JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH
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ContributorS
Andrew Birbeck, Geoff Brokate, Gemma Correll, Sarah Freeman, Mark Johanson, Jamie Knights, Kaye Martindale, Adrian Mourby, Sandra Tinari, Stuart Turton Cover: Alexander Wells (folioart.co.uk)
gEnEraL ManagEr ProduCtion S Sunil Kumar ProduCtion ManagEr R Murali Krishnan
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dEPuty SaLES ManagEr Amar Kamath Amar@motivate.ae
SEnior SaLES ManagEr Shruti Srivastava shruti.srivastava@ motivate.ae
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114,149 copies July – December 2015 Printed by Emirates Printing Press, Dubai, UAE
E D I T O R ’ S
L E T T E R
ANDREW NAGY
ON THE COVER
SENIOR EDITOR
I
can’t work out whether social media has revolutionised travel or ruined it. On the one hand, you could say that the desire for the ultimate selfie has taken people out of their comfor t zone and to far-flung corners of the globe. On the other hand: smug Instagram feeds. In the space of 20 years, our options have exceeded all imagination and a fortnight on the beach just doesn’t cut it. Now, unless you’re prefixing almost every holiday update with: ‘trekking up…’ ‘skiing down…’ or ‘jumping off…’
groups that have sprung up in its wake are in something of a disagreement as to what constitutes success. For some it’s simply getting through customs; for others, a little more, but what’s really frowned upon is going just for the passpor t stamp; heading somewhere only to add another country to your list. There are a number of different governing bodies at present and, depending on the criteria, you can potentially find yourself top of one list, but only fifth on another. It’s a source of
“OUR TRAVEL OPTIONS HAVE EXCEEDED ALL IMAGINATION, AND A FORTNIGHT ON THE BEACH JUST DOESN’T CUT IT.” it all appears a little tame. Modern day attention spans aren’t built for comfor t. Affordable flights and the advent of long haul have helped of course, and some truly amazing oppor tunities are out there if you’re willing to look hard enough, but at what point is it less about expanding your horizons, and more about vanity? That’s the question levelled at some of the men and women currently vying to become known as the most travelled person on Ear th – and it’s our cover story for September. About 20 years ago, Guinness dispensed with the official title, and the
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constant needle and irritation, and that’s exactly what makes it so much fun. As you’ll find, however, at the root of it all is friendly competition and camaraderie. These travellers will always be on hand to help one another when the chips are down, whether that’s with a drink in some forgotten land, advice on how to obtain an unobtainable visa, or news on how to find the island that 80 per cent of the planet doesn’t even know exists. Now, that, is Instagram-wor thy travel.
JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH In depicting the extreme nature of the die hard travellers, we felt that the style of Alexander Wells at folioart.co.uk worked perfectly. It’s a style you may also have seen on the pages of Esquire, ESPN, Wired, The New York Times and many more.
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C O N T R I B U T O R S
SEPTEMBER Some of the people who helped create this issue of Open Skies ANDREW BIRBECK
GEMMA CORRELL
SARAH FREEMAN
MARK JOHANSON
Andrew is an Edinburgh-born author, writer and blogger who contributes to a broad range of titles. A regular in Open Skies, this month he speaks to Sol Rogers at Rewind. A man changing our very perception of the world we live in.
Gemma is a self-confessed writer, illustrator and small person. The author of books including A Cat’s Guide To Life and A Pug’s Guide To Etiquette, she draws the Skycat’s illustration ever y month in Open Skies.
Sarah is a freelance photojournalist from the UK specialising in travel and wellness. This month she travels to Amsterdam Noord in search of new adventures.
Mark is an American writer who contributes to a number of international publications from his home in Santiago, Chile. This month he meets the men and women vying for the title of ‘world’s most travelled’.
“It’s simple. Sol Rogers loves what he does and is incredibly good at it. He sees Virtual Reality (VR) not just as a marketing or entertainment tool, but as a genuine force for good in the world.”
“When I draw Skycats, I think about what cats might do in certain situations. I love imagining what might happen if they were passengers on an Emirates plane (and if they could talk).”
“There’s nothing better than discovering a new place in a familiar city. Entrepreneurial, ecominded and energetic, Amsterdam Noord is the reason I didn’t make it to the Rijksmuseum (or the other side of the river for that matter) on my latest visit there.”
“I think of myself as a well-travelled person, but speaking to these competitive travellers made me realise that, beyond the traditional tourist destinations, there is a vast portion of our world that’s largely unexplored.”
KAYE MARTINDALE
ADRIAN MOURBY
SANDRA TINARI
STUART TURTON
Kaye is a semi-nomadic writer currently based in Yorkshire’s beautiful Calder Valley. An Open Skies regular, this month she spoke to British Perfume queen, Jo Malone, and discovered more than your usual story of success.
Adrian has pubished three novels, two travel guides and a book of humour based on his Sony-award-winning BBC series Whatever Happened To...? His new book, Rooms Of One’s Own, is out in May 2017. This month he writes on the beauty of Newmarket.
Sandra is an Australian freelance journalist and photographer, based in Dubai, and a regular contributor to Open Skies. This month she writes on Last Exit, a stop-off on the Sheikh Zayed Road that will leave you anything but hungry.
Stuar t is a freelance journalist specialising in travel and technology. He spends a lot of time going in the wrong direction, grumbling at smar tphones and trying to remember where he left his house keys. This month he writes on The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.
“Never having attended a racecourse meant that Newmarket was a fascinating experience. Make no mistake, horses are Newmarket. It’s unlike any other English town you’ll visit.”
“Eccentric and bright... Last Exit’s pop culture take on 1950s Americana was a surprising find in the desert, creating a charming roadhouse that’s a playground for foodies.
“It’s always interesting to meet people who are leaders in their field and see what makes them tick. Jo Malone is a savvy business woman with an inspirational story of how she made it to the top.”
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“Imagine 40,000 people talking about your favourite book. Then put the author of that book at the centre of it, ready to answer questions. Absolute bliss.”
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september 10-11
ultra music festival singapore
When a 20-year-old Russell Faibisch staged the first Ultra Music Festival on Miami’s South Beach in 1999, he was relieved and thrilled when 10,000 electronic music fans turned up to dance in the sand. He could never have imagined that his festival would grow into the behemoth that it is today, with 750,000 people attending Ultra events around the world. The world’s biggest and most successful remaining independent electronic music festival brand, Faibisch’s juggernaut shows no sign of slowing down. After a test-the-water one-day Road To Ultra event in Singapore in 2015,
the festival returns this month as a fullblown two-day experience on September 10 and 11. Set up at the new Ultra Park venue, right across from the Marina Bay Sands hotel, it’ll provide spectacular views of the downtown skyline and sweeping vistas of the world-famous Marina Bay. As well as the huge main stage, festival-goers will also be able to flit between Ultra’s live stage and the Resistance stage, a haven for those who like “the darker side of dance music”. Like all Ultra events around the world, it’s not short on big names with Canadian Deadmau5, Dutch DJ Afrojack, Swedish powerhouses Axwell and Ingrosso,
Emirates operates four flights a day to Singapore, including a twice daily A380 service.
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Frenchman DJ Snake and the UK’s Nero (live) amongst the headliners. Norwegian producer Kygo, who had already notched up a billion Spotify streams before his debut album Cloud Nine was released, will also make his Ultra debut in Singapore. More discerning music fans should head to the Resistance stage where they’ll find the likes of Far East Movement – the first Asian/American hip-hop group to score a No.1 hit in the Billboard charts, and Nigerian-Lebanese DJ, producer and Mood Records label boss, Nicole Moudaber, whose thundering sets have earned her the name ‘The Queen Of Techno’. ultrasingapore.com
iMAGE: GEtty
Hype editor lesley WrigHt on why pEoplE will hEAd to SinGAporE in thEir drovES for thE world’S biGGESt indEpEndEnt ElEctronic MuSic fEStivAl
Moment The Team Members of LUX* help people to celebrate life with the most simple, fresh and sensory hospitality in the world. M AU R I T I U S R E U N I O N M A L D I V E S C H I N A U . A . E T U R K E Y V I E T N A M | L U X R E S O R T S. C O M
F L A S H B A C K
BATTLE OF THE SEXES IN SEPTEMBER 1973, BILLIE JEAN KING PLAYED BOBBY RIGGS IN ONE OF THE MOST WATCHED TENNIS MATCHES OF ALL TIME, STRIKING A BLOW FOR FEMINISM IN THE PROCESS “Number one, women should stay in the bedroom, number two, they should stay in the kitchen, number three, support the man!” It’s difficult to believe these words came out of a tennis player’s mouth, but in 1973 they were part of a barrage being pelted at the women’s game by Bobby Riggs. A former World No 1, Riggs was outspoken, narcissistic and a hustler who reportedly had links to the mob. He was also heavily in debt. No matter, because Riggs had a plan. After weeks of claiming he could beat any female player, he issued a formal challenge to Billie Jean King – World No 2. She refused, allowing World No 1 Margaret Court to step in. The match was dubbed “The Battle Of The Sexes” and was a trainwreck. Riggs was 55 and had been retired for several years, but he was a master psychological manipulator, and relentlessly taunted the 30-year-old Court before the match, scoring an impressive victory on the day. As a feminist and a poster girl for the Women’s Lib movement, Billie Jean King felt she had to tackle Riggs. After training ferociously, she took him on in front of 30,000 people at the Houston Astrodome – with a reported 90 million tuning in on TV worldwide. If anything, the second Battle Of The Sexes match was even more ridiculous than the first. A $100,000 prize was up for grabs, and Riggs was paid $50,000 to play in a bright yellow jacket advertising a candy bar. King entered the court held aloft by gladiators, while Riggs sauntered in with scantily clad models. After a couple of shaky games, King took control, annihilating Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, without ever really playing at her best. By refusing a rematch, she ensured Riggs’ time in the limelight was over, and paved the way for the modern woman’s game – including the introduction of equal prize money. Love tennis? Check out ice Digital Widescreen this month for the documentary Serena on channel 1234, ATP Tour Uncovered on channel 1202 and highlights from the Australian Open on channel 1204.
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STATE OF PLAY THE WORLD’S TOP PLAYERS IN NEW YORK THIS MONTH The US Open might have started at the tail end of last month, but the business end is firmly in September. If you’re in New York City head to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Academy for the women’s final on the 10th, and the men’s on the 11th. usopen.org
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Jo Malone The British fragrance queen explains her extraordinary journey to success, over lunch at Scott’s in London WORDS: Kaye MaRtinDale iMageS: geOff BROKate
Y
ou’re not going to expect this, the story of Jo Malone. Unless you’ve heard it before, of course, then in which case you will… but even then you should read on, as hers has not been the usual rise to high profile business success. Jo Malone might just be your new hero. We meet in Scott’s Restaurant in Mayfair, London. Jo arrives with her head of PR ,“to make sure everything runs smoothly”. It puts a different slant on the usually informal ‘Lunch with’ setting, but they have been working closely together for years and have the easy camaraderie of old friends. Any doubts dissolve as they envelop me in warm, friendly hugs as soon as they arrive.
