OutdoorUAE February-March 2019 by OutdoorUAE

with Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own Sabertooth Racing Team

Camel Desert Adventure 700km through the desert of the UAE

Scaling Damavand a summit experince

LIFE AND DEATH ON A MOUNTAIN

Tragedy on Ama Dablam

Abu Dhabi - A flats fishing paradise PEDAL POWER - A BICYCLE RIDE FROM UK TO INDIA

Plenty of

PRODUCTS To check out the Casio ProTrek

Price 11.00 AED 1.00 OMR

ISLAND HOPPING IN THAILAND

FISHING IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Vol. 8, No. 8 February to March 2019

www.OutdoorUAE.com

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

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

OutdoorUAE Team

How do you experience the outdoors? Many of us hear the call of the wild, to go out and experience nature and go on adventures. But rather to see pure adventure with analog gear like a compass and a map, we see more and more how the digital world is dominating the last frontiers of this world. I guess the younger generation will not even know how a real compass works and how to read a paper map anymore. New technologies bring great advantages in many regards but on the other hand, they also take a lot of awareness away from us. People tend to completely trust and rely on their digital gear, and when it fails, they are completely lost. This is because things like visual navigation by landmarks or even the sky is knowledge which seems to have disappeared among the youth. I believe that if you put the pros and cons on a scale, there will be much more benefit with new tech and it makes the outdoors more accessible and safer but on the flipside, we also seem to lose the essential outdoor knowledge because of our dependence on battery-fed gadgets. I know certain types of people whose wellbeing is now dictated by a fitness watch rather than their personal feeling and state. Rather than listening to their body, they look at the watch. I think these watches are very useful in many ways as a supporting tool but they should not dictate your life. Even sadder is how people experience and perceive their adventures. Sometimes it appears that people don’t fully experience the moment since they are constantly looking through a viewfinder, posing for the perfect selfie or updating their social media status. It seems that for many, rather being out for the sake of the moment and being one with nature, they are on the hunt for content for their carefully constructed social media identity. Try it from time to time -- turn off-your phone, leave all gadgets behind and venture out into the wild without digital distraction and you will have a much deeper experience which will forever be in your memory and not on an SD card.

Daniel Editor For editorial content and press releases Tel. 04 398 3297 Mobile: 055 9398915 editor@outdooruae.com

Distributor Al Nisr Distribution LLC P.O. Box 6519, Dubai, UAE 800 4585 | 04-4067170

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Published by Outdoor UAE FZE P.O. Box 215062 Dubai, U.A.E. Tel. 04 398 3297 contact@outdooruae.com www.outdooruae.com Cover photo by: Fotop

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Dan Wright Staff Writer and Outdoor Guide

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

Katherine Cañedo Patangui Administration kathy@outdooruae.com

Ian Sebeldia Circulation

OUR EXPERTS

Marina Bruce The Desert Diva and Off-road Expert

Kit Belen Our Fishing Pro

Bandana Jain Outdoor and Lifestyle Contributor

Nico de Corato Dubai Blogger and Athlete

David O’Hara Ultra Runner and Extreme Endurance Junkie

Denise Ostermann Outdoor Travel Contributor

Facebook.com/OutdoorUAE Twitter.com/OutdoorUAE

Pedro Gomes Professional Triathlete

Instagram.com/OutdoorUAE Youtube.com/OutdoorUAE

The information contained is for general use only. We have made every attempt to ensure that the information contained in this magazine has been obtained from reliable sources. The publisher is not responsible for any errors. All information in this magazine is provided without a full guarantee of completeness, accuracy and chronology. In no event will the publisher and/or any of our affiliates be held responsible for decisions made or action taken in reliance on the information in this magazine. All contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission.

Daniel Birkhofer Founder and Managing Director daniel@outdooruae.com

WHEN YOU’RE DONE READING, PLEASE RECYCLE!

Nicky Holland Personal Trainer

Rasmus Ovesen Fishing Travel Expert

CONTRIBUTORS > Allen Schaidle > Verity Ellis & Joe Andrews > Fahd Abu Aisha > Toufic Abou Nader > Alec Hansen > Gareth Noble

OUTDOORUAE

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

CONTENTS

52 THE ULTIMATE OUTDOOR WATCH - CASIO PROTREK WSD-F30

14 DESERT TRAIL BACKYARD ULTRA

20 THE CAMEL TREK

EVERY ISSUE 06 EVENTS CALENDAR 08 BEST SHOTS 46 PRODUCTS

EVENT & ACTIVITY REPORTS 09 DUBAI INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW 10 THAT’S THE BACK OF DAKAR! 14 DESERT TRAIL BACKYARD ULTRA 16 DUBAI MARATHON 18 PERFECT CONDITIONS AND CHEERING CROWDS WELCOME AL MOUJ MUSCAT MARATHON RUNNERS 4

OUTDOORUAE

32 IRAN DAMAVAND TRIP FINAL SHORTENED

19 RIPE MARKETS 20 THE CAMEL TREK 22 BRUMOTTI 4 UAE

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

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59 THE HAMEEM LOOP

62 FISHING COLD

TRAVEL & ADVENTURE 24 ISLAND HOPPING IN THAILAND 26 NOT SO FUN TIMES IN AZERBAIJAN 28 PEDAL POWER - CHARITY BIKE RIDE UK TO INDIA 30 BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 32 IRAN DAMAVAND TRIP FINAL SHORTENED 38 LIFE AND DEATH ON AMA DABLAM 40 ROAD -TRIPPING THROUGH ARMENIA

LIFESTYLE

64 THE BLIND MAN WHO LEADS THE WAY

TIPS & TRICKS 54 12 THINGS ABOUT TRAIL

OUR EXPERTS 56 ABU DHABI - A FLATS FISHING PARADISE - ALEC 58 OFF-ROADING: YOUR PASSPORT TO ADVENTURE - MARINA 59 THE HAMEEM LOOP - MARINA 60 THE SECRET TO CREATING A WINNING TEAM - GARETH 61 NEW YEAR, NEW YOU? - NICKY 62 FISHING COLD - KIT

PEOPLE

42 THE CYCLE BISTRO 44 OFFROADER’S CORNER: ANAS MAHMOUD 64 THE BLIND MAN WHO LEADS THE WAY 45 OFFROADER’S CORNER: NAEEM ABUBAKER MULLA 52 THE ULTIMATE OUTDOOR WATCH - CASIO PROTREK WSD-F30 OUTDOORUAE

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

EVENTS CALENDAR

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STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST EVENTS

FEBRUARY

26 Dubai International Boat Show

Stacked with gleaming superyachts, a dazzling array of recreational boats and desirable water toys – we have everything covered. When: 26 February - 2 March 2019 Where: Dubai Canal, Jumeirah (Near Dubai Ladies Club) Contact: www.boatshowdubai.com

MARCH

FEBRUARY

Havaianas Sunset Open 2019 - Surf Competition

Havaiana’s Sunset Open surfing competition powered by Rip Curl will return to Dubai’s shores later this month, with the waiting period officially announced to be from February 15th to March 31st 2019. When: 15 February - 31 March 2019 Where: Nikki Beach Resort and Spa Dubai Contact: www.surfingdubai.com

FEBRUARY

Dubai Desert Road Run

If you fancy yourself as a runner, now’s your chance to get your heart rate up - in a winter-long season of regular road running events. You can opt for 3, 5 or 10km runs, with trophies for the fastest times in each age category. When: 22 February 2019 Where: The Sevens Stadium Dubai Contact: www.dubairunning.com

Tough Mudder

With more obstacles, more innovation and more mud-soaked mayhem than ever before, Tough Mudder invites you to face the ultimate challenge of physical strength, stamina and mental grit. This year will see a new event format and new obstacles for a brand-new challenge aimed at all ages. When: 01 March 2019 Where: Ras Al Khaimah Contact: www.toughmudder.ae

MARCH

Kite Fest 2019

A sky full of colourful kites. A beach full of happy kids. Parents relaxing in the island sun. Visit Kite Fest 2019 on Sir Bani Yas Island on Saturday, 2 March and become part of the family event of the year. When: 02 March 2019 Where: Sir Bani Yas Island Contact: kitefest.sirbaniyas@anantara.com

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

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MARCH

2019 date TBC

Wadi Adventure Race 19

Wadi Adventure will be hosting the 19th edition of its hugely popular Wadi Adventure Race (or commonly known as W.A.R) with a testing 5km, challenging 10km and a grueling 15km military styled obstacle course. Kids from 7-13 years can sign up to W.A.R Junior. When: March 2019 - date TBC Where: Al Ain Contact: www.premieronline.com

MARCH

FEBRUARY

UAE Tour

Burj Al Arab Swim

When: 25 February - 2 March 2019 Where: across UAE Contact: www.theuaetour.com

When: 08 March 2019 Where: Jumeirah Beach Hotel Contact: www.premieronline.com

The former Dubai Tour has extended its path across all seven emirates as the brand new 2019 UAE Tour–the only tour race in the Middle East. Starting 25 February, the seven-day event will kick off in Abu Dhabi and ultimately roll into Dubai on 2 March.

MARCH

Dubai Kite Surf Competition Round 2

This kite surfing contest is a second chance for spectators to enjoy this action sport near Dubai International Marine Club, (DIMC), which sees a host of athletes competing for a chance to be crowned champion. When: 08 March 2019 Where: DIMC Dubai Contact: www.dimc.ae

Swim with a scenery few pools can beat at this year’s Burj Al Arab Swim. With the iconic seven-star hotel towering over you, be part of an energising and competitive race session with fellow swimming enthusiasts from around the city.

MARCH

International Motor Show Abu Dhabi

The 3rd International Motor Show Abu Dhabi (IMSAD) is a unique platform to launch the latest vehicles and to showcase existing models to thousands of visitors. IMSAD will also serve as an exciting opportunity for consumers to purchase their new vehicles through exclusive ‘IMSAD-ONLY’ offers. When: 28 - 30 March 2019 Where: ADNEC Abu Dhabi Contact: www.adimotorshow.com

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

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

BEST SHOTS Here are the best shots sent in by you for our magazine photography competition! Thank you for all your entries, they were all great and it was hard selecting the best photos this month. Congratulations to the top three. The winner will get a Columbia back pack and the two runner ups will get a cool outdoor bracelet. All three will also get free magazine copies sent. Well done! To submit your entries, simply email us at competition@outdooruae.com with the subject “Best Shots.” Follow us on instagram and facebook to find out what will be up for grasps in the April/May issue.

WINNER

Margie Ciruelos

Flyboard stunts at Dubai JBR beach

Rey Dennis T. Penuela

Difficult routes, beautiful destinations 8

OUTDOORUAE

Tom Segers

Outdoor, Adventure & Travel - on a 1 week mushing trip 150 kms inside the artic circle in Northern Sweden

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

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EVENT REPORT

From sublime superyachts to private submarines, live diving and thrilling boat races, the Dubai International Boat Show to set sail in 2019 packed with incredible experiences • The Middle East’s leading maritime event returning for its 27th year in February • Show theme “Let’s all live a little” captures the spirit of a new wave of boat buyers • New area for sea-toys, and the Dive MENA Expo will be region’s prime diving meet • 2019 Dubai International Boat Show takes place February 26 through March 2

The Dubai International Boat Show is readying for 2019, returning to the UAE’s most impressive city with a new look show celebrating all that makes a boating lifestyle so incredible. Heading into its 27th year, the Boat Show – taking place at the Dubai Canal, February 26th through March 2nd – will once again gather the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of boats, yachts and marine equipment to encourage would-be seafarers to take the plunge and start living their best life on the sea. Held under the tagline “Let’s all live a little”, the hugely popular event will be allencompassing, catering to every sea-based hobby, interest or profession imaginable. That includes an enhanced dive offering through the show’s 13th annual Dive MENA Expo (formerly DMEX), plus a thrilling new ‘Rad Zone’ packed with the world’s most extravagant sea toys. Riju George, Dubai International Boat Show director, said: “It’s time we all live a little – and where better to commit to that in early 2019 than at the Dubai International Boat Show! “The last decade has seen huge changes to recreational boating. What was once considered a hobby of only the wealthy is now a lifestyle that modern working families are embracing. Yacht buying and chartering is now easier than ever, with small

More than 400 boats will converge at the 2019 Dubai International Boat Show.

to midsized boats meaning there is such a wide scope, whatever the budget. “But aside from the vessels themselves, the growth in watersports and exploratory sea equipment has more and more people taking to the water. Our 2019 show will illustrate how much joy and wonder can come from embracing this life by the sea, and we can’t wait to welcome those families keen to discover the yachting, sailing, fishing and all other sea-sport and hobby options that will bring that pleasure to their lives.” The Dubai International Boat show annually attracts more than 400 exhibitors and over 800 brands and companies from 60+ countries. Of the thousands of visitors to the event last year, nearly half visited with the intention of seeing new vessels, while almost a third came to the most of the event’s vast entertainment offering for a fun day out with the family.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the DIBS 2018

As per tradition, it will be the show’s incredible Superyacht Avenue – a week-long home to more than 50 of the world’s most exclusive newly built, ready-to-buy floating mansions – that will turn the eyes of the marine world to Dubai next year. Always a huge draw for both the buyers and dreamers alike, the Superyacht Avenue, presented by SYBAss, will feature the latest designs from superyacht-builders including Amels, Feadship, Heesen, CRN, Benetti, Lurssen, Oceanco and Baglietto. Across the show there will be more than 400 small to midsized pleasure craft, exhibited by Gulf Craft, Princess Yachts, Azimut, Feretti, Riviera Boats, Inata, Victory Team and many more international leading builders. These boats are known to start from a highly-affordable 100,000 AED. According to a 2018 report by market analysts Frost & Sullivan, the UAE market is the biggest boating market in the GCC, with 20 marinas and more than 10,000 small-to-midsized registered leisure boats. At the 2018 Boat Show, Gulf Craft – the leading Middle East-based yacht builder – sold no less than five yachts valued at 85m AED ($23m), confirming the event as the company’s largest generator of sales. The show is famed for providing a week of one-off deals and sales opportunities for buyers. “We are thrilled to be returning to the Dubai International Boat Show in 2019 after the great success we had at the 2018 edition with sales worth 85 million AED,” said Gulf Craft CEO Gregory Yeakle. ■

To learn more and register your interest, visit www.boatshowdubai.com

OUTDOORUAE

EVENT REPORT

Words by: Marina Bruce Photos by: Fotop

November 2018. Rally teams from across the globe are dropping cars, bikes, quads and trucks off at ports, destination Peru. Among them, Dubai’s very own Sabertooth Motoring Adventure (STMA), who are shipping their Nissan Navara T1, nicknamed El Matador. Fast forward to January 4, 2019 and docks literally half a world away, rally driver Tom Bell and Co-driver Patrick McMurren, along with their support team, retrieve car #419 from the port of Calleo. For team STMA, the Dakar dream is now a reality; a 7,000kms odyssey around the stunning but brutal Peruvian landscape.

“And for the second time that day I thought our Dakar dream was over; it was a miracle the car rolled back onto its wheels.”

The BFGoodrich tyres were invincible in all terrains

Fresh and clean at the start

In the three days until the rally flags off, there is a multitude of things to be done. Car testing, essential after 6 weeks being idle at sea. Paperwork, payment and technical checks, “always a stressful time” muses Patrick “I always fear being suddenly excluded for a minor technicality before we even start”. However, this time the stress was for their mechanics as they needed to have El Matador’s restrictor checked which involved a few hours work to gain access. Apart from that they passed with flying colours and were on the start list! Dakar Start Line: January 7; 1413hrs. “The nerves suddenly disappeared as Tom and I sat on the actual start line of Dakar 2019,” reflected Patrick. “Once the helmets were on and we were snuggly strapped Awesome crowds

into the strangely comforting environment of our Nissan Navara we were completely focused… and we felt like we were in our own backyard; the dunes! The stage went well with the only frustration being it was too short at just 84km! We had taken our first step toward our goal: ‘winning a Dakar finish!’” Stage two was relatively untroubled, but Dakar really ”happened” on stage 3! Some 60km into the stage, the team came in a bit ‘hot’ to a dune and stood the car on its nose on the down slope “after 10 seconds in a vertical position, the car started to tip over, despite Tom and I willing it not to whilst shouting ‘No, no, no!!” Patrick recalls. After the car flopped onto its roof it then did one barrel roll down the dune and miraculously landed on it wheels. However, after 40 mins of checks and patching the car up, they were back in the race, but more was to come Tom continues “we had been warned at drivers briefing about a very narrow canyon. When we arrived, we discovered it had been blocked so were asked to wait at the entrance until it was cleared. 45 minutes later, we were the first car allowed into the canyon only to discover that the blockage of a rolled car had not been cleared. Other competitors desperately tried to climb the steep bank and they too rolled! All told three cars rolled just when we were there! Dakar madness! We ended up in a compromised angle and whilst trying to get clear we took the tyre off the rim and damaged the drive shaft which then required an hour fixing post canyon!”

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

Car #419 in action!

All of these delays meant that they had their first taste of ‘Dakar by night’ as there was still 160km still to go to complete the stage. At 9pm, car #419 arrived at the finish line but there was still an exhausting 460km road section to the service area (bivouac). “It took us 9 hours, arriving at 6am which gave our service team just 2 hours to rebuild the car after the roll! We got 90 minutes shuteye before we were back in the car! Dakar proper had started!” reflects Patrick wryly. Sleep deprived but with El Matador rebuilt they were on the road again for the marathon stage. This double-leg entails the teams staying in a military barracks after the stage, with no outside assistance meaning the competitors have to do the service themselves. Stage 4 had been the longest so far, but was reasonably uneventful apart for the dreaded fesh fesh, a very fine dust which covered the car and meant long periods of no visibility; the team praying all the time that they would not hit rocks lurking in the dust! The late start time meant once again they were late on the stage so more night driving looked a distinct possibility. A problem with their air compressor meant they could not re-inflate their tyres after the sand section and subsequently had two punctures in the rocky river beds. As the sun set, they still had 120km of the stage to complete including an extended dune section. As darkness descended, they slowly soldiered on until reaching the finish line at 10pm. With 220km of road section before servicing the car and hopefully some sleep they still had a lot to negotiate. “We arrived at 2:30am and decided that sleep at this point was more important than service so we managed to get 3 hours in a dormitory full of snoring competitors!” said Tom. The start of stage 5 saw Patrick and Tom up at 6am to service the car, making sure they ate their fill at breakfast as they were The unstoppable El Matador

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El Matador takes the climbs in style

Rio’s - dry rock filled riverbeds

unsure when they would eat next. This proved to be a good move as Dakar had some more surprises in store! Patrick recounts “The stage started well with a blend of dunes, river beds, mountains and fesh fesh, but at 130km we had a monumental impact with a rock (more like a planet!) that was buried in the dust. It registered 4.5G on the car data logging system and we decelerated from 70kph to 0kph in the length of a car. The front bash plate was completely deformed from the impact, and we were now perched on the rock with our back axle. Tom and I were both momentarily knocked out from the impact, with me biting my tongue (talking too much!) and Tom breaking a tooth. We had begun to think that someone above us was looking after us as incredibly, there was no major damage – had our path been 6 inches left or right we were out of the rally. A quick recovery from the rock and we were out and, on our way, again, although still with our brains rattling in our heads!” However, Dakar was dealing STMA a difficult hand and there was still more to come! The car was significantly down on power on entering dune section in the dark at km

320. After struggling through the first section they found themselves in an impressive stuck with the car at an awkward angle and a tyre off the rim, but help was on hand by way of a race truck from the Boucou team who arrived and dragged them out. They continued for a short distance before arriving at a massive bowl with approximately 15 cars in it. At this point, knowing they could not continue safely, they contacted the organization to request permission to sleep in the dunes and finish the stage early the next day (the supposed ‘rest’ day!) “We got the survival bags out and hunkered down on the sand next to the car. The fog meant we were very quickly wet, but we were in good spirits,” remembers Tom. At first light we entered the bowl and once more a Boucou team truck assisted by towing them up the other side, only just making it! From there they finished the stage, at approximately 11am. A 230km road section meant we only got back to the bivouac at 430pm; an hour later they would have missed their deadline, excluded from the rally and their Dakar dream would have died! Not a particularly restful ‘rest day’!

Stage 9 accident

Stage 10 - racing home under a big sky

Stage 6 started as all other days on Dakar had done so far - breakfast, road section and a late start to the stage. An incredibly tight and technical dune section at the start of the stage meant STMA were 36th through the first checkpoint, having done a good job in the dunes. However, things were yet again going to get difficult; the Dakar way. The lower crown nut of the front left suspension parted company from the car and the suspension collapsed, requiring two hours of mechanic work in the field - yet again darkness loomed. “Patrick and I battled on through the stage through the dark until at 12am when the fog got so bad we made the tactical decision to sleep on the sand again and finish the last 65km of stage 6 tomorrow - if we could. Out with the survival bags again!” said a smiling, or was it grimacing, Tom. The next morning, instead of having a relatively late sleep at the bivouac, the team found themselves awake at 4am; although it was still foggy there was enough light to make the last kilometres of stage 6 followed by the 58km road section to the bivouac, before turning around again and going straight out onto stage 7! Dakar smiled on them during this stage and they had a great day allowing them to finish during daylight! They were delighted to get back with enough time to eat, fix the car, attend the drivers’ briefing and get some much- needed sleep. They had finished a Dakar stage, and a bit and the whole team felt on top of the world! The good form continued into stage 8. No dramas, no rolls, no breakages, no major stucks and once more, they were back in the daylight. However, if there is one thing they had learnt in Dakar (apart from never, ever giving up) was that just when things were going well, Dakar would bite. And bite it would.

