#65 February 2016

Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon
The Combat Zone of WAR 11

Run a Marathon now!
Marathon tips and tricks

Tried and Tested
Polar A360
Plenty of
PRODUCTS
TO CHECK OUT
Price
10.00 AED
10.00 QAR
1.00 OMR
CAVE DIVING
IN THE
MIDDLE EAST
OLLIE UP AT
XDUBAIS
KITE BEACH
SKATEPARK!
Vol. 6, No. 2
February 2016
www.OutdoorUAE.com
MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2016 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
OutdoorUAE Team
A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body

For our entire life we develop our knowledge and abilities. Thats what Im doing
at OutdoorUAE and the more I know, the more I have the feeling that there are so
many things I dont know.
The outdoors have many possibilities that I have to break my activities into small
objectives to understand everything better and to enjoy everything. The Wadi Bih Run
is on my list for the 5th-6th of February and Im planning to meet many of the people
we write about in our every issue there and to steal some of their determination in
life. Ill also use this weekend for my favourite activity: trekking and hiking on the
mountain trails and wild rocky ways.
When I was in school all my teachers used to tell us all the time Mens sana in corpore
sano, a famous Latin phrase that means a healthy mind in a healthy body. Later on,
I learned that our brains are built to work properly when you have physical activity daily
and that the brain develops when, for example, you walk a minimum
of 7-8km per day. Since walking is a challenge in Dubai, I need to
take advantage of all the outdoor weekends and do as much as I can
to compensate working in an office and driving for meetings, so a
lot of static activities. After camping on the beach, waking up at 4:00
a.m. for the Wadi Bih and hiking in the afternoons, I would definitely
Nela Macovei
be ready for a new challenging week with a fresh and relaxed brain.
Sales and Marketing
nela@outdooruae.com Read more about running and trekking in this issue.
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.
Cover photo by: Urban-Ultra
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2016 Outdoor UAE FZE
Vol. 6, No. 2, February 2016
Daniel Birkhofer
Founder
daniel@outdooruae.com
Rachael Bruford
Travel Editor
rachael@outdooruae.com
Eulogy van Dyk

Editor Qatar
eulogy@outdooruae.com
Keith Perea
Junior Editor & Social Media
keith@outdooruae.com
Margo Ciruelos
Sales and Marketing
margo@outdooruae.com
Jung Francisco
Designer and Photographer
jung@outdooruae.com
Katherine Caedo Patangui

Administration
kathy@outdooruae.com
Ian Sebeldia
Circulation
ian@outdooruae.com
EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS
Kit Belen
Our fishing pro
Nico de Corato
Diver and heli rescue swimmer
with Bergamo Scuba Angels
www.OutdoorUAE.com
Facebook.com/OutdoorUAE
Ivana Chiles
Health coach and outdoor enthusiast
Twitter.com/OutdoorUAE
Instagram.com/OutdoorUAE
Dan Wright
Freelance wilderness guide in the UAE
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
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2015 Outdoor UAE FZE

Reg. at Creative City Fujairah
P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.
Jake Lyle
Diving and Watersport Expert
Helle Bachofen Von Echt

Elite Women Cyclist
WHEN YOURE
DONE READING,
PLEASE RECYCLE!
Marina Bruce
The Desert Diva and
off-road expert
CONTENTS
18 EXPERIENCE THE UAE AND SIR BANI YAS ISLAND ON HORSEBACK
10 STANDARD CHARTERED DUBAI MARATHON
28 ACROSS ARABIAN SEAS
EVERY ISSUE
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
06 EVENTS CALENDAR
08 BEST SHOTS
09 OFF-ROADERS CORNER: ARIES HAPPY CAMPER
36 PRODUCTS
63 DIRECTORY
24 T.L.R.D ADVENTUROLOGY: THE SCIENCE OF ADVENTURE

26 HUMBLED BY MY TREK TO MACHU PICCHU
28 ACROSS ARABIAN SEAS
30 NOMADS ROAD
EVENT & ACTIVITY REPORTS
LIFESTYLE
10 STANDARD CHARTERED DUBAI MARATHON

12 WAR 11
14 MARINE TALKS @ THE DUBAI INTERNATIONAL BOATSHOW
16 THE CYCLE HUB CYCLING TEAM
18 EXPERIENCE THE UAE AND
SIR BANI YAS ISLAND ON HORSEBACK
20 RUNNING WITH THE ORYX
22 A SECOND CHANCE FOR MAYA
34 HEALTH POWERHOUSE: SALT

36 OUTDOOR FLICKS: INTO THE WILD
37 HABITUALLY HEALTHY: HUEVOS RANCHEROS REDUX
38 NATURAL HISTORY: WADI AL HELOW HIKING
OUTDOORUAE
36 OUTDOOR FLICKS: INTO THE WILD
50 WOMEN ON WHEELS: BATTLE ON THE DUNES - HELLE
61 BIKE MAINTENANCE BY REVOLUTION CYCLES
TRIED + TESTED
PEOPLE
41 POLAR A360
56 GILLES FAVENEC - SAILOR

57 OLGA ZOLOTOVA CYCLIST AND ULTRA-ATHLETE
OUR EXPERTS
TIPS + TRICKS
44 AN ANGLER WALKS INTO A SHOP... - KIT

46 CHALLENGING LIWA! - MARINA
48 CAVE DIVING IN THE MIDDLE EAST - JAKE
50 WOMEN ON WHEELS: BATTLE ON THE DUNES - HELLE
52 MY FIRST VIA FERRATA! - NICO
58 TURNING EXERCISE INTO ADVENTURE

59 RUNNING TIPS BY FITNESS FIRST
60 CAN ANYONE RUN A MARATHON?
61 BIKE MAINTENANCE BY REVOLUTION CYCLES
LOCATIONS
54 XDUBAI SKATEPARK
55 YAMAHA CAFE
OUTDOORUAE
EVENTS CALENDAR
STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST EVENTS
FEBRUARY 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
11
F
E
B
DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL 2016
Spread across 11 race days, the World Cup Carnival is a series of races leading to the prestigious Dubai World Cup
When: February 11
Where: Meydan Racecoruse
Contact: www.dubairacingclub.com
12
F
E
B
RAK HALF MARATHON 2016
The fastest half marathon in the world is here!

Are you coming?
When: February 12, 7:00 a.m.
Where: Al Muntasir rd. Ras Al Khaimah
Contact: www.rakmarathon.org
FEB
12
FEB
13
6
ESSA SUNSET OPEN 2016
Surf and SUP action in Dubai is back for another

round.
19
AL ADAID DESERT CHALLENGE
The inaugural cycling event which claims to be the toughest

cycling event in the Gulf One day, Six dunes.
When: February 19
Where: Sealine to Khor Al Adaid, Qatar
Contact: www.aladaid.qa, +974 3315 8593
FEB
19
When: February 12
Where: Umm Suqeim Open Beach
Contact: www.surfingdubai.com
JUNIOR AQUATHLON SERIES 2016

Take over the city in this metropolitan run!
Where: Rashid School for Boys
Contact: www.premieronline.com
OUTDOORUAE
F
E
B
YAS ISLAND CYCLE RACE
The first of four Abu Dhabi Sports Council-hosted

community cycling events.
Where: Yas Gateway Park and Yas Mall
FEB
19
GIANT DUATHLON SERIES RACE 4
Race four of six of the 2015/16 season of the Giant

Duathlon Series
When: February 19
Where: Hamdan Sports Complex
Contact: www.race-me-events.com
19
F
E
B
SHARBATLY FRUIT BIG STINKER
Ready for a bit of climb? Take on various distances or even the new 45k ultra distance!
Where: Khatt Springs
Contact: www.urbanultra.com
19
F
E
B
26
F
E
B
XYOGA FESTIVAL DUBAI
XDUBAI SPARTAN RACE 2016
When: February 19-20

Where: Burj Park, Downtown Dubai
Contact: www.xyogadubai.com
When: February 26
Where: Jebel Ali Racecourse
Contact: www.xdubai.com
Get relaxing and achieve inner peace in the first ever yoga
festival in Dubai. Free for everyone!
FEB
20
M1 RUN 2016
A fun vertical run for individuals and relay teams

at the beautiful Media One hotel.
The worlds best obstacle course is back to separate the

Spartans from the regulars. Period.
FEB
26

Where: Media One Hotel
Contact: www.mediaonehotel.com
FEB
20
UAE BIATHLETE OPEN

CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016
With short running and swimming distances,

anyone can finish this race!
Where: Le Meridien Mina Seyahi
Contact: www.supersportsdubai.com
SHARJAH LADIES RUN 2016
Go neon in to the night in the third edition of the

Sharjah Ladies Run.
When: February 26, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Sharjah University City
Contact: www.slc.ae
FEB
26
TRIYAS BY DAMAN ACTIVELIFE
The regions only day and night triathlon is back

at Yas Marina for a sixth year.
When: February 26, 2:00 p.m.
Where: Yas Marina Circuit
OUTDOORUAE
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, Massimo Ziino and John Henzell. Well done!
To submit your entries, simply email us at competitions@outdooruae.com with the subject Best Shots.
Katie Aun
Greater spotted Eagle
Massimo Ziino
Standing in the dunes
OUTDOORUAE
John Henzell
Picture I took near RAK
THE
OFF-ROADERS
corner
Aries
Happy
Camper
Name: Aries Sherwin Marquez
Nationality: Filipino
Occupation: Sales Admin Executive at Lafarge Emirates Cement LLC
Ride: 2009 Toyota Fortuner 2.7
There are several types of

off-roaders around in the UAE,
those that have an obvious
off-roading car such as a Jeep and
then theres the people that drive
unassuming SUVs and slap some
off-road tyres and kit in them and
voila, a subtle off-road car.
Whats interesting about the latter is that
some of them (if not every car in the region)
has something unique in them. One such
example is Aries 09 Fortuner which believe
it or not has an entire kitchen in the boot.
And mind you, this happy camper has no
need for any trailer. Its happy on its own.
Tell us a little background

story about the car...
The car was originally bought as a workhorse

for my business to haul goods and for my
outdoor activities. Off-roading was introduced to me by a good friend from a local
off-road group FORCE-A 4x4. At first, I
was very hesitant about off-roading. Maybe
the car cannot make it; but with the guidance and supervision of the group. I was able
to pull it off without any trouble at all. From
there off-roading was history and my car,
simple as it may became a dune basher in its
own right.
Could you tell us all about the

modifications that were made?
Performance and cosmetic-wise?
Theres not much going on under the hood,
but its still a project Im continuously working

on. Recently, I just changed the wheels to
265/18/60 rims and tyres for off-road wheel
and replaced the grills with a black mesh
grille to get an aggressive, yet sporty look.
Lastly, Ive also installed a 20 LED Light Bar
on the front bumper to make it easier to
circumnavigate the desert especially when
camping in the evening.
Do you have something that

you would consider to be a
special feature of your car?
Personally, I would consider it to be that

wonderful device at the back of the car. I call
it my chuckbox which I specifically made
by hand to fit at the back of the car. It starts
of as a simple looking box in the boot of
my car and once me and my group have set
up camp, it unfurls into a full-blown kitchen
in the middle of the desert, complete with
lighting, a proper gas stove and even some
cupboards! This chuckbox serves as a kitchen
for all my outdoor activities where I serve up
some delectable dishes from Mang Ariesyos.
I bring the dishes from my restaurant to the
desert for everyone to enjoy.
What were your other options

before you bought this car?
Initially I wanted a 2009 Nissan Pathfinder

but wasnt able to get one. Then the Fortuner
came up and that was that!
weekend, weekly checks on the engine and

of course I take it off-road as often as
possible all around the country, but mostly
around RAK, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
How often do you use your car?
Daily, as what I mentioned above; I use it to

run quick errands for my business, I use it go
out with my family and I of course use it as
my happy camper in the beautiful outdoors
of the region.
Any future modifications

that you are planning?
Future modifications? I have a lot of plans,

first up would be adding a 50 LED Light Bar
on the roof, a Roof Rack with Awning, a 2.5
Lift Kit, Ironman Suspensions, upgrade to
even bigger tyres, Custom Off-Road Bumpers
and more future modifications which hasnt
come to mind yet. I want to make it a more
formidable off-road vehicle.
What 4x4 do you dream of owning?

How I wish to own a Jeep Wrangler Bandit
7.0 HEMI which is a more perfect camper!
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!
How do you spend

time with the car?
I usually spend a lot of time with my car. Its

my daily driver, so I take care of it like a living member of our family car wash every
OUTDOORUAE
EVENT REPORT
Standard Chartered
Words By: Rachael Bruford
Photos By: Matthew Reed and Official SCDM
Theres nothing quite like the

nerves that slowly begin to grow in
the days before a marathon. Race
packs are collected at the first
possible opportunity, kit bags are
put together days beforehand and
tried and tested running clothes
are lovingly hung up, ready to step
into in the early hours of marathon
day. And so it was this year, as I
prepared for my third marathon
with an ever increasing feeling of
excitement and tension that I could
only hope would serve me well
during the race.
It had been over a year since my last
marathon back home in the United Kingdom,
and three years since my first experience, in
Dubai. A lot had changed since then. For a
start, Id begun training with a club, the Desert Road Runners, and had seen a vast improvement in my times over shorter distances
thanks to the leadership and encouragement
of Graham Rafferty and other club members.
This time around, I was hoping to finally
break the four-hour barrier, and although I
was feeling relatively confident, I was also
aware that you never really know how youre
going to perform in a marathon until the
moment that you cross the finish line, some
42.195 kilometres later.
The Training
Its often said that the real challenge of a

marathon is in the training. Without a doubt,
signing up for such an event requires commitment that transcends other plans, such
as social occasions and weekend sleep-ins.
Although we are blessed with perfect winter
weather here in the UAE, early starts are
essential as it is still too hot to endure long
training runs after about 10:00 a.m. So since
October, 5:00 a.m. Friday starts became a
part of normal life. Of course, this meant that
Thursday night socialising became almost
obsolete, as did Friday nights, due to being
so tired from waking up early that morning.
Added to this were evening interval sessions
twice a week, cross training and recovery
runs. As the Dubai running season got underway, there were also several 5km, 10km and
half marathon events to take part in, which
served as a great way to measure progress.
Towards the end of December, training
10
OUTDOORUAE
peaked, with long runs of up to three hours

including some of this time at marathon
pace. I had set myself an ambitious target,
and was training with the 3:40 marathon
group, which involved a marathon race pace
of 5:13 minutes per kilometre. Realistically,
I knew that the chances of me achieving a
3:40 marathon were slim, but I felt that this
training would help to prepare me for a 3:45
or 3:50 finish.
Training generally went very well, and I
learnt from previous experience about the
importance of stretching, foam rolling and
regular sports massages. Because of this, I
was lucky enough to avoid any major injuries
beyond the usual aches and pains that
runners grow accustomed to. As with any
race where you have a goal in mind, training brought with it incredible highs and soul
destroying lows. Some days, marathon pace
felt incredibly difficult, and I questioned how
I could possibly run an entire race at such a
speed, when even fifteen minutes felt like
hard work. On the other hand,
training with a group for the first time took
the boredom out of long runs and helped to
motivate us all. Everybody understood the
ups and downs of running, and supported
one another as we took it in turns to have
bad days. At other races, we celebrated with
each other as
the results of
such a varied
training
programme began to pay off.
The Big Day
With the alarm set for 3:30 a.m., I tried

to get an early night, and actually managed
to sleep quite well once I had dropped off.
Upon waking, I quickly changed into my
running gear and forced down my tried and
tested pre-race meal; porridge and a banana
with a cup of coffee. Taking a little coffee
with me for the car journey to the start line, I
left the house at around 4:45m a.m., knowing
that I would rather get there in good time
than leave late and begin to feel stressed.
Once parked, I made the first of many
pre-race bathroom stops before checking
my bag and meeting up with other members
of my club. The weather was already humid,
and there was the usual buzz of anticipation
that there is before any event. Before too
much longer, we were lining up at the start,
ready to begin.
As the guns sounded and I crossed the
start, I made a note to myself not to set off
too fast; this is a rookie mistake and would
only lead to disaster later on, I reminded
myself. Running with my team mate Liz, we

immediately turned left out of Umm Suqeim
Road, heading towards the Marina. It was
still dark and pretty foggy, and at this early
stage of the race support was good, with
people running close to each other, having
not had enough time yet to gradually space
out. Over the first three kilometres, we sped
up from a pace of about 5:40 per kilometre,
to our target pace of 5:13. It was very early
days, but we were both feeling strong and
were happy to be on pace. The 5km point
saw the first water station, and I made sure
I drank a small amount of water, not wanting to become dehydrated later on, when
it would be too late to do anything about
it. I also consumed my first GU gel as per
my plan to take them every 10km from 5km
onwards.
The U-turn outside the One and Only gave
us the chance to see who was both ahead of
us and behind us, and we
eventually caught up with some of our fellow
3:40 group members who had started closer
to the front. I was amazed to find myself
comfortably chatting with them, although I
knew that as the race went on the conversation would eventually diminish! Passing the
end of Umm Suqeim Road again, about
12km into the run, I accidentally sped up for
a while, with my pace quickening to under
five minutes a kilometre. Thankfully, my
group was able to rein me in, and I realised
that I had allowed myself to become over excited by the cheering crowd. I slowed down
again, and we began the long trek down
Jumeirah Beach Road, towards the flag pole.
This part of the run passed by quickly,
and we reached the halfway point in about
one hour 52 minutes. I remember thinking
to myself that a half marathon had never
seemed so easy. We were still on pace when,
shortly after half way, my right hip began to
hurt. This concerned me a great deal, as I
occasionally have problems with my hip. I
decided not to mention anything to my team
mates, and quietly took an Ibuprofen that I
had in my pocket, just in case something like
this happened. I told myself that at 28km I
would take the other tablet I had, to prevent
the pain from returning.
Before too much longer, hip pain temporarily masked, we passed by the Desert Road
Runners support station. This was without
a doubt one of my favourite moments of
the race, as I had enough energy to clap
and cheer in return as we sped by. Having
such support gave us the motivation we
needed to get to the turn around point at
about 26km. Reaching this point was a boost
psychologically, as it now meant that all we
had to do was go back down Beach Road

before finishing on Umm Suqeim. However,
we were also well aware that this was the
part of the race when things would start to
hurt, and that it would take mental as well as
physical endurance to finish in our desired
time frame.
At 28km, I reached into my pocket to take
my Ibuprofen as planned, only to discover
that my body heat had caused it to disintegrate. Telling myself that it was ok, that my
hip no longer hurt and that I didnt actually
need it, I focused on trying to maintain pace
as the sun rose from behind the buildings
and temperatures began to soar. Passing
through the water station at 30km, I poured
some of the water over my head in an
attempt to keep cool. Our training group
had got smaller, as two of the guys had sped
up and gone on ahead. Meanwhile, Liz and I
were beginning to struggle
Around 32km, we passed the Desert
Road Runners support station again.
Craving something sweet, I gulped down
some Coke, which was strange for me as I
never usually drink it. A friend ran with us for
a couple of hundred metres, encouraging us
to keep going and telling us that we didnt
have far to go. Ordinarily, 10km would be a
perfectly achievable distance, but now the
pain was beginning to kick in, and the toughest part of the race began.
I tried to break down the remainder of
the run into smaller segments, telling myself
that once I got to 35km, it was just 5km to
the next water station at 40km, and then I
would be as good as finished. At this point,
a 3:40 marathon was not achievable, but, if
I kept my pace somewhere
between 5:20 and 5:30 per
kilometre, a 3:45 finish was
still possible. For the next two
kilometres, I averaged about
5:25 per kilometre, but my
pace was slowing rapidly and I
was taking longer walk breaks
through the water stations. Liz
was somewhere behind me,
and I was now running alone.
I was aware that my form had
slipped entirely, and that I
was not running economically.
My quads in particular were
on fire, and mentally I just
wanted it all to be over, not
caring what time I finished in,
as long as I finished. I dont
know how, but somehow I
reached the 40km mark and
received a huge boost from
the wife of one of our clubs
faster runners. This somehow gave me the

determination I needed for the final 2.195km,
which I ran at a pace of 5:50 per kilometre. A
3:45 finish was now out of the question, but
a sub 3:50 looked likely if I could just see it
through
Turning back on to Umm Suqeim Road,
I saw the finish up ahead. More hobbling
than running now, I gathered what was left
of my mental strength, and told myself that it
would all be over in a matter of minutes. The
thought of being able to stop and hydrate
was all I could think of as I passed a sign
that told me I had only 400 metres to go.
I checked my watch and tried desperately
to increase my pace, not wanting to miss
out on a sub 3:50 by such a small margin.
200 metres to go this was nothing, I told
myself. All I needed to do was put one foot
in front of the other for another minute. 10km
runners flooded the other side of the road,
and I was grateful that they had been kept
separate from the marathoners.
Approaching the finish, I somehow found
the energy to hold my arms up in the air
for the all important finishers photo, before
crossing the timing mats and checking my
watch. Marathon number three had been
completed in 3 hours, 48 minutes and 35
seconds! I was overjoyed despite being
exhausted. Not only had I finally achieved my
sub four-hour goal, but I had taken 20 minutes off my personal best, and 25 minutes off
my last marathon time. Suddenly, the pain
and suffering was all worth it, the months of
training had paid off, and I had a time that I
felt was worthy of all my effort.
Its often said that after a marathon, runners will claim that they are ...
never doing one again. For
me, this was true for a couple of
hours. A little while later however, once Id had the time to reflect, I found myself considering
What if? Whilst I was delighted
with my time, I had also narrowly
missed out on a Good for Age
place at the London Marathon
2017. If I had run the earlier part
of the race at a slower pace, 5:19
per kilometre, could I have managed to get the 3:45 I needed?
Ill never know the answer on
this particular occasion, but I
do feel that I gave my all, and
most importantly, enjoyed myself
during training sessions and for
most of the marathon itself. In
fact, Im already considering my
next marathon Copenhagen
2016 anyone?
OUTDOORUAE
11
EVENT REPORT
Photos By: Supplied and Nela Macovei
Over 700 local and

international participants competed
at the notorious 11th edition of the
iconic Wadi Adventure Race Series
(W.A.R.11), which took place
at the Middle Easts first
man-made whitewater rafting,
kayaking, surfing and wakeboarding
destination, Wadi Adventure Al Ain on January 16, 2016.
Arriving at the crack of dawn, participants
started registering and receiving their goodie
bags, electronic timing chips from Premier
Online and WAR 11 t-shirts supported by
Al Ain Pharmacy from the Wadi Adventure
reception desk before making their way to an
energetic warmup session conducted by Fitness360 which prepped them before heading
over to the Red Bull arch starting point.
The event took place in the presence of His
Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum
bin Juma Al Maktoum who participated for
the second time in the Mens 15km category.
The event also witnessed participation of
the UAE Representative at Ministry of Interior
in the USA and ex-National Athlete, and Abu
Dhabi Police Instructor Mr. Rashid Butti Al
Qubaisi who bagged the second position in

the 10km category.
The nail biting build-up; W.A.R.11 was
split into three gruelling race courses (5km,
10km and 15km) providing challengers the
opportunity to test their physical limits and
conquering along the way a series of over 25
indeterminate obstacles like climbing ropes,
hauling heavy-duty sand bags,
crawling under barbed wires and finally
plunging into ice-filled water before
reaching the finishing line.
The 10km extended Full Loop course
especially incorporated with a bunch of new
obstacles proved to be the highlight of the
day, adding more zest to the popular racing
event.
Extreme obstacle racing is one of the
newest fitness trends and Wadi Adventure
Race 11 proved to be a thrilling spectacle
as it mastered at testing the inner fortitude
and determination of its participants in a fun
and friendly environment, stated Mr. Nilesh
Mistry, General Manager of Wadi Adventure,
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin
Juma Al Maktoum awarded the 18 podium
winners from the Mens and Womens categories with medals and over 45,000 AED worth
of prizes.
The racing event was followed by a complimentary buffet, raffle draw, and an entertainment zone for the kids hosted by Tamra
Events.
With W.A.R.11 coming to a successful end,
Wadi Adventure Race series has undoubtedly become one the top most challenging
obstacle races in the UAE.
W.A.R.11 Sponsors included: Al Ain Pharmacy, Al Ain Club, Al Ain Municipality, Abu
Dhabi Tourism and Cultural Authority, Al Ain
Water, Al Noor Hospital, Al Ain Raceway,
Eastern Motors LLC, Al Masood Travels and
Services, Al Ain Rotana, Hilton Al Ain Hotel,
Ayla Hotel, Ain Al Faida-One to One Hotel
and Resort, McCain, GO Sport Middle East,
Fit4Skool, Futurelife, Tamra Events and
Three60 Leisure.
Media: Dubai Life TV, The Source UAE,
Outdoor UAE and Kabayan Weekly.
WINNERS MEN
5km Podium
1st place: David Grapengeter
2nd Place: Mohammed Al Hassani
3rd Place: Paul Drury
10km Podium
1st place: Rob Jones
2nd Place: Rashid Butti Al Qubaisi
3rd Place: Dustin Radney
15km Podium
1st place: Hallvard Borsheim
2nd Place: Boris
3rd Place: Jacques Gilbert Sophie
WINNERS WOMEN
5km Podium
1st place: Niamh Walsh
2nd Place: Liz Kelleher
3rd Place: Susan Hulland
10km Podium
1st place: Ashley Samples
2nd Place: Carolina Gutierrez Juri
3rd Place: Kelly Fray
15km Podium
1st place: Joanne Park
2nd Place: Michelle Jones
3rd Place: Sara Aouad
EVENT PREVIEW
So Ultra!
The Sharbatly Big Stinker and Hajar 100 by Urban-Ultra

