#50 November 2014

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MTB IN SA
ENJOYING A RIDE TO NOWHERE

TIPS & TRICKS
MEET THE DESERT RECOVERY KING

600KM ODYSSEY
PADDLE BOARDING THE BALEARICS
BASHING!
QATARS BIGGEST DUNES
SEAN JAMES
GETS A 360 VIEW OF SIBERIA
Tried & Tested
Surf Ski
STELLAR ELITE INTERMEDIATE
WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
Issue 47, November 2014
20K
MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
Editor-in-Chief Daniel Birkhofer

Managing Editor Andy McNab
Editor Glaiza Seguia-Godinez
Designer Jung Francisco
Administration Jane Mesina
Sales & Marketing (advertisement enquiries)
Linda Turcerova
Tel: 04-447 2030
Mobile: 055 9398915
linda@outdooruae.com
Published by
Outdoor UAE FZE
In cooperation with D32 Events
P.O. Box 215062
Dubai, U.A.E.
Tel. 04-447 2030
contact@outdooruae.com
www.outdooruae.com
Distributor
Tawzea, Abu Dhabi Media
Company
P.O. Box 40401,
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Printed at
Galadari Printing & Publishing LLC
P.O. Box: 11243, Dubai, UAE
2014 Outdoor UAE FZE

Issue 47 November 2014
NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM
The Outdoors.
The Great Outdoors.
What does it mean?
An endless desert? A moonlit mountain plateau? An alpine meadow? A featureless
plain? A canyon, riverbank or white coral beach?
Yes, of course, but we here at OutdoorUAE do not discriminate. Does it also mean
throwing a Frisbee around in the park? Does it mean grilling some kebabs at a backyard
barbecue? Does it mean dragging fishing net through a rock pool, or sitting on your
balcony watching countless flights navigate the night sky? Yes it does, 100%. Just so you
know, you dont need to halfway up (or down) a cliff face, dangling by a rope or bunnyhopping over dunes to be outdoors. We are happy to hear from you no matter what you
are doing - if it is outdoors (and responsible) drop us line or post us a picture - we would
love to connect with you.
The small team at ODUAE each want this magazine to grow not to cash in, but
because we desperately want to provide the regions outdoor enthusiasts and weekendwarriors with a better service, a first-class product and an overload of information and
options. It is the start of the cooler season now, and our goal is to keep you busy, not
just for a day or a week, but for months and months and months. So, your challenge this
month, should you choose to accept, is to get busy with you smartphone or DSLR and
send us an outdoor snap, just one, thats all. Send it contacts@outdooruae.com. It really
is very, very simple, and while youre at it, you tell us, what features, stories or expert
advice you would like to see in the upcoming issues.
I may be new to the OutdoorUAE team, but not to the outdoor community. Over my
fourteen years here in the UAE, Ive been stuck in sand, gravel and mud; chased by
snakes, stung by hornets, rays and jellyfish, shot at, sun-stroked and crippled by exhaustion. I have trekked and hiked from sunrise until sunset and accompanied on school
expeditions and field studies all over the region; and like many of you, I love it, and will
always go back for more; because what happens outdoors doesnt just stay outdoors,
it stays in your heart and mind. Without our dose of the outdoors we just wouldnt be
ourselves. We wouldnt be happy. We wouldnt be human.
Andy
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BETWEEN THE LINES
Get to us on Facebook!
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.
Daniel Birkhofer
Founder and Editor in Chief
daniel@outdooruae.com
Andy McNab
Managing Editor
andy@outdooruae.com
Glaiza Seguia-Godinez
Editor
glaiza@outdooruae.com
Linda Turcerova
Sales and Marketing
linda@outdooruae.com
Jane Mesina
Administration
jane@outdooruae.com
Jung Francisco
Designer and Photographer
jung@outdooruae.com
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EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS
All contents are copyrighted and may not be

reproduced in any form without prior written
permission.
2014 Outdoor UAE FZE
Reg. at Creative City Fujairah
P.O. Box 4422, Fujairah, U.A.E.
WHEN YOURE
DONE READING,
PLEASE RECYCLE!
Kit Belen
Our fishing pro
John Basson
Moto/ATV and
all round adventure
seeker
Tori Leckie
Writer, runner,
blogger
and adventurer
Eulogy van Dyk

Outdoor loving
Qatar explorer
Sean James
Mountaineering
and MTBing
expert
Ian Ganderton
Kayaker, climber, mountainbiker
and snowboarder.
Enthusiastic jack of all trades,
master of none.
WANT TO CONTRIBUTE? CONTACT US! contact@outdooruae.com
OUTDOORUAE
CONTENTS
18 RIDE2NOWHERE
15 THE UAE BAJA
EVERY ISSUE
24 PADDLING THE BALEARICS
05 BEST SHOTS
06 EVENTS CALENDAR
42 LIFESTYLE
46 PRODUCTS
60 PEOPLE
70 DIRECTORY
EVENT REVIEWS & REPORTS