As we step from the spacious and quiet foyer into the busy restaurant, the sound of dining and chatter is almost overwhelming. Jo doesn’t waste any time – she’s a regular at Scott’s and knows what she wants. What many people probably don’t know is that Jo’s story is rather unconventional. Her family life has a filmic quality to it, an element of rags-to-riches and eccentric characters – the dark, surreal flavours of a Tim Burton movie as opposed to a tired Hollywood blockbuster, though. Jo’s father was a member of The Magic Circle and also an artist, while her mother worked for the enigmatic and self-styled Countess Lubatti as a cosmetician.
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The waiter brings our food over and we all eagerly tuck in, for a few moments the conversation quietens. Jo has ordered sides of fries and creamed spinach and offers them around. Severe dyslexia means Jo is unable to read or write, which made school life in the ’70s a disheartening experience. An unrecognised condition at that time, “I was told that I was either stupid or lazy. I thought, well, I must be one or the other but I knew I wasn’t stupid because I could work things out faster than most people.” Unfortunately worse was to follow and, at the age of 12, Jo’s mother had a “kind of breakdown” she explains. “That was when I realised that it was up to me or my sister and I were going to be taken into care. I don’t know how I did it but I convinced everyone I could hold it together. I remember sitting in the living room thinking: ‘We have no money.’ I thought: ‘OK, then I can make face creams and sell them to mum’s clients, and that’s exactly what I did.” Jo, who had been helping her mother mix ingredients since she was a little girl, attributes her remarkable capacity to remember measurements and ingredients to dyslexia. But a greater blessing for the budding entrepreneur was her synaesthesia, a neurological condition in which the stimulation of one sense triggers an experience in another – for example, words may have a taste or colours may have a sound. In Jo’s case she has a heightened sense of smell and colours give off vivid aromas. “My sense of smell is my compass. I can tell when it’s going to rain, I can tell when my dog is sick, I could tell when there was a flood about to happen in the house. It’s something that’s very natural to me but if I try to explain it goes away.” Jo left school while she took care of the family and managed the business, briefly returning at the age of 14 where she found that school didn’t have any relevance for her as she was learning more working from her family home’s kitchen. With a big smile and an open-handed gesture that suggests she’s more than happy with
“I dIdn’t have the mum and dad that you came home to every day. When I came home It Was up to me to put food on that table”
“My childhood was not easy, but it wasn’t unhappy either,” she says. “I felt very loved as a person and I was around creativity morning, noon and night. My dad was the most wonderful man. The only thing I didn’t like was his huge gambling problem. I didn’t have the mum and dad that you came home to every day. When I came home it was up to me to put food on that table.” Jo worked from an early age as her father’s assistant at magic shows, worked the local markets with him selling his paintings, and helped out her mother making beauty products. These early experiences of work, explains Jo, with an air of positive philosophy, taught her to trust her creativity and imbued her with a passion for selling. “I don’t believe anything in life is ever wasted. Everything is of use if you learn from it. I think the markets taught me the joy of being a merchant, of making something and putting it out into the world. Being a magician’s assistant taught me about the importance of theatre and the magic of life: how we all want to feel that childlike moment when the rabbit comes out of the hat.”
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the way things have worked out, she explains, “I didn’t finish school and I don’t remember doing any exams, I’ve got no qualifications so… there you go.” Despite her friendly and positive demeanour, there’s also subtle toughness and determination at work behind the smile. Jo deftly manages the conversation, deflecting questions that aren’t immediately relevant to the brand’s story yet drawing me into her world with expressive demonstrations of how she creates her fragrances. At 21 she married Gary Wilcox. She had a small skin care business and started to develop her sense of smell. “I realised the gift I had and started to create bath oils and body lotions.That’s when the business became very different. We got our first shop in Walton Street and for four years we saw the most phenomenal growth. Gary left his work as a surveyor and together they created Jo Malone, the fragrance brand that became synonymous with luxury and sophistication.” In 1999 Jo sold Jo Malone to Estée Lauder and continued an association with the company as creative director and chairwomen. For a while she had the best of both worlds: she had received a large but undisclosed, figure for Jo Malone, and the pressure of trying to
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“THaT wasN’T GOOd ENOuGH fOr mE. I’m NOT GOING TO HavE sOmEONE TELL mE wHEN I’m GOING TO dIE” manage a burgeoning company was lifted. “I was very happy for three years, travelling the world... and then I was diagnosed with cancer and it stopped me in my tracks.” When her son was aged just three, Jo was told she had nine months to live. With an indefatigable resilience that has got her through many difficult times, she looks me square in the eyes as she states, “That wasn’t good enough for me. I’m not going to have someone tell me when I’m going to die.” She went to New York and endured nine months of aggressive chemotherapy, which has left her cancer-free. Jo left Jo Malone and Estée Lauder completely in 2006 but the price of her freedom was high. She was subject to a contractual
Next month Emirates adds its tenth daily flight to the British capital. The new service, which starts October 1, is Emirates’ fourth daily flight to London Gatwick and will complement its six daily services to Heathrow, taking the airline’s total weekly services to the city to 70.
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lockdown from any kind of engagement with the cosmetics industry for five years. “Within days of leaving I realised I’d made a big mistake. Not a big mistake in selling or leaving but I had misjudged myself. I didn’t realise how much my happiness, my contentment, was connected with creating fragrance.” In 2011, as soon as the lockdown ended, she launched Jo Loves. She describes it as much harder to do the second time around as people weren’t aware that she was no longer a part of Jo Malone. “People were a little confused. It’s taken three years of telling the story but it’s starting to really happen now.” Even after spending just an afternoon with Jo, it’s not exactly difficult to believe her when she explains that she was so desperate to get back into business that she rushed things. “I got all the packaging wrong the first time around. I just wanted to be back being a shopkeeper and I was like a kid running towards it. My husband kept saying to me, ‘Jo, slow down,’ but that’s not my nature. So I had a few bruised knees.” The first two years of the business were hard but things came together on Jo’s 49th birthday, when her husband gave her a key to a shop. It was the first shop she had worked in as a 16-year-old girl, on Elizabeth Street, in London’s Belgravia neighbourhood. Giving the brand a home and giving her a place to let her merchant’s imagination run wild was just what the fledging company needed. The Jo Loves shop functions as a creative studio and a kind of fragrance tapas bar, where clients can come in and get painted with fragrance or have their own candle cocktail mixed. “Twenty-five years ago I would never have had the courage to do what I do now, it’s too daring. Now it doesn’t bother me. If people don’t agree with me, if people don’t like it, that’s fine, because there are thousands of other people out there that do.”
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That much is certainly true, devotees of Jo Loves are many and the company has big plans to expand into new territories in 2017. After turning down offers to write her autobiography for the past six years, she’s now confident that her happy ending has come true and felt it was the right time to share her journey. With a big smile and her animated way of communicating, she explains,“You need to start the story down there and end the story up here.” So what seems like the end of the story for Jo is just the beginning for Jo Loves. Gathering up her paraphernalia, she says goodbye on a high note – perfectly illustrating her point.Then she’s off for her next interview, ready to tell her story all over again.
The Bill 3 Cover Charge US$7.80 1 Badoit water US$6.40 1 Evian water US$6.40 1 Yellow Fin Tuna US$30.40 1 Squash Masala US$20.40 1 Grilled Sole US$55.60 1 Creamed Spinach US$7.10 1 Chips US$5.50 1 Cappuccino US$4.90 1 Earl Grey US$4.50 1 Cafe Latte US$4.90
Total US$153.90
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HOTEL MUSE BANGKOK, THAILAND
Words: david Leck images: HoTeL mUse
In a city serving up the opulent with the thrifty, the luxurious with the basic and the traditional with the quirky, Hotel Muse dishes out lashings of style, bags of comfort and plenty of atmosphere without ever crossing into the pretentious. From a setting on an upscale street close to the city artery that is Sukhumvit
Road, there’s an air of tranquility here that you notice as soon as you enter a lobby of white marble, walls of muted calming tones, historic monochrome photos and comfy sofas. Rooms are spacious, stylish, and homely, with large beds and bedding that’ll envelope you like a big hug and bathrooms
Emirates offers six flights a day non-stop to Bangkok.
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from which you may not want to leave. Le Salon bar in the lobby is a cool spot for a beer, aperitif or business meeting and there is a small but perfectly formed rooftop pool and a gym. It is, though, that calm and tranquility that make Muse a delightful oasis in the most hectic of cities. hotelmusebangkok.com
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La Maison Favart Paris, France
Words ANd IMAGEs: GEoff brokAtE La Maison Favart is a spacious boutique hotel that pays homage to the romance of 18th century couple, and Opéra-Comique founders, Charles Simon Favart and MarieJustine Favart. The hotel has a classically Parisian style that recalls a time when the rooms would have been occupied by travelling acrobats,
Baroque musicians and neoclassical painters. Now, of course, that style meets the contemporary necessities of a flat screen TV, Nespresso machine and free Wi-Fi. The idea is to create the impression that you’re guests of the Favarts. The rooms are decorated to represent stages of MarieJustine’s career, and you’ll find antiques
Emirates operates 20 flights per week from Dubai to Paris with the A380.
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and souvenirs collected from a lifetime of travels. Ultimately, though, it’s the excellent location – you’re a five-minute walk from the Folies Bergère – attentive staff and good value for money here that impress most. The mini spa is simply a fantastic bonus. lamaisonfavart.com
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AndAz Tokyo TorAnomon Hills Tokyo, Japan
Words: david Leck images: andaz tokyo Gracious service, a comfortable seat in the lobby, green tea at the ready, and sky-high views over a shimmery Tokyo – such is the late-night welcome by Andaz. Opened in 2014, the hotel crowns the top floors of the 51-storey Toranomon Hills skyscraper. Interiors fuse the brand’s signature design
elements – sleek lines and wood surfaces – with a distinct sense of place; guest rooms feature ceramic tea sets, a deep tub with seasonal bath salts (spring means coriander), a futon-inspired bed, kimono bathrobes, and walls that evoke shoji screens. The Imperial Palace Gardens, seen from northeast-facing
rooms, are a sight to behold upon waking. And not only does the hotel boasts Instaworthy views from the rooftop bar and spa, but its central location links directly to the Olympic Village. Come 2020, this will be the hottest spot in The Land of the Rising Sun. tokyo.andaz.hyatt.com
Emirates serves three destinations in Japan – Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda and Osaka. Emirates also operates complimentary coach services for passengers holding a flight ticket and travelling to and from Osaka and Nagoya – bus schedule and further information is available at emirates.com
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AMSTERDAM NOORD, NEThERlANDS
Words and Images: saraH Freeman
T
o quite literally turn your back on ‘the other side of the river’ when you arrive at Amsterdam’s Central Station would be a big mistake. Like many neighbourhoods on the fringes, Amsterdam Noord has reinvented itself from a rundown, derelict wasteland to a buzzing, creative community. It may just be a free five-minute ferry ride from the ’Dam proper, but its festival-like ambience and delightfully traffic-free streets feel a million miles away from the likes of tourist-choked ’Dam Square.