Words + Photos By: Supplied
Are you ready for a bit

of a climb? Choose from a
beginners and kids 5k, to a more
intermediate or advanced 12k, 24k
or the new and exciting 45k ultra
distance. The 45km ultra distance
is a UTMB Qualifying Race worth
two points!
The Sharbatly Fruit Big Stinker is run
up and over the beautiful Ras Al Khaimah
mountain (540m) ascent and descent per
12k loop behind Khatt Spring Golden Tulip
Hotel. The 45k ultra distance will be an
extended loop with slightly more elevation
taking you to in excess of 1,500m for the
whole distance! The 5k route is perfectly
suitable for kids and trail run beginners,
taking you along a slight undulating course
around the base of the Golden Tulip Khatt
Springs Resort & Spa.
Camp with us on Thursday night on top of
the mountain, stay at the Golden Tulip hotel
(special rates available from Golden Tulip
Khatt Springs Resort and Spa for our UrbanUltra runners) or drive up in the morning
and run one, two or three loops of the well
marked course. No GPS required! A great
family and friends weekend away!
Race start time: 07:00 a.m.
Cut-off time for 45k: 2:00 p.m.
Registration closes: 13th Feb 2016
Dont underestimate this challenge its probably the toughest solo footrace in the UAE!
The Hajar 100
If you on the other hand want to have a

taste of the ultra distance trial runs now
available in the UAE, dont miss the UrbanUltra Hajar 50 and 100 on the 4th of March,
2016.
Challenge yourself on this beautiful 50km
or 100km trail run through the mountain
passes, along jeep tracks, through boulder
ravines and over spectacular sand dunes
of Ras Al Khaimah. It is a tough challenge

and requires training, but generous cut-off
times (24hrs overall) allow most physically
fit, determined and well-prepared runners
to get to the finish. Proudly announcing this
race (100k) is a UTMB qualifying race (two
points). Great prizes are up for grabs in the
100k race!
Start time: 06:00am
Location: Ras Al Khaimah Start: DoubleTree Hilton Hotel Marjan Island. You will be
bussed to the start and back from the finish
to the start hotel. (Buses will be every hour
from approx. 3:00 p.m. for the 50k and 8:00
p.m. for the 100k)
You will carry your food and water (fruit,
water and Aqualyte available approximately
every 10km). CP5 will be your opportunity
to eat a hot meal where we will provide hot
water for your dehydrated food and we will
have hot soup on the go. (Outside assistance is not permitted outside of the checkpoints, but supporters are welcome to assist
you at any checkpoint, in particular CP5).
The course will take you on a multi-terrain
adventure and take in approx 2500m of elevation over the 100km distance. Checkpoint
5 will be located at approximately 52km.
Make sure you are part of the only singlestage 50km and 100km trail run in the UAE!
Marine Talks
The 2016 Dubai International Boat Show
1-5 MARCH 2016

Dubai International Marine Club
Mina Seyahi
In anticipation of the
upcoming 2016 Dubai Boat Show
this March 1-5, OutdoorUAE
magazine is proud to announce its
partnership with the 2016 Boat
Show with the annual feature on
Marine Talks. Same as last year,
the Marine Talks invites visitors of
the show to experience watersport
experts of the UAE talk about their
respective fields and how you too
could get started on it! Select from
varied conversation schedules on
all five days of the show with topics
covering most major watersport
disciplines such as Diving,
Kayaking, Fishing, Dragon boating
and many more!
The Marine Talks is an open forum that is
free for visitors of the Boat Show. The talks
usually begin as soon as the sun sets and
audiences are then immersed into an eyeopening series of lectures about the many
things people can do in the waters of the
UAE or even elsewhere! There are practical
tips on how to get started and theres even
talks focused on specialized equipment to
deal with the waters of the region.
This month, the Marine Talks is bigger
than ever in its scope as we bring more
resident experts from around the UAE to
share with Boat shows visitors their extensive
knowledge on varying disciplines.
Heres some more info on some of the experts that you can get to witness
only on the 2016 Dubai Boatshow at Mina Seyahi, Dubai, UAE.
KIT BELEN
Fishing
A long-term contributor and fishing editor
for OutdoorUAE Magazine, an active supporter of catch and release, his passion for
fishing can only be matched by his passion
for the conservation of the fisheries. Kit is
versed in most forms of fishing, was very
much into fly fishing until recently when
the temptation of catching fish on
ultralight tackle has smitten him again.
STEVE BENNETT
JEN SCULLY
Stand Up Paddling
Jen is an Abu Dhabi resident that has
shared her passion of Stand Up Paddling
(SUP) with hundreds of people since 2009.
Her passion for SUP has evolved over the
last 5 1/2 years and continues to grow not
only locally, but globally as well. She is the
founder of the Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddlers, a community group that organizes
regular paddles and events, as well as a
blog called Live Love SUP documenting
her SUP travels around the UAE and the
world. In 2012, a company under the same
name was launched which promotes stand
up paddling through a fundraising focus,
with an aim to provide clean waters. As
of late, Jen and her husband, Nick Yates,
have travelled the world paddling in 22
countries and connecting with others who
also share the same language.
Sea Kayaking
For over thirty years, Steve has been a
British Canoe Union coach and assessor as
well as being a very enthusiastic sea paddler. Prior to coming to the UAE in 2009
Steve worked in the United Kingdom in
the outdoor education industry as a kayak
and canoe coach training and
assessing individuals in paddling skills as
well as building future coaches
themselves. He is a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society.
ALEX BOULTING
Free Diving
An AIDA Instructor
Trainer and freediver
since 2008, Alex has
trained over 100
students from Introductory to Advanced
level and is also
the co-founder and
owner of FreedivingUAE. He has worked
within AIDA since 2010 and has a healthy
history of freediving that is admired by his
peers.
JAKE LYLE
Diving
OutdoorUAEs resident diving expert, Jake
has been exploring the depths of the world
for 8 years now with dives in various countries such as Oman, Maldives, St. Martin, St.
Kitts in the Caribbean, the Philippines, Bahrain, Hawaii, Australias Great Barrier Reef
and of course the UAE. He is a PADI Rescue
Diver that has over 110 dives to his name.
As a regular diving contributor, Jake writes
about diving techniques and the equipment
required when taking on the waters of the
Middle East. He is also an all around watersport person that does kayaking, surfing and
stand-up paddling.
DAN WRIGHT
Family Snorkling
Dan works as a Curriculum Manager
for ADAPT Adventure Centre in Ras Al
Khaimah where he organizes school and
family trips into the wilderness of the
UAE. He also writes for several prominent
publications in the UAE on the subject
of natural history. During the talks he is
going to introduce you to the fun sport of
Snorkelling along the UAEs interesting
and varied coastlines.
The Dubai International Boatshow is the

regions premier event focused on watersports, sailing and basically life on the sea!
This years show is bigger than ever with
several new features and a more focused
approach on other fields. Popular displays
also make a return such as the Supercar
Pavilion and Superyacht Life where anyone
could go and explore the interiors of the
majestic craft of the sea! Another interesting highlight is the Outdoor Activity area
where people can engage in more displays and even try their hands on several
demos! Other than that, this is also where
the Marine Talks will take place by the sunset. Listen to watersport professionals discuss what you need to get started or even
point you to hidden locations in the region
where you can get your fix of H2O in the
most outdoorsy way possible! Visit the
Dubai International Boatshow this March
1-5 at the Dubai International Marine Club
in Mina Seyahi. For more information, visit
www.boatshowdubai.com.
OUTDOORUAE
15
ACTIVITY REPORT
Two Wheels and Tons of Fun:
THE CYCLE HUB

cycling TEAM
Words By: Simon Henley
Photos By: Keith Perea
It was a cool sunset afternoon

when we went to Motor City for
a quick ride in front of the Cycle
Hub kind of like a way to get the
new members and the older ones
acquainted.
We started off as a small group of three
people. We were just in it for the rides,
the exhilaration and of course the fun. Its
quite amazing how fast we have grown and
how strong we became as a team. Wed be
joking around and sharing stories in one
instance and then pedalling hard in the next.
I think that is the best part of having to share
this experience with other people.

The team is an amateur set up where the
In the past 18 months the team have had
riders are not paid to represent the store.
many fantastic results, here are some of them.
All of the team have full-time careers and
compete for the thrill of the sport and for
2014
the sense of achievement that comes from
1st
UAE Cycling Federation Road
training hard and pushing themselves to the
Race - Mushrif Park Masters Male
limit to improve. This year we have added
1st
UAE Cycling Federation Road Race - RAK
to the team roster. We currently have seven
University Masters Male and Elite Female
men and women representing the store
1st
Turn and Burn MTB Time Trial Elite Male
and competing in a wide variety of cycling
events which include Road Racing, Time Tri2nd Turn and Burn MTB Time Trial Elite Male
als, Mountain Biking, and Triathlon.
2nd Qatar Losail Night Criterium Elite Male
Our riders have a wide range of previ1st
Qatar Duhail Fast 5 Mountain Bike Elite Male
ous experiences with some riders having
competed all their lives and others very new
1st
to the sport. But despite our different provRace Jebal Jais Masters Male
enances, one thing is common our passion 1st
Qatar Dukhan Road Race Elite Male
to ride and push ourselves further because
5th
Spinneys Dubai 92 Elite Female
we see cycling as a sort of lifestyle.
In September 2014, the team celebrated
7th
Spinneys Dubai 92 Elite Male
as we had three men and one lady qualify
16th UCI Amteur World Road Race Championand compete in the UCI Amateur World
ships Denmark Female 18-34 years
Road Race Championships in Denmark
against the best in the world. It is one of
2015
the biggest cycling events in the world and
2nd Liwa Challenge Elite Male
it was an exhilarating feeling to know that
2nd Liwa Challenge Masters Male
members of our team are part of it!
4th
Liwa Challenge Elite Female
All of our team use either Specialized
or Pinarello bikes and equipment that are
1st
Hot 6 Mountain Bike Solo Elite Male
provided by The Cycle Hub.
1st
Hot 6 Mountain Bike Pairs Elite Male
You can follow our progress throughout
the year on Facebook (The Cycle Hub Race
2nd Hot 6 Mountain Bike Solo Female
Team) and also on Instagram (The Cycle Hub 1st
RAK Awafi Mountain Bike Elite Male
Ladies Team).
1st
Qatar Inland Sea Mountain Bike Elite Male
1st
Adnoc Challenge Road Race

Abu Dhabi Elite Female
1st
Ramadan Road Race Elite Female
1st

Race Mamzar Corniche Masters Male
3rd

Race Mamzar Corniche Elite Male
1st
Spinneys Dubai 92 Elite Female
5th
Spinneys Dubai 92 Elite Male
1st
Emirates Team Time Trial Elite Female
2nd
Emirates Team Time Trial Elite Male
White
Logo
White
Logo
ACTIVITY REPORT
Experience
the UAE
and Sir Bani
Yas Island
on
Horseback
Words By: Jean-Paul Courville

Photos By: Katie Aun
The Arabian desert of the United

Arab Emirates (UAE) displays a
wide landscape, open terrain, a
beauty beyond the typical glance,
and a vast history of mythical
appeal. Sunrise and sunset across
the land are the most breathtaking
when riding on horseback, mounted
atop an Arabian stallion - an
endurance horse, a popular
and intriguing passion of the local
leaders in the UAE.
At Al Jiyad Stables, Endurance City
Most people long for that first day off

on a weekend, to sleep beyond a ringing
alarm clock but the result of experiencing
a sunrise on horseback is well worth the
effort.
I grew up in the southern United States
and spent many years in western USA
where I enjoyed horseback riding in the old
west where the stories of cowboys became
legend, yet as a young boy I was fixated
with the movie The Black Stallion Returns
(1983) where an Arabian stallion and his
young owner travel to Morocco to compete
in a long distance race through the beautiful desert where they encounter a variety
of Arabian culture. This has always been a
fantasy and goal; to ride in the Arabian de-
serts. My style had been western riding yet

I made a dream turn into reality almost two
years ago when I discovered the Al Jiyad
stables in the Endurance City area of the
UAE where I have enjoyed one to two rides
per week alternating sunrise and sunset.
The horses are healthy, well taken care of,
and familiar riders faces provide a sense of
family. The illustrious desert resort and spa
at Bab Al Shams puts on an evening dinner
show with horses, camel, and riders (from
these stables) who dress in throwback attire
and weapons of the old Arabian ways, its a
magnificent spectacle that will make
anyone in attendance ask to ride a horse
and grab a sword. I personally have had just
an extraordinary time riding at the Dubai
Polo & Equestrian Club located in the Arabian Ranches area. The settings bring you
to the outlining desert sand dunes
overlooking the Dubai Marina in the
distance magnificent.
The opportunities extend beyond the
UAE desert at Sir Bani Yas Island off the
coast of the UAE. Here you can find the
opportunity to ride among exotic animals
like giraffes, striped hyenas, Arabian oryx,
and Moroccan sheep. Under Sheikh Zayeds
patronage, several million trees were
planted here as he recognized the need
to preserve animals that were at risk from
extinction, particularly within the UAE and
Arabian Peninsula, and his vision has led to
the establishment of the Arabian Wildlife
Park to assist with breeding and rehabilitation, and an environment for thousands of
animals to roam freely around a large area.
Sir Bani Yas Islands name originates from
the Bani Yas tribe who first inhabited Abu
Dhabi. The Al Jiyad Stables are located on
Sir Bani Yas Island just a short trip by ferry
or airplane from the UAE.
I took an advanced riding tour of the
island and it was epic to ride literally
alongside groups of giraffes as they walked
through the trees. My horse was comfortable but I could sense the awareness as we
moved closer. The giraffes moved into an
open area and began to trot, I was able to
maintain pace next to the animals. Suddenly to my right something was moving in the
Gazelle
trees and I spotted a cheetah moving freely

after the fresh kill of a gazelle. The moment
was surreal and as I processed it, we arrived
into a canyon where the layer of the striped
hyena lay hidden from the main trails. I
felt like I was riding into an Indiana Jones
movie, my adrenaline and excitement were
at an all time high yet we were safe and
protected during the entire ride.
I encourage anyone regardless of
experience to research the many stables
in the UAE like Al Jiyad and book an
experience. We meet people who look
back on opportunities passed wishing they
could go back to achieve numerous things
that were within their control, why wait?
Get outside and make a memory.
Arabian Oryx
Mr Ali - Horse owner at Al Jiyad and Sir Bani Yas Island
OUTDOORUAE
19
ACTIVITY REPORT
Running with the Oryx

Trail runner Sarah Whittington explains how Qatars
Zekreet peninsula has hosted a unique race challenge
Words By: Sarah Whittington
Photos By: Noel Cuarton, Stephen Blows, Tim Harman and Sarah Whittington
I never thought Id become a

trail runner. Whilst living in the
United Kingdom, I was most
definitely a road junky, the half
marathon distance was my thing
and I rarely ventured off-road
unless the going underfoot was
perfect I mean who wants
to slip and slosh through mud
all of the time?
On my arrival in Doha however, it soon
became apparent that while the city roads
offer okay running, theres actually nothing
better than getting away from the hum of
constant traffic noise and breaking free in
the desert. From November to March, with
a bit of preparation, thats exactly what any
runner can do.
Theres something very special about
feeling the dirt under your feet, the sun
on your back, and wind in your face.
It generates big smiles. Its a chance to
unwind, soak up the peace, and wallow in
some beautiful lunar-like landscapes.
Thanks to Emile and Wendy Fitzmaurice,
formerly based in Qatar and veteran trail
buddies, I was quickly tempted off-road and
into the desert at Zekreet, the peninsula
about 84km west of Doha. The area offers
runnable terrain and good first time off-road
Checkpoint
Scene
running. Yes, you need to keep your wits

about you the desert surface isnt sandy
but hard, compact and often ridged which
has the annoying habit of grabbing the
soles of inattentive runners and flipping
them up. You probably wont dent much but
your pride, but its still better to keep that
focus.
I remember falling on my first outing. I
was running along and then I wasnt! With
practice, however, you learn the skills, the
awareness, and the ability to fling your
arms out to find your balance and avert a
trip - the exact skills that will set you up for
success in traversing any off-road surface.
Following these early adventures, some four
years ago, Ive since been lucky enough
to run in some stunning places and rip up

some fantastic trails.
Ive now completed the Al Andalus
Ultimate Trail, a gruelling 230km five-day
mountain staged-race in southern Spain
for the last three consecutive years, winning in 2015. I took on the Salmon Wadi
Bih 72km solo in 2014 winning the ladies
section, and Ive also spent a fair amount of
time running up and down rivers and canals
in the UK (strangely as its not much like
Qatar), winning both the 100km Canalathon
and Waterway 100 mile ladies categories in
2015. None of these race successes would
have been possible without churning out
some miles off-road in Qatar. The mainstay
of my training here has to be on-road, the
Shawn Deleu on course
Runners pass Sera Statues Zekreet
desert is out of bounds over the summer,

but its great to get your head back in the
trail game over the winter months.
Personally, I stick to old faithful road
shoes for running in Zekreet. The wider
bearing surface offers less sand-suction
should you hit a soft spot, and since the
landscape is neither mountainous nor
boulder-strewn you dont need the grip or
toe bumpers of a trail shoe. Old is a key
word however, the grit chews through soles
and you end up with a rather slick finish
which probably isnt what you want on a
brand new pair of road shoes with less than
30 miles under the treads.
Trail runners should always be ready for
anything and I never head out without the
obligatory water reserves, fully charged mobile, and mini first aid kit. Ive been caught
out myself, setting out a little late, when the
sun was already high in the sky and running
out of water. While theres usually a friendly
4x4 cruising around the desert, it cant be
depended upon, particularly if you go early
or late in the season. Dehydration can take
effect quickly, and while the peninsula is
easy to navigate it gets confusing when the
sun is beating down and your mouth is dry.
Wanting to help people experience the
trail in safe and supported surrounds led
my husband Steve Farnham; a fellow
Fitzmaurice-inspired trail runner, to set up
some pop-up trail challenges. Assisted by
a small, committed band of volunteers and
with a leave no trace motto the challenges incurred no entry fee and offered no
prizes, no medals, and no t-shirts.
The thinking was simply to get runners sharing the off-road experience and
enjoying the desert environment. Water at
the event was kindly sponsored by Rayyan
water, a company renowned here in Qatar
for sports-based CSR activities. We are also
indebted to IRM Offshore Services who

offered some financial support in purchasing course marking apparatus (more of that
later).
And so the Ultra Trail Qatar Oryx Run
Series born, with the first event in November 2015 featuring a 15km or 30km run.
Devoid of the regular race incentives, we
were somewhat overwhelmed by the numbers signing up. Each race day in the series
was capped at 60 runners, logistically we
couldnt cope with more, yet every entry list
was full, but we squeezed 64 into the first
event of the season. The December event
saw runners tackle a 20km or 40km run, with
a final 25km or 50km run in January, where
entrants had the opportunity to tackle the
widely acknowledged minimum entry-level
ultra distance. We believe this was the first
time a 50km trail race had been run in
Qatar.
All Ultra Trail Qatar runs have water
stations every 10-12km crewed by amazing volunteers, who got increasingly more
generous as the season progressed, adding
fruit, nuts and sweets to the provisions on
offer.
The events were timed via webscorer so
that runners had an idea of how quickly they
had completed the track, generally learning if not always accepting that progressing
across country means going much slower
than on road. Rather than runner versus runner, the ethos was runner versus trail.
Keen to leave no mark on the delicate desert environment, we marked the first event
with arrows laid in all-purpose baking flour.
Rapidly realizing however that its not easy
to spot a flour arrow on a flat landscape, we
had to come up with a better method or risk
having runners dispersing in all directions.
Following a moment of inspiration, Steve
came up with the idea of using helium
First Trail Runner Akmal Hani Ahmad Kamal
Runners
filled balloons, tied to gas pipes, or with

strings looped under piles of rocks, or
simply attached to the wing-mirrors of cars.
These massive red beacons, high in the sky,
enabled runners to choose their own trail,
hopefully the optimum route, and go point
to point.
During the season Ultra Trail Qatar supported over 100 new-to-trail runners of 15
plus nationalities in taking to the desert.
Footprints were left, many selfies were
snapped, but more importantly many more
memories made and friendships galvanized.
As the summer heat beckons, well
be having a final desert fling in mid
February with a social group run and
barbecue before saying farewell to the trails
until the winter.
Into the desert
Sarah Whittington
Visit Sarah Whittingtons blog

on trail running mainly in Qatar
at http://dustyrunner.com/
OUTDOORUAE
21
ACTIVITY REPORT
A Second Chance for Maya
Rescuing a Sea
Turtle in the UAE
Words By: Daniel Birkhofer
Photos By: DTRP and Gina Birkhofer
It was the long Eid weekend, and

we made the plan to explore the
beaches in the western region of
Abu Dhabi in the quest to find a
nice camping spot. Despite the long
coastline of the country, it is very
hard to find any camping spots on
the beach especially ones where
you have the beach for yourself.
After a long drive and a few attempts to
get to the beach, we finally found a nice spot
after Jebel Danat with long beaches and a
view of the open sea. The only bad thing
was the rubbish and subsequent dirt, which
is found on almost all beaches in this area.
Luckily the water was clean and
crystal clear, so we enjoyed the water
during the day to cool down, even though
the sea was extremely shallow.
After an afternoon paddle, we were
walking back in the shallow water when we
saw a little sea turtle looking up at us. The
turtle didnt make any attempts at escape
as we moved closer. When we reached the
22
OUTDOORUAE
turtle, we could see that she was weak and in

distress, and so we picked her up for an inspection. The poor little thing was covered in
barnacles and looked very thin. With the best
of intentions, I carried the turtle to our camp
in an attempt to help her but, I didnt know
much about sea turtles and what I should do.
One thing was very clear though and that
was that she needed help.
A few years ago I found a turtle in the
same condition and trying to help her, we
removed the barnacles and placed her back

in the sea. We originally had the
same plan for this small turtle which we
affectionately named Maya. Within
our group was Ally Landes from the
Emirates Diving Association, who knew a
little bit more about sea turtles than we did.
Ally identified Maya as a juvenile hawksbill sea turtle, which is listed as Critically
Endangered by the International Union for
Conservation of Nature. The hawksbill has
recently seen a huge decline in numbers due
to various human activities, and they are now
at severe risk of extinction in the wild. Ally
advised that the barnacles should not be
forcibly removed, as this can cause pain and
carapace and internal bleeding.