16 DMX 2014-2015
26 THE IRONVET
28 ANDYS CREEK WALK
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
36 HONEY BADGER - PART 7
38 SIBERA EXPEDITION
LIFESTYLE
44 HABITUALLY HEALTHY
OUR EXPERTS
48 OFF-ROADING ABU DHABI - MARINA
50 AUTUMN RUNNING TORI
58 DUNE BASHING QATAR - EULOGY
TIPS + TRICKS
66 OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
68 CATCHING SAILFISH KIT
32 PETZL ROCTRIP
OUTDOORUAE
60 CHAT WITH EVA CLARKE
BEST SHOTS
WINNER!
Here are the best shots sent in by you for the

monthly Want Fame? photography competition!
Thank you for all your entries, they were all great
and it was hard selecting the best photos this month.
Congratulations to the top three winners, who will each
receive Buff headwear, five free copies of the magazine
and the Advance Off-road book: Asil Abdo, Nilesh
Rawal and Rob Jones. Well done!
To submit your entries, simply email us
at competitions@outdooruae.com
with the subject Best Shots.
WINNER!
Asil Abdo
Diving for pleasure.
WINNER!
Rob Jones
From a different point of view.
Nilesh Rawal
In Ras Al Khaimah, taken from one of my weekly outdoor trips.
OUTDOORUAE
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EVENTS CALENDAR
Stay up-to-date with the latest events
Featured Event
Dubai Off-road and Adventure Show 2014

November 6 to 8, Dubai Autodrome
Come join us for the inaugural Dubai Off-road and Adventure Show! This exciting event will
bring together the outdoor community, brands and organisations together. It is a consumer
show and social event with activities and exhibitors showcasing their products and services
that visitors can try out. Fun visitor activation and interaction with the brands and products
are the heart and soul of the event. This will ensure an informative, entertaining and thrilling
event for the whole family and great branding and awareness opportunities for companies.
The event will cater to different outdoor activities like off-roading, motocross, camping,
diving, cycling, hiking, fitness and more. There will also be participation from different outdoor clubs,
organisations and charities. For more information, visit www.dubaiadventureshow.com and like us on
www.facebook.com/MeAdventureShow. For tickets, please visit www.ticketmaster.ae/event/2955.
Dubai International Triathlon 2014

November 7, 6:30am, Atlantis Resort, The Palm
The first half-iron distance triathlon to be held in the UAE features a 1.9km swim followed by 90km
bike and a 21.1km run. The swim will take place in the waters off the Atlantis Resort; the two-lap
bike heads off The Palm onto Hessa Street towards Sports City before returning to Atlantis; while
the two-lap run is on the crescent of The Palm with the Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel providing the postcard backdrop to the course. The route is flat so athletes can expect some fast times.
Registration is open to individuals in male and female age group categories and teams of three.
Early bird registration extends till 30th June. For more information and registration,
visit www.dubai-tri.com and www.premieronline.com.
Dial-A-Battery Desert Stinker 2014

November 7, 7:30pm, Al Qudra
A two-stage desert adventure run (10km or 20km distance) with no frills camping and no shower
theres a good reason why this event is called the Desert Stinker! On Friday night, the horn will
sound at 7:30pm and participants will head off to run in the dark with their headlamp. It will be a flat
but challenging course marked with light reflective tape, then runners will return to camp to prepare
for the mornings start gun to run over the dunes. Sponsor Dial-A-Battery will be providing free battery testing over the course of the weekend and on Saturday there will be wall climbing and fun activities for the kids. For more information, visit www.urbanultra.com and www.premieronline.com.
Wadi Adventure Race 7

November 8, 9:00am, Wadi Adventure
The seventh edition of WAR will be harder, better, faster and stronger than ever. Be prepared for a
new course and new obstacles that will test your limits! The event is split into different categories:
Elite, A, B, C, D and E mixed men and women. Elites will be your super fit racer and looking to win
the race, while E category will be your average to low fitness level racers who want to challenge
themselves. The obstacles and details of the race will not be given out to any racers before the race.
For more information and registration, visit www.wadiadventure.ae and www.premieronline.com.
Dubai Roadsters Coast