Industrial cast-offs from its shipbuilding heyday have been repurposed into craft breweries, cool art spaces, clean-energy cafes, creative start-ups and the biggest flea market in Europe, IJ-Hallen. From futuristic, multimillion dollar builds like the EYE Film Museum and A’DAM Toren, to the historic dike houses on Nieuwendammerdijk Street, and reclaimed industrial warehouses lining the wharf – its architectural landscape is refreshingly eclectic. Deceptively small (the Noord is a third of the size of the entire city), the best way to navigate between the main areas of | 35 |
NDSM wharf and IJ Promenade opposite Central Station is on two wheels. A bike will also come in handy if you want to venture into the nearby open countryside, where a vision of chocolate-box Waterland villages, windmills and historic chalk mills awaits. Quirky, hip and fast becoming the city’s foremost creative hub, you’d be hard pushed to find another neighbourhood where you can bed down in a craneturned-hotel, dine alfresco on an urban beach and watch a free movie in your own private pod.
A LEGEND IN WELLNESS MEETS LEGENDARY SHORES
Opening specials available www.canyonranch.com/kaplankaya +90 252 511 00 51 Bodrum/Milas Airport
10min 30min 50min
N e i g h b o u r h o o d
Film + Technology
EYE FILM MUSEUM Hovering over the water like a giant cyber shark, the sleek and sculptural EYE Film Museum has not only changed the face of the Noord’s waterfront since opening its doors in 2012, but has become one of the city’s most iconic buildings. Its world-class film archive – running the gamut from rare colour silent movies to the latest digital productions (not to mention a collection of over 35,000 film posters) – has cinephiles heading here in their droves. Perfect if the weather is on the turn, you can get cosy in one of the interactive basement’s free mini-cinema pods, or head upstairs to their state-of-the-ar t cinema halls, which screen everything from documentaries to Dutch movies. Don’t miss the iconic Hollywood camera used to film Citizen Kane, amongst its vast collection of film paraphernalia. IJpromenade 1, 1031 KT | 020-589-1400 | eyefilm.nl
in The AreA (Seven-minute cycle)
3D PRint cAnAl HOuSe
Fancy seeing large-scale 3D printing in action? Make an appointment to see the exposite of DUS Architects, who are building the world’s first life-sized printed house. ASterweg 49, 1031 HM, 020-229-1786, 3DprintcAnAlHoUSe.coM
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A’DAm tORen
For jaw-slackening 360° views of the city, pop next door to the newly unveiled sky deck at the ex-Shell headquar ters-turned-multi-venue tower.
in the AreA ( O n e - m i n u t e cyc l e )
A’DAM Lookout, overhoekspLein 5, 1031 ks, 020-2170599, ADAMLookout.coM
Culture + Views
TOLHUISTUIN Venues don’t get much more eclectic than Tolhuistuin – a former Shell staff canteen that has been transformed into the cultural hub of the Noord. Although open for business year-round, the multi-art complex really comes alive in the summer, hosting pop-up concerts with multi-music genres from gospel to jazz, an open-air cinema and literary events in its chilled Toll House Garden. The building’s moniker can be traced back some 350 years, when it collected tolls from ships passing through the Buikslotertrekvaart canal. Indoors, there is a small contemporary art gallery and dance studio where Amsterdam’s first hip hop school, Solid Ground Movement, rehearse and host free lessons for children. Located conveniently behind the Buiksloterweg ferry terminal, make this your first port of call in the Noord. You can grab breakfast on the THT cafe’s sun-drenched terrace overlooking the river IJ, and rent retro bikes at the friendly information centre downstairs. IJpromenade 2, 1031 KT | 020-760-4820 | tolhuistuin.nl
Emirates flies twice daily to Amsterdam with the A380.
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neeF lOuiS DeSiGn
in the area
Step into industrial, vintage heaven at Neef Louis Design – a huge hangar festooned with mid-century chairs, 1970s sofas and some salvaged maritime treasures.
( 1 5 - m i n u t e cyc l e )
PaPaverweg 46, 1032 KJ, 020-486-9354, neeflouis.nl
Bike + Vintage Shop
NIEUWENDAMMERDIJK If you thought the Noord was all up-cycled shipping containers and mod architecture, think again. Some areas have a delightful rural village feel. For a taste of its more bucolic character, cycle to one of the city’s most historic and picturesque streets; Nieuwendammerdijk. From the IJ Promenade, cruise along the Noordhollandsch Canal and cut through Noorderpark until you reach the mile-long embankment lined with crooked dijkhuis (dikehouses), which date back to the Dutch Golden Age. Once a late medieval settlement and village called Nieuwendam, the area is now part of the Noord neighbourhood. The former homes of traders, fishermen and shipbuilders may look like handsome stone canal side houses, but their structures are crafted entirely from wood to lighten their load on the dike. Hit the brakes at numbers 202-204 (Half Moon Villa), once the residence of the famous De Vries-Lentsch shipbuilding family. Nieuwendammerdijk 202-204, 1025 LV | foursquare.com
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Last Exit
A kaleidoscope of colour emerging out of the desert, Dubai’s new 1950s-inspired truck stop is refuelling hungry travellers in style words and Images: sandra TInarI
The story behind the food “Last Exit pays tribute to a time when the business of food was simple. When the service was quick and the food fussfree,” says Abdulla Al Habbai, group chairman, Meraas. “The inspiration was taken directly from a 1950s fuel station; their trailers, trucks and vans – keeping the destination accessible and cool with a retro twist.The design ethos was to consistently challenge the norm whilst keeping it cohesive.The interior space is meticulously created leveraging rehashed automotive parts throughout its structure as well as in common areas.”
Food trucks for all The quirky Jebel Ali destination offers airstream food trucks selling gourmet food that spans Latin America, international, Middle Eastern, American and Italian cuisines, as well as the all-impor tant road trip caffeine and cake offerings.
A convenient way to visit Dubai’s top attractions is with City Sightseeing’s hop-on hop-off bus. Learn more at citysightseeing-dubai.com
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Detail in the desert As ever, with Dubai, the detail is crucial, and vintage road signs and fuel pumps – along with colourful auto memorabilia and repurposed car tyres – create an authentic and slightly zany image. It all lends such a kitsch sense of fun that Last Exit could eventually become a destination in its own right.
Caffeine hit You’ll find some fantastic coffee at Carlos Santos, The Brass. As good a stop-off point if you’re on an early star t and are in desperate need of a caffeine hit, as it is for those seeking a nice brew for a quick pick-me-up on the late drive back home.
Going loco Poco Loco’s new food truck is packed with Latin American favourites. Think loaded nachos, tacos and classic burritos.
Exit 11 Sheik Zayed Road to Dubai lastexit.ae | 44 |
E n t r E p r E n E u r
Rewind London, UK
Words: AndreW BirBeck imAges: reWind | 46 |
E N T R E P R E N E U R
B
ack in 2011, Sol Rogers was at a crossroads. A senior university lecturer in Digital Animation, Visual Effects and Emerging Technology, he had a chance to push forward with a freelance project that was simply too good to let go. “Before I knew it I had a team of six and Rewind was born,” he explains of a vir tual reality (VR) and creative production agency that is helping change the media landscape before our very eyes. In just five shor t years, Sol and his team have enabled us to sing with Björk, go on a spacewalk, face g-forces of up to 10-g with Red Bull master pilot Mar tin Sonka, and be par t of the huddle in the Turkish international football team dressing room for an inspirational halftime talk. It’s jaw-dropping stuff. But as amazing as that all is, for Rogers, his highlight is something a little more personal. “The day we moved into our own bespoke studio, three years ago, was a real standout moment,” he admits. “Finally it felt like we were running a proper outfit and I’ll never forget the feel of having those keys in my hand. “But, of course, the work has been pretty amazing, too. Launching the Red Bull Air Race interactive VR flight
experience was an incredible moment. It was the world’s first VR experience for a global brand, and seeing the reaction from the crowds and pilots was amazing. Suddenly we all knew that VR was going to be hugely successful.” Although VR isn’t a new concept, it’s still one that can be difficult to get your head around. Here’s how Rogers sees it: “VR immerses you in a new reality, making you feel like you are experiencing the other reality firsthand. Augmented reality adds to your current reality – developed into apps and used on mobile devices to blend digital components into the real world. Mixed reality is the future, though. “We’re working with Microsoft’s HoloLens on a headset aimed at blending the physical and digital worlds. It doesn’t take much imagination to see the extraordinary ways in which this technology could be genuinely transformational, from daily living to entertainment, to education and medicine.” It’s something that’s already having an effect in real time. In 2015, the United Nations commissioned a series of films to highlight the plight of Syrian refugees and Liberian Ebola victims. One of the films, Clouds Over Sidra, is a moving, eight-minute virtual reality film that allows you to pan the camera 360° and follow a 12-year-old
refugee, Sidra, as she guides you around her temporary home. It inspired one in six members of the public to donate – twice the average of the UN and Unicef. “Making people feel makes them act,” says Rodgers. “It’s a very powerful medium in that respect, and we’ve set up a not-forprofit organisation, VRTogether.org, to help research and create VR content that will have a positive impact on humanity.” While the benefits are many, there can be cautionary tales, however. “There are studies claiming that, by 2020, some people will spend more time in VR than in the real world,” explains Rogers. It’s something of a dystopian view but it serves as an appropriate nudge that VR should complement a lifestyle, not replace it. “The majority will use it for entertainment, escapism, education or experimentation,” says Rogers. “I’m positively excited about how VR can change the world for the better.” rewind.co
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE Cutting-edge London can be found at… Silicon Roundabout – the capital’s tech hub. For a good dollop of inspiration… I’d recommend heading to devour.com The top VR expo in the capital is… VRLO. It’s London’s most popular VR meet-up where enthusiasts can get hands on with the tech. London’s best 3D (immersive) cinema is… Secret Cinema. It has screenings at various city locations. The best words of advice I can give are… Base a company around a personal passion, otherwise it will always just be work and never succeed. After all, who can say that they like to work?