With this new knowledge, I feel sorry for
what I had done to that poor turtle I found a
few years ago. I think it is good to help if you
can, and that it is okay to try to help, even if
you make a mistake but, if there are experts
to help, you should call them and know who
they are.
Everyone knows how to call an ambulance
in an emergency and so, if you spend a lot
of time on the sea or the beach, you should
know about the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation
Project and save their number (+971 4 301
7198). This way, if you are in the situation
similar to us, you will know the right thing to
do for the animal.
Maya is currently doing well under the care
of the DTRP team, she is putting on weight
and has been treated for several severe
Photos: Q.Dein, Rider: Shawn Richman
damage to the fragile sea turtle.

Ally then called David Robinson from the
Burj Al Arab Aquarium Team and Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project (DTRP) to get some
expert advice. Based at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah and Madinat Jumeirah, the DTRP is run in
collaboration with Dubais Wildlife Protection Office, with essential veterinary support
provided by the Dubai Falcon Hospital and
the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory.
The day-to-day running of the project and
the animal husbandry is managed by Burj Al
Arabs dedicated aquarium team. The DTRP
is the only dedicated sea turtle rehabilitation
facility in the UAE and rehabilitates hundreds
of sick and injured sea turtles every year.
David explained that the barnacles,
although they look bad, were not the actual
problem. Sea turtles are reptiles and as such
are cold blooded which means they gain
their body heat from their environment, in
this case, the surrounding seawater. Every
winter, as the regional seawater temperatures start to drop, sea turtles (especially
juvenile hawksbills), struggle with the colder
water and some become lethargic and sick,
and can wash up on the beaches, just like
Maya. Barnacles are natural parasites on
sea turtles, and a healthy sea turtle can
control its barnacle load by scratching them
off on rocks and corals. If a turtle is found
with excessive barnacle growth, this is an
indication that something is very wrong with
the animal itself and that this turtle has been
sick for some time. Removing the barnacles
from the animal causes damage to the
ailments. Later in the year when the sea

temperatures warm a little, she will be
released back into the Gulf and enjoy a
second chance, thanks to everyone involved.
If you find a sick or injured sea
turtle on the beach, please
do not attempt to remove
any barnacles (again, the
barnacles are a symptom that
something else is wrong) and call
the DTRP on 043017198 or visit them at
their office at Al Muna Restaurant, Mina
A Salam Hotel, Dubai, or email them at
baaaquarium@jumeirah.com for further
information about the DTRP visit
www.facebook.com/turtle.rehabilitation.
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7/13/15 12:23 P
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
T.L.R.D
The Land Rover Diaries
Episode 4
Words By: Theo Measures

Photos By: Neil Walton
The very basic core of

a mans living spirit is his passion
for adventure. The joy of life comes
from our encounters with new
experiences, and hence there
is no greater joy than to have
an endlessly changing horizon,
for each day to have a new and
different sun.
- Christopher McCandless
Some of us are genetically pre-disposed
to staying within the physical and psychological confines of the metropolis in order to
work out how to make a relatively static life
24
OUTDOORUAE
in that environment as amiable as possible.

These are the people among us who are responsible for the tasks of making our roads
safer, hospitals cleaner, economy stable,
etcetera. In light of those peoples efforts to
build a better society for all, a person who
decides to swim the length of the treacherous river, race across an unforgiving desert
or jump off the top of a very tall thing, is
given little more than cursory fascination, if
not simply deemed as being unnecessary,
reckless and of little value to civilization.
As one subscribed to a life in pursuit of
adventure I would like to assert that as a
species, we owe more to the foolhardy,
risk loving, jeopardy courting, peril chasing chancers of our society than the paper
pushing, law making, health and safety set
some may like us to consider. The fact is,
we might owe the enduring existence of our
species to the enterprising daredevils who
werent satisfied to just sit around nibbling
on insects and feathering their nest, the individuals genetically predisposed to search
for better nutrition, richer and more tillable

landscapes and fitter potential mates who
could make a more positive impact on the
gene pool.
As our species evolved, communities with

risk takers might have done better risk
taking was important for the species and the
individual. - Thomas Crowley, Psychologist, University of Colorado, Denver.
The drive to see what lies beyond the furthest ridge or the other side of the ocean,
or indeed this planet, represents a defining
component of human identity and success;
so if a compulsion to pursue adventure
exists in us innately, perhaps its base rests
within our genetic makeup. There is in fact
a genetic mutation that arises regularly in
the context of this discussion, a diversification of a gene labeled DRD4, or as it is affectionately known, the Adventure Gene.
The genetic variation, cleverly cited by
the advertising giant Young & Rubicam
Global in a campaign designed for the launch

of Land Rovers Discovery Sport, helps control
Dopamine the chemical brain messenger
critical to human learning and reward systems.
Known as DRD4-7R, research has time and
again connected the mutation to inquisitiveness
and restlessness.
Adventure is not outside man; it is within

- George Eliot
Present in about 20% of humans, 7R seems
to make people more likely to explore new or
different ideas, sustenance, chemically induced
experiences, relationships and places. As well
as this, being more open to change, wandering
(travel or relocation) and adventure is yet another
symptom. Basically, possession of gene variation
DRD4-7R makes you more likely to take risks.
I am sure that many of you reading this may be
able to identify with the characteristics of DRD47R, none more so that the owners of old Land
Rovers, who have staked their bank accounts, relationships, mechanical sympathy and wilderness
survival skills on a Solihull (the hallowed former
Land Rover HQ) factory workers enthusiasm for
building the least reliable car he possibly could!
On a serious note however, if you think you
may possess the Adventure Gene, then any
suppression of the urge to escape, explore or
wander can only be considered an unhealthy and
unnatural thing. Having resolved some time ago
to get out and explore as often as possible, I am
now immediately able to identify the symptoms
of not satisfying 7Rs curiosity both in myself and
in other adventurous types, when we get stuck
in the ruts of city life: anger, frustration, depression, anxiety and detachment can all manifest
themselves in one form or another.
You do not need to fly to the other side of

the planet to undertake an expedition. You do
not need to be an elite athlete, expertly trained
or rich to have an adventure. Adventure is only a
state of mind. Adventure is accessible to normal
people, in normal places, in short segments of
time and without having to spend much money.
Alistair Humphreys
Still not convinced you have the time, money
or inclination? As a how-to guide for easily accessing adventure, Alistair, an explorer, writer
and film maker, came up with an initiative he calls
microadventures, which in his words are Simple expeditions and challenges which are close
to home, affordable and easy to organize. So
there you have it, no excuses. Do your body and
mind a favour and visit www.alistairhumphreys.
com. Whether it be hiking, biking, running or
climbing, get inspired, get out, have an
adventure!
Recently I have discovered that running with
my dogs, particularly through a desert, nature
reserve or remote village provides an excellent
opportunity for a daily dose of adventure. Not
only is this a fantastic way to get out and experience more of the UAE, it is a genuinely engaging
way to distract oneself from the actual business
of staying physically and mentally fit and healthy.
Now that I have caught the scent of adventure in
my nostrils through a different medium, DRD47R really has got me wondering whats over the
horizon; I think its time to buy a touring bike and
head for it before the weather turns. For all its
faults, breakdowns and lack of creature comforts, buying this old Land Rover has completely
changed my life, not just because it can take the
dogs, future bike and myself almost anywhere
we want to go but because with all its spurring
pedigree and incorrigible character, it is in itself,
part of the adventure.
Adventure is worthwhile in itself.

- Amelia Earhart
Theo and Neil are two overgrown children

who love nothing more than climbing into
their heroic old Land Rovers and pursuing
adventure in the beautiful UAE landscape.
A passion for documenting their exploits
has been joined by a motivation to inspire
others to explore, in turn promoting both
awareness and appreciation of the United
Arab Emirates natural treasure chest. Stay
up to date with all their latest adventures by
following their Instagram account
@TheLandRoverDiaries
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Words + Photos By: Zoya Razak
All adventures have an epic

start, at least in fairy tales. For
me, my urge to climb a mountain
was very simple. I fear heights and
suffer from vertigo and I wanted to
conquer that.
The sudden demise of my Mother, who was
my rock of Gibraltar, left me thinking of how
we take our existence for granted. We give
absolutely no time to stop and make notes,
to see, to breathe we move like well programmed robots and then suddenly we are
gone, unplugged from our existence. It was
then that I felt I needed to discover myself,
let go of all that holds me down. For as long
as I remember, my entire adult life was spent
chasing one project or another, executing,
achieving, never letting anyone down. My
Mum wanted me to slow down, as she feared
I would burn out. I needed time to grieve and
to let her go.
I wilfully quit working, and started attaching my time to activities I liked doing as a
girl growing up in Dubai. Running along the

beach, cycling, activities that I never would
have otherwise indulged in, they brought
immense calm to me, and I focused my pain
and loss on them. Thats when the idea of
trekking occurred to me and my friend and
partner in crime Kripa from I Love Adventures, who indulged me. I booked the Everest
Base Camp trek, and started training for it.
Unfortunately, Nepal went through a huge
natural disaster and I had to let go of my EBC
dream. Thats when I started studying Peru
- The Inca Civilisation and the Machu Picchu
trek. It was destiny, and things started falling
into place. I got the dates I wanted, visas,
tickets and all I chose the Lares trek, which
is a four-day trek through the Andes where
you reach a height of 4,871m. The brochures
were amazing, reality even better. The Incas
were people of the mountain, a supremely intelligent race, and seeing the well preserved
ruins of Machu Picchu puts you in complete
awe of them. Very little is catalogued but
what they left behind speaks volumes.
For a first time trekker, with a decent fitness
level, I thought it would be a piece of cake.
It wasnt.
Day One
Our first day involved walking in the Urubamba valley and soaking in the people who live
in the town. It felt so nice. The valley people
are warm and welcoming.
Day Two
Starting early with a long walk, I had only my

track bag, no day pack and I immediately
felt a disadvantage as my backpack was
heavier than the rest. I felt okay while walking
through the most scenic sights that I have
ever seen in person. Then came the steep
climb and a true test of my willpower to go
on and not give up. I started lagging behind,
my legs kept pushing but my lungs kept refusing. I got tremendous support from two individuals who kept walking with me and supported my slow pace. My guide Roddy and
assistant Lucy called this a warm up to what
is known as the Andean Flat. We walked up
and down 14km through sights and mountains that are unexplainable. We performed a
small ceremony asking the mountain God for
safe passage until we reached the Konkani
Base Camp at 3,800 metres. I began crying in
my tent as nothing had prepared me for how
my breathing was. A group member who is
a professional athlete told me thats its okay
and it happens. Tomorrow will be a better
day.
The next day was looming ahead of me. I
still had to conquer the pass at 4,871m. The
guide had briefed us at dinner about the 7-8
hour steep uphill trek. I couldnt sleep that

night. The chill of the mountains and the pain
in my body kept me numb.
Day Three
We woke up at 5:40 a.m. and packed our

day packs. We were asked to go extremely
light. Based on the previous day, I spent a
lot of time going around myself, keeping
just my water and a few essential items. We
started out of the camp at 7:00 a.m. and
our target was to reach the pass towards the
highest peak by 1:00 p.m.
We started walking, and I kept praying
that my strength would hold me. It seemed
to for a while; once again at the cost of
being repetitive, I passed through the most
scenic landscape and met full blooded Inca
people who lead a hard life in the mountains. With new hope I went forward. An
hour into the trek my nightmare began.
If the previous days climb brought me to
tears, what happened on the first steep
incline reduced me to a pulp. I lagged far
behind. I couldnt breathe. My lungs felt like
they would burst. I was so warm I wanted to
remove all my layers. And I felt myself gasping hard and people fading.
At one point around 3,900m. I just

stopped breathing. Lucy and a fellow traveller Ronin asked me to take off my backpack
and breathe. At that point, I felt frustrated,
and couldnt understand, tears stinging my
eyes and face. I can do this I told myself
repeatedly. I could see the look on Lucys
face as she opened a strong smelling oil
and asked me to inhale. Gradually I felt my
breath and both she and Ronin kept me
company until we reached where the rest of
the group was waiting.
Roddy our trek guide calls me aside and
very gently explains to me the trek ahead
and if I have ridden a mule. I know what he
means, and my eyes fill up with controlled
tears as I cannot let this man see what this
trek means to me and how failing it would
be failing myself. Yet I cannot let pride stand
in the way of my health. So I explain to him
my fear of heights and vertigo. I explain to
him how I feel my backpack is crushing my
back. Very gently he says, take just your water and snacks and put them in his pack. My
backpack was removed from my shoulders
and put on the mule.
He then looks at the entire group of 16
trekkers and tells them Zoe, (well yeah
they couldnt get Zoya.) will lead ahead. I
was shocked. I cannot. I will slow everyone
down. I cant breathe. Its so high all my
fears bogging me down. I see smiling faces,
love, and a general Yes! Zoya you can, we
shall take your pace.
The next few hours were spent amidst
the most gorgeous and daunting landscape, with the bag off my shoulders. With
my lungs screaming, one leg ahead of the
other,the mule carrying my bag and thankfully not me. With numerous moments
where I thought I was dead, I made it, the
first up the mountain. I sprinted the last
few meters up a steep climb to the peak...
and collapsed. Breathless and yet thankful
I made it. The vastness, the sky, the mountains and I.

Later, I got to know that one trekker who
was 60 years of age could not do it and
had to be put on the mule. That could have
been me. But through sheer willpower I
conquered my fear and my breathing.
The worst is over, my guide Roddy said.
We now had a climb downhill to 4,200m to
reach Patchayu Base Camp for the night.
My recovery was almost instant. A climb
down with no breathing issues, just a lot of
hard work balancing and keeping away from
the edge, passed in a haze. We reached
the camp with burning thighs and feet and
spent another sleepless night in the wilderness knowing the worst was done.
Day Four
Saying goodbye to the mountains was probably the hardest thing to do for me. I learnt
so much from these mighty giants. Forever
in my heart I shall carry them. We walked
downhill to the Urubamba Valley in the last
four hours. From there we went back to
Ollantaytambo where we boarded a train to
go to the Machu Picchu proper.
It was a trek I took for granted and a
lesson learnt well.
The trip was organised by I Love Adventures

an adventure travel company based in
UAE who work with leading international
adventure organisations to provide fun
cycling, trekking and active holidays to over
120 destinations worldwide. Connect with
them at www.iloveadventuretravel.com. Or
get in touch at info@iloveadventuretravel.com
OUTDOORUAE
27
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Part 1: A Voyage from

Thailand to Turkey,
Through the Red Sea
Words + Photos By: Will Pardoe
Theres something magical

about sailing. Life is simple... You
go by the speed of nature, and little
by little, you end up far, far away.
The horizon is endless.
After finishing my seasonal river job in
Iceland, I sat down to consider what route
to take next. My head said to work another
rafting season, but my heart had other plans;
I needed to go sailing.
So I kept my eyes open for an opportunity,
and then, one ordinary day, I found my golden ticket - while reading a thread on Cruisers
Forum about piracy in the Gulf of Aden. The
sailors were damning the stupidity of those
who would consider such a voyage, between
the vicious jaws of Somalia and Yemen. But
amongst the noise I noticed an interesting
post. It read: Im going that way soon. If
anyone wants to live a little and crew with
me, let me know. I let loose a message, and
soon enough I was shaking hands with Zac at
Phuket International Airport.
Dolphins being dolphins
Phuket
We spent a few weeks stocking the boat

with food, drinking at beach bars and waiting
for the trade winds to set in. And then, up
came the dinghy - our only connection to
land. We weighed anchor (confirming it was
heavy), hoisted the mainsheet, and off into
the open sea we sailed.
Water World
On our journey to the Red Sea, Sri Lanka

would be the next point of land out of Thailand - 2,000km away. For nine days, we sailed
west; though time soon becomes irrelevant.
There is nothing in the world outside of
our infinite and empty horizon; nothing to
worry about, at least. And with all that space
around you, being the only ones in the world,
its easy to catch yourself standing in epic
poses upon the bowsprit, looking out at the
freedom.
We slip into a rhythm. Daylight is mostly
spent in the cockpit; listening to music, trimming the sails, reading, napping, chatting, and
Koh Similan, Thailand
casting a casual eye around for ships that have

invaded our view. Sunset is when the work
starts. We stand four-hour watches through
the darkness, scanning for lights and monitoring the radar. To the cargo ships, we are ants,
and to fishermen, we are a curiosity that they
gravitate towards like flies to a lamp. Their
common sense is not to be trusted.
Fishermen are the first sign of approaching
land - the modern equivalent of the floating branch. They are also your first cultural
contact of a new land. Watch is taken most
seriously when navigating through the minefields of crazy fishermen, for they may decide
to stop dead-ahead of you in the darkness. I
say, they are not to be trusted!
The Sweet Smell of Sri Lanka!
It may seem odd, but when you pass into the

lee of land after a long voyage, an enticing
The seaside fish market
Sri Lankan bureaucracy: Customs, Immigration, Navy, Coast Guard,

Ships doctor, yacht agent, and anyone else who fancied coming aboard!
Zac and me in Phuket
smell comes to greet you; simply, a whiff of

foliage, damp earth, dust, decay, and diesel
fumes. My first whiff of Sri Lanka was of
sweet, floral perfume. My, they must be very
clean!It was as if the ladies were all along
the shore waving their dresses. Unfortunately,
it was just Frangipani flowers that beckoned
us in.
We dropped the anchor and slept - a calm,
uninterrupted sleep - without watch duty, or
the constant rock and roll of the ship.
In the morning we awoke to the colonial
paradise of Galle Bay. A white Portuguese
lighthouse and church stood at the bays
entrance, nestled between swaying palms.
Surrounding this, fortified Dutch wall defences and cannon emplacements guarded
against a time gone by. Though evidently,
they hadnt done their job against the British.
It was time for a cup of tea.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
There was another yacht within the industrial

fishing harbour where we moored, and so we
struck up a friendship with Morris, a mildmannered South African. Additionally I found
that Anne, an old family friend from Dubai,
was living in Galle. She had previously sailed
around the world, so the four of us arranged
to meet at a hotel for drinks one evening.
The Closenburg was on top of the hill
overlooking the bay. It had been a grand old
manor house, and was built in such perfect
colonial style it felt like walking into a movie.
The restaurant was empty, yet full of char-
acter. Beneath the vaulted ceilings and high

arches sat ornate wooden tables that seemed
to be missing their cross-legged, pipesmoking, handlebar-moustached explorers.
Sri Lankan waiters, so neatly dressed I should
call them butlers, were waiting to greet any
drops-ins with their ever-present broad smile
and sincere welcome. They lead us through
the arches and into a wide, open-air veranda
that flowed out into the gardens. As we sat
down, the heavens opened - and so did the
roof. Amusingly, the head butler held out his
hand to catch the torrent, which immediately
overflowed. Still smiling broadly, he upheld
his self-sacrifice until he was struck with a better idea. Noticing that the fan above us was
not working, he returned with a long broom
and began to manually revolve the blades. I
thought he was jump-starting it, but really he
was stepping in happily as our punkhawallah. The other waiter looked at him a little
bemused. We decided it best to move to the
next table, in a dry spot under a working fan.
The conversation flowed like the drinks. We
discussed the Red Sea, which delighted Anne
in reminiscing of her life at sea. We discussed
storms, and piracy, and the real dangers in
life - like flying on Air Tanzania. These rich
topics inspired Anne to assemble some of
the colourful characters she knew in Galle for
lunch the next day.
Our friendly tuk-tuk driver, who even

took us home for tea with his family.
Annes house was a more homely version of

the Closenburg, with its high vaulted arches
and cooling veranda, perfect for sipping tea
under. The new guests certainly had stories
of their own; Heather had sailed across the
Atlantic and been shipwrecked at the mouth

of the Amazon; and Dom was an ex-SAS,
ex-pirate hunting adventurer, who had been
rescued from the perfect storm of Katrina and
her following hurricanes while trying to kite
across the Atlantic. While Dom shared his
experiences of the storm, I remember Morris
commenting that there are very few atheists
in a hurricane. To this, Anne piped up, ...
and on Air Tanzania, there are none!
There was a surprising concentration of
interesting people in Galle, with valuable information for our imminent passage through
Pirate Alley. We even met an Australian,
on the beach with his family, who had just
returned from Somaliland having served as
a consultant to the Somali coastguard. Sri
Lanka seemed to be the hub for Red Sea
security. Indeed, every night tugs would dock
beside us and unload their mercenaries,
laden with 50-calibre rifles and machine guns.
And so the time came to leave the welcoming arms of Sri Lanka. With a final evening of
cigars and spirits in the cockpit, we weighed
anchor at sunrise and set off toward the
beckoning call of the Arabian Sea. We soon
picked up the wind and current, making eight
knots for Djibouti.
Were getting the hell outta Dodge!
said Zac.
Straight for Dodge. I suggested.
Straight for Dodge... he concurred.
(To be continued)
Afternoon tea on the veranda
Galle Bay. These fishing boats pull up their

catch and sell it right there on the beach.
Some just cast their nets from the shore!
Afternoon Tea
OUTDOORUAE
29
Nomads Road:
Overlanders for Life
Episode 1: The First Ten Years
Before Arriving in the UAE
Words By: Grg Trastour
Photos By: Grg, Magali, Natasha and Anastasia Trastour
UAE 2016, Sand Sculpture (Abu Dhabi)
We are a family of four who

have started this adventure around
the world in the 1st of April
2006 while landing in Brisbane
in Australia, our daughters
at that time were six and eight
years old and made their first
overlanders steps.
Myanmar 2015, convoy in Bagan
Australia 2006, start of our adventure
During our first journey in Australia we

were driving a bit more than 35,000 kilometres with a modified Nissan Patrol and a
camper trailer to explore the eastern part.
We have crossed six states by following
the coast from south to north and the Red
Center to the south to close the loop. We
have visited some legendary places like
Uluru and spend most of our time
in National and Marine Parks.
After this year in the land of kangaroos,
we decided to hop into the kiwis land. It is
not a huge country but we nevertheless remained two years to visit most of the place
on the two main islands and the little rock at
the bottom of South Island near Antarctica
called Stewart Island.
In 2009 we have moved to New
Caledonia, a little paradise in the South
Pacific Ocean situated between Australia
Iran 2015, Perspolis
Australia 2012, Cape York, Old Telegraph Track (Queensland)
and New Zealand, and we stayed for three

years and have participated in environmental project on corals, turtles and birds preservation all around the country. During the latest year in New Caledonia, we have actively
organised our non-stop, round-the-world in
10 years by road. And in February 2012, we
have flown to Australia for a second time.
We quickly found our new vehicle - a 1993
Toyota Landcruiser 75 series and modified
it ourselves to fit our needs. We have fitted
two rooftop tents and a solar panel to load
our batteries to feed the fridge and the
power points for the girls to do schooling on
their computers while we drive.
In April 2012 we started our long
journey around the world and became
overlanders for life. Our primary target was,
driving on six continents and going through
100 countries in 10 years to visit highlighted
and remote places, and meet other cultures
and traditions. On the way, our plan and
our route have been modified a few times
for diverse reasons, breakdowns, budget,
war or visas. At the start of our journey we
would have ended our adventure in 2022
but because of the time we spent in different countries, we had to extend it to 2024
or probably more. We have been travelling
for the last years with only 500 per month
for four people to pay all our expenses,
which is just enough for fuel, food and visas.
Our major problem is the lack of sponsors
especially when we have to cross a sea or an
ocean to reach another country or another
continent, or when our vehicle breaks down,
like recently in the UAE.
So in 2012 for this new start, we have
Australia 2012, Pinnacles (West Australia)
Cambodia 2014, Bayon Temple (Angkor)
decided to explore the main Australian

