With 200m to go, I realised I
could cross the line in under 3 hours 38 minutes. That was more than I had confidently
hoped for, and enough to spur me over the
line in a very undignified sprint. Official
time: 3:37:43. I couldnt believe it. Not only
had I beaten my PB by over seven minutes,
but I had qualified for Boston 2018 and run
a negative split, meaning that the second
half of the marathon was over a minute faster
than the first half.
I revelled in the atmosphere and took it
all in, before having a well deserved shower
and meeting my friends for a much anticipated Chicago deep dish pizza. The high I feel
is still present, and Im so glad that I pushed
through. If only all races could feel like this!
Dream finish for Australian wildcard as Americas Jones grabs maiden mens win
at the season final of the 2016 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in the UAE
Wildcard Rhiannan Iffland
provided the perfect ending to a
dream debut season with her fifth
success in seven competitions,
wrapping up the Red Bull Cliff Diving Womens World Series title
in style under the lights in Dubai
Marina, while Andy Jones soared
to his first ever victory in front of a
12,000 strong crowd at the sports
inaugural night event.
Iffland was joined on the podium by fellow Australian Helena Merten, with Adriana
Jimenez from Mexico rounding out the top
three. Britains Gary Hunt celebrated his recent title win with a second-place finish, and
Mexicos Jonathan Paredes completed the
mens podium on a memorable and dramatic
final night in the UAE.
Coming to Dubai, 25-year-old Iffland from
Down Under was one dive short of the overall victory but still had the ambition to make
it count and finished the 2016 season in
style. Five victories plus two podium finishes
made her the undisputed dominator in the
womens World Series. The Australians had a
strong showing in the years final event with
Merten, the youngest permanent athlete in
the field, finishing on a personal best second
place. Jimenez on third also saved her best

result of the year for the floodlit final in the
illustrious Dubai Marina.
In Fridays floodlit 2016 showdown,
California-based Jones utilised his Cirque du
Soleil background in the World Series firstever night time event to show his best diving
and topped his most successful season with
a first place from the 27m-platform, forcing 6-time overall champion Hunt into 2nd
place. Paredes, the seasons kick-off winner,
finished the year on a high note completing
the podium.
Looking at the overall results, brilliant
Brit Hunt wrapped up his second hat-trick
of World Series wins after dominating
2010-2012 and 2014-2016. With the worlds
hardest dive on his list, three victories and
four more podium finishes, the 32-yearold left once again his mark on this sport.
Mexican rising star Paredes, whos famous
for immaculately displaying the easiest
dives from almost three times the Olympic
platform height, bettered his top-three finish
from 2015 by one position to become 2016s

runner-up. Todays competition winner Jones
claimed third place overall, beating Czechs
Michal Navratil on fourth by a small margin.
Fellow-American Steven LoBue completes
the top four of the 2016 World Series.
Over in the womens, only Canadas
Richard managed to stay on Ifflands heels
in the overalls and with two season victories,
she finished 2nd in what was her first fullyfledged season from 20m. Cesilie Carlton
from the US and Australian Merten complete
the top four, and automatically qualify for the
2017 season.
In addition to the top five of the 2016
World Series ranking, the remaining five
permanent tickets for the 2017 season were
assigned according to the rankings after 11
events, including the FINA world cup and
Marmeeting: David Colturi (USA), Orlando
Duque (COL), Sergio Guzman (MEX), Blake
Aldridge (GBR) and Kris Kolanus (POL).
In the females, Mexicos Adriana Jimenez
and Ginger Leigh Huber from the US got
Results MEN
1. Andy Jones, USA 508.50pts
2. Gary Hunt, GBR 477.20
3. Jonathan Paredes, MEX 465.05
4. Steven LoBue, USA 463.45
5. Sergio Guzman, MEX 457.40
6. Michal Navratil, CZE 452.00
7. Orlando Duque, COL 412.30
8. ArtemSilchenko, RUS 397.00
9. Alessandro De Rose (W), ITA 309.95
10. Kyle Mitrione (W), USA 291.80
11. Andrei Mikau (W), BLR 245.45
12. Owen Weymouth (W), GBR 238.40
13. Alain Kohl (W), LUX 202.00
awarded a permanent ticket for the 4th year

of the Womens World Series.
Nine tough and testing competitions,
including seven for the women, between
June and October made for the biggest-ever
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in 2016, in
which this pure extreme sport touched waters in natural and urban surroundings as well
as remote and iconic venues. In its eighth
year this gravity-defying sports series hit
new and proven ground in North America,
Europe, Asia and the Middle East to crown
two new champions.
In 2016 the World Series has seen more
competition winners than ever before - six

winners in nine events, including two new
faces on the top with veteran Michal Navratil
(CZE) and World Series rookie Sergio Guzman, in the mens and a complete newcomer
whos taken the female cliff diving elite by
surprise to become the first-ever rookie to
win the overall championship.
The World Series, with its ever growing
complexity of dives pushing the limits of
what is physically possible, as well as the
lengthening list of winners and increasing
competition at the top, will return stronger
than ever in 2017.
What did the winners have to say?

Rhiannan Iffland, AUS
I feel over the moon right now. Its still sinking in. But I wanted to come here today and
do my final dive. I wanted to make it really count and put a strong one in. So Im very,
very happy. I think finding out about the title yesterday made it easier, had I a little bit of
less stress on my shoulders. All I wanted to do today was got out there and have a good
time.
Andy Jones, USA
I wasnt thinking so much about the darkness as a lot of the other guys. I think my
background was definitely an advantage. I did a whole bunch of high dives in the dark in
my career before here. I think it definitely helped me out and I managed to win the first
round and hold it the whole way. It was a crazy couple of days. I was thinking about it all
day today, all day yesterday and I knew if I do my best then it can happen and I did my
absolute best diving. I have my best score ever and I got my first win.
Gary Hunt, GBR
I feel great. Its a defeat in the end of the day but its a full stop on a very long season. A
season where I can take a lot of positives away from. Theres nothing relaxing when youre
up on that platform. Its a thrill ride every time and that said, I felt comfortable and more
and more comfortable especially with the title in bag but the edge wasnt there today.
Results WOMEN
1. Rhiannan Iffland (W), AUS 245.90pts
2. Helena Merten, AUS 226.95
3. Adriana Jimenez, MEX 209.70
4. Cesilie Carlton, USA 207.40
5. Lysanne Richard, CAN 192.80
6. Jaki Valente (W), BRA 191.15
7. Ginger Huber, USA - 185.40
8. Rachelle Simpson, USA 175.00
Final Standings MEN (after 9 of 9 stops)
1. Gary Hunt, GBR 1350pts.
2. Jonathan Paredes, MEX 1030
3. Andy Jones, USA 910
4. Michal Navratil, CZE 900
5. Steven LoBue, USA 800
Final Standings WOMEN (after 7 of 7 stops)
1. Rhiannan Iffland (W), AUS 1290pts.
2. Lysanne Richard, CAN 1030
3. Cesilie Carlton, USA 780
4. Helena Merten, AUS 710
Red Bull Cliff Diving

World Series
Since 2009, the Red Bull Cliff Diving

World Series has provided a platform
for exhilarating action and dives of
ever-growing complexity. The series
features elite athletes as well as young
up-and-coming talent and a Womens
World Series was introduced in 2014.
In 2016 the sports best athletes will
once again leap, twist and somersault
from breathtaking heights with no
protection, except their concentration,
skill and physical control during nine
competitions around the world.
OUTDOORUAE
21
THE
OFF-ROADERS
corner
Name: Ammar Batardouk

Nationality: Syrian
Occupation: Sales and Marketing Director
Vehicle: 2013 FJ Cruiser
In Dubai, its common to find

FJ Cruisers on the roads, getting people from A to B as they
go about their daily lives. Ammar
Batardouk also has an FJ, which
he purchased in 2013 with the
aim of using it solely as an off-road
vehicle. Find out about his choice
below, and discover the modifications he has made...
Tell us the background
story of the car
I worked for a Toyota distributor in Saudi

Arabia for 19 years, so Im aware of the performance and durability of Toyota vehicles,
and I had a 2008 FJ Cruiser in Saudi Arabia
as a second car. After I moved to the UAE in
February 2013 I purchased the same car as a
second car (again) so that I could join in with
all the off roading activities in the Emirates.
What modifications have

been made, performance
and cosmetic wise?
In principle, an off road driver shouldnt start

modifying their car unless they know their
needs and what exactly theyll be using the
vehicle for, performance wise. Since the FJ
Do you have something

that you consider to be a
special feature of the car?
The hidden electrical winch behind the front

bumper.
What were your other options

before you bought this car?
Cruiser is a really powerful vehicle I made
only a few essential modifications:
1. Nitrocharger sport shock
absorber from ARB
2. H/T Discoverer tries from COOPER
3. Aluminium front skid plate
4. Back hitch with hitch ball mount
5. Front electrical winch brand TJM
6. Special designed roof rack brand TJM
7. Front 4 light (2 spread and 2 pencil)
brand TJM
8. Rear LED light
Cosmetic:
1. Back drawers
2. Folding back bed
3. Side awning brand TJM
4. Back ladder to the roof rack
None actually, the FJ Cruiser was my

targeted vehicle.
How often do you use your car, and

what activities do you take part in?
I use the car almost every weekend, and

Im a member of ALMOST 4X4 off roading
club. When the weather is good I go with
the team to camp in the desert on a Thursday night and we drive together on Friday
through a pre-organised route in the desert
based on the drivers level and skills.
We also have many activities out of the
country such as our annual trip to Salalah in
Oman as well as frequent trips to places like
Liwa and all over the UAE.
Are you planning any future

modifications?
Yes, Im planning for front and rear steel

customised bumpers.
What 4x4 do you dream of owning?
My dream off road car is actually a 6X6 not

4X4 the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6X6.
22
OUTDOORUAE
Name: Dennis Kumanin

Nationality: Russian
Occupation: Operations manager
Vehicle: 2015 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Denniss Jeep Wrangler

is the perfect car to take his family
on weekend expeditions, exploring
the wilds of the UAE. Theres plenty
of nifty modifications too, of which
even the most reluctant camper
would find appealing. Read on to
learn more!
Tell us the background
story of the car
This is not the first Jeep our family owns. We

used to have a Grand Cherokee and Commanders and we were always happy going
places and performing tasks that conventional cars simply cant. When we arrived
in the UAE last year there was no question
which car make to choose. I had my doubts
on Wrangler being my daily driver, but as
soon as I brought my family to the showroom they got into the Wrangler and simply
refused to get out. It was so obvious this is
a dream car for all of us!
What modifications have

been made, performance
and cosmetic wise?
Wrangler is lego for adults; you dont just

buy it, you build it for yourself the way you
want it. For example, there are over a thousand designs readily available for the front
bumper only. We have made extensive modifications that will certainly take more than
one page to get through. The key things
required to convert this particular Wrangler into a mighty comfortable overlanding
adventure mobile are: Modified suspension and lift kit to accommodate beefy 35
wheels/tires,strong off-road bumper with
self recovery winch, performance headlights for night vision on the road and lots
of off-road lights for the night vision out
there in a wild, amazing roof rack with lots of
accessories to bear all the gear required for
a family of 5,rooftop tent with shower skirt,
portable potty, awning with Snap-On tent,
water tanks, under-the-rack camping table,
off-road lights, shovel and ammo boxes with
gear. The kitchen is another fancy feature we
enjoy on every trip, and encompasses the
slide-out fridge, tailgate table with cutting
board, a small stove and a gas grill.
a DIY plug-and-play shower system based

on a self-priming camper water pump. This
really turned out to be a treat.
Do you have something

that you consider to be a
special feature of the car?
How often do you use your car, and

what activities do you take part in?
There are certainly a couple of special

features, but the one Id highlight is my DIY
pressure shower. When going beachside
camping we realise that for the kids and for
us a fresh water shower is simply a must. I
ended up building and installing the system
with a 54L water tank on the roof rack and
What were your other options

before you bought this car?
Definitely between the FJ Cruiser and JK

wrangler. Both have their pros and cons, but
for my family the ability to tailor the car to
our needs, converting to overland adventure
cruiser was the winning factor. And you can
take the roof, doors and even the windshield
off who could resist that!
We try to get out of the city every weekend

by going on desert trips with UAE OFFROADERS. Weve been to Omans Green
Mountain and try to go as many places as
possible in order to get the kids out in the
wild, away from the TV, gaming and their
iPads.
Are you planning any

future modifications?
I believe with Wrangler one can never stop

modifying it - the sky is the limit! My next
step is a dual battery system; I had my
battery drained once which was a stressful
experience, and my current solar system
does charge the battery, but it takes several
hours. Performance Off-road racing shocks
are also on my list and a HEMI conversion
kit Id better stop now, my wife might read
this!
What 4x4 do you dream of owning?

This is truly my dream car; I can only dream
for another Wrangler to play with when this
project is complete.
Want your 4X4 to be the next feature?
Its all simple! Just send us an email
at editor@outdooruae.com with the
subject Off-Roaders Corner and you
and your car might just be the next one
on this page!
OUTDOORUAE
23
Yamaha YXZ1000R:
Style, safety and POWER,
whatever the terrain!
The only sport 3-cylinder engine with class-defining 5-speed
sequential transmission
If youre an experienced desert driver
looking for the next level of thrilling, adrenalin boosting side by side motor, the all-new
Yamaha YXZ1000R should definitely be more
than enough to pique your interest. Doing more than merely resetting the bar for
sport side-by-sides, it is proof that Yamaha
is the leader in powersports performance.
Featuring a new 998cc inline triple engine
mated to a 5-speed sequential shift gearbox
with On-Command 4WD, massive FOX
Racing Shox suspension

front and rear, and styling the
competition cant touch, the
new YXZ1000R is in a class by
itselfthe only true pure sport
side-by-side ever developed.
The three-cylinder engine is an industry first, and features a compact DOHC
twelve-valve cylinder head, an aggressive
11.3:1 compression ratio and high-tech
dry-sump lubrication, which all help to give
the YXZ1000R engine incredible power, a
fantastic midrange torque and a thrilling
maximum rpm of 10,500. With all this going
on, the ride is actually smooth, thanks in
part to lightweight 80mm forged aluminum
pistons and a counterbalancer.
Riding in the desert, its understandable
that one might be concerned about the
effects of sand on the longevity of such a
vehicle. Fortunately, the YXZ1000Rs high
capacity intake system features dual air
filtersone oiled foam, one oiled paper
affording maximum airflow to the engine as
well as durable filtration for the dirtiest riding environments. The re-usable foam filter
features tool-free access for easy servicing,
too.
The 5-Speed Sequential Shift Transmission
with On-Command 4WD, is a real highlight
of this side by side. It allows a direct connection with the driver as well as permiting
rapid and smooth shifting, even in reverse.
Moreover, Yamahas proven On-Command
4WD system with full Diff Lock is ready to
tackle challenging terrain, and the entire
driveline is built to provide unmatched durability. All of this at the twist of a dial!
With the diverse landscapes on offer in
the UAE, off road enthusiasts need to be
sure that their suspension is tough enough
to handle sand dunes, rocks, and all the
other surprises that one might encounter
when out exploring. Thankfully, the YXZ100R
is equipped with huge piggyback FOX
2.5 Podium RC2 Shocks, which bring
a stunning visual impact alongside unmatched performance. All four corners are
fully adjustablespring preload, rebound
and both high- and low-speed compression dampingwith a huge 16.2 inches of
front travel and 17.0 inches at the rear, with
integrated Bottom-Out technology as well
as front and rear sway bars. When coming to
a stop, the YXZ1000R offers precise braking control thanks to twin-piston calipers
clamping down on 245mm rotors at all four
wheels, for excellent braking power, feel and
fade-resistance under hard use. An automotive-style parking brake lever is mounted in
cabins center console.
As far as handling is concerned, optimized frame dimensions help to make the

YXZ1000R one of the best available. In addition to the performance and durability that
comes with Yamahas exacting standards,
the YXZ1000R also includes extensive occupant protection without sacrificing driver
visibility, and a full-frame composite underbody skidplate protects the chassis from
rocks and debris perfect for exploring the
mountainous regions of the UAE and Oman!
Steering wise, the YXZ1000R features
Yamahas class-leading speed-sensitive
Electric Power Steering, for reduced steering effort and precise handling in virtually
all conditions. The EPS unit is lightweight
and compact and mounted high on the new
rack-and-pinion steering system, further
protecting it from dirt and debris.
Developed exclusively for Yamaha, the

YXZ1000R mounts 27-inch Maxxis Bighorn
2.0 radial tires that offer extreme performance, with increased ground clearance,
optimum traction, durability, comfort and
steering precision. These tires are mounted
to strong yet lightweight 14-inch alloy
wheels.
Aside from all the performance specifications, you and your passenger are sure to be
impressed by the interior, which takes side
by sides to a whole new level; the cab features plush cut-and-sew high-back seats with
extra lateral support and outside shoulder
bolsters, and the cockpit is built to provide a
balanced combination of secure confidence
with comfort. The floorboards are shaped to
provide generous legroom while still giving
a planted feel during aggressive driving,
too. The drivers seat is adjustable across 3.5
inches, and the steering wheel is tilt adjustable 5.8 inches to ensure a perfect fit. The
instruments on the dashboard are inspired
by Yamahas high-performance supersport
motorcycles. Functions include a high-visibility digital speedometer, analog tachometer
and programmable shift light, with digital
readouts for 4WD mode, gear position,
fuel level, trip meters, hour meter, coolant
temperature warning and a clock. But thats
not all. You can bring everything you need
to the desert, thanks to the YXZ1000Rs
composite cargo bed, with a 136 kg capacity and four steel tie-down points. A sealed
compartment next to the cargo bed and
glove box in the cab provide additional storage, as do passenger-side cup holders and a
central storage tray in the dashboard.
Feel the beautiful Arabian winter sun via
the composite suntop integrated into the
ROPS structure. A pair of whip flag mounts
are ready for customization options, too.
And at night, stay safe and stylish with
four super bright and long-lasting LED
headlights, which provide brilliant forward

illumination and give the YXZ1000R a
sinister and aggressive sense of style, with
a bright LED tail light out back for extra visibility.
Also available is the 155HP Turbo kit,
which requires only 5 psi of boost to make
over 150HP, edging out other the competition, whose vehicles require much higher
boost levels. Bolt-on Intercooler design.
The intercooler bolts directly to the engines
throttle bodies with o-ring billet surfaces
providing a simple, rigid and resilient connection without all the hassles of individual
hose connections to each cylinder.
Dimensions:
L x W x H: 122.8 in x 64.0 in x 72.2 in
Wheelbase: 90.6 in
Turning Radius: 236.2 in
Maximum Ground Clearance: 12.9 in
Fuel Capacity: 34 Litres
Wet Weight: 685kg
Bed Capacity: 136kg
Assembled in the USA, the Yamaha
YXZ100R is the hallmark of everything that
should be expected from a powerful side by
side, and is perfect for exploring all that the
UAE has to offer in an exhilarating, stylish
and safe way.
The product is available in all
Yamaha Showrooms across the UAE.
For more details, please contact
0505429876 or visit www.aym.ae.
OUTDOORUAE
25
PEOPLE
Mustafa Sahin
Age: 42
Nationality: British (Turkish Origin)
Profession: Chief Outdoor Instructor & Company Director,
Challenging Adventures, Ras Al Khaimah
Words by: Bandana Jain
Photos by: Supplied
Its important for me to feel at

one with nature, respecting what it
has to offer always, leaving nothing
but a footprint behind and taking
nothing but the memories with me
along my journey, says the avid
mountaineer Mustafa Sahin, for
whom being in the mountains is like
connecting with his inner self.
What does mountaineering
mean to you?
Mountaineering to me translates into

freedom, peace and respect. I love
nothing more than mountaineering to
explore nature; it gives me a sense of
freedom without the constraints of modern
life, leaving behind the pressures of city

life, the hustle and bustle of traffic, people,
electronics, etc.
When and how did you get

into mountaineering?
I was born in the Taurus mountains of Turkey

and grew up living there. I would take the
animals up the mountain to graze and bring
them back before dark fell. Sometimes this
would be riding mules or horses or sometimes it would be on foot. During the summer months we would move to stay on top
of the mountain at a place called Yayla
(I named my daughter after this amazing
place!) for the cool air and the plantation
and summer farming. In the winter I would
go hunting with my father or brother, climbing up the cliff to reach the beehives to
collect the wildest of mountain honey.
As a child, my favourite time of year was
waiting for the spring to arrive. This was the
signal I longed for so we could go exploring
in the mountains once more. Spending my
childhood and having such colourful happy
memories has definitely left its mark on me!
How would you like

to inspire others?
I want to encourage people to move out of

their comfort zones and explore the amazing
world that we have beneath our feet, taking
them back to nature to appreciate where our
food comes from and how the mountains
affect our everyday lives. I hope the more
people see this, the better chance we have
of preserving what we have for our future.
Where in the UAE and Oman do

you go for mountaineering?
I have been mountaineering throughout

RAK - I dont think there is a wadi that I
have not been to! Ive also been to most
parts of Oman, although one place that is
on my to-do list is Salalah. I think its such
a shame that once these beautiful places

become accessible by vehicles (I know its
lovely to make it accessible for everyone),
theres an increase in the amount of destruction and mess that humans leave behind.
This really upsets me.
Please share some tips for a good

mountaineering expedition.
When going into the mountains, be prepared for all kinds of weather conditions.
It is very important to have the correct kit,
food and drink, understand the timing,
the time of the day you start and finish the
expedition, the time of the year and the
kind of weather at the bottom or top of the
mountain. Its no use starting an expedition with glorious sunshine at the base of a
mountain wearing shorts and t-shirts to get
the top and be faced with freezing wind or
rain and not have the correct clothing to
protect yourself from these elements. This is
where danger sets in and the situation can
spiral out of control.
Arm yourself with a couple of alternate
plans. Dynamic risk assessment is vital to the
safety of yourself and others.
People always forget the humidity and
wind chill when checking the weather as this
makes a massive difference to what the actual weather conditions are. Dont just look at
the temperature, look at the whole picture.
If unsure, refer to an expert for advice.
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
The Druk Path Diaries:
Exploring Bhutan
Words + Photos by: Fahd Abu Aisha
In his penultimate episode of the

Druk Path Diaries, Fahd Abu Aisha
completes his trek and discovers
more about the history and culture
of Bhutan.
Day 6, November 4th:
Takin and Karaoke
Morning couldnt come sooner. By the time it

had I was exhausted, yet ultimately relieved
that it deigned to arrive. Finally, I thought,
the last trek day, and then I would be sleeping comfortably under blankets in a heated
room with a solid roof.
The monk had requested we have breakfast in his home; seated next to the radiator.
It was a welcome start to the day following
a horrific night. We packed our gear but
before departing the monk took us into the
monastery he looked after. It was a small and
quaint sanctuary but beautiful nonetheless;
with skillful wood carvings and majestic altars.
I made a little prayer for the monk, thanking
him for his hospitality as well as the three
musketeers (Tashi, Chef and the Horseman)
who had taken extremely good care of me
throughout this adventure. We then proceeded downhill.
We enjoyed a soothing stroll as we passed
through the various temples of the stunning Phajoding Monastery. The structures
are ancient and many of them are under
renovation, propped up by extensive support beams. The beams were put into place
following the tremors of the Nepalese earthquake in April 2015, whose waves extended
all the way to the Bhutan.