Download The Emirates App – available for iPhone, iPad and Android. Your personal journey planner makes it easy to view and arrange your trips when you’re on the go. Designed to complement the iPhone app, there’s also an Emirates App for Apple Watch.
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OPEN SKIES FOR IPAD
Search for Open Skies on the App Store
A collection of stories from around the world
The Emirates Airline Festival Of Literature
Race Town
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Journey To The Centre of The Earth
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Race town Newmarket might appear like just another quaint and picturesque English market town, but behind its sleepy exterior lies the very heartbeat of British horse racing
Words: Adrian Mourby Images: Kate Tadman-Mourby
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walk before breakfast will quickly deliver news of what a very unusual place Newmarket is. Horses. The horizon is full of horses. This small town was made fashionable by the Stuar t kings in the seventeenth century and its shape today is still determined by the horse racing settlement they created. It might be just a day’s horse ride from London and contain the remains of a few royal palaces, but the real story lies in the 2,500 acres of Jockey Club Estate Land. On any given morning you’ll find trainers in big winter coats assembled at The Severals, an area of grassland where horses are warmed up before they go on to Warren Hill to canter. As they’ll vary in performance from day-to-day, a good trainer knows to keep a very close eye on his charges. Continue walking and you’ll head towards the gallops and canters that are open each morning. Here you’ll see the very central working of the industry – the talent – hundreds of horses, each being led or ridden by a Newmarket “lad” in boots, black body-armour and riding helmet. This scale of the operation in Newmarket is the key signifier. Elsewhere in the UK you’ll find horses simply training on local racecourses, but in Newmarket they have the choice of over 14 miles of artificial gallops and 70 miles of grass gallops. The Heath has been preserved unploughed and uncultivated since the time of King James I. Twenty-six “Heath Men” look after it making sure it’s available 365 mornings a year, regardless of the weather. This town contains the largest area of mown grassland in the world and up to 3,000 racehorses are exercised here every morning. According to Samantha Hills, who has been riding since she was four and comes from a long line of Newmarket trainers, it’s nothing more than a local joke that Newmarket contains more horses than people. “In fact, there’s a population of around 15,000 – but then a third of them do work in horserelated occupations.” Newmarket has over 50 horse-training stables, many of which stretched out along the Bury Road. It also has two large racecourses and is home to the majority of British horse racing institutions. It’s the bir thplace and spiritual home of thoroughbred horse racing – and even the Queen regularly visits informally to see her horses train.
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Centred around a brick house built in 1874 for Prince Soltykoff of Russia, Kremlin Cottage is undoubtedly one of Newmarket’s prettiest stables. After the Crimean War, the prince visited Newmarket on a peace dividend vacation and never returned home. He died living there in 1903, having become a popular figure in British racing and boasting a string of successful horses. In the 1930s and ’40s the Kremlin trained great horses like Hyperion, Diadem, and Swynford. In 1978 it was sold to Michael Jarvis and in 2011 Jarvis’ widow leased it to Hugo Palmer, who had just received his licence to train. Star ting out with just eleven inexpensive horses, Palmer has since had a
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steady stream of successes. Given the very slow cash flows in horse racing and the very high costs, it was for tunate that he was independently wealthy, but then you have to be to take on this kind of work. This of course is not true for the jockeys. Veteran, Michael Hills is now 52 and retired. In 34 years he rode around 2,500 winners. The standard fee for a jockey is now US$196 per race plus 7.5 per cent of prize money if they win. Most jockeys race between three and six horses a day at the most, but Hills used to notch up ten, often driving between courses. “You have to save your money,” he warns. “For tunately I was 30 years old when I was earning well… and I had a very strict wife.”
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After the Crimean War, Prince Soltykoff visited Newmarket on a peace dividend vacation and loved it so much that he never returned home Kremlin Cottage stables
The finances of ownership, meanwhile, are rather more complicated. Each horse that exercises on the Heath costs palmer US$130 a month. On top of that he has feed, vets bills and wages for all the men and women who look after the horses. Palmer’s yard employs 35 people: three in the office, 26 riders, aged 17-60, and then a fur ther six who muck out. His success has meant that his prize money has doubled every year (the trainer always gets a percentage) and he now trains 70 horses, many owned by syndicates, but some belonging to the top owners in the world. It costs US$32,600 each year to train a horse at Kremlin Cottage Stables “There are lots of boxes so the horses can see each other,” says Palmer. “They like that as they’re very sociable animals. It’s a quiet yard too, which is something they respond to. A happy, relaxed environment is what horses need. The more relaxed they are, the more they eat and the fitter they become.” As an old yard, Kremlin Cottage Stables is also spacious. “The horses can be spread out,” continued Palmer. “It keeps them healthy and it stops infection spreading.” There are also metal cages on the grass beyond the yard where horses can be put to graze. “A lot of new stables don’t have this much space, but I have to be careful because if I keep expanding we’ll lose that.”
Palmer relies on his stable staff, and especially jockeys attached to the stables, to tell him how the horses are doing. “And to tell me which are ready to race.” It’s a big decision advising an owner on when and where to race a horse, especially as you have to declare 24 to 48 hours before. “And it depends on the ground, too. Horses differ. Some are better suited to fast ground and some to soft. Essentially a horse is 500kg travelling at 40mph. It’s all about how you hit the ground.” After Kremlin Cottage it’s a shor t drive to the Godolphin Stables, which are owned by the ruler of Dubai, H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Godolphin was named after the Godolphin Arabian, a horse from the deser t that became one of the three founding stallions of the modern thoroughbred. The stables were built by the 16th Earl of Derby – another horse-mad English aristocrat – in 1903 and originally named Stanley House Stables after his home nearby. They are set in serene tree-lined grounds with every possible facility a horse might need, even an inclined gallop so that no horse has to leave the grounds to exercise. If Kremlin Cottage is one of the best stables in the UK, Godolphin might well be the best in the world. Its luxury is a testament to how much horses, and horse racing, means to the elite. No wonder they call it the spor t of kings.
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At Godolphin, the horses even have their own swimming pool and hot baths. It might well be the best stable in the world
Godolphin stables at Newmarket (top right)
Tony Garth won 100 races as a jockey before becoming travelling supervisor at Godolphin (he takes the horses all round the world to race) and he readily admits that Godolphin is “horse heaven”. The horses even have their own swimming pool and hot baths. “When I die I want to come back as a horse in this stable,” said Gar th. The only way to follow something as grand as Godolphin, is lunch at the old Jockey Club Rooms, a remarkable doublefronted brick building on the High Street. Despite its name, The Jockey Club was never for the jockeys, but rather for the moneymen, for those who bet on horses and their riders. It stands not far from Palace House, the remains of a royal lodging that King Charles II – himself a very keen horseman – built in Newmarket. The club houses an extraordinary collection of artwork, from a rather flattering por trait of Winston Churchill that the great man (a successful racehorse owner and breeder in his spare time) donated, to an equestrian portrait by Stubbs that’s valued in the millions. Leaving the Jockey Club Rooms we headed to the Rutland Arms Hotel where King Charles II used to lodge his mistresses, and then to The July Course. Here, across a distance of six furlongs (1,207 metres), race meets are held on eleven days between June and September every year.
The scene was flash, gaudy and fun; noisy young women in fascinators and men in loud suits. It was an afternoon of surges as crowds moved en masse to the enclosure to see horses paraded before the all-too-brief race, and then back to the finishing line to watch the winners streak past. The crowd, more than anything, is perhaps an indicator of modern racing: not so much the spor t of kings but the king of selfies. But even in a spor t such as horse racing – a pastime so entrenched in the establishment – it has no choice but to move with the times. That’s why, at Newmarket, you’ll see, the likes of Little Mix and Mark Ronson performing live, neatly packaged among the hectic racing schedule. Not that embracing modernity will ever change this par ticular town, of course. Racing is its very hear tbeat, and it’s one that’s still beating gloriously.