remote places we havent done in 2006 and
we have driven another 35,000 kilometres
down under and visited some amazing
untouched places but the rough roads have
been hard and at the end of the year our
budget was not enough to send our vehicle
to Asia to continue our trip. So we decided
to leave the car in Australia for a year and
continue our journey as backpackers in
Southeast Asia. To save some money we
didnt use transport and accommodation
as less as possible and we used individual
tunnel tents to sleep and walk as much as
possible.
In 2013 we havent done a lot kilometres
on our theoretical route, we have just visited
the main islands of Indonesia, and Malaysia
including Borneo and Brunei but we have
had a lot of fun and met a lot of people who
helped us all along our walk. In the beginning of 2014 we got just enough money to
bring our vehicle in Asia and the family was
very happy and really appreciated the luxury
of a moving car, despite the fact that we
have had less opportunity to meet people
and take pictures. We were able to visit
more places and access remote places in the
jungle.
In 2014, we drove through Malaysia,
Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.
We discovered the wonders of Southeast
Asia with their wonderful landscapes, inland
and on the coast and offshore.
OUTDOORUAE
31
India 2015, flooding during night (Bikaner)
While also exploring the beautiful temples

and sculptures, the huge diversity of birds
and mammals and the fine and delicious
cuisine which was sometimes surprising and
spicy. We were able to visit some unforgettable places like Angkor Wat, one of the
Wonders of the World and some unknown
places still untouched.
In 2015, we visited Myanmar in convoy
with a guide, the only solution to cross this
country with our own vehicle was from
Indonesia 2013, Lake Toba in northern Sumatra
Laos 2014, Xuang Xi falls
32
OUTDOORUAE
Thailand to India. We visited a few

amazing places in this country like Bagan
and met the friendliest people of Asia. The
day before we crossed the border to Nepal,
the 8.1 magnitude earthquake happened so
we changed our route to South India and we
tried to keep a distance from the monsoon.
We stayed in India for five months and
visited almost every state to discover this
world within a world, where everything is
different and where we needed more time
than other countries to adapt ourselves. We
were lucky to obtain our Pakistan visas and
were able to cross the country. The people
were so kind and amazing we extended our
visas to be able to visit the north of Pakistan
all the way up to the Chinese border to
discover Hunza Valley. It was the most
amazing place we have ever travelled to
in the past nine years. During this month a
large community of bikers helped and
supported us.
We spent one month in Iran where we met
really warm and welcoming people. Its the
country where we used our rooftop tents
the least. We have visited some beautiful
religious places and historic places such
as Persepolis. During this one month trip
around Iran we have been supported by the
tourist guides of Iran who helped us to have
a better understanding of their country.
We crossed the Strait of Hormuz to arrive
in the UAE where we ended 2015 and
started 2016 on the beach in Dubai where
we watched the biggest and most spectacular fireworks we have ever seen. We have
visited some interesting places and discovered extremely modern architecture. Not to
mention the incredible vehicles as well.
We have been welcomed in every country
and many people along the way, some more
welcoming than the others. In the 10 years
were travelling, we are so delighted that it
pushed us to go further in our quest for the
discovery of the planet and the people. Our
next destination will be Oman, then Africa,
India 2015, flooding
but for the moment we are looking for the

cheapest way to go to Africa as we are not
able to drive through Saudi Arabia because
of our right-hand drive car.
Our adventure will continue until we reach
Ushuaia. Before this, we will try to achieve
the tour of Africa from east to south and
up north by the west coast in three years
to reach Europe where we estimate staying
for two years and visiting the west and the
east with a small hop into northern countries
during warmer periods. We then go to the
Americas by crossing Central Asia, Mongolia
and Russia to get to Alaska by the Bering
Strait. From there we want to travel from
North America to the most southern tip of
South America in Tierra del Fuego.
The Trastours is a family that has been
overlanding the planet for as long as
they can remember! Made up of Greg
and Magali as well as their daughters
Natasha and Anastasia, The Trastours
is a family filled to the brim with an
unstoppable sense of adventure for the
ultimate goal to explore the world.
You can check out their next stop at
www.nomadsroad.com or look for
Nomads Road on Facebook and Twitter.
REVIEW
Alpinestars
Supertech-R
Boots
When it comes to riding,
we motorcyclists need all the
protection we can get. And when
choosing a product to protect your
feet, there is no company with
more experience than Alpinestars.
The Italian company has been
building boots since 1963,
and while a lot of things have
changed since then, the companys
philosophy towards producing
innovative, functional protective
footwear is as true today as was
45 years ago.
For 2008, Alpinestars has released its

successor to the top-of-the-line Supertech
road race boot: The Alpinestars SupertechR Boot. Developed at the racetrack by
MotoGP aces Nicky Hayden, John Hopkins, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo, the
Supertech-R boot embodies the latest in
protection, comfort and, of course, style.
Like its predecessor, the SupertechR boot makes use of a separate bootie
inside of the main boot. The inner bootie
is constructed out of a lightweight, extremely breathable micro-fibre material. An
integrated ankle brace uses gel-padded,
double-hinged inner and outer plastic
torsion bars that help protect the ankle and

disperse energy loads in case of impact.
Tough plastic mouldings also help protect
the riders heel and front edge of their toes
from damage.
The outer boot is of multi-piece construction. A replaceable rubberized sole forms
the base of the boot. The heel is of solid
plastic construction and has integrated
exhaust ventilation slits on either side. A replaceable heel plate slider reduces friction
if you find yourself sliding across the pavement. The main part of the boot is built out
of high-quality leather.
The boots inner side features a full
length suede panel that gives the Supertech-R a clean look yet protects the
rider from heat and/or abrasion. The
toe shifter area is made of a flexible
material that gives the rider the perfect
amount of feel yet prevents pinching of
the toes in a crash. Like other Alpinestars
boots, the toe slider on the outside of
the boot can be easy replaced with a
plastic or more durable magnesium
slider. Lastly, the top part of the boot
is made from an aerodynamic, hard
synthetic material that protects the
riders shin and has air intakes on
each side.
The external boot uses a zip-style
side entry system which has stretch
material on the bottom edge to
ensure the zipper wont get caught or
stuck. Velcro on the zipper and bootie
lace ensures the boot will always stay tight.

Finally, an adjustable plastic buckle slides in
a metal ratchet to keep the top part of the
boot conformed to the riders calf.
Inevitably a rider is going to have to
do some walking and these boots are
flexible enough to allow a person to
walk normally. In fact, for our feet,
the boots are comfortable enough to
walk around in all-day with absolutely
zero pressure points. The foot and ankle
dexterity allowed by the Supertech-R boot
lends itself well on track and these boots
have the best feel of any boot weve
tested to date.
Fortunately, we havent taken a spill yet
[knock on wood] but we have ridden
thousands of miles both on the street and
the track with the new Supertech-R boots
and the boots still look new.
Al Yousuf Motors provides platform to
all MotoGP enthusiasts with worlds leading
brands in MotoGP for apparel and safety
gears. Please visit Al Yousuf Motors across
UAE to select your riding gears.
OUTDOORUAE
33
LIFESTYLE
Health
Powerhouse
Salt and the Importance
of Good Quality Salt in Your
Diet and During Exercise
Matcha sea salt- make your own!
Words + Photos By: Ivana Chiles
Dear readers, we have

covered many topics concerning
right nutrition and fuelling on your
adventures. One topic I have not
discussed, even though extremely
important, is SALT. Turns out, that
when you start paying attention to
your salt consumption, you may
improve your health exponentially.
There are lots of conflicting
information out there, and today
I will distil it down for you.
First of all, let me share with you a story,
which made me think of salt: We invited my
parents last October for two weeks to look
after the garden and our cat while we went
on holidays with my husband. A part of my
mums entertainment was, of course, cooking food while we were away. About 10 days
into our holidays I received a message from
my mum with the picture of a finished whole
Celtic sea salt container (which generally lasts
for 6-8 months in my kitchen) asking, whether
this was all salt I had in the house? At first I
laughed in disbelief, but then I realised, how
little information about quality and quantity
of salt is out there and how much salt some
people consume, thinking it is perfectly fine.
What is Salt and How

Much do We Need?
Salt provides two elements sodium and

chloride both of which are essential for life.
Your body cannot make these elements on
its own, so you must get them from your diet.
However, not all salts are created equal. Unfortunately our regular table salt has become
toxic for our bodies.
What is Wrong with Table Salt

and Why you Should Avoid It?
Table salt is really sodium chloride
(97.5 percent) which is salt that has been

stripped of all its nutrients. The end result is a
chemical, 90% of which is used for industrial
purposes (like melting ice for public pavements in winter). The leftovers are marketed
for consumers and used as preservatives for
industrial foods. In addition, this kind of salt
is typically coated with aluminium hydroxide,
a heavy metal, in order to stop it clumping.
Some other chemicals like moisture absorbents and flow agents like aluminosilicate
and ferrocyanide are also added. Unfortunately, 95% of food in our common supermarkets carry processed foods which mostly
contain table salt. It is an ingredient hidden
in places you would least expect. That is why
I recommend you stay away from processed
foods as much as possible and pay attention
to the labels.
However, that said, your body needs a
good quality salt, be it sea salt, rock salt or
Himalayan salt! Here is why!
Water and salt are the essences of life. As
human body weight is some 60%-70% of salt
water, staying properly hydrated (especially
when exercising or undertaking any outdoor
activities) is crucial. On the other hand, over
hydration can be potentially dangerous and
deadly too. Known as hyponatremia, drinking
too much water without sodium and other
minerals. This conditions has been a hot
topic amongst some athletes who passed out
suddenly during the races. Over hydration
caused by water retention is often the result
of medical conditions, such as liver disease,
kidney problems, congestive heart failure and
many more.
Did you know?
Salt makes the body more conductive to

electricity, allowing the cells to communicate
better. Pure sea salt contains approximately
80 essential elements and minerals in their
natural ratio that are essential for maintaining a healthy balance of electrolytes (sodium,
potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, etc.) in the
body. This balance bolsters transmission of
information between the brain and nerve
Avoid table salt!
Himalayan sea salt is lower

in sodium and higher in potassium
cells, which influences heart rate, blood

pressure and muscle tension, among other
functions. Also, sea salt helps the kidneys get
rid of excess acidity from body fluids while
at the same time helping to regulate blood
sugar levels.
High salt solutions are used to resuscitate
people and animals after injury, to increase
blood volume to renew circulation, to restore
cellular energy production, to increase
oxygen consumption and heat production,
to reduce free radical production, to improve
heart muscle function, to reduce inflammation, vascular permeability and oedema
(water retention) and to treat wounds!
What is the Difference Between Sea

Salt, Rock Salt and Himalayan Salt?
Sea Salt
Sea salt is a natural unprocessed salt

that contains about 84 percent sodium
chloride (just under 37 percent of which is
pure sodium). The remaining 16 percent are
naturally-occurring trace minerals, including
silicon, phosphorus, and vanadium.
Sea salt, also known as bay salt,
is produced by the process of evaporation
of salt water bodies. It is darker in colour
as compared to the refined salts due to the
absorption of essential minerals from the clay
lining of the body of water.
Unlike refined salts, the preparation of sea
salt usually includes very little processing, so
it retains its moisture and mineral treasure.
These minerals are present in a form that is
easily utilised and absorbed by the human
body. The climate and the geographical location of the region also play a significant role
in the quality and combination of minerals
offered by the sea salt.
The Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic
Ocean, and the North Sea are the most common hubs for the harvesting of sea salt. The
Piles of sea salt in Bolivia
Sea salt farming in Thailand
method involved in harvesting sea salt also

helps to retain its natural state and therapeutic qualities. In ancient times, sea salt
was valuable for healing hand injuries and
wounds of fishermen.
Celtic sea salt is harvested differently, and
uses conventional Celtic methods. These
methods involve working and collecting the
salt entirely by hand, using only wooden
tools. It does not contain harmful chemicals
and additives therefore this is my favourite
sea salts along with Cornish sea salt!
Himalayan salt
Himalayan salts came into existence 250 million years ago, when the Himalayan Mountains were being formed.
Himalayan crystal salt is a pure, stone
ground, hand-mined salt that is derived from
ancient sea salt deposits, and it is believed to
be the purest form of salt available. The high
mineral crystals range in colour from sheer
white, varying shades of pink, to deep reds,
the result of high mineral and iron content,
particularly iron oxide.
It is called white gold because it is said
to contain ions of stored sunlight and apparently has therapeutic properties.
This pure crystal has been exposed to earth
pressure for millions and millions of years.
This pressure has perfected the geometric
crystalline structure of Himalayan salt. The
more perfect the geometric shape of the
crystal, the more its energy content. And with
this structure, the body can easily absorb this
salt.
Himalayan salt contains the 84 natural elements needed by the body. These salts do
not have any impurities since they are mined
with bare hands, and explosives are prohibited in mining to preserve the magnificence
of the Himalayas.
The beauty with Himalayan salt is that in
addition to being naturally lower in sodium,
its much higher in potassium compared to
other saltincluding other natural salt like
sea salt or Celtic salt. Himalayan salt contains
Himalayan salt lamps have
many healing benefits and
everyone should have one
in their homes and office
0.28 percent potassium, compared to 0.16

percent in Celtic salt, and 0.09 percent in
regular table salt. While this may seem like
tiny amounts, Himalayan salt still has a better
salt-potassium ratio than other salt, especially
table salt.
Being the cleanest salt, free from harsh
chemicals, Himalayan Salt is used by
holistic chefs, spas, health professionals, and
individuals for its range of nutritional and
therapeutic properties. Surely you have seen
Himalayan crystal salt lamps around and I
strongly recommend you buy at least one
for your home and for your office. Some of
the main benefits are, that they neutralise
electromagnetic radiation (flowing from your
TV, computers, phones etc., ), cleanse and
deodorise air, reduce allergy and asthma,
increase energy levels, improve mood and
energy and reduce static energy in the air.
Externally, crystal salt can be used to relax
the body, support healthy blood pressure
already in the normal range, support healthy
musculature, and aid in detoxification internally and externally (scrubbing).
Rock Salt
Rock salt is derived from the inside of

mountains - the structure of the salt has been
pressurised into a very fine colloidal form
over millions of years. This kind of salt has
a negative charge, whereas human cells are
positively charged and as a result the minerals of the salt can be easily absorbed into
human cells. Rock salt can balance the bodys
potentially unhealthy resonance frequency
and it can bring the fluids of the body into a
correct balance.
Himalayan salt (for more potassium) and drink

throughout your exercise. This way you know
exactly what is in your drink, you will be well
hydrated and you avoid ingesting any harsh
chemical commonly present in sports drinks.
The choice is yours! I personally keep a
combination of all different salts in my kitchen
cupboard and use them according to the texture of the meal, preparation and my mood.
While sea salt is rather coarse, I use it to enhance the flavour of cooked meals or in a salt
mill. My tip is to season your meals right at
the end and using rather less than more. You
will find that your meal will taste somewhat
saltier few hours later when the salt crystals
disintegrate.
Himalayan sea salt is said to carry energy
and has healing powers. This is the kind of
salt I would use to sprinkle on my ready veggies, in sports drinks or to balance flavour
of some cold deserts. I also like to make my
own matcha salt by mixing one cup of Celtic
sea salt with two teaspoons of pure matcha
powder. This way you will add some extra antioxidants to your meals plus the bright green
colour is a simple pleasure to look at.
As you chase the healthiest possible life,
be smart about what you put in your body.
Remember that as with most things, moderation is the key. Avoid processed salt and use
natural salt in moderation. Sea salt, rock salt
and Himalayan salt are nutritional goldmines
provided you mind sodium-potassium ratio.
Eat a diet of whole, ideally organically and
locally grown foods. Have a green juice every
day, include lima beans, spinach, avocados,
bananas, prunes and papayas to increase
your potassium intake.
How Do I Know I Consume

Enough/Too Much Sodium?
The only way is to have your levels tested

by your doctor. As a general rule, your ideal
sodium level should be 139, with an optimal range of 136 to 142. If it is much lower,
you probably need to eat more salt (natural
and unprocessed varieties, of course); if it is
higher, youll likely want to restrict your salt
intake. Keep in mind that if you have weak
adrenals, you will lose sodium and need to
eat more natural salt to compensate.
Other Rather Unknown Benefits

and Uses of Natural Salts:
Pinch of sea salt diluted in a glass of water

and drunk first thing in the morning could rid
you of some food allergies.
Use sea salt mouth rinse to treat gum
swelling and sore throat.
Make yourself a natural mouth rinse diluting
one teaspoon of sea salt in warm water, add
three drops of pure organic clove oil, leave to
cool down and keep in your bathroom. Rinse
your mouth daily after brushing, before going
to bed.
Use sea salt solution to disinfect wounds
and cuts.
Mix one cup of sea salt with one
tablespoon of olive oil and use 1-2 a week to
scrub your body (avoid face)
Make Yourself a Simple

Sports Drink!
Mix juice from one organic freshly squeezed

orange in your sports bottle filled up with
filtered water.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of good quality sea salt or
My three favourite salts
Ivana has been living in the UAE for

16 years. She is a qualified Health Coach
and member of the American
Association of Drugless Practitioners.
Her passions are nutrition, organic
gardening, healthy cooking and
homemade organic skin care. She runs
weekly workshops on the above topics.
For more information, visit her Facebook
page, Health Powerhouse.
OUTDOORUAE
35
LIFESTYLE
Outdoor Flicks
Film:
Into the Wild
Director: Sean Penn
Producer: Sean Penn, Art Linson

and Bill Pohlad
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Kristen Stewart,

Catherine Keener,

Brian H. Dierker
and Hal Holbrook
All Aspects of Alone

Words By: Keith Perea
Photos By: Paramount Vantage
A classic film about the outdoors, Sean Penns Into the Wild
never fails to amuse. A bit dated,
Penns take of Jon Krakauers
account of Christopher McCandless
life and untimely demise is filled
with artistically crafted
cinematography and literary
voiceovers reflecting on how
humans need their fix of nature as
much as possible. The film obviously
is about Christopher McCandless
the famous/reviled (depending on
perspective) figure that camped in
the Alaskan wilderness where he
eventually died.
It starts off in medias res,where we get
to see McCandless already scrounging for
sustenance in the wild. This first few minutes
of the film is inspiring at first because it
doesnt show the rigours and hardships that
McCandless in undertaking. This is also our
first time to see Emile Hirsch portraying the
titular character in a whimsical, yet appealing way. It feels as if Hirsch transformed into
more than just an Icarus but also became a
person of substance with his reading, his
knowledge of the outdoors and of course
the historic bus where he made his stand.
Then it all backtracks to the day when
McCandless called it quits on our rat-race
world. The transition is very subtle, and
slow, kind of like an easing in until it hits the
audience straight that this is indeed where
it began. We see a young man who tries his
very best to veer away from society, sort of
in a lone wolf manner. This introduction to
McCandless deviation from the norm is very
powerful as it rings true to a majority of outdoorsmen and women when theyre sitting
at their desks from nine to five yearning for
their next big adventure. Suffice to say, the
moment Christopher steps out and starts life
on his pursuit for the great outdoors, everybody else who is watching follows suit.
What is notable with the film is as mentioned above, the cinematography. The film
is riddled with macro shots of flowers as well

as symmetrically poignant scenes in McCandless journey such as eating an apple,
taking a kayak, or even just standing on top
of a rock whilst reading a novel. The films
visual appeal is timeless, the narrative more
so.
The film speaks of a truth about the outdoors in quite an unorthodox way. It gives it
to the audience as raw and unadultered as
can be as it shows the protagonist swinging
in the balance between happy and trying
hard. One such example of this is the kayaking scene when he enjoys the ride on the
first leg and then eventually has to negotiate
with border patrol because he passed the
US-Mexico border unknowingly. McCandless gets to realise a lot of things throughout
the film, and I believe he goes through the
entire spectrum of humanity with this. He
experiences music, art, consumerism and
eventually, the exhilaration of being outdoors.
At the end of it all, what is amazing about
the film is that it does not make it seem
tragic but rather portraying it as the protagonists good bye to life. Yes, the ending may
appear to be a bit climactic but this lesson is
given to the audience as gentle as can be as
McCandless wraps himself up in his sleeping
bag. Some lessons have to be learned the
hard way.
Up until now, people are mixed when
regarding this man what he did, and why
he did it. But I think he has inspired a lot of
people with his fate. After all, he was just
someone aching to get away from it all and
who would say that isnt true with everyone
whos craving for their outdoor fix on the
weekends?
Habitually healthy
Huevos Rancheros Redux
Words + Recipe By: Chef Patrick Ikinofo
Hello all welcome back to this

months spread with your one and
only Captain Caveman Chef Patrick.
What an awesome start to the year its
been for us working alongside the Dragon
racing team for the Dubai 24hr race, the
pop up Bistro down at the Dubai Ironman
competition and a lot of testing and tasting for our new menu launch this month.
And of course serving all of our regular
customers and new comers that come on
over to us for their daily Paleo fix.
This menu is sure to be a hit with all the
winter warmers we have on. We decided
to keep things simple and nourishing good classic comfort food paleo style,
food for the soul, cooked with heart from
the boys out back.
You will see the return of the Huevos
Rancheros which was a big seller before
my time here so Ive put my twist on it
and named it Part II. A 12-hour braised
beef brisket pulled and spiced served with
100% gluten and dairy free wrap, avocado
salsa, dairy free citrus sour cream and two
organic, free range eggs.
Ive thrown in the recipe for the wraps

for you to try out. The wraps are a sure
winner for all you gluten free people out
there, theyre a great alternative to bread
or tortillas. You can also bake them to
create a healthy crisp to have with dips or
soup.
Remember we are open for breakfast,
lunch and dinner, we are always here for
you dont forget. Until next month. Do it
for the love of cooking Chef Patrick
100% Paleo Gluten

and Dairy Free Wraps
2 pieces Egg Whites
1 Tbsp Coconut Flour
3 Tbsp Water, Lukewarm
1 pinch Baking Soda
Process
1. Put your egg whites into a bowl and

add the coconut flour, baking soda, sea
salt and lukewarm water. Mix this well
until the mixture is smooth. Leave to
stand for a few minutes.
2. Heat a frying pan with a bit of
coconut oil and pour the mixture in.
Once the top of the wrap is dry, turn it
around and bake the other side.
3. Turn out onto a big plate and fill with
your filling of choice of the suggestions
I gave above.
The Cycle Bistro