We continued further downhill with the city
of Thimpu sprawled in the valley ahead of us,
getting larger and larger with every step we
took. An hour later we had reached the end
of the trail, signaled only by a little indistinct
sign pointing upwards: Phajoding Monastery
2hrs. I was ecstatic. I had endured some
pretty harsh conditions (by my standards) and
made it to the end in one piece. I thanked
the chef and horseman for all their assistance as they unloaded our bags into the car
waiting for us, only to leave me taken aback,
when they mentioned that they would be
heading back up the trail and to Paro again!
It is illegal to transport or ride the horses by
road. The chef chortled softly saying he knew
all the shortcuts and would be back home in
two days. If only he had shared some of that
knowledge with us I would have had two
additional warmer nights.
Before we arrived at our hotel in the capital, we visited the Takin reserve. The Takin
is Bhutans national animal, an endangered
species, hence the need to build a massive
enclosed national park to preserve them.
They are peculiar looking creatures I havent
come across in any documentary or nature

magazine before. They hail from the family
of antelopes but have the head of a goat
and body of a cow. With the same fascinated
stare I had as a child when I saw a giraffe for
the first time, I watched these creatures feeding on the leaves and lounging around in the
shade. The novelty of seeing these magnificently unique creatures wore off eventually
while they carried out mundane yet envious
activities comprised mainly of eating and
sunbathing.
After heading to the hotel, I got dressed in
fresh clothes and left with Tashi to explore the
delights of the capital.Our first activity was
to get a national robe also known as the
Gho, tailored for me, which I had intended
to wear at the Tigers Nest Monastery on the
final day. It is a knee-length robe resembling
a kimono somewhat that is tied at the waist
by a traditional multi-coloured belt known as
a Kera. The girls in the store giggled away as
the tailor tucked and twisted the robe countless times around me before she was satisfied
with the fit and declared me fit to pass for a
foreigner instead of a cringing tourist. That
was good enough for me.
A savoury dinner followed at the hotel
before Tashi insisted on taking me out on
the town, to which I happily obliged. It was
a busy night of karaoke with the bar filled to
the brim. We nestled into a corner and started flicking through the catalogue looking for
some tunes to ruin. However, we all got cold
feet as one Bhutanese Sam Smith replaced
another on the stage to ovation after ovation.
It became evident the Bhutanese took their
karaoke very seriously and I wasnt sure how
they would react to some big nosed tourist
destroying Owl Citys Fireflies. Instead we
enjoyed the performances of the singers and
headed back to the hotel to hibernate for the
night.
OUTDOORUAE
27
Day 7, November 5th:

A History Lesson
After a quick breakfast in the hotel restaurant, Tashi and the driver collected my
gear and off we went for a cultural and
historical tour of the city before we drove
back to Paro for the night. The first of the
many sights we would stop at throughout
the day was the most jaw dropping.
Perched on a hill guarding over the city
lay the worlds largest and tallest statue of
Lord Buddha. The figure, made entirely
out of bronze and standing at 189sqft
28
OUTDOORUAE
(51m), may very well become the 8th wonder of the world when it is complete in two
years. It left me speechless; truly a sight to
behold. I stood rooted to the spot for at
least 15 minutes, admiring the workmanship
of the statues impeccable detail and design.
The devotion of Lord Buddhas followers to
honor him in such a way felt incredibly awe
inspiring.
The Memorial Chorten was arranged by
the Queen Mother to commemorate the 3rd
King of Bhutan; King JigmeDorjiWangchuck
(pronounced: Whang-chook).The site was
packed with civilians and monks alike circling the memorial. Like a born again Buddhist I followed suit, circling three times. The
purpose is to give ourselves extra merit for
our next life but only if we remained good
people and faithful to our souls, similar to
circling the Kaaba. I had reached a certain
level of clarity by this point; the Bhutanese
perception of life and their culture to continuously strive to be good to themselves, to
one another and their environment is something we should all work towards attaining.
A short drive later and we visited the
Youth Development Fund; a social project
created to encourage the Bhutanese youth
to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle,
and to pursue their passion with the facilities

in place to assist them (similar to a youth
summer camp). Within the establishment
was the Living Bhutan Museum, which
was a short but concise tour on Bhutanese
culture.
I then saw something incredible; a man
sat carving designs into wood and painting
them, solely using his feet. After watching this amazing feat (pun intended),I was
requested to engage in a game of Bhutanese darts, which had the same objective as
normal darts except that they were shaped
like missiles. I launched the first two which
landed above the board and the third missile barely stuck onto the outer ring. It was a
poor show.
Our final stop before we left for Paro was
the National Library of Bhutan, which, unbeknownst to me until that moment, holds
the Guinness World Record for the largest
book in the world. It is 5ft high, containing
stunning high-resolution pictures of Bhutan.
Dotted around the library walls were images
of the 5 kings of Bhutan a trek through its
monarchal history. The first King of Bhutan,
(UgyenWangchuck) stood with his posse of
guards decked out in the official royal armor,
flaunting his missing his left hand (which he
had lost in a battle.) The third King (whose

memorial we had visited earlier) stood
proudly next to the soon to be assassinated
there after Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Tashi added that they were very close
friends and the King was devastated when
the Tamil Tigers had killed him.
As we drove on the highway back to
Paro, I saw the first ever monastery to be
built in Bhutan out of my window, constructed in 1629. One distinct difference
this temple had compared to the others,
according to Tashi, was that its floors were
made entirely out of stone presumably
from the gigantic boulder it was built on.
The name of the Monastery is SimtokhaDzong- meaning On Top of a Witch. The
belief is that the witch remains alive and
well, trapped under there to this day.

We continued our drive swerving through
the mountain range and eventually under
the first and only flyover in the country. I
immediately noticed the extensive road
works taking place that will soon change the
countrys landscape. Too soon I fear.
It took us an hour to reach the 4th largest city of Paro, before I was to return to the
same lodge I had spent my first night. Tashi
took me to see the first ever monastery built

in Paro. This temple was the first of a smattering of 108 temples that were built in a single
night across the country to defeat the giant
ogres who were suppressing the spread of
Buddhism in the land. It was a magical way
to cap off the evening and get a good nights
rest for the final hike to Bhutans Pyramids
of Giza Paro Taktsong or more commonly
known as The Tigers Nest Monastery.
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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
100 Years of Inspiration:
Words + Photos by: Romain Loubeyre
This year marks the 100th

anniversary of the US National Park
Service, an institution in charge of the
conservation of the most splendid
landscapes in the United States, ensuring
that millions of visitors each year have a
chance to experience the great outdoors.
So it was about time that I became one
of them, and there is no better place than
Yosemite National Park for that.
Getting to Yosemite
Having the opportunity to go to California on

a business trip in September 2016 and having
recently watched one of the most inspiring
documentaries I had seen in a while (Valley
Uprising), I did not need any more reasons to
extend my stay and drive tirelessly the 500km
toward what many consider one of the greatest of the National Parks, and probably one of
the most photographed places in the US.
Yosemite is easily accessible from Dubai,
with direct flights to both San Francisco (the
closest) and Los Angeles, followed by a few
hours easy drive through California. My
McWay Falls
itinerary lead me through a significant portion

of the State (2000km on the road) and gave
me a good overview of what it has to offer:
starting from Los Angeles, I drove along the
coast through Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach up
until McWay Falls in the Big Sur. I then drove
inland to Fresno, through the Sierra National
Forest and finally arrived at Yosemite National
Park. I flew back from San Francisco (4-hour
drive from Yosemite) after a day visiting the
city. Taking with me about 15 kilos of photo
equipment (I like travelling light), both digital
and analogue, my main objective was clear:
to make the best use of it. I ended up with
about 190GB of RAW files and 6 film rolls, so
Id say the objective was indeed met.
Budget-wise, the round-trip airfare is usually
below AED 6,000, the entrance to the Park is
$30 for the week by car, and the campsite can
be as low as $6/night! No need for a 4WD
(unless you plan to sleep in it). An RV might
also be a good option in case the campsites
are all full.
Staying in the Park
There are various options for spending your

nights in the Park, from the luxurious lodge to
the rough night spent trying to fit on the back
seats of your car in a deserted parking lot in
bear territory. This is exactly how I spent my
first night and was indeed a very special
Hang Glider in Yosemite
30
OUTDOORUAE
experience which I do not recommend,

although it did offer plenty of occasions to
enjoy the views from Glacier Point at sunset,
during the night(waking up every 2 hours
trying to find an non-existent comfortable
position) and at sunrise, with only a 2min walk
from said parking.
One thing I did not expect is how busy the
Park is, mostly from April to September. By
the time I planned my trip (two days before
departure) all lodges and campsites were
full. They fill up quickly and booking three
months in advance is recommended; I did not
know that. A permit should also be booked
to stay overnight in the wilderness (called
the Wilderness Permit), and to do one of the
most famous hikes of the Park to the top of
Half Dome (called the Half Dome Permit, the
NPS does have straight forward names for its
permits). Last minute travellers, like myself,
have however a few options available: on site
application for a permit the day before the
hike (limited numbers) and a campsite without
prior reservation: the legendary Camp 4 (a
must for all climbers). This however means
that you should arrive as early as 7 am to the
site and wait an hour in line to get a spot. I
did arrive at 10am (not being able to miss the
opportunity of shooting sunrise) and got lucky
by getting the very last one-person spot of
the camp (next to the bathroom obviously).
Points of Interest
There are too many to make an exhaustive

list but here is a list of top 10 of my must-see
for photography purposes, which do not
require a long hike to access:
1) Tunnel View, which might very well be the
first sight of the Park that most visitors experience.
2) Glacier Point, which is worth visiting for
sunrise, sunset, during the night and pretty
much any time of day. From April to September, a group of Hang Gliders start their flight
from Glacier Point around 8 am - worth a look
(and a picture) if you happen to be there at
the right time
3) Taft Point, best visited at sunset when a
couple is having their wedding photo-shoot
on site (I got lucky)
4) Pretty much anywhere in the Valley along
the Merced River, such as Cathedral Beach,
which offers stunning reflections of the rock
formations on the surface of the water
5) Vernal and Nevada Falls, which have nice
accessible hikes to some of the few waterfalls
that are still active after spring (and also happen to be on the way to Half Dome);
6) Olmsted Point, a 1-hour drive from the Valley but worth the view (and also located on
the way to 8 and 9)
7) Tuolumne Grove, for an experience of the
giant sequoia trees (Mariposa Grove is currently closed to visitors)
8) Tenaya Lake, for a refreshing swim or some
kayaking
9) Tuolumne Meadows, offering a quieter
visit of the Park and impressive landscapes
10) El Capitan Meadow, to observe climbers on a challenging 3,000 feet ascent of the
Nose (I also hiked to the base of the Nose
for some closer views of the climbers during
their feat).
Outdoor Activities
Again, too many to list, but a few jump to

my mind, photography being my personal
favourite. Walking in the footsteps of Ansel
Adams is quite exciting and daunting at the
same time. As he accurately said: Landscape photography is the supreme test of
the photographer - and often the supreme
disappointment.When you have seen so
many images of the place, under every angle
and light, it indeed feels like a test to finally
be there,with a camera in hand.
Hiking is one of the most common activities in the Park, and the number and variety
of hikes available is pretty much unlimited.
Guide books dedicated to Yosemite hikes
describe these in detail, and there are a few
safety tips you should consider prior to going
out there. I did the 4-hour (round-trip) hike
to Nevada falls, which was very enjoyable
and challenging enough that I felt I finally
deserved a hot meal that evening (I had also
had enough of my classic combo of beef
jerky and granola bar).
Less adventurous but equally scenic,
walking or biking through the Valley itself is
nothing short of inspiring. It does get quite
busy after 9 am, especially on weekends (not
Dubai-Mall-on-a-Friday-evening busy, but still
more than you would hope for when trying to
get out of crowded cities).
Climbing is another great activity. As said
above, watching the movie Valley Uprising
before going to Yosemite is highly recommended (warning: you might want to buy
a ticket to San Francisco immediately after
though, so check your account balance
beforehand). It does feel like Yosemite was
made for climbers: the rock formations,
smooth big walls, are just perfect for it.
Courses are available, but staying in Camp
4 and meeting other climbers can be an op-
portunity to learn a few tricks as well.

My time there went fast and those five days
in the Park were equally filled with activities
and wandering around aimlessly, camera in
hand, and just appreciating the surroundings,
which was all very satisfying. It is one of those
places to which I will go at least 4 times in my
life: once for each season.
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
Words + Photos by: Angela Manthorpe
There arent many roads in the

Svalbard archipelago, so if you want
to get up close to polar bears,
its best to get on a ship and look
for them on the remote islands
and pack ice. So, after a few
days of hiking around the capital
Longyearbyen, I joined the M/V
Expedition for a 10-day trip to do
just that.
The main Arctic tourist season starts in
April but Id chosen to go in mid-August,
late in the season, because with less ice you
have the chance to cover more ground and
maybe get to some of the less explored
islands further East. The intention of the
voyage was to follow the ice up North and,
subject to ice conditions, circumnavigate the
entire island group.
Life on the ship has its own routine a
wake up call at 7am followed by a hearty
breakfast after all, you need to build up
your energy for a tough day of standing
around on deck in freezing temperatures.
With lunch at 12 noon and dinner at 7pm, a
typical day was designed around 2 activities
such as a beach landing or a trip on the
zodiacs, plus a lecture on Arctic wildlife or
history. But travel in the Arctic is unpredictable and plans can be affected by a multitude
of factors including fog, ice and polar bear
sightings. Flexibility is key.
Our first day demonstrated the need for

such flexibility. We sailed up the West coast
of Svalbard and pulled into the bay at Magdalenefjord. Here there are the remains of
a 17th century whaling station with blubber
ovens on shore. The crew had launched the
zodiacs with the intention of landing all passengers for a closer inspection of this historic area. However, before any shore landing
takes place theres a thorough inspection of
the surrounding areas to see if there are any
polar bears. As I mentioned in part one, for
the safety of man and polar bear alike, you
dont want to have an unexpected encounter. So, when one of the staff announced
that a polar bear had been spotted about
2 miles away across the fjord, all plans for
the shore landing had to be abandoned and
our hike was converted to a zodiac cruise at
short notice.
Once in the water our flotilla headed off in
the direction of the bear and as they are naturally quite inquisitive creatures it didnt take
long for it to make its way down the slope
and along the shoreline. Now, during the
summer melt polar bears end up in a couple
of places - some stay on the pack ice, which
is their natural habitat and where seals can
be found; as the ice retreats further North,
so do the bears. Others get marooned on
land where there is less food and they sit out
the long days waiting for the ice to return in
autumn, maybe scavenging a dead whale,
birds eggs or eating a bit of seaweed,

depending on their fat reserves to see them
through this lean time. This particular polar
bear looked pretty healthy and we were
able to watch him for a good hour before
he disappeared from view. Apparently the
winter freeze of 2015/2016 only resulted in
a thin layer of sea ice around Svalbard and
by late June all of the ice had cleared. If we
were to find pack ice and more bears wed
have to head a long way, so once we were
all back on board the captain set a course
due North and we motored steadily during
the night.
I was up early the next day to see the
pack ice, but out on deck I found the ship
shrouded in dense fog. This is one of the
hazards of travelling in the high Arctic fog
can descend at any time and as it limits
visibility, you cant move the ship or launch
zodiacs until it clears. Occasionally the
blanket lifted and we were able to push onwards through a patchwork of scattered ice.
During this time we had some great views of
seals and approaching one floe we counted
almost a dozen harp seals which all slipped
away leaving only a single larger and more
confident bearded seal. All the while we
were surrounded by kittiwakes and fulmars,
which snap up the Arctic cod and plankton that gets disturbed as the ship pushes
through the ice.
But really, we were in the ice to find polar

bears and having not had any success all
morning, our captain took us out of the pack
and we raced to the East before plunging
due North again. This time we were richly
rewarded as the fog cleared completely and
now with great visibility, a bear was spotted with a kill. Everyone was out on deck
by this time, cameras at the ready, and we
slowly approached the bear, stopping within
the regulation distance so as not to disturb
the animal. It appears that this was a young
bear, possibly with its first kill because after
tearing off a few chunks of flesh the bear
proceeded to cover the kill with snow and
then made a few charges at the opportunistic gulls nearby, which is unusual behaviour. We watched proceedings for over
2 hours until the bear settled down for a
snooze, and the call of the dinner bell finally
dragged us indoors.
The following day we called in at several
barren islands off the North of Nordaustlandet. On Karl XII-ya an inquisitive polar
bear took to the water and started to follow
one of the zodiacs, causing the boat to retreat swiftly. After watching us from a secure
vantage point he swam back to the mainland and proceeded to climb up the hillside,
presumably in search of eggs and chicks.
We also spotted our first walrus here, with
several mothers in the water with calves and
two hauled out on the rocks. On the island
of Brochya, a very large and healthy male
came to check us out near the shore, giving
us some excellent photo opportunities, before he too set off up the rocks. Diving back
into the pack ice we spotted a young bear in
the distance. He ambled closer for a while,
sniffing the air and finally settled down for a
snooze.
The next day brought the first bad weather of the trip with light rain and lower temperatures. We continued East to Kvitya, a
seldom visited island thats entirely covered
by an ice cap. It was here that the three
crew members of Salomon Andres 1897
balloon expedition spent their final days.
The bodies werent discovered for 33 years;

such is the inaccessibility of this island. A
landing was planned on the ice free spit of
Andreneset to give us a chance to stretch
our legs after three days on board ship, but
this time it wasnt polar bears or fog that
thwarted the plans, but a rolling swell falling
straight on our intended landing spot. The
crew were able to improvise once again
however and after a lengthy reconnoitre we
were all safely landed on a sheltered beach
at Kraemerpynten for a quick walk on the
ice cap. For sure, not many ships make it to
this point - the most Easterly spit of land in
the whole Svalbard archipelago and the last
outpost of Europe - Russian waters are only
15 nautical miles away.
After these few days in the ice we now
turned south and rounded Nordaustlandet, to view the dramatic dolerite cliffs of
Alkefjellet, where an estimated 60,000 pairs
of Brnnichs guillemots nest on the tiniest
of ledges. When only partly fledged the
chicks flutter down to join the adult males
in the water - many dont make it, which
explains why the area provides rich feeding
grounds for Arctic foxes and we spotted
three patrolling the grassy banks below
the cliffs. Our afternoon landing was at
Palanderbukta on the South East of Nordaustlandet and a fine example of the polar
desert rocky, barren, sparsely vegetated.
As Id opted for the fast hike we struck off
immediately to ascend the slope behind
the beach. We crossed an area dense with
shells and looking across the landscape you
could see this was a raised beach, evidence
of a previous shoreline. It was a fantastically clear afternoon with the sun shining
brightly, and from the hill top we had some
fine views over the glaciers and the ice cap,
which is the third largest in the world after
Antarctica and Greenland. On our descent
we were able to take a close look at some
of the hardy plants that eke out an existence
here, such as the Svalbard Poppy and the
Purple Saxifrage, the worlds most northerly
flowering plant.
We were now on a Westerly course and
very quickly the environment transforms
from rocky desert to the more fertile tundra.
This is due to the North Atlantic current, an
offshoot of the Gulf Stream, which brings
warmer water to the area. We passed
through the narrow channel of Freemansundet which separates the islands of Barentsya and Edgeya. Polar bears are often
stranded here and with binoculars trained
on the hillsides we were able to count seven
distant bears, bringing our total for the trip
to 17. As wed been lucky to have several
close encounters its easy to discount these
far-off sightings, but be warned, on some
trips distant creamy blobs can be the only