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For a small group of people, travel isn’t just the occasional holiday with friends and family; it’s an all encompassing obsession to see more of the planet than anybody else… and nowhere is off limits WORDS: Mark Johanson ILLUSTRATIONS: Alexander Wells
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all started in the summer of 1965 on a trip to West Germany when Don Parrish was 20. It was the young Texan’s first time outside of the United States and he took up work in a small metal factory in Hanau, just east of Frankfurt. Parrish had this strong impulse to live as a foreigner in somebody else’s language, so the American made a pact with himself that he wouldn’t speak a word of English the entire time he was in Germany. He bunked up with a local family, found a pen pal in East Berlin, and bought a motorcycle to ride off into sunsets and explore the unknown. Half a century and 13 passports later, Parrish says the summer of ’65 changed his entire life. By 1969 Parrish was exploring Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. He made his first trip around the world in ’71. Not long after, Bell Laboratories hired him as a planning manager developing electronic switching systems, and he started skirting the globe as a business traveller laying the foundations for the telecommunications revolution we now take for granted.The job made him enough money to retire in 1996 at the age of 51. He continued working for another five years as a consultant, but quit for good in 2001 to dedicate himself full-time to his one true passion: extreme travel. “The big shift that occurs between normal travellers and extreme travellers is this point when you suddenly decide, ‘I want to see everything’,” Parrish, who now lives in Chicago, explains. “When people start travelling they typically go to really nice places they’ve read about. But then if you start going further and start visiting un-nice places, or places you know have problems, you get to a point where you just look over an entire map and say, ‘Let’s see it all’.” Parrish can’t say just when exactly he came to that realisation, but over the next decade the lifelong bachelor systematically orchestrated trips to all 193 UN member states, including Iraq, North Korea and South Sudan (the world’s newest country). He says some of his favourite trips in that time were to those un-nice places, like Puntland in northeast Somalia, even though he had to have armed guards with AK-47s on watch the entire time he was there. Parrish reckons he’s flown about five million miles, visited more than 60 islands by ship and seen 455 Unesco World Heritage Sites. He’s been to places that have seen fewer people than the top of Mount Everest, such as Marion Island, halfway between South Africa and Antarctica. By some accounts Parrish could be called the world’s most travelled man. Of course, that all depends on who’s keeping track and just how exactly you define something as un-definable as having seen “everywhere”. Global record-keeper Guinness retired its category for the world’s most travelled person in the early 2000s due to a lack of common standards. It couldn’t have predicted it at the time, but that decision set the stage for a new era of competitive travelling. In Guinness’ wake a handful of organisations rose to the challenge of definitively answering the question: who on earth has seen the most of it? But there were problems right from the start. Namely, they all came up with different criteria. The Traveller’s Century Club (which dates back to 1954) defines “everywhere” as 325 countries and territories.You have to have visited at least 100 of them to join, but there is no ranking system of top travellers.That came with the two other record-keeping clubs for the travel obsessed, both of which digital, that popped up after Guinness bowed out, and sliced the globe into an even more complex puzzle. Most Travelled People (MTP) lists 875 places, while The Best Travelled (TBT) sets a virtually unattainable bar of 1,281.This means that a person like Parrish can simultaneously be the world’s top traveller on MTP, while raking seventh on TBT. Fuelled by money, time and a compulsion to see the unseen, there are now thousands of competitive travellers like Parrish racing to the world’s wildest corners and remotest islands. MTP alone is credited with spawning small-scale expeditions (often with big, US$50,000 price tags) to some of its hardest-to-reach | 59 |
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locales (the list includes far more obscure landmasses than TBT).Take Bouvet Island, for example.This uninhabited sub-Antarctic island in the South Atlantic, owned by Norway, is like catnip for competitive travellers. It’s the Holy Grail of earthly obscurity at eight days by boat from anywhere else. TBT founder Harry Mitsidis, of Greece, reveals he went on an expedition with a group of competitive travellers to Bouvet Island last year, but when they finally got to the island they weren’t able to land because the winds were howling mad (like they almost always are). “People really went crazy when they realised we weren’t gong to actually touch Bouvet,” the 44-year-old recalls. “One person even closed himself off in his cabin and didn’t leave for five days.” That’s because the destination doesn’t count for either list unless you set two feet on solid ground. What counts and what doesn’t may be the most contentious subject within the community. After all, if you’re collecting countries like trading cards what sort of proof do you need to back up your claims? And does it matter if you’re just a box-ticker who only sets foot in a location American Don for a few minutes? Parrish is, by TBT and MTP some accounts, have different the world’s most travelled man ways of verifying a
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Harry Mitsidis (above) in Somalia
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traveller’s claims. Mitsidis, who ranks fourth on his own list, asks any traveller who exceeds 500 spots to then show proof of travel for a randomly selected set of destinations. This could be Jorge Sanchez passport stamps, receipts or a set of photos, for example. TBT (right) says travel is not a competition also requires that you travel beyond the transport hub, though but an opportunity there’s no minimum time limit. The club claims about 10,000 to learn new things members and at least four people who shot up to the top of the list, but couldn’t verify their claims, have been kicked out. American Charles Veley, creator of MTP, says his community of 20,000 “polices itself ”, particularly among the upper echelons (Veley is No 3 on MTP). “When I receive a complaint of suspicious activity I request proof of travel, which can take many forms, including an oral interview,” the 50-year-old explains. But there’s no required minimum stay in a location so long as you enter legally and clear immigration at airfields and ports. Veley tells me a minimum would be impractical, particularly as the list includes many wartorn regions and uninhabited islands that require special government permissions. The community of competitive travellers is overwhelmingly Caucasian, upper class, middle-aged and male, through there are some notable exceptions. There’s Finnish traveller Oili Liutu (the top-ranking female on MTP), Kazuto Matsumoto of Japan (currently 12th on TBT) and Danish globetrotter Henrik Jeppesen (who, at 27, became the youngest person to visit every UN-recognised country earlier this year). Each person in this top tier tends to have his or her own unique travel style. Parrish, for example, tells me he’ll attempt to speak the basics of a local language so he can latch on to a domestic tourist, “because they often know the best places to go within a country”. Though he enjoys the kind of cultural exchanges that can occur on a humble local train, he also has no qualms forking over thousands of dollars for a one-off expedition to the edge of the unknown. “Every top traveller has his own definition of what constitutes a superior experience,” says Veley, who now works full-time at a Washington, DC-area business intelligence company and has three kids in San Francisco. “Some people value the most expensive experiences, while others find authenticity only in frugality.” | 60 |
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Spaniard Jorge Sanchez is the most famous among the latter. Though the 62-year-old participates in both TBT and MTP for the travel inspiration each list provides, he’s also created his own list of 222 ways to travel deeper called the Travellers Exploits Club. It’s a rebuke to what he sees as lists riddled with “pseudo travellers” – people who eschew quality for quantity and “accumulate countries faster than we cook churros in Spain”. “Some people tick off a territory like Niue Island or Fernando de Noronha just by landing on it and immediately, in the same airplane, flying back without ever visiting the island,” he explains. “These people don’t learn anything, they just waste money for narcissism to get points in the travel clubs.”
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Don Parrish at Robben Island in South Africa
Sanchez spends a few months of each year washing dishes on the Costa Brava to save up for his low-budget, high-intensity travels. He’s breezed through 22 passports and ranks No 2 on the TBT list behind German cyclist Heinz Stücke. Yet, he bristles at the term “competitive traveller”. “Travelling, for me, is not a competition but an opportunity to learn, to develop yourself,” he says. Sanchez is the kind of guy who calls planet earth his university. “I consider every continent to be a subject and every country to be a lesson.” No matter what kind of extreme traveller you are, sliding in and out of prickly frontier towns, lonely islands and dangerous war zones does have its costs. Sanchez endured an aerial bombing by US-led coalition jets in Saddam Hussein-era Baghdad and was jailed as a “spy” crossing through Afghanistan during its war with the Soviets. Mitsidis found himself jailed in Yemen for crossing a border illegally, and Veley recounts a harrowing 24 hours stranded with no shelter on an Antarctic island in the Bellingshausen Sea. Parrish says the scariest places to him are often the most mundane, like crossing the street in a former British colony and forgetting which way to look. All in all, most top travellers report seeing a world that looks much different than the kind of images often splashed across the television news. “Given all the travelling I’ve done, I’ve been in danger very little,” Mitsidis says. “I think that’s proof that the world is not nearly as dangerous as it’s made out to be.” But what about the ethical dilemmas of globetrotting? Is there anywhere off limits? “You get arguments on whether you should go to places like North Korea, where you know the money you spend is going to the hands of the ‘bad guys’ but… when it comes to making a choice, I would rather increase my understanding of a place than say I’m not going to go because other people are telling me not to go.” Mitsidis, a lecturer in leadership and organisational behaviour, says he hasn’t regretted a single trip in his life. Most competitive travellers agree on that point. They also insist that, for all their differences and occasional bickering, they really are a close-knit community. They’ll go out of their way to pass on the contact of an African station chief | 62 |
in Bosaso or tell you the secret to how they secured the permits to land on an otherwise off-limits nature preserve. They’ll even schedule conferences in places like Grozny, Chechnya, just to get together, toss back a few beers and share tales from life on the road. “When I come across another competitive traveller, it’s amazing how I feel as if we understand each other,” Mitsidis explains. “The whole world thinks we’re crazy, but there I am with this person who doesn’t, who knows where I’m coming from. Our conversation could be about how to get to Darfur and this won’t seem like complete madness; it’ll seem like the most logical conversation possible.” Neither Mitsidis nor Veley actually believes anyone will ever complete their respective lists in one lifetime. Mitsidis doesn’t even believe there is such a thing as the best travelled person. “Anyone who tends to say this about themselves is, in my opinion, really diluted,” he insists. “I don’t think that’s really the point of it all. It’s not about being the best. It’s about enjoying it, learning, seeing as much as possible and, yes, there might be a nice element of friendly competition, but I wouldn’t suggest that anyone should ever be known as the No 1.”
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Literature Literature festivalsfestivals have grown have grown beyondbeyond imagination imagination in recent in recent years, attracting years, attracting increasing increasing numbers numbers even aseven bookas sales book sales have fallen. haveWe fallen. examine We examine what’s what’s driving driving the lit-fest theboom, lit-fest boom, startingstarting with thewith Emirates the Emirates Airline Festival Airline Festival Of Literature Of Literature
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ow thick does a book have to be before it’s proper literature? Ask an author that question, and you’ll soon find yourself fleeing down the street as poorly aimed hardbacks fly past your head. In the same spirit, it seems silly to praise a literary festival for its girth, but the Emirates Airline Festival Of Literature (EAFL) is a special case. Since 2009, it’s doubled in size, drawing over 170 writers, thinkers and speakers from 35 countries in 2016, and attracting around 40,000 visitors to 200 one-off events, making it the largest event of its kind in the Middle East. “I am delighted and, yes, surprised by the incredible growth of the festival,” says festival director Isobel Abulhoul. “The location of Dubai, at the crossroads of East and West, makes it excellent in terms of reaching out to authors across continents, and I believe the time was right for a cultural event of this kind. There is a real hunger both in the Emirates and the region for intelligent and interesting live discourse.” It’s the curse of big numbers to hide almost as much as they reveal, which is why we’re going to throw a few, even bigger, names into the mix. British poet laureate Carol Anne Duffy and crime writer Ian Rankin gave readings at the 2016 edition, as did Helen MacDonald, winner of the 2014 Costa Book Award for H Is For Hawk. Literature’s MVP William Shakespeare was in attendance, courtesy of Steven Berkoff ’s one-man show Shakespeare’s Villains, and the scientists took off their white coats for five days to host talks, with zoologist Nicola Davies and brain specialist Susan Greenfield in attendance. Basically, anybody who’s ever read anything would have found something to be enthralled by, which is just the way the creators like it. “Organising an annual international literary festival could be compared to climbing Mount Everest (in my imagination),” says Abulhoul. “It takes
Desert Stanzas, at last year’s Emirates Airline Festival Of Literature
enormous effort from a dedicated team, and there are many challenges along the route. It becomes a tremendous and worthwhile achievement when you finally reach the top. The ‘top’ for me is when I pause for a moment in the main foyer of the festival and watch thousands of happy people, made up of every age group, nationality and background, busily hurrying from one session to another, usually clutching a book. That is pure joy.” It’s not doing Dubai’s cultural credentials any harm, either. Up until recently, the city was a sugar-rush holiday destination, a giddy blast of five-star hotels, beautiful beaches, fine dining and adrenaline. Events such as the Emirates Airline Festival Of Literature throw a few vegetables onto the plate, attracting people who might otherwise never look beyond the cultural delights of Europe’s big cities. And while | 66 |
we’re abusing food metaphors, why not delve into cliché for a moment. If a literary festival is food for the mind, the EAFL is Dubai’s lovely aunty, determined to make sure everybody eats until they’re ready to burst. The festival’s volunteer programme encourages locals to help out, while education days and competitions get people writing – in both English and Arabic. Authors visit schools across the UAE, inspiring thousands of students to read for pleasure, while the Montegrappa First Fiction Competition looks to launch UAE-based authors onto the world stage by putting the winners into contact with international agents. Many of these have gone onto multi-book deals, and even returned to the festival as speakers, offering a pleasing narrative circularity. “As the centre of gravity in the world shifts further and further to the east,
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Lahore Literary Festival
Dubai has a really great future and it has great potential as well,” says philosopher AC Grayling, who attended the EAFL in 2016. “Large numbers of people are coming here, literally in the millions when you think about all the tourists, making it a crossroads for communications. Dubai has the infrastructure, the geographical location, the wonderful development to become a marketplace for many things, including literature, ideas and open discussion.” So, no pressure then? But the EAFL is keeping its feet firmly on the ground, incrementally improving the festival every year by bolstering it with fresh events while welcoming interesting speakers from varied disciplines. Fundamentally, though, no matter who’s on the podium, it’s a place for people who love books to congregate, meet their heroes, and share their passion
for reading and writing with the local community. “Packed venues, happy audiences and authors, and positive feedback from all sectors involved in the festival; these are all real measures of our success,” says Abulhoul. “But our work is not done when the festival is over. We immediately gather all the statistics; from ticket sales, room managers, researchers, authors, moderators, partners and the team members. We compare current results with past statistics, and we conduct surveys inviting audience members to send us feedback. Each year a theme is selected, and the 2017 theme is ‘Journeys’. This helps in shaping the programme and also the author selection. Next year we will introduce a publishing conference and a residential creative writing course. There will also be a happiness strand, in recognition of the never-ending quest that humanity has to become happy.” Nobody mention Dostoyevsky, OK? The success of the EAFL isn’t an isolated story. Literary festivals are springing up as quickly as James Patterson novels. There’s now 350 of them in the UK, and nearly triple that in the US. There’s almost 100 in Australia and New Zealand, and 80 across India. And it’s not like these festivals are just a tent and some sandwiches in a field. The Zee Jaipur Literary Festival in India boasts crowds of 250,000, which makes the LA Festival Of Books’ 150,000 turnout seem positively threadbare. Australia’s Sydney Writer’s Festival gets 100,000 people every | 67 |
year, while the Lahore Literary Festival in Pakistan attracted 50,000 visitors in 2016. Pick almost any country on the map, and at some point they’ll host an event celebrating reading. The question becomes: what’s driving this boom in literary festivals? “Don’t forget, there are different kinds of book fairs,” says Stephanie Kurschus, author of European Book Cultures: Diversity As Challenge. “The world’s biggest children’s book fair [in Bologna] is for professionals of the business only. The masses in Bologna consist of publishers, booksellers, agents and authors… festivals are often seen as a means to boost a city’s image by proclaiming it to be a book town or literature city.”