GPS location:
Latitude:
N 25 02.792
Longitude:
E 055 14.384
Phone:
04 425 6555
OUTDOORUAE
37
Natural History
LIFESTYLE
Words + Photos By: Dan Wright
It was a beautiful day in

mid-January and I had been asked
by the OutdoorArabia team to
guide a Nature Hike for the day.
I spent the night out in the
mountains on my own to relax into
the environment and was up bright
and early to meet the group at the
hiking start point (see map and
GPS coordinates).
My group turned out to be some energetic and enthusiastic 20-somethings ex
school/college party of friends all up for a
day of exploring the mountains and learning
about the UAEs varied wilderness. We were
carrying packed lunch and various snacks to
keep us fueled and the route I had planned
was 11kms following a gravel track along the
Wadi bed and finishing with a mountain pass
to get some views in before dropping back
down to our bus.
Wadi Helow is a well-known heritage area
with several old villages and archaeological
sites including Bronze Age copper smelting
sites and late Iron Age settlement sites. The
wadi bed has natural springs running close
to the surface which means it is very green
with many different plant species which attracts insects and birds.
The first site of interest along the trek is
on the right hand side. It looks like a shelf of
very hard granite that has been worked as a
small quarry but upon closer inspection and
when you pick up some of the granite pieces
on the floor, youll find they crumble easily in
your hands. This is of course very unusual for
granite which as an igneous rock is extremely
hard (often used for kitchen work surfaces)
and usually needs a hammer and considerable force to even break off a small piece.
What is happening here is called Kaolinisation. Granite is made up of three minerals:
Quartz, Feldspar and Mica. During weathering for prolonged periods of time (thousands
of years) the feldspar breaks down into a
clay called Kaolin and the mica and quartz
drops out and forms a very shiny sand. In
the olden days this Kaolin clay would have
been collected and mixed with water to
Picture perfect pose
make a whitewash paint for the inside of clay

plastered homes. In more modern times you
might see it when travelling in countries like
India. Sadhus (wandering Shiva priests) daub
their bodies all over with the paint and wear
a cloth around their waists.
After spending some time posing for selfies whilst crushing granite blocks in our bare
hands like Superman, we moved on down
the wadi.
Towards the end near the roads in Wadi
Helow you will find lush farms that thrive
on the water that is so close to the surface.
Pre-1971 these would have been even more
extensive but as the villages near the road
got bigger, the water levels in the wadi
would have dropped to present day levels
which are enough for small farms but not
enough to support populations living in villages in the wadi itself. For birdwatchers or
insect lovers these farms are a perfect place
to spend a day sat with a pair of binoculars
and a notebook watching the world fly by!
Species such as; little green bee-eaters, Indian rollers, purple sunbirds, Humes Wheatear and Indian myna are abundant and with
a primary diet of small insects they thrive in
these areas. The water surface water of Falaj
irrigation systems and water storage tanks
attracts Dragonflies and with all the flowers
the 3 Bs - Bees, Beetles and Butterflies are
everywhere!
Exploring caves for bees
Selfie time
After the farms there is a nice stroll of three

or so kilometres with ample opportunity to
watch raptors in the skies or Sinai Agama
lizards sun bathing on the rocks beside the
track. In the mating season, the male lizards
turn a brilliant azure blue and the females to
show they are in season develop red flashes
on their shoulders.
On the right hand side the track climbs a
short rise above the Wadi to a small plateau.
Here you will find an ancient tribal burial
ground. The graves are shown by short
mounds of gravel with a head stone (but no
writing). In the olden days the body had to
be buried within 24 hours of death and the
ground was too stony to dig deep so they
would dig a shallow grave and then cover
the body with gravel and surround it with
rocks to stop wild animals digging up the
bodies to scavenge it. The graves in this
area all look short like they might have been
for children but that wasnt the case. Bodies were buried, lying on their sides facing
Mecca in the fetal position which took up
less space.
Slightly further down the track on the left
is an old village of stone built dwellings. The
first building that you see is a lookout post
Wadi Helow Hike Route
Finding tracks in the mud
Summit selfie
which the village guards would have stood in

to watch the approaches to the village. Travelling traders and pilgrims would be stopped
before entering the village to make sure they
werent marauding tribesmen intent on attacking the village. Further in would be a set
of two low stone walls with benches on the
inside. This would have been roofed and acted as a Majlis for traders to sit in and wait for
the village Emir (prince) to come and meet
them. This would also be the place where
all the news of the outside world would be
discussed. Next would come the houses
which were nothing more than small oblong
rooms with a thatched or graveled roof in
which the whole family would lie on the floor
to sleep with a small fireplace in one corner.
They would have been very dark inside and
smoky. With no shelves or cupboards as in
modern houses the inhabitants would have
stored their few possessions in the cracks
between rocks and you can still sometimes
see tooth brushes, combs or razors in these
nooks and crannies.
Once you leave this first village complex
you start to notice low stone walls and houses on either side of the wadi as though there
were small farms and homesteads spread
out all along the valley. The lunch stop is
one such of these on a bend in the wadi
where the water would have pooled and
Donkey Petroglyph archaeology
lasted much longer after the floods. These

were places that were strategic because
they had water and could sustain big flocks
of goats and even irrigate small patches of
crops. As you walk down the wadi bed here
you will see outcrops of very rounded black
stone. Upon closer inspection you will find
these are pillow lavas of igneous basalt.
These occur when magma (lava) flows into a
subaqueous (underwater) environment. As
the outside surface of the lava rapidly cools
the hot and liquid inner layers continue to
flow causing the lava to slump and build up
in layers that look like pillows lying on top of
one another.
After the lunch stop comes a good 3km of
uphill, gentle at first but it gets quite steep
towards the top of the pass. At the top is a
great view of the next valley and the road
where hopefully your transport is waiting to collect you at the end (see map for
coordinates)! Up here you will find a beautiful outcrop of rocks where your group can
gather for the ultimate selfies to upload to
your various statuses to let the world know
what cool adventures you are having whilst
they sit at home! If you stand up on the rocks
and shout at the top of your voice you will
hear it echoing down the valley below you as
your voice reverberates off the rocks of the
mountains on either side of the valley.
The descent takes a lot less time than
the climb up to the pass and in half an hour
you can be safely down at the road for the
journey home.
As ever with any activities we

advocate to you, you need
to pay attention to safety.
You can do this by:
1. Getting a weather forecast before

entering the wadi
(any sign of rain postpone to a dry day)
2. Carry enough water and food for the day
(at least three litres of water)
3. Carry a first aid kit and emergency items
like a tarp to make a sun shade
Water allows flowers to grow which attracts insects
Igneous basalt in the wadi bed
4. Make sure someone knows where you

will be and how long you will take before
you get home (dont forget to tell them you
made it home ok)
5. Wear sensible clothing for the terrain. A
track like this is fine for trainers but steeper
rocky ground needs walking boots.
6. Carry all your rubbish out with you and if
you do need the bathroom for a number two
dig a small hole then cover it with a rock!
7. Stay safe and trek with friends, dont go
alone.
You can use the coordinates and map
provided here or alternatively if you want
to go with a guided group and learn more
about the environment you can book a trip
with OutdoorArabia.
Start Point: Exit from the
E102 Dubai to Kalba Road at:
245635.20N/561230.99E
End Point: Finish after the farms at the
roadside at: 245648.76N/56162.40E
Dan Wright is a freelance Wilderness
Guide in the UAE and Asia. He has a
degree in Environmental Science. Dan
has been on several International wildlife
and exploration expeditions with UK
Radio stations and writes for a range of
publications in Asia and the Middle East.
His wife is the former Nepal National
Mountain Bike Champion, Nirjala
Tamrakar. They live in Dubai with their
son Percy and spend all their spare time
exploring the UAE!
OUTDOORUAE
39
PRODUCTS
A ROUND-UP OF QUALITY PRODUCTS AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE IN THE UAE
Scalera 1
TRUE UTILITY Mini Driver
Available at Sport in Life, Ras al Khor
Available at all GO Sport stores
The Scalera range is a race-bred high performance carbon

platform. This design combines stiffness and aerodynamics
into a highly attractive package. The carbon layup is stiff and
lightweight and has been carefully calculated to meet the high
demands of racing cyclists. The geometry is finely tuned for
every size, resulting in an accurate and agile ride feel at all
speeds for riders of every stature.
This little gem wont just look great on your key chain but is
very useful too. It cleverly contains four screwdriver heads
both small and large Phillips and flat screwdrivers. Simply
remove the quick release clip, and slide a key or coin into the
slotted end to add torque so you can undo/do up the toughest
of screws.
14, 499 AED
Specifications:
Frame: Award-Winning, Silverback Aero Carbon frame
Wheels: Fulcrum Quattro
Gears system: Shimano Ultegra Di2 11 speed
Weight: 7.8kg
Features:
Anti-slip grooves on main body for better control
4 Screw heads - standard and small Phillips and standard and
small flat screwdrivers
Quick release CleverClip included
TRUE UTILITY Clip Tool
Yamaha Speedblock Leather Gloves
Available at all Al Yousuf Motors across the UAE
A small, strong stainless steel bodied multi-tool that includes

powerful small pliers, knife, file, Phillips screwdriver and a bottle opener. Quick release clip for easy on/off access.
Features:
Carbon knuckles and fingers for protection
Kevlar protection alongside hand on palm
Ring and small fingers joint
Double layer palm reinforcement
Double adjusted cuff closure
Size S - XL
59 AED
Features:
422 grade stainless steel
Pliers
File
Knife
Phillips screwdriver
Bottle opener
Quick release clip
40
59 AED
OUTDOORUAE
500 AED (Before: 700 AED)
T R&I E D
TESTED
ODUC
THIS PR
OV
T IS APPR
TDOO
ED BY OU
RUAE
Fitness tracker with wrist-based heart rate

Words By: Blake Stemm
It is always hard to find wearable

technology that does everything
that you want. As I train and
compete in many different facets
of fitness, including marathons,
CrossFit, weights, aquathlons,
cycling and more, it is extremely
important for me to be able to
monitor my body so that I can take
it to the next level.
Having used so many different products,
I was always struggling with bulky ugly
watches or chest straps that slide down your
midsection whilst training,
therefore I was keen to try the
all-new Polar A360 with its
sleek, slimline design and
exciting new wrist-based
heart rate technology.
There are currently two
colours available in the
Middle East, black and white.
I measured the wrist strap as
per the instructions and it
fitted perfectly - like a glove.
It is very light, comfortable
and I dont even know that
I have it on sometimes. I
downloaded the Polar Flow
app and proceeded to sync
the product. The syncing
process for this product
does take time, so each and every time you

have to sync it, be a little patient. When
you begin your exercise you can select the
style of training you are doing so that it can
monitor appropriately, reading your heart
rate through the base of the watch and top
of your wrist.
Once you have selected your training
mode, the Polar A360 will record your
average heart rate, max heart rate, calories
and percentage of fat burnt. The most
important features for me are
the heart rate monitoring,
calories, activity tracker and
the sleep tracker. It also has
some new features helping to
motivate you to be more active
through the activity tracker, the
smart coaching features and
the activity benefit tracker. At
the end of each month, the
app and A360 allows you to
review your months training to
help you set your goals for the
next month.
On the slimline wearable
technology, the touch screen
is clear and bright and
sensitive to the touch. With
a simple flick of the wrist the
screen turns on to display the time. This is

perfect for me as I always have my hands
full and cannot possibly have a free hand
to touch the screen and turn it on. It does
however turn on whilst in bed, but until now
the light has not woken me, so I dont feel
that it is an issue at all.
The technology doesnt stop there; it
syncs to your phone and notifies you when
you have calendar alerts, incoming calls,
messages and social media notifications. It
also gives you a gentle vibrating reminder
when you have been sitting still for too long.
Polar A360 Benefits:
1. Light, slim, professional

2. No chest strap
3. 24/7 activity tracking
4. Notifications calls, messages, social
media, being inactive
5. Bright readable screen
6. One-stop shop for all types of fitness
7. Perfect motivational tool for
beginners to advanced
8. Waterproof
Newly launched in the region,

the Polar A360 is a new, revolutionary
fitness tracker from Polar and it retails
at 890 AED. The A360 is available at all
GO Sport and Jumbo Electronics stores
across the UAE.
OUTDOORUAE
41
PRODUCTS
Hawk Z-400T
TRUE UTILITY Smart Knife
Available at Instagram: @almekshah

Facebook: www.facebook.com/almekshah
Mobile: +971 55 9898954
1,900 AED
The HAWK marks the next generation of manufacturing

technology, delivering Nites lightest ever watch without
sacrificing any of the quality they have built their reputation on.
Its lightweight reinforced carbon construction and extra large,
super bright GTLS illumination are just two of the reasons its
already a Nite legend.
Technical Specifications:
Case Finish:
Black Polycarbonate
Strap Type:
Black Polymer
Crystal:
K1 Mineral
GTLS:
Hands, Dial and Bezel
MBS:
No
Movement:
Swiss Ronda 515
Crown Type:
Push in
Dial Diameter: 33mm
Case Diameter: 51mm
Case Depth:
13mm
Weight:
64g
Water Resistance: 200m
Battery Life:
3-4 Years
Much more than just a pocket knife its a bottle opener,

screwdriver, belt cutter, glass breaker, multi-size spanner and
a knife all wrapped up in a high-grade stainless steel body.
Handy belt clip and lanyard attachment included.
Features:
Fine sandblasted 420 grade stainless steel
Knife
Belt clip
Bottle opener
Screwdriver
Belt cutter
Adjustable spanner (4mm 10mm bolts)
Key ring attachment
Scalera 2
TRUE UTILITY Fire Stash
Available at Sport in Life, Ras al Khor
The Scalera range is a race-bred high performance carbon

platform. This design combines stiffness and aerodynamics into
a highly attractive package. The carbon layup is stiff and
lightweight and has been carefully calculated to meet the high
demands of racing cyclists. The geometry is finely tuned for
every size, resulting in an accurate and agile ride feel at all
speeds for riders of every stature.
This unbelievably small, waterproof key ring canister houses a

fully working lighter that is ready to ignite at your command.
Attach to your key ring for essential outdoor use. Refill with
standard lighter fuel.
11, 499 AED
Specifications:
Frame: Award-Winning, Silverback Aero Carbon Frame
Wheels: Fulcrum Quattro
Gears system: Shimano Ultegra 11 speed
Weight: 7.8kg
42
105 AED
OUTDOORUAE
69 AED
Features:
Dark chrome plated zinc alloy
Petrol refillable lighter (supplied without lighter fluid)
Waterproof Neoprene O-ring
20mm split key ring attachment
T100GTLS
T25GTLS
ICON-209ST100
ICON-209S
T100 vs T25
As a brand who sells both

T100 and T25 GTLS illuminated
watches, we often get asked what
the difference is.
Radiation content is measured in millicuries (mCi), therefore, all watches with
a T25 mark contain no more than 25mCi

of radiation content and similarly, watches
with a T100 mark, contain no more than
100mCi.
All current Nite watches are fitted with
GTLS tubes manufactured by the Swiss
company mb-microtec. mb-microtec are
widely regarded as the best manufacturers
of GTLS tubes in the world and offer an

extensive range of colour and size options.
The size and colour of GTLS will ultimately
determine the final mCi rating of each
model.
Whilst there are differences between the
amount of mCi in the T25 and T100
models, the idea of which is better is
simply a choice of preference and taste.
It would be of interest to us to gauge
from our customers, your preference,
and whether this is determined by the
situations you are in, activities you use
the watch for, or simply down to personal
taste?
Some prefer the T25 GTLS illumination
due to its more understated look and
design, whilst others are believers that if
you are to purchase a tritium watch, then
you will want as much illumination as
possible, and opt for the T100 models.
Our new ICON series features both T25
and T100 models within it, on this page is
a comparison of the T25 and T100
versions of the ICON-209S.
Available at
Instagram: @almekshah
Facebook: www.facebook.com/almekshah
Mobile:+971 55 9898954
OUTDOORUAE
43
OUR EXPERTS
6 Hours Later, He Goes Home with One Rod

Words + Photos by: Kit Belen
Rods and reels - the good ones almost always come with a huge price tag
because they are quite specialized pieces
of equipment. Gone are the days in the
UAE where majority of the people you see
lining the beaches, water breakers, below
bridges and jetties use the long telescopic
rods of old, most of them now hold a
proper rod and reel.
While there are still some that buy from
shops in Deira and Dragon Mart, a huge
chunk of the fishing population have now
quickly turned to reputable fishing tackle
establishments to buy their fishing gear.
However, the fact still remains - they are not
cheap.
Not All Rods are Created

and Sold Equally
Fishing rods are created with different processes and materials. These days, high-end
rods are made using graphite. Some rods
have a blend of fibreglass and graphite.
Of the two, graphite is the most popular material for micro light to heavy rods.
There are still a lot of fibreglass rods around
especially for trolling, as fibreglass is more
forgiving than graphite, especially in the
most demanding of situations (like big game
fishing) Lately, there has been a resurgence
of old school glass - rods created entirely
with fibreglass. Branded as retro rods
these are targeted at a very small market,
therefore not something the average angler
would consider.
We all know what fibreglass is and no one
will really ask a lot of questions about it.
However, the marketing world has blurred
the vision on what graphite is. Dont let
this fool you - graphite IS a form of carbon,
so when you see a rods label that says its
carbon, they mean that its made of graphite. A lot of people dont understand this
and say one particular rod is better than the
Here's a nice feature you find that comes as a standard to their mid range rods - a reel seat lock.
It keeps the reel seat locked in place and totally eliminates the chances of the lock coming undone
other because this brand uses carbon and

not graphite.
A rod manufactured with very high
graphite content translates to a very light,
stiff and sensitive rod - you cannot create a
rod with 100% graphite as it would be very
brittle. Getting the balance that would make
the rod light, stiff, sensitive and one that
would be able to stand up to the rough conditions of fishing is what rod manufacturers
aspire to perfect - and all of us are expected
to pay for that technology - this is the reason
why the prices vary from one model to the
next even from the same manufacturer.
While American and European model
rods are good for their intended use, I have
found that the models offered by Japanese
manufacturers fit the needs of the average
fisherman more than European or American made rods. The standard for offshore
fishing still remains with American models,
while most shore and specific boat fishing is
covered by Japanese and other Asian brand
rods, applications such as jigging, popping
and shore game are dominated by Japanese
rod makers.
The Biggest Question Is
I am in the middle of upgrading my shore

and rock fishing gear, which have been
It is hard to imagine - look at the range of weights this rod is designed to cast - most manufacturers have
a limited range this rod can almost cast anything and its hard to imagine that it is basically an ultralight rod
neglected for some time because I was for

a long time; fishing off kayaks or chasing
around fish with a fly rod so imagine my
surprise when I found the rods I was looking
for and seeing the price tag on them costing like a fly rod, I didnt expect them to be
cheap, but spinning rods that are in same
ballpark as a good quality fly rod is almost
too hard to swallow. So I set about to find
rods that would be able to fit what I was
looking for and that would not break the
bank.
The question that breaks the bank is what brand would be the best value for
money? We all know how nice Japanese
rods are and after the popping and jigging
craze, we know that their rods are well suited for the purpose and can stand the abuse
of GT, amberjack and tuna the biggest
question is How deep are your pockets?
The answer differs from person to person
- rod choices are pretty much the same as
your preference on the food you eat or the
underwear you prefer to keep the family jewels safe and secure, and how much
youre willing to spend for quality.
For me, the search has led me to use a
Japanese brand that is easy on the pocket
and one that has a range of rods that deliver
the actions Im looking for and in the lengths
I find ideal for my style of fishing. The answer for me is MajorCraft.
For close to three years, I have been
playing around with a few of their rods,
from both the shore and boat They have
different ranges and I have used three in
their middle range Solpara, Crostage and
Skyroad.
What sets MajorCraft apart from most of
the big name brands is the fact that theyre
K Guides come standard starting at with

the Crostage range of rods - something
you would not expect at that price point
probably some of the most affordable rods

that are built for specialized tasks they
have features you only expect from the top
brands but they dont break the bank.
The Skinny on the Rods
Japanese rods will set you back a lot of

money and a rod thats worth over 1,000
AED is common. While other Japanese
brands can set you back more than 1,000
AED, the average cost for a MajorCraft is
about 600 AED. However, the cost alone is
not enough to justify how good the brand is.
MajorCraft mid end models, such as those
I use are lightweight, strong, sensitive and
surprisingly comparable to the big name
brands. In a head to head comparison, you
might find the rod a bit heavier than their
(off by a few grams at the most) counterparts, but the biggest consideration is that
they will cost a few hundred AEDs less than
the other brands sometimes by as much
as half or more. For the angler who wants
quality at a good price point it is a very
good deal. It might surprise you though,
that their rods are made with the same
quality components as the big name brands
you will find Fuji reel seats and K guides
on most mid end models one of their
lines even have the super high tech Torzite
guides, you might pay a higher price, but
the fact remains these rods will not cost
more or anywhere close to a rod with the
same specifications from another Japanese
manufacturer.
My most expensive MajorCraft rod is the
Skyroad Surf. I got it for 850 AED. This is
a rod specifically made for flounder and
flathead two species I used to fish for back
home and both are on my favourite fish list.
The Skyroad Surf comes in three lengths
and designed for long casts off the beach.
A similar brand from another manufacturer
would set you back around 1,500 AED more
or less.
Worked exactly like it's supposed to. The Skyroad might not be for everyone, but for lure
fishing and for fishing the beaches with jigs and soft plastics, it's a winner in my book
I have two Crostage rods one of their

lower mid end ranges - one for light shore
jigging which is one of the rods I use when I
fish off rocks using metal jigs and a sea bass
solid tip model that has worked well for me
using light lures and soft plastics up to 15
grams. The solid tip is designed for sensitivity and can detect strikes that you would
otherwise miss and is my go to rod for most
situations. They were about 600 or so each.
Then theres the economy version Solpara, which I have three of. A very long oneused for fishing off rocks with heavier metal
lures (it can cast up to 60 grams!), when distance is the main concern, I most often use
this rod. An Egi rod and a light jigging rod
from the same range rounds everything up
for me. Solpara rods are around 500 AED.
Being in the UAE were lucky to have
easy access to these rods People from
North America have to order the rods from
Japan most of the sale from these rods are
in Japan because these rods are Japanese
Domestic Market (JDM) products.
I paid full price for each of these rods.
However, I still had money to buy the lures I
wanted from the money I had left. So when I
walked out of the shop (Barracuda in Sheikh
Zayed road carries these rods here) I was still
able to get myself some jigs (mind you, also
some MajorCraft jigs) to use with the rod.
Not a bad deal if you ask me.
I have caught quite a fish on these rods
My collection of MajorCraft rods - I think I still have room for a few more
including cobia, tuna and dorado offshore

side by side with expensive rods, on shore
and on the rocks, my rods have fished and
caught kingfish, trevs, grunter, flounder
flathead and many more at times, even
more than the expensive Japanese brands.
I can say with confidence that it can cast jig
and pull on fish just as well as the top end
brands. They also come with a rod sock
when you buy them, which is a huge plus
for me it is exactly what you would expect
from a Japanese rod at a better price
point.
Another Rod?!
The rod as you may already know, dictates

your lure presentation it is what propels
your lure to the distances you require and
is also one of the tools that make the lure
move to make it look like fish fodder. It is
an important piece of equipment that helps
you enjoy what you love, however, I believe
that you should not let the bling distract
you if you can afford the expensive rods,
then great, however, for the majority of us
who are fishing on a budget, MajorCraft is
a great brand to look at The only reason
why it is cheaper than the others is because
they shifted their manufacturing from Japan
to Vietnam, but the guys supervising the
workforce are all Japanese and pretty much
the same people overseeing the production
in Japan. So it doesnt speak Japanese last
time I caught a fish, it didnt really talk to me
and I doubt if it could read the sticker on the
rod that said, Made in Vietnam.
Till next tide change,
Kit
Our fishing pro who shares
his experiences and
expertise with OutdoorUAE
through his regular column.
thefishingkit@gmail.com
OUTDOORUAE
45
OUR EXPERTS
Challenging Liwa!
Words by: Marina Bruce
Photos by: Marina Bruce and Murray Kinnaird
Since discovering Liwa back in 2010,

I have had a longing to spend as much
time there as possible and in December
2015, my dream came true and we now
live in the Liwa area.
The name means different things to
different people; for some it is the area of
high dunes punctuated with long sabkhas
that is south of the E95 Crescent Road,
but for me, Liwa starts as soon as the large
barkhan (crescent shaped) dunes so
typical of the area start appearing, and that
happens around the Tropic of Cancer.
We live in a fantastic area for outdoor
sports, with good road connections, fantastic landscapes and hardly any people at
all! Unless of course you happen on one of
the many organised challenge events which
take place during the wintertime.
January sees the ADCO Liwa Cycling
Challenge one of the largest cycle races in
the UAE, which offers racing for all ages and
abilities. There is a 40km race for beginners, whereas the elite and master classes
compete over 100kms of Liwa roads. I
remember being rather surprised when I
discovered that there was an undulating
four lane highway right through the middle
of the Liwa Oasis and it is this road and its
many hills which provide a tough challenge
for the riders.
Fatbiking takes cycling to a whole new
level and the Liwa area offers the chance to
cycle over some of the most sublime dunes
in the world. Some readers may remember
a couple of years back that two of OutdoorUAEs experts, Ian Ganderton and Mike
The Fatbikers Liwa 2013
46
OUTDOORUAE
Teamwork on the Dark Skies Challenge 2014
Nott were part of a team which cycled from