sightings you get of the King of the Arctic.
Turning South down the coast of Edgeya
we put in for a landing at the historic site
of Kapp Lee, the location of Russian and
Norwegian hunting camps from the 17th
century. From the beach we were able
to get quite close to a walrus haul out,
counting about 15 in total. This was an all
male group - they can weigh as much as
two tonnes with tusks up to one metre in
length. At this site the walrus were heavily
exploited in the past and skeletal remains
litter the beach. Our protection team
set up a perimeter within which we were
able to explore the remains of the hunting
camps, the tundra and its rich vegetation,
and watch several Svalbard Reindeer grazing
the distant slopes. Our afternoon zodiac
cruise took us up to the impressive glacier
front within Hornsund, and strangely, as the
calving glacier rumbled like thunder in the
background, it seemed appropriate to have
a quick swim! The water was only 3C and
although most of my companions seemed
to think this was ok, I was very grateful that
the on-board sauna was steamy hot.
Far too soon, our final landing came
at Skansbukta, deep within the sheltered
Isfjord and close to Longyearbyen. This spot
is particularly rich in botany and we found
several species which are locally quite rare
such as the Boreal Jacobs ladder, Dwarf
Birch and the Net-leaved Willow. The cultural history is also quite rich here as a failed
attempt to mine gypsum has left a mine entrance, the remains of a railway and a small
cargo ship abandoned on the shore.
And so, after almost three weeks in
Svalbard Id seen all that I came for and far
more. This is a great wilderness and wildlife
destination, and if youre stuck for ideas for
2017, Id thoroughly recommend it. Certainly if the worst global warming predictions come true, the pack ice - the true
realm of the polar bear - is an environment
that needs to be seen soon, before its lost
forever.
OUTDOORUAE
33
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
Words + Photos by: Andrew St Pierre White
A new continent and an altogether new type of overland vehicle were

placed on my plate early one morning in February. I was in Dubai, my
first time touring any part of Asia, with a Toyota Land Cruiser six-wheel
drive loaded with camping kit in the driveway, ready to go.
This delightful prospect had kept me

awake for three months as the trip was proposed, organised and now imminent.
Shaun and Andronette Mayer, South
African expats living in Dubai, approached
me with the idea of driving across Oman.
That idea alone was enough to get my wanderlust boiling over. It turned out that, for
over a decade, the two of them had made
overland touring in that part of the world
a specialty. They had also been part of an
editorial team that has produced a number
of guidebooks for the area. So, my hosts
were well qualified to show me how to take
full advantage of Oman.
The brief to me was: Get yourself here
with a toothbrush and driving license.
We will do the rest. This made me a bit
34
OUTDOORUAE
nervous. Many years ago under similar guidance, I found myself alone next to a river
with a vehicle, but no fuel, a Swiss-Army
knife my only tool, and a night spent on
the open dirt with no sleeping comforts of
any kind. Not even a blanket. But thats for
another campfire.
In contrast, Shaun and Andronete pulled
out all the stops and showed Gwynn (my
wife) and I an absolutely wonderful time in
the desert.
But topping everything was the truck. I
like Land Cruisers quite a lot. But this one
was beyond expectations. At first, I was told
my vehicle would be a Jeep Wrangler, and
that was good for me. Any time spent in a
Jeep is good.
Then there was a change in plan, and I
was told, A Dubai company specialising in

vehicle accessories and truck builds is loaning you one of their creations.
This also added to my sleepless nights.
Arabs like their 4x4sa lot. In fact, a bit
too much to be healthy really. Some of their
outlandish creations are absurd. Me being a
bit conservative in my vehicle tastes, I really
didnt want something I wouldnt appreciate.
What I was eventually given curled my
toes. A Toyota Land Cruiser 79-series
pickup, fitted with the highly evolved
Australian Multidrive 6x6 conversion. With
a payload in excess of three tons, (not that
I needed it) articulated rear axles, auto diff
locks and twin fuel tanks, this was going to
be amazing.
As I first clapped eyes on it, it dawned on
me that this vehicle could be an even better
overland vehicle platform than my beloved
Cruiser Troopie. But, how would it drive?
That would be the deciding factor.
The route took us through a section of
dunes inside the Al Marmoum Conservation
Reserve in the UAE. Shaun wanted to show
us Arabian Gazelle, Oryx and camels. But I
was less interested in the wildlife because
I wanted to find out how a 6x6 played in
deep sand.
With this in mind, I decided to first drive at
normal tire pressures, while Shaun dropped
his heavily loaded Land Cruiser-76 pressures
down to about 1-bar (14,5 PSI).
Astonishingly, I kept up with him, although
not with ease. As the day became hotter,
I too had to accede: while the 6x6s capabilities in sand were good, it was no magic
carpet. Even with six of them, they will dig in
when the sand gets soft enough.
But the big surprise was the trucks agility.
I expected it to feel heavy, cumbersome

and a bit of a handful. Not a bit of it. It felt a
bit heavier than my Troopie, but not to the
point where it became difficult to control. It
displayed a similar amount of over-steer and
under-steer to what I was familiar with. By
the end of the day, I was delighted with my
truck.
The roads heading south through Oman
towards the high plateau were a good test
for its on-tar feel. And this is where I was
amazed. It tracked as well as a stock Land
Cruiser 79 with a high quality suspension
upgrade. But its ride was even better. The
tendency for a lightly loaded stock Cruiser-79 to kick a bit at the back had gone.
High in the Al Hajar mountains, I was
introduced to the best overland mountain
pass I have even driven. Ninety minutes
spent climbing over 6000 feet of elevation,
with switchback after switchback, all surrounded by towering cliffs. The 6x6 handled
this challenge as easily as any 4x4 pickup.
The brakes were excellent, better that my
stock Troopy by a large margin (stock Troopy
brakes with rear drums are lousy!)
Over the top and, to my absolute delight, the tortuous decent was loose gravel.
Heaven! And this vehicle was easy to drive.
With no overt under-steer, as I expected, a
bit of over-steer can be induced exactly
what I am used to. Another two hours of
straining against the seat belts and I think I

permanently creased my face with a smile all
the way down that pass. I loved every inch
of it.
The routes through Oman were brilliant.
The truck marvelous. The scenic shots
unsurpassed. The quality of the campsites
terrible. Sadly. While the rubbish, litter and
general mess around many of the campsites dented our impression of Oman, it
did not spoil our enjoyment of the country
to any significant degree. Surely litter and
mess is an easy problem to solve. Trash
cans, education and a bit of political will is
all it takes.
My verdict on the Multidrive 6x6 Land
Cruiser is: In a dual-cab configuration with a
quality camper canopy installed, it would be
a truly amazing long distance overland truck.
It has everything going for it.
This one had the 1HZ, 4,2 normallyaspirated straight-six diesel engine, the one
loved by undeveloped countries because
of its lack of any electronics. Even with
the after-market turbo fitted, its still a bit
underpowered. In Asia these Cruisers can
also be delivered in 4-door dual cab form
with the 4.0 V6 petrol, and in Australia with
the 4,5 V8 diesel. Fuel consumption on this
trip equaled that of Shauns laden Cruiser-76
station-wagon, averaging about 15 liters per
100 kilometres (18mpg)
But the very best part of this rig is its ride

on rutted tracks and washboards. The rear
axle system means that when axle-2 rides
up, it pushes axle-3 down. And when axle-3
is pushed up, it pushes axle-2 down.
Driving over speed humps displays how
this works. As the front wheels ride over the
bump, the vehicle hops as normal, but the
effect on the rear is odd to say the least.
Almost nothing happens. Because of this
suspension, the rear lift over the bump is
divided by two. In the cab, the rear wheels
lifting over an obstacle can hardly be felt.
Off road, it feels strange and took a bit of
getting used to. Once I got the measure of
it, I was so impressed. The ride on tracks is
amazing.
Quite horrid corrugations, Shaun said
once. I looked at him with a blank stare. I
honestly hadnt even noticed them. Truly.
But I leave this one for when Ive experimented some more with this setup on corrugations. I find it all a bit to good to be true
for now.
So, as I contemplate my next major vehicle build, (in Australia) I have to consider if
this truck is the next step up the overland
ladder. Could the Cruiser 6x6 be turned into
the perfect overland truck? Well see want
the future brings. As far as Oman is concerned, it could easily become a favourite.
We loved every minute of it.
TRAVEL & ADVENTURE
Words + Photos by: Chris and Amanda Fraser
We thought the pride taking

down an elephant was our grand
finale in Botswanabut we were
wrong. We decided to skip our
afternoon game drive, indulging in
a few sundowners instead. Just as
the sun was about to settle over
the Chobe, Chris started shouting frantically, WILD DOGS, WILD
DOGS, WILD DOGS!!! Was this another case of boy crying wolf? Just
one week back wed encountered
the same excited announcements
only to find out it was several impala across the river. Whoops.
Sure enough we all turned our heads to
find a pack of 9 wild dogs running across
the floodplain directly in front of our camp.
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. Nunnis arms
went flailing, stopping the oncoming campers from getting in the way of our view. Little
did we know they were also following the
dog pack.
Because the sun was setting, we had a bit
of a predicament with heading out of the
park to follow their hot pursuit. Chris and I
jumped in the vehicle, promising Nunni we
would not leave the campground. Jeremy
instructed us to go around the no access
points at the end of Ihaha camp and follow
them flat out.
The angel and the devil were playing our
on our shoulderswhat to do?!
The pack slowed down as they took note
of a herd of zebra and several impala in
the distance. We had a perfect view right
from campsite one. The angel was winning;
maybe we could watch it all from there.
Suddenly, the pack split up in various
directions. Chris and I were watching in awe.
I started hitting him and repeating the fact
36
OUTDOORUAE
that 70 per cent of all wild dog hunts end

with a successful kill. Would we be so lucky?
The impala recognised the impending
danger and darted, running back towards
our campground. A few followed the riverbed while others scattered through the
campsites. Pandemonium ensued. Three
dogs chased the impala through a stunned
group of campers in site number three. Chris
followed the dogs at high speed. The other
dogs chased the impala near the river, crossing right in front of Jeremy and Nunni. As a
desperate last effort, two of the impala leapt
INTO the river. From the car, we assumed
those two were finished. So we turned back
to see part of the pack regrouping and making plan B. We raced back to the end of the
campground where we noticed two or three
impala on the other side of the camp. Now
the devil was whispering in my earthis is
something that could not be missed!
I started yelling for Chris to drive through
the ditch and cross the no access point,
cutting across the open game park plains.
He was not sold and thought we might get
in a lot of trouble if caught. We waited for a

minute to see how the hunt played out. And
so our luck continuedBotswana just did
not want us to leave.
Four dogs cornered the impala, chasing
them back into our campground just above
the ablutions block. Chris and I were going
full speed, creating our own road to where
we assumed the attack would go down. We
were now following the dogs on our own,
cutting through the vegetation at the top
of camp. We hit a stump so hard, the radio
switched on; a low static filled the air and
we thought that was it, a tire had popped.
Not giving up on this hunt, I reminded Chris
that punctures could easily be repaired, and
that we must carry on. We finally realised the
noise was from the radio and were relieved
to still see a few dogs in sight.
When we got to the top of the campsite
we found a fresh impala carcass, guts pulled
out. Wed just missed the take down. The
lead hunter gathered his chommies and
the savage feast was over in less than five
minutes. Seven wild dogs tearing apart the
impala. Smiles appeared on every dogs face
as the last bits of meat were devoured. Chris
and I sat in awe. Wed witnessed the entire
hunt, start to finish. No more than 15 chaotic
minuteswe didnt need to leave the
campsite and there was still a distant glow
from the setting sun; the angel had overpowered the devil and we were rewarded
for following the rules of the national park!
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LIFESTYLE
Weekend
Family Adventures
Words + Photos by: Jen Hardie
There are so many wonderful

places to visit in Oman and the
UAE for weekend trips with kids
where theres plenty of adventure
for parents and children to share
and enough fun for those who dont
have kids as well. Two of my
recent favourites are Wadi Shab
and Wadi Tiwi, a few hours outside
of Muscat, and Jebel Akhdar, which
is roughly a five-hour drive from
Dubai.
WADI SHAB, WADI TIWI
and TURTLES
Distance from Dubai: 650-700kms
Good for: Jumping into big wadis,
short hikes and exploring nature
Wadi Shab and Wadi Tiwi are almost a bit
too far for a weekend away from the UAE,
but definitely doable for a long weekend. If
you do want to explore, but cant get more
than a few days away, you can fly to Muscat
and hire a 4x4 at the airport.
Wadi Shab is roughly a two-hour drive

from Muscat, and youll experience windy
mountain roads with breath-taking scenery
for most of the journey.
Once you reach Wadi Shab, you can
take small boats from the car park across
the wadi, which will get you started on the
path. In the hotter months, make sure that
you bring plenty of water, as your walk to
the wadi is about 45 minutes with very little
shade expect even longer if youre travelling with kids. After the initial hike, you reach
a big pool of greenish blue water. Its at this
point that you need to dump anything that
you dont want to get wet, so make sure
that you leave all of your valuables locked in
your car, and jump into the water. After 45
minutes under an unforgiving sun, your first
dip is complete bliss.
You swim through the water for about 20
minutes until you reach a cave. When youre
doing the swim with kids, having life jackets
or swim floats can make things a little easier,
as there are parts of the water that can be
as deep as 3-4 metres, especially inside the
cave, where there is not much to hold onto.
Theres an old rope inside the cave that

adventurous explorers can climb up on, but
the rocks are slippery, so dont expect to
get too far! After visiting the cave, there are
plenty of rocky ledges that you can climb
up and jump into the water. The water is a
good 3-4 metres deep at this point, so its
safe for jumping in. In WadiShab, there are
not many creepy crawlies in the water, but
do expect to meet plenty of toads, most of
whom are quite content (for a while) to be
picked up and manhandled by children.
Expect WadiShab to take a full day. Bring
a packed lunch and snacks and plan on just
enjoying nature: as well as the wadi, there
are plenty of rocks to scramble across and
explore.
After our big day in Wadi Shab, we

headed over to Ras al Hadd Turtle Reserve
at dusk, where we saw Green turtles laying
eggs and burying them in the sand. Its a
special sight, no matter what your age is.
If youre lucky, you might even get to see
one of the tiny turtles trying to make it back
to the sea. Sadly only 2-3 out of the 1,000
that hatch actually make it to sea, with many
getting munched by crabs or other large fish
waiting for them by the waters edge.
On our second day, we drove to Wadi
Tiwi, where you drive up a very steep
mountain road, past old villages to the top.
From there, we walked past a local village
and then into the wadi. You definitely need
a 4x4 for this bit, as the road is very steep,
but certainly exhilarating. Wadi Tiwi is great
for families with adventurous kids, as well as
anyone without kids. The walk to the wadi
is about 10 minutes from the village. Once
arriving at the wadi you can leave anything
you dont want to get wet, then begin to
circumnavigate your way through beautiful
rock pools filled with crystal clear water. You
can easily spend all day at Wadi Tiwi splashing in the water and exploring. Depending
on how much water is flowing, you might
even encounter a waterfall or two. Eva, my
seven-year-old, had decided that the old

falajes (aqueducts) were much like a water
slide at Wild Wadi and spent a good hour
whooshing down them.
On the way back to Muscat, we passed
by Dabab Sinkhole, which is a little over
100kms from Muscat. The sinkhole, inside a
park, is accessible for everyone, complete
with stairs to reach the bottom. Its good fun
to cool off in the heat, and theres a few rock
ledges that the more adventurous can jump
from. If youre lucky you might see a few of
the locals jump in from the very top.
If youve not had much experience in
the wadis, joining a group for the first time
might be a good option.
JEBEL AKHDAR
Distance from Dubai: 500kms
Good for: Exploring villages, going
for hikes, cooling off
Jebel Ahkdar is a great mountain to visit if
youre relatively new to 4x4-ing and camping in the region. If you dont have a 4x4,
there are even places that rent them at the
base of Jebel Akhdar. The mountain is about
3,000 metres high, but it has a road that can
only be accessed by 4x4s, which goes all the
way to the top. Theres a police checkpoint

at the bottom of the mountain where theyll
check your driving license, Oman insurance
and the suitability of your vehicle to make it
up and down; beware, the road is steep!
There are plenty of camping spots to find
around the mountain and lots of big and
small hikes in the area. For kids there are a
number of walks through villages, complete
with falajes for them to jump in and out of,
and breath-taking scenery. Hikes are marked
by yellow, white and red flags painted on
rocks and buildings, so it makes it really easy
to find your way.
As there are a number of inhabited villages on the mountain there are also a few
small shops selling necessities and a petrol
station so if you run out of basics, theres
always somewhere to stock up.
Useful links
Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve:

www.rasaljinz-turtlereserve.com
Groups that organise regular
adventure trips include:
UAE Trekkers: www.uae-trekkers.com
Trekkup: www.meetup.com/trekkup
Adventure Emarat: www.meetup.com/
Adventure-Emarat
Dubai Offroaders: www.dubaioffroaders.com
Jen is an avid boxer, scuba diver, runner,
rock climber and hiker who can often be
found exploring the very best of the UAE
and the world with her two kids Matt and
Eva.
OUTDOORUAE
39
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Habitually healthy
Sourdough Bread
Words + Photos by: Michelle Harvey
We recently started making our

own gluten free sourdough bread
at The Cycle Bistro. We have had
a lot of questions about how it
is made so I wanted to take this
opportunity to write a little about
how sourdough works. Weve
also had great feedback on the
sandwiches, so thank you! We are
lucky to have Ranjan in the kitchen
who possesses a myriad of
sandwich ideas, so please come
by to try one if you havent already!
Before the advent of commercial yeasts,
all bread would have been considered
sourdough. Bakers realised that they could
harness the natural yeast and bacteria from
the flour and air to leaven their loaves. If they
kept some of this pre fermented bread and
flour mixture (known as a sourdough starter)
behind, it could be used to leaven more
loaves in future. The majority of bread you

buy is made using commercial yeasts that
enable fast and uniform leavening useful in a
large scale bread making context. However,
in making the process more efficient we lost
the health benefits that defaulted from the
old traditional methods.
Commercial bread is refined to the point
where the germ (the only nutritious part of
the grain) is discarded before being whitened with chlorine gas. Some breads have as
many as 31 ingredients. Each ingredient has
a different function from re-fortifying (often
the nutrients stripped away by discarding the
germ at the beginning of the process are reintroduced later) to creating the right consistency of dough for use in the machines. This
process leaves us with a fluffy white bread,
sweet in taste and almost completely devoid
of nutritional value.
A lot of people marvel at the sudden rise
of gluten intolerance. They are mystified
or even dismissive of its pervasiveness as a
mere trend. However, I think the processing of bread is perhaps more to blame than
the gluten itself. Sourdough fermentation
partially breaks down gluten, destroying
some of the peptides thought to be responsible for gluten intolerance. The organic acids
produced by a sourdough culture also slow
How make a sourdough starter:

Ingredients
One or more of the following wholegrain
gluten-free flours: Sorghum flour, Teff flour
(I have found sorghum to be the best)
Brown Rice Flour, Amaranth flour, Quinoa
flour, or Buckwheat flour. I recommend
that you do not use a high starch flour like
tapioca, millet, white rice, sweet rice,
or potato. These will cause the yeast to
go into overdrive and become high
maintenance.
Filtered Water
Organic red cabbage leaves
Method
1. Place 1 cup of sweet sorghum or teff
flour (these seem to work the best to begin the starter) and 1 cup of filtered water
in your container. Mix with a whisk.
2. Add 1 or 2 leaves of organic red cabbage. Mix those around with the flourwater slurry.
3. Cover with porous material like

cheesecloth or a kitchen cloth. You need
air penetration for the bacteria to enter.
(The ideal temperature for yeast to grow
at is around 21 to 24 degrees C.
The colder the environment, the more
slowly the yeast will grow. The warmer
the environment, the faster the yeast
will grow)
4. Stir it every so often (although try to stir
it at least once during the 8 to 12 hours
between feedings).
5. About 8 to 12 hours later, feed your
starter: add another 1 cup each of whole
grain flour (the same one you started with)
and water. Whisk again.
6. Repeat this process every 8 to 12 hours
(your starter will do the best if its fed more
ofteni.e., it can be fed every 12 hours but
every 8 is better). After about 48 hours
you should see some bubbling action in
your starter.
our bodies absorption of sugars in white

flour and reduce the dangerous spikes of
insulin that can be caused by refined carbohydrates. Researchers in Italy have found that
an adequately fermented sourdough could
be tolerated, even by someone with celiac
disease. I like to think of fermentation as an
external stomach. The bacteria and yeast
do some of the digesting for us outside our
bodies. When the grain does finally enter our
stomachs, the nutrients in are much more
available.
How does sourdough work?
Bacteria from the air and yeast from the flour

work symbiotically to ferment the grains. The
lactic acid bacteria creates an environment
for the yeast to grow and stops the invasion
of things like mould. The sugars in the flour
are broken down and the gas eliminated creates the rising effect of bread. This process
creates a complex and sour flavour typical
and unique to sourdough bread. Since gluten
is sticky and elastic, its much easier to ferment than the gluten free grains. However,
there is a way to speed up this process - by
adding a cabbage leaf to your sourdough
starter. The white film you see on cabbage
leaves (see photo) is wild yeast. The same
is also found on grapes. By adding a piece
of cabbage to the starter you can effectively
borrow this yeast and use it to help kick start
the fermentations process. Once the starter
is established, you use a portion of it in each
batch of bread to act as the leavener and to
add flavour.
Making a sourdough is not something that
will be successful solely based on your ability
to avidly follow a recipe. It requires a certain
patience and curiosity that, if mastered, will
carry you far beyond your bread baking escapades. Good luck and please let me know if
anyone attempts this at home!
The Cycle Bistro

GPS location:
Latitude:
N 25 02.792
Longitude:
E 055 14.384
Phone:
04 425 3000
OUTDOORUAE
41
Words by: Catalin Anghelescu