Pure elation

Having had 2 back to back good days, STMA’s start position on the penultimate stage was significantly better which gave a good chance of completing the stage in daylight. And then it happened; on the road section to stage 9 they had a head on collision with a local car. Thankfully Tom swerved enough that both cars only clipped each other, destroying the local car on the right and ripping El Matador’s front wheel and a lot more beside it right off. Thankfully, all persons involved were uninjured, but it genuinely looked like their Dakar dream was now over. Car damaged, police and ambulance on the scene and a lot of admin to get through even reaching the start line. Patrick continued “We set about fixing the car having first made sure the other driver was comfortable and we were incredibly lucky that we have most of the components needed already stored on the car - but we had 2 hours to make the stage start and Tom had to go to the hospital for a blood test for alcohol. We managed to get the car to the stage start with just 30 seconds to spare, where I had to drive it over the start line whilst Tom got a police escort from the hospital to the start line!” They eventually started the stage at 1140, with a mere 313km of Dakar stage ahead of them, Tom and Patrick dug deeper that they even thought possible and made it to stage end by 830pm. However, they were unsure whether we were excluded or not until they attended a stewards’ enquiry; but the Dakar gods smiled again on them and they were still in the race, against all odds! After such a gruelling few days, all that stood between STMA and their prized Dakar finish was a 112km offroad section coupled with a very carefully driven 247km road section. The starting order was inverted which meant an early start coupled with a track

We ‘won a finish’

OUTDOORUAE

Saluting UAE style

which had not been trashed by over 100 vehicles going over it before them, meant it was a relatively smooth end to their first, hopefully of many, Dakar finishes. The mood at the finish was as expected, emotional, but with an underlying disbelief that above all they had ‘won our finish’, 47th car out of 130 starters. Patrick concludes “Going over the ramp that evening back in Lima was the realization of a lifelong dream, made into a reality by my mate Thomas E Bell. It was a testament to hard work, belief and an unmovable ‘never give up’ attitude to winning that finish. An experienced navigator afterwards described our adventure as three Dakars in one. We had condensed three Dakar’s worth of experiences into ten days of the most demanding of challenges. As tough as it was, we will be back for more! A massive thank you to all our sponsors whose support was crucial to winning a finish; BFGoodrich, Dragon Energy, Motul, Fuel Up, Lazer Lighting and OMP.” ■

2019 Kites PIVOT

FREERIDE/WAVE

SIZES 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14

SLASH

PURE WAVE/STRAPLESS

SIZES 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

DASH

FREESTYLE/FREERIDE

SIZES 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14

TORCH

PRO PERFORMANCE/FREESTYLE

SIZES 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14

BOXER

FREERIDE/FOILING

SIZES 3.5, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16

RIDE

ALL-AROUND FREERIDE

SIZES 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14

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EVENT REPORT

Desert Trail Backyard Ultra:

The Most Brutal Easy Race Words + Photos by: David O’Hara

When Mark Buley was training for UTMB by Oman last fall, he heard about the original Big’s Backyard Ultra in Tennessee, organized by Lazarus Lake of Barkley Marathons fame. Mark got the ok to replicate the Big’s Backyard Ultra here in UAE from Laz, who promised the winner a ‘golden ticket’ to the 2019 Big’s Backyard Ultra in the US. Mark got myracekit.com and Savills KSA to support the event in the Dubai desert at Al Qudra, where we could have a scenic daytime loop around the ponds and a nighttime loop parallel to the cycle track – plus the added bonus of readily available ‘facilities’. The DTBU Concept Every hour, everybody runs a 6.7km loop and continues until only one runner is left standing. The last runner must run the final loop alone to be declared the Winner, and everybody else is ‘DNF’. Desert Trail Backyard Ultra (DTBU) is a brutal concept, despite its simplicity. So simple On a cool Friday morning the week after the Dubai Marathon, 37 runners embark on a simple 6.7km run at Al Qudra and then wait at the start for the next loop on the hour. Most runners complete the 6.7km in 45-50 minutes, so they have to wait 10-15 minutes for the next loop. Everybody is self-sufficient, with their own nutrition and hydration, as well as lawn chairs for rest breaks.

37 runners started

Eventual winner Mark Haigney implementing his secret strategy

Strategy If you run slowly, you reduce your recovery time before the next loop. If you run quickly, you may rest more, but the excess energy expended may have a cost. When you do the math, this sounds like easy running. Many runners can run 6.7km under forty minutes and feel great afterwards. Aren’t you a little curious how many times you can run at a very comfortable pace slower than that? You just keep running and running, until you can’t. The final race distance is unknown and is determined when only one runner steps up to the line and runs the last loop, which is why the race is sometimes called “Last Man Standing”. The Course The easier the course, the tougher the race. If it is an easy 6.7km loop, then you may get lulled into a false sense of security about how easy the day will be. You do not get a prize for being first finisher each loop. You do not get pe-

Delegation from Abu Dhabi Striders

OUTDOORUAE

10 runners started Hour 11

Volunteers from Savills KSA

nalized for being the last finisher. Essentially at the start of each hour, everybody is tied for first place. You don’t need to run fast. You just need to be in the corral before the next time Mark Buley rings the Yak bell for the start of the next loop. The Runners Runners want to run, and serious runners want to do serious runs. Mark did a couple Facebook posts so word got around, and we had a bunch of ultrarunners from InnerFight, Abu Dhabi Striders, and Urban Ultra regulars as well as some random runners. 37 runners showed up at 06:00 with chairs, food and water. Gear The format of running a slow 6.7km loop and then sitting around waiting until the next loop starts is discombobulating. Your pace is different – you are not ‘racing’ anybody. You need to optimize your energy expenditure. There is no water station on the course, so you need to carry everything you want. You can enjoy all the food you want – as long as you packed it with you.

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Hour 3 with Stuart

Running The first loop starts in darkness, so we run out and back along the cycle track. It feels like a social gathering, where old acquaintances are chatting and others are introducing themselves. Everybody is doing some gear check, despite the early morning cold of 15C. It’s an easy loop that everybody finishes in 40-50 minutes. Hour 2 After sunrise and a short break, we start out on the daytime course. The daytime course takes us around the Al Qudra lakes, and the trail is well-marked with orange dots painted on rocks. Nonetheless the challenge is that the trail meanders between the ponds so the volunteers from Savills guide everybody along the correct route. The second loop takes most people 45-50 minutes to complete. At the break, we shed some layers of clothing, get some nutrition and water. Hours 3 – 11 The brutality of the concept becomes clearer with each hour. We run in small groups, with the typical casual chit chat of ultrarunners. We are all trying to reel in our inefficiencies

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Picnic with Ultrarunners between loops

so we can focus on the task at hand, while minimizing effort. With temperatures raising over 30C and the warm desert sun intensifying, we try to maintain the optimal pace and enjoy the birds at the Al Qudra lakes. I run with my buddy, Pornsak – with whom I ran Hajar and Cappadocia ultras last year. I am not surprised to see a lot of very strong runners ahead of me, but what is striking is seeing a couple of serious ultra guys consistently running slower than me. There was a guy wearing “Ireland Ultramarathon Club” kit who was holding back on most loops – pretty suspicious, and later I would learn why. My DNF My day effectively ended during Hour 6, when I really started to struggle. The format threw me off my game – I was enjoying food during the breaks, but I was not hydrating as I typically do. Oops. I was redlining it to make the hourly cutoff. When I started Hour 7, I was carrying my nutrition and Diet Coke through the start corral when Mark rang that Yak bell. I was doomed and missed the hourly cutoff by a minute. Pornsak keeps going and when he tries to tap out at Hour 9, his request is denied so he runs another couple hours – until he really cannot run any further. Night Loops Five runners make it through the day loops and return to the night track. Some show strength, while some attempt to hide weakness. To us observers, we try to separate the pretenders from the real deal. Is somebody running faster to make a pitstop? Is somebody runner slower for energy conservation? Is somebody pushing the pace to psyche others? They are silent and focused during the breaks and wait until after the one minute whistle to slog over to the start corral. At Hour 15, one runner drops – enough. At Hour 16, one runner has a back spasm – done. At Hour 17, one runner admits defeat – the other two are clearly too fresh.

Pornsak cruising

Rob Jones & Mark Haigney Rob ran UTMB by Oman in just over 36 hours, so I am not surprised to see him running strong at Hour 18. Mark Haigney is a 45 year old Irish ultrarunner visiting his sister in Abu Dhabi, and he decided to coordinate his visit to give himself a chance to win a golden ticket to the Big Backyard Ultra in Tennessee. I ran a couple early loops with

Anton ran 120km in 18 hours

Mark, and he had a strategic approach to DTBU. He was running suspiciously slowly to time his loops to finish just under the hour cutoff during the day. At night, Mark was in his element throwing down 45 minute loops to give him time for five minute naps before heading out for the next loop. 25 Hours and 168km later… Before starting Hour 20, Mark smiled and said everything is good. After Hour 24 and 161km, Rob went to the start corral, shook Mark’s hand and wished him well. And then there was one … in accordance to the rules, Mark Haigney completed the 25th loop to be declared the winner of the golden ticket and became Dubai’s Last Man Standing. ■ Mark Buley awarding the Golden Ticket to Mark Haigney

EVENT REPORT

Social Event for All Types of Runners

Harry enjoying his Dubai training run

Words by: David O’Hara Photos by: David O’Hara and ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon

Getaneh Molla of Ethiopia won the Dubai Marathon in 2:03:34 and took home the $100,000 first prize. While I do not personally know Mr. Molla, I take note that this is the second time he and I have raced together, and the second time he beat me and won lots of money. In February 2018, Mr. Molla and I both ran the Riyadh Half Marathon, where he took first place in 1:01:53, winning $267,000.

With John O and David T before the Dubai start

Six Degrees of Separation Mr. Molla got me thinking: who else ran the Dubai Marathon with me that I know from other events? In addition to my wife Olya who runs marathons and ultras with me, I counted another twenty runners that I frequently encounter running various events in the region from 5km to 100km. This list is not all-inclusive and includes only a random sampling of some of our common running events I have run with the people I saw at Dubai Marathon. Cruising with Sergei and Alex for 25km in Dubai

Alex D flying past for his PB in Dubai

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Finishing Dubai with Anton

Runners I saw at Dubai Marathon and have run other events with me • Alan Wayne (3:55) ran the Kalba Kickr • Matt Froment (3:55) finished UTMB by Oman in 34 hours. I was DNF! • Aleksei Davydov (3:56) ran Erbil Marathon 2015 • Matt Rushton (4:12) ran the Bahrain Marathon 2017, where I tripped and fell at 13km • David Thompson (4:26) ran Hajar, Mount Sana 60, and Night Rebel last year • Harry Goodson-Wickes (4:33) ran Wadi Bih 2016 during the hurricane. We also did the Bahrain Half Ironman together – but that doesn’t really count as ‘fun’ or a ‘run’. • Aleksei Kremlev (4:37) ran Moscow Marathon together and many, many others with me • Sergei Petrov (4:53) ran Istanbul Marathon • Louis Zsiv (4:55) ran UU Wadi Racer 2018 • Alexander Derevschikov (4:56) ran Abu Dhabi Marathon • Anton Kreventsov (4:56) ran Hatta Hills Half Marathon • Julie Johnstone (5:05) ran Big Stinker 2016 during the flood • Peter Jelinek (5:25) ran UTX50 • My sister Carolyn (10km finisher in Dubai) ran Paris Marathon 2018 with me • John Olomolehin ran Dubai Marathon 2016 and 2017 and Desert Road Run 10km. • Some Guy from Riyadh Marathon 2017 handed out oranges at 32km and called me out but I don’t remember his name unfortunately • Ella Valdez ran Hajar 100 • John Young the Wadi Bih organizer ran RAK Half Marathon last year • Brendan Moloney taking photos at 20km – ran Tropic of Cancer Ultra in 2016 • Servatius Palmans ran Al Qudra Ultra

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Olya, Alex and Anton in Abu Dhabi

This common thread of runners highlights the beauty of the Dubai Marathon and demonstrates the depth of the UAE running community. There are so many running events available in the region, from roads to desert to mountains, with all imaginable distances that everyone can find an event that suits them. Shout-out to inaugural Abu Dhabi Marathon Most cities in the Middle East now host

Brendan took this photo at 20km

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Sergei and Alexander in Abu Dhabi

major marathons. For example, in December Abu Dhabi held its inaugural marathon on a beautiful course along the water. Yes, it was great seeing Steve Smith (Wadi Bih, Hajar, UTMB by Oman) cheering runners on at the halfway mark in Abu Dhabi! You Can Run with Getaneh Molla and Me The new Abu Dhabi Marathon and established Dubai Marathon attract runners with many different goals. Some runners are trying to finish their first marathon or get

a qualifying time for Comrades or simply training for another event. On a personal level, no matter how much I train, there is no chance that I am gonna run as fast as Mr. Molla and win $367,000. Like most of you, I choose to maintain my amateur status and stick to running the Dubai Marathon for fun – whether it is for the camaraderie or thrill of finishing another marathon. Just look at the Dubai Marathon as a wonderful social event like a public picnic, but with less food and more sweat. ■

Olya, Alex D, Alex and Anton before the Abu Dhabi start

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EVENT REPORT

Perfect conditions and cheering crowds welcome Al Mouj Muscat Marathon runners

The eighth edition of the increasingly popular event got underway soon after dawn, the early morning light showing the way for thousands of athletes taking part in the full marathon, half-marathon, marathon relay and 10k races.

Flagged off by women’s world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe – an ambassador for the Al Mouj Muscat Marathon – the field took advantage of a windless day and a temperature of 20 degrees. The men’s marathon race was led by the largest number of elite long-distance athletes ever gathered in Oman, and at the finish it proved to be Kenya’s day with one of the pre-start favourites, Ronald Korir, winning in a time of 2 hours 13 minutes and 36 seconds. He finished ahead of his countryman John Langat (2:15:41) and Uganda’s Jackson Kiprop (2:15:43). “The race was good and a very good course – and I am happy with my time,” said a delighted Korir. “It is my first time at the Muscat Marathon and I will be back next year.”

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The women’s marathon was won by Ethiopia’s Gada Bontu in 2:36:04, a time quick enough to earn her a ninth place overall, ahead of Kenya’s Lucy Ndungu (2:42:07) and Asnakech Mengistu representing Ethiopia (2:43:03) third. “It was a good race for me and I am very happy – the course was flat so that is very good as well,” said Bontu. The half-marathon witnessed a neck and neck finish between Moroccan athletes Noaman Elassaoui and Bouazzaoui Abdelali, with Elassaoui taking victory by less than a second in 1:10:52. Iran’s Morteza Beiravand took third. The very popular 10k race – with more than 1700 athletes registered – saw local Omani runners show their form, taking the win and eight of the top-10 places. Victory went to Bilarab Al Hamhami in 34:29, ahead of Iran’s Mohammad Bagheritajamir with Omani runner Naser Al Kamashki taking the third spot on the podium. The women’s race won by Brazil’s Cristina Ferraz (47:33) with Kristin Westby second and Gerd Inger Brunborg third. Paula Radcliffe, who took part in the 10k race, enjoyed the running and supporting other women runners in the field. “It was a lot of fun though I probably went off a little bit quicker than I wanted to,” said Radcliffe. “I wanted to run in the middle of the pack and I was keen to go and bring the

first ladies in as it is great to see women’s running developing so well out here. “I know it is a big goal of the organisers and it’s something I like to see globally as more and more women are enjoying running and taking it up.” Meanwhile, the relay marathon event, which attracted a very strong entry of 70 teams, was won by a team from Oman’s Royal Guards ahead of entries from Oman’s Special Forces and air force. The two day festival of running continues on Saturday with the 5k Charity Fun Run – which has attracted over 2,000 participants – and the Kids’ Run with even more young runners set to take part. All those involved in the marathon and other running categories have been invited to register their interest for the 2020 Al Mouj Muscat Marathon via the event website at www.muscatmarathon.om/pre-register/ ■

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Ripe Markets The Ripe Market launched its outdoor season in Dubai with a bang in our very own brand-new, purposebuilt park on Umm Suqeim in the Dubai Police Academy! This season, our main focus is about bringing the community together to celebrate and support the incredibly talented local SME businesses that are flourishing in the region.

Our support can mean a lot to SME businesses to ensure their products and services are introduced and presented to as many customers as possible to help drive awareness. Previously we chose park locations for their beauty, space and functionality which so far has been well received by the residents and tourists who visit. That being said, it was time for us to develop a space that was a permanent home for all of these SME businesses. We have designed and built a new park that allows even more support for the SME businesses to develop and grow. Our new location is on Umm Suqeim Street inside the Dubai Police Academy. Our weekly markets run every Friday and Saturday here from 9am – 7pm and each week is filled with delicious artisans, homegrown live cooking concepts, locally grown organic produce, merchants and makers, artisans and designers selling everything from homeware, arts, jewelry, fashion, flowers, and more. We also have entertainment from local artists, activities for children, workshops for adults including flower making, yoga, mindfulness,

food photography and more. We have also partnered with a number of larger businesses who share a passion for a healthy lifestyle and supporting SME businesses and are joining forces with Ripe to help spread the word whilst offering the community something fun to do, these include Noon, Adventure HQ, Chevrolet Bolt EV, Careem, Just Play and Fixerman. Over the next few months our focus will be to drive the message to the community of the UAE to support local, whether it be your local farm shop or the local SME businesses who rely on the community to establish creativity culture and entrepreneurship. Every city is made up of SME businesses, but they can only survive if we support them, encourage them and appreciate them. They have incredible stories to tell and talents that need to be celebrated. RIPE ORGANIC – ALMOND BUTTER Nut butters have become all the rage recently, with several alternatives coming into the market instead of the regular peanut butter. There is such a wide variety available for people to try, it can be quite overwhelming as to which is the best to use and why. Across the board, nut butters are all a great source of healthy fat and protein,

CHOCOLATE COVERED BANANA ALMOND BUTTER BITES

REC IPE Ingredients • 3 bananas peeled and sliced into 1/2inch rounds • 1/4 cup almond butter • 1 cup cacao paste • sea salt flakes, chopped nuts, sprinkles - optional

Method: Arrange the banana slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Spread a thin layer of almond butter on half the slices and then top with the remaining banana slices. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator. Melt the cacao paste over low heat. Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and dip a banana “sandwich” into the chocolate until completely coated and place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all bananas are coated. Decorate with sea salt, chopped nuts or sprinkles, if desired. Return the baking sheet to the refrigerator to set for 30 minutes.

however it has been seen that Almond butter in particular, has higher protein levels and several antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to support your overall health. Almond butter is so versatile! If you have the time you can even try making your own! The only ingredient you need? Almonds! Simply place a cup of almonds into a food processor and keep It running until you see the almonds turn from an almond meal consistency into a thick butter consistency. You will need to keep scraping the sides of the food processor container to ensure you get it all! You can use it in overnight oats, in all kinds of baking and even in smoothies. Pick it up at your nearest Ripe store or order online! ■ We are excited to now offer same day delivery across Dubai! You can also find all our products and more at our farm shops across the emirate: Al Manara [Open seven days a week; Sunday – Saturday | 8am – 8pm] Town Centre Jumeirah [Open seven days a week; Sunday – Saturday | 10am – 10pm] Shoreline 8, Palm Jumeirah [Open seven days a week; Sunday – Saturday | 10am – 10pm]

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EVENT REPORT

The Camel Trek 700km through the desert of the UAE Words + Photos by: Denise Ostermann

The long-awaited day finally came to start our adventure through the desert. From today we, the eleven final participants from nine different nationalities, would spend the next 14 days riding through the UAE on the back of our camels.

The organizers have done a great job in the selection, finding people who would get along well on a challenge like that. Of course, each one of us also brought a great sacrifice to join this trip. We all left our families behind which made us grew together like one and made the whole experience even more enjoyable and intense! Everyone was taking care of each other and we were happy for each other. Our trek would take us from Ghayati through the UAE’s part of the Empty Quarter - Rub’ Al Khali in Arabic - all the way to Dubai. The Rub’ Al Khali is the world’s largest continuous sand desert covering 650.000 km2 of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen. The camels were already waiting for us while we were driven down by some SUVs to our start point. This would be the last time for the next two weeks that we had the luxury of sitting in a car with AC. I also decided to leave my phone at home in order to disconnect during this time. Full of excitement we started our first day of riding. Waking up very early in order to greet our camels and prepare them. This is now the test of how much we learned in the training and will determine our skills and comfort for the upcoming weeks. Some delicious and strengthening breakfast was awaiting us to get us all ready for the first of many days to come. The ride

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took us over some stunning dunes which we were not prepared for at all. Of course, I have been to Liwa many times and I know the immense dimensions of the dunes. I always wondered during the training how we would overcome them. Now we are here and actually mastering one after another. Nevertheless, this is just the beginning of what we would be expecting. With every dune it became easier and the fear of the indomitable would vanish. So, we kept on going through the dust and heat. We stopped a few times to adjust our ‘Shadads’ (Saddles) and after a few hours of riding we would stop for lunch. Some time to eat, relax and freshen up and the ride would continue for some more hours. The afternoon was always hard. Getting back after the downtime was difficult. But after a few days it would not make a difference anymore and we hopped on our camels as easy as is. What didn’t change every day was the excitement to see our camp in the afternoon and it boosted us with some energy for the last stretch. During the ride it stunned me how the wind has formed those dunes in all the different shapes and shades they unfolded in front of us. For a very long time we didn’t even see a piece of vegetation; so harsh is the desert in this area. At some point I was finding myself standing on the camel which we always saw our trainers doing. So proud of myself of this achievement that all the pain of riding was gone and kept me going.