West to East across the crescent, a distance
of 138kms which took them less than one
and a half days. I was lucky enough to lead
their support team, carrying food and water
as we shadowed them over some rather
technical tracks and if anyone wishes to
attempt this challenging ride then I will be
more than pleased to support you!
If you prefer to keep your feet on the
ground then there are many beautiful areas
to walk or run; park up by the side of the
road and stay close to one of the many
sandtracks which criss-cross the area but
dont forget your GPS and a fully charged
mobile phone.
Speaking of GPS, February sees the Liwa
Challenge an exercise in endurance,
navigation and self-sufficiency. Competitors,
many international, opt to walk either a 100
or 200km course across the inhospitable terrain of the Empty Quarter; surely this must
be the ultimate Liwa Challenge!
The best kind of Liwa Challenge for me is
one involving offroading and in April each
year the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes

to the sand. Now in its 26th year, it is the
first round in the FIM Cross Country Rallies
World Championship and the second round
of the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup
and provides an excellent chance for spectators to see some of the top international
names in the sport.
However before that, the Desert Divas
very own Dark Skies Challenge will take
place, with assistance from Oasis Offroad,
near to Arada. Teams of four amateur drivers will make their way 100kms north east,
aiming to navigate from point to point in the
shortest possible distance. A remote overnight camp where the sky should be dark
enough to see many thousands of stars is
followed by a potentially easy 50km drive
out to Ghayathi the next morning. There is
no prize for the fastest, nor the shortest distance, but we do have some sponsors who
have kindly donated prizes for our photo
competitions including OutdoorUAE!
Cut off date for registration is 9th
February, so there still may be time to enter!
Rafael Sonik on his way to victory in the ADDC 2014
OUR EXPERTS
in the Middle East
Words by: Jake Lyle

Photos by: Jon Lyle
Over thousands of years

and thousands of swells, waves
smashed against coastal rock
faces, eroding and collapsing
the walls, creating underwater
spectacles huge displays of
sunken rock and eroded walls,
allowing for an underwater
playground for scuba divers,
to emerge.
Cave diving is one of the most unique and
exciting forms of Scuba diving, and requires
a certain sense of adventure and bravery to
embark upon, not to mention a special set
of skills. Diving in an overhead environment
is vastly different to any typical dive, as it
brings with it a special type of fear: the fear
that you wont be able to find your way back
to the surface. However this fear quickly
subsides as you enter these caves, and the
feeling of wonder and admiration swiftly

takes its place. When done properly, cave
diving can be a wonderful experience in an
environment that few people get to see, an
experience that you will never forget, and
will have you coming back for more. These
caves provide views of geological wonders
and beautiful formations that divers cannot
see or enjoy elsewhere. As well, the atmosphere within these caves is considerably
different to that of the atmosphere in the
open ocean, as there is no current, no waves
and no sound, not the crackling of coral or
the grumble of a boats engine, its just the
sound of the breaths you take in, and the
bubbles you expel. It is truly awe-inspiring.
Cave diving equipment can be very different to the equipment taken on a normal
dive, as the environment is considerably
different, so is the equipment required to
experience it. Along with normal scuba
equipment; cave divers use a primary light,
as well as a backup, a line and reel, special
exposure protection gear and a number of
other pieces of technical diving equipment.
Luckily, as much of the Middle East is
attached to the ocean, the region boasts
wonderful cave diving sites, that can satisfy
the needs of all divers. A great deal of
the coastline along the UAE and Oman
specifically, has the ocean being met with
mountains and cliff faces, predominantly in
areas like Dibba, Musandam, Fujairah and
Muscat (which are already diving hotspots),
this means that there is ample opportunity
for caves to form in these areas, providing
the perfect sites for cave diving. One of the
greatest sites in the area is a dive site appropriately named "The Caves", off the coast
of Dibba, roughly an hour and a half from
Dibba Port by boat.
This fascinating site offers a modest yet

remarkable cave that is perfect for a first
experience and a fun adventure. The site
encompasses many of the great aspects of
diving: good visibility, ample sea life and
calm waters, and combines them with the
exciting aspects of cave diving: darkness,
intrigue and amazing landscapes. One of
the greatest things about this particular
site is that the caves are not too deep and
are not to narrow or constricting (at most
points), so it is perfect for someone who has
never experienced a cave before, as well
as a veteran cave diver looking for a new
experience. The first thing that you experience when moving toward the cave is the
darkness, the sizable variation in light in
comparison to the open ocean youve just
come from. Moving closer to the entrance,
you instinctively and repeatedly blink, as
your eyes begin to attempt to adjust to the
darkness. Getting closer, you become more
adjusted and you begin to focus on the
interior aspects of the geological marvel and
its inhabitants. Along the walls and across
the sea floor, fish and other organisms go
about their day in the dark, untroubled by
a foreign presence. Its not uncommon to
spot larger forms of sea life in caves such
as these, marine species like sharks often
favour these dark spaces, particularly the
Whitetip reef sharks, who frequently enjoy
laying still on the sea floor in caves and under crevices. At the entrance, huge rectangular rocks tower toward the ceiling, leaning
against the underwater section of the cliff
face, near the entrance of the site, giving
the cave a unique exterior design and distinctive layout. Moving past the giant slabs
of rock, a passageway through to the main
chamber is in the centre. An arch overhangs,
extending from the cliff face out toward the
ocean where it meets another base of rock.
Swimming through into the main chamber, the atmosphere changes, as does the
lighting; now that youre in the heart of the
cave, the only sound is that of your breath
and everything else is still. A few beams of
sunlight shoot through here and there from
holes in the ceiling, but apart from that, the
cave is flooded with darkness. The little light
that those holes provide illuminates just
enough of the cave that you can appreciate
the size and scope of the chamber. Floating
in the centre and looking around, its baffling to find that youre inside a cave of this
size, as it is deceptively deceiving from the
outside. The inside is almost like an ancient
ruin of a church or cathedral, with its high
ceiling and archaic dcor. Floating in the
centre of the cave, it feels as though youre
frozen in time, motionless, with no concern
for the outside world. The colours within the
chamber are a mixture of black, and blue,
with streaks of white glow, adding to the
tranquil ambiance of the setting. It is now
that you feel the feeling of stability, equilibrium, when gravity has disappeared, time
has grounded to a virtual halt and every-
thing is static. You hold your breath for a few

seconds, creating a silent serenity that can
only be experienced in such a dark, empty
hideaway, it is then that you feel peace.
This suspension of time however must
come to an end, and like all dives, there
comes a time when you must resurface,
so the journey back up begins. With the
particular setting of this cave, you must
swim down before you can swim up and
out, as the exit comes after a crevice that
hovers just over the seabed. Swimming
down toward the gap between the floor and
the ceiling, the light from the ocean outside
acts as a guiding light, letting you know the
direction to take. The last and final passage
along the journey is a small one, only about
two or two and half meters high, making it
one of the more confining alleys inside the
cave, but at the end of it is the way out,
and with one final swim youre back on the
outside and the cave resumes its conditions
of emptiness and silence.
This particular cave in Dibba is not a
long, intricate and complicated cavern that
requires a special qualification to enter,
but instead one that can be enjoyed by all
divers, as long as youre accompanied by

a diver who knows the ins and outs of the
cave well. In many cave diving locations;
there are large dark spaces that look extraordinarily inviting, yet potentially dangerous,
so diving in more complicated caverns can
be done properly after achieving the PADI
Cavern Diver qualification. This is a specialty
course that can be completed after reaching the Advanced Open Water qualification,
which will teach you how to explore caverns
correctly and how to use the appropriate
equipment that makes these dives possible.
This particular type of diving brings with
it a whole new element of danger, thats
similar to diving inside shipwrecks, in that
the exit isnt always straight up. However,
as long as that danger is neutralised by the
proper training and equipment, cave diving
can simply be a new and exciting experience thats unique to any other adventure
activity out there. Luckily, if this new adventure sounds enticing to you, you wont need
to travel far to get your first experience, as
the closest cave is only hours away, and is
certainly a perfect example of the
experience that activity can offer.
OUTDOORUAE
49
OUR EXPERTS
Women
n Wheels
Words by: Helle Bachofen von Echt

Photos by: Usman Oluwaseyi
The velvety golden sand dunes,

undulated terrain and the
generosity of the event organisers
attracted 40 female competitive
riders to the Empty Quarter for
the Third Edition of the ADCO Liwa
Cycling Challenge.
A total of 378 cyclists travelled up to
400km to the Western Region for this annual
opportunity offering a scenery of spectacular,
yet challenging dunes of the Liwa area by Tel
Moreeb, one of the highest sand dunes in
the world.
Event organiser, ADCO, had everything
covered for the participating cyclists; and
with their invitation to make use of a dedicated camp site including camp fires, catering,
entertainment and music; a large number of
riders arrived the day before and enjoyed
some special time with family, friends as well
as team members.
For the first time ever in competitive
amateur cycling in the UAE, the demographics and rider numbers were recognised and
categories created accordingly to increase
competition across the field. For the 100km
course, age groups were split in three: Elite,
Masters and Veteran for both male and
female riders. With a generous prize pot in

addition, we were all excited to experience
the race on fair terms, so special thanks must
go to ADCO and the UAE Cycling Federation for recognizing and implementing this
initiative.
The female field was largely represented
by the teams of the Urban-Ultra Cycling
League and not only did we compete for
the podium places and prizes in our respective age groups, but also for individual and
team points in the overall league ranking.
Every female rider and team had a purpose
to ride strong and smart and for some it even
became a matter of completing the event.
A 100km course of never-ending dunes
including just less than 1,200m of elevation,
presented a challenge which isnt for the
fainthearted. Already 1km into the race, we
Elevation
reached the first dune with a max gradient

of 12%; something which requires stamina,
power and good positioning in the field to
overcome well. As expected we saw the first
split in the womens field on this very first
dune. Six riders at the front powered over
the top and disappeared down the other
side. Another split formed a second peloton
of seven riders, which embarked on a chase.
The remaining riders formed smaller groups,
pairs or solo riders. Feedback from some of
these riders revealed that lack of preparation
resulted in a long and tough ride behind the
main two pelotons.
The leading group, made up of Aimee
Wright (The Cycle Hub), Jill Mair (Abu Dhabi),
Natasha Leask, Roisin Thomas and Yvonne
van Hattum (Wolfis Contessas) and myself
(BeSport), managed to hold the lead right
through to the end. Right from the outset of

the breakaway, we agreed to work together
to maintain our lead. Although as we hit the
last 20km and the final 12 dune climbs, it was
each riders own responsibility to keep up
with the group. We witnessed some incredible descending skills from Aimee Wright,
who four times lost the group on the climbs,
but using her formidable mental strength
and determination powered herself back to
the leading group. Five of these six riders
reached the final 2km loop by Tel Moreeb
and the race culminated in a sprint between
Aimee Wright and myself, where Aimee with
half a bike lengths lead started her sprint
a little too early, allowing me to overtake
before the finish. The top three spots in the
total womens field were taken by: 1) Helle
Bachofen von Echt (BeSport), 2) Aimee
Wright (The Cycle Hub) and 3) Roisin Thomas
(Wolfis Contessas).
The second peloton contained Aimee
Davidson (The Cycle Hub), Dee Boys (Liv),
Clare Mullenger (Urban-Ultra), Anne Heiland
(Velo Vixens), Bianca Bea, Lisa Hancox and
Najla Al-Jeraiwi, Kuwait (BeSport) and an
individual guest rider from the United States,
Janet Howard. Some of these riders had
attempted to hang on to the lead group, but
had dropped back shortly after passing the
first dune. This group worked together, with
Dee, Lisa and Anne putting in some strong
efforts at the front. Once again, the final
20km of undulated terrain resulted in this
group separating and riders finished in sprint
finishes of twos and threes.
Behind the second peloton, the remaining
riders dropped into solo or in small groups,
with some female riders finishing outside
the 4 hours cut off time, failing to receive a
finishing time.
The ADCO Liwa Cycling Challenge offers
one of the toughest terrains in the UAE for
the locally based riders used to doing their
cycling training around the dedicated flat
cycling tracks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This
kind of profile not only separates the riders
according to their physical abilities, but also
their mental stamina, as the desert terrain
forces each rider to dig deep and to tackle
dune after dune after dune. On a profile like
this, with almost all female riders consisting
of locally based amateurs, we witnessed
a split between the more experienced competitive participants, aspiring competition
riders and those new to competitive cycling.
Aimee Davidson (The Cycle Hub) riding
in the second peloton, shares: This is an
annual opportunity to push your limits. The

epic scenery should be enough to keep you
going! This race always teaches me a lot; this
time, although I trained hard and improved
a lot, I clearly didnt train enough. Competition in the female field is of a wide range of
abilities and its always nice to aspire to be
one of those on the podium. Some female
riders might be put off by being blown out
the back of a 3-4 hour race during the first
five minutes! On the other hand, the scenery,
options to camp and offerings are perhaps
enough to encourage some of them to give
it a go its more of a personal challenge.
Louise Adamson (Urban Ultra) agrees with
Aimee Davidsons final point. The course
is such a complete contrast to what we are
used to regularly riding that even that first
hill is a shock to the system and responsible for shattering the field after just 2km. It
was fantastic to see so many female riders
participating in such a challenging event. By
establishing the Urban-Ultra Women's Cycle
League many women have been inspired to
train harder and feel more involved in the
women's cycling community, she said.
Claire Mullenger (Urban-Ultra), new to
cycling and finishing with the second group,
explains, As a new cyclist I love the camaraderie of cycling with other women. It is tough
and very competitive but at the same time a
much more supportive and safe environment
than cycling with men. I have also been given
advice and support from the other female
competitors. The Liwa race was tough yet
thoroughly enjoyable, as I actually love hills! I
learned so much from this race.
Anne Heiland (Velo Vixens) originally a
mountain biker, agrees that the profile of the
Liwa Cycling Challenge is great and opens
good possibilities for smaller groups to
successfully form breakaways. This is what
makes road races interesting, both for participants as well as those watching.
Some feedback from riders not able to
complete the course within 4 hours revealed
that they had underestimated the course and
the need for preparation. Maral Oughourlian
(TREK Tigresses) admits: I had practised
parts of the route in an indoor environment,
but along with the fog, the heat and the
nerves, it was the hardest challenge I ever
had in my life and I was fighting not to give
up every minute of the last 20km. We continue to raise the benchmark the stronger we
get and the competition in the female field
motivates me to become better.
From a personal point of view, as a
competitive rider, I believe that events like

the ADCO Liwa Cycling Challenge are exactly what we need in the UAE to raise the level
of female competitive cycling. On this type of
challenging profile, every rider is confronted
with both physical and mental challenges;
for some it is a wake-up call to discover what
it takes to be among the strongest female
riders in the UAE. Hopefully experiences like
these will inspire females who are interested
in competing, both to learn the technical
aspects of racing and also to increase their
strength abilities. The more competitive
female riders we can develop, the higher we
can raise bar for the female cycling in the
Middle East.
RESULTS
Elite Women 18-34
1st
Aimee Wright
(The Cycle Hub)
03:20:55
2nd Roisin Thomas

(Wolfis Contessas)
03:20:55
3rd
03:20:57
Jill Mair
Masters Women 35-44

1st
Helle Bachofen von

Echt (BeSport)
03:20:54
2nd Yvonne van Hattum

(Wolfia Contessas)
03:20:58
3rd
03:25:16
Natasha Leask
(Wolfis Contessas)
Veteran Women 45+

1st
Dee Boys (Liv)
03:34:43
2nd Janet Howard
03:38:58
3rd
03:52:43
Ruth Hatton (High5)
Helle Bachofen von Echt is a

Dubai-based sponsored Elite Road
Cyclist competing in both local and
international events. When she is not
training, she is helping others achieve
their health and fitness goals by running her own personal training services
as well as giving indoor cycling classes.
Helle loves travelling with her bike
and you can follow her adventures and
racing on Instagram
@thegirlwhocyclesinthedesert.
OUTDOORUAE
51
OUR EXPERTS
My first
Via Ferrata!
Italian for "iron road",

a via ferrata is a protected
climbing route found in the
Alps and other locations
around the globe
Words + Photos By: Nico de Corato
Just few weeks after my 100km

run for the UAE National Day,
I had a chance to go back to my
beloved Dolomites in Italy and enjoy
some different sport activities. In
particular, due to the good weather,
I had the chance to complete my
first via ferrata.
The essence of a modern via ferrata is a
steel cable fixed to the rock every three to
ten metres all along over the route, leading
to a summit or other alpine destination. The
cable can also be used as an aid to climbing, and additional aids, such as iron rungs,
carved steps, ladders, wooden walkways
and bridges are often provided. This
activity is suitable for both young and old.
For experienced hikers, taking on a via
ferrata is often at the top of their wish list.
A via ferrata may be horizontal, vertical
or indeed anywhere in between, and can
involve both ascent and descent. It can vary
in length from short routes taking less than
an hour, to long, demanding alpine routes
covering significant distance and altitude,
My first ferrata!
which can take eight or more hours to complete. In certain areas it is possible to link via
ferrate together, staying overnight in mountain refuges, and so undertake extensive
multi-day climbing tours at high altitude.
Their origin goes back many years: in
1492, Antoine de Ville, a captain in the
French Army, wrote that he had used a
ladder to reach the top of Mont Aiguille.
But we had to wait until 1880 for the first
Italian via ferrata, when the Alpine guides of
Madonna di Campiglio in the western Dolomites equipped the eastern side of the Cima
Brenta to facilitate climbing for their clients.
Via ferrate are strongly associated with the
First World War, when several were built in
the Dolomite mountain region of Italy to aid
the movement of troops. Now you can find
via ferrate not just in Italy, but all over the
world, in a range of different regions.
In 1914 the Dolomites were part of
the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Austrias
troops withdrew to a defensive line which
ran through the Dolomites; till the end of
1917, the Austrians (supported by troops
from southern Germany) and the Italians
fought a ferocious war in the mountains,
Military hospital
52
OUTDOORUAE
After the ferrata
not only against each other but also against

the hostile conditions. Both sides tried to
gain control of the peaks to site observation posts and field guns. To help troops to
move about at high altitude in very difficult
conditions, permanent lines were fixed to
rock faces and ladders were installed so that
troops could ascend steep faces. They also
tried to create and control tunnels below the
peaks to attack from there. Trenches, dugouts and other relics of the First World War
can be found alongside many via ferrate.
The via ferrata I had the chance to experience was the Via Ferrata Col dei Bos or Alpini Via Ferrata. It is situated on the south face
of the Piramide Col dei Bos and is equipped
with metal roping and innovative antifall
cones as well as pitons. You reach it from the
Bar "da Strobel", just below Passo Falzarego, near the Col Gallina chairlift facility. The
initial path begins from the bar's car park,
winds uphill, passes through the remains of
an Italian field hospital from the Great War
and then turns towards the east, along the
grassy slope which leads to the beginning
of the equipped route. The start of the route
was the most difficult with a 20-30 metres
A new friend joined us
Dolomites
vertical path (for me in a totally new environment)

which required lots of energy. After that the path
was easier; a medium-grade climbup to the summit and the cross on the Col di Bos peak. From
here I was rewarded with a 360 panorama of the
greatest Dolomite peaks. This route can be used
in both summer and winter.
There is an extensive open-air museum on
Cinque Torri, and around Lagazuoi, where very
heavy fighting took place. This wartime network
of via ferrate has been restored, although not until
after the Second World War: steel cables have
replaced ropes, and iron ladders and metal rungs
anchored into the rock have taken the place of the
flimsy wooden structures used by the troops.
When planning your first via ferrata, make sure
the route you want to do is within your capabilities both in terms of your stamina and skill level.
Check the weather forecast and dont go if its wet
or if thunderstorms are forecast. If possible, get a
guide to support you for your first time.
To help you get familiar with how to climb a
via ferrata, it is better to start with a lower grade
route. Go for the right balance between being
easy and interesting.
In addition to the normal equipment used to
hike in the mountains (adequate clothing, boots,
backpack, first aid kit, food and drink), in order to
travel a via ferrata with safety, you need to have
proper additional equipment: helmet, harness,
ferrata kit and ferrata gloves. Using a via ferrata
kit, climbers can secure themselves to the cable,
limiting any fall, and it includes a lanyard and two
carabiners. The harness can be a sit harness (with
chest harness if you feel the need) or a full body
harness. Attached to the harness is the single
most important piece of equipment: a purpose
designed, energy-absorbing lanyard, consisting
of a system with two arms which connect to the
cable with the carabiners, and a means of connecting to the harness. "Y" tape configuration
(used in modern lanyards) is currently the only
type approved by UIAA (International Climbing
and Mountaineering Federation), as it is simpler
and safer to use and harder to use inappropriately.
These lanyards have been specially designed
to withstand the high forces generated by a fall
and it is essential that they are used. Do not be
tempted to use quickdraws, slings, daisy chains
or another combination of climbing kit which you
could put together yourself. These things will not
stop a via ferrata fall.
Carabiners are also specifically designed for via
ferratas, allowing a larger-thannormal opening
(compared to climbing ones) and have a springlock mechanism that can be opened with one
hand. They are also strong enough to withstand
high fall factors. Such carabiners are marked with

a K in a circle, the K standing for Klettersteig, the
German term for via ferrata (German is one of the
few languages having a translated word for via
ferrata).
An approved climbing helmet is strongly recommended as well, to protect you from falling rocks
or from hitting your head during a fall. Other types
of helmets can be dangerous as they are usually
not designed to stay in place during a fall.
It is a good idea to use gloves, as the steel
cables may have some loose threads, and gloves
help to protect your hands from abrasion caused
by continuous contact with the steel rope and
rocks. On difficult climbs, or when climbing with
novices or children, a length of climbing rope and
belay device may provide additional security.
Other equipment will depend on the nature
of the via ferrata: some via ferrate require headlamps because they travel through long tunnels;
other routes may cross glaciers or snow fields and
require harpoons and ice axe. And so on.
There are three routes in Oman as well: Jebel
Shams, Wadi Bani Awf and Bandar Khayran.
Jebel Shams is a mountain located in northeastern Oman, north of Al Hamra town. It is the
highest mountain of the country and part of Al
Hajar Mountain range. It is a popular sightseeing
area located 240km (149mi) from Muscat. In the
summer, temperature is around 20C (68F) and in
the winter it drops to less than 0C (32F).
Wadi Bani Awf is a wadi in the Ad Dakhiliyah
Region of Oman. The AlAufi tribe originated here
in Rustaq. It is a great tourist attraction and is well
known for its beautiful scenery.
Western Isle via ferrata is located about 1km of
the Bandar Khayran beach, so you could also have
some beach activities after that.
Keep calm and complete your first ferrata!
For further reading, check Nicos website

www.dubaiblognetwork.com, contact
him on social networks or via email at
admin@dubaiblognetwork.com
for information about this article or just
to say hello.
LOCATIONS
Kite
Beach Skatepark
Photos By: Keith Perea and Supplied
Developed on a picturesque
beachfront location, the facility is
the largest multi-faceted skatepark
in the UAE and is XDubais first
infrastructure development project
aimed at offering a central
community hub for sport events
and competitions.
Ismaeil Al Hashmi, Managing Director of
XDubai, commented, We developed the
XDubai Skatepark with a vision to create a
dedicated state-of-the-art facility for skateboarders in the emirate and from around the
world who come to Dubai. With its striking
aesthetics and contemporary design, we are
confident that the facility will become one
of the most iconic and buzzing hubs in the
emirate. Besides skateboarders, BMXers,
inline skaters and scooter riders will also

have a destination where they can train and
develop their skills.
Javad Khoramifar, Marketing Director of
XDubai, added, The XDubai Skatepark
was born out of a need to create an exciting
recreational space for Dubais youth. This
community skatepark will give both experienced skaters and beginners a completely
custom-made place where they can thrive,
have fun and stay physically active.
The 3,100m2 skatepark caters to both
novice and professional skateboarders with
its multiple specifically-tailored skate areas.
With unique street elements, obstacles and
transition flow areas such as hubbas, pole
jams, up-down rails, soft-ended walls and
many more, beginners and experienced
skateboarders alike will have the perfect opportunity to learn and develop their skills.
Able to host around a hundred enthusiasts
all at the same time, the skatepark hopes
to be the hub for skateboarding events in
the region. Being the largest of its kind, the
skatepark offers attractions that are the biggest in the UAE. Skaters can come in for free
and try out the ramps as they please. Also
with flood lights situated around the area,
night skating is quite plausible.
The biggest attraction within the park is
the XBowl for professional skaters, which
features a challenging 3.2m deep drop
with a 2.1 shallow end. Built to world-class
standards, the XDubai Skatepark with its 29
different elements for skaters, rivals some