“Dubai has the infrastructure, geographical location and wonderful development to become a marketplace for many things, including literature, ideas and discussion”
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For more about the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature listen in to channel 1504 on ice Digital Widescreen.
It’s an understandable tactic, especially for middleweight cities that use the halo effect of the arts to attract sponsors, and big name authors to attract visitors. Case in point: Bradford in England, which received a government grant in January to run its Bradford Literary Festival for two years, with the aim of “developing the cultural infrastructure in Bradford and the North of England, leading to a step change for both literature and literacy”. Imagine the city going to the government with proposals for a five-day rave and you can see why literary festivals are so attractive. “I have been at festival events, where in the space of an hour people are moved to tears, to laughter, to surprise and disagreement,” says Abulhoul. “People leave the venue and view the world
“I’ve been at Festival events where, in the space of an hour, people were moved to tears, to laughter, to surprise, and to disagreement” differently. Festivals attract repeat visitors, who return again and again. That is a real plus in building cultural tourism. The EAFL provides events for the whole family across a wide variety of genres and topics, so from toddlers to senior citizens, enjoyment is there to be found.” Burnishing a city’s reputation with cultural events is hardly a new phenomenon, but it’s surprising to see the number of literary festivals increasing even as book sales fall. A comparison can be drawn with the music industry, where sales of live performances have skyrocketed even as album sales have fallen – except instead of Mick Jagger’s geriatric hip gyrations, there’s the dulcet tones of authors and a nice glass of bubbly. “Festivals and fairs that are open to the public serve as shop windows to the literary scene, allowing the public an intimate encounter with both authors and
A Muggle’s Eye View of Harry Potter
newly published books,” adds Kurschus. “They are supposed to quicken the appetite of potential readers. Meeting a favourite author is a good argument to visit a fair; listening to readings from unpublished books as well as the simple experience of enjoying books.” It’s not just the authors who are in demand at literary festivals. Government surveys have revealed that 60 per cent of Brits and 80 per cent of Americans want to write a novel, which is a slightly demoralising statistic when placed next to the one per cent of manuscripts that get published. It’s a hard business, running on tight margins against fierce competition. Literary agents receive hundreds of thousands of submissions a year from wannabe authors, but only take a handful of clients on. They’re the unicorns of the publishing world and everybody’s stalking them, which makes every literary festival a rodeo for prospective authors.You just have to lasso somebody, and it’s not impossible. “Festivals and fairs are important to agents in a number of ways as they may have existing clients speaking on panels or at the festivals but they may be also there to discover new talent,” says Harry Illingworth, literary agent at DHH Literary Agency. “Many festivals have ‘pitch an agent’ type slots where unpublished writers can pitch their novels to literary agents and get feedback. If the book is really great, this can lead to representation. Each festival is different, but you can be sure that there’s lots of socialising, great panel events, help for new writers, and usually a nice sense of community in there, too.” | 68 |
DHH runs a number of smaller literary fairs itself, but instead of appealing to thousands of visitors once a year, it attracts hundreds over a series of events, each focusing on a specific genre, such as crime or fantasy, outside its Goldsboro Books shop in Leicester Square. From this perspective, as somebody who both benefits from literary festivals, and helps organise them, Illingworth has an interesting take on why they work. “I think it’s important for authors to get themselves out in the public eye so that new readers can discover their work, but at the end of the day, these events are all about authors and readers, so it’s very important to look after them in the best possible way and ensure everyone has the best time they can,” he says. “From my perspective, and very simply put, I think [a good festival] is a nice balance between a fun, social atmosphere and healthy author care from the event organisers.” Whatever the alchemy driving the rise of literary festivals, it’s good to see culture taking itself to the people, rather than standing aloof. Anything that draws readers from their armchair and authors from their typewriters is surely a good thing, and the way things are going, novelists are going to have to learn to write on the road, because literature’s becoming a touring profession. The Emirates Airline Festival Of literature, March 3 to 11, 2017 emirateslitfest.com
Essential news and information from Emirates
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four new Additions to the fly with Me AniMAls Emirates has added four new characters to the Fly With Me Animals family. They come from around the world and make cuddly companions for young travellers. Each character has their own story to inspire tomorrow’s explorers to discover the regions and cultures of the world. The four new additions are: Eric the eagle from the mountains and forests of North America, Silka the seal from the Antarctic
Ocean, Abbott the hedgehog from the woodlands of Europe, and Shane the Koala from the Australian bush. These characters are now on board and replace the original four, but collectors of the Emirates Fly With Me Animals who would like to get their hands on the first series shouldn’t worry, you can still get them by visiting emiratesofficialstore.com who ship worldwide.
The animals will be featured across three product lines: the Travel Buddy which comes with a plastic toggle; the Carry Buddy, a dual purpose toy and blanket; as well as the Magnetic Sketcher for young ones to express themselves creatively. In addition to the Fly with Me Animals, the Lonely Planet Kids activity bag has also been updated, with new travel content tailored for older children.
All A380 service for MAnchester Manchester will boast an all A380 Emirates service as of January 1, 2017.The deployment of a third iconic double decker aircraft on the popular route will see capacity rise by 11 per cent. Thanks to the new aircraft deployment, Emirates will offer 2,198 additional weekly seats on the route, meaning further business and leisure travel between Dubai and Manchester. Fans of the A380 have more good news as Emirates is also swapping its current A380 service at Birmingham from the morning to the afternoon departure slot, in order to offer customers even more connections beyond Dubai to other Emirates A380 destinations – ensuring a seamless “A380 to A380” experience. As of January 1, 2017, the A380 will operate flights EK 37/38 instead of flights EK 39/40 as it currently does. Leaving Birmingham at 8.45pm, EK 38 arrives in Dubai at 7.40am; while EK 37 departs from Dubai at 2.50pm to arrive in Birmingham at 6.45pm. | 72 |
SAVE THE DATE. MODERN. CONTEMPORARY. ABU DHABI ART. 16 – 19 November 2016 Manarat Al Saadiyat Saadiyat Cultural District abudhabiart.ae
.احفظ التاريخ .فن حديث .فن معاصر .فن أبوظبي 2016 نوفمبر19 – 16 منارة السعديات المنطقة الثقافية في السعديات
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emirates fliGht traininG academy and BoeinG partner for pilot traininG system
Emirates Flight Training Academy, the new world-class pilot flight training facility, is collaborating with Boeing on a comprehensive training curriculum and software infrastructure. The Academy, currently under construction at Al Maktoum International Airport – Dubai World Central (DWC) is scheduled to open in October, and will combine best practices in education with
state-of-the-art learning technologies and cutting edge training aircraft. Under the agreement with Boeing, Emirates Flight Training Academy will receive an integrated software system for managing cadet learning, as well as an enhanced curriculum customised for Emirates. Cadets will learn with highly interactive digital content delivered in purpose-designed classrooms and on
personal tablets. “Our programme is designed to produce career-ready pilots. Exceeding regulatory requirements, the curriculum will, for instance, see cadets complete at least 1,100 hours of ground and 315 hours of flight training using a competencyfocused approach,” said Captain Alan Stealey, Principal, Emirates Flight Training Academy.
*Flight times as per summer schedule
GuanGzhou added to emirates a380 destinations Emirates has announced that it will operate its flagship A380 on services between Dubai and Guangzhou from October 1. This follows the airline’s recent announcements of A380 deployment on its Milan and Johannesburg routes. The A380 service will increase capacity by 15 per cent to meet the growing travel and trade demand from Southern China to Dubai and beyond. It will deploy its three-class A380 on the Guangzhou route, | 74 |
offering a total of 491 seats, with 14 private suites in First Class, 76 mini pods with lie-flat seats in Business Class and 401 spacious seats in Economy Class. Flight EK 362 will depart Dubai at 10:20am and arrive in Guangzhou at 22:05. The return flight, EK 363, will depart Guangzhou at 12:15am and arrive in Dubai at 03:50*. Emirates was voted the World’s Best Airline 2016 at the recent Skytrax World Airline Awards.