Most of our days had the same routine: We wake up early morning, prepare our things, have breakfast, prepare our camels, ride 7-8 hours with a lunch break and when reach the camp we let our loyal friends drink and eat and remove the shadad so they can rest for the next day. A quick shower, dinner and some stories around the campfire before we take a good night’s sleep to be ready for the next day. Everything was very well organised. Our things were taken from one camp to the other, food was always prepared fresh!

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Normally we would spend our evenings talking about the day and looking at pictures. Sitting around the campfire and listening to some stories about the old days in the UAE or we would have a competition going on for entertainment. These evenings are proof that most of those things we have in our daily life are not even required to have a good time. To be honest I didn’t miss my phone at all. Being disconnected felt very liberating. And as I also didn’t bring a watch I learned how to read the time on the sun. It was only difficult in the mornings. It felt like time was passing slower than usual. Sometimes, while sitting in our majlis tent looking out into the night with a mesmerizing starsprinkled sky; with the bonfire in front of me -- it felt like a movie set. When I stepped out into the night, reality caught me that this was all tangible. Day after day was passing by, and we were getting back on our camels again and again. It was a real test for our stamina. Sometimes I was wondering from where we got the energy to continue. But every single time I asked myself this question I realized that this would not have been possible without the positive energy and spirit of our leader and CEO of the Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre, Abdulla Hamdan and the whole team accompanying us on this trip. He was the force and the drive for us to continue despite our pain and exhaustion. His incredible encouragement, his jokes and his support kept us in a great mood. It made us forget all the exertion, the struggle and the strain. We were happy to start a new day crossing the endless desert. Traversing the Empty Quarter, we were not only facing immense dunes but vast lake beds which used to be shallow lakes thousands of years ago. The lakes lasted only for a couple of years and left behind great plains of hardened calcium carbonate, gypsum, marl or clay. The diversity of subsoils

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we were passing through was impressive. I could not believe I would actually be here. Before the trip it all seemed so surreal and far away. And here I am in the middle of it! Slowly we were getting closer to civilization. From the endlessness of the dunes we were reaching a street where from time to time we saw some cars passing by. Curiously they were taking pictures of us. The closer we came to the city areas the more the traffic would come until we reached Al Wathba and we had to cross the highway. With police escorts, we mastered the first bridge and then the second. Gradually, not only us but also the camels got used to the traffic and noise. Spending already more than a week in absolute seclusion, we adapted to the tranquillity and peace which surrounded us. During the last two days, we met people at the Marmour heritage camp who asked us questions about our trip. It is not easy to sum it up in a few words. So much happened and so much to digest. We were all very emotional knowing that this is our last night together! The last day would be the final stretch from Al Qudra lakes along the cycling track

to Global Village. A great surprise came along the way when we were honoured by the visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai. He escorted us for some time talking to us in order to find out where we are from and how we are enjoying the experience. Finally reaching Global Village at sunset, we were welcomed by family and friends who celebrated this thrilling and magical experience. It was really hard for us to realize and understand that this was the end of the trip. Couple of days into normal life again and back in the office, I realized how this trip has changed me. How my perspective towards a lot of things has become completely different. It gave us extensive insight into life before the oil boom in this country we call our home. There are only a few people who have done this kind of trip in the past couple of years. It makes me extremely proud and thankful for the opportunity we got from Abdulla Hamdan and the entire team at the Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre. ■

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ACTIVITY REPORT

Words by: Nico de Corato Photos by: DubaiBlog

After his trip across Italy sponsored by the FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano) from Livigno (north of Italy) up to Agrigento (extreme south), Vittorio Brumotti amazes us again. Based on his previous touring experience, he decided to travel across the UAE: Not a race, but a lifetime experience, sponsored by Eicma (the Milan Motorcycle Shows) and Banca Intesa San Paolo. Beside anticipating the path of the UAE Tour 2019 – the third race of the UCI World Tour, this trip aims to create and promote a naturalistic and cultural itinerary on two wheels, crossing the entire country from south to north. Brumotti will take his touring bike on a route throughout the country. Vittorio Brumotti will start from Al Hudayriat Island (Abu Dhabi) on February 6th and will lead his tour from the west coast to the east. The trip is expected to end after seven days. The entire experience will be broadcasted by Dubai Sports TV and, on Brumotti’s social media channels; so anyone will be able to watch the seven stages of his journey. Brumotti will ride on a gravel bike, an exclusive customized bicycle prepared just for this tour. The gravel bikes can be ridden almost anywhere. Adventure-ready features like disc brakes, additional clearance for wider tires, and comfortable geometry let these bikes adapt to

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everything from rugged terrain to winter exploration. These bikes are for the days when you’re not sure where the journey will take you, but need a bike that you know will get you there. But together with the main bike, he will have a second bike in the support car with the same geometry but a different setup, used for his tricks. Cause - let’s not forget - he’s mainly a freestyle stunt biker “Ciao, salam aleykum” says Vittorio Brumotti in an interview before the start of the race. “I’m very happy to be here in UAE, my second home, to replicate the adventure I have done in Italy. I can’t wait to deeply explore all the hidden spots of the UAE”. But who is Vittorio Brumotti? Born in Finale Ligure (Italy) and now living in Dubai (UAE), Brumotti is a renowned figure from an Italian television program and, above all, a bike trial

champion who is also a very talented stunt rider. When he’s not attending bike events, Vittorio Brumotti is engaged in his bike riding activities on either a trial bike or Freestyle Road bike to promote this spectacular sport in the world. He is also the incredible holder of 10 Guinness World Records. In October 2012, Brumotti climbed the Burj Khalifa (the tallest Dubai skyscraper in the world at 829.8 meters) on a bicycle in two hours and 20 minutes, climbing 3,700 steps. Well done Vittorio! Keep on cycling. ■

The inaugural UAE Tour is the result of a merger between the Abu Dhabi Tour and the Dubai Tour, and it will continue to be a UCI World Tour race into 2019.The six day race will kick off on Monday, February 25 and finish in Dubai on Saturday, March 2. The Dubai Tour has always been an event populated predominantly by sprinters, and was won by Elia Viviani in 2018. Comparatively, the Abu Dhabi Tour was more for the climbers, thanks to the pivotal climb of the 10.8 kilometre Jebel Hafeet. In 2018, it was Alejandro Valverde who scooped up the win.

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TRAVEL & ADVENTURE

Island hopping in Thailand Words + Photos by: Bandana Jain

Aquamarine ocean views fringed by coconut palms with an occasional boat on the horizon and the sweet alarm of cuckoo birds. Can ideal escapes get any better? Bandana Jain tours this southeastern delight to discover its majestic coastline, gorgeous resorts and a holiday like none other.

Thailand has been a potent candidate for finest holiday destinations in Asia. Statistics prove that catching sight of the sea is a major stressbuster. With hundreds of dreamy tropical islands scattered along its extensive coastline, each one offers a tantalizing composition of turquoise water, serene beaches and a scintillating nightlife. It is a stunning amalgam of excellent year-round climate, easy on budget and diverse things to-do lists, not to forget its amazing cuisine. With gorgeous skylines, it could do very well by the name ‘the land of magical sunrises and sunsets.’ For me, I wanted more time to explore the country and its huge archipelago in a much -detailed manner. And here, I embarked on

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a ten- day travel to this pearl of the south east, hoping to catch some of its wonders. Though there’s a lot yet to be explored in this magnificent country, I was happy that I could make it to at least some of its major hotspots. Bangkok Before I actually landed in Bangkok, I envisaged it as a crazy city popular as a shoppers’ delight. But my misconception soon dissolved as I discovered it to be a city with relaxed vibes, flooded with history, culture and of course famed for its ultra-reasonable shopping avenues. The most spectacular jewel in Bangkok’s tour list, was the Grand Palace which was an artistic and historical delight by itself. A stunning compound replete with a cornucopia of buildings in ornate décor, each one looking stupendously beautiful. Once lived in by the kings, it features courtyards of countless aweinspiring examples of exquisite royal architecture through the millennia. The statue of Emerald Buddha was another

stunner of sorts. Located inside the grounds of the Grand Palace, Thailand’s most valued temple features the magnificent Emerald Buddha that dates back to the 14th century. I was spellbound by the intricate work, both of the Emerald Buddha statue as well as the other buildings in the campus. Close to the premises of the Grand Palace, lies the Reclining Buddha, another unmissable attraction with a gold plated, 46-metre supine statue of Lord Buddha. The Reclining Buddha (or Wat Pho, as it is locally called) represents the entry into complete spiritual enlightenment ending all worldly reincarnations. Towards the evening, we headed to the Chatuchak market and the Premiere mall and shopped to our hearts content! The next morning, we took a one-and-ahalf-hour flight to Koh Samui, followed by a half hour catamaran trip that led us to our second destination of a pristine paradise called Koh Phangan. Another twenty minutes drive and we were dropped off at our island home in Koh Phangan villas.

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Koh Phangan Easily accessible, well developed and dramatically beautiful, Koh Phangan is great for party-goers, beach bums and active adventurers in equal measure. Chilling out at Koh Phangan villas for four days was like taking a step back in time. Developed like a typical rainforest, it took me aback by its stunning greenery and well-structured foliage -- each villa encompassed by trees, orchids, palms and a myriad of exotic plants. And all this on the sidelines of the emerald sea with waves weaving their magical charm. Birds were frequent visitors to our balcony and rising up to the alarm of cuckoos was like living in a unique tropical paradise, miles away from the din of the citylife. Agreed, we did have Wi-Fi access, but the beauty of the place left you so mesmerized that getting connected to the virtual world seemed such a trivial thing to do. Bedside sea views, coconut trees looming over crispy white sands and myself gazing over these marvels of nature from the precincts of my villa balcony - I was completely taken aback by the beauty of the place. Lazing by the beach, watching the mighty waves crash on the shore, variety of watersports like kayaking, snorkeling, stand up paddling and swimming kept us busy. In the evenings, we trotted outside the hotel to a take a bite in some of the shacks selling authentic Pad Thai noodles, crepes, rotis, papaya salad and pancakes with Nutella sauce. For a person like me, experiential hospitality means a lot. Amongst many such experiences from a Thai tropical holiday was breakfast by the beach and it was outstanding. The villas are designed in a way that dining areas are located in close proximity

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to the beach. Feeling the silken smooth sand below my feet coupled with soothing jade sea views with the meals is a memory well cherished. Anantara resorts hospitality left us spell bound. This lavishly priced resort welcomed us by a tray of fresh guava and langan (a hybrid of lychee and rambutan), packets of raw banana chips, bottles of gin, wine and rum was complimentary. However, we being teetotalers requested for a change and fresh watermelon juice was served instead. A plunge pool awaited in the balcony with sun beds and dining chairs. I could spend my entire day here watching the playful waves hit the shores. Lush green settings, fountains, hammocks, swings served with a dash of privacy. A well-stocked library awaited us with loads of reading material and immaculately furnished reading spaces and refreshments. Pots of water with ladles at the bottom of the staircase at the base of the villas to wash off sandy feet was another unique facility. One might think, how can one survive in such a place for four good days. Even I thought so and was questioning my own decision to book such a place. But in retrospect, the magnitude of regalement and invigoration was beyond contemplation. It was the perfect place to recharge my heart, mind and soul! Back at Koh Samui airport, I have a piece of advice. Please explore the airport well. Its no less than a paradise and should be explored like any other landmark. In fact, I can happily rate it as the most beautiful airport I have ever visited. Near the departure gates, well-manicured lawns with blooms in full flourish greeted us. It is one of the airports where birds roam around freely in a partly enclosed lounge. Instead of the usual enclosed shopping outlets, there was an outdoor space flanked by shops and cafes on either side with benches, and flower beds in the centre. Phuket A forty-five minutes flight from Koh Samui took us to Phuket, the largest island in the country and a favourite slice of holiday paradise. The sight of Phuket’s sparkling waters and the tiny specks of islands as seen from the aircraft were enough to put us into an instant holiday mode, albeit of a different type. With its sheer size, Phuket offers potential itineraries as long and humongous as its myriad coastlines. One can find their own pace, be it active or tranquil for a memorable Phuket holiday. If it’s the action that you are after, the entire island with its magnificent frontier becomes an extravagant setting. A cycling tour outside our hotel -- Thai Angsana Laguna was a worthwhile trip. Cycling on the waterfront and meandering around the city’s exotic resorts was fun. Enclosed by at least thirty gorgeous beaches, it is said that there is ideally a beach for every mood in Phuket. It’s not only the beaches that appeal, but also the surrounding archipelago that astounds. Easily accessible by a catamaran or a speedboat, islands like Koh Phi Phi and James Bond

mesmerize with their golden sand beaches. Characteristic to the Phang Nga Bay are the sheer limestone karsts vertically jutting out of the emerald green waters. This idyllic beach comprises of 100-metre-high cliffs on all three sides. Phuket’s enchantment spreads much beyond its turquoise waters, through its wondrous old town buildings or the Wat Chalong for its religious and architectural relevance. The 45-metre tall whitewashed masterpiece statue called Big Buddha is definitely a much-admired cultural destination. The 6km long drive up to the statue gives a peek into the authentic side of Phuket. The culturally rich and charming old Phuket town has its own unique personality. The Sino-colonial mansions, old world shops, charming cafes are worth exploring and time should be set aside for the same. The night market at Thalang Road was a riot in shopping with bargains in clothes, food, footwear, jewellery and souvenirs. With every trip Thailand shows you enough to be satisfied, yet leaves a craving to return for more! Surely, I do want to return to explore more of its tranquil beauty, enjoy its raucous nightlife, relax in its pricey resorts and chill on its magnificent coastlines. And not to forget, shop till I drop! ■

Bandana Jain is a lifestyle journalist based in Dubai and can be contacted at: Facebook: Bandana Jain Instagram: @dubaitrivia Linkedin: Bandana Jain Twitter: @Bandanajain3

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NOT SO FUN TIMES IN AZERBAIJAN Words + Photos by: Allen Kenneth Schaidle, whose adventures are supported by SoiLL & Static Climbing

The quest to discover unclimbed boulders has led me to zigzag through the minefields of Iraqi Kurdistan, endure political turbulence in Lesotho, and negotiate my way out of jail time in Sikkim. Despite these normal or perhaps abnormal burdens accompanying my climbing expeditions, I’ve always managed to return home with a lengthy list of first ascents. But sometimes, you learn this isn’t always the case… A couple of months back, a friend showed me photos of some boulders they had seen in the countryside of Azerbaijan while there with an NGO and said, despite the country’s history of alpinism, bouldering was relatively undeveloped. Soon after, I packed my bags and purchased two plane tickets for my wife and I to Baku. Azerbaijan is a relatively young country having only achieved independence after the fall of the Soviet Union and, similar to its neighbours, its history (and perhaps its future) is one of conflict. Conquered by almost all the empires of old, traces of Turkish, Persian, Russian, Mongolian, and Zoroastrian rule still linger. The country’s newfound oil and gas re-

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serves in the Caspian Sea have brought riches and stability to the country’s capital, Baku, but in the peripheries, you find a country tearing at its seams, only worsened by Azerbaijan’s ongoing border skirmishes with Armenia. After landing in Baku, we drove north to the remote mountain village of Laza, nestled among the Eastern ridges of the Caucasus Mountains traversing the Russian border. This is when the first wave of frustrations came crashing down. We found ourselves bedridden due to unexpected rains and food poisoning. Not wanting to throw in the towel, we spent our time navigating the narrow, muddy mountain roads pinpointing boulders to try later. Unfortunately, we couldn’t shake our colds and the boulders weren’t drying fast enough. We packed our gear and drove west toward the Zaqatala region, which resides in a corridor of Azerbaijan encircled by Georgia and Russia. Our colds lingered and further troubles followed with my wife and I both sustaining injuries, rendering us pretty much out of peak climbing performance. After a week of thunderstorms, colds, injuries, and camera malfunctions in the country’s north, we tried our luck driving south in hopes of better weather, energy, and boulders. I had heard

from a climber in Azerbaijan that one of the best boulder fields they had ever seen was located near the town of Gobustan. With our shattered spirits, we drove south. The skies cleared, the warm sea air depleted our congestions, and our motivation replenished. We rolled up to the boulders and started investigating. Undoubtedly, my hands felt some of the best rock I have ever touched. Just as we unclipped our crash pads and chalked up, a park attendant stopped us. The park had recently been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and while climbing was tolerated in the past, it was no longer permitted. We were told to move along. And that was that. Our flight was the next morning. After all of our invested time and money, very little bouldering occurred. Our trip summarized into more road security checks, colds, injuries, and camera problems than first ascents. As my wife does, she found the positives. We learned about a new culture and country, made some local friends, spent time outside, and made memories. I suppose, the experience represents climbing as a whole—sometimes you try your hardest and still return home empty-handed. What I learned is to not always anticipate the first ascents I’ll claim or the stories I’ll write before they’ve even occurred. Rather, I’ll just go climbing and to let whatever happens, happen. ■

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Pedal Power - Charity bike ride UK to India

Words + Photos by: Joe Andrews & Verity Ellis

In August 2018, we found ourselves cycling away from friends and family in the UK and into the unknown.

The idea of an extended cycle trip had been in our minds for a while. We just weren’t quite ready to slide into adulthood and hankered after time outside our comfort zones. So, when Joe was offered a year sabbatical it seemed now was the time to make the dream a reality. It was also a great opportunity to raise funds for Magic Bus, an education and gender equality charity based in India, and so the plan emerged to cycle from our home in the UK to the Magic Bus headquarters in Mumbai. We devoted evenings to reading blogs and articles on kit, routes and cycle-touring tips. Whilst we had done some smaller bike-packing trips previously, a multi-country, multi-season, multi-month expedition was a whole different undertaking! Our journey began by crossing Europe: the ideal environment for us to ease into our new routine. We followed established EuroVelo cycle paths which took us through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia. For the latter part of this section we were following the Danube, from a small river to a wide stretch of water. As we grew in confidence and settled into life on the road, we decided to leave the welltrodden paths and take a detour to explore southern Romania and Bulgaria. This allowed us to see a different, less familiar, side to Europe, preparing us for what lay ahead. The next chapter saw us cycle into a new continent as we passed through Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. With epic scenery, delicious food and a favourable exchange rate, we particularly enjoyed our time in Turkey. The landscape included bustling cities like Istanbul

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and Tbilisi, to peaceful salt flats, volcanoes and mountains, and it was hard to not stop at every turn to take photos. Due to visa issues for UK citizens, we had to fly over Iran and spent the plane ride peering out of the windows and hope one day to return to cycle this section. Arriving in the UAE, it felt like another phase of the adventure had begun. We enjoyed a few days resting and planning for time in deserts and Omani mountains whilst our bikes were rebuilt and serviced at Cycle Hub Dubai. We even had time to watch the race to Dubai Golf! We presumed cycling in the UAE was going to be scary, what with busy five-lane highways as the default road. However, the Al Qudra cycle lane proved the perfect getaway towards quieter roads with a wide hard shoulder for us to use. With our e-visa already in hand, it was a relatively straightforward crossing and we were soon into country number 16. We spent just shy of a month in Oman and absolutely loved it. The people were gentle, friendly and genuinely curious as to how we were finding cycling in their country. We were given bottles of water by passing cars, welcomed into houses to eat with local families and generally felt welcomed by everyone. The food was simple yet delicious (grilled spiced meat on rice, and more curry the further south we travelled). We also learnt to enjoy sitting on the floor and eat without cutlery (although we were given the occasional spoon out of sympathy!). The weather was seriously hot but we found spots of shade and every mosque and the occasional house had publicly accessible chilled and filtered drinking water. At the end of every night, we pulled over when we felt the time was right and set up camp. Wild camping is legal and wherever we ended up we got to witness brilliant sunsets,

moonrise and often sunrise too. We even got to meet a few camels as we cooked dinner! We headed towards Jabal Shams, the “Grand Canyon of Oman”. It was ridiculously steep and luckily, we managed to hitchhike a lift up the final section to the top in the back of a ute with bales of hay. The views were breath-taking and shows the diversity of the geography that Oman can offer. We camped right on the edge of the abyss and the following day spent four hours trekking along a tiny track down into the canyon and back again in the heat. We managed the descent on our bikes. Although the majority was on tarmac, enough was on a rough dusty track to make life difficult. Add to that some serious uphill (despite it being the way down) and the ludicrous gradient, it took us all afternoon and our brakes were scorching by the bottom. From the mountains we headed towards Al Hamra and Izki. Highlights included the old fort and souk in Nizwa and joining locals bathe in the falaj at Birkat al Mawz, where we were relieved to jump into the warm flowing water at the end of a hot sweaty day.