Photos by: Ian Sebeldia and Jung Francisco
When you think about Dubai,

what are the first things that come
to your mind? For some, its the
shopping malls, iconic towers and
five star hotelsfor others, its the
sheer majesty of the desert.
For desert lovers and first timers,
Big Red Motorsports offer many
adventures and cater for a
complete range of desert tours.
The newest toy that they bring for your
never ending thirst of desert adrenaline is
the RAGE buggy (RAGE Cyclone 1000cc). It
has been designed around the very strong
and well established two seater chassis used
on the Hurricane and Comet vehicles. For
the driver looking for some serious off-road
fun, this is the vehicle for you to let off some
steam and unwind in. The 998cc engine
gives incredible performance and will take
the vehicle to a top speed of over 75mph.
These buggies burst with exhilaration and raw power and
leave the drivers yearning for
more. These toys, the ultimate
in desert fun, are available as
part of both the Introduction
tour and the Explorer tour with
Big Red Motorsports.
Anyone can experience the
thrill of riding through the
desert with Big Red, and if
youre looking for a fun day
with friends, the Polaris Buggy
guided tour is a great option.
These buggies, with automatic gearbox and

4 wheel drive, ensure that your ride to and
through the epic dune landscape is easy and
with the highest safety measures. The tour
options start from a one hour tour, where you
will drive a Polaris RZR XP Dune buggy and
get comfortable with it, to the longer options
of couple of hours or full day tours. You can
also choose a customised Polaris desert experience tour for a large group of friends or
even for team building activities. A fantastic
multi day ride across the seven emirates is
also available, so there are multiple choices
for you to enjoy.
Another specialty of Big Red Motorsports
is KTM Enduro Desert tours. If
you love the thrills and adrenaline offered by an off-road dirt
bike, there is no better experience than to take one of Big Red
Motorsports guided KTM desert
tours. Again, the range for the
tours starts at one hour and goes
up to three days, depending
on your particular set of skills.
You can learn how to ride in
sand and have a small taste of it
before embarking for a longer
duration tour, or, for the more
experienced, you can explore dunes from

Al Badayer to Fossil Rock or Wadi Shawka,
or from Abu Dhabi to Ras Al Khaimah and
Fujairah for a dip in a mountain rock lagoon.
Besides the tours, Big Red Motorsports also
provides motorcycle training classes for
everyone, including beginners or those who
want to skill up their game. And if this wasnt
enough, you can also become a member
and have unlimited access to any bike in the
Big Red Motorsports fleet.
Last but not least are the Quad (ATV) tours,
which allow you to drive through the top
tourist attractions and the biggest dunes
in the UAE. Of course, utmost safety is the
priority of the guides and there is plenty
of speed and excitement. For all the tours,
you receive a helmet, goggles, gloves for
protection, and refreshments, which are very
welcome in the desert heat!
To ensure that all the vehicles are in perfect condition and always ready for riders,
Big Red Motorsports also have their own
workshop. They service their fleet, and they
also service your own vehicles, so if you have
a buggy, bike or quad, they will gladly do
maintenance and servicing work, diagnosis,
tyre repair, customisation and accessories
installation.
Big Red Motorsports is located
in Sahara Amusement Centre,
Nazwa Dubai - Hatta Road, E44.
42
OUTDOORUAE
You can contact them at +971 50 919

2394 or visit www.bigreddxb.com to
find out more about their tours and to
choose the best for you, family friends
or for corporate groups.
Swedish knife craftsmanship is coming to the Middle East

Words + Photos by: Daniel Birkhofer
No matter what outdoor

activity you do, a knife is always a
good companion that some of us
dont appreciate enough.
A knife is actually the ultimate outdoor
tool and dates back more than two and
a half million years. Knives were the first
tools used by mankind even though, back
then, they were simple stones or bones
with sharp edges. So if you think that a
knife evolved over a period of a few million
years, you can be certain that it reached
very close to perfection. In some cultures
knives are even so important that they have
spiritual and religious significance. As simple as knives may look, there is own science
behind them and if you start digging you
will find countless books and information
about knives, their materials, their use, their
maintenance and so on.
If you appreciate simplicity and craftsmanship, you will like the knives from the
Swedish company Morakniv. Knives have
been made in the area around Mora since
the 1700s. The foundations of todays
factory were laid in 1891, and their knifemakers manufacture knives by hand, just
like back then.
We got the chance to have a closer look
at a few of their knives
Eldris is the smallest knife that Morakniv
produces, with a 2mm thick blade that
measures only 59mm in length. The blade
is made of 12C27, a high quality Swedish stainless steel that is treated through
unique processes in the factory in Mora.
The handy size of the blade suits the varied
situations you can encounter

on your hike, camping trip or
anywhere in the outdoors. The
knife has a secure grip made
out of two different polymers
and a click lock, making the
knife safe to handle. In combination with a fire steel it is
very small and versatile tool.
The short blade reminded
me of an oyster knife where a
strong short blade is needed
to open the hard shell of the
oyster. So my test for the
Eldris was to get some oysters
on the shore: the handle has
a great grip even when it is
wet and the sharp blade makes it easy to
remove or open oysters. As the blade is
short and thick, you dont need to worry
that it might break.
Kansbol Multi-Mount is for me the
ultimate adventure knife. No matter where
or how you want to fix it - to your arm,
leg, belt, backpack, ATV or MOLLE...
thanks to its Velcro strips, straps, holes, and
notches you can fix it anywhere. Kansbol
brings you the best from two worlds. It
has the flexibility of a lightweight knife,
and the strength of a robust model with its
109mm blade. This combination makes it
a real all-round knife and a reliable partner
on your adventure. The blade has been
profile ground for increased precision and
the spine grinding means the blade can be
used with a fire starter.

Garberg is a powerful
full tang knife, designed to
withstand the toughest challenges imaginable. Its blade is
3.2mm thick, 109mm long and
made of high quality stainless steel, specially treated in
the factory in Mora to make
it even stronger. The blade
has a special Scandi-grind,
making the knife easier to
keep sharp. Also, the spine of
the blade has been ground to
be used with a fire starter, so
your essential fire is never far
away. Just by holding the knife
in your hand, you will feel that this tool is
made to last with its 272g (e.g. the Kansbol
is the same size and one third lighter), the
best abuse I could come up with for the
Garberg was to open a coconut and check
the sharpness of the blade afterwards and
the knife passed this test with ease.
When I am looking for a good outdoor
tool, I want to be sure it is always reliable
and will last for a long time. Morakniv gives
you a lifetime warranty on all knives, which
should be convincing enough to make you
trust their knives, and I am sure you will
enjoy them for many years. Even after 2.5
million years a knife serve only one sole
purpose, and does not need any bling or
other useless features. Morakniv gives you
exactly that - simply a good knife.
Available at Al Sayad Hunting Equipment:
Port Saeed, Dubai, UAE, 04 295 9666
PRODUCTS
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Expandable trekking body
Detachable 2-buckle floating lid
Storm collar and compression strap
Zipped double compartment
Ice-axe holder
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Synthetic fill
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Comfort temperature: 10C
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Wanabee Atacama 4 Tent
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Dimensions: L 410 x W 180 x H 240 cm
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44
Millet Baikal 750 Sleeping Bag
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Aiming to promote four wheel

driving, dune bashing and exploring
the gorgeous desert, mountains,
wadis and landscapes of the UAE,
UAE OFFROADERS is a family
oriented club that was formed in
Abu Dhabi in September 2009. The
club has grown rapidly, with members enjoying many activities and
off-roading trips ranging from mild
to wild. Trips are run by very experienced trip leaders who are able to
advise and assist members in safe
driving techniques.
Welcome to UAE OFFROADERS!
Marshal and Founder: Amro Altamimi
Our members range
from rookie off-roaders
to the very experienced. To cater for
our members a variety
of trips are organised
and posted on the
website on a weekly
basis to suit all levels of
competence, starting
from rookie-runs to advanced trips, as well
as camping and wadi/mountain exploration
trips.
Being a member of UAE OFFROADERS
is very rewarding. Its a great opportunity
to meet new people from different backgrounds, nationalities, cultures, and religions
that you might not get the chance to meet
in your everyday life. All types of 4 wheel
drive vehicles are welcomed, great fun is
guaranteed and you will take home wonderful memories. New members who join UAE
OFFROADERS are surprised to find out that
some of the best times are spent not in the
confines of their car, but after all the driving
is done and we are relaxing around the
campfire sharing experiences and jokes and
reflecting on the day.
The desert is a place which commands
tremendous respect. The Bedouin Nomads
have survived and endured life in it for centuries, and now we as expats are captivated
by its mystical charms. UAE OFFROADERS
invite you to join us for your own Nomadic
experience and an evening of enjoyment
under the stars.
Our Commitment to you:
as one family and we really focus on all the

finer details to provide everyone with all
the information they need to start with us.
Learning as you go along is also a great way
to gain experience.
Each trip has family fun and plenty of
learning opportunities. All of our trips are
handled safely by our expert Marshals who
all have the capability to manage any situation safely for all drivers, from newbies to
experts. At the end of the day, our motto is
Safety First.
UAE OFFROADERS will provide you with
hands-on technical and instructional training
and information of how to drive safely in the
sand, raising your confidence level and your
confidence in your vehicles capabilities.
Most of all, UAE OFFROADERS will
introduce you to the fun factor of being in
the desert with the best 4WD offroading
club in the region.
Member: Ms. Zhen Sun
I have found my second
family here in UAE
after joining UAE
OFFROADERS. Being
involved in such
activities as a female
was a challenge for me,
but they gave me all the
support I need to be satisfied with my level
now. Thanks UAE OFFROADERS!
Marshal: Mohanned Hamdan
There are so many
off-road clubs in the UAE,
but I believe that we
are the best! The reason
behind this is that in UAE
OFFROADERS CLUB
we treat the members
Marshal: Farhan Sharif

Here are the reasons
why I recommend
UAE OFFROADERS:
1. The trained Marshalls
at the club make sure
that safety and security
is the highest priority
and is never compromised.
2. This clubs main theme is to entertain
and serve Families with a family comes first
theme
3. We handle several public awareness
events such as Pink Drive for Breast Cancer
awareness
4. We train each and every member in
line with their level of adaptability so as to
achieve the best level of service in line with
respect to each vehicle they drive both on
road and off road
UAE OFF-ROADERS CLUB

One TeamOne Family
www.uaeoffroaders.com
Magazine
Magazine
www.
Magazine
www.
uaeoffroaders
www.
OUTDOORUAE
45
PRODUCTS
Morakniv Eldris Neck Knife kit
Morakniv Garberg
Available at Al Sayad Hunting Equipment
Available at Al Sayad Hunting Equipment
With a handy sized blade made of 12C27, a high quality

Swedish stainless steel, this knife suits the varied situations you
encounter on your hike, camping trip or when hunting. The
knife has a secure grip made out of two different polymers and
a click lock, making it safe to handle.
In the accessory kit, theres a paracord rope and a secondary
lock so the knife sits even more securely in the sheath. The kit
also includes a fire lighter that matches the size of the knife,
perfect for when its time to light the campfire or camp stove.
A powerful full tang knife, designed to withstand the toughest

challenges imaginable. Its blade is 3.2 mm thick and made of
high quality stainless steel, specially treated in our factory to
make it even stronger. The blade has a special Scandi-grind,
making the knife easier to keep sharp. Also, the spine of the
blade has been ground to be used with a fire starter, so your
essential fire is never far away. It has an exclusive leather
sheath, a handsome and resistant protective cover.
Technical Specification:
Net Weight: 119 g
Product Length: 154 mm
Gross Weight: 177 g
Product Width: 43 mm
Blade Thickness: 2 mm
Knife Length: 143 mm
Blade Length: 59 mm
GoPro Hero 5 Black

The most powerful GoPro ever, made easy
1,599 AED
Available at Beyond The Beach, Sharaf DG, Adventure HQ,
Virgin Megastore, Grand Stores, Emax, Jumbo and Plugins
Convenience:
Voice control on camera
Waterproof without housing
to 33ft (10m)
Rugged camera body
Enhanced user interface
2-inch touch display
Simple one-button control
Connected:
Direct upload to GoPro Plus
Easier connectivity to Capture
GPS location capture
Advanced wireless connection to GoPro accessories,
remotes and Works with GoPro sensors
Capture Quality:
Up to 4K30 video, 12MP photo
Video stabilization
Advanced wind noise reduction
Immersive stereo audio from
3-mic system with RAW track
Improved low-light performance
Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) photo capture
RAW Photo
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OUTDOORUAE
Technical Specification:
Net Weight: 272 g
Product Length: 248 mm
Gross Weight: 326 g
Product Width: 58 mm
Blade Thickness: 3.2 mm

Knife Length: 229 mm
Blade Length: 109 mm
Firewood and Accessories

Available at www.braaiworld.ae and in the following regions
across the UAE: Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Al Qudra and
Madinat Zayed (Western Region). For more information
regarding retail outlets, please visit our website.
Dry dense hardwood with 6% moisture
Gives an African bushveld aroma
Minimal smoke, bark and mess
Burns hotter and longer
Beautiful big orange, red and blue
flames to create the perfect outdoor
atmosphere
Cooks food and flavours food
to perfection
More popular than local hardwoods
(which have become illegal to harvest
for firewood in UAE)
More popular than imported white
woods from Europe
Price stability with more and more clients buying from Braai World
The Hero 5 is GoPros

latest and greatest. The
design has been revised from the
Hero Session which users loved
for its size and ruggedness. The
recording capabilities of Hero 5
Session have been bumped up to
record stunning 4K videos at 30
fps and slow motion 1080p at
90fps. But thats not allthe camera can now take burst photos at
30 frames per second as well. The
camera lens is now 10 Megapixels
rather than 8MP from the previous Session. It has a Simple One
Button control which enables users
to instantly start capturing at the
press of a single button.
All of these features have been there, in a
way, in the previous session; however, whats
really new in the Hero 5 Session is the Video
Stabilisation and Voice Control features. The
Video stabilisation is not Optical but the
resulting video is stunning nonetheless as this
was one of the things missing from all GoPro

cameras. The voice control works with specific commands like GoPro Start Recording
or, GoPro Take a photo to take a photo.
The hot word is GoPro and it has to be said
at the start of each command. There are 12
commands in total and these work in seven
different languages. So even if your camera is
out of reach you can give it commands with
just your voice. All of this is done by using
the onboard pair of microphones on camera
which also help reduce wind noise in your
recordings. You can even use the Remo (sold
separately) to control your camera with your
voice from distances of up to 10 meters.
The Hero 5 Session lacks a touch display,
but that doesnt mean that you cant see
what youre doing. The LCD monitor now
shows more information and you can access
all modes on the camera itself. Theres builtin Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in the camera which
helps you connect to GoPros updated Capture app through which you can get a live
preview, change settings and see the content
already present on your memory card.
In the recording department, GoPro has
introduced a new FOV (field of view) in their
Hero 5 lineup and its called LINEAR FOV. As
the name suggests, the recording in this one
is flat but not as wide as the Super View. So
if you were never a fan of the fisheye effect

theres now a way to get rid of it.
The built-in battery is the same as the last
Session (1000 mAh) but now has the advantage of Type C USB which means it charges
faster; up to three times faster than the
previous model. So whenever you want to
head out you can use the Supercharger (sold
separately) to quickly charge it.
The Hero 5 can also take a memory card of
up to 128GB which means that you can keep
on recording without having to worry about
running out of memory or frequently having
to change memory cards, perhaps missing
crucial moments of action.
The Hero 5 Session and Hero 5 Black now
come with an Auto Upload feature which
starts working whenever you connect your
camera to any power supply. It seamlessly
uploads your content to your GoPro Plus
account and can be accessed from GoPro
apps like Capture, QUIK and QUIK Desktop.
GoPro Plus is free for 2 months after that it is
$5/month.
Available at Beyond The Beach, Sharaf
DG, Adventure HQ, Virgin Megastore,
Grand Stores, Emax, Jumbo and Plugins
For only 1,199 AED
OUTDOORUAE
47
PRODUCTS
TCX X-Groove Boots
Alpinestars Brass Leather Jacket
Available only at Al Yousuf Motors across UAE
Available only at Al Yousuf Motors across UAE
UPPER: Full grain leather

LINING: Gore-Tex Extended Comfort Footwear
for increased breathability
REINFORCEMENTS: Malleolus area, toe and heel reinforcements
CLOSURE: Lacing system
FOOTBED: Anatomic and replaceable
SOLE: New designed rubber sole with specific path
to increase stability and grip
Hand-finished, premium full grain leather main shell, which is

treated using a traditional artisanal tanning method to ensure
a unique vintage look and styling
Perforated leather zones on sleeves improve jackets
ventilation and comfort
Unique OSCAR-style detailing, trims, snaps and rivets
complete vintage look
Removable, class-leading CE certified shoulder and elbow
protectors for impact protection
Interior back protector pocket allows
for accessory upgrade of back
protector insert to ramp
jackets protective capabilities
Rear shoulder gussets allow
for unrestricted freedom
of movement in the riding
position
Accordion leather waist
inserts allow for close
and comfortable fit
Interior and exterior
compartment pockets
incorporate zippers for
safe closure, plus
convenient coin pocket
on left arm
BTWIN Rockrider 520 Mountain

Bike, 27.5 - Blue
Quechua Camping Table

with 4 Seats - 4-6 People, Green
Available at Decathlon Mirdif City Centre and IBN Battuta Mall
Available at Decathlon Mirdif City Centre and IBN Battuta Mall
Designed around the 650b format, this bTwin Evo alloy

frame delivers great performance at an exceptional price. The
specific geometry and sizing is both comfortable and dynamic
with great attention to detail.
Hayes MX5 disc brakes, full SRAM 24 speed groupset, double
walled aero 650b wheels and adjustable Suntour XCT forks lets
you glide over rough terrain and stop with ease in all weather
conditions.
Cycling comfort: Raised position. Ergonomic saddle.
Height-adjustable stem. Soft-touch grips
Efficiency: CGF Evo aluminium frame. 24-speed SRAM X3.
Light, 27.5 Aero Trail Evo wheels
Precision: Double disc brakes.
Easy-to-handle
geometry. Tyres have
good grip in turns.
Size M/L / XL
Weight
14.7 kg
in M
without
pedals
Designed for use during a hiking camp.
645 AED | Was 745 AED
1,800 AED
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OUTDOORUAE
1,780 AED | Was 2,095 AED
330 AED
Product Benefits:
Ease of use Large table top (120 x 60 cm) + 4 separate chairs
(suitable for adults and kids)
Easy transport Seats and table fold away into a compact
suitcase (60 x 60 x 10 cm). 8.7kg.
Durability Laminated table
top with aluminium frame
and reinforcements. Steel legs.
Product Information:
Dimensions
L120 x W60 x H70 cm
Folded size
60 x 60 x 10 cm.
Weight
8.7kg.
T R&I E D
TESTED
ODUC
THIS PR
OV
T IS APPR
TDOO
ED BY OU
RUAE
Words by: Sandy Bruford
As somebody who loves

camping and being outdoors in a
desert environment (I need to get
my fix as frequently as possible),
being given the opportunity to try
out products that I havent used
before was a great opportunity to
discover new products on the market that dont cost a small fortune,
yet are still reliable and make a trip
to the desert much more convenient and comfortable.
Camping Shelter (AED 420)
Size 2.5m x 2.5m
This is great for those sunny days, giving your
family protection against the harsh rays of
the sun, as it is rated to a UV SPF of 30. At
2.5m square and 2.2m high, the shelter allows
plenty of room for a rug and seating for up to
six people. The frame consists of steel poles,
and a flysheet stretches over the steel
skeleton with open sides. The Quechua
camping shelter has been wind tunnel tested
to 50km/hr. Remember, when using this in
the desert you will need to fill bags with sand
to hold the camping shelter firmly on the
ground. The shelter is easily packed away in
its own bag ready for your next outing.
Arpenaz L100 Camp Bed (AED 270)
Size 190 x 65 x 45cm when extended
Weight 7.5kg
Having not used a camping bed before, I
wanted to see what it would be like. Firstly, I
removed the bed from its bag and extended
it for use. Once extended there are two
latches either side of the middle leg which,
once secured, will stop the bed from folding
up. I found the bed to be very comfortable
and sturdy in the sand. There was enough
give in the material to allow a very comfortable nights rest under the stars. When it came
to packing away, the instructions were very

easy to follow and it literally took seconds to
put it in the bag.
Quechua 2 seconds XL Air III pop up tent
(3 man) (AED 585), Weight 5.7kg
As it says, this tent really does take two
seconds to put up! Its very easy to set up and
then all you need to do is spend just a few
minutes putting in the pegs (or sand bags if
in the desert) and your tent will be ready and
waiting for you. Stowing the tent for the first
time takes a little longer, but by the second
time, once youve learnt all about the clips
and how to fold it, it can be done quickly.
Comfort XL Waterproof
picnic rug (AED 120)
Size 210 x 170cm
As the name implies, this waterproof and
foam based rug is very comfortable. For
transporting, it is very easy to roll up; just clip
the ties together which are already attached
to the rug. The rug is large enough to lay out
on and can be used when on camping trips or
just for a day on the beach.
Camping Table (AED 330)
This lightweight folding table also includes
four foldout chairs. Once the table is folded
in half it acts as a carrier case for the folding
chairs. Ideal for those who like to picnic or
camp in style.
Comfortable chair (AED 195)
Quechua have made a very comfortable folding chair with great back support. It has very
sturdy armrests, although there are no beverage holders. The seat webbing is lightweight
but strong and allows air to pass through.
When its time to leave, the Quechua chair
folds easily and has a shoulder strap for easy
transportation.
Kitchen Unit (AED 355)
We all go camping with food and sometimes
a gas stove or burner. With this kitchen unit

we have a firm and clean base to put our gas
stove/burner on surrounded by a stainless
steel wind blocker to stop the flame going
out. Below the bench top you have storage
shelves which have solid bases and air vents,
allowing your tasty food to be stored without
flies or bugs tucking in!
Portable Shower 8L (AED 270)
I have seen various types of portable showers
over the years, and believe that Quechua
have made a great job with their 8L portable
shower. It is all manual, so there is no need
for batteries or wires. All you have to do is
pour water into the bottle up to the max
line, close the lid and pump approximately
25 times to pressurise the bottle, then connect the hose to the outflow pipe on the
side of the shower bottle. To use, press the
showerhead button. I found that there was
great pressure lasting for approximately two
minutes.
Arpenaz air basic inflatable camping airbed
(AED 110)
3 sizes 70/120/140cm
This 120cm airbed was very comfortable and
easy to inflate with the Quechua Hand Pump.
Seconds Utility Tent (AED 240)
This was easy to assemble,
and featured an open roof.
Great for privacy when
changing and compatible
with a shower. It was a little
tricky to set up in windy
conditions, however.
Lamp (AED 65)
Fantastic little lantern giving
white, red and dim light.
Ideal for hanging in the
tent due to its lightweight
or simply placing on your
Quechua folding table.
Quechua have come up
with some great products that are
simple to use, easy to pack away and, more
importantly, are affordably priced. This
allows campers time to enjoy their outdoor
adventures in comfort, privacy and without
breaking the bank.
All products are available at
Decathlon stores: IBN Battuta Mall
and Mirdif City Centre.
Braai World
A Q&A with Braai World
This month we have taken a

trip to the desert with Expedition
X, who focus on local and regional
camping trips and expeditions
for off-road enthusiasts, whether
beginners, experts or anyone in
between, to do some outdoor
cooking and relaxing in preparation
for our next Braai World
editorial. We decided that this
months focus will be a Q&A to
give people a bit more insight into
who Braai World is.
Where did Braai World start and
what is it all about?
The idea to start Braai World started quite a

few years before the company was registered
in 2014. We identified that there was something lacking in the market when it came to
firewood and we found that we could fill that
void with the wood we wanted to import. In
addition, we wanted to import and distribute
quality braai / bbq products for a reasonable
price.
How do you distribute

your products?
We have two ways through which we

distribute our products.We use our online
shop at www.braaiworld.ae to distribute our
complete range of products, and in addition
we distribute our wood through a number of
retailers within the U.A.E.
used for home or commercial use and the

quality of the products will allow this product
to be used over and over again whether its
camping in the desert or entertaining guests
at home, or in your commercial kitchen for
that matter.
If I was looking for a retailer

to purchase from when I run out
of wood over a weekend, can you
name the retailers who distribute
your wood?
What other accessories

do you stock?
A: Yes,we have a few large retail partners,

namely Speedex in Al Qouz and DIP (Dubai),
Park n Shop in Al Wasl and DIP (Dubai), Souq
Planet (formerly known as Abela) in Al Ain,
Etihad Plaza and Madinat Zayed (Abu Dhabi)
and Adventure HQ in Times Square (Dubai).
We also have smaller outlets, namely Rahal
Outdoor in Nad Al Hamar, Spicy Village in Al
Qudra and Istanbul Picnic Accessories opposite Big Red.
So what is the difference between

the wood you import and the wood
you find in the market?
Firstly, it has to be the density of our wood.