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plane to plate Down in the depths of the icy Nordic seas is a salmon destined for a Tokyo sushi bar. On a Seattle tree is a cherry required urgently for a pie in Bangkok. How they get there is down to Emirates SkyCargo WORDs: jamie knights in a world used to modern air travel, getting from A to B is rarely difficult. But when your passenger is a Nordic salmon that needs to arrive on the other side of the world, fresh and ready to take centre stage at one of the world’s finest restaurants, it takes a little more planning and plenty of know-how. And when you consider that it’s not just a solitary salmon, but thousands of tonnes of the fish per annum, you begin to understand just why Emirates SkyCargo has developed the groundbreaking transport facilities and techniques that allow for transportation. Tender beef, live clams, juicy tomatoes, aged cheese, there is an abundance of fresh produce – all with its own special requirements – that needs to be transported across the world, and done so with the utmost care and attention. Nabil Sultan, Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo, reveals that the need for fresh food global transportation is being “driven by an increasing awareness of international culture and cuisines. “People are seeking to enrich their dining tables with exotic fruit, fresh vegetables, delicious seafood and other produce from around the globe,” says Sultan. “They want to experience international flavours from the comfort of their own home. “This is also true of the catering industry with hotels and restaurants increasingly offering international food choices to their clients all year round.” To deliver such perishable goods, first you need a global network. Emirates SkyCargo accesses more than 150 destinations in 82 countries across six continents serviced by a dedicated fleet of 15 freighter aircrafts, 13 Boeing 777-Fs and two B747-400ERFs, as well as its existing fleet of state-of-the-art passenger aircraft. In order to maintain freshness and extend shelf life, all shipments have to be transported in a temperature-controlled environment.
“Some of our innovative products include our White Covers, designed to shield temperaturesensitive cargo from solar heat during transportation,” explains Sultan. “They’re water resistant, yet breathable, ideal for ‘living’ food and flower products, and importantly are environmentally friendly and 100 per cent recyclable.” But at the core of operations is state-of-the-art facilities at its dual hub locations at Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central at Al Maktoum International Airport. Between them they boast a combined cargo handling capacity of nearly two million tonnes per annum. In order to ensure the quickest transportation times, techniques and products have been developed including quick ramp transportation, covers for ramp handling and temperaturecontrolled handling and storage. But, in a story such as this, it’s the sheer numbers that will always grab the attention.Take the humble cherry. Emirates SkyCargo moved 94 tonnes of them from Seattle in 2015.That figure rose to 247 tonnes this year, 115 tonnes of which went to Bangkok.The cherries average around six grams each – that works out to about 167 cherries per kilo and a total of over 19.2 million cherries shipped to the Thai capital alone. It’s likely that you’ve never really thought about the journey of the food on your plate before. But thanks to dedication, innovation and no little know-how, its freshness is testament to an amazing network that exists around the world. So the next time you sit down to enjoy your Nordic Salmon in Tokyo, we hope you might just see it through Emirates SkyCargo’s fresh perspective. Now turn over to the follow the food trail... | 77 |
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The food Trail
Emirates SkyCargo helps take fresh food on an amazing journey around the world and onto your plate. Here are just some of the stats... ILLUSTRATION: ROUI fRANcIScO
Fresh from India Every month 1,000,000 kilo of fresh vegetables, fruit and fish leaves Mumbai for Dubai, Europe and the US. That’s just part of the story – 3,000,000 kilo will leave the country each month in total.
cherry pick A staggering 19,200,000 cherries have gone from Seattle to Bangkok this year. You could bake a lot of pies with that.
mangoes to the UK A mango journeys from Pakistan and India to its main market of London, Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham.
Flying lobster Emirates SkyCargo has carried 3,500,000 kilo of lobster since 2014 – from Boston to the lobster loving destinations of Dubai, Shanghai, Taipei, Guangzhou and Bangkok.
CRAB WALK In 2015 Emirates Skycargo lifted 2,339,867 kilo of crabs from Pakistan to Shanghai.
Healthy route
Meat on the move
450,000 kilo of green beans and vegetables go from Kenya to Dubai each month.
Victoria in Australia is the largest exporter of meat and in 2015-16 exported over 16,000,000 kilo of meat to the Middle East.
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D E S T I N A T I O N
MILAN From October 1, Milan will boast a second daily Emirates A380 service. Enjoy our guide to this hub of European fashion and commerce Whether it conjures images of haute couture and catwalks, industrial factories or commerce, Milan certainly means many different things to many people. Business is certainly front and centre as you explore the city, typically well-dressed Italians going about their work with an increased vigour compared to some of the more laid back, slightly more, tourist-orientated destinations of the country. Italy’s stock exchange, the Borsa Italiana, is a Milanese institution, and where there is wealth creation you’ll find the finer things in life. This is cer tainly the case in Milan and the city
boasts high-end shopping boutiques, impeccable eateries and a glamourous nightlife that swaggers into the early hours. But the city also has a cultural heart and is home to the country’s largest cathedral as well as one of the world’s most famous paintings, The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. And then of course there is La Scala, one of the finest opera houses to have ever been built. It was lovingly restored last decade but plan well in advance if you want to secure tickets. All things considered, it should come as no surprise that Emirates is set to launch its second daily A380 to the city
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GIACOMO The perfect setting for a romantic meal – especially for fans of seafood. Design notes evoke the traditional Milanese trattoria and the patterned tiled floor is a delight.The food is what really matters, however, and just to prove it, an army of loyal fans keep coming back. giacomomilano.com
BULGARI HOTELS & RESORTS, MILANO Stylish, elegant and perfect for business, this Bulgari hotel epitomises the best of Milan’s characteristics. As the evening advances, the glamourous Milanese make their way to the hotel’s restaurant and bar for impeccable food and designer drinks. A classy offering. bulgarihotels.com
SCALE THE DUOMO DI MILANO The fifth largest cathedral in the world was constructed in late 14th century and boasts incredible sarcophagi and imposing alters. Head to the roof for spectacular views over the city. Author Mark Twain said of it: “I cannot understand how it can be second to anything made by human hands”. Praise indeed.
PIZZA AM It would be rude not to have a pizza while in Italy, especially when they’re as good as they are at Pizza Am. But the food competes with the wonderful characters who run the restaurant. Queue outside and expect drinks and nibbles while you wait. Brilliant fun. pizzaam.it TRATTORIA ARLATI Claiming a restaurant serves food ‘like your grandmother would make’ is no small compliment in Italy, but this is true for diners at Trattoria Arlati. It’s not the easiest to locate, but people make the effort for a reason. Opened in the 1930s and still standing out in Milan’s restaurant scene. trattoriaarlati.it
ATMOS LUXE HOSTEL & ROOMS The husband and wife team behind this hostel ensure a flawless stay. They have added some luxurious touches with designer bathrooms, colourful splashes of decoration, free WiFi and continental breakfast. A host of trendy bars and restaurants are also within easy reach. atmosluxe.com SANTA MARTA SUITES This boutique property boasts bags of character and a multitude of touches that will satisfy the most discerning of traveller. Head to the rooftop bar in the evening and enjoy a sundowner with lovely views over the city. santamartasuites.com
SAVOUR THE LAST SUPPER The 15th century mural by Leonardo da Vinci resides in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie.The work has captured the imagination of people from across the globe and many will make the trip to Milan just to enjoy the 15 minutes that visitors are allowed to gaze upon the masterpiece. QUADRILATERO D’ORO Milan is awash with shopping options, and in the Quadrilatero d’Oro (rectangle of gold) you will discover boutiques boasting Italy’s finest haute couture. If the prices are a little eye watering, the area is still worth a visit as the window displays are often events in themselves.
EMIRATES STAFF TIPS
Luca Rotolli SENIOR AIRPORT SERVICES AGENT
HIT THE LAKES The stunning Lakes Maggiore and Como are just 90 minutes away.
Elena Bianchi SENIOR TICKET DESK AGENT
EAT LIKE A LOCAL Try the cotoletta alla Milanese, a cutlet coated in egg and breadcrumbs and then fried in butter.
Starting next month, Emirates flights EK 91/92 will be operated by the Airbus A380 aircraft in a 3-class configuration. Passengers can enjoy easy access to Wi-Fi and over 2,500 channels of movies, TV shows, music and games.
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C O M F O R T
COMFORT IN THE AIR To help you arrive at your destination feeling relaxed and refreshed, Emirates has developed this collection of helpful travel tips. Regardless of whether you need to rejuvenate for your holiday or be effective at achieving your goals on a business trip, these simple tips will help you enjoy your journey and time on board with Emirates today.
SMART TRAVELLER
DRINK PLENTY OF WATER Rehydrate with water or juices frequently. Drink tea and coffee in moderation.
TRAVEL LIGHTLY
WEAR GLASSES
Carry only the essential items that you will need during your flight.
Cabin air is drier than normal, therefore swap your contact lenses for glasses.
BEFORE YOUR JOURNEY Consult your doctor before travelling if you have any medical concerns about making a long journey, or if you suffer from a respiratory or cardiovascular condition. Plan for the destination – will you need any vaccinations or special medications? Get a good night’s rest before the flight. Eat lightly and sensibly.
AT THE AIRPORT
USE SKIN MOISTURISER Apply a good quality moisturiser to ensure your skin doesn’t dry out.
KEEP MOVING Exercise your lower legs and calf muscles. This encourages blood flow.
DURING THE FLIGHT
Allow yourself plenty of time for check-in. Avoid carrying heavy bags through the airport and onto the flight as this can place the body under considerable stress. Once through to departures try and relax as much as possible.
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Chewing and swallowing will help equalise your ear pressure during ascent and descent. Babies and young passengers may suffer more acutely with popping ears, therefore consider providing a dummy. Get as comfortable as possible when resting and turn frequently. Avoid sleeping for long periods in the same position.
MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE Loosen clothing, remove jacket and avoid anything pressing against your body.
WHEN YOU ARRIVE Try some light exercise, or read if you can’t sleep after arrival.
This image is for advertising purposes. EQ46549-29/09/2016
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Guide to us customs & immiGration Whether you’re travelling to, or through, the United States today, this simple guide to completing the US customs form will help to ensure that your journey is as hassle free as possible.
CUSToMS DECLARATIoN FoRM All passengers arriving into the US need to complete a Customs Declaration Form. If you are travelling as a family this should be completed by one member only. The form must be completed in English, in capital letters, and must be signed where indicated.