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After eight nights wild camping, we found ourselves in Muscat and had a couple of restful days off the bikes. We visited the breathtakingly serene Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque with its intricate carving and huge crystal chandelier. We then turned down the coast towards Sur, a beautiful seaside town. Along the way we camped on the beach every night and stopped to visit (and swim in) the cool clear waters of Wadi Shab and the Bimmah sinkhole. Wadi Shab was particularly fun - swimming through the narrow passages to reach hidden caves. The next spot to mention is Ras Al Hadd, the most easterly tip of Oman. This area is known for its turtles, as thousands come ashore to lay eggs over the summer. Despite it being at the end of the season, one evening we came across a large turtle on the beach. We were really moved by how human she was, from her dark twinkly eyes to the heavy breathing as she struggled to get back across the sand to the sea. We were lucky enough to be hosted by Turtle Beach Resort for one night. Having wild camped for a number of nights in a row, a shower was very welcome to clean our salty, sticky and, sandy skin! We are very grateful to the staff for letting us stay and providing us with delicious food and some luxury. We then continued further south and into

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Wahiba Sands, an area of desert with very little else, apart from the odd wild camel. The dunes were shades of red and beige which stretched as far as the eye could see. We had days where we didn’t pass any shops, so had to carry enough food and water supplies to keep us going. Our most southerly point in Oman was Masirah Island - an hour and half boat ride from the coast. Whilst there is a scheduled ferry, we were able to hitch a ride for free on a small boat with some locals that simply went when enough cars had been squished in like a Tetris game. We took 3 days to circumnavigate the island - taking the single road following the coast. Once we left the little town where the boats docked, we hardly saw any people at all. We camped on the beach every night, falling asleep under the stars and listening to the gentle knocking of hermit crabs. We rationed well, our food and water supplies kept us going until we found ourselves back at the dock to get a boat back to the mainland. It was a very special, peaceful time with multiple dips in the sea each day and pedalling with sandy feet. At night you couldn’t tell where the horizon was - the many stars merged into a sea full of sparkly plankton. The only downside was the amount of plastic we came across on the beaches. A short 10 minute clear up produced a huge pile of bottles, rice sacks and buckets.

In researching Masirah, we came across a news article about a bus which had been launched between the mainland ferry dock and Muscat, in a bid to raise visitors. When talking to the bus office in Muscat, we had been promised this bus was big enough to take our bikes. Sure enough, a coach appeared and we had a very easy ride with only a handful of other passengers. We then had a couple of days back in Muscat, exploring the old part of the city and packing the bikes ready for the next chapter: India! Even though a cycle tourist may look vulnerable, with literally all possessions on show, we have been overwhelmed with the many acts of kindness we have experienced. From handfuls of fruit and nuts at the side of the road, to being welcomed in to a stranger’s home for the night. It is this interaction with local people that makes travelling by bike very special - the slow speed and the need for regular snack breaks means you have time to see parts of countries that you may not otherwise seek out. For anyone considering their own cycle adventure: go for it! The hardest part is overcoming “analysis paralysis” and taking those first pushes on the pedals away from home. ■ We would be happy to answer any questions about our adventure or cycle touring in general. You can read our blog and contact us at www.byjovebybike.co.uk and Instagram @byjovebybike.

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BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA:

The Hidden Gem of the Balkan Region Words by: Rasmus Ovesen Photos by: Rasmus Ovesen, Ado Admir Jeginovic, Tommy Josefsen

Croatia, and perhaps especially, Slovenia, have long since gained a reputation for being prime fly fishing destinations. Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the other hand, is still rather undiscovered – at least by the international fly fishing community. Bosnia and Herzegovina has only just recently started showing up on the mainstream fly fishing radar. Too long in the haunting shadow of the Yugoslav Wars, the numerous pristine rivers in the sparsely populated country have gone largely unnoticed by the international fly fishing community. Rivers such as Una, Pliva, Sana, Neretva and Ribnik are destined, however, to become part of the vocabulary of traveling fly fishing. Not only are their cold, nutrient-rich and well-oxygenated waters teeming with fish, they’re also among the most strikingly beautiful in all of Europe – being, as they are, meanderingly carved into one of Europe’s most monumental and mountainous reaches. Admitted, there might be fisheries management issues to be solved in the years to come regarding fishing pressure, stocking practices and habitat protection. But there is no doubt, Bosnia and Herzegovina deserves a spot in the limelight. After all, there aren’t many places in the world with such a richness of endemic trout and salmonid species – species like the Danubian salmon, Adriatic grayling, brown trout, marble trout and softmouth trout. And there aren’t many places in the world with such a richness of unique rivers – karst and chalk rivers that spring from the ground and form watersheds with a seemingly neverending succession of waterfalls, canyons and emerald green pools. During a visit in September 2018, I got to experience some of the fishing Bosnia and Herzegovina has to offer with a group of close

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friends. Using the newly built and extremely ambient Hotel Kraljevac on the Sana River near Kljuc as a starting point, our skilful and engaged guides - led by Bosnia’s most renowned fly fisherman, Ado-Admir Jeginovic, showed us some of the gems in the region. First up was Sanica, a tributary to the Sana. In this small, meandering river that pours downstream through a rich culture landscape draped by overhanging trees, we got our first taste of what fly fishing in Bosnia and Herzegovina is all about. There were plenty of fish. We could see them in the clear water along all the gravelly depressions in the river bed. They were mostly grayling with a few bright red-spotted brown trout thrown into the mix. And they were feeding too; eagerly and consistently – both on and below the surface. Catching

them, however, proved an entirely different matter. Throughout the day, we continued to revise and refine our presentation. The flies kept getting smaller, the tippets thinner and thinner. Once we got to hook sizes in the midtwenties and started fishing downstream with 8X tippets and short but controlled drifts, the fish finally came to our flies. But they would, inadvertently, switch to feeding on different insects or different hatching stages, once we thought we had everything figured out. It was challenging and, at times, downright frustrating but each hard-fighting fish was fulfilling and provided us with a heart-warming sense of achievement. They were beautifully coloured, well-nourished and predominantly big: from 40cm and well into the 50s. The Una was a beautiful sight. The upper stretches of the river, which are managed on a strict catch and release basis, kept us busy for a full day. Here, in the midst of the most beautiful tree-clad mountain terrain, there were plenty of aggressively feeding rainbow trout in varying sizes. Some of them, at one point, had obviously switched from snatching miniscule flies off the surface to preying on other fish and, in the process, they’d grown to stupendous sizes. Casting to these fish became somewhat of an obsession for some of the people in our group, but – despite a few short hookups, we never managed to land one. Our guide, Ado-Admir Jeginovic, knew the drill, however. And only a few days after returning from Bosnia and Herzegovina, he sent us pictures of a 14kg+ rainbow trout that he had just caught in one of the top pools on the river. We also spotted a few absolutely massive wild brown trout in the river. They would materialize as big, looming shadows in some of the deeper pools and they sent shivers of disbelief down our spines. Our guides had several spectacular stories to tell about brown trout in excess of 1m being caught in the river. Having lots of easy proteins in the shape of stocked rainbow trout to feast on, these fish weren’t easy to lure, though. And hooking one, obviously, wasn’t the same as landing one either…

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The Ribnik is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most famous rivers. It’s short and sweet. Only about 5 kilometres in length, shallow and full of gravel and vegetation – and, not least, fish. Grayling are the predominant species in the river, and they are abundantly distributed throughout the whole length of the river. Native brown trout are also present in good numbers, and at the very source of the river, specimens in excess of 8 kilos can be found. We enjoyed a beautiful sunny day on the river and had lots of time to single out some of the biggest grayling and cast to the pods of brown trout that were holding in the deeper pools. The hatches were prolific and by the end of the day, we had all gone through our fly boxes back-to-back several times. During midday, the fish were rising steadily on hatching midges and blue duns. Presentation was key, however, and even the best of imitations was cold-bloodedly studied and cynically rejected if the drift wasn’t just right. Once again, we found ourselves fishing #22-28 CDC emergers, ants and mayflies painstakingly tied onto 8X tippets. But with such an incredible concentration of fish to be spotted, we managed to hook up with and land a good number of solid grayling up to 55cm – and, not least, a handful of handsome brown trout. Three fishing days are too few, when visiting a place like Bosnia and Herzegovina. But it was all the time we had. Had there been more time, we would probably have

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ventured onto the Sana in search for big grayling and brown trout – and we would have spent the wee hours of the day searching for its massive hucho hucho; the elusive Danubian salmon, which grows to more than 25 kilos. A few of the guys would no doubt have spent some more time targeting the big trout on the Una and upper reaches of the Ribnik – and some might have spun off to the Pliva; another scenic river in the area that provides technical sight-fishing for trophy grayling and brown trout. There’s certainly enough exciting fishing left to provide a convincing argument for returning. And we need not think twice about recommending anyone, who’s fascinated by sight-fishing for trout and grayling, to pay a visit to the Kljuc area and its mesmerizingly beautiful rivers. Fact File – Fishing in Bosnia There are several endemic fish species in Bosnia – including hucho, softmouth trout and marble trout. In addition, there are grayling, brown trout and stocked rainbow trout. Given the extremely rich biotopes in the region, the fish grow to immense sizes – and trout in excess of 10 kilos are caught on a yearly basis. They are found in rivers across the country, and some of the most famous ones are Ribnik, Pliva, Una, and Sana to the North and the Neretva, Drina, Buna and Trebizat to the South. Most rivers are managed by local fishing clubs, and fishing licenses need to be obtained locally prior to fishing. A local guide is recommended, as the fishing can be rather challenging at times. For more information, please refer to: http:// www.flyfishing-bosnia.com Fact File – Logistics Bosnia and Herzegovina is pretty well-connected with the rest of Europe. One can fly to Sarajevo, the capital city, but depending on, which rivers you intend to fish, it might be better to consider a flight to Split in Croatia. Flights to Split are convenient and cheap, and rivers such as the Ribnik, Una,

Pliva and Sana are within comfortable driving range. If you choose to fly to Split, we can recommend the rental car service, Uni Rent, which is conveniently situated at the airport: http://www.uni-rent.net (Their staff happen to be fly fishermen). Bosnia and Herzegovina is a relatively small country of some 51,129 km2, but it’s very mountainous, and there aren’t many major highways. As a result, it takes about 4 – 6 hours to get from the rivers in the northern parts of the country to those in the south. Fact File – Hotel Kraljevac Situated on the banks of the famous Sana River, Hotel Kraljevac caters to the needs of visiting fly fishermen with spacious, balconyfitted riverside rooms, locker rooms for wading gear, a fly shop and its very own team of fly fishing guides. The hotel is a mere five minutes away from the city of Kljuc, which is situated in the Northern corner of Bosnia – in the Bosnian Federation-part of the country. It was built in 2017 on the banks next to the best hucho pool on the River Sana, and as a result, it is not only a good starting point for targeting Sana’s many grayling and brown trout but also its massive hucho hucho. Rivers such as the Ribnik, Sanica, Una and Unac are all within relatively short reach – and the guides at the hotel are always fully updated on the conditions at the individual rivers in the area. ■

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Words + Photos by: Fahd Abu Aisha

At our base camp with the golden-domed mosque, a breakfast of eggs and salad was prepared, followed by some quick organization of our gear. Within the hour we were ready to begin our trek up to the Bargah Sevom refuge sitting at 4,200m.

This was the last hurdle on the Southern Route on the mountain before pushing for the summit of Damavand – the highest volcano in Asia and the 12th most prominent peak in the world. I was a little concerned that the last time I had camped or slept at that extreme level of altitude for a prolonged period of time was on Kilimanjaro 3 years ago. I had summited Khuiten in Mongolia and Toubkal in Morocco in the past year but I stayed briefly at their summits of 4,400m to quickly pose for some pictures and then headed back down almost immediately. At the summit of Tochal (a mountain I had summited a few days ago in Tehran to adjust to the high altitudes and acclimatize), I felt slightly icky and nauseous at the top (3,900m) although that feeing dissipated quite quickly as soon as I ate lunch. Thankfully, there were no lingering effects from that climb and I was hopeful I had acclimatized at that altitude and would not suffer whilst resting in the night at the shelter. We packed our larger duffle bags with all the equipment and clothing we didn’t need, and loaded them onto the mules to take them up to the refuge. I left my camera in there and didn’t use it for the remainder of the trip as soon as I discovered I had a portrait mode on my iPhone 7. My backpack became significantly lighter and it made the hiking much more comfortable. We started our walk at about 7:30am. I asked my guide Mohamed why we

had to leave so early given that the walk would not take more than 5 hours. Arriving early would mean I would have nothing to do for the rest of the day. He told me there were two reasons; the first was that we needed to secure a bed for me in the shelter instead of setting up a tent to sleep outside, which I wholeheartedly agreed with (in hindsight I would have wholeheartedly disagreed – a lot more on that a little later) and secondly, my body would have more time to adjust to the altitude, which was also a valid point. And with that, we began on our way walking at a very slow pace, literally trudging along like snails. Mohamed said he wanted me to conserve as much energy as possible to be fit and ready for the summit climb the next day. I wasn’t complaining because the longer we were walking the less time I would be spending in the shelter twiddling my thumbs. Slowly we ascended. My nose was starting to get irritated by the remnants of pollen from the famous poppy fields that engulfed our camp. As we climbed higher, the abundance of flowers and grassy hills lessened, replaced instead with cold wet rocks and some patches of ice scattered around us. The cold wind was a welcome relief as the sun was sweltering. I tried covering up my neck with my bandana but I didn’t notice a small patch of my skin on my neck was still exposed; the bandana folded from the back and wasn’t pulled all the way down. I only noticed the excruciatingly painful burn while waiting for lunch to be served in the shelter while doing what I was in morbid terror of doing since the beginning of the day: twiddling my thumbs. The air was clearly becoming thinner as my breathing became more ragged but it was still very manageable. It had only taken us 4 hours to walk up to the shelter. We had made very good time; too good for my liking. It was only 12pm and we had another 8 or 9 hours to go before I would start to feel tired enough to get some rest. Mohamed was going to try and guarantee

us a private room because sleeping in the main dormitories was a little intense. There were two floors in the complex made out of cold grey stone. The bottom floor was the main hall where the climbers would come to relax, socialize and eat their meals. The kitchen could be accessed through a side door in the farright corner of the room. The main dorms were on the floor above; essentially another large hall with about 50 bunk beds lining the walls. I already knew I was going to have a rough night because I was a very light sleeper. All it took was a little whisper or snore to prevent me from drifting off. I still decided to sleep in the dormitories instead of outside the shelter, where there was an army of colourful tents assembled. At the time I preferred to be warm and endure the noise. How I would come to regret that choice. The Sun was still blazing outside but it was considerably cooler and darker inside the shelter. I changed into warmer gear (thermals and two layers of jackets) and tried to keep warm but I was still shivering so I sat in the kitchen with all the propane flames and cooking oils making the room comfortably warm. Like the shelter on Tochal, climbers were not allowed to stay in there. They could only come in to request drinks or food. Again, my favourite social butterfly Mohamed knew all the employees quite well, so I got the VIP treatment. I was confident he would be able to secure a private room for me in the lower level of the shelter. Later I went looking for the bathroom. Outside behind the building and down a few pretty steep steps, followed by a small but slippery trail of rock and sand led me into a miniscule hut comprised of three stinky cubicles. My bladder gulped. Going to the toilet at night was going to be a problem I foresaw with dread. The idleness of just sitting around made me drowsy and I must have dozed off at some point as Mohamed woke me up to serve me lunch. As I groggily opened my eyes and wiped the drool off my face, the mighty Iranian climber Babek strode into the hall, throwing his bag down and adjusting his gear, his chest bursting out, brimming with a sensational aura. This celebrity mountaineering psycho had literally just made it to the top of Damavand (starting from the Federation Camp) and down to the shelter in about 7 hours, and he was still intending to go all the way back down today. He skipped into the kitchen to restock on some supplies, before throwing his bag on his shoulders again and marching out of the shelter to head back down to civilization. Everyone in the hall, including myself, was left

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I finished my meal and noticed I was starting to get cold again. A mild headache was also developing, which I blamed on the racket all the climbers were making in the hall, hoping it would subside when their mewling did. As time wore on though, the pain seemed to be getting worse. It was at that point I realized the altitude sickness demons were coming out to play. My nerves started to kick in and I wondered if my body could actually withstand the high altitude of Damavand. I drank tea to keep warm and hydrated then continued to drink more to kill time, the slowly moving hours suffocating me slowly. By the time dinner had come around I was on my 6th cup. I made small talk with some of the Iranian climbers who all looked at me attentively when I told them I was Arab. More curious than intimidated, they asked what made me want to come here, if the weather was better back home in Dubai, if our food was tastier than theirs and what time we intended to start the summit push. I became a mini celebrity in the shelter after they discovered I was half-Palestinian. Some of the climbers even requested to take selfies and reassured me that I was going to make it to the top even if they would have to carry me. My discomfort eased. At sundown it was time to retreat to the dormitories. Mohamed had unfortunately been unable to secure a quiet room as there was a larger private party whose team leader also had a strong rapport with the shelter manager. I disagreed with the decision because I felt entitled to being a higher priority

than 9 travellers climbing together. Unfortunately, my argument was voided immediately by Mohamed who told me to go to bed. My head was still pounding as I walked up to my room. I told Mohamed I did not want to stay another night in this shelter and that we would come all the way down from the summit to Gosfood Sara camp. He smiled and promised that if we made good time we would go all the way down to the camp with the golden-domed mosque; on the one condition that we make it to the summit. Otherwise we would have to spend another night in the shelter and try again. He was semi-joking and the thought of spending another place in this chilly, dark locale triggered my anxiety again. My bed was located at the far end of the room by the window so I wasn’t flanked from all sides by other mountaineers. It was 8:30pm Mohamed and I agreed that we would wake up at 4am to start the climb early and get to the summit before the sun came out and inflicted chaos on our physical and mental health. I was already feeling tired and 8 hours sleep sounded exquisite, to make the climb with sufficient energy reserves. I slipped into my bed, but I was still cold sleeping next to the window. I decided to sleep with most of my layers on and made a little fortress with my other clothes to protect my head. There was a lot of indistinct chatter reverberating around the room; like school children blabbering to their classmates before a teacher walked in to a classroom. ‘It will be ok,’ I thought. Eventually this nuisance would drown out and I would be able to fall asleep. Woefully, that did not happen. I closed my eyes on the first attempt and was slowly zoning out, only to be audaciously disturbed by the gentleman who was supposed to be sleeping on the bed above mine. He decided it was finally time to go to bed an hour after everyone else had. Rather than quietly placing his bag on the floor besides my bed, he launched it with a large thud startling the other surrounding sleepers, and then proceeded to open it ruffling through what felt like a million plastic bags. A giant Eastern European man sleeping in the bed next to mine shot up and berated him in his Balkan dialogue before turning his to head back round to sleep. This offensive man did not stop there though. He then proceeded to take off his clothes right in the very narrow space between our bunk and the window. His hairy thighs were dangling in my face and he didn’t take his socks off which had a repugnant smell. Instead of climbing the bed from the ladder which was positioned at the base for that precise reason; this man thought he was a Hollywood stuntman who could push himself off the window with his legs and launch himself up on the bed. He failed miserably the first time and I did not dare close my eyes for fear that he might slip onto me. I let out a loud ‘Tut’ to emphasize my dismay at his idiocy. On the second try he made it and bounced around the top shaking and creaking the bed, startling a few more sleepers on the top row. Eventually, he quietened down and managed to lure himself to sleep. At this point the sensation to go to the bathroom struck again. I had only just gone an hour before slithering into bed. I tried to hold it in and sleep through it but the pervading sense of disquietude made it impossible. I slid into

my mountain boots, pulled on my headlamp and walked outside to the bathroom. Surprisingly, it was pleasantly cool outside in the starry black night. A nice fresh breeze caressed my face. I finished my business and then stepped outside to gaze at the mountain standing proudly before me. It looked so perfect, there were no clouds blockading the view in the pitch-black sky. Beautiful white waterfalls streamed down the slopes and a small whiff of smoke protruded from the summit. I savoured a few mesmerizing moments of tranquillity before turning back with dread to the dorm. I got myself comfortable back in bed but it was too late. The giant had already submerged into a deep but volatile slumber; the sounds emerging from his nostrils and gaping mouth confirming this. Like a booming trombone almost bursting my ear drum, the snores came in full force, wave after wave. I looked out of the window up to the starry sky and asked God why I was being punished. There was only person snoring in the entire dorm and I was the lucky victim positioned next to him. I shuffled restlessly in my bed trying to find a pattern to his disturbing breathing so my brainwaves could adjust to these amplitudes. Unfortunately, these sounds erupted randomly at different speeds and inflections. To compound this already dire scenario, the consequences of those countless cups of tea were kicking in and I needed to go to the bathroom again.