With the harsh semi-desert like conditionsthat
the trees grow in, they have to be tough,
which means high density and low moisture
content. The moisture content is far lower
than the average whitewood from Europe,
which means that our coals last longer and
retain a much larger amount of heat until well
after you have finished cooking.
Secondly, it has to be the aroma of our
wood when it burns, which imparts a unique
flavour to the food as it cooks and which has
to be experienced to be appreciated.
Youve mentioned that you also have other
products such as accessories and utensils.
Can you tell us a bit more about this

part of your business?
Well, firstly we stock high quality stainless

steel utensils. Anything from braai tongs, fish
tongs, meat hooks and grid brushes to name
just a few. Our utensil range can either be
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OUTDOORUAE
We also sell other accessories that could

make your outdoor cooking experience
better than before, such as outdoor cast-iron
cookware, kettle braai accessories, rotisseries,
Himalayan salt plates andbraai grids.
For more information related to all our
products, its best to look at our webstore at
www.braaiworld.ae.
What does the future hold

for Braai World?
The immediate future is very simpleto

keep doing what we are doing and to try
and improve every day. Its to ensure that our
webstore clients as well as our retail clients
get the best possible service and delivery
and to ensure that the quality of our products
is kept at the highest standard.
In the long-term, we would like to expand our operations into other avenues
like charcoal import and export. We have
established great relationships with suppliers
from different countries across the world and
it will be fantastic to add this to our arsenal of
deliverables.
We would also like to expand our business to become wholly centred around the
outdoor living / outdoor lifestyle model and
we look forward to bringing more products to
increase the enjoyment of the outdoors for all
our customers over the coming years.
Available at www.braaiworld.ae and in
the following regions across the UAE:
Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Al Qudra and
Madinat Zayed (Western Region).
For more information regarding retail
outlets, please visit our website.
OUR EXPERTS
Indonesia:
An island for everyone

Words + Photos by: Jake Lyle
About Indonesia
As the largest archipelago in the
world, Indonesia is made up of over
17,000 islands, all separated by
sparkling, vibrant blue water. No
one island is the same as the next
and each one has its own unique
pulls and special charms. This in
my opinion is the greatest thing
about this remarkable country so
many islands scattered across an
ocean, coming together to make
one destination that can satisfy
every type of vacation.
Although there are thousands of popular
tourist destinations around the world that
can offer the landscapes, the adventure and
the relaxation, the destinations that can offer
truly unique experiences found nowhere
else are becoming increasingly rare. Fortunately, there are a few left, and Indonesia is
one of them. This unique experience comes
in the form of a dragon.
Dragons in Komodo National Park
Yes, dragons do exist, but only in Indonesia.

In the southern part of the country, there
is a set of islands that make up Komodo
National Park, covering an overall area of
1,733km2. The dragons arent alone on
these prehistoric islands, but instead live
alongside deer, monkeys and even wild
horses: all of which have become prey to
the Komodos at one point or another. The
islands that make up Komodo National Park
are wild, densely populated with animals
and are unlike any other islands around the
world which would naturally make it my
first stop in Indonesia.
Within the National Park was Rinca Island,
one of many islands that thousands of
dragons call home - which was immediately made evident upon arrival as we were
instantly greeted by a Komodo Dragon napping under some trees on the entrance path
by the dock. We were able to get surprisingly close to the sleeping giant and quickly
take some pictures, and then we moved on
to meet our rangers. Visitors on the island
are assigned one or two rangers to escort
them along the trail, for safety reasons, and
so they can help spot the dragons. Even
before we left the meeting point we came
across several dragons grouped together
under the rangers station, trying to catch
some shade they were packed tightly
together, with some even crawling over one
another in the fight for the coolest spot.
Moving on, further down the path we
came across a female, sleeping in the middle of about six holes in the ground. When
I asked why there were so many holes, the
ranger informed us that one hole was to
protect her eggs, and the other five were

to act as a distraction to any other predator
hungry and in search for a meal revealing
that their strength and their jaws arent their
only evolutionary assets.
Concluding our tour of Rinca Island we
moved onto the next one the famed
Komodo Island. Much like Rinca Island, as
soon as we stepped foot on the sand, the
dragons were in sight. The five that we encountered on this island seemed larger, and
more active, with a few even walking around
one in the direction of us prompting a
quick shift to the side. Although the dragons
were moving slowly, you certainly felt the
weight of their footsteps as they pounded
into the ground and sensed the strength of
their tail as it swept away anything on the
ground near them. But the dragons arent
the only attraction in Komodo National Park,
as the waters surrounding these islands are
filled with just as much wildlife.
OUTDOORUAE
51
Heading underwater
Pink Beach in Komodo National Park and

Gili Trawangan off the coast of Lombok
were two spots where I had the opportunity
to head below the surface and explore the
underwater realm. One of the things about
Indonesias underwater offerings that stood
out the most to me was the variation and
diversity in the coral. There were overhangs
to swim under; plateaus to swim above
and huge schools of fish to swim straight
through. For a snorkeler or freediver it truly
was an underwater playground. Around
the coral reef you could occasionally find
a bright white sand patch, and if youre
lucky, you might even spot a stingray or a
shark resting for the day. The exploration of
these reefs was addictive, and hard to stop
youd spot a brightly coloured fish and go
in for a closer look, you start to follow it as it
swims through its neighbourhood; through
an anemone, over a sand patch and under
a sea fan. Before you know it youre in an
entirely new space that you now want to
explore as well.A day was hardly enough
to explore this pristine ecosystem; I could
have easily spent several in only one spot,
because there is just simply so much to see
in these densely packed reefs.
Beaches
Stepping out of the water and back onto

land, the first thing you encounter are the
beaches. With such a vast amount of islands,
comes a vast amount of coastline in fact
Indonesia has the second largest coastline
in the world, with over 54,000 kilometres of
it. With the vast amount of beaches, each
residing on different types of coastlines,
theres great variation in the setting and
adventure opportunities present on each of
them. Some of the most perfect beaches
are hidden between two cliffs, where few
can find them, others may be protected
by lines of tall palm trees. If youd simply
prefer a beach where you can look out onto
the white sand and the glistening horizon
behind it from within a restaurant, then head
to Lombok, as the main beach on the island
has just that, but has also been able to
maintain its perfect condition as a picturesque paradise.
Jungles and monkeys
Moving up the beach and into the jungle, youll experience a whole different
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side of the country. Unlike many jungles

at popular tourist destinations across the
globe, the jungles in Indonesia are still
very densely populated and active most
prominently with monkeys. These arent
the type of jungles you have to hike
through for hours to spot some wildlife;
theyre the type where youre greeted by
animals like monkeys before youve even
fully entered the wilderness. Not only did
we see monkeys, but we also encountered
deer, wild boar, snakes and lizards. To emphasize the high population of monkeys in
these jungles, when we entered monkeyprone areas we were told to not carry
with us any food, put away all plastic bags
and even remove our sunglasses as these
items are some of the monkeys favourite souvenirs. Not all the monkeys were
mischievous however, as we spotted many
families, with babies clinging onto their
mothers back as they both climb, adults
relaxing in trees grooming each other.
So if youre looking for a close up animal
encounter youll want to visit the Monkey
Forest in Ubud on the Island of Bali.
Rice terraces and traditions
The area of Ubud also has other spectacular

settings as well as jungles. One in particular
is the Rice Terraces of Tegallalang. These
terraces carved into the walls of this valleynot only create a spectacular site, but
are also still used today to produce rice for
the island. Along the top terraces are palm
trees, which run along the valley, almost like
a fence. Descending down the terraces to
the lower levels I passed women with baskets atop of their heads and children playing
and laughing as they climbed down the
terraces alongside me. Reaching the lower
levels of the valley and looking back up the
sheer size of the site was immense, reminding me almost of the Grand Canyon in the
USA. It provokes thought on the manpower
it wouldve taken to accomplish such a feat,
showing the capability and ingenuity of the
traditional people of the time.
Tradition is at the forefront of Indonesia
culture, and so it has been well observed
and sustained throughout the years. I had
the good fortune of visiting a number of
cultural and traditional sites, including
temples, villages and heritage sites. One of
the most breath-taking temples was Uluwatu
Temple. Situated on the very edge of a cliff,
this magical site brings thousands of tourists
from around the world every year to admire
the temple and its grand views. Leading up
to the main temple, there is a path running
along the edge of the cliff, allowing you to
peer down to the waves crashing against the
face of the cliff hundreds of meters below.
It is almost trance-inducing, standing on
the edge of the cliff and staring out into the
horizon. During our time at this temple, we
attended a traditional dance; known to the

locals as the Kecak dance which involved
tens of people, elaborate costumes, and lots
of fire.
Our next cultural destination was a heritage site known as Garuda WisnuKencana
National Park. Having arrived early in the
morning, the park was almost empty and
good thing we did, as it revealed the size
and scope of the site. The park was made

up of a massive rectangular courtyard surrounded by colossal pieces of rock, carved
into mysteriously straight-edged cubes. At
either end of the rectangular courtyard were
statues smallon one end, and on the other
end was a huge statue of Garudua a mythical creature integral to Indonesian culture.
Our third and final cultural stop was in a village high up in the mountains on the Island
of Flores. We were welcomed outside the
communal area by the leaders of the village
and then were lead into a courtyard which
over looked the entire island. The people of
the village were very warm and hospitable,
and offered us all a traditional drink. As we
sipped our welcoming gifts, six men dressed
in traditional costume began an age-old
performance in the courtyard. For someone
watching who didnt know what to expect, it
was certainly a spectacular performance.
As you can see, Indonesia is not just a
beach holiday, nor is it just a place to relax
its both of those things, and so much
more! Surf, relax, learn, hike, dine, sail,
and anything else you can think of its all
possible. Thousands of islands make up this
diverse country, all of which are different
from the last so pick one, pick five or pick
twelve!Experience your adventure because
in Indonesia, theres an island for everyone.
OUTDOORUAE
53
Natural History
Words + Photos by: Dan Wright
Ok, so the title of this article

is a bit misleading! Gold doesnt
actually visibly flow in rivers
through the Himalayas. But you
can collect it if you look carefully
and this is exactly what I went to
find this summer in Nepal.
As a Geologist I have a fascination with
rocks, minerals, sediments, fossils and
of course precious materials, and I have
always wanted to go into the wilderness to
find my own, even if its just to have a small
sample to keep in my collection. This summer I headed to Nepal to explore stories I
had heard about locals who pan for gold in
the rivers.
I landed in Kathmandu towards the end
of the monsoon season when the rains
make their way up from the Indian plains
and stop at the Himalayas, dumping all
their water on the mountains. This abundance of water makes Nepal the second
Gold Camp
Maya using the Riffle Tray
biggest water resource country in the world

(after Brazil). The rains fill the rivers and
there are many landslides in the remote areas which block villages from the roads for
weeks at a time. Nepal is famous for adventure sports like rafting but in the Monsoon
season the rivers become too dangerous to
navigate and with constant rain everyday
it becomes too wet for trekkers. So in the
summer months Nepal is much quieter for
tourism but coming from the heat of the
UAE it is a paradise of greenery, rain and
cooler temperatures!
I chose the Trishuli river on the road from
Kathmandu to Pokhara because it has wide
curves with huge sediment deposits on
the inside bends that have lovely sandy
beaches with gravel underneath. There are
no obvious nuggets of gold lying around,
otherwise everyone would be out there
collecting it, but there are tiny flakes and
because they are so small and light they
work their way down through the sand into
the gravel layer where it meets bedrock. I
was lucky enough to be in the right place at
Dhan Majhi digging by hand
the right time and my local contact introduced me to a man and his wife who were
Gold panning on the shore of a beautiful
beach at the Borderlands Trishuli Beach
Camp Resort. My translator was Megh Ale,
who is the founder of Borderlands Resorts,
and he explained that the man was Called
Dhan Majhi and his last name was a Hindu
Washing Sediment
Panning the sediments

Sperating the gold from last sand
Crushing soapy leaves
Gold Flakes sperated out
caste for Fishermen. His wife was called

Maya (love in Nepali) and they had been
coming together every summer to this
same beach to pan for Gold. Normally they
would take away just a few grams for several weeks hard work, but that was enough
to supplement their income from selling
fish and they saw it as a working holiday.
Their camp up the beach looked very basic,
just a plastic tarp over a stick frame and an
open campfire with a few blackened pots,
but they seemed very happy and relaxed!
Dhan Majhi agreed to be my teacher for
a few Pans and he explained you have to
start by digging a trench down through the
sand to the gravel layer. He did this using
a hand tool like a small rake to dig through
the layers and used his hands to shovel up
the sediments. You then collect this on a
sheet and carry it over to the waters edge.
Here you have to set up a riffle board over
a catchment tray. The riffle board is made
of thin bamboo rods woven together to
form a mat with holes in it, which effectively
sieves out the larger sediments and deposits in the catchment tray the finer gold
bearing sediments. To sieve it you have
to pour handfuls of water over the sediment and this washes the finer grade down
through the riffle mat. The Gold is still not
visible at this stage.
Once you have sieved several sheet loads
into your catchment tray you should have it
about half full of sediment. The Catchment
tray is sloped at one end so you can tilt it
and this is to allow you to splash water up
onto it to wash away the bigger sediment
again. The finer sediment gets washed
back on the tray and you continue this till
you have reduced the sediment in the tray
The seasons find so far
right down to the finer grade.

Next, outcomes the Pan, but in this case
unlike its famous counterpart in America,
it is a wooden board. The finest sediment
is poured onto the pan and now the gold
flakes start to appear. Maya went to the
jungle edge and collected some leaves
which she crushed on a rock and made a
soapy liquid. This she poured onto the fine
sediment and they told me it acts like mercury in that it pulls the gold flakes together
as you very carefully wash the other sand
gravel away. This process is quite meticulous and took Dhan Majhi a good 30 minutes to complete but when he was finished
Paying for my River Gold in Nepal
he had a pan with a very visible fine layer

of gold flakes collected at one end! My first
river Gold, untouched by human hands,
and as Dhan Majhi explained we had to be
very careful when it was dried not to touch
it with our fingers or the minute flakes
would stick to them and be lost.
I asked Dhan Majhi if I could see everything they had collected in the last two
weeks. They produced a small metal pot
with what looked like several finished pans
worth of gold flakes. When I asked its value
I was told around 4000 Nepalese rupees
($40). I asked my translator if I could buy
the gold including what we had collected
that day and I offered an extra 1000 nrs
($10) which made the old couple very
happy! When we had made the exchange
Maya shyly asked me if I would make the
gold into a small jewelry item for my wife
and she was very surprised when I told her
that I wanted to keep it as Gold Flakes and
that I would use it for teaching Geology!
If anyone is interested in Gold Panning
in Nepal, I highly recommend going to
the Borderlands Trishuli Beach Camp
Resort for next Summer season as a short
break. Feel free to contact me through
the magazine for more information. Nepal
is always a fascinating place to visit and
although I didnt come home rich I had an
excellent trip with a shiny result!
Dan Wright is a Wilderness Expedition
Guide and a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society (FRGS). He has a
degree in Environmental Science and
works as the Project Manager of the
ADAPT Adventure & Field Studies Center,
based in RAK. Dan writes for a range
of publications in Arabia and Asia on
Environmental Issues and Personal
Development. His wife Nirjala is the
former Nepal National Mountain Bike
Champion and their son Percy is an
adventurer in the making! They spend all
their spare time exploring the UAE.
OUTDOORUAE
55
OUR EXPERTS
Battle of the Roads
Women
n Wheels
Words by: Helle Bachofen von Echt
We are heading into the second

season of the Urban Ultra Womens
Cycle League. The first season
wasnt smooth sailing; the points
system was changed midseason,
there were disagreements as to
which races should be part of the
league and we encountered technology problems in indoor racing
scenarios. We also witnessed
some teams grow from strength to
strength and show some real team
work and racing tactics. The first
season was certainly a valuable
experience for organisers, riders
and sponsors.
This month, we take a look into some of
the more prominent local womens teams,
who share with us what they are all about
and what we can expect from them this coming season.
Philosophy: We want our team to improve,

but also to inspire other ladies to participate
in cycling throughout the UAE. We hope
that through our participation and presence
in events, we will encourage others to have
a go.
Who to watch: Each lady in our team has a
different strength; there are strong climbers
and also powerful sprinters.
Team training and social aspect: We often
join the Cycle Hub Group Ride taking place
at Al Qudra on a Saturday morning, catering
for different speeds and distances. We also
develop team spirit and support recovery
by enjoying breakfast together at the Cycle
Bistro after a hard morning of training!
For the community: We hope to show
that cycling is accessible for all and it can
promote a healthy lifestyle. Cycling is a supportive and encouraging community where
you can have a lot of enjoyment!
Who to watch: Yvonne Van Hattam, who is

one of ten semi-finalists out of 1,200 women
in the Zwift Academy competition to get
into a pro-team. Both Yvonne and Deirdre
Casey are demons on the hills.
Team training: We are all busy with our
own working schedules and families. We
mainly meet up for group rides on Fridays or
Mondays. Most of the girls also use indoor
trainers.
How to join the team: We love a good
friendly attitude. Come on a Roadsters ride
and say Hello.
What to expect this race season: We hope
to see more races out of Dubai. We enjoy
both the hills and flat cycle races and its
always fantastic to go to the mountains.
The teams to watch will be
Cycle Hub and BeSport
Support: In general we find that women
underestimate their capabilities when biking
and dont want to hold others up. Having
a team offers support and reassurance but
most importantly, makes it fun!
Strength in numbers: The league has made
road cycling more accessible for females by
giving them a voice to the race organisers
and saying, We want a separate start. This
makes a huge difference.
Wolfis Contessas
By: Natasha Leask
The Cycle Hub Ladies

By: Laura Holton
The Team: We are a strong group of determined, focused and competitive ladies,
made up of variety of endurance athletes;
cyclists, triathletes and runners. We are all
committed to regular, high intensity training.
56
OUTDOORUAE
The Team: We are all about enjoying riding

our bikes! We have a good time and we
encourage each other. The team is selected
from girls riding with The Roadsters Friday
group ride. We always try to race as a team
and use tactics that allow all our riders to get
a good race. Its a very social atmosphere
and we have a lot of jokes and friendly teasing of each other.
Goals: Last year we didnt get the podium
victories that we would have liked. The first
season was a good learning curve and as
our team has not changed greatly, we will be
fired up to try some new team tactics.
Team strength: On paper our team is extremely talented individually, although its the
positive attitude of all the riders which makes
us really strong and a fun team to be in.
BeSport Womens Team