of the best locations in traditional skateboarding destinations.
Conceptualised by Convic, XDubais
Skatepark will be the perfect place for
performing ollies, kick flips, aerial grabs and
earn some serious airtime!
Simon Oxenham, Managing Director of
Convic said, Of the over 600 skateparks
Convic has worked on around the world, the
XDubai Skatepark truly stands out and is
special for many reasons. The unique architectural appeal of this iconic facility combined with the beachfront location and world
class features will make Dubai an instantly
recognizable destination on the worlds
skating map. I have no doubt that the
XDubai Skatepark is one of the best and
most beautiful skateparks on the planet.
For more information on the XDubaiSkatepark,
please visit www.xdubai.com/skatepark
The First Yamaha Cafe

in the World Only in Dubai
When precision engineering meets Japanese fine dining
Words By: Daniel Birkhofer
Photos By: Supplied
If you speak to me about a bikers

cafe I directly have a picture in my
head of chopper bikes outside and
inside, there are guys in leather
vests, in a smoky bar eating
burgers. This stereotype cannot be
more wrong with the newly opened
Yamaha Cafe in the BOXPARK at Al
Wasl Road, Dubai.
The DNA of Yamaha is much more linked
to road bikes, off-road bikes and quads
than only to choppers. So the perception
of a biker, like in the film Easy Rider will not
apply. The Yamaha cafe is a completely new
concept created by Mohammed Iqbal Al Yousuf: "I wanted to bring about a place where
bikers and bike lovers could hang out, bring
family and friends, and meet for activities."
This links directly to the demographics of
the Yamaha riders and future riders - a young
and dynamic group but of course you don't
need to ride a Yamaha bike or a bike at all to
enjoy the atmosphere in the cafe. The cafe is
created as a place to meet friends and hang
out. For bike lovers and anyone who enjoys
computer games, they will love that the cafe
offers several built-in video game screens
where you can test your gaming skills or even
compete with friends on the other stations
which is free of charge. If you want a real feel
of the need for speed you can hop on one
of the two bikes which are installed in the
cafe and connected with the video game

monitors.
In case you want to check out some accessories, the cafe also welcomes you with a
small shop in the corner of the cafe, the best
thing is you can get your purchased products
delivered to your home, so it is the most
convenient way of shopping.
Yamaha bikes are known for their attention
to detail and precision engineering, the same
craftsmanship is found in Japanese cuisine
especially in sushi and sashimi. What is the
wrench for an engineer is the knife for a
Japanese chef. Both use only the best ingredients to create masterpieces. Sushi is a great
food, healthy and light, which links to the
active lifestyle of motoring fans who should
find their needs met at the Yamaha cafe. But
the menu is not limited to only sushi. The
Yamaha Cafe exclusively offers a wide range

of authentic Japanese sweets imported from
Japan such as okashi, a traditional Japanese
delicacy which are very different to sweets
found in the region. For tea lovers, the cafe
imports the best green teas and will soon
offer tea tastings sessions to bring Japanese tea culture to the UAE. So for anyone
interested in a new culinary experience, you
can find it here even if you have no interest in
motorbikes at all. There are also other dishes
on the menu and all are very reasonably price
for the good quality of the food.
Last but not least, the cafe is located in
the hip and new BOXPARK at Al Wasl Road,
certainly the perfect place for the concept of
the cafe. There is free parking for cars and
bikes behind the building complex and nice
and open walkways connect the restaurants
and shops, so it is a perfect place to visit
during the colder period of the year, to stroll
along the walkway before or after you enjoy
the hospitality of Yamaha Cafe.
The caf is open daily from
10:00 a.m.-12:00 midnight.
For more information on their offerings,
give them a call at 04 385 5598 or visit
www.yamahacafe.com.
OUTDOORUAE
55
PEOPLE
Gilles
Favenec
Age: 41 years old
Nationality: French
Occupation: Professional Sailor
Just in time a
few days before
the start of the
2016 EFG
Sailing Arabia the
Tour, we sit down
with Gilles Favenec,
the captain of the
Almouj crew about the teams
debut in this edition of this
prestigious sailing event.
Ahoy! Tell us a little bit
of something about yourself...
Im a professional sailor whos been in the

game for 20 years, during which Ive done
a variety of sailing, including some singlehanded stuff (La Solitaire du Figaro) and
15 years of match race (including being in
the Top Five for five years running and two
Americas Cup). Three years ago I started
multihull on Omans mod 70 with seasoned
sailor Sidney Gavignet.
How long have you been

living the seafaring life?
I started sailing when I was six years old,

which means waters been in my life for 35
years. When Im not sailing, Im surfing,
fishing or doing surf-skiing. I have three kids
and they started surfing with me something Im really proud of. For us its really
important to spend time close to the sea.
What would you say is one of

the best parts of your career?
You would think its the two Americas Cup
56
OUTDOORUAE
campaigns, but honestly it is the second

place we secured in the World Match racing
tour.
Leading the Almouj crew

for their maiden voyage,
how excited is the team?
With the exception of Nicolas (Nico) Lunven

who has already done the Sailing Arabia
Tour with Sidney Gavignet, its the first time
for all of us.
My crewmate Thomas Rouxel and I have
done some sailing events in Dubai and Abu
Dhabi, but we havent gotten the chance to
see these countries. Were looking forward
to meeting the people and maximize our
visits to each country during the stopovers.
How do you and the rest of the

team train for the upcoming Sailing
Arabia The Tour?
We are not training collectively at the moment, but were gearing up on our own.
Thomas just got back Spindrift racing at
Trophe Jules Verne, Nicolas is training hard
on Figaro and Christian is racing on IRC doing the Primo Cup in Monaco. As for me, Im
training and racing in SB20 class.
Your sailing background is

impressive, how would your
experience in sailing events across
the globe impact your teams
performance in this race?
Christian Ponthieu, Nico, Tom, Gregory and

I have competed a number of times in Tour
de France la Voile; Christians taken three

to four wins and the rest of us have taken
one to two. We know that SATT 2016 will be
similar as it is also a long-haul race some
results will be good, some results not as
much but each day we will try to do our
best. Especially in these types of races, its
important that each sailor help the team
and we will make sure we have a good time
together and keep spirits high. Thats for the
whole team: Nico, Christian, Tom, Gregory
Gendron, Haitham Al Wahaibi, Abdullaziz Al
Obidani and me.
In the water, what is your

strategy for keeping the
teams morale on high?
Enjoy our luck to be here and seeing these

amazing coastlines. Each stopover is a new
and exciting country to visit with a lot of opportunities for us to meet new people.
What is the greatest challenge you

face when out in the water and how
do you go around it?
One of the greatest challenges when out on

the water is the ever changing conditions,
with unpredictable winds and headings the
crew constantly have to stay focused and
ready for what might be thrown at them
next. Maintaining the high spirit is fundamental to ensuring this happens and will be
one of our main priorities for the tour.
PEOPLE
Olga Zolotova
Age: 25
Nationality: Russian
Occupation: Business
Development Assistant
at Mitsui & Co. Ltd.
Interview By: Bandana Jain
Photos By: Maahiya Jain
Being a runner
back in her home
country, Olga took
the initiative to
maintain this same
healthy zest for
living healthily here
in the UAE.
We sit down with this beautiful
ultra-athlete and cyclist and ask
her a few questions
What inspired you to go
into running and cycling?
How did it all start?
I have always believed in a healthy way of

life and like many other people, I used to do
morning runs back home in Russia. Running
10km had become a daily routine of my life.
Gradually, I realized I had to do something
different. That is how I started challenging my
own limits.
You try to associate your challenges

with charity. Please tell us about
these challenges and what inspired
you to do so...
In October 2015, I fulfilled my
first sport challenge for charity. It
was a 400km solo cycling event,
wherein I cycled through the
seven emirates in 24 hours. The
challenge was dedicated to
support childrens education
in developing countries, with
a local charity organisation.
In December 2015, I happened to meet a six year-old
child in a wheelchair who
looked ill and was undergoing medical treatment.
He was looking at the tree
and I asked him about Santa
and his reply was Santa will
not come to me because I am
sick. But if he comes to you will
you tell him about me? These
words of the little boy literally
touched me to the very core of my
heart and I decided that my next
challenge would be dedicated to
sick kids. This challenge, which
took place on December 29 and
30th, was a 200km run in 24 hours
along Jumeirah Beach in partnership with

charity organization Marwa Fayeds Toy Run
and Aramex where I collected 100kg of toys,
which were sent to Pakistan and distributed
to the Childrens Cancer Hospital. My next
challenge would be seven marathons in
seven emirates in seven days, which shall be
dedicated to the Syrian refugees kids. Thats
what I am preparing for now!
What level of difficulties

have you worked at?
I like the idea of fitting challenges in a

particular time frame as I have done in my
previous two 24 hours challenges. So for me
the challenge is always to complete the
number of kilometres before my time runs
out. It is not easy to cycle or run 24 hours
almost non-stop making sure that your
current pace will allow you to complete the
challenge within the allocated time. But I
think all that matters here is good preparation: physical, mental and logistical.
Which places have you covered in

the UAE? Which has been your most
memorable of all these and why?
My first challenge for charity was solo cycling

across the seven emirates, the most memorable place being Fujairah. I started my cycling
on October 29 at 4:00 a.m. and by 1:00 p.m.
the same day I had completed my first leg of
200km cycling from Dubai through Al Ain to
Fujairah. I took a two hour break before my
next 200km ride and went around
the city. Fujairah turned to be a
small but amazing city. I cycled
around the main road with lots of
greenery amidst a zero car scenario. After the 200km ride through
desert and mountains, this small
city became the most memorable
stop point in my seven emirates
cycling journey.
What makes running

and cycling in UAE
more interesting?
I do not understand when people say that they dont find it interesting to run or cycle in this
part of the world due to the
monotonous landscape. In my
seven emirates cycling trip, I went
through a variety of landscapes
including desert, oasis, mountains, small local villages and
every place had its own beauty. I
think having a goal and motivation
makes everything more interesting.
When you are truly motivated you
will be running and cycling regardless of the outdoor conditions.
How has running

impacted your life?
Running has made me more
confident. The running challenges have

brought about a self-realization that there are
no limits to improvement in life. You can always
do better if you have a goal and dedicate
yourself to achieving it!
What would be your

dream run event?
My dream run would be to run across the

globe!
Do you do any special workouts

as a part of your preparation
for running and cycling?
The way you do your exercises and prepare

entirely depends on your goal. If my goal is to
run ultra-marathon I have to focus on long distances, lower pace and endurance. If my target
is to complete a 10km run in the
minimum possible time, I focus on
pace improvement and sprinting exercises. But in general, regardless of
the type of the running event, one
should do a combination of long
run, sprints, gym, pace improvement, etc. I would also recommend
training under a professional trainer.
How would you like to inspire

the would-be runners?
I am not a professional athlete, I am

a working in business development
and spend most part of my day in
front of the computer. However, I
spent around three months
preparing for my 24-hour 200km run
and I could successfully complete it.
For starters, my best piece of advice
is never to give up. In every run, try
to perform better than the previous
run. Monitor your performance; get
in touch with like-minded people
and the sport will become more
motivating and fun.
All I know is that there is nothing impossible as long as you have a goal.
My advice is to set a goal and stop
looking for an idol or motivation. Try
to become a motivation for others!
OUTDOORUAE
57
TIPS & TRICKS
Turning Exercise
Into Adventure
Words By: Paul Oliver
Photos By: Absolute Adventure
Getting cardiovascular
exercise, training with weights
or other gym based sports are a
great way to manage your
fitness. However, taking your
workout outside is another terrific
way to cross train. Simply trekking
on trails instead of an indoor
machine develops balance, uses
more muscle groups and can take
you on a journey in an uncontrolled
environment that stimulates your
brain with countless variables.
Throw in some unpredictable
weather, sun, wind etc. and youll
recognize the thrill of beating the
elements.
Adventure activities refer to sports like
mountain biking, trekking, rock climbing,
mountaineering, or kayaking, scuba diving, base jumping, the list goes on and on.
What these endeavours have in common
is a degree of risk (from low to high), and
self-discovery. Adventure sports are known
to teach people self-reliance and teamwork as well as encouraging them to leave
their comfort zone. These result in better
health, improved self esteem and increased
confidence that translates into all aspects of
ones life.
There is no debating the health benefits of
daily exercise. The U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, and the local health
authorities all agree that we need at least
30 minutes of moderate to intense physical
activity every day. The good news is that as I
mentioned above you dont have to be

confined to the gym to get in shape. Outdoor activities are just as effective, are more
fun, and have some appealing advantages.
Here are some reasons to take your exercise outside:
No Long Term Membership Fees - The
outdoors belongs to all of us. Depending on
the activity, you may not even need access
to special equipment. There are so many
options for outdoor activities that youre
sure to find something youll love that will
suit your budget.
The Air is Cleaner Estimates show that
indoor air is more than twice as polluted as
outdoor air.
A Free Daily Dose of D - Scientists recommend outdoor exercise as a way to get your
vitamin D through sunlight. This is especially
important if you are overweight people
who are overweight are almost twice as
likely to be deficient in vitamin D.
Exercise for Your Mind - When you exercise outdoors, your mind becomes aware
of the changing terrain. Whether you use
the mountains, the sand on a beach, or a
winding wadi path, your mind has to focus
differently than it would on a flat and level
gym floor.
If that all sounds good, here are

some guidelines to get you going:
Exercise Early - In the morning your
energy is higher, the air is generally cleaner,
the temperature is lower, and you will feel
better all day long.
Avoid Temperature Extremes - Although
your body can adapt to warmer weather,
you should avoid exercising outside in
extreme heat, the majority of adventure activities in this region take place in the winter
months.
Dont Get Burned - Although some sun is
good for you, too much sun is not. Always
use a good sunscreen, and wear sunglasses
and a hat with a brim.
Drink Enough Water - If you drink about 8

to 10 ounces of water 30 minutes before doing outdoor exercises, it should hydrate you
sufficiently for about 30-minutes. You dont
need water with electrolytes in most cases.
Remember that you can lose water through
sweating even in cooler weather, and you
may start to get dehydrated before you feel
thirsty.
Get Some Gear Just as you wear specific clothing for the gym, youll need clothing and shoes for adventure activities also.
Take advantage of the new technology that
has gone into shoe treads and waterproof,
breathable clothing material.
Make Outdoor Activities Part of your
General Lifestyle -Think about walking instead of driving. Plan outdoor activities with
your family. Go for a hike instead of heading
to the mall.
If you have any health issues, always talk
to your doctor before starting an outdoor
fitness program. Have a goal in mind, start
slowly, and work up to a bigger achievement. Outdoor activities can be adapted to
anyones level of fitness.
For various outdoor adventure
activities in the UAE and Oman as well
as further afield visit Absolute
Adventure at www.adventure.ae, email
info@adventure.ae or call 04 392 6463.
Running
Words By: Nicky Holland
After a long day at work, there is

nothing better than a run to help release
the stress. The pounding on the pavement, the fresh air and breeze in your
face along with the scenery of the outside
environment, can be quite therapeutic.
However, if you are not a fan of running,
this article will help you get into it.
The beauty of running is that it requires
no equipment. Personally, I prefer to run
outside but in this article, I will give examples within a gym environment which can be
easily transferred outside.
There are different training methods
which can be applied when running such
as continuous training - running at a steady
pace, interval training - intense training with
periods of work followed by periods of rest.
Fartlek Training - speed play with different
gradients and terrain and Tabata Training - a
form of interval training with set work to rest
ratios. There are also different exercises and
techniques that can help you to run.
2) TRX - Running Alternate

Knee to Elbow
Just like most sports, having a strong core

will help with performance and running is
no different. Here, you will need to adjust
the TRX straps so they hang down straight
and off the floor. To the middle of your calf
is a good height. Then get into a push up
position and place both feet into the straps.
From here, your knees will be off the floor,
back straight and arms extended to hold
you up. Imagine you are running and bring
right leg then left leg up to elbows. For best
results, brace and tighten your core. By doing this will keep the body straight and flat.
Complete 30 seconds, for five sets with a
short rest in-between.
Notice the incline on the

treadmill. This is a must!
1) Stepper - Opposite Arm to Leg Run

When running, technique is important. It will
help you exert less energy if your technique
is good and you will be able to control your
breathing easier. This exercise will train you
to use your opposite arm to leg so that the
body will naturally adapt to this technique.
Place a stepper on the floor; you can raise it
if you want a harder workout. Start with one
foot on top of the step and the other on the
ground. If your foot on the step is your right,
have the opposite, your left arm up infant.
Simply alternate opposite arm to leg. Aim
to do this for 30-60 seconds, for 3-5 sets,
increasing the speed each set.
3) Treadmill - Incline Jog
Not many people like this one because it

involves a gradient. Runners prefer the flat,
but one way to condition the body so running on the flat becomes easier, is to incorporate some incline training. The speed of
the treadmill can be your own running pace,
ideally between 8-12km/h. The gradient can
also be set by you, but I would recommend
2%-8%. Focus on a relaxed running style,
using opposite arm to leg and control your
breathing. This is a great calorie burning
exercise with the gradient and a tough
workout for the lower legs. Try to run
for 10-15 minutes and build up the time,
gradient and speed gradually.
4) Ladder Work - SAQ
This exercise is quite advanced. SAQ stands

for Speed, Agility and Quickness. Think of
sports that involve lots of fast feet movements, such as soccer, rugby and American
football. They use ladder work as part of
their training and in all those sports, they
consist of running. The lighter you are on
your feet, the faster you will be able to run.
Place the SAQ ladder on the floor. There are
two options a) Single foot taps 2) Double
foot taps. Single foot taps works on speed,
where you would run through the ladder
from one end to the other as quickly as you
can. Double foot taps develops power as
well as speed. Try to put both feet in each
square in the ladder, as fast as you can. Aim
to complete this exercise five times, which
makes up one set. Complete three sets so
you are doing 15 shuttles through the ladder
in total. For this to be effective you must go
for speed.
The exercises above cover the different
qualities needed to be a good runner. Technique, core strength, gradient running and
speed. The only way to practice is to build
up your fitness and run regularly.
So grab your running trainers and lets go!
Nicky Holland
Fitness Manager
Fitness First Beach Park Plaza
OUTDOORUAE
59
Can Anyone Run a Marathon?

Words + Photos By: Marcel Viljoen
One of the ultimate

challenges for many runners
is to be able to say that they
completed a marathon. In fact,
its on the bucket list of a lot of
non-runners due to the
prestige associated with the feat.
The mystical 42.2km (26 miles)
distance represents a sense of
incredible personal achievement
to the extent that jobs, families
and other responsibilities are put
on hold in order to achieve it.
Here in South Africa, mostly due to
our ultra-marathon culture, the marathon
achievement does not always receive full
credit. In preparation for Comrades for instance, its not unusual for some athletes to
complete three or four marathons and two
or three ultra marathons before lining up for
the Natal classic. However, the joy and satisfaction on the face of a first time marathon
finisher totally dismisses that theory and one
is reminded of how very special your first
marathon can be and should be!
My first marathon was at the tender age
of 17 years, as I was swept along by the
marathon fever of the staff of the running
shop where I was doing some part-time
work. As a fit and keen young track and
cross-country runner I was intrigued by the
challenge, but not intimidated. My training
was certainly not geared towards a marathon, and this I realised with great regret as
I reached the 32km mark! I hit the wall with
full force and had to drag my weary body
over the last 10km walking more than running. I finished just outside my initial goal of
three hours, but the shock of the experience
kept me from running my second marathon
for a full 10 years!
So what does it take to run a marathon,
and can anyone run a marathon? I believe
that with a bit of physical ability and a lot
of determination, most people are able to
go the distance. To finish the event is not as
difficult as mastering the distance though.
There are a few steps I believe that need to
be conquered in order to get the most out
of yourself, whether it is to finish the event,
or to run your best time.
Step One: Lay the Foundation
For novices the foundation means starting

with smaller distances in order to allow your
body to get accustomed to the rigours of
running. Doing 10-21km events for six to
twelve months will help your frame and cardiovascular system to systematically get used
to the jarring on the road, to gain physical
strength and to develop the energy systems
required for supplying the fuel needed for
events of two to three hours and longer.
For more seasoned runners, this period
would entail building of the aerobic base by
doing easy, but ever increasing distances for a
month or two.
Step Two: The Long Run
Marathon running means going beyond the

comfort zones we may find ourselves in when
doing 10 and 21km events. The reason for
this is that the system gets nearly depleted of
glycogen after about two hours of sustained
effort and its time for the body to start finding other sources of energy. One of the best
sources to this effect is fat. However, we need
to teach our bodies how to use fat, and by
doing long training efforts this is achieved very
successfully. The late Arthur Lydiard encouraged his athletes to do three long runs per
week during their base phase in order to
achieve this effectively and optimally. Some
runners split a 20km into two 10km training
runs on the same day. Although it might have
some benefit, there is no comparison with
a single long run effort though. Long runs
should be introduced gradually though, e.g.
starting with an hour, and slowly increasing
to three to four hours over a few months. By
jumping into runs that are just too far for your
current level of fitness, you wont be doing
your body any favours as there is a catabolic
(breaking down) effect rather than building. Patience is a critical skill for all marathon
athletes!
In addition to the physical effects, one
should not underestimate the psychological
effects of running for three hours. Non-runners
will often ask us what we think about while
on the road for so long! For many of us some
awesome business ideas are formulated during this time, but it does take some getting
used to being on the road for hour after hour
on a mental basis.
Step Three: The Fast Run
First you teach the body to run regularly, and

then you teach it to run long, now in step
three we step up the pace! Renowned Italian
coach Renato Canova, who has coached some
incredible Kenyan stars, will be the first to tell
you that you need to cover all your bases if
you want to be the best runner you can be. In
other words, all the phases should include a
bit of everything that you would like to implement in your final phase. That includes slow
running, leg speed (biomechanical efficiency),
long intervals, short intervals, anaerobic
training, long runs, hill work, strength,
plyometrics, etc. The volume and intensity of

these sessions is the critical factor though as
all should be systematically increased towards
your goal event. For the marathon runner it
will mean that during the preparation months
you would like to get your body used to the
pace and the demands that you will face on
race day. Running one hour at goal pace is a
far cry from running 3-4 hours at goal pace! If
your long runs are long, social slogs during
this phase, you are seriously misleading your
chances of success. Unless of course your
goal is to run long and slow on race day!
Long runs should be utilised to simulate
your goal event by increasing the distance of
the long run first of all, and then the speed of
the long run. There are a few ways of doing
this, including long repetitions during the long
run, tempo half marathon events, and progressive tempo runs where you are teaching the
bodys energy systems to change gears
as you get closer to the business side of the
event.
Step Four: Training the Mind
Eventually when the big day approaches, as

exciting as it is to know that you will be a marathon runner on the day, the nerves do start to
become a factor. It is as important to train your
mind as it is to train your body. Goal setting,
visualisation, positive self-talk, and concentration are all mental preparation techniques that
can assist us to get those butterflies to fly in
formation! Thinking about the race, your strategy, positive self-talk and other associations
are all ways to ensure you look forward to the
day with confidence and not trepidation.
One of the most exciting parts on the
big day is when you go beyond the furthest
distance you have run to date. And from 35km
onwards, you are very much aware that you
are in marathon territory! Well-known sports
professor Tim Noakes indicates that this is
where you come face to face with yourself and
start learning things that you may or may not
want to know about yourself! Thats the time
to start digging deep, to reach way down and
demand the results that you have prepared
for! The results are not the same for everyone
but the most courageous will triumph and rise
to the top without fail. So when you come
onto that field or into that stadium, when you
are running down the final straight, and when
you look up at the clock as you cross the finish
line, you will know that you are no longer what
you were before the gun sounded early that
morning. For after the event, the tiredness and
sore legs will fade after a few days, but the
face in the mirror will forever be a marathon
runner!
Marcel Viljoen is an online fitness coach
and a 2h39min marathon runner.
You can get in touch with him
at marcel@fitnessfromafrica.co.za
Brought to you by:
Words By: Stewart Howison
Have you ever had troubles

with your bike switching gears
unexpectedly or not shifting
correctly? Many people have this
problem, but are afraid of
attempting to fix it for fear

of adding to the problem.
But you don't need to go into
the shop to get your bicycle
shifting properly. Just adjust
the rear derailleur! A good eye
and some lubricant should be
all you need.
1
Shift the bike to the lowest possible gear (largest gear sprocket on
the rear cassette, this is the one closest to the spokes).
5
Shift to the lowest gear to make sure that the chain does not fall off the
cassette. As in the previous step, watch how the chain rides on the cog
(this time you're focusing on the largest cog). If the chain seems like it is
leaning towards the spokes, tighten the "L" screw clockwise. If it looks
like it wants to shift down, loosen the "L" screw. Test your adjustments by
shifting through all the gears again.
2A
Look at the rear cogs (sprockets) and make sure they are not
touching the derailleur cog/top pulley (guide pulley) when in the
lowest gear. This is very obvious as it causes a very loud noise when
the bike is being pedaled in this gear.
If the cogs are in contact with the cassette, then turn in the derailleur alignment screw ("b" screw or chain gap adjustment screw)
clockwise to increase tension until the cogs are separated from the
cassette by at least a couple millimeters (1/10").
6
Attempt to shift through all of the gears in both directions so you can
diagnose whether it is shifting properly. If the bike is having trouble
shifting down (shifting to larger rings; chain hugs the smaller cogs)
then tighten the cable tension by screwing the tension screw out
(counterclockwise) a little bit at a time until it is shifting properly. If the
bike is having trouble shifting up (shifting to smaller rings; chain sticks too
close to the larger cogs) then loosen the cable tension by turning the
tension screw clockwise in a small amount.
Lubricate the screws and pivot
points. Keep the chain lubricated
with special chain lube to ensure
that stiff chain links do not affect the
shifting, and to make sure that the
drivetrain will last.
2B
If the cogs are too far from the
cassette, loosen the alignment
screw until they touch, then tighten
it until they just clear a few
millimeters.
3
Feel for tension in the lower cable,
this should be tight when the
detailer is set in the highest gear.
(Smallest gear sprocket on the rear
cassette, this is the one furthest
away from the spokes and closest to
the derailleur).
4
Shift to the highest gear and
observe from behind how the
chain rides on the smallest
cog. If it looks like it might
come off towards the axle,
tighten the "H" screw clockwise until it looks
centered. Likewise, if the chain
looks like it's rubbing on the
next gear, loosen the "H"
screw. To make sure you are
adjusting the correct screw;
carefully watch the derailleur
as you turn the screw, as the
derailleur should move with
just a fraction of a turn of the
correct limiting screw. Then
readjust the cable tension until
shifting is smooth again.
Helpful Tips
Always check to make sure the derailleur hanger (where the derailleur
attached to the frame) is not bent, as it must be bent back before
attempting to adjust the derailleur.
Wipe away excess lube so that dirt does not collect on it.
In some bicycles, the positions of the "H" and "L" screws (the limit screws) are
reversed.
Adjustments should be made in quarter-turn increments.
Warning
Failure to properly adjust the rear derailleur can cause the chain to slip off and
potentially damage the frame and possibly send the derailleur into the rear wheel.
Unless you are an experienced
mechanic this may be difficult to do. The Team at Revolution Cycles Dubai will
welcome you in store to show you how to adjust if you feel a little uneasy doing it
yourself for the first time.
Fore more info, please call or email:

+971 4 3697441
Info@rcdxb.com
UAE DIRECTORY
General Sports
Equipment Megastores
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center,

Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE,
+971 43466824; The Beach on JBR, Dubai:
+971 44304419; Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi:
+971 24456995, www.adventurehq.ae
Decathlon, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre,
+971 42839392, www.decathlon.com
Go Sport, The Dubai Mall: +971 43253595;
Abu Dhabi Mall: +971 26454595; Bawabat
Al Sharq Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 25868240,
www.go-sport.com
InterSport, Dubai Times Square Centre:
+971 43418214 and Dubai Festival City:
+971 42066581, www.intersport.ae
Peiniger BMT Est., CBD, Khalifa Street,
Yateem Optician Bldg., Abu Dhabi, UAE,
+971 26262332, www.peiniger.org
Sun and Sand Sports, most shopping
centres, +971 43599905,
http://en-ae.sssports.com
Adventure tours
and desert safaris
Alpha Tours, Off #512, 5th Flr., Al Qwais

Bldg., Al Ittihad Road, Deira, Dubai,
+971 42949888, www.alphatoursdubai.com
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.arabiantours.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, National Towers:
Churchill Tower Suite #614, Business Bay,
Dubai, +971 44221776,
www.dubairelaxtours.com
Element Fitness, Dubai, +971 44227352,
www.element-fitness.net
Explorer Tours, Umm Ramool, Dubai,
+971 42861991, www.explorertours.ae
Gulf for Good, Dubai, +971 43680222,
www.gulf4good.org
Gulf Ventures, Dnata Travel Centre,
+971 44045880, www.gulfventures.com
MMI Travel 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, Dubai, +971 42628832
or 4 2686826, www.opdubai.com
Rahhalah, Dubai, +971 44472166,
www.rahhalah.com
Wild Guanabana, Dubai, +971 44422946,
www.wildguanabana.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Fishing, Camping, Kayaking,
& Adventure Club, +971 5 04920860,
mohammed.almahrouky@gmail.com
Air
Ballooning Adventures Emirates, Dubai,

+971 42854949, 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, Dubai, +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 3390000, www.aym.ae,
yamboats@alyousuf.com
62
OUTDOORUAE
Elite Pearl Charter, Saeed Tower 1, office

#3102, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43889666, www.elitepearlcharter.com
Gulf Craft, 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, Dubai, +971 4 3284629,
www.luxuryseaboats.com
Macky Marine LLC, Dubai,
+971 505518317, www.mackymarine.com
Nautilus Yachts, Sharjah, +971 553419494
or 503419494, www.nautilusyachts.com
The Boat House, Al Quoz, Dubai,
+971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae
UAEBoats4Sale, Dubai Marina,
+971 508446952 or 525682129,
www.uaeboats4sale.com
Western Marine, Marina Yacht Club, Dubai,
+971 43039744
Equipment
Ali Khalifah Moh Al Fuqaei, Deira, Dubai,
+971 42263220
Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43468000,
www.masaoodmarine.com
Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11,
The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43808616 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, +971 43391512,
Repairs and Maintenance
Extreme Marine, Dubai, Dubai Marina,
+971 43992995,
www.extrememarine-me.com
Rineh Emirates, Sheikha Sana Warehouse 1,
Al Quoz, +971 43391512,
SNS Marine, JAFZA Techno Park, Jebel Ali,
Dubai, +971 501405058, www.snsmarine.ae
The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae
Cruise Operators
Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26665491,
Al Marsa Travel & Tourism, Dibba,
Musandam, +968 26836550 or 65441232
Bateaux Dubai, Dubai Creek opposite
the British Embassy, +971 48145553
Bristol Middle East, Dubai Marina,
+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 504586171, www.edenyachting.com
Emirates Yachting, Dubai, +971 42826683
El Mundo, Dubai, +971 505517406,
www.elmundodubai.com
Four Star Travels and Tourism, Dubai,
+971 56 1012599, www.4startravels.com
4 Yacht Arabia, Shop No. 5, Dubai Marina
Yacht Club, 800 92248, www.4yachtarabia.ae
Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa,
Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92449888, www.rotana.com
Ghantoot Marina & Resort, Abu Dhabi,
+971 529933153, www.ghantootmarina.com
Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai,
+971 48706668, www.happydaysdubai.com
JPS Yachts and Charter, Room 225,
Emarat Atrium building, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43437734, www.jpsyachts.com
Khasab Divers, Oman, +971 567255889,
khasab.diver2@gmail.com
Khasab Musandam Travel & Tours,
P.O. Box 411, Khasab, Musandam,
+968 93350703, info@tourkhasab.com
LY Catamaran, Dubai,
www.lycatamaran.com
Marine Concept, Dubai, +971 559603030,
www.marine-charter-concept.com
Nautica1992, Dubai, +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 557934525 or 507682345
Sea Hunters Passenger Yachts & Boats
Rental, Dubai Marina, +971 42951011
Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam,
+968 26836551, www.sheesabeach.com
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 Mouj Marina, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24534554, www.almoujmarina.com
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
Four Seasons Marina, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44948899, www.mourjanmarinas.com
Fujairah International Marine Club,
Fujairah, +971 92221166, www.fimc.ae
Intercontinental Abu Dhabi Marina,
Al Bateen, Intercontinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26666888, www.intercontinental.com
Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa Marina,
Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 48145555
www.jebelali-international.com
Lusail Marina, Lusail City, Qatar,
+974 55843282,
www.mourjan-lusailmarina.com
Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24737286 (ext 215),
www.marinaoman.net
Pavilion Marina, Dubai,
Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +971 44068800
The PearlQatar Marinas, Doha, Qatar,
+974 4965801, www.ronauticame.com

Umm Al Quwaim Marine Sports Club,
Umm Al Quwaim, +971 67666644,
www.uaqmarineclub.com
Dragon Boat Groups
Dubai Dawn Patrol Dragon Boating,
Dubai, +971 508795645,
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
Picnico General Trading, near Sharaf DG
Metro Station, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43951113
Tresspass, 2nd floor above ice rink,
The Dubai Mall, +971 43398801
Tour Operators
Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209,
www.arabiaoutdoors.com
Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 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,
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
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Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square
Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free:
Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi,
+971 28137444, www.alshaheenme.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
Peak Performance, Mall of the Emirates,
Dubai Mall, Dubai,
+971 43413056 or 43308023
Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha 1,
+971 43255705, www.probike.ae
Rage Shop, 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, Festival City,
+971 43395602
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,
www.trekbikes.ae
Trikke uPT, Dubai, +971 45081202 or
556096757, 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
64
OUTDOORUAE
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 4 3390000,
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
Scuba Dubai, Al Barsha, Al Khail Road,
Dubai, +97143414940, info@scubadubai.com
Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com
Diving Centres
Al Boom Diving (equipment),
Dubai, Al Wasl Rd, +971 43422993,
www.alboomdiving.com
Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam,
+971 72682333, www.aljeerport.ae
Al Mahara Dive Center, near Muroor St.
across from main bus terminal,
+971 26437377, info@divemahara.com,
www.divemahara.com
Arabian Diver, Hilton Marine, Ras Al
Khaimah, +971 72226628 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, Fujairah, Rotana Al Aqah
Hotel Resort & Spa, +971 92370299,
www.diversdown-uae.com
Emirates Divers Centre, Abu Dhabi,
near Meena Fish Market, +97126432444,
www.edc-ad.ae
Euro-Divers Oman, Muscat, Oman,
+968 95035815, www.euro-divers.com
Extra Divers Zighy Bay, Oman,
Musandam, +968 26735555,
www.extradivers.info
Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
Fujairah, +971 506130486
contactus@freedivinguae.com,
www.freedivinguae.com
Freestyle Divers, Al Wasl & Dibba, Royal
Beach Hotel, Dubai, +971 43944275,
www.freestyledivers.com
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
Moonlight Dive Center,
Madinat Qaboos, Oman, +968 99317700,
www.moonlightdive.com
Neptune Diving, +971 504347902,
www.neptunedivingcentre.com
Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment),
Dubai, +971 44068828
Scuba Oman, Oman, +968 99558488,
www.scubaoman.com
Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com
Scuba UAE.com, +971 502053922,
www.scubauae.com
7 Seas Diving Center, Khorfakkan,
+971 92387400, www.7seasdivers.com
Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah,
+971 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
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
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 558961276 or 503960202,
www.happydaysdubai.com
Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi
Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +971 26811900
Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort,
Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000,
www.lemeridien-alaqah.com
Nautica 1992, Dubai, +971 504262415,
www.nautica1992.ae
Noukhada Adventure Company,
Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26503600, www.noukhada.ae
Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre,
+971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com
Soolyman Sport Fishing, Umm Suquiem,
Fishing Port No. 2, Jumeirah Beach, +971
508866227, 508866228 or 503402379,
www.soolymansportfishing.com
Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai,
+971 42573084,
www.summertimemarine.com
Xclusive Yachts, Dubai, Dubai Marina,
+971 44327233, www.xclusiveyachts.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Camping, Fishing & Kayaking
Club, mohamed.almahrouky@gmail.com
Dubai Surfski & Kayak Club, Kitesurfers
Beach, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai,
+971 554986280, www.dskc.hu
General Sports Equipment

Distributors
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square

Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free:
Dubai, +971 43390621,
www.aym.ae/yamaha
800 Sport, Al Quoz, Dubai
+971 43467751, www.800sport.ae
Flip Flop Arabia, flipme@flipfloparabia.
com, www.flipfloparabia.com
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai
Highbury Trading, Dubai,
www.highburytrading.ae
Jack Wolfskin, Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi,
+971 24437802
Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735,
www.kitesurfsup.com
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
& Requisites Trading, Al Khawaneej 1,
Dubai, +971 554733110, www.asifa.ae

Black Horse LLC, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26428338, 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 506229004,
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 43390000,
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,
+971 42822114, www.libertykawasaki.com
Motocross & ATVs
Dealers
Al Badayer Rental (Rental),
Dubai-Hatta Road, +971 507842020,
www.albadayerrental.com
Al Shaali Moto, Ras Al Khor,
+971 43200009, www.alshaalimoto.com
Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed
www.yasmarinacircuit.com
Off-Road
Rd, +971 43390000, www.aym.ae/yamaha

Golden Desert Motorcycles
Just Gas It, Hatta Rd., Al Aweer, Dubai,
UAE, +971 561379323, www.JustGasIt.net
KTM, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, exit 42,
+971 4323151, www.ktm.com
Liberty Kawasaki, Interchange 4, Sheikh
Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 42822114,
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
Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai,
+971 551532550,
www.goldendesert-dubai.com
Sebsports, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1
Dubai, +971 43393399,
www.sebsports.com
Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai,
+971 48321050
Equipment
Dubai, +971 42959429,
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
Wild X, Dubai, Um Al Ramoul Industrial
Area, +971 42852200
Motorcycling

Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Rd.,
Dubai, +971 43390000,
www.aym.ae/yamaha
Ducati, Al Salam Street, Abu Dhabi,
+971 24918593, www.ducati.ae
Duseja Motorcycles, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43476712, www.dusejamoto.com
Harley-Davidson, Mussafah 4, Street 10,
Abu Dhabi, +971 25540667,
hd.auh@harley-davidson.ae,
www.harley-davidson-abu-dhabi.com
Liberty Kawasaki, Interchange4, Sheikh
Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 42822144,
www.libertykawasaki.com
Polaris UAE, Al Ghandi Complex,
Nad al Hamar Road, Ras Al Khor,
+971 42896100, www.polarisuae.com
Tristar Motorcycles, +971 43330659,
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,
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 43390000,
www.aym.ae/yamaha
Bling My Truck,
+971 503634839 or 505548255,
Heartland UAE, Al Mafraq Industrial,
Abu Dhabi, +971 569796524 or 506472447,
www.heartlanduae.com
Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744,
www.icon-auto.com
Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2,
Dubai, UAE, +971 4 3469600,
www.mebarauto.com
Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai-Hatta
Road, Dubai, +971 48321050,
Yellow Hat, Nad Al Hamar, and Times
Square Center, Dubai, +971 42898060,
www.yellowhat.ae
Tour Operators
Arabian Adventures, Dubai & Abu Dhabi,
+971 43034888,
www.arabian-adventures.com
Dubai, +971 42959429,
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
Clubs
ABRasAC, Dubai, www.abrasac.org
Abu Dhabi Tri Club, Abu Dhabi,
www.abudhabitriclub.org
Abu Dhabi Striders,
admin@abudhabistriders.com,
www.abudhabistriders.com
Al Ain Road Runners, Abu Dhabi,
+971 504188978,
alainroadrunners@yahoo.co.uk
Mirdif Milers, Dubai, www.mirdifmilers.info
Dubai Creek Striders
www.dubaicreekstriders.org
Stand up Paddling, Kite &

Surfing, Wakeboarding
Equipment
Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai,

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, UAE,
+971 26395997,
www.watercooleduae.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle,
www.abudhabisup.com
UAE SUP AND SURF ASSOCIATION,
www.facebook.com/UAE-Sup-and-SurfAssociation-358311720952873/
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, Abu Dhabi,

+ 971 25588990, www.adgolfclub.com
OUTDOORUAE
65
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 44260000, 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
Sadiyaat Beach 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 Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26577777
Health, Safety & Training
+971 553724670,
www.bespoke-wellness.com
Original Fitness Co., C6 Tower Al Bateen
Bainunah St, Abu Dhabi, +971 2406 9404,
www.originalfitnessco.com
Orthosports, 5B Street, Jumeira Beach road,
Dubai, 800 ORTHO (67846),
www.orthosp.com
The Physio Center, Suite 405, Building 49,
Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai,
+971 44370570,
www.physiocentre.ae
OMAN DIRECTORY
Sultanate of Oman, +968 26836550,

www.almarsamusandam.com
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 Divers, Oman, +968 99883345,
www.khasabdiver.com
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
Seaoman, P.O. Box: 2394, RUWI PC 112,
Oman, +968 24181400, www.seaoman.com
Sub Aqua Dive Center, Hilton Salalah
Resort, P.O. Box: 699, Salalah 211, Oman,
+968 23211234,
www.subaqua-divecenter.com
P.O. Box: 117, Postal Code 421,

Bediyah, Ghabbi, Oman,
+968 99310108,
www.safaridesert.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 92449444, www.discovernomad.com
Oman Dive Center, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24284240, www.omandivecenter.com
Oman Dive Center Resort, PO Box: 199,
Medinat Sultan Qaboos, Oman,
+968 24824240, www.omandivecenter.info
Stand Up Paddeling, Kite

& Surfing, Wakeboarding
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
Equipment
AzZaha Tours, +968 99013424,
www.azzahatours.com
Water World Marine Oman,
P.O.Box:76,Muscat,113,Sultanate
ofOman, +96824737438,
www.waterworldoman.com
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, PO Box: 123, P.C.
811, Khasab City, Musandam, Oman,
+968 26730813,
www.dolphinkhasabtours.com
Go Dive Oman, Capital Area Yacht Club
(CAYC), Sidab Muscat, +968 97899094,
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
Diving
Equipment
Al Marsa Musandam, PO Box: 44, Dibba,
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 4837815, 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
East Marine, West Bay, Doha, Qatar,
+974 55200078
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, 29, P.O. Box: 18180 Qatar,
+974 4315555, 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, Doha, Qatar,
+974 55776679, www.qatar-ventures.com
Clubs
Cycling, Running & Triathlon

Doha Sailing Club, Katara Beach
+974 44439840 or 55649995
Qatar Chain Reaction,
www.qatarchainreaction.weebly.com
OUTDOORUAE
Camping & Hiking

Tour Operators
Safari Desert Camp,
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 44935183, www.qrec.gov.qa
+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,
Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud
Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2,
P.O. Box: 11538, Doha, Qatar,
+974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com
Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud
Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2,
P.O. Box: 11538, Doha, Qatar,
+974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com
Qatar Scuba Center, 187 Al Mansoura
Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar,
+974 66662277, www.qatarscubacenter.com
Q Dive, Souq Al Najada cnr of Grand
Hamad and Ali bin Abdulla Str.; Al-Odeid
Aisle numbers 129-132, +974 55319507,
www.qdive.net
World Marine Centre, PO Box: 6944,
Doha, Qatar, +974 44360989,
www.worldmarinecenter.webs.com
Qatar Divers, Marriott Hotel Marina Near
Old Airport, Ras Abu Aboud Area, Doha,
Qatar, +974 44313331,
www.qatardivers.com
Qatar Marine, Go Sport City Center
West Bay, P.O. Box: 16657, Doha,
+974 553199507, www.qatarmarine.net
Qatar Scuba Centre, 187 Al Mansoura
Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar,
+974 66662277 or 44422234,
www.qatarscubacenter.com
Qdive Marine Center, P.O. Box: 16657,
Doha, Qatar, +974 44375065, www.qdive.net
World Marine Centre, Old Salata Street,
near the Qatar National Museum, Doha,
Qatar, +974 55508177
Diving
Fishing & Kayaking
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
Horse Riding
Equipment/Centres
Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street
(near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar,
Add your free listing to the

66
Safety Lessons
Marine Concept Yacht Charter
& Sea School, Rania Business Centre,
Dubai, +971 559603030,
www.marine-charter-concept.com
Safety & Leisure Training Middle East,
Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha 1,
Dubai, +971 48879958, www.sltme.com
Sport and Health Centres
Bespoke Wellness, Dubai,
Equipment
Al Kashat, Fishing and Hunting
Equipment, Souq Waqif, next
Caving
Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre,

Oman, +968 24543002,
www.holiday-in-oman.com
Oman World Tourism, Oman,
+968 24565288,
www.omanworldtourism.com
Fishing & Kayaking
Boating & Sailing
Manufacturer
Saphire Marine, PO Box: 11,
Post Code 118, Muscat, Oman,
+968 99877243,
www.sapphire-marine.com
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
Motocross & ATVs

Dealers
Qatar Adventures, Barwa Village,

Building # 9 Shop # 11, Doha, Qatar,
+974 77700074
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
FROM
AED
38,999
INDIANMOTORCYCLEGCC.COM
DISTRIBUTORS
QATAR
Protech Powered Sports Co
Street: Salwa Road PO Box: 91, Doha, Qatar
Tel: +974 44398030
Fax: +974 44398030
Sales
Email: info@protech.com.qa
OMAN
FairTrade Auto Services LLC
P.O. Box 2636, Ruwi, Muscat
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

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Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

The Combat Zone of WAR 11

Marathon tips and tricks

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A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body

Tel. 04-447 2030

Eulogy van Dyk

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The information contained is for general use only.

2015 Outdoor UAE FZE

Helle Bachofen Von Echt

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18 EXPERIENCE THE UAE AND SIR BANI YAS ISLAND ON HORSEBACK

10 STANDARD CHARTERED DUBAI MARATHON

28 ACROSS ARABIAN SEAS

24 T.L.R.D ADVENTUROLOGY: THE SCIENCE OF ADVENTURE

EVENT & ACTIVITY REPORTS

10 STANDARD CHARTERED DUBAI MARATHON

34 HEALTH POWERHOUSE: SALT

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36 OUTDOOR FLICKS: INTO THE WILD

50 WOMEN ON WHEELS: BATTLE ON THE DUNES - HELLE

61 BIKE MAINTENANCE BY REVOLUTION CYCLES

56 GILLES FAVENEC - SAILOR

44 AN ANGLER WALKS INTO A SHOP... - KIT

58 TURNING EXERCISE INTO ADVENTURE

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STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST EVENTS

DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL 2016

RAK HALF MARATHON 2016

The fastest half marathon in the world is here!

ESSA SUNSET OPEN 2016

Surf and SUP action in Dubai is back for another

AL ADAID DESERT CHALLENGE

The inaugural cycling event which claims to be the toughest

JUNIOR AQUATHLON SERIES 2016

YAS ISLAND CYCLE RACE

The first of four Abu Dhabi Sports Council-hosted

GIANT DUATHLON SERIES RACE 4

Race four of six of the 2015/16 season of the Giant

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SHARBATLY FRUIT BIG STINKER

XYOGA FESTIVAL DUBAI

XDUBAI SPARTAN RACE 2016

When: February 19-20

A fun vertical run for individuals and relay teams

The worlds best obstacle course is back to separate the

When: February 20, 10:00 a.m.

UAE BIATHLETE OPEN

With short running and swimming distances,

SHARJAH LADIES RUN 2016

Go neon in to the night in the third edition of the

TRIYAS BY DAMAN ACTIVELIFE

The regions only day and night triathlon is back

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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Greater spotted Eagle

Standing in the dunes