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Fatigued and annoyed, I slid into my mountain boots again, pulled on my headlamp again and headed out into the cold again. Just as I did a short while ago, I looked up and admired the mountain for a few idyllic minutes, before walking back into what I quickly decided was hell on Earth. The snoring did not stop but since I was getting very tired my mind was beginning to drown out his noise out of self-preservation and I slowly switched off. I envisioned myself standing at the open gates of fantasy land, about to step inside and once again, I was unfairly robbed of my dreams. After scouting the dark like a bat using echolocation, I deduced the new disturbance to be three irritable voices having a very intense and passionate whisper fight a few bunks above and away from me. Nothing could be so important to be discussing with such intensity at this hour apart from perhaps a jealous tussle? They even managed to awaken the sleeping giant next to me from his slumber as his snoring abruptly stopped (I guess that was the silver lining). I tried blocking them out but they kept going and going… and going. Suddenly, I felt lots of movement of shuffling in the dorm and I was certain other climbers had awoken from this discourteousness. Interrupting this night time ballad was once again was my incessant need to go to the bathroom. 4 times in 4 hours. By now it was midnight. My planned eight hours of supposed energy conservation had now been slashed in half. I cursed myself, the inconsiderate half naked man above me, the Eastern European next to me and those three shameful faceless idiots. I clenched my fists and mini punched my mattress a few times before burying my head into my pillow and shouting obscenities. I had no choice but to slide into my mountain boots again, pull on my headlamp again and head out into the cold…again. Summit I retreated back to my bed exhausted. The three cretins were still bickering and the giant Eastern European had resumed his symphony of nasal opera but thankfully my body finally succumbed to mental collapse. I could not pinpoint the exact moment I passed out but I was awoken by the shuffling and stumbling of footsteps and zippers of bags opening. With one eye open I squinted on my phone to see it was 3.45am. I was ecstatic that this night of horror was over. The blood rush kicked in as I jumped out of the bed and prepared all my gear and descended into the main hall to meet Mohamed for breakfast. He too was very tired, explaining that he had to share a single bed with his wife and my secondary guide, Shima in one of the staff rooms and with half of his body dangling over the bed it had also been a very uncomfortable night for him. He was still in good spirits – I wish I could see the glass half full in this situation as well. We went into the kitchen and locked the door behind us to have breakfast in peace. The kitchen did not officially open until 5am, but Mohamed was once again able to secure the VIP treatment for us. He cooked some eggs and made 34

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some sandwiches and we ate weary eyed and in silence. It was so peaceful and warm in the kitchen. I remarked to Mohamed that maybe we should have slept in the kitchen. We headed out in the cold and took the same walk I had plodded through four times during the course of the night; to and around the toilet (which I looked at like a scornful ex-boyfriend) and headed up the first slope on our final mission. The serious business started now. The headache I was feeling disappeared under the waves of adrenaline splashing around in my bloodstream as we began our climb on a relatively comfortable slope. It was pitch-dark and the wind was pleasantly crispy. We walked higher and higher and after a few minutes I turned back to see a swarm of fireflies moving about the shelter below. We had a slight advantage in that we started before the majority of the climbers, giving us the freedom to hike at our own pace. There were a couple of dots of light above us that were seemingly within reach of the summit. Mohamed said those climbers must have started at midnight. We eventually came to a pitchfork in the trail approximately 200m above the shelter. One route carried on quite straightforwardly up the mountain, its trail visible for a long way up. The second route turned right and up in between elevated rocky hills that we would have to climb over. It ran parallel to the normal route. We turned right. Mohamed explained it was a shorter route to get to the same point at

about 4,800m before both routes merged again. Before I could intervene about taking another shortcut, he pre-empted my request saying that going up this route in small groups would be more efficient. With larger groups he would normally continue on the normal route. Walking through on these boulders protruding from the slopes meant I had to focus intensively on my footing. This was possible in a small group, especially in a party of two, because all I had to do was imitate Mohamed’s footsteps. There was a steep drop to the right of us and any misstep or slip up would send us down to the Persian underworld. ‘You can do this Fahd! You’ll save more energy which you’ll need when the altitude gets tough.’ I reluctantly agreed and we pushed upwards on the rocks. The trail gradually became a little steeper and greasier as my feet struggled to adjust to the loose stones underfoot. My trekking poles made it easy enough to maintain my balance and push onwards and upwards. It took us 2 hours to reach the point where the two routes converged. Mohamed instructed me to look up. The sun was beginning to rise over Damavand with its shadow blanketing the Alborz range. It was so beautiful I could not resist the urge to take a million pictures. Unfortunately, this little moment of respite allowed my brain to process the strain my body was enduring. I began feeling lightheaded but I was not sure if that was due to the sleep deprivation, altitude sickness or both.

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The slope suddenly shot up and the path became rock-strewn. We clung to the rocks and boulders like barnacles, scraping ourselves upwards. It seemed like we were climbing up most of the route instead of hiking. Like those green power bars you see in the top left corner playing Street Fighter, my green bar was deteriorating very fast. We were by now standing at 5,000m and I was finding it much harder to breathe. I had a painful headache, as if my brain was expanding, banging fervently against my skull. We stopped for another rest and Mohamed pointed to the most distinctive landmark on the route: nestled in the rocks just above us was a beautiful natural sculpture of a frozen waterfall. ‘The Ice Fall,’ as it was aptly named, was exquisite. We continued to walk on rocks but were now surrounded by the white stripes of ice that dressed the mountains I had gazed upon many times on my way in and out of the toilet over the course of the previous night. As the sun was rising, more care had to be administered to our footing. The trail was becoming slipperier from the melting ice on the fringes of these snowy mounds we were walking up against. There was a triangular shaped ridge in sight above us, with what looked like the summit. Mohamed had already managed my expectations at the shelter explaining the illusion and that in actuality the summit sat sneakily above and behind that ridge. Knowing this crucial little note prepared me mentally. I was getting tired but I could still keep going. We were making very good time and even Mohamed was surprised that I had managed to maintain the same pace all the way through. ‘At this speed, we have one more hour to go.’ One hour came and went. As we climbed over and around the triangular optical illusion ridge, I feasted my eyes on what was possibly the most beautiful summit of all my climbs to date. A vast slope up led to a massive crater with a huge gush of continuous smoke floating into the clear sky from the crater. Unfortunately, it was not smoke. It was the sulfuric fumes being ejected from inside the volcano. There were numerous holes in the ground surrounding us on the trail emitting the gas. The smell of rotten eggs was atrocious. As if dealing with the altitude sickness was not enough, we also had to endure this poisonous stench. Ahead of us we could see small figures walking up to the crater then others walking in the opposite direction towards us. They had made it. I was envious but there wasn’t much longer to go. At that point Mohamed turned to tell me that we were not going to go follow the conventional route those distant figures were walking on. Instead, we were to take another detour around the back of the mountain to avoid the gas being blown directly in our faces. ‘Him and his detours,’ I muttered furiously.

He also warned me not to sit down or rest any of my equipment on the mountain floor. It was covered in sulphuric acid that could burn through materials. ‘That’s just splendid.’ I went on a muttering rampage. I initially agreed with the logical and safer decision to take this 15-minute digression, but at this altitude and after virtually no sleep, every minute felt like an hour. I was exhausted and my head felt heavy looking down focused on my feet, trudging one in front of the other. My breathing felt more like gasping and I was putting more weight on my poles with my body slouched over. My droll reverie was cut short when Mohamed startled me to attention and pointed. I stopped in my tracks and looked around. There I was, standing at the tip of a massive circular cauldron of sulphur. We had made it! I was ecstatic and for a brief moment the pains throbbing in my head and legs had disappeared. We walked over to the endpoint of the regular route, where various flags were placed on the summit mound. Standing out amongst the colourful troupe of national symbols was a placard commemorating Mossadegh - The Iranian Prime Minister ousted by the CIA in 1953. There were about seven climbers at the top who began laughing a little too enthusiastically for my liking when they realized I couldn’t speak Farsi. Then one of them hugged me and said Tabarak, a hybrid of both Farsi and Arabic meaning ‘Congratulations.’ ‘Mabrook’ I hugged back, as we lined up to take a group photo. Everyone was

in great spirits and it was a very pleasant quarter of an hour enjoying the views of the Alborz range standing on top of the country. Naturally this moment of rapture was too good to last for a satisfactory amount of time. One of the climbers leaning quietly against one of the rock walls of the crater began suddenly and violently vomiting clear liquids like a sulphur geyser gone berserk. The altitude sickness had taken full effect and he had to be helped back down the mountain. I wasn’t feeling too bad at that point but staying longer than 20 minutes on the summit meant the sulphur would start burning our eyes so Mohamed and I also decided to descend. We had made it to the top by 11am. Mohamed called Shima from the summit informing her to make arrangements to take all our heavy luggage down by mule to the golden-domed Damavand mosque. We were going to have a pleasant night’s sleep tonight! I didn’t know whether to feel relieved or apprehensive about our descent being different to the climb up. We filed behind one another and slid down a scree slope adjacent to the summit route. We flew down the side of the mountain, albeit a little too fast for my liking. Just like on Tochal in Tehran, Mohamed scampered down like the mountain goat he was. I followed but my tall and lanky limbs meant for a mountainous amount of aching pressure being exerted onto my thighs and knees. It was however, a satisfying feeling seeing the other climbers crawling up like ants as we glided down.

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I slipped multiple times and there were points when I could not stand, submitting to the avalanche of scree pushing me down on my bottom. I cut my palms and fingers scraping sharp pebbles. Ahead of me Mohamed would stand in the path of my trajectory multiple times to stop me from snowballing. I never managed to knock him over. He seemed like an indestructible wall, his body halting my incredulous momentum. We had reached the point of convergence of the two initial routes but I could no longer hide my frustration with my legs struggling to stand upright on these ghastly slopes. In a fit of rage I threw my sticks and began swearing loudly. Ever the smarmy Yoda, Mohamed cryptically told me to look behind me. I turned to see a massive line of climbers hiking up on the route. ‘We could be them right now’ he remarked, ‘but you’re halfway done, and you’ve done brilliantly so far.’ I looked up again and spotted the Ice Fall glistening in the rocks that I had admired about 4 hours ago. My nerves calmed. At the convergence of the two roads we took the easier route down. The pressure finally was released from my legs as the slopes became more relaxed. We reached the shelter by 2:30pm - almost 10 hours total to do a round trip journey going up and down. Shima had made soup and was preparing to cook lunch for us before we headed down to the Gosfood Sara camp. However, it was at this point that the dreaded altitude sickness I was praying I would evade finally found me and hit me hard. I could not finish the soup, so suddenly was I stricken with the urge to vomit. The heat fumes from the cooking in the kitchen that had diffused into the main hall did not help. I rushed outside the shelter to breathe some cold fresh air. My head was pounding harder and the altitude demons had come out to play and play hard. It was evident I had not been able to acclimatize successfully at the altitude of the shelter. Mohamed came out after to make sure everything was alright and told me he spoke to the manager who had agreed to put me in a private room to rest for a few hours before lunch was served. I thanked him and went straight to the room, a simple dorm with 3 bunk beds, and plenty of blankets and mattresses. The party of 9 (who had stolen this room from me the previous night) were all on the mountain and would not be back for a long while so I would have enough time to recuperate on lost sleep and this horrific discomfort I was feeling. I rested my head on the pillow and tried to nap but it was almost as if my head was throbbing in sync with my heartbeat. I managed to close my eyes for an hour but was unable

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to submerge my consciousness in sleep as I could feel the pain searing through my brain cells. I had never really experienced altitude sickness of this magnitude before so it was naturally very worrying for me, speaking as a certified hypochondriac. Restless and agitated, I went outside to get some more fresh air. Shima called me in to have an early dinner of pasta with minced meat. I had two spoons and as delicious as it was, I could not put anything else in my mouth. There was an internal trampoline coating my stomach. Any attempt to stuff more food down would have bounced back out. Both Shima and Mohamed finished their meals quickly and told me to make sure I had everything for the way down before we headed out of the Bargah Sevom refuge one final time. They were a little taken aback that I was walking at a very brisk pace, despite a 10 hour climb and my nauseous demeanour. I was in autopilot mode now. My mind had gone numb and was solely focused on one goal; keep both my legs moving forward until we reached our final destination. It was no surprise that the moment we

descended to the altitude where the flowers grew my headache disappeared. It was as if my brain was shrinking again back to its normal size thus taking pressure off my skull. The sick feeling in my stomach had gone and almost immediately I became ravenous. Strangely, I managed to evade the hay fever symptoms this time walking through the poppy fields, which I put down to my body cells already past the point of exhaustion to force any reaction. It took us 2.5 hours and, in the final stretch, the physical fatigue had all but engulfed my body. We had walked for approximately 13 hours in one day within a very wide range of altitudes. Thankfully, we all made it back in one piece. The horsemen stood at the entrance of the camp with our bags ready to collect. It was at that point the emotions hit me - the feeling of an accomplishment that involved enduring pain I had never experienced before was overwhelming to say the least. The camp manager had already prepared the same quarters we had camped at two nights before. An SUV was arranged to pick us up at 7am the following morning to take us all the way down to the Federation Camp. Shima offered to make some dinner for me before I slept but I refused, lying that I didn’t want to force my stomach. The truth was I did not want to put her through all the trouble, considering that she also did not sleep very well and spent an hour cooking a meal I did not touch. By now it was 9pm. I laid out my sleeping bag and put my head on the pillow. Uninterrupted, I woke up the next morning feeling rejuvenated and normal. The van had arrived and we loaded our luggage and hopped in; driving down to the Federation Camp to then unload off the van and reload into Mohamed’s car for the drive back to Tehran. It had been an absolutely draining week but I could now look forward to the next few days exploring the country like a regular tourist, with an ecstatic feeling of accomplishment and fulfilment. ■

#Follow me on instagram @fahd

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Words by: Toufic Abou Nader Photos by: Erling Bekkestad Rein, Martin Boese

“Climbing is dangerous, and mountains can kill you, why do you risk your life?”. A phrase us outdoor adventurer repeatedly hear… and with time I mastered ignoring them, because I understood you can’t possibly explain feelings you go thru while experiencing an event, as experiences are designed to make each one of us feel in specific way.

Back in October 2018 I embarked on a new expedition, this time to Nepal’s Himalayan range, with the goal to climb few peaks including Ama Dablam peak as a finale. At this point, and despite my large experience in other forms of explorations, I am far from calling myself a mountaineer as of yet. In my opinion climbing few peaks wasn’t enough to earn me such title. So I was ready to log in some time in my mountaineering books. I met my multi-national teammates in Kathmandu, where all expeditions start. The team members were from Nepal, India, Norway, Australia, Germany and Lithuania. We spent the first week acclimatizing. An important measurement not to be taken lightly, it can severely injure you and in cases claim your life. I got to know the team, and bond with those I clicked with. This is the part I got to know the 33 year old Michael Davis, the Australian. We shared stories of our previous trips, constantly argued which trip was more satisfying, and occasionally shared the tent. A week later, we moved to climbing peaks and we were blessed with great weather conditions. However, weather started deteriorating. We abandoned our initial itinerary and moved towards Ama Dablam, to increase our chances to summit this notorious mountain.

Without any rest, the team moved to Ama Dablam base camp and started our climb. First stop is Camp 1, leaving behind all the comfort basecamp provides, we carried all your gears for the next 3-4 days. The moment you start such climb, there is no rooms for errors, you cannot simply go back to bring your missing crampons, and you better have packed a good sleeping bag or else you will freeze to death. Climbing to camp 1 gives you the impression things are getting serious. But nothing compared to what climbing to camp 2 makes you feel.

Climbing to camp 2 is a day I will forever remember, this thin ridge with several hundred meters of drops on either sides. Spending the entire day with Michael, waiting on the ropes together, occasionally listening to his bad choice of music, with 360 panoramic views that made all the waiting worthwhile. With not the slightest clue things are about to take a bad turn. We were waiting for the less experienced climbers to climb or be hauled by their guides on the notorious “Yellow Tower”. Funny mentioning the name of this section, as few years back on my expedition to the deepest cave, there was a hard section called, well you guessed it: The Yellow Tube. As if Yellow is a difficulty metric of an area; like: hey mate, how did you do on your Yellow Math Exam? We climbed the Yellow Tower and our first reaction was infuriating, the smell of human waste and sight of garbage everywhere. We quickly tucked in the tent Domas (Lithuanian climber) has occupied. Us 3, shared dinner and lots of jokes about what awaits over the night, sleeping on the edge of the cliff, while the tent is strapped with tiny cords, giving you a psychological illusion it will not fly over the edge. Amazing how the brain works ! We 3 squeezed in that tiny tent and slept early to start our summit bid midnight. Yeah, so much for a sleep! Heart pumping of adrenaline, brain over analyzing, wind slamming the tent, occasional farts, and don’t forget the misery of midnight pee… oh yeah, and the lack of oxygen…

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Mike and Martin on Labouche summit

Alarm went off, it is midnight, time to get moving. All hangover like, staring at each other and thinking: how silly are we to be doing this for pleasure. Quick bite, gear packed, put on the warmest clothes, and off we went towards the summit not knowing this is the last time I would see Mike. I took the lead, followed by Are from Norway, Domas and Mike the last. The route starts with an open air traverse leading to the Grey Tower. Over the years the ice melted off the Grey Tower. It became like a mine land, very loose rocks constantly falling. So carefully we climbed with occasional rock fall, but nothing threatening. An hour later I reached the open airy traverse below camp 3, where an approx. 100-110km/h wind hit us. That was unexpected, slowly realizing there is no chance we continue, we are about to be blown off the mountain. Lots is going on, we can barely hear each other, all jammed on a tiny ledge, one of the guides radioing basecamp for weather forecast, while another guide squatting in a corner trying to warm up himself. 30 minutes later of this situation, I decided to bail out. And everyone followed. I started abseiling first and reached Domas, who was waiting for his turn on one of the anchors. And in no time we heard large boulders crumbling down. We didn’t know the source, it was dark, cold, and everything is happening in fast forward. I squeezed myself to the wall, and repeatedly screamed “rocks! Rocks!” to alert other climbers. The scary sounds disappeared followed by a dominating silence. Domas looked at me and in despair said: “I saw Mike’s Rucksack flying”. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I knew what has gone wrong, but there was no time

to think this thru as I was in no place to do anything. So I focused on the most important part, keeping the team together and avoid any further problems. I assisted Domas, and at each pitch, I was hoping we meet Mike, but met with disappointments instead. I kept my hopes high, hoping he was faster than us and we will meet him back in camp. But soon enough all these hopeful thoughts were met with the final disappointment when we reached camp and Mike is nowhere to be seen. We reached camp an hour postaccident. It was still dark to dispatch a rescue team. Just when the first light broke in, a guide came bearing the sad news, Mike’s body is seen several hundred meters down the tower, and to make it even more horrifying, it is impossible for any of us to descend to him due to the place’s nature. We called a long-line rescue helicopter to do the job, and soon enough it arrived. The pilot slowly hovered between the Grey Tower’s narrow edges and the rescue delegate was lowered on the winch line. A minute later, we saw the helicopter flying away with Mike strapped onto the long-line with the rescue member. It was obvious all of us were crushed both physically, and now mentally. And there was no time to deal with it all at camp 2. We don’t have enough water nor food. I quickly packed my gear and Mike’s, and I hit the trail. Domas and I descended together in total silence. Upon arrival at basecamp, I started packing to leave the place. There was no point to stay there for another attempt. It was obvious the weather deteriorated and the chances of reaching the summit are close to none. And most importantly, I wanted to be alone to process what just went wrong and

deal with the loss of my friend. This story is not about death, this story is about life. It is to shed the light on the importance of how we live our lives. Getting to know Mike on that trip and becoming close to him, reassured me that death is just part of life and we have to accept it as equal. I couldn’t but remember the day prior to my flight to Nepal, when I was driving on Sheikh Zayed Road and a deadly accident took place just on the lane next to me. A speeding truck hit several cars and some were smashed and nothing left of them. This is one deadly accident I could have been a casualty, as much as those rocks could have hit me instead of Mike. Yet all I hear are fear-infused statements about the expeditions I embark to, and rarely any fear-less statements full of encouragements to live life to its fullest and take risks. And you guessed it again, I will attempt to climb the summit again, and I intend to leave a memorial plate for Mike. So if Ama Dablam is next on your climbing list, take a flower with you and leave it by the memorial plate, and remember Mike as the loving, caring and joker he was! ■

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ROAD-TRIPPING THROUGH ARMENIA Words + Photos by: Denise Ostermann

Last summer I was finally taking a week off in order to discover Armenia! Compared to my long weekend trips which I usually take, this one needed a bit of planning. So, I was getting all the information as of what is there to do and see. On the list were horse riding and paragliding. With a lush green and hilly countryside like on offer in Armenia I could not miss that! And as there are beautiful spots all over the place I decided to rent a car and go on a little road trip to discover all the places possible. With a direct flight on flydubai and visa on arrival for most nationalities Yerevan is easily accessible in just 3 hours’ time.