By: Roison Thomas
The vision: Our vision this coming season
is to have two teams; one for racing elite
and one for racing open. And we want the
riders in the same mind set; thats the most
important thing.
Goals: We aim to get the A Team into a
training programme - and to get the B Team
focused on getting cycling skills and fitness
up.
Team strength: Our main strength will be

the support offered by Be Sport Bike Shop
and structure.
Team training: Our training is scheduled
and specifically structured for racing.
What does it take to join the team: To
join the BeSport team you must have good
riding skills.
Inspiring others: We hope to see our team
riders flourish as cyclists but also become
inspirational role models for females and
males across the UAE.
YAS CYCLES, Abu Dhabi
achieve a better performance. Having the

correct mindset is what keeps us united.
Goals: Same as last season; continue to gain
strength by learning to target our training
and honing in on skills which we really didnt
understand when we first started riding. We
ride with other experienced riders and ask
lots of questions.
Who to watch: Orla White, who has been
training all summer with different groups of
riders to learn skills. Orla has gained a lot of
strength too. And Vilma Purvinyte; she is a
tenacious new player and a fast learner.
Team training: We try to train together
twice weekly. We practise pacelining for TTT
events and we target our hills indoors at
Bespoke Ride.
If we can do it, anyone can do it: The
female teams create a lot of visibility and
empowers and encourages other women
into the sport. We are responsible for inspiring other women into cycling. If we can do
it, so can they.
By: Amy Carter

The Team: We love to cycle, pure and
simple. For us, its all about connecting and
inspiring other female cyclists to get out
there and ride bikes; and to have fun with it!
Aim: Last year was our first season, so this
year we aim to be bigger and better; we can
only improve!
Team strength: We can ride as a team,
which is a great strength to have. We also
have a real mix of great talent for the variety
of races we have here in the UAE.
Team focus: We aim to focus on Team Time
Trials this year and we train together weekly.
What it takes to join the team: You need to
be committed and a team player. We work
really well together in both a sporting and a
social capacity.
What to expect this season: Racing is really
on the up here in the UAE with the help of
Sporting event companies like Gulf Multi
Sport adding more and more great events
to the calendar.
Bringing women together: Women tend to
inspire other women, so if we can show that
taking part in race events can be fun as well
as a great way to improve on fitness, then
we will get more women wanting to join in.
Healthy encouragement to bring like minds
together.
TREK Tigress
By: Amber Mirza
The Team: We are all growing, learning
and evolving with experience and time.
Our team is all about helping one another
LIV Race Team

By: Johanna Rossouw
Goals: To form a dedicated ladies specific
race team, based in the UAE and GCC, who
has a great passion for the sport. We aim
to be present at most of the road races this
season.
Training: We will be working on speed and
definitely interval training.
Beyond road racing: We also have a dedicated mountain biking race team made of
talented and committed riders. This season you will see LIV riders and teams in all
triathlons, road racing and mountain biking
events.
What does it take to join the LIV teams:
We love riders who have a good fighting
spirit, who are willing to give their all on the
race course and commit to team training
and tactics, but the main requirement is to
be active and passionate about cycling.
The LIV Club: This is our ladies specific
social group ride at Al Qudra cycle track on
Saturday mornings and we welcome ladies
of all abilities to join. We are a bunch of
happy women and you will have fun riding
with us!
Actually I can: Being the first cycling
brand dedicated entirely to the female
cyclist, LIVs powerful message to all of
us, Actually I can, represents a battle of
determination, of will and of spirit. Its the
moment you decide whether to meet your
fears or retreat.
Bikes changing lives: At LIV we create an

environment where women can feel part of
the sport, be competitive and inspire other
women to take part. We strongly believe
that bikes can change the world!
In addition, watch out for teams Velo

Vixens, VCUAE/High5, Urban-Ultra and
Souplesse Cycle; all competing in the Urban
Ultra Womens Cycle League.
Helle Bachofen von Echt is a Dubai
based amateur road cyclist competing
in both local and International events.
She is team leader of a UAE based
female amateur cycling team and she is
also an Indoor Cycling Instructor at Flywheel Sports Dubai. Helle loves traveling with her bike and you can follow her
adventures and racing in pictures on instagram @thegirlwhocyclesinthedesert
and her blog page www.hellebve.com
OUTDOORUAE
57
OUR EXPERTS
Reducing the Risk

Words + Photos by: Marina Bruce
Going out into the desert with

your 4x4 can be a fantastic experience. You can enjoy the scenery,
see some wildlife, meet new friends
and learn a new skill. Offroading
can be dangerous however, though
knowledge and consideration of the
risks can reduce them and make
it safer. Trust me, you will never
be able to plan for everything that
could happen in the desert!
Cars can - and occasionally do - overheat, break down, have tyre issues, collide
with objects, catch fire or roll over. Drivers
and passengers can become overheated
or fatigued, bitten by a scorpion or similar
beastie, fall ill, become injured and sadly, in
extreme cases, even die.
The desert is beautiful and enchanting,
yet it is a very inhospitable and unforgiving environment. It's important never to
underestimate the risks mentioned above.
Having driven in the desert frequently for
over seven years now I am still learning and
encountering new challenges when away
from the tarmac. Planning is key to making
the trip enjoyable and memorable for all the
right reasons.
who are quite happy to take friends offroading, and providing they are suitably experienced in recovery and survival techniques
a weekend camping trip is one of the best
ways to spend Friday and Saturday.
Never, ever go out on your own. Even the
best drivers make mistakes, lose concentration momentarily and get stuck or in trouble.
If you only have one car on the trip and it
breaks down, how are you going to get out
of the desert safely? All too frequently local
newspapers report on people dying in the
desert, particularly in KSA, and almost invariably these vehicles have been crossing sand
terrain on their own.
Even if you go out with friends, it's important to limit yourselves to dunes and obstacles you have the skill for. Having a car fly
over a dune might look good in a YouTube
video but such momentary lack of control
can cause injuries or damage your vehicle,
Managing the Risk 1:

Pick the right people to go with
There are many good offroad clubs in the

UAE running weekend trips where you can
learn desert driving from more experienced
people. Some clubs use the "coaching"
technique, ie stop at obstacles, explain how
to negotiate them safely, demonstrate, then
let the rookies have a go; other clubs have
a "follow the leader and you'll pick it up as
you go along approach". Choose one that
meets your preference.
There are also lots of individuals out there
58
OUTDOORUAE
Tyre problems by Debra Galvin
so make sure you learn how to control your

car in the sand before tackling any tricky
terrain.

Have a minimum of three cars
Now I know that my husband and I frequently go offroading in remote locations

with only two cars, but we have an immense
amount of desert experience between us,
well kitted out cars including one with a
winch, and as ex-fire service in the UK, Neil
is well equipped to cope with emergencies.
So please do as I say, not as I do, at least
until you get a few thousand kilometres of
pure sand under your tyres!
The thinking behind the minimum number
of cars is this - if you have three cars and
one breaks down, at least you have two left
to get out of the desert. Similarly, if one
gets stuck, and the second one also gets
Drive in a group for safety
vehicle. Do not forget to check your spare

tyre, which should be in good condition, at
full inflation, and matching the ones on the
car. Make sure you have the tools and the
know how to remove it from your vehicle!

Have at least one GPS
device in your group
Avoid driving over plants
stuck recovering the first, you then have the

choice to use the third car to pull the other
two out, or get out of the desert safely.

Check the weather forecast
Before we moved to the UAE we expected

it to have perpetual sunshine for 12 hours a
day, all year round but the reality is somewhat different. In the summer we often do
have baking hot sun all day which brings
the temperature up to 45-50C most days.
It also makes the sand rather hot so always
wear boots/trainers or closed in shoes. You
can get hit by a sandstorm any time of year
which greatly reduces visibility and makes
recoveries difficult for those who have to get
out of their cars. It's definitely not the best
weather for driving if you have a topless
Jeep!
During the winter any area in the UAE is
regularly blanketed in early morning fog,
with zero visibility. When offroading, driving
in fog is more dangerous than driving in the
dark; you could literally slip off the side of a
high dune as you have no idea of the terrain
around you.

Take plenty of food
and water with you
It is always better to have too much water

than not enough for an all day trip we
pack a 24 x 500ml case which means we
have 6 litres of water per person. We prefer
these to larger containers if we hit a bump
hard then a large container could shatter
meaning we have lost all our water, but it
is unlikely you will break small bottles and
certainly not all of them.
Take a bag with snacks such as nuts, crisps
(chips), breakfast bars, boiled sweets and
even tinned fruit to maintain your salt and
sugar levels.
Always take a mat to sit on; sand is often
very hot or damp (but never both!) and if
you can, something to rig up some shade
should need it we sourced army bashas in
the UK and these tarpaulins are very flexible

and can even be used to create shade for
vehicle repairs in the field.
Remember to pack a first aid kit and fire
extinguisher too!

Make sure your car
is properly prepared
You should go prepared to get stuck when

driving in desert terrain I always hope for a
Teflon (non stick) trip but nine times out of
ten this does not happen!
Heavy-duty recovery hooks on your vehicle
are very important some stucks are easy to
recover from the back but others you have to
pull forwards so it is important to have them
on both the front and rear of the car.
Your vehicle should be up to date with
servicing; remember here in the desert many
manufacturers recommend an oil change
every 5000kms. All known defects should be
sorted before you take it on the sand; if it's
making weird noises on the blacktop then
offroading will do it no good at all!
The condition of your tyres is very important and it is not a good idea to go out with
old or defective tyres, or ones with damage
to the valves, as unreliable tyres can be dangerous. Sometimes if you hit a plant side on
with the tyre it will come off the rim, called
a pop out and these are especially common
with old tyres which have lost their sidewall
flex; the good news is that the tyre can normally be re-seated whilst still attached to the
Waiting for early morning fog to clear
It is essential that at least one or two of the

group have a good GPS which tracks where
you have been - and someone should know
how to use it! Plan a trip using Google
Earth before you go, if only to put in a start
and finish point and one or two intermediate waypoints. NB: If you have to abandon
a car due to breakdown etc, remember to
mark on your GPS where you have left it!

Ensure good communication
Always carry your mobile phone in the

desert - the favourite areas for offroading
have almost 100% coverage. (If driving in
Liwa we recommend Etisalat as Du has poor
coverage in some areas). Remember to
charge your phone up before you go, make
sure you have plenty of calling credit AND
take your car charger for it too.
Leave word with your friends where you
are going. On long ambitious trips we leave
a trip plan with friends who are prepared to
come and retrieve us or even alert the emergency services if we are seriously overdue.
If you are going into an extremely remote
area, you could consider buying a satellite
phone. These are about the price of a good
smartphone but we consider the $50 annual
subscription a small price to pay for added
peace of mind.
The desert requests the pleasure of your
company...
I hope I haven't scared you off coming out
in the desert, it's such a wonderful environment and for most expats, so different from
our homelands. Know the dangers, treat it
with respect and you could find yourself
having a love affair with the largest sand
desert in the world!
OUR EXPERTS
Words + Photos by: Kit Belen
The landscape of fishing in the

UAE has been slowly changing over
the years. Gone are the days when
the majority of people who line
the jetties and breakwaters were
armed with long telescopic rods
with reels spooled with thick
monofilament lines casting bing
sinkers with multiple hook rigs
and bait.
The scene has been replaced by people
armed with the latest rods from Japan and
reels that have drags strong enough to stop
a cow dead in its tracks. The monofilament
lines of old have been replaced with high
tech fishing lines made with the same fibers
as bulletproof vests. Gone as well are the
big sinkers, giving way to lures; and people
have learned to target bigger fish from the
shores, reducing the urge to jump on a boat
to chase after the big ones.
However, what I have seen so far has been
some growth in the more technical aspects
of luring with spinning reels and hardly any
movement in the use of baitcasting and
conventional reels for fishing.
While the choice to use spinning reels or
baitcasters are totally within the personal
preference realm, I believe a lot of anglers
here are very hesitant to cast a baitcaster
because of the fear of getting a backlash.
A backlash happens when the lure slows
down on the cast while the spool still turns
from the initial momentum it over runs. To
be able to stop this, you need what we call
an educated thumb. At least in the past,
this used to be the case. Modern baitcasting
reels as well as smaller conventionals that
are meant to be cast out have braking sys-
With the cast control options available to the angler today,

baitcasters should not be feared and should be taken advantage of
tems in the reel that help you slow the cast

down to a manageable level, however, you
still need to stop the spool with your thumb
as soon as the lure hits the water.
There are two methods in slowing the
spool down Magnetic and Centripetal
brakes. A third kind is employed by the
tackle manufacturer Shimano, a digital cast
control system which works great, although
the reels with the DC cast system are very
expensive.
These breaking systems are far perfect;
but with a bit of practice, they make your
life easier and will help you cast further and
more accurately than you would ever be
with a spinning reel the biggest drawback
may be that you actually need to practice to
be able to get to the level that you want to
be atwhich I believe is one of the things a
lot of people here are hesitant to do.
Why the Spinning reel was invented

The Spinning Reel was invented because
Mitchell (the brand) wanted to make fishing easy for everyone. Baitcasting reels or
multipliers were the standard and although
it was a very capable design, it took some
skill to cast it and it had a problem casting very light lures. The introduction of the
spinning reel paved the way to the boom of
fishing in the years after its introduction.
The main advantage of the spinning
reel compared to the baitcaster is quite
big buy a spinning rod and reel and it
takes about fifteen minutes of instruction
for an average person to cast it out a good
distance from shore it is that simple.
Baitcasters need at least a month or two to
Only a handful of anglers in the region are reaping the benefits of these great reels
60
OUTDOORUAE
train your thumb when you get into distance casting with conventional reels (overhead reels without a level wind) it might get
a bit complicated. Again, practice would be
the main solution, however, with the baitcaster, casting accuracy is almost second
nature as soon as you learn how to cast it.
Let me go out on a limb and say this All
the distance casting records are from overhead reels. The following explanation might
be too technical for most people: spinning
reels and rods create a lot of friction that
slow the cast down rapidly this is because
as the line diminishes from the spool, the
line needs to climb out of the spool (friction point) and overthe lip (another friction
point) before it reaches the guides The
line travels in a spiral off the spool, which
means when the line hits the rings, line
spirals inside each of the guide rings (more
friction points). This is the reason why spinning rods have less guides than baitcasting
rods to avoid more friction points.
In the case of small conventional reels
and baitcasting reels, the line feeds directly
to the spool and straight out the guides,
feeds in a linear fashion and does not
spiral, wobbling a bit but not really touching a lot of friction points less friction =
more distance. Im not saying that you
should get yourself one to break distance
records; what Im trying to point out is that
in the right hands, it will outcast a spinning
combo any day. If there are days when you
need to cast further than anyone to get to
the fish, you will find a conventional reel will
help you catch more than a spinning combo
would.
Top of the range models have both centripetal and

magnetic brakes giving you the most control and worry
free casting
Goodbye to Backlashalmost
In recent years, baitcasting technology has

steadily improved and have become easier
to use. Although largely unnoticed here in
the UAE and the rest of the region, elsewhere, baitcasters are the norm for both
saltwater and freshwater fishing. In recent
years, much of the improvements have
been in making the reels easier to use a
large part is the ease of casting - meaning
better brakes to avoid backlash.
Smaller, more powerful magnets are now
used in place of the thicker, bigger magnets, and several manufacturers are now
employing finer adjustment increments this significantly makes the cast smoother.
Improvements in centripetal brake block
design have also given rise to better performance and distance. These two technologies combined give you almost infinite
adjustment settings to suit the lures youre
casting. The most significant change in recent years is the inclusion of both systems
in mid end reels these were previously
only available in their top end models this
means you get reels that are small, strong,
light and are able to cast greater distances
without having to worry about the dreaded
backlash.
I know there are a handful of anglers out
there that are already using them, however,
most still prefer spinning tackle because
they are just too easy to use I dont blame
them. However, with the innovation and
all the technology available to us today,
Centripetal casnt control systems such as this give

you a lot of distance but require a bit more practice
a spinning reel, and youve got yourself a

fishing machine that will give you years of
trouble free fishing.
A magnetic cast control system such as this, makes
it very easy to cast and help avoid backlash
baitcasters and small conventional reels are

quite cost effective and offer quite a lot of
features for their price more than a mid
range spinning reel would ever offer. Add
to that the almost zero line twist and the
fact that a baitcaster or small conventional
reel in practiced hands will always out cast
Till next tide change,
Kit
Our fishing pro who shares
his experiences and
expertise with OutdoorUAE
through his regular column.
thefishingkit@gmail.com
Exercises to make the most of the cooler weather

Words by: Nicky Holland
Photos by: Jung Francisco
Now that the temperature

is cooler and the humidity has
reduced, exercising outside becomes more bearable. This is good
because it adds more variation
to your training. Doing different
exercises in a different environment can avoid tedium and help
with motivation. Some Fitness First
clubs have an Outdoor Training
area which allows you to train in a
different way.
Imagine you have no equipment but want
to train; what do you do? If you are stuck for
ideas, this article will help you. It will give
you an all round body workout which you
can do indoors or outdoors with minimal
equipment. Now there really is no excuse!
Back Extension
Another good exercise without any equipment is a simple back extension. This
involves lying on your front facing the floor.
Place both arms out straight to the side as
this will focus more on the erector spinae in
the back and also the upper back and rear
deltoids. From this face down position, keep
your feet together and lift your chest away
from the floor. You will feel your lower back
working and also the back of your shoulders. Try to do 10-15 lifts.
Lateral Lunges
with overhead press
2
Spiderman Push Up
Burpees
Set yourself up in the push up position.
Start with your hands shoulder width apart,
under your shoulders and with both feet
on the floor. As you lower your chest to the
floor, bring one knee up to the side. Then as
you push up from the floor, bring your leg
back to the starting position. This exercise
primarily works the upper body, chest and
triceps. But it can also work the core as you
bring your knee up to the side you will work
your obliques and abdominal muscles. Try to
complete 20 in total, 10 each side.
Now that we have strengthened the core,

its time to raise the heart rate. Burpees will
certainly do that. The correct burpee has a
series of phases to complete just one rep.
Start standing then drop into a push up position. Take your chest to the floor then use
the legs to jump back up to the standing
position and finish with a vertical jump off
the floor. This movement works lots of muscles and also your heart and lungs. Try to
complete 10 reps and keep the speed high.
The faster you go, the higher your heart rate
and the more calories you can burn.
Most people will lunge forwards or backwards. This is ok as it works the frontal plane
of movement. But it is better you mix this
up. Lateral lunges means taking a step to
the side. Here you will work in the sagittal plane. This works different muscles to
the normal lunge which will challenge your
stability and strength. Once you are comfortable with this change of direction, you can
hold a plate and perform an overhead press
as you lunge. This will work the shoulders so
you will get more muscle activation during
the move. Try to do 20 in total so broken
down is 10 lateral lunges each leg.
For the workout above you can decide
how you do it. You could do each exercise
once through then complete three sets or
you could do the first exercise, rest then
complete the first exercise again until you
do three sets and move onto the next. Form
and intensity is important so make sure your
technique and movement is correct. See you
at the beach or park for your next workout!
Side plank to front plank

Most people avoid training their core. But
as we get older it is our lower back and
hamstrings that get tight. A good way to
strengthen these areas is to work the muscles
around them to become good synergists and
fixators that support movement. This exercise
has three movements in one. The first is to
lie on your side, push your bottom elbow
into the floor and raise your body into a side
plank. From here, there should be a diagonal line from your shoulder, to your hip and
your ankle. Hold this position for 15 seconds

then rotate straight into the second exercise
which is a front plank for 15 seconds. Make
sure your hips are not too high and that
your back is straight. Then rotate the other
direction into exercise number three which is
a side plank facing the other way. The total
time here is 45 seconds but you can build
up to a minute by doing 20 seconds on each
movement. This is really good for toning the
waistline and hips.
Nicky Holland
Fitness Manager, Fitness First Uptown Mirdif
UAE DIRECTORY
General Sports
Equipment Megastores
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center,

Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE,
+971 43466824; The Beach on JBR, Dubai:
+971 44304419; Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi:
+971 24456995, www.adventurehq.ae
Decathlon, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre,
+971 42839392, www.decathlon.com
Go Sport, The Dubai Mall: +971 43253595;
Abu Dhabi Mall: +971 26454595; Bawabat Al
Sharq Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 25868240; Yas
Mall: +971 25650812; MOE: +971 4395 8951,
www.go-sport.com
Peiniger BMT Est., CBD, Khalifa Street,
Yateem Optician Bldg., Abu Dhabi, UAE,
+971 26262332, www.peiniger.org
Sun and Sand Sports, most shopping
centres, +971 43599905; Online store: +971
43149001; Retail store: +971 43504400,
http://en-ae.sssports.com
Adventure tours
and desert safaris
Alpha Tours, P.O. Box 25718, 27th Floor,

Burlington Tower, Business Bay, Dubai,
+971 47019111, www.alphatoursdubai.com
Dadabhai Travel, SR 1&2, GF, Gulf Towers,
Oud Metha Rd. Dubai, +971 43885566,
www.dadabhaitravel.ae
Desert Rangers, P.O. Box 33501, Dubai
UAE, +971 44569944 or 507035111
www.desertrangers.com
Desert Road Tourism, Office 503, 5th Flr.,
Al Khor Plaza, Dubai, +971 42959429,
www.desertroadtours.com
Dreamdays, First Floor Rm. 107 Ibn Battuta
Gate (Offices) Sheikh Zayed Rd., Dubai
+971 44329392 or 44329393,
www.dreamdays.ae
Dream Explorer LLC, JLT, Dubai,
P.O. Box 214576, +971 44563390
www.dreamexplorerdubai.com
Dubai Relax Travel, P.O. Box 37459,
National Towers: Churchill Tower Suite #614,
Business Bay, Dubai, +971 528996307,
www.dubairelaxtours.com
Explorer Tours, Umm Ramool, Dubai,
+971 42861991, www.explorertours.ae
Gulf for Good, P.O. Box 506006, 1/F, Building
4, Dubai International Humanitarian City,
Dubai, +971 43680222, www.gulf4good.org
Gulf Ventures, Dnata Travel Centre,
+971 44045880, www.gulfventures.com
MMI Travel LLC, Mezzanine Floor, Dnata
Travel Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 4 4045999,
www.theemiratesgroup.com
Net Group, Dubai and Abu Dhabi,
+971 26794656, www.netgroupauh.com
Oasis Palm Dubai, P.O. Box 181258 Dubai,
Office 404, Royal Plaza Building
Al Rigga Street, +971 42628889 or
42686826, www.opdubai.com
Rahhalah, Shata Tower 27th Floor, Office
No. 2711, Media City, Dubai, +971 44472166,
www.rahhalah.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Fishing, Camping, Kayaking,
& Adventure Club, +971 5 04920860,
mohammed.almahrouky@gmail.com
Air
Balloon Adventures Emirates, Office 123