ElEctronic SyStEm for travEl authoriSation (ESta) If you are an international traveller wishing to enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Programme, You must apply for electronic authorisation (ESTA) up to 72 hours prior to your departure. ESta factS: Children and infants require an individual ESTA. The online ESTA system will inform you whether your application has been authorised, not authorised or if authorisation is pending. A successful ESTA application is valid for two years, however this may be revoked or will expire along with your passport. apply onlinE at www.cbp.gov/ESta nationalitiES EligiblE for thE viSa waivEr*: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom** * SubjEct to changE ** only britiSh citizEnS qualify undEr thE viSa waivEr programmE. | 84 |
Thai gemstones are highly regarded for their exquisite beauty, exceptional quality and extensive colour diversity. They are distinctively designed and expertly cut to a high quality standard. Thailand today is ranked as one of the world’s top exporters of Jewelry items and precious stones.
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Cut the queue at JFK with quiCK ConneCt If you’re connecting through New York JFK, you can avoid long waiting times in US immigration and queues for connecting flights with the Quick Connect service. US Customs and Border Protection Agency created the special service for passengers who have a connecting flight within three hours of arrival at New York JFK.
Follow theSe StePS:
1
2
3
4
have your boarding card or ticket for your connecting flight ready for the ground staff as you exit.
You’ll be given a Quick Connect card. Continue to the Quick Connect queue in the Arrivals hall.
After passport clearance, claim your baggage and clear US customs, regardless of your final destination.
If your bag is tagged to your final destination, hand it to emirates staff at the transfer counter for your onward flight.
quarantine in australia Australia has strict biosecurity laws, so when you arrive you’ll need to declare certain food, plant or animal items on your Incoming Passenger Card. You also need to declare equipment or shoes used in rivers and lakes or with soil attached. All aircraft food must be left on board. Please take particular care when you complete your Incoming Passenger Card – it's a legal document and false declarations may result in a penalty.
quarantine in Japan Japan has strict rules around exposure to livestock and bringing in livestock items. You will need to go to the Animal Quarantine Counter if: • you have recently been to a livestock farm • are bringing livestock products into Japan • your visit to Japan will involve contact with livestock the counter is in the baggage claim area. If you’re bringing meat and livestock products into Japan without an import certificate, you must see the animal quarantine officer. | 86 |
U A E
S M A R T
G A T E
BE SMART! USE UAE SMART GATE AT DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
NATIONALITIES THAT CAN USE UAE SMART GATES
UAE
Andorra
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Belgium
Brunei
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Kuwait
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Monaco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Portugal
Qatar
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
*UK
USA
GO THROUGH IMMIGRATION IN SECONDS AND GET YOUR VISIT TO DUBAI OFF TO A FLYING START Citizens of the countries listed on the right and UAE residents can speed through Dubai International airport by using UAE Smart Gate. If you hold a machine-readable passport or E-Gate card you can check in and out of the airport within seconds. Just look out for signs that will direct you to the many UAE Smart Gates found on either side of the Immigration Hall at Dubai International airport.
USING UAE SMART GATE IS EASY
1
Have your E-Gate card or machinereadable passport ready to be scanned
2
Place your passport photo page on the scanner. If you are a UAE resident, place your E-Gate card into the E-Gate slot
OK!
3
Go through the open gate, stand in the blue footprint guide on the floor, face the camera straight-on and stand still for your iris scan. When finished, the next set of gates will open and you can continue to baggage claim
*UK citizens only (UK overseas citizens still require a visa)
REGISTERING FOR UAE SMART GATE IS EASY To register, just follow the above process and then spend a few moments having your details validated by an immigration officer. That’s it! Every time you fly to Dubai in future, you will be out of the airport and on your way just minutes after you landed. | 88 |
UAE SMART GATE CAN BE USED BY:
• Machine-readable passports from the above countries • E-Gate cards
26 YEARS OF EUROPEAN QUALITY CONVERSION AUTOREDO, your premium European partner in the automotive industry since 1990 ! Anywhere in the world, whatever you need, we are committed to offer the best level of service and responsiveness at each stage of your project. We supply brand new vehicles, original spare parts and accessories from Middle East (Dubai, UAE) or Europe (Antwerp, Belgium)
We are a premium central purchasing group for corporate customers : multinationals, NGOs, mining operators, oil, forest, construction industry, etc. At your service : our team is fluent in Arabic, English, French, Farsi, Hausa, Hindi, Igbo, Italian, Kabyle-Amajil, Malayalam, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Turkish, Urdu, Yoruba,...
We are the leading company in vehicle's conversion. Possibilities are limitless : ambulance, service pick-up, hearse, mining vehicle, anti-riot vehicle,...
AUTOREDO, PREMIUM EQUIPMENT & AUTOMOTIVE SOLUTION PROVIDER
PREMIUM EQUIPMENT & AUTOMOTIVE SOLUTION PROVIDER
AUTOREDO FZE | +971 4 808 27 00 | Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai (UAE) | www.autoredo.ae | emirates@autoredo.com
R O U T E
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M A P
R O U T E
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M A P
R O U T E
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M A P
R O U T E
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M A P
YOUR CONCRETE PRODUCT REQUIREMENT OUR PRODUCTION SYSTEM SOLUTION
ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICALLY EQUIPPED FULLY AUTOMATIC PRODUCTION LINES FOR YOUR COMPLETE RANGE OF CONCRETE PRODUCTS
AIR PURIFYING BLOCKS UV pollutant
(E.G.Nox)
clean air
TIO2
ILLUMINATED TECHNOLOGY
AIR PURIFYING TECHNOLOGY
Fujian Excellence Honcha Environmental Intelligence Equipment Co. Ltd
Head Office: 3-16B, Quanzhou Economic & Technological Development Zone, Quanzhou, Fujian 362005, China Factory: Xuefen, Huaqiao Economic Development Zone, Nan’an Fujian, 362300, China Tel. No: (86-595) 2249 6062 , 2249 6066, 2249 6070 | Fax. No: (86-595) 2249 6061 Web: en.honcha.com | E-mail: marketing@hcm.cn , enquiry@honcha.com
EMIRATES FLEET
Our fleet of 251 aircraft includes 236 passenger aircraft and 15 SkyCargo aircraft
BOEING 777-300ER
This month:
up to
2500+ 72% 88 (72%) out of 123 Boeing 777-300ERs are now equipped with Live Television, Wi-Fi, Mobile Phone and Data Roaming services. More are being upgraded each month.
123 in fleet. Up to 354-442 passengers. Range of 14,594km. L 73.9m x W 64.8m
BOEING 777-300 850+
10 in fleet. Up to 364 passengers. Range of 11,029km. L 73.9m x W 60.9m
BOEING 777-200LR 2500+ 80% 8 (80%) out of 10 Boeing 777-200LRs are now equipped with Live Television, Wi-Fi, Mobile Phone and Data Roaming services. More are being upgraded each month.
10 in fleet. Up to 266 passengers. Range of 17,446km. L 63.7m x W 64.8m
BOEING 777-200ER 850+
3 in fleet. Up to 274 passengers. Range of 14,310km. L 63.7m x W 60.9m
EMIRATES SKYCARGO
BOEING 777F
The most environmentally-friendly freighter operated today, with the lowest fuel burn of any comparably-sized cargo aircraft. Along with its wide main-deck cargo door which can accommodate oversized consignments, it is also capable of carrying up to 103 tonnes of cargo non-stop on 10-hour sector lengths.
13 in fleet. Range of 9,260km. L 63.7m x W 64.8m For more information: emirates.com/ourfleet | 96 |
2 arriving
CONNECTIVITY AND ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES AVAILABLE
# Live Television
Wi-Fi
Mobile Phone GSM
This month:
Data Roaming GPRS
1 arriving
Channels of inflight entertainment
AIRBUS A380-800 2500+
85 in fleet. Up to 489-615 passengers. Range of 15,000km. L 72.7m x W 79.8m
The first A380s with Live Television joined the fleet in June of this year. This month six are equipped, with more coming soon.
AIRBUS A340-300 100+
2 in fleet. Up to 267 passengers. Range of 13,350km. L 63.6m x W 60.3m
850+
Economy Class First Class and Business Class
AIRBUS A330-200 100+
850+
Economy Class First Class and Business Class
2 in fleet. Up to 237-278 passengers. Range of 12,200km. L 58.8m x W 60.3m
AIRBUS A319 550+
1 in fleet. Up to 19 passengers. Range of 7,000km. L 33.84m x W 34.1m
The Emirates Executive Private Jet takes our exceptional service to the highest level to fly you personally around the world. Fly up to 19 guests in the utmost comfort of our customised A319 aircraft with the flexibility of private jet travel. Further information at emirates-executive.com
EMIRATES SKYCARGO
BOEING 747 ERF This aircraft is capable of carrying up to 117 tonnes. The deck-side cargo door, with a height of approximately three metres, allows the uplift of oversized shipments that cannot be accommodated in the belly-hold of passenger aircraft. The nose door allows the carriage of long pieces.
2 in fleet. Range of 9,204km. L 70.6m x W 64.4m Aircraft numbers accurate at the time of going to press | 97 |
K N O W L E D G E
DESTINATION KNOW YOUR CITY: MANCHESTER
A TIMELINE
ENGLAND’S MOST SUCCESSFUL FOOTBALL CITIES LONDON
trophies won by seven clubs
72
LIVERPOOL
trophies won by two clubs
56
MANCHESTER BIRMINGHAM SHEFFIELD
52
trophies won by two clubs
22
trophies won by two clubs
13
trophies won by two clubs
79AD
Romans found Mamucium, which will later become Manchester.
1769
Industrial revolution transforms Manchester.
1830
World’s first passenger train station created.
1842
Karl Marx and Frederick Engels meet while studying local industrial workers, who they call the ‘the proletariat’, coining the famous term.
1848 Manchester’s Metrolink is the largest light rail network in the UK, covering 57 miles, with a fleet of close to 100 trams and 92 stations. 31.2m passengers took the tram in 2015, travelling 5.6m miles, earning the service £56.8m
The number of Nobel Prize winners from Manchester University. University of Manchester
Manchester Metrolink
1888
The Football League was created at the Royal Hotel, making it the oldest professional football league on the planet.
1900
866,773
678,867
531,904
466,788
426,517
MANCHESTER MOST-VISITED TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
The Lowry
Museum of Science & Industry
Manchester Art Gallery
National Football Museum
Manchester Museum
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Manchester Viaduct completed using 11 million bricks. If laid out, end-to-end, the bricks would stretch from Manchester to Madrid and back again.
Winston Churchill wins Oldham parliamentary seat, becoming an MP.
1904
Henry Royce and Charles Rolls meet and agree to form the company, Rolls Royce.
1919
The atom is split for the first time by Ernest Rutherford.
1948
Sir Freddie Williams invents the world’s first computer. it was codenamed Baby.
1999
Manchester United win the treble, becoming the first English club to do so.