Getting the car was a fairly easy process and quite affordable. even though I decided to have a bigger car as I was not quite sure what I could be expecting outside Yerevan. Later on, I was pretty thankful for that. Some things I tried to arrange from back home – such as the horse riding as well as the paragliding. Not being sure whether or not I would need a guide, I contacted some local travel agents which were quite helpful with the planning. In Yerevan I picked a beautiful hotel called Tufenkian Hotel. In the city centre, everything could be reached by walking. The hotel itself was built in nice and old architecture offering a pool and great

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breakfast. Next to the hotel there was a pretty little market – the best place to shop for souvenirs. The Republic Square is a famous hangout spot for the local population. With the water fountains dancing in the evening it is a must visit to take some nice pictures. Walking through the city, you will pass by lots of cafes and restaurants which are very inviting! A bustling and vibrant city! On my way to the cascade I passed the Opera house and strolled through beautiful parks and finally reached a long square which is led to the many stairs of the cascade. I stood there in front of the 750 steps determined to climb them to the top! Thankfully many levels adorned by sculptures and fountains gave enough reasons enough to take some breaks in-between. When I reached the top, I found out that it had an indoor location as well. It hosted the Cafesjian Museum of Art and more importantly provided escalators in both directions. Nevertheless, the sense of achievement in mastering those 750 stairs was just too good and the view from the top is so rewarding! You can see all the way to the snow-capped Mount Ararat on the Turkish side of the border. The construction of the cascade started in 1971 during the Soviet era. The second phase was only completed in 2009.

Another stop on this city tour took me to the Blue Mosque which was built in the 18th century in the Persian style. During the Soviet time it stopped its service and hosted the History Museum. After Armenia’s independence it was renovated again with the support of the Iranian government. It’s a beautiful and calming place in this vivid city. After exploring every angle of this city, I took off and started my road trip.

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First, I headed southeast of the country - to the famous Tatev Church. The map showed me the distance of about 250km but I would not have expected that it would be such a tiring journey. I was happy about the 4x4 which I rented as I mastered the bumpy and perforated streets along the way. The last bit to the church was off-road with some steep mountain roads to tackle. If you don’t have an off-road car it is definitely advised to take the Wings of Tatev, touted to be one of the longest cable car rides in the world, it takes you to the other side of the mountain with terrific views! Advance booking is necessary to avoid disappointment as only a certain amount of people can hop on. For the night you should try out the Harsnadzor Eco Resort in the area of Syunik. A very picturesque little place with beautiful views. Don’t expect anything fancy here. You will have to share the bathroom including showers as the rooms only provide the bed. But they are all in individual little huts which look like big grape barrels. A little hike and climb to the caves were a great relief after the long and rugged drive.

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On the way back to Yerevan, I needed another night to recover before the next tour took me up north. This time horse riding was the main goal. I found a very nice place up in the mountains. The hotel is called Apaga Resort, but first I wanted to see the Stonehenge of Armenia which is made up of the Armenian alphabet. It’s a bit off the route where I actually wanted to go but nevertheless a nice spot for pictures just 40 minutes outside Yerevan itself. The weather going up north can be quite unpredictable. One minute amazing sunshine accompanied me on the way and the next it was hailing big ice balls just to clear up right afterwards. Reaching Lake Sevan, I wished there was extra time to take a little boat tour. Nevertheless, there was enough time to climb up to Hayravank Monastry. It is a very popular tourist attraction! Afterwards, I was on the road again and driving through the great mountainous landscape, I could not stop being stunned. The last bit of the way to the resort was off road and quite steep again. I was happy I reached the place before sunset. A very friendly welcome and I dropped dead in my bead. The next morning I peeked through the dazzling views out my window. I could not believe that I am here. After a rich breakfast I was ready to go on a ride through the fields and across the country. It had been long time since I rode through such lush

greenery. I took a stop on the way to rest and feed the horses and to breathe in the intoxicating beauty of the place. The hotel also has three ziplines if you are looking for some adrenaline. The next day I was already on the way back to the capital. Just to take some break from driving, I was strolled around the parks of Yerevan. Another activity on my to-do list fwas Paragliding. So, a bit outside of the city, I met my pilot. We went to the Highlands and on a foggy day we started our flight. I love this feeling of flying like a bird! We went low and high over the hills full of cows. Such a wonderful end to this trip. Armenia is a great place to visit with so many activities on offer. If you need a small break or even if you are planning to spend some time away it is definitely worth it! ■

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METHOD: Step 1: Prep the grass fed filet steak by cleaning and removing the fat and the unwanted flesh of the beef, roll into a round shape using a cling film. Step 2: Set the steak in the fridge for atleast a couple of hours to hold the shape. Step 3: For the celeriac puree, wash the celeriac, using a sharp knife, peel separate the peelings from the actual celeriac.

With the outdoor Season starting

THE CYCLE BISTRO

Step 4: Place the peeling on a tray an roast untill dry, place in a food processor and blend into a powder. Step 5: Cut the ceceriac into two centimetre thick size and set aside.

has some healthy recipes and tips for you

Step 6: Peel the onions and slice into julienne, in a hot pan add olive oil and sautee until they are translucent.

Prepared by: Chef Wisdom Mwandoe

Step 7: Add the celeriac and coconut cream and cook until soft.

Name

A MOMENT OF PEACE

Step 8: Place in a food processor and blend to a soft puree and set aside.

Section within Kitchen

HOT

Number of portions

Step 9: To make celeriac remoularde, slice the celeriac into thin julienne, season with salt and pepper, add pommery mustard and chopped chives.

Category

MAIN

Shelf life

2-3 DAYS

Step 10: Remove the beef from the fridge and slice into medallions, season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients

Unit

Quantity

Beef filet

1500

Celeriac

500

Pommery mustard

Coconut cream

200

Chives

Salt

To taste

Olive oil

100

Onion

gms

200

Pepper

To taste

200

gms

100

Red currant sauce Veal jus Red currant berries

Love cooking? Our cooking shows are designed under fundamental principles of nutritional well balanced diet. We ensure you achieve and maintain your goals, feel great while doing so.

“Cook right Eat right Live better”

NUTRITION BENEFITS Calories : 440 Fat : 27 gms Carbs : 13 gms Protein : 36 gms

Step 11: In a hot pan add olive oil, sear the medallions on both sides and roast in the oven to your liking. Step 12: Remove the beef from the oven place on the tray and let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes, sprinkle the celeriac dust before serving, the resting of the beef helps it from bleeding on the plate. Step 13: For the sauce, place the sauce in the pan and add the red currant, bring it to boil and take it off the heat and let the sauce infuse. Step 14: Plate as per the picture and serve hot. Step 15: Serves 10.

Located at The Cycle Bistro, Dubai Motor City Call: 04 425 3000 Website: www.thecyclebistro.com info@thecyclebistro.com facebook.com/thecyclebistro instagram.com/thecyclebistro The Cycle Bistro GPS location: Latitude: N 25° 02.792 Longitude: E 055° 14.384

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THE

OFF-ROADERS corner

Anas Mahmoud Nationality: Jordanian Occupation: Civil Engineer Vehicle: 2013 Nissan Xterra Tell us the background story of the car… When I was seeking for an off-roading car, I came thru all the options but I felt in love with the Nissan Xterra from the first sight.

What modifications have been made, performance and cosmetic wise? It has an iron man suspension with 2.5” lift, with lots of camping gear and stuff for outdoor activities. In terms of performance it has a programmable computer chip from Bully Dog and throttle body spacer that increases the air flow, with lots of tactical mods that helps to have a better off-roading experience Do you have something that you consider to be a ‘special feature’ of the car? The infused air compressor system with air tanks located at the side steps of the car.

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What were your other options before you bought this car? I was looking to have a truck, but they often have issues with agility. So I decided to have an SUV rather than a truck. How often do you use your car, and what activities do you take part in? I used it during the weekends for off-roading and camping. Are you planning any future modifications? Yes! That’s an endless world. What 4x4 do you dream of owning? To me, you can’t buy a dream 4x4. Instead, I would like to make mine more aggressive and better in the future. ■

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Naeem Abubaker Mulla Nationality: Indian Occupation: Assistant Manager, Cards Operation at Dubai Islamic Bank Vehicle: 2017 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Tell us the background story of the car… I was born in the UAE and grew up mesmerised surrounded by off-road cars driving on silky sand dunes in their awesome 4x4’s. My first 4x4 was an FJ cruiser, then a Ford Raptor and finally I got the Jeep Wrangler Sahara in 2017, It’s my perfect big boy’s toy! What modifications have been made, performance and cosmetic wise? • Fox Performance Series 2.0 Stage 4 Suspensions with Adjuster • Teraflex 3.0 Lift Kit • Rock Crawler Lower Front and Lower Back Control Arms • Fox Steering Stabilizer • XD series Brand Rims 17” • Built-in ARB Dual Air Compressor with 1 gallon sub tank for Tyre Inflation • Cooper AT/3 Tyres

• Avenger Hood • Rubicon Front Bumper • Rigid Lights • 13 lbs winch • 3 tonne electronic jack with wrench • And the list goes on…...with accessorizing internally for complete driving pleasure and comfort. Do you have something that you consider to be a ‘special feature’ of the car? It’s a head turner and its smooth on road and off road. What were your other options before you bought this car? Nissan Patrol, Toyota FJ How often do you use your car, and what activities do you take part in? Mostly for Desert Drives, Overnight Camping, and I also drive it to work. Are you planning any future modifications? With Jeeps it’s a never-ending story and there are Jeep owners who never stop thinking of what they are going to do with their car next. It’s an ongoing process to stay inspired and keep modifying and improving. I am always waiting and planning and working on something or the other. What 4x4 do you dream of owning? The all new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 2019 known as JLU. ■ Want your 4X4 to be the next feature? Just send us an email at editor@outdooruae.com with the subject “Off-Roaders Corner” and you and your car might just be the next one on this page!

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PRODUCTS

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

Winner Transparent Kayak for 2 person

Yamaha YXZ1000R EXO Stainless Series Dual Muffler/Three Head Pipes

Available only at Al Yousuf Motors Across UAE

Kayaking is not just for an expedition anymore, with Winner Transparent kayak you can enjoy your enjoy the beauty of Ocean/Lake/River from the bottom of you kayak as well. High quality Polycarbonate material gives strength to the kayak for stability, speed & against waves Scratch resistant

EXO Stainless is the most durable exhaust in our lineup for your Yamaha YXZ 1000R / SS. Constructed of high-strength 304 stainless steel from front to back, EXO Stainless is sure to withstand even the most brutal of riding conditions and use. We took the original EXO Series and swapped out the aluminum muffler for a stainless muffler, replaced the aluminum base plate with a TIG-welded stainless steel plate and added a trick looking stamped stainless badge to top it off.

4,495 AED/unit | Was: 6,180 AED/unit

DIMENSIONS Lenght: 3.3m Width: 0.84m Height: 0.32m

Weight: 22.6kg Max Weight Capacity: 200kg

Jobe Aero LIKA SUP Inflatable Package SUP in style | Size: 9’4”

AED 2,195 | Was: 4,510 AED Available only at Al Yousuf Motors Across UAE Specification: Either beginner or advanced lightweight user you can find your way into SUP with this super lightweight and highly accessible board. Making use of a non-detachable thruster fin system the 9.4 SUP is ready to go as it is and supremely maneuverability. Unzip your accessory SUP bag, inflate the board and you’re good to go and start paddling! This SUP is perfect for flat water conditions. Length: 9’4 Width: 30 Thickness: 4 Board volume: 165L Recommended Rider Weight: up to 80 kg Board Weight: 7.2 Kg * Package includes: Inflatable Board, Paddle, Air pump, Fins, leash, repair kit & bag

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4,099 AED/piece | Was: 4,830 AED/piece

• Rugged high-strength 304 stainless steel mufflers (x2) • Hexagon shaped large diameter housings for more volume • Internal sound wave altering technology • Stamped 304 stainless steel coned inlets for more volume • TIG welded reinforced muffler brackets • Precision TIG welded and CNC bent 304 stainless steel mid pipe (x1) / head pipes (x3) • Black powder coated stainless steel end tips • Significant horsepower and torque gains • Removable screen-type spark arrestors included • Handmade in the USA • Highly recommended with (TFI Power Box – Yamaha YXZ 1000R)

Alpinestars Challenger V2 Leather 1-Piece Race Suit 2,310 AED/piece | Was: 4,405 AED/piece Available only at Al Yousuf Motors Across UAE The Alpinestars Challenger V2 Race Suit will serve you well in any corner with the same premium 1.3mm leather construction as Alpinestars’ pricier suits. Generous perforations and a 3D mesh ventilated aero hump yield excellent airflow, while CE certified internal protectors and preparation for a Nucleon Level 2 Back and chest protection ensure you are as protected as possible at the track. Technology: CE Certification - Protection and protectors that are CE-certified have met the strict performance standards and requirements of the European Union. TPU - Thermoplastic polyurethane. A hybrid material - a mixture between hard plastic and soft silicone. A very dense and smooth rubber.

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PRODUCTS Allez

Comp MTB

Available at The Cycle Hub, Motor City, Autodrome

Whether you’re just getting into road cycling, commuting, or just looking for a new bike, the Allez is the perfect choice. Featuring a lightweight alloy frame, carbon fiber fork, and mounts for racks and fenders, it’s as performance-packed as it is versatile. E5 Premium Aluminum frame features fully manipulated tubing with Smooth Welds that increase stiffness and efficiency, while looking just as good as it performs. Specialized FACT carbon, full monocoque fork designed for high-speed handling. Shimano 2000 Claris shifters shift reliably and are ergonomically shaped to fit all hand sizes.

The Comp Mountain Bike shoes take a whole lot of comfort, mix it with some serious pedaling efficiency, and add a layer of grippy trail traction for good measure. The result is a feature-packed and reliable all mountain shoe that delivers the right mix of performance and durability for a variety of trail conditions.

3,450 AED

685 AED

• Body Geometry sole construction and footbeds are ergonomically designed and scientifically tested to boost power, increase efficiency, and reduce chance of injury by optimizing hip, knee, and foot alignment.

Pinarello F10

Stumpjumper

Available at The Cycle Hub, Motor City, Autodrome

Dogma F10 has also inherited much from the BOLIDE, currently the fastest bike in the world, the current Hour Record holder with Sir Bradley Wiggins, time trial World Champion with Kiryenka and winner of Tour de France 2016 with Chris Froome. It retains the super-efficient Flatback™ profiles from the Dogma F8, but inherits a new design of the down tube from the BOLIDE TT which shields the water bottles from the airflow, while further increasing the lateral stiffness. Carbon Torayca T1100 1K Dream Carbon with Nanoalloy Technology, Asymmetric Frame, Fork ONDA F10 with ForkFlap™ Think2 System with E-Link™, ICR™ Internal Cable Routing.

The new Stumpjumper ST uses new tube shapes and an asymmetrical design to ensure that you get awesome ride characteristics. So get ready, because the Stumpjumper ST Alloy 29 is sure to exceed your expectations of how a trail bike should ride. • The all-new alloy Stumpjumper ST frame features an M5 alloy front- and rear-end, an asymmetrical design, and our 29 Trail Geometry, so it’s both capable and comfortable. • The X-Fusion Metric rear shock features rebound adjustment, lockout, and our coveted Rx Trail Tune to ensure you’re getting the most out of your Stumpjumper ST. • A RockShox Recon RL provides 130mm of travel up front, and it lets you adjust both rebound and lockout.

Frame Starting From 24,000 AED

Starting 8,250 AED

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MIDDLE EASTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

PRODUCTS PRO TREK Smart WSD F30 1,895 AED

Available at G-SHOCK CASIO Store and Virgin Mega stores Go adventuring with this Casio Pro Trek smart watch. It's military-tested for durability in rough environments, and it's waterproof to 50m to prevent water damage. The GPS mode of this Casio Pro Trek smart watch will keep you on track, and it's Bluetooth-capable and compatible with both Android and iOS. read the full review on page 50-51.

Cambridge 3-Person Tent (200 x 180 x 120cm) 199 AED

Available at across all ACE stores and online at www.aceuae.com Description: Made from durable, weather resistant material. Suitable for use by up to 3 people. A complete set of ropes &dome design makes setup quick and easy. Durable fabric and strong frame designed to last season after season.

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Jeep Wrangler JL 18-19 WARN Elite Series Stubby Front Bumper With Tube 2,801 AED

Available at RAMY Automotive Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Muscat branch and online www.ramyautomotive.com Description: 50-100 words: Warn Industries is excited to introduce the new Elite Series, the most rugged line of bumpers available for the Jeep JL Wrangler. All Warn bumpers undergo rigorous field testing and lab pull testing to ensure rigidity in the most abusive conditions.

Smokey Joe Premium BBQ (Black) 399 AED

Available at across all ACE stores and online at www.aceuae.com Description: No-fuss portable charcoal grill BBQ. Lightweight BBQ. Features a lid lock and lid holder. Weather resistant.

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PRODUCTS Speedo Aquapulse Max 2 Mirror

SIC Tao Air Glide 10.6

Available at Go Sport - Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, YAS Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall

Description: Wide and curved lenses fit snugly around your head and allow ideal lateral vision for you to keep an eye on your surroundings. The Aquapulse Max 2 Mirror by Speedo not only provides contrast-rich vision during indoor training, but reduces glare outdoors as well.

Description: The TAO Surf Series shape is inspired by traditional surf design. Its full nose and rounded pintail help you to drop into waves, carving down the line with ease. The wider widths make the board stable, which comes in handy when punching through the shorebreak. These boards also make for nice cruising boards. The overall volume is designed to accommodate the whole family.

155 AED

• IQfit™ 3D goggle seal for a leak-free, secure fit and reduced marks around the eyes. • IQfit™ goggle strap with patented tensioning scale for a unique and personal fit. • Wide Vision lenses for enhanced peripheral vision. • Mirror lenses for reduced brightness and glare. Ideal for racing & outdoor swimming. • Anti fog coated lens with 100% UV Protection.

Igrill 3

529 AED Available at Speedex Tools & Hardware Superstore, AQ & DIP Description: Become the culinary genius you aspire to be - no training required. Each Genesis® II and Genesis® II LX gas barbecue comes iGrill 3 ready. The iGrill 3 monitors food from start to finish, and notifies you to take it off of the barbecue once it has reached the perfect temperature.

3,995 AED

• Weight: 26 lbs • Length: 10’ 6” • Center Width: 21.5” • Volume: 185 liters • Board Thickness: 4.5” • Primary Material: Fiberglass Composite • Material Description: • Space Tech - watertight EPS core, fiberglass wrapped, thermo formed polymer skin, fiberglass reinforcement deck and rails for durability

Milwaukee Cordless M12 Tire Inflator Zero Version 425 AED

Available at Speedex Tools & Hardware Superstore, AQ & DIP Description: The Milwaukee® M12™ Compact Inflator delivers fast, accurate, easy inflation with the portability to take anywhere. With the capability to complete demanding applications like car, LT truck, and compact equipment tires, the M12™ Compact Inflator gives users ultimate power and efficiency. Rated to deliver over 120PSI, The high efficiency motor and pump top-off car tires in under 1 minute.

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PRODUCTS Dometic Portable Fridge CFX

BunduTOP

Available at All ACE and ADVENTURE HQ OUTLETS across UAE

Available at www.tgw.ae

Features: • Suitable for deep freezing down to –22 °C • Excellent cooling performance even at extremely high outside temperatures • 12/24 volts DC and 100 – 240 volts AC • CFX special electronics with digital temperature display • Extremely efficient and superbly quiet operation • USB port for charging smartphones or MP3 players • Drain plugs make cleaning simple • Suitable for solar operation • Heavy-duty version • NEW! Temperature control by WIFI app (CFX 35W, CFX 40W, CFX 50W, CFX 65W, CFX 95DZW, CFX 100W models). • Available in sizes: 28,35,40,50,65,75,95 and 100 liters

The BunduTop standard size is 2100 x 1350 x 300 mm when closed, and 2100 x 1350 x 1000 mm when open. The mattress inside is 2000 x 1250 x 100 mm and it is a high density foam. This leaves enough space inside the tent so that you can leave your bedding inside. The tent weighs about 60 kg's, about as heavy as 3 full Jerry cans. The roof weighs 20 kg's and can carry additional weight if evenly spread. You are welcome to install a solar panel on top. The tent has been tested extensively in various locations and weather types. It has proven to withstand 50 mph winds and has performed well in both desert and snow.

OZ Trail Skygazer Tent

Core Equipment - Padded Quad Chair

299 AED

234 AED

Available at Adventure HQ Times Square, Dalma Mall and Yas Mall

Description: A convenient, lightweight & compact 3 person dome tent that's easy to set up in just minutes - ideal for festivals, weekends away or just for the kids to have their own privacy away from Mum & Dad.

Description: Camp easy with the CORE Padded Quad Chair. This cozy chair features a sturdy steel frame with a 300lb weight capacity, and plush quilted seat made from 600D brushed polyester. The oversized mesh cup holder and built-in cell phone pocket keep everything close by.

Price depending on the size

11,500 AED

Perfect for camping, sporting events and backyard hangouts, the CORE Padded Quad Chair with its quilted seat will keep you comfortable during any outing.

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FIND ALL your OUTDOOR and ADVENTURE needs in one place!

outdooruae.com/business-directory

With almost 200 listed businesses only focused on outdoor activities and related service, the OutdoorUAE online directory is the easiest and most convenient way to find all the shops in one category. All listings are up to date and with locaiton map.