Oasis Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43884044, www.ballooning.ae
Dubai Paragliders, +971 552120155 or
552250193, www.microaviation.org
Jazirah Aviation Club, Ras Al Khaimah,
+971 72446416 or 555531318,
www.jac-uae.net
Seawings, Dubai,+971 48070708,
www.seawings.ae
Skydive Dubai, The Palm: Al Seyahi St,
Dubai Marina, +971 43778888,
www.skydivedubai.ae
Boating & Sailing
Manufacturer
Al Fajer Marine, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43235181, www.alfajermarine.com
Al Jeer Marina, RAK border Musandam,
+971 72682333 or 504873185,
www.aljeerport.ae
Al Shaali Marine, Ajman, +971 67436443,
www.alshaalimarine.com
Al Yousuf Industrial, LLC,
+971 4 3474111, www.aym.ae,
yamboats@alyousuf.com
Elite Pearl Charter, P.O. Box 214173,
Saeed Tower 1, office #3102,
Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43889666,
www.elitepearlcharter.com
Gulf Craft, P.O. Box 666, Sheikh Khalifa Bin
Zayed Street, Ajman, +971 67406060,
www.gulfcraftinc.com
Distributors and Dealers
Art Marine LLC, Al Quoz Industrial Area,
Sheikh Zayed Road, 3rd Interchange
+971 43388955, www.artmarine.ae or
www.artmarinechandlery.com
Azure Marine Dubai, +971 4 3706886,
www.azuremarine.net
Luxury Sea Boats, Showroom #8, The Curve
Building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 4 3284629, www.luxuryseaboats.com
Macky Marine LLC, Box 37594, Ground
Floor, Marina Yatch Club, Office # 5, Dubai
Marina, Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 505518317,
www.mackymarine.com
Nautilus Yachts, Sharjah, +971 553419494
or 503419494, www.nautilusyachts.com
The Boat House, P.O. Box 71628,
Al Quoz, Dubai, +971 43405152,
www.theboathouse.ae
UAEBoats4Sale, Dubai Marina,
+971 42932465, 567001801,
www.uaeboats4sale.com
Western Marine, P.O. Box 52938, Sheikh
Zayed Road, Knotika Marine Mall, Dubai,
+971 44327870
Equipment
Ali Khalifah Moh Al Fuqaei, Ground Floor,
Tara Hotel Building, Abdul Nasser Square
Street, Dubai, +971 42263220
Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43468000,
www.masaoodmarine.com
Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11,
The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43808616 or 553899995,
www.bluewatersmarine.com
Extreme Marine, Dubai Marina Branch,
+971 43992995, www.extrememarine-me.com
Japan Marine / D1 Marine,
WS # 110, Dubai Maritime City,
+971 4 4426395 or 55 1666035,
www.japanmarine.co
Rineh Emirates Trading LLC, Al Quoz,
Dubai, www.rinehemiratesme.com,
+971 43391512
Repairs and Maintenance
Extreme Marine, Jebel Ali Branch, Jebel Ali,
Industrial Area, P.O. Box 97705, Dubai,
+971 48830777, www.extrememarine-me.com
Rineh Emirates, Sheikha Sana Warehouse 1,
Al Quoz, +971 43391512,
SNS Marine, Dubai Creek & Yacht Club,
Dubai, +971 501405058, www.snsmarine.ae
The Boat House, P.O. Box 71628, Al Quoz,
Dubai, +971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae
Cruise Operators
Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26665491
Al Marsa Travel & Tourism,

P.O. Box 32261, Sharjah, UAE, +971
65441232; Dibba, Musandam, Oman,
+968 26836550
Bateaux Dubai, Dubai Creek opposite
the British Embassy, +971 48145553
Bristol Middle East, Marina Heights Tower,
Dubai Marina Marina Walk,Dubai,
+971 4368 2480, www.bristol-middleeast.com
Captain Tonys, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu
Dhabi, +971 26507175, www.captaintonys.ae
Delma Industrial Supply and Marine
Services, Al Bateen Jetty, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26668153, www.delmamarine.net
Eden Yachting, Dubai Marina,
+971 43282930, 50 3716377,
www.edenyachting.com
Emirates Yatching, P.O. Box 8380, Dubai,
+971 42826683
El Mundo, Dubai, +971 505517406,
www.elmundodubai.com
Four Star Travels and Tourism, Dubai,
+971 561012599, www.4startravels.com
4 Yatch Chartering LLC, Toll Free: 800
YACHT (92248), Office #4, Dubai Marina
Yatch Club, Dubai, www.4yachtchartering.ae
Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa,
Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92449888, www.rotana.com
Ghantoot Marina & Resort, Abu Dhabi,
+971 529933153, www.ghantootmarina.com
Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai,
+971 48706668, www.happydaysdubai.com
LY Catamaran, Bur Dubai, +971 566506683,
www.lycatamaran.com
Marine Concept, P.O. Box 282586, Office
611, Al Barsha Business Centre, Dubai,
+971 43958022, 559603030
www.marine-charter-concept.com
Nautica1992, Habtoor Grand Beach Resort
& Spa, Autograph Collection, Dubai Marina,
+971 504262415, www.nautica1992.ae
Noukhada Adventure Company - P.O. Box
73373, C/O Ali & Sons Real Estate LLC,
Plot No. 29, Abu Dhabi Al Ain Rd, Um Al
Nar, Abu Dhabi, UAE - +971 25581889
www.noukhada.ae
RAK Marine LLC, Ras Al Khaimah City
Hilton Marina, +971 72066410, 504912696,
507682345
Sea Hunters Passenger Yachts & Boats
Rental, Dubai Marina, +971 42951011
Smoke Dragon of London Yacht, Abu Dhabi
International Marine & Sports Club,
+971 507011958 or 504546617
Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai,
+971 42573084
The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111,
www.the-club.com
The Yellow Boats LLC, Dubai Marina Walk
opposite Spinneys, Intercontinental Hotel
Marina, 800892, www.theyellowboats.com
Marinas
Abu Dhabi International Marine
Sports Club, Abu Dhabi, Breakwater,
+971 26815566, www.adimsc.com
Abu Dhabi Marina, Abu Dhabi,
Tourist Club Area, +971 26440300
Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam
+971 72682333 or 504873185,
www.aljeerport.ae
Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road, Al
Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE,
+971 42394760 or 42959477,
www.cruiseindubai.com
Dubai Creek Marina, Deira, Dubai,
+971 43801234, www.dubaigolf.com
Dubai International Marine Sports Club,
Dubai Marina, +971 43995777, www.dimc.ae
Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai,
+971 43627900,
www.dubaimarinayachtclub.com
Dubai Maritime City Harbour Marina,
Dubai, +971 43455545
Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, Dubai,
+971 43941669, www.dosc.ae
Emirates Palace Marina, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26907725
Fujairah International Marine Club,
Fujairah, +971 92221166, www.fimc.ae
Intercontinental Abu Dhabi Marina,
Al Bateen, Intercontinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26666888, www.intercontinental.com
Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa Marina,
Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 48145555
www.jebelali-international.com
Pavilion Marina, Dubai,
Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +971 44068800
Umm Al Quwaim Marine Sports Club,
Umm Al Quwaim, +971 67666644,
www.uaqmarineclub.com
Dragon Boat Groups

Dubai Dawn Patrol Dragon Boating,
Dubai, +971 508795645,
www.facebook.com/DubaiDawnPatrol
Dubai Diggers, Jumeirah Beach Hotel,
pier next to 360, Dubai, +971 501547175,
www.dubai-diggers.com
UAE Dragon Boat Association,
+971 507634008, www.dubaidragonboat.com
Camping & Hiking
Equipment
Blingmytruck.com, +971 505548255,
www.blingmytruck.com
Gulf Camping, Dubai, UAE,
+971 551222252 or 502550666,
www.gulfcamping.com
Jack Wolfskin, Al Wahda Mall,
Abu Dhabi,+971 24437802
Tresspass, 2nd floor above ice rink,
The Dubai Mall, +971 43398801
Urban Peak, PO Box 9587, Office 502E,
Ibn Battuta Gate Offices, Dubai,
+971 44548805, www.urbanpeak.com
Tour Operators
Arabia Outdoors, Dubai,
+971 559556209, www.arabiaoutdoors.com
Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43926463,
www.adventure.ae
Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza 503,
Dubai, +971 42959428,
www.arabiatours.com
Libra Travel & Tourism LLC, +971
43397700, www.facebook.com/
LibraTravelDubai
Mountain High Middle East, Dubai,
+971 506595536, www.mountainhighme.com
Sheesa Beach, Musandam, Dibba,
+971 50336046, www.sheesabeach.com
Caving
Mountain High Middle East, Dubai,

+971 43480214, www.mountainhighme.com
Climbing
Equipment
Adventure HQ, Sheikh Zayed Rd.,
Dubai Times Square Center, toll free:
800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae
Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Street 13A
1, Al Safa 1, Dubai, +971 43466558,
www.barracudadubai.com
Global Climbing Trading LLC,
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai,
+971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com
Jack Wolfskin, Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi
+971 24437802, www.jack-wolfskin.com
Services
Absolute Adventure, Dubai,
+971 43926463, www.adventure.ae
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square
Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free:
OUTDOORUAE
63

Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi,
+971 28137444, www.alshaheenme.com
Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209,
www.arabiaoutdoors.com
Dorell Sports Management, Dubai World
Trade Centre, +971 43065061,
www.climbingdubai.com
E-Sports UAE, Dubai, +971 43697817,
www.esportsuae.com
The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111,
www.the-club.com
Information
UAE Climbing, +971 506456491,
www.uaeclimbing.com
Mountain Biking & Cycling
Equipment/Dealers
Bikers JLT, Unit H6, Cluster H,
Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAE,
+971 526221888
Cycle Sports, Shop No. 1, Al Waleed Bldg.,
Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +971 43415415,
Fun Ride Sports, 301, 3rd floor, Mushrif
Mall, Abu Dhabi, Rm. 4, Mezzanine floor,
C-13 Bldg., Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi,
+971 24455838, www.funridesports.com
Micahs Bike Shop, Warehouse No.4
6th St. Al Quoz 3, Dubai, +971 43805228
Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha 1,
+971 43255705, www.probike.ae
Rage Shop, Al Ghurair Centre: +971 4294
8634; MOE: +971 43413388; Al Wahda
Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 24437617, Dubai
Mall: +971 44341549, www.rage-shop.com
Revolution Cycles, Shop G05, Apex
Atrium, Motor City, Dubai, +971 43697441,
www.rcdxb.com
Ride Bike Shop, Sheikh Zayed Road:
+971 43395602; Mirdif City Centre: +971
42840038; Al Seef Village Mall, Abu Dhabi:
+971 26337172, www.ridebikeshop.com
Sportz Unlimited, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, + 971 43388644 or 43391333
Tamreen Sports LLC, Khalifa Street,
Abu Dhabi, +971 26222525,
www.tamreensports.com
The Cycle Hub, Motor City, Dubai,
+971 505528872 or 44256555,
www.thecyclehub.com
Trek Bicycle Store, Seih Al Salam,
Al Qudra Road, Dubai, +971 48327377;
Shop #5, Reemas Building
Al Quoz 1, Exit 46/47, Sheikh Zayed Road
Dubai, +971 43211132
www.trekbikes.ae
Trikke UPT, P.O. Box 53527, Dubai,
+ 971 43434499; P.O. Box 33869, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26333377, www.trikkeme.net
Wolfis Bike Shop, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43394453, www.wbs.ae
Operator
+971 43926463, www.adventure.ae,
info@adventure.ae
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Tri Club,
www.abudhabitriclub.com
Cycle Safe Dubai, Dubai Autodrome
www.cyclechallenge.ae
Dubai Roadsters, +971 43394453,
www.dubairoadsters.com
OUTDOORUAE

Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000,
www.lemeridien-alaqah.com
Nautica 1992, Dubai, +971 504262415,
www.nautica1992.ae
Noukhada Adventure Company,
Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi,
+971 25581889, www.noukhada.ae
Ocean Active, +971 504592259,
www.oceanactive.com
Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam,
Soolyman Sport Fishing, Umm Suquiem,
Fishing Port No. 2, Jumeirah Beach, +971
508866227, 508866228 or 503402379,
www.soolymansportfishing.com
Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai,
+971 42573084, www.summertimemarine.com
Xclusive Yachts, Dubai, Dubai Marina,
+971 44327233, www.xclusiveyachts.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Camping, Fishing & Kayaking
Club, mohamed.almahrouky@gmail.com
Dubai Surfski & Kayak Club, Kitesurfers
Beach, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai,
+971 554986280, www.dskc.hu
Diving
Equipment
Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi and Dubai,
+971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com
Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment,
Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai,
+971 43444468
Dubai, +971 43468000,
Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43390621,
www.aym.ae/yamaha
Blue Waters Marine, +971 43808616,
Dubai, www.bluewatersmarine.com
Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26710017, www.gulfmarinesports.com
Premiers for Equipment, Sheikh Zayed
1st. Road, Abu Dhabi, +971 26665226,
www.premiers-uae.com
Dive Shop.ae, Building #123, Street 26,
Area 369, Al Quoz Industrial Area 4, Dubai,
+971 43414940, www.diveshop.ae
Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com
Diving Centres
Al Boom Diving (equipment),
Dubai, Al Wasl Rd, +971 43422993,
www.alboomdiving.com
Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam,
+971 72682333, www.aljeerport.ae
Al Mahara Dive Center, near Muroor St.
across from main bus terminal,
+971 26437377, info@divemahara.com,
www.divemahara.com
Arabian Diver, Hilton Marine, Ras Al
Khaimah, +971 72226628 or 502428128
www.arabiandiver.com
Arabian Divers and Sportfishing
Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort,
Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931,
www.fishabudhabi.com
Coastal Technical Divers,
glenn@coastaltechnicaldivers.com,
www.coastaltechnicaldivers.com
Deep Blue Sea Diving, International City,
Dubai, +971 44308246,
www.diveindubai.com
Desert Islands, Sir Bani Yas Island,
Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 28015454,
www.divemahara.com
Divers Down, +971 559888687, Dubai;
Fujairah, Rotana Al Aqah Hotel Resort & Spa,
+971 92370299, www.diversdownuae.com
Emirates Divers Centre, Abu Dhabi,
near Meena Fish Market, +97126432444,
www.edc-ad.ae
Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
Fujairah, +971 506130486
contactus@freedivinguae.com,
www.freedivinguae.com
Freestyle Divers, Al Corniche Street, Dibba,
Fujairah, +971 504514259,
www.freestyledivers.me
Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa - Al Aqah
Beach, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92449888, www.rotana.com
Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort,
Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000,
www.lemeridien-alaqah.com
Neptune Diving, +971 504347902,
www.neptunedivingcentre.com
Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment),
Dubai, +971 44068828
Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com
Scuba UAE.com, +971 502053922,
www.scubauae.com
7 Seas Diving Center, Khorfakkan,
+971 92387400, www.7seasdivers.com
Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah,
+971 506683430, www.bsac406.com
Sky & Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton,
Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005,
www.watersportsdubai.com
Clubs
Atlantis Underwater Photography Club,
Dubai, +971 44263000
Desert Sports Diving Club, Dubai,
www.desertsportsdivingclub.net
Emirates Diving Association, Diving
Village, Al Shindagha, Dubai,
+971 43939390, www.emiratesdiving.com
Filipino SCUBA Divers Club (FSDC),
Dubai, UAE, +971 566952421,
www.facebook.com/FSDCuae
Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com,
www.freedivinguae.com
Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah,
+971 507840830, www.bsac406.com
Fishing & Kayaking

64
General Sports Equipment

Distributors
Equipment
Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai,
Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment,
Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai,
+971 43444468
Dubai, +971 43468000,
Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed
Rd, +971 43390000, www.aym.ae/yamaha
Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort,
Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931,
www.fishabudhabi.com
Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai,
Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +971 43466558,
www.barracudadubai.com
Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11,
The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43808616 or 553899995,
www.bluewatersmarine.com
Challenging Adventure, Wadi Al Bih Ras Al Khaimah, +971 561060798
or 44538386,
contactus@challengingadventure.com
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai,
Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre,
+971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com
Operators
+971 43926463, www.adventure.ae
Al Boom Diving, Le Meridien Al Aqah
Beach Resort, Fujairah, +971 43422993
Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club, Al
Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72432274,
www.alhamramarina.com
Al Mahara Dive Center,
Downtown Abu Dhabi, +971 501118125,
www.divemahara.com
Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road,
Al Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE,
+971 42394760 or 42959477,
www.cruiseindubai.com
Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26429995, www.alshaheenme.com
Al Wasl Charter & Fishing
(Al Wasl Passenger Yachts
and Boats Rental LLC),
Airport Road, Al Owais Building, Dubai,
+971 42394761, www.cruiseindubai.com
Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort, +971
506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com
Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209,
www.arabiaoutdoors.com
Barracuda Diving Centre, Fujairah
International Marine Club, +971 503366224
Belevari Marine, Abu Dhabi, +971 26594144
Captain Tonys, Yas Marina, Yas Island,
Abu Dhabi, +971 26507175,
www.captaintonys.ae
Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai,
+971 507050433 or 506947764,
www.seaworlddsf.com
Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai,
+971 48706668, 503960202,
www.happydaysdubai.com
Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi
Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +971 26811900
Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort,
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square

Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free:
Dubai, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha
800 Sport, Al Quoz, Dubai
+971 43467751, www.800sport.ae
Flip Flop Arabia, +971 556881793,
501084010, www.flipfloparabia.com
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai
Highbury Trading FZE LLC, P.O. Box
16111, RAK Free Trade Zone Authority, Ras
Al Khaima, +971 526799506,
www.highburytrade.com
Jack Wolfskin, Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi,
+971 24437802
Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735,
www.kitesurfsup.com
Picnico General Trading, near Sharaf DG
Metro Station, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43951113
Portable Shade UAE, Jebel Ali, Dubai,
UAE, +971 508897125,
www.portable-shade.net
Sport in Life Distribution, Nad Al Hammar
Rd., Ras Al Khor, Dubai, UAE,
+971 42896001 or 42896002,
info@sportinlife.ae, www.sportinlife.ae
Tresspass, The Dubai Mall
2nd floor above ice rink, +971 43398801
Horse Riding
Equipment
Al Asifa Horse Equestrian Equipment
& Requisites Trading
P.O. Box 77282, AL Khawanij 1st , Dubai,
+971 554733110, www.asifa.ae
Black Horse LLC, Baniyas West,
Near Empost Abu Dhabhi, +971 25866205,
www.blackhorseuae.com
Bonjour Equestrian Supplies,
Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Kho, Dubai,
UAE, +971 42896001, +971 42896002,
info@bonjourequestrian.com,
www.bonjourequestrian.com
Cavalos Equine Care and Supplies,
16th Street, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi,
+917 22222433, www.cavalosuae.com
Emirta Horse Requirement Centre,
Sheik Zayed Rd., Dubai, +971 43437475,
www.emirtahorse.com
Equestrian Clubs/Centres
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif,
Abu Dhabi, +971 24455500,
www.adec-web.com
Al Ahli Riding School, Al Amman Street,
Dubai-Sharjah Rd., +971 42988408,
www.alahliclub.info
Al Forsan International Sports Resort,
Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555,
www.alforsan.com
Al Jiyad Stables, Behind Dubai
International Endurance City, Dubai,
+971 505995866,
info@aljiyad.com, www.aljiyad.com
Al Sahra Desert Resort Equestrian
Centre, Dubai, +971 44274055,
equestrian.centre@alsahra.com
Desert Equestrian Club, Mirdif, Dubai,
+971 503099770 or 501978888
Desert Palm Riding School, Near Al Awir
Road (going to Hatta-Oman), Dubai,
+971 43238010, www.dubaipoloclub.com
Dubai Polo Academy, Dubai,
+971 508879847, www.dubaipoloacademy.com

Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai,
Arabian Ranches, +971 43618111,
www.poloclubdubai.com
Emirates Equestrian Centre, Dubai,
+971 505587656,
www.emiratesequestriancentre.com
Ghantoot Polo & Racing Club, Exit 399,
Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi,
+971 25629050, www.grpc.ae
Golden Stables Equestrian Club,
Al Khawaneej, Dubai, (Nouri)
+971 555528182
Hoofbeatz, located just inside the Dubai
Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai,
+971 569424551, www.hoofbeatz.com
Mushrif Equestrian and Polo Club,
Mushrif Park, Al Khawaneej Road, Dubai,
+971 42571256, www.mushrifec.com
Rahal Ranch, Al Wathba Racing Area,
Abu Dhabi, +971 565066741,
www.rahalranch.com
Riding for the Disabled, Dubai,
lessons@rdad.ae, www.rdad.ae,
Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club,
Sharjah, Al Dhaid Road,
+971 65311188, www.serc.ae
Racecourses
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif,
Abu Dhabi, +971 24455500,
www.adec-web.com
Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, Exit 399,
Abu Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi,
+971 25629050, www.grpc.ae
Jebel Ali Racecourse, off the main Abu
Dhabi - Dubai Highway (Sheikh Zayed road)
beside the Emirates Golf Club, Dubai,
+971 43474914
Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse,
Al Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai,
+971 43270000, www.meydan.ae
Sharjah Racecourse, Al Dhaid Road,
Sharjah, +971 65311155, www.serc.ae
Jet Ski
Dealers
Al Masaood Marine, Dubai,

Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000,
Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Rd., Dubai,
+971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha
Japan Marine General Trading,
Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai,
+971 44426395, uday@japanmarine.jp,
www.japanmarine.co
Liberty Kawasaki, Interchange 4,
Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
Direct: +971 45019442, 45019412
or 43419341, www.libertykawasaki.com
Motocross & ATVs
Dealers
Al Badayer Rental (Rental),
Dubai-Hatta Road, +971 68861161 or
507842020, www.albadayerrental.com
Al Shaali Moto, Ras Al Khor,
+971 43200009, www.alshaalimoto.com
Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed
Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha
Golden Desert Motorcycles,
P.O. Box 47912, E-44 Hatta road, Al Badayer
Madam, Sharjah, +971 529484616
or 505 033 800
Just Gas It, Hatta Rd., Al Aweer, Dubai,
UAE, +971 559031664, www.JustGasIt.net
KTM, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, exit 42,
+971 43468999, www.ktm.com
Liberty Kawasaki, Interchange 4, Sheikh
Zayed Road, Dubai, Direct: +971 45019442,
45019412 or 43419341,
www.libertykawasaki.com
Motoventure, Hobbies Club, Al Awir,
Hatta Road, Dubai, +971 555437392,
www.motoventure.net
mxDubai, Al Ain Road Dubai, +971 55
2090832, www.mxdubai.com
Polaris UAE (atvs), Ras Al Khor, Nad al
Hamar Road, Al Ghandi Complex, Dubai,
+971 42896100, M4, Sector 13,
10th Street, Mussafah Industrial, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26441478, www.polarisuae.com
Sebsports, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1
Dubai, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com
Equipment
Sandstorm Motorcycles (Rental),
Al Quoz, Dubai, +971 43395608,
Sebsports, Dubai, Al Quoz Industrial Area
3, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com
2XWheeler, Motorcity Dubai,
+971 44548388, www.2xwheeler.com
Motorcycling

Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Rd.,
Dubai, +971 43390621,
W/ WARRANTY
|
|
www.heartlanduae.com
Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744,
www.icon-auto.com
Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2,
Dubai, UAE, +971 4 3469600,
www.mebarauto.com
Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai-Hatta
Road, Dubai, +971 48321050,
Yellow Hat, Nad Al Hamar, and Times
Square Center, Dubai, +971 42898060,
www.yellowhat.ae
Tour Operators
Arabian Adventures, Dubai & Abu Dhabi,
+971 43034888,
www.arabian-adventures.com
Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza 503,
Dubai, +971 42959429,
www.desertroadtours.com
Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai,
+971 4 2628832 or 4 2686826,
www.opdubai.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Off- Road Club, www.ad4x4.com
ALMOST 4x4 Off-Road Club,
+971 507665522, www.almost4x4.com
Dubai Offroaders, www.dubaioffroaders.com
JEEP Wrangler JK Fun Club,
suffian.omar@yahoo.com,
www.jk-funclub.com
ME 4X4, www.me4x4.com
Running
www.aym.ae/yamaha
Ducati, Al Salam Street, Abu Dhabi,
+971 24918593, www.ducati.ae
Duseja General Trading Co. LLC,
Warehouse No: B3, Alquoz Ind Area #3, Umm
Suqeim Road next to Max Garage
Diagonally opposite Lulu Hypermarket Al
Barsha, +971 43476712,
www.dusejamoto.com
Harley-Davidson, Mussafah 4, Street 10,
Abu Dhabi, +971 25540667,
hd.auh@harley-davidson.ae,
www.harley-davidson-abu-dhabi.com
Liberty Kawasaki, Interchange4, Sheikh
Zayed Road, Dubai, Direct: +971 45019442,
45019412 or 43419341,
www.libertykawasaki.com
Polaris UAE, Al Ghandi Complex,
Nad al Hamar Road, Ras Al Khor,
+971 42896100, www.polarisuae.com
Tristar Motorcycles, Al Awir Road,
Nr Oman Transport, +971 43330659,
www.tristaruae.com
Workshops and Services
Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555,
www.alforsan.com
Dubai Autodrome, Dubai,
+971 43678700,www.dubaiautodrome.com
Emirates Motorplex, Umm Al Quwain,
+971 67681166
2xWheeler Adventures, Dubai,
+971 44548388, www.alainraceway.com
Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi,
800 YAS (927) or +971 26599800,
www.yasmarinacircuit.com
Off-Road
Dealers
Bling My Truck,
+971 503634839 or 505548255,
info@blingmytruck.com,
4x4 Motors LLC, Shk. Zayed Rd, Dubai,
+971 43384866, www.4x4motors.com
Liberty Automobiles, Dubai, 800 5423789,
www.libertyautos.com
Repairs and Services
AAA Service Centre, Al Quoz, Dubai, UAE,
+971 4 2858989, www.aaadubai.com
Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744,
www.icon-auto.com
Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2,
Dubai, UAE, +971 43469600,
www.mebarauto.com
Off Road Zone, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43392449, www.offroad-zone.com
Saluki Motorsport, Dubai, +971 43476939
www.salukimotorsport.com
Equipment
Advanced Expedition Vehicles,
Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +971 43307152,
www.aev.ae
Dubai, +971 43390621,
www.aym.ae/yamaha
Bling My Truck,
+971 503634839 or 505548255,
Heartland UAE, Al Mafraq Industrial,
Abu Dhabi, +971 569796524 or 506472447,
Clubs
ABRasAC, Dubai, www.abrasac.org
Abu Dhabi Tri Club, Abu Dhabi,
www.abudhabitriclub.org
Abu Dhabi Striders,
admin@abudhabistriders.com,
www.abudhabistriders.com
Al Ain Road Runners, Abu Dhabi,
+971 504188978,
alainroadrunners@yahoo.co.uk
Mirdif Milers, Dubai, www.mirdifmilers.info
Dubai Creek Striders
www.dubaicreekstriders.org
Desert Road Runners
www.desertroadrunners.club
Stand up Paddling, Kite &

Surfing, Wakeboarding
Equipment
Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai,
Dubai, +971 43468000,
Kitesurf Dubai, Kitesurf Beach,
Umm Suqueim and Jumeirah 3
+971 505586190, www.kitesurfdubai.ae
Picnico, Al Fairdooni Building, Sheikh
Zayed Road, Near Sharaf DG Metro Station
and Mall of Emirates, +971 43951113
Surf Dubai, Umm Suqeim, Dubai,
+971 505043020, www.surfingdubai.com
Surf Shop Arabia, Building 1,
Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3,
Dubai, +971 564716180,
www.surfshoparabia.com
Surf School Arabia, +971 556010997,
www.surfschoolarabia.com
UAE Kite Surfing, +971 505626383,
www.ad-kitesurfing.net
Distributors
Kitepeople Kite & Surf Store,
International City, Dubai,
+971 504559098, www.kitepeople.ae
Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735,
www.kitesurfsup.com
Operators
Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555,
www.alforsan.com
Dubai Kite Surf School, Umm Suqeim
Beach, Dubai, +971 504965107,
www.dubaikitesurfschool.com
Duco Maritime, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah
and Abu Dhabi, +971 508703427,
www.ducomaritime.com
Dukite, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqeim,
Dubai,+971 507586992, www.dukite.com
Kite Fly, Dubai, +971 502547440,
www.kitesurf.ae
Kitepro Abu Dhabi, Yas Island

and Al Dabbayyah, Abu Dhabi,
+971 505441494, www.kitepro.ae
Nautica1992, Dubai, +971 504262415,
www.nautica1992.ae
Shamal Kite Surfing, Umm Suqueim
Dubai, +971 507689226,
www.shamalkitesurfing.com
Sky & Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton,
Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005,
www.watersportsdubai.com
Surf School UAE, Umm Suqeim Beach
and Building 1, Al Manara Road (East),
Interchange 3, Dubai, +971 43791998,
www.surfschooluae.com
Watercooled, Jebel Ali Golf Resort and
Spa, Dubai, +971 48876771,
www.watercooleddubai.com
Water Cooled,
Watercooled Sports Services LLC,
Hilton Beach Club,
Abu Dhabi, +971 26395997,
www.watercooleduae.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle,
www.abudhabisup.com
UAE SUP and Surf Association, +971
26665588, www.ridersuae.com
Water Parks
Aquaventure Atlantis, Dubai, Palm

Jumeirah, +971 44260000, www.
atlantisthepalm.com
Dreamland Aqua Park,
Umm Al Quwain, Emirates Road,
+971 67681888,
www.dreamlanduae.com
Wadi Adventure, Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain,
+971 37818422,
www.wadiadventure.ae
Wild Wadi Water Park, Dubai,
+971 43484444, www.wildwadi.com
Other leisure activities
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, P.O. Box 51234, Sas

Al Nakhl, Abu Dhabi, +971 28853555,
www.adgolfclub.com
Al Tamimi Stables, Sharjah,
+971 67431122 or 44370505,
www.tamimistables.com
Blokart Sailing, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai,
+971 556101841, www.blokartme.com
Childrens City, Creek Park Gate No.1,
Dubai, +971 43340808, www.childrencity.ae
Dolphin Bay Atlantis, Dubai,
+971 44262000, www.atlantisthepalm.com
Dubai Dolphinarium Dubai, Creek Park Gate
No. 1, +971 43369773,
www.dubaidolphinarium.ae
iFly Dubai, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre,
+971 42316292, www.iflyme.com
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi,
Saadiyat Island, +971 25578000, www.
sbgolfclub.ae
Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club,
Sharjah, +971 65487777,
www.golfandshootingshj.com
SkiDubai, Dubai, Mall of the Emirates,
+971 44094000, www.skidxb.com
Spacewalk Indoor Skydiving, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26577601
adcountryclub.com/spacewalk/aboutspacewalk/
Health, Safety & Training
Safety Lessons
Marine Concept Yacht Charter
& Sea School, Rania Business Centre,
Dubai, +971 559603030,
www.marine-charter-concept.com
Sport and Health Centres
Bespoke Wellness, Dubai,
+971 553724670, www.bespoke-wellness.com
OUTDOORUAE
65
Original Fitness Co., C6 Tower Al Bateen

Bainunah St, Abu Dhabi, +971 2406 9404;
P.O. Box 126469, Office 508 The Fairmont

Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43116571 www.originalfitnessco.com
Orthosports Medical Centre, 5B Street,

Jumeira Beach road, Dubai, 800 ORTHO
(67846), www.orthosp.com
The Physio Center, Suite 405, Building 49,

Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai,
+971 44370570, www.physiocentre.ae
OMAN DIRECTORY
Al Sawadi Beach Resort, P.O. Box 747,

Barka - Al Sawadi, Oman, +968 26795545,
www.alsawadibeach.info
Diving UAE & Oman, www.dive-uae-oman.com
Euro Divers CAYC Oman, Marina Bandar
Al Rhowda, P.O. Box 940, Muscat, Oman,
+968 97899094, www.euro-divers.com
Extra Divers Musandam, PO Box 498,
PC 811 Khasab, Musandam, Oman,
+968 99877957, www.musandam-diving.com
Global Scuba LLC, +968 24692346,
www.global-scuba.com
Khasab Musandam Travel & Tours,
P.O. Box 786, PC No. 811, Khasab,
Musandam, Sultanate of Oman,
+968 91713449, info@tourkhasab.com
Al Mouj Marina, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24534554, www.almoujmarina.com
Moon Light Dive Center, P.O. Box 65,
Madinat Qaboos, Muscat Oman,
+968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com
Nomad Ocean Adventures,
+968 26836069, Dibba, Oman; Fujairah,
+971 508918207, www.discovernomad.com
Diving Centres
Euro-divers Marina Bandar Al Rowdha,
P.O. Box 940, Postal Code 100 Muscat,
Sultanate of Oman, +968 98194444,
www.euro-divers.com
Extra Divers Zighy Bay, Oman,
Musandam, +968 26735555,
www.extradivers.info
Moonlight Dive Center, Near Grand Hyatt
Muscat, Shati Al Qurum, Oman,

+968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com
Oman Dive Center, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24284240, www.omandivecenter.com
Oman Dive Center Resort, P.O. Box 199,
Medinat Sultan Qaboos, Oman,
+968 24824240, www.omandivecenter.info
Omanta Scuba Diving Academy,
Al Kharjiya Street, Al Shati Area,
Muscat, Oman, +968 99777045,
www.omantascuba.com
Oxygen Diving and Adventures,
P.O. Box 1363 PC130 Alazaiba, Muscat,
Oman, +968 92537494 or 9723 2661,
www.o2diveoman.com
Scuba Oman, Oman, +968 99558488,
www.scubaoman.com
Seaoman, P.O. Box 2394, RUWI PC 112,
Oman, +968 24181400, www.seaoman.com
P.O. Box 117, Postal Code 421,

Bediyah, Ghabbi, Oman,
+968 99310108, www.safaridesert.com
Stand Up Paddeling, Kite

& Surfing, Wakeboarding
Boating & Sailing
Clubs
Horse Riding
Adventure tours
and desert safaris
Bike and Hike Oman, P.O. Box 833, Ruwi,

Postal Code 112, Oman, +968 24400873,
www.bikeandhikeoman.com
Dolphin Qasab Tours, P.O. Box 123, P.C. 811,
Khasab City, Musandam, Oman,
+968 26730813, www.dolphinkhasabtours.com
Go Dive Oman, Marina Bander Al Rowdha
Dive Center, +968 9548 3813 or 98194444,
www.godiveoman.com
Khour Shem Tourism, Oman,
+968 91713449, www.khourshemtours.com
Nomad Tours, PO Box 583, Postal Code
100, Muscat, Oman, +968 95495240,
www.nomadtours.com
Oman Trekking Guides, PO Box 917,
NIZWA, Oman, +968 95741441,
http://omantrekkingguides.tumblr.com
Cruise Operators
Diving
Equipment
Al Marsa Musandam, PO Box 44, Dibba,
Sultanate of Oman, +968 26836550; UAE: +971
502124100, www.almarsamusandam.com
QATAR DIRECTORY
Adventure tours
and desert safaris
Al Mulla Travels, P.O. Box 4147, Doha,

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

Qatar Chain Reaction,
www.qatarchainreaction.weebly.com
Qatar Sandstromers, +974 77775207
or 77776634, www.facebook.com/
QatarSandstormers
Velostar Doha, https://www.facebook.com/
groups/587539064642288/
Doha Bay Running Club,
www.dohabayrunningclub.com
TriClub Doha, www.triclubdoha.com
General Sports
Equipment Megastores
Galaxy Sport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor,

Qatar: +974 44822194; Villagio Mall,
Qatar: +974 44569143; Ezdan Mall, Qatar:
+974 44922827, The Pearl(Parcel 9) +974
40027513, Souq Jabor +974 44430322.
Office: +974 44417935,
www.galaxysportqatar.com
GO Sport Qatar, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor,
+974 44631644; Villaggio Mall,
+974 44157463,
www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar
Sun & Sand Sports Qatar, City Centre Mall,
+974 44837007; Dar Al Salam Mall,
+974 44510179; Mustafawi Exhibition,
+974 44935183, en-ae.sssports.com
Boating & Sailing
Equipment
Regatta Sailing Academy, Katara Beach
+974 55503484
www.regattasailingacademy.com
Speed Marine, Speed Marine, Museum
Road, P.O. Box 9145 Doha, Qatar,
+974 44410109,
www.speedmarinegroup.com
Marinas
Four Seasons Marina, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44948899, www.mourjanmarinas.com
Lusail Marina, Lusail City, Qatar,
+974 55843282,
www.mourjan-lusailmarina.com
The PearlQatar Marinas, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44953894, www.ronauticame.com
Add your free listing to the

66
OUTDOORUAE
Equipment, Operators
Kiteboarding Oman, Sawadi Beach,
P.O. Box: 133, PC 118, Muscat, Oman, +968
96323524, www.kiteboarding-oman.com
Omans Kite Center, +968 94006007,
www.kitesurfing-lessons.com
Camping & Hiking
Caving
Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre,

Oman, +968 24543002,
www.holiday-in-oman.com
Oman World Tourism, Oman,
+968 24565288, www.omanworldtourism.com
Fishing & Kayaking
Equipment
AzZaha Tours, +968 99425461,
www.azzahatours.com
Water World Marine Oman,
P.O.Box76,Muscat,113,Sultanate
ofOman, +96824737438,
www.waterworldoman.com
Manufacturer
Saphire Marine, PO Box: 11,
Post Code 118, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24568887, 24566566, 24561619 or
24568881, www.sapphire-marine.com
Marinas
Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24737286 (ext 215),
www.marinaoman.net
Tour Operators
Safari Desert Camp,
Fishing & Kayaking
Equestrian Clubs/Centres
Al Shaqab, P.O. Box 90055, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44546320, www.alshaqab.com
Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club,
Racing and Equestrian Club,
P.O. Box 7559, Doha, Qatar, +974 44197704,
www.qrec.gov.qa
Diving
Equipment/Centres
Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street
(near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar,
+974 44435626
Doha Sub Aqua Club, Doha Sub-Aqua Club,
PO Box: 5048, Doha, Qatar,
+974 50483794, www.dohasubaquaclub.com
Extreme Adventure, P.O. Box 33002, Shop
3, 4 Ahmed Bin Ali Street (Bin Omran), Doha,
Qatar, +974 44877884, www.extreme.qa
GoSport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor,
Qatar: +974 44631644; Villagio Mall,
Qatar: +974 44517574,
www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar
Pearl Divers, P.O. Box 2489, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44449553, www.pearl-divers.org
Poseidon Dive Center, P.O. Box: 11538,
Ras Abu Abboud Street, Al Emadi Suites,
Showroom #2, Doha, Qatar
+974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com
Qatar Scuba Center, 187 Al Mansoura
Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar,
+974 66662277, www.qatarscubacenter.com
Q-Dive Marine Centre, Souq Al Najada cnr
of Grand Hamad and Ali bin Abdulla Street;
+974 55319507 or 4375065, www.qdive.net
World Marine Centre, PO Box 6944,
Doha, Qatar, +974 44360989,
www.worldmarinecenter.webs.com
Qatar Divers, Marriott Hotel Marina Near Old
Airport, Ras Abu Aboud Area, Doha, Qatar,
+974 55246651, 40405156,
www.qatardivers.com
Qatar Marine, Go Sport City Center
West Bay, P.O. Box 16657, Doha,
+974 55319507, www.qatarmarine.net
Qatar Scuba Centre, 187 Al Mansoura
Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar,
+974 66662277 or 44422234,
www.qatarscubacenter.com
Equipment
Al Kashat, Fishing and Hunting
Equipment, Souq Waqif, next
to the Falcon Souq, +974 70057489
Al Mamzoore Marine Equipment,
P.O. Box 6449, Old Salata, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44444238, almamzoore@qatar.net.qa
Extreme Adventure, Shop 3,4
Ahmed Bin Ali Steet, Doha,
+974 44877884, www.extreme.qa
Fish World, P.O. Box 1975, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44340754
State of Qatar (QatarSub), Souq Waqif,
next to the Falcon Souq, +974 4431234,
www.stateofqatar.com
Operators
Paddle Qatar, +974 55490895,
www.paddleqatar.com
Stand Up Paddeling, Kite

& Surfing, Wakeboarding
Equipment, Operators
Fly-N-Ride, Ras abu Aboud, Doha,
+974 33117089,
Flo Kite School, Westbay, Doha,
+974 33155628, www.flokiteschool.com
Kitesurfing Qatar, +97430179108,
www.kitesurfingqatar.com
QSUP, Qanat Quartier, Costa Malaz,
The Pearl-Qc, Doha, Qatar, +974 66602830,
www.qsup.me
Cycling (Road & Off Road)
Bike Servicing, Equipment

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

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Off road adventures in the region

Reports from Berlin and Chicago

Svalbard Part Two

In search of polar bears in the Arctic Circle

Tried & Tested:

Yosemite National Park

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Ireneo Jung Francisco

EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS

Tel. 04-447 2030

Helle Bachofen Von Echt

The information contained is for general use only.

2016 Outdoor UAE FZE

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

30 YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

34 6X6 ROAD TRIP

38 WEEKEND FAMILY ADVENTURES

22 OFF ROADERS CORNER

EVENT & ACTIVITY REPORTS

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

49 QUECHUA CAMPING GEAR

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

TRIED & TESTED

49 QUECHUA CAMPING GEAR

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST EVENTS

Dubai Outdoor & Adventure Show

The Colour Run

This popular and colourful 5km run is

Beach Run AUH

Come and join in Abu Dhabis first ever

Starting in Zabeel Park, participants in teams of 20

Urban Ultra Coast to Coast

TribeFit Sunset Yacht Yoga

Enjoy the weather this November and workout

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

The Caracal Challenge

NOVEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Fighting Fit Dubai

YogaFest Middle East

This free event focuses on community, connection

Palm Jumeirah 10km tunnel Run

DMX Races Rounds 3 and 4

Continue the thrilling motocross season this

Red Bull Drift Driving

In another fantastic event, Red Bull bring you a

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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Fatbike ride at Hatta MTB Centre

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Words by: Marina Bruce

Regular off roaders are likely

only that, but when you are in the middle of

starfish formations which towered over us;

Buggy winner Mark Powell followed by Ryan Trutch

Humaid Al Mashghouni (232) followed

Mohammed Balooshi (23) chased by Josh Brodalka (34)

Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge winner Obaid Al Kitbe

Even more importantly, I am delighted that