TRY IT - LOVE IT

List Your Business For Free With Us Add Free Listing outdooruae.com/add-free-listing

The ultimate outdoor watch - Casio ProTrek WSD-F30 Activity and GPS route tracking on your wrist Words + Photos by: Staff Reporter

We got our hands on the brandnew Casio ProTrek F30 for review which is the third generation of the F-series smart watch. First off, if you consider buying a Casio, you are looking for a big watch so the point of size that we read in many other reviews is in our opinion not relevant. Our main focus in this review is the GPS. Because often, this technology requires a smartphone or a dedicated device - both of which are more cumbersome.

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Multi Timepiece mode > up to 30 days with one charge

Outdoor Style: Current time, barometric pressure, altitude, compass Daily Style: Current time, day of the week, day, battery level, step count* In Multi Timepiece Mode, apps, location information, Wi-Fi, and smartphone linking (notification reception, etc.) are all disabled. You will also not be able to change many of the settings

Extended Mode > Puts some functionality to sleep while not in use to extend battery life

This app continually logs your activity while you are in motion, and automatically turns off power (displaying the current time only) while you are at rest at a mountain cabin, etc. The Extended Mode allows recording of a maximum of three days*2 (three days, two nights) of track data, even if you do not charge the battery during that time.

Smart mode > one battery charge might last only 1-2days

Full functionality.

This comparison alone is impressive if you think what features Casio managed to put inside this tiny device. Especially in the outdoors, you don’t want to carry too much or too heavy so substituting a GPS device with a watch which weighs less than 100g is an amazing idea. The F30 is a smartwatch with a clear focus on functionality but the focus is still wide enough to appeal to a wide range of outdoor enthusiasts covering many activities or for the wannabe weekend warriors who will buy the watch for its looks. The F30 keeps its promises and is built according to military standards. It will withstand some abuse like dust, drops and a deep dive with up to 50m water resistance. A Casio watch is usually a bold statement on your wrist and the F30 a clear sign that its owner loves adventures and an active lifestyle. The watch looks great and the large buttons are easy to find; they are also very responsive – as it uses Google’s Watch OS operating system. The same applies for the other sensor functions like the compass, altimeter and barometer, all are intuitive and very accurate. The WSD-F30 has a 1.2-inch OLED

for smart functions, and a second 1.2-inch monochrome screen for the Multi-Timepiece mode (battery-saving mode).

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Both screens are easy to read even in bright sunlight and with a resolution of 390x390 pixels there is enough map detail for navigation. The touch screen is accurate. There are some power saving modes to extend the battery life. For example, it turns off the GPS which drains the battery quickly. In power-saving mode, the watch last for almost a month if everything is turned on (incl. use of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi). During normal use, the watch will last one to 1.5 days before you need to recharge. There is a very smart feature called Extended Mode where you can schedule for up to 3 days when certain functions like the GPS are deactivated to not drain battery such as at night when you’re sleeping. Google Maps is displayed when working online, while Mapbox supplies offline maps. You can download and store up to five on the watch. The area can be specified with a maximum size of around 50km. By selecting smaller areas, detail is increased. With the built-in features, you can only track routes and save them (also exporting to your Google account as a KML file is possible) or use point to navigation (only indicates distance and direction to a set location) but you cannot load tracks directly to the watch. You are able to set markers along the route and record voice notes which comes in pretty handy for route tracking. The built-in tracking functions cover trekking, paddle, fishing, snow and cycling, all with some customized layouts and functions. To be able to use the watch to its full potential you need to download and install third-party apps like “View Ranger” which we have used for our test and which works great with the watch. Some apps are not available for the watch and others don’t work well. You are also not limited to existing routes, you are also able to upload your own routes; some of which you may find

Log your catch location and time with one touch

Downloading a route to the watch from viewrange website

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

In cycling mode the watch works like a bike computer

The watch shows moon phases as well as a fishing forcast (the more solid white fish symbols the better)

While connected to WiFi you can use google maps

on the OutdoorUAE website or from friends. With those apps, you get full route guidance. There is an endless list of apps on the PlayStore so you can personalize the functions of your watch to your needs. In terms of fitness features, apart from a heart rate monitor, the F30 offers all of what other competing watches have. The watch has multiple settings for various activities. The cycling setting is great to track your route, check your speed and distance - more or less the functions you get from a bike computer. For fishing it shows you the phases of the moon as well as fishing prediction. And with the click of a button, you can lock-in your GPS location

when you catch a fish. Wear OS is available for iPhone so you are not limited to Android phones and we were testing it in combination with an iPhone 6s which worked perfectly. For the pairing we had to reset the watch to be able to connect to the iPhone which is easy and straightforward when you setup it up. Not being an expert in smart watches and a bit old school, I also did not know that using a phone is essential to access all the features. Without a phone you are not even able to connect to Wi-Fi for the first time since you cannot enter the password on the watch. But I guess all smartwatches have to be linked with a smartphone. This comes of course with convenient features such as receiving notifications from incoming messages or calls on your watch. Once the watch is fully setup there are many features you can use without the need of the phone. If you are on a budget and after the main features, you can get its predecessor - the F20 which is still in retail. It’s a bit bigger, has less display resolution and is not as visible as the F30 in bright light and reacts slower in smart mode. In comparison to a handheld GPS the watch can substitute it but only if you use additional apps. It’s also not possible (or we did not find the right app) to load Google Earth images on the watch to use for (offline) outdoor navigation. This might be a feature for the next generation as well as solar charging capability to extend battery life outdoors. So even if the F30 is a bit pricey you get a lot in a small watch and most people will certainly not use the watch to its full potential. Even after testing the watch for a week, we discovered new features every time we tried it for a new activity. We were pretty impressed with the watch and believe that Casio set the bar high with their outdoor masterpiece. ■

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TIPS & TRICKS

Words + Photos by: Pedro Silva Gomes

1. YOU DON’T RUN THE ENTIRE WAY I think this is one of most dark and kept secrets about trail running or at least the thing your friends won’t mention often: you don’t run the entire way. This is odd for someone that comes from road running and you will even feel awkward when you get out with your trail running friends. Often you go much longer (in time) than on the road but part of it includes walking and stopping. On races the roads are often so steep that you really can’t run them anyways and it becomes faster to walk it then to try to jog. In trail running you don’t actually walk, you hike, and if you are competitive, you do a thing called power hiking which is exactly what it sounds like: walking with a lot of steam. 2. TRAIL SHOES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE I feel like this one is easy to guess in advance or you will quickly realize it on your first adventures off road. Trail shoes have extra grip on their sole are usually more breathable and have rough seams to face all sorts of external aggressions. After all, there is a whole market for trail shoes out there, so it makes sense that they are indeed crucial for trail running. As a side note, in the UAE, most trail races are generally not as hard as on most countries, so trail shoes won’t make a huge difference on more technical and hard races worldwide. If you ever consider doing a trail race outside the UAE, namely in countries like France, Spain or Portugal, be prepared to invest on quality trail shoes. 3. IT’S MORE LIKELY THAT IT GETS UGLY Most trail races are meant to be hard so race organizations often try to pick the hardest climbs and more technical descents to make things look like living hell. The harder you

have to work for it, the greater the reward, so don’t be afraid to participate in a trail race. Beware though that when you go off road, it’s more likely to get ugly than on the road where there are little to no obstacles. Falls, rolled ankles, pink toes, are just some of the things trail runners get used to and exactly like riding your bike off road, the better you get at it, the less likely it is that you crash or injure yourself. Also like mountain biking, be prepared to get dirty, that’s part of the fun. 4. RACES HAVE BETTER GOODIES One of the most expensive parts of organizing a road race is road closures and policemen. On trail races you don’t have to close any road (and if you do happen to cross one you must be wary of that) so race organizers often have a little more budget for goodies, pre and post event happenings and usually better aid stations. 5. YOU NEED TO NAVIGATE While it is not like a true orienteering mountain race, it does require a bit of navigation because on some cases you are running through mountain trails, single tracks, and there are multiple options going on the same direction. Most races have little pieces of tape stuck to trees and you run from stripe to stripe. However, also beware that you will be running on roads that are generally open to public and those pieces of tape may end up

missing. My trick is to always try to spot the next tape before heading straight into any trail and if the race is well marked, you should not run more than a few hundred meters without seeing a piece of tape. If you do... you are going the wrong way, turn back! 6. IT’S ALL ABOUT TIME ON YOUR FEET When you are out there on the mountain trails running with steep inclines and descents, distance is not a good metric and time on your feet becomes what you really should focus on. On the road, you focus on distance and pace but it will be impossible to do so when you are climbing up and down and pace is highly influenced by your technique and strength. So when planning a trail workout or race, try to calculate how much time you want to spend out there and turn back – if training – when you reach half way of your goal time. On race day, if your fueling plan is based on distance, switch it to time and focus on how much time have you been running and not how far you’ve gone.

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7. THERE IS AN OBSESSION FOR ALTITUDE GAIN You don’t go into a bar with your trail running friends and say how much time or distance you have ran without mentioning how much climbing you went over. When you enter a trail race it’s often that the total of altitude gain is mentioned, usually in meters with a sign of “+” next to it. For instance, the holy grail of trail running, the Ultra Trail of Mont Blanc (UTMB) is a 170km trail race with 10.000+ (or 10.000 mt+), meaning you will climb over 10.000 meters over the course and probably descent as much but no one cares about how much you descent, it’s all about how much you climb. A good rule of thumb is if a race has more than 400mt+ over the course of 10km, that is already challenging. Races with around 1000 mt+ per 15km enter a special category called Sky Races or Sky Marathons. So do the test and go out for a run at the Dubai Canal or Jumeirah Beach and see how much mt+ you get there to understand how difficult some of these ultra trail races are! 8. YOU DO NOT WIN RACES ON THE UPHILLS If you come from road racing and enter your first trail race, it is common that you come home and say something like “I was the fastest going uphill but they all passed me going down”. Reality is trail running races are not won on the uphill portion and it is on the flat and on the technical descents that the most experience make the difference. In fact, experienced trail runners try to reduce the perceived effort on the uphills because otherwise they would spike their heart rates too high and burn matches that could be used on the downhills and flat sections. It’s all about pacing and managing your lactate, you never want to enter an anaerobic zone where you are producing more lactate than you are able to get rid of because chances are you won’t recover on the downhills. Pace yourself going uphill and stay strong through the flat sections and descents. 9. IT’S EXCELLENT TO IMPROVE YOUR CYCLING If you, like me, are a triathlete or just an avid cyclist, you will find that trail running is great to improve your ability on the bike as well. When you run (or hike for that matter) uphill, you develop and recruit more of your glutes and quads. You also do so with the same

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closed hip flexor angle than in cycling so your trail running gains will translate into stronger cycling legs. It also works well the other way around with your cycling power being very useful for the uphill battles on the trails. 10. SPEED IS STILL ON THE ROAD While trail running has a strong technical component, specially going downhill, your running will suffer if you spend too much time on trails. In fact most of the elite trail runners still do most of their run volume on the road and spend little time on trails. There are two strong components to running – your physical capacity, which would be your strength and your aerobic capacity, and your peripheral nervous system (PNS) ability to transmit the right information to your muscles. You can even work your physical capacity on the trails but your ability to work on your “fitness” is limited as it’s difficult to go fast for long periods of time while on trails. See your body as a machine who gets used to whatever speed your constantly put it through – if you always go slow, due to the technicality of some trails with rocks, roots, etc, your body will get used to always going slow. 11. THERE IS A LOT OF GEAR AND FASHION TO FOLLOW Backpacks, hydration belts, compression socks, headbands, headlamps, sweatbands,

walking sticks, turtlenecks, arm-warmers, base layers, etc, there is so much gear that you could buy to help your long adventures that it can take a whole aisle on your local outdoor shop. There’s also some races that have mandatory gear that you must carry throughout the entire race such as a whistle, windbreaker, hydration bottle and thermal blanket. With all this extra gear you may find yourself buying, you must beware that there’s also a secret fashion code you must follow. Your kit must match your compression socks and your headband must match your hydration pack. Jokes aside, I dare you to see a few videos of trail events online to figure out the dress code and while it’s not essential to fit in, you usually don’t want to stand out either on your first race. 12. MOBILE PHONE IS A MUST On most trail races you will be traveling through roads without much foot traffic or cars so if things do go wrong, you must be able to call for help on your mobile phone. It’s for your own good and some race organizations do make it mandatory to carry your phone so get used to it. Besides, when you are out there in the wild, the colors, the wildlife and the unique scenes deserve a good photo so if you don’t want to carry your phone for safety, just imagine all the photos you will be missing out on. ■

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ABU DHABI - A FLATS FISHING PARADISE Plan for the hot summer months with a few tips Words + Photos by: Alec Hansen

Summer in the UAE, many anglers think this the time when one cowers from the sun in the comfort of air conditioning. The extreme weather boasts high humidity and soaring temperatures and many start to disregard outdoor activities altogether. Even though temperatures can reach the high 40’s, fishing at dawn and at dusk is quite bearable as the ocean’s breeze offers a refreshing break from the heat.

During this hot season I somewhat limit fishing beaches and rock walls and start fishing the Abu Dhabi flats. The flats are a sea bed of sand covered by water during high tide but become exposed during low tide. In the summer these tidal waters contain large concentrations of fish species, sometimes it is almost like shooting fish in a barrel. I don’t know why the flats become so productive during the summer but I will continue to return every season. I mostly go out early in the morning when it’s cooler arriving on the flat when it’s dry -at around sunrise, which is the perfect time. I Blackbream

also pick a day when the tide is at its highest at 8-9am. The goal is to be on the flats when the water is still pushing onto them, this varies but usually occurs 2-4 hours before peak high tide. When the water rushes onto the flats, the fish are fired up searching for food, this is the time when they are most likely to take a lure. With these timings I can fish during the productive incoming tide as well as the start of the outgoing tide. I normally leave the flats a couple hours after fishing the falling tide to avoid the extreme midday heat. During the hotter months water nearest to land can come close to the temperature of the air, meaning 30-35 degrees. The water on the flat that’s closer to the open ocean conversely, remains much cooler, this is the area where the majority of fish will congregate. I normally wade the flat until I come upon cooler water, the change in temperature will be obvious, once cooler water is found, I will begin to start spotting fish. In this harsh environment, invertebrates such as crabs, worms and prawns dominate as the prey items for fish. On calm days when ripples and other disturbances on top of the water are minimal, fish can be seen in knee-deep water 20-30 metres away. During summer when visibility is this good I use a technique called sight fishing, which is when I stalk the fish without them noticing I am there; I would compare

Goldentrevally

this technique to hunting. You don’t want to be noticed, gentle and slow footsteps ensure you don’t spook the fish, coming within 10-20m is a safe distance where you can place an accurate cast without the fish being able to spot you. Abu Dhabi’s sight fishing opportunity is rivalled by that of locations like the Seychelles. The only difference is the species one can catch. Sure, you might not be casting at permit or bonefish like in the Seychelles, but endemic species to UAE such as bream (locally called shaam), grunter (nagroor) and golden trevally (gufdar) are on a list that don’t fall short in my book. Spotted grunters are kind of like bream in their feeding habits. They don’t fight quite as hard or are as smart but larger specimens are great fun on light tackle. Bream are an inquisitive, tricky fish that fight hard and prove to be a rewarding catch every time and by using small presentations with thin diameter line you will have a better chance at catching them. Golden trevally will make your drag sing, their runs are long and powerful - even the small ones put up a great fight. These predators will most likely take crab and prawn imitations, although they will take baitfish style lures as well. Soft plastics with scented attractants work the best. Anything that best imitates their prey is a sure-fire hit.

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Sand Prawn

Fishing on the flats no matter where you are, regardless of what you catch, is always exciting. The visual aspect of flats fishing is why it’s so appealing. Seeing a fish react to a fly or lure is incredible, they can follow the lure right to the rod tip without striking or they can hit the lure as soon as it lands in the water. I’ve seen bream follow my fly for metres looking at the action of it along the bottom. When bream are following your lure the right twitch or pause can mean the difference between catching and not. Being able to change the style of retrieve based on how the fish is reacting is vital for successful sight fishing. Seeing this come together for a hookset is mesmerising. Memories of these particular follows on the flats make me keep coming back. Fishing in the summer on the flats can be precarious if you don’t know what you are doing, so here are a few tips that will make your experience a pleasant one. Firstly, bringing more water than you think you need is always vital, you never know when you’re going to need a few extra drops, I always carry 2-3 litres with me every time I go out. Water is the most important thing you will need while fishing on the flats. As I recall I once ran out of water when I waded too far out on the flat and the tide rose too quickly for me to return to shore, so I stayed out on a sand bar for 3 hours! Luckily, it wasn’t too hot and I wasn’t too dehydrated but if conditions had been worse, it would

Underwater PIkey bream

Held up bream

have been a very dangerous position for me to be in. Secondly, pack light. When carrying 3 litres of water any extra gear will weigh you down and tire you out much quicker, so I pack the bare essentials: 2-3 litres of water, my phone, a battery pack, fishing tackle (line, lures, knife and pliers), a camera and some food. Being in the sun for many hours can leave you sunburnt if you don’t dress appropriately. To protect myself I wear the following; a hat, buff, a light long sleeve shirt, wading boots and board shorts. Lastly, know your limits. If you do not feel comfortable with the heat then do not go out. Flats fishing isn’t for the faint of heart - you need to know your limits, know the risk, know the reward and be willing to accept them all. Now if the heat wasn’t enough to scare you off then stingrays and sea snakes might. Stingrays are a given if you are fishing the flats, anywhere in the world they are a prolific hunter and scavenger, eating much the same food as bream and goldens. Stingrays are more scared of you than you are of them. They spook easily sensing the vibration in your steps. I have never personally heard of anyone stepping on a stingray on the flats. There is always the stingray shuffle if you feel unsure about a specific area; taking small shuffling steps along the

sandy bottom will push on the outer edge of a stingray rather than stepping directly on it, the stingray will swim off spooked not threatened. Wearing flats boots will offer protection from a stingray’s barb, I highly recommend purchasing these vital shoes if you are going to fish the flats. I have only ever seen one sea snake on the flats. Although ranking as one of the most venomous snakes on the planet, they are docile creatures with their only intent being to prey on the invertebrates and fish of the flats. When I encountered one I saw it swimming a few meters in front of me going from right to left. The first thing I did was back up slowly, ensuring my wake did not disturb it then I moved right knowing it would most likely not return to an area which it had already covered. When you are out on the flats it is wise to always keep vigilant - recognising hazards and addressing each situation accordingly will help keep you out of harm’s way. Being alert and aware of the dangers means you can avoid potential risk and you can enjoy the flats for what they are, peace, solitude and a whole lot of fun. Best of luck on your next flats adventure. ■

Sea Snake

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Off-roading: Your Passport to Adventure

Words by: Marina Bruce Photos by: Marina Bruce, Robert Haandrikman, Dan Watanabe, Murray Kinnaird

Since OutdoorUAE’s also dedicated to off-roading, I thought I could ask the question - what exactly is off-roading?

Off-roading: Is it a group of experienced enthusiasts, zooming up dunes at top speed, side sloping and holding on to line until turning down to safety at the last minute? Yes, of course, that’s off-roading; not everyone has an appetite for adrenaline but for those who do, then there are many areas in the UAE to practice their hobby. To follow them you will likely want to make some suspension and possibly power upgrades to your car; every month OutdoorUAE features one or two enthusiasts in their Off-roaders Corner, and this is a great place to pick up tips and ideas for vehicle modification. Off-roading: Could it also be a group of city-based families who load their camping gear in their 4x4s and head off to Liwa for the weekend? Yes, that too comes under the heading of off-roading. Their aim is to navigate easy dunes until they find the perfect quiet campsite; driving is a big part of their trip but it’s not their only goal; their aim is to have family fun in the desert. Campfire, sand sledges and glow sticks under a canopy of a million stars. If you check out OutdoorUAE’s routes section you will see a few easy routes

to download and you will also find my latest one, the Hameem Loop, in this magazine. Off-roading: Perhaps there are some friends heading over the border to Oman at weekends in search of wadis to “bash” – another flavour of off-roading. If they are super-serious, they might have 4-inch lift kits, very strong tyres, and a pair of working gloves to wear when they have to move big boulders out of the way! There are however, a multitude of wadis which offer family friendly driving in standard 4x4 cars, one of which is Wadi Hawqayn – you can find this route on our website and described in OutdoorUAE September/October 2017 (Oman Wadi Wanderings). Remember to keep out of the wadis when rain is forecast as the resultant flash floods will sweep away everything in their paths. Off-roading: Speaking of Oman, there are lots of 4x4 owners who head to the mountains there (and also in the Northern Emirates) in spring/summer/autumn, in search of cooler air and a chance to camp when the Gulf region is at its hottest. This too is off-roading. Like wadi enthusiasts, mountain drivers will likely have cars with tyres with strong sidewalls; roof tents are popular too – nobody likes to pitch their tent on rocky ground! My favourite mountain in Oman is Jebel Akhdar; having visited it around 20 times I shared some places to off-road and camp in last month’s OutdoorUAE and these could be great starter points for your first visit.

Off-roading: You will find me at my happiest leading a group on a long overland trip; minimum 100kms but sometimes up to 600! The idea is to move from waypoint to waypoint, crossing a variety of terrains, staying off-road whenever possible and dealing with whatever I encounter in between. Like me, over landers get their kicks from travelling for days through the most remote of areas, before arriving at their intended destination. Elaborate preparations are required when going “off the grid.” I carry a satellite phone, give friends my route (and check in with them when I am safely back on the road), extra fuel, food, water – the aim is always to not require outside assistance! Oman in particular offers a lot of scope for long distance routes and you can check out some great ones, as well as advice on pre-trip preparation, in Mike Nott’s book “Advanced Offroad Adventure Routes UAE & Oman”, which is available through OutdoorUAE’s website. Please check the book’s Facebook page for route updates before you go. All the groups described above, when asked at work or school on a Sunday morning “what did you do at the weekend” will have the same reply – we went off-roading! None of the trip types are better or worse than the other, it’s all down to personal preference, your vehicle capabilities and your family situation. How lucky we all are in the UAE to have such wonderful areas easily accessible at the weekend! No matter how you off-road, I wish you safe journeys and wonderful memories! ■

Desert camping by Robert Haandrikman

Rub Al Khali Oman by Marina Bruce

Starfish dunes camp by Dan Watanabe

Starfish dunes by Dan Watanabe

Heading out to camp by Murray Kinnaird

Track driving on Jebel Akhdar

Wadi Aydam by Marina Bruce

Wadi Hawqayn by Marina Bruce

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The Hameem Loop

DOWNLOAD

outdooruae.com/routes

Author: Marina Bruce AKA The Desert Diva Distance: Off-road 40kms Average Time to Complete: 2-4 hours with no stops Route Grade: easy-intermediate Suitable for families or kids: absolutely Vehicle requirements: 4x4

Narrative – The Hameem loop takes you away from oilfields and civilization, into some beautiful big dunes which turn a gorgeous brown-red in the late afternoon sun.

Much of the route can be done by sand track but you can pick a line away from these in most cases; please keep away from camels and camel farms. You should be able to receive a 3G (Etisalat) signal for most of the way. Start by filling up at ADNOC Al Fayadha #660, then head south for around 53kms until you reach HLWP001 Start. Deflate your tyres and prepare your car for off-road at this point. Start by driving down a sand covered track, avoiding the farm near HLWP002, then pick your route travelling from waypoint to waypoint. After HLWP003 you will reach the dunes proper; waypoint HLWP004 is just to keep you on track and you don’t need to hit it exactly, however, you should line up perfectly with HLWP005 as this is a designated berm crossing. Turn right up the gatch track for approximately 2km and take a left into the dunes again at HLWP006. Continue to meander among the dunes until you hit the road at HLWP007. You will now be approx. 6kms from the ADNOC at Hameem where you can air and fuel up.

Gazelle are often spotted here

A few tricky places

A little bit of technical driving

Camping in this area is highly recommended – suggest somewhere between HLWP003 and HLWP005. If you are near a camel farm remember you need to camp Stunning dunescapes upwind from it! If you have time at the end of your desert Social Media trip, you might consider travelling the length Facebook: /DesertDivaUAE of the historic Liwa Crescent. For interestTwitter: @15shadesofsand ing stops check out Marina’s article on Liwa Insta: thedesertdivame Crescent 2WD in Outdoor UAE’s September Blog: thedesertdiva.com 2017 edition. ■

Many good campspots

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THE SECRET TO CREATING A WINNING TEAM Your team might be good at what they do, and their skill level may be high, but if they have no clear picture of what the results should look like, they merely exist. Gareth Noble explains how to create a winning team.

I’ve played on many sports teams, and I’ve learned that just because we might put on the same jersey and wear the same colour socks, it does not automatically make us a team, which happens at work, too. Just because you work in the same office and share the same coffee pot does not mean you are part of a team. The reality is that when things get tough, most teams fall apart or act out because they don’t know why they are there. When a team has no common purpose, members will be working for themselves, and there will be no reason good for them to stay. It’s the leader’s responsibility to cast that vision and make it plain so they can run with it. The vision has to be repeated to its members so that there is no confusion. The vision brings direction and unity to the team. When members of a team have a common goal, it binds them together and gives them a deeper connection and understanding. A great coach understands that teamwork is intentional and requires work. Once you have a purpose or goal in mind, you can then assess where the team is at and make the necessary adjustments to improve areas of weakness. A team rises or falls based on its leadership. We have seen that to be true for sports teams, big companies, and even countries. Great leaders can inspire people to rise to any occasion. They have learned to be courageous and substantial for others. This type of leader knows how to rally his troops to get the job done whether or not people like them. Just the other day, I heard a phrase that resonated with me: “Fear is what you feel; courage is what you do.” To lead from the front, one has to be brave. A leader is a risk taker who ventures into the unknown. They have the spirit of conquest when it comes to their goals and aspirations. Leaders are also readers who soak up everything there is to know about successful leadership. If you want to have the competitive edge, you have to be hungry for growth. When you stop reading and learning, you 60

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stop growing, and when you stop growing, it affects your leadership and in turn, affects the growth of your team. Strong leaders also can bring about change which happens as a result of being trusted. The credibility of a leader does not develop overnight; it takes time to produce. Great leaders that routinely line up their actions with their words build credibility and integrity, and it’s something we don’t see that often in leaders today. How do leaders in the 21st century build credibility, you may ask? By consistently serving people and adding value to their team. If you want a formidable team, you have to be a remarkable leader. Perhaps the reason your team sucks is that you’re a crappy leader who hides behind his or her title and barks orders to everyone. Stop projecting your character flaws onto your team. That’s not leadership; that’s mismanagement. People might obey you out of fear of losing their job, but they will never follow you to the top of Mount Everest. Great leaders also bring about change and

can influence others because of how they live their lives. Learn how to serve your team with your strengths, and they will follow you into battle. The successful leader intentionally forms a committed group with members who are loyal to the cause. They become just like their leader as they begin to emulate what they see. That’s why leading by example is so powerful—we think no one is watching, but the truth is, there is always someone looking up to you. Certain qualities can be taught, and there are some that can only be caught. When a leader works closely with their team and leads by example, team members will have the opportunity to absorb more and at a quicker rate. When you learn to become a better leader your team automatically goes to another level. A great leader will pull their squad up higher. I want to encourage you today to decide to become a stronger leader and pilot your team by both serving and adding value to them. Which in turn, will inspire your team to get to the next level. ■

Born and raised in South Africa, Gareth Noble is an up and coming author, motivational speaker and leadership coach based in Dubai. With a background in sports technology, he has spent the last decade focusing on empowering athletes, corporate teams, youth organizations and non-profits to resolve internal issues to bring out the best in their teams. His first book, “Why Your Team Sucks” is available for sale globally on Amazon.

New Year, New You? Words by: Nicky Holland (Personal Trainer)

Firstly, I would like to wish all the readers a Happy New Year. I don’t know if it’s still acceptable to say but this is the first time I’m speaking to you all in 2019, so I’m gonna roll with it. Many people will be speaking about New Year’s Resolutions and if I was given a pound every time someone said “New year, new me” I would be rich and not need to work all year.

During my time in the fitness industry, every year, the same trends occur. January and February comes along and everyone wants to get fit. Over the festive season, we get caught into a trap where we eat and drink more than we should. We know at the time this is bad for us but we continue to do it “because it’s Christmas” and say to ourselves “I’ll burn it off in the new year” but we tend to “bite off more than we can chew” literally! The thing about living in Dubai, is that, by the time we get back into a routine, with work, sleep and getting the social balance, it is actually the middle of January. Then we tend to wait until February to commit to our goals properly because it’s the start of a new month. Getting the perfect body takes time. I admire everyone wanting to get fitter or improve their body shape because that requires a lot of motivation, discipline, hard work and commitment. But we have to be smart in what we want to achieve and what we actually can achieve. The key is to start off gradual. Little changes to your day to day routine to help you become more active will have a positive impact on your overall health. This also helps make fitness become more sustainable.

So, what can you do? Below are some tips which have proven to be successful and are easier to maintain. Remember its consistency and doing the little things right, that add up to make the bigger impact. 1. Exercise daily - this doesn’t mean go to the gym or on a 5km run every day, but start by doing basic exercises. I would advise 1020 minutes of gentle exercises which could mean walking up and down stairs, carrying shopping, getting the bus at the next stop, walk before you have a coffee so you feel you have earned it. There are many ways to be active so try to do this each day, the benefits are endless. 2. Stretch in the morning - when we are sleeping, our muscles fascia (which is a sheet of connective tissue) will become tight, causing us to feel stiff when we wake. Doing some stretches can help release the muscle fascia tension and help with range of movement

and blood circulation. Upper body and lower body stretches are good to do. Try this each morning and you’ll feel better and more energised. 3. Challenge yourself - by doing something different. Something you haven’t done before or something that is going to test your fitness level. This could be to learn a new activity, play a sport, play with your children or grandchildren, do a new exercise or something that you haven’t done in a while. Any of these will give you a sense of fulfilment or enjoyment which at the same time is getting you more active. The last tip is nutrition. I will speak about nutrition more in next edition but be mindful of the calories you are consuming. Our bodies are very good at managing food. We break it down and utilise it for energy, for growth and repair and for insulation. Don’t eat more than you need and if you think a particular food isn’t very good for you, then it most probably it isn’t. More vegetables are important especially to support our immune system during “flu season” where everyone seems to be getting sick or having a virus. New year doesn’t mean new you. It means you’re the same you but have a fresh start to be positive and make changes to build on the person you were last year. See this as an opportunity to be better. The little changes you make will give you confidence and as you start to see change, you will be more likely to continue and sustain being active. I’ll be writing more fitness related content this year, which you can see on my Instagram page @nicky__fitness and my website www.nicky-fitness.com. ■

Best wishes! Nicky Fitness, Personal Trainer

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Words + Photos by: Kit Belen

The best time for man to fish oftentimes isn’t the best time for the fish to feed.

While that statement holds a lot of water per se, it isn’t something we can’t do anything about – it just means we need to understand the variables we need to deal with, adjust and do what we can to produce. Probably one of the most often overlooked factor in fishing, especially those that have less experience, is water temperature. Since it’s cold out these days, let’s talk about fishing in colder temperatures and how to find success. This is something that can be used for

Even when fishing shallower water, windy conditions and a fast drift forces you to use very thin lines to sink a tiny lure on a fast drift

Can't get enough of the Gomoku Micro Jig, works offshore and inshore

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both inshore fishing as well as offshore fishing. Cooler temperatures across the region put a lot of outdoor activities in motion, fishing is definitely one of them – from the handful of nuts that fish throughout the year, the number increases tenfold, or more, when winter comes – majority think the only Sloly presenting soft plastics on the bottom with time to fish is winter, for good reathin leaders lead to finicky fish falling for them son – this is pretty much the only time of people who are used to slinging big lures of year when fishing is pleasant, the on big line, as this means lighter rods and cold is easier to deal with. Of course, warm reels, as well as lighter lines and leaders to be clothes, a cup of coffee or tea pretty much able to fish tiny lures more effectively. fixes things. The heat of summer is too much Tiny is relative – some might consider 40 of a handful – even if you fish naked in the grams as tiny while others would consider it a summer, you would just be burnt to a crisp big lure – The way I look at things, it depends as opposed to being baked alive when fully on where you fish. For example, 40 grams clothed – Bottom line, it is far easier to manwould be pretty small in Fujairah while it age your fishing in the winter than it is in the would be pretty big in Dubai waters when the summer. mercury plummets. Naturally, cooler ambient temperatures also While it’s normal for anyone to use 200+ equate to lower water temperatures and for gram jigs off Fujairah, fishing cold water, I cold-blooded animals, fish included (except would drop down to 80g and use lighter line, for one), become lethargic. Unlike lizards and and fish my jig slowly and would most likely snakes that are able to sun themselves, fish get more hits in the process, in the gulf side, can’t really just go up to the surface and sun if I would normally use 40-60g jigs, I would themselves, some can, but majority adjust drop down to 10-20g and fish lines as light as to the cold temperatures by lowering their 3kg. metabolism and as a result, they move slower Scaling down your line and lure would also and feed less. mean that you need to scale your leaders When the cold comes, fish generally like down – fishing with as light a leader as I could snacks more than meals, and the easier they possibly get away with, like 4kg max for my are to catch (less energy spent) the better for 3kg line keeps me in contact with the bottom them – this means fishing slow and fishing more than a thick leader would. small. This could be quite a challenge to a lot

Koika jigs can be presented slowly and Slow Rockers are heavy but have a small My leader of choice is Sufix Invisiline are quite deadly for a lot of species profile, perfect for slow presentations - thin and strong and invisible to fish

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Slowly reeling the docan keeps the tail pulsating - it proves too much for most bottom fish like this hamour

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2019 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Docan Snapper Balls produce in cold water just as much as it does iin warmer temperatures

Tackle For my fishing style/system, the gear set I use for cold water is the same as my highpressure area gear set. The only real difference would be leader length – I use longer leaders for high-pressured area, whereas I use shorter leaders for cold water – As the braid and leader, even on quite light poundage, have a huge variance on diameter. The effect a long leader makes is the opposite of what a short leader does – the rate of fall of your lure. Line Although most thin braid would be suitable, I find a really round braid gives you consistent results, especially when dealing with currents, drift or both. Sufix 832, Pro8 and the new X8 and 131 are great lines and I got some great results with them, the newer X8 and 131 are quite strong and round, but when I need to go even thinner, the 832 and Pro8 provides me with the diameters I need to sink 5 grams in 20m of water. Juggle a few brands to your preference and find what works for your fishing style, but the key is to be able to maintain contact with the lure at all times.

Lures As for lures, good types for cold-water fishing, and quite possibly a very good go-to lure type would be soft plastics. Metal jigs are great too; just ensure that you are using one that flutters a lot because you won’t be moving them a lot, a few jigs and pausing for longer periods works more than vigorously working the jig. My go to jigs for this type of fishing in deeper water off a boat or a kayak are the smallest Gomoku Slow Rocker, Gomoku Koika and Gomoku Micro Jig. With the Microjig going as low as 8 and 12g – they see the most action in the coldest outings. Tiny soft plastics like the Gomoku Bulky Ring, Soft Minnow and Soft Straight are all great slow presentation baits – there are others and depending on your fishing style, you can find what works for you. Rod and Reel We all have our preferences and there are a lot out there that are suited, and depending on where I fish, I use a Rapala Reranga or Vespida depending on the weight of my lure – offshore I have been working with the

A tiny jig of 1.5g with a soft plastic sank deep caught this nice Jack

Gomoku Emera Limited with great success. When I need a longer rod on shore, I have a Shimano 8’6 solid tip rod that has both the range and sensitivity for fishing the light lures I need to convert bites. For reels, I mostly use 1000-2500 size reels from Shimano, of course you can use any brand of your preference. Would bigger lures work? In the last trip I made, I used an 80g jig in 20m of water, just to be able to get a good angle on the drift, which at that point was pretty swift. Although the thought behind it was to target the biggest fish swimming in the area, I was still able to get strikes from smaller fish. This certainly proves the fish are still aggressive, but the strikes were few and far in between and I had to work a lot slower than I normally do. The Docan Snapperball proved to be consistent, even when I bumped the size up to 120g in 20m of water and a fast drift, it consistently caught fish – it caught more fish than the rod that had bait in fact, the key is to find the speed the fish wants and just do that until they stop biting and then either speed up a bit or slow down and find what speed gets them to bite again. Bait obviously works and offers a distinct advantage of scent – however, in the last trip, most of the big fish; especially the biggest fish on the trip was caught on a 12g jig, fished with 3kg line on a 3kg leader. We still have a few months of cold weather out there so make use of it, when the weather warms up, the number of fishermen will get cut down and before you know it, there would only be a few nutcases out and about. ■

Stay warm and enjoy the winter’s fishing! Till Next Tide Change,

Kit

Thin Brain is important to reach the bottom with light lures and keeping it there on the drift

The new Sufix X8 is an 8 carrier line that is very strong and thin

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THE BLIND MAN WHO LEADS THE WAY

Erik Weihenmayer achieved international acclaim by being the first visually-challenged man to climb Mt Everest. He now leads many others on outdoor adventures. What’s stopping you? Interview by: Bandana Jain Photos by: Luis Benitez and Didrik Johnck

Erik Weihenmayer was diagnosed with retinoschisis as a young child, as a result of which, he was sight impaired for most of his childhood and completely blind by the time he was 14. However, remarkably he has achieved more than most people will ever achieve, having climbed the highest mountains on seven continents - the so-called Seven Summits, authored many books and launched the “No Barriers movement” which seeks to empower sight-impaired 64

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children and adults to achieve more. An impressive CV by any standards and there’s more.

This 50-year-old American is a natural thrill seeker and has also kayaked the Grand Canyon and after conquering numerous major peaks, Erik decided to confront his biggest challenge – Mount Everest. He was joined by several of his climbing buddies who risked their own lives in this pursuit. Along the journey, the team faced treacherous conditions, but Erik and his colleagues finally made it to the top of Mount Everest, the top of the world, making him the first blind person to ever have made it to the summit. How did it feel when you got to the top? It was incredible of course, an incredible feeling and experience but do not

forget, that was only half the achievement. We also had to get all the way back down again which is also very difficult, so I was euphoric to be there, but knew there were more challenges to come. And retrospectively, that is how I have always lived. I do not sit on my laurels, there is always more to achieve, more goals to work towards. It is clear you are quite an achiever, fighting your way to success. To what do you attribute this characteristic? I could not accept the idea that blindness would drive me to the sidelines of life and my family was also pretty proactive in ensuring I would stay positive. My mom defiantly fought to keep me in school with my fellow students and my dad would drive me three hours to Massachusetts once a month to an adventure program for the blind. So, there was never any part of me that felt like being blind would hold me back. For example, at the adventure program we did rock climbing, and in school I also wrestled. Rock climbing is very tactile, you feel your way more than see your way and the same is also true for wrestling. Lack of sight did not hold me back and I did well in high school and went on to represent my home state of Connecticut in the National Junior Freestyle Wrestling Championship in Iowa.

But it’s in mountain climbing that you have made a big name for yourself. When did your passion for that start? I lost my mom relatively young and my dad would take the family on climbing trips to keep our lives intact. As a teenager, I discovered rock climbing and a natural dexterity for the tactile aspects of scanning the rock with my hands and feet for holds. That’s what I really loved about it. You can feel all these little knobs and cracks and fissures and little dishes in the rock. So, you’re problem-solving with your hands and feet as your eyes. You had to put your body in all these cool, acrobatic positions to get yourself from point A to point B and you’re trying to solve this puzzle that’s embedded in the rock. I loved the great adventure and mystery and full engagement. I got to the top and I could hear the valley below me and the wind blowing through the trees and I thought this was so stunning. This is what I want out of my life. Tell us more about the mountains you have climbed, literally and metaphorically? I graduated with a double major from Boston College, and became a middle-school teacher and wrestling coach at Phoenix Country Day School. That was an achievement in itself, but it was atop the highest point in North America, the mountain known in the native Inuit language as Denali, where my quest for adventure began to take shape. This was in

1995, and on May 25, 2001, I became the first blind person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. In 2008 I climbed Carstensz Pyramid on the island of Papua New Guinea, completing the Seven Summits, the highest point on every continent. This accomplishment closed the circuit on a 13-year journey and I am one of only 150 people in the world to have achieved this. Following these achievements, you appeared on the cover of Time magazine and set up ‘No Barriers’. What is it about? Climbing some of the world’s most formidable mountains fuelled an idea- I had to take the lessons learnt in mountain climbing to help others break barriers in their lives. I believe, we are more powerful than any barrier that stands in our way and with the right mind-set we can overcome any block in our pathway to fulfil our dreams. I founded the No Barriers movement with a mission to help people with challenges, which is all of us to some extent, to face it head on, embrace a pioneering and innovative spirit and team up with great people to live rich, in meaning and purpose. Our motto is “What’s within you is stronger than what’s in your way.” As a blind adventurer I’ve travelled the world, climbed Mt. Everest and kayaked the Grand Canyon, so I know better than most that barriers are real, not merely perceived. I also learnt that obstacles encountered can either stop us in our tracks, or

we can figure out a way to harness them and propel ourselves to new places that we would never get to, in any other way. I have a mindset of continuous challenges, we need this to grow and evolve, to climb, while others camp! You’ve authored multiple books, including a memoir, Touch the Top of the World, what can readers expect? My central message is about harnessing the power of adversity, developing a guiding vision and building a strong team. I see every new challenge as an opportunity to problem solve, strategize and pioneer new ways forward. I write and speak about the No Barriers Mindset, what it takes for individuals, teams, and organizations to convert challenges into greatness and reach for nearly impossible goals. And I use my experience of mountaineering for inspiration because I believe a summit isn’t just a place on a mountain. A summit exists in our hearts and minds. It is a tiny scrap of a dream made real, indisputable proof that our lives have meaning. A summit is a symbol that with the force of our will and the power of our legs, our backs, and our two hands, we can transform our lives into whatever we choose them to be, whatever our hands are strong enough to create. Erik Weihenmayer was invited as a part of ‘No Barriers’ events organized by Fine Hygienic Holding (FHH). FHH was the facilitator for Erik’s Middle East sojourn helping inspire youth in the region. ■

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