to Coast Challenge Fall 2014
November 14, 5:30am, Nad Al Sheba Cycle Park
This is a 216km cycling event from the Dubai coast to the Al Aqah Beach Hotel and Resort on the
north coast of Fujairah. This ride will undoubtedly be a challenge and a wonderful day out on the
roads of the UAE. Note that you will need a certain level of fitness to take part due to the distance
and the amount of climbing. This ride is a group ride and not a race, and all cyclists must adhere to
traffic rules and respect other road users. For more information and registration,
visit www.dubairoadsters.com and www.premieronline.com.
OUTDOORUAE
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EVENTS CALENDAR
ZOGGS Mina Mile Series Race 1 of 2
Season 14/15
November 15, 7:00am, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Hotel
This series of events offer swimmers of different ages and abilities the opportunity to test their skills
and limits in the calm waters off Barasti Beach over 200m (12 years and under only), 400m, 800m
and 1,600m. Enter this event and stand a chance of winning an all expenses week-long holiday in
the French Alps. For more information and registration, visit www.supersportsdubai.com
and www.premieronline.com.
Dubai Yoga and Music Festival 2014

November 20 to November 22, One & Only The Palm
Practise those ohms for the third annual Yoga and Music festival. The event will offer visitors a
number of workshops and networking opportunities to meet with other like-minded individuals.
Speakers from around the world will be at the event to educate the public on the art of yoga and
its lifestyle. There will also be a screening of the Dalai Lamas latest documentary Compassion in
Action and a number of useful products and services on sale to assist visitors on their journey to
harmonize and find inner peace. For more information, visit dubaiyogafest.com.
7 Emirates Run
November 21 to December 2, Downtown Dubai

The 7 Emirates Run will witness seven teams of seven runners each run through all seven emirates of
the UAE in 12 days. It is a charity ultra-marathon across the UAE, to raise funds to support children
with extreme congenital limb deformities who require life-transforming surgery and post-operative
care to give them the chance to walk again. A total of 575km will be completed by the end of the
race, which will hold its finale at the Burj Khalifa. For more information, visit www.7emiratesrun.com.
5th Dubai International Parachuting

Championship
November 26 to December 7, Skydive Dubai, Dubai Marina
Drop by the fifth edition of the Parachute championships. The categories included in the competition are accuracy landing, formation skydiving, canopy formation, canopy piloting and artistic
events. All categories are open for both men and women and visitors are welcome to the show
which will take place at Skydive Dubai. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/DIPCDXB.
Dubai Grand Parade 2014

November 28, Meydan Racecourse
The Dubai Grand Parade returns for a second year through the iconic streets and breathtaking landmarks of Dubai featuring the worlds most incredible super, exotic, luxury, concept, extraordinary,
modified and vintage cars and bikes in UAE. The participants include car clubs and private car collectors. The procession will feature over 500+ cars and bikes and will be led by Dubai Police Supercars and end with a display of awe-inspiring premium, super luxury and unique cars and bikes. It will
also include a convoy of UAE women drivers and a decorative bus, hosting children from a Dubai
based Charity. In addition to the Grand Parade, visitors can enjoy a complete motoring experience
at the Meydan itself which blends art, fashion, entertainment and hospitality into one location.
For more information, visit www.dubaigrandparade.com.
The Color Run
November 29, 9:00am, Dubai Autodrome, Motor City

Colour yourself happy at The Color Run. It will begin and end on the Dubai Autodrome tracks and
participants will start in waves that have a three to six minute interval between them while colour
throws will occur every 15 to 20 minutes. This 5km run is open to all levels of runners and is all
about the fun rather than the race. The requirements are simple, come dressed in white at the
starting line and be covered in colour at the finish line. For more information, visit thecolorrun.ae.
This is just a selection of the events taking place this month, for more upcoming events visit: www.outdooruae.com/event
OUTDOORUAE
NEWS + COMMUNITY
Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament

Champion 2014 nets big prize
This years Fujairah International Marine Club (FIMC)
Offshore Fishing Tournament
landed a worthy winner: Team
Hot Rod. The champion anglers,
who claimed the competition top
spot with 382 points by reeling
in a total of 12 fishes, secured
a place at the Offshore WorldChampionship Finals, which will
be taking place in Costa Rica,
April next year. The members
will get to pit their rod and line
skills against 50 of the worlds
best fishermen.
Held under the patronage of HH
Shiekh Saif Bin Hamad Bin Saif Al Sharqi,
Chairman of FIMC and organised in collaboration with Palma Holding, a leading
UAE-based real estate company, The Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament 2014
was held on October 17th-18th at FIMC.
The two-day tournament was the first
Offshore World Championship qualifying
event to take place in the Middle East and
was held with the aim of both promoting
sports fishing as an activity and highlighting Fujairah as being the ideal big game
fishing destination.
Everyone at FIMC extends their congratulations to Team Hot Rod who won
this years Offshore Fishing Tournament,
which took place off the fantastic Fujairah
coast. The competition was fierce a sign
of the high level of skill employed by all
contestants throughout the event, but ultimately there had to be one overall winner
and the top place position was secured
with Team Hot Rods impressive haul at
382 points, said Ahmed Ebrahim Al
Blooshi, Managing Director of the Fujariah
International Marine Sports Club. Team
Ocean Active came in second place at
233 points, while Team Al Ghawwas came
at third at 199.6 points.
The sheer number and variety of fish
caught by all competitors in the event
has shown just what a superb location for
sports fishing Fujairah is. We anticipate
that this tournament will grow to be one
of the leading big game fishing events in
the region, he added.
Best Photo - Ocean Active
A total of 29 boats and 135 anglers registered for this years FIMC Offshore Fishing Tournament, which was conducted
under the regulations established by the
International Game Fish Association. An
Award Ceremony, attended by HH Sheikh
Ahmed bin Saif Al Sharqi, took place on
October 18th, to recognise the efforts of
all participants. As a competition that was
open for all, there were various categories
for winning, including Best Lady Angler
and Best Junior Angler, which went Najla
Naim from Team Ichiban and Tariq Derbas
(11 years old) from Team Extreme Derbas
respectively. Highlighting the community aspect to the tournament, the total
value of all edible fish that were caught
collectively was auctioned at 3,000 AED.
Palma Holding multiplied the number by
10 donating a total of 30,000 AED to the
UAE Red Crescent society for charitable
distribution.
The biggest Dorado fish weighed in
at 8kg and was caught by Team Go Fish,
while the biggest Tuna fish was 11.3kg
and was caught by Team Frosti. The biggest Amberjack fish was 26kg and was
caught by the winners Team Hot Rod. A
further category of Best Photo of a Sail
Fish was taken by Team Ocean Active.
The FIMC Offshore Fishing Tournament
proved a perfect blend of hard effort,
good-natured rivalry and post-event celebrations. The competitors made an early
start on the first day, arriving at the centre

at 5:00am for briefings and boat readiness
procedures. Following two days of extensive fishing, the competition culminated
with an evening awards ceremony and
barbeque.
The Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament was characterised by friendly
competition and the camaraderie that all
anglers enjoy. We are planning that the
contest will continue to grow over the
years and become an established event
that both promotes fishing sportsmanship
and encourages the development of a big
game fishing community in the UAE, said
Kareem Derbas, CEO and Co-Founding
Partner of Palma Holding. As a passionate angler myself, I can both vouch for the
qualities of the sport as a hobby and for
the first-class opportunities to indulge in it
in Fujairah, he added.
Best Lady Angler - Team Ichiban
Trips
Join the community
OutdoorUAE has been
organising and running events for a

number of years. The people behind
OutdoorUAE have established a successful, recognised brand based on
experience and know-how. We know
the outdoors.
From 2015, we are offering
OutdoorUAE readers the opportunity to
join with us and experience some of the
fantastic places around the world that you
read about every month.
In 2015, we are offering four international climbing trips. The climbs will tackle
some of the most iconic mountains in the
world. They are part of the seven summits
collection and the highest peaks on the
North American and South American
continents. Join us for one of them or sign
up for the treble.
You may even feel inspired to write your
own piece for the magazine.
What to expect?
All trips are run by experienced, professional and qualified western guides who
have vast experience leading high altitude
climbs. In addition, we use local agents
and guides to support our logistics in
country. Groups are purposefully kept
small to minimise the impact on the environment and provide a highly personalised experience. After all, being in the
outdoors is all about solitude, wilderness
and tranquility.
When you commit to join an OutdoorUAE expedition, you can be assured that
we will lead you confidently at every step,
starting from an initial one-on-one meeting
and setting your own tailored training path

right through to getting the best photos
on summit day and how to carry your water
bottle to prevent it freezing shut.
Outdoor UAE trips for 2015
Denali
Denali or Mount McKinley is the highest mountain peak in North America. It

is 6,194m high and with a basecamp to
peak rise that is considered the largest of
any mountain in the world, a considerable
challenge.
25th June 2015 20th July 2015
32,000 AED (excluding international flight)
Mount Damavand
Just a short distance away from the UAE

is Mount Damavand in Iran. The highest
volcano in Asia, it is the epitome of what
a mountain should look like with its nearsymmetrical lines. Although a technically
easy expedition and a great introduction
to mountaineering at high altitude it still
demands a good level of fitness. This trip
will still put you on a summit of 5,610m,
comparable to the height of Kilimanjaro
but without the crowds.
8th August 2015 16th July 2015
Carstenz Pyramid
The rock climb of Carstenz Pyramid in

Papua New Guinea is one of the most
exotic trips that we run. An approach
through the steaming jungle to a monster
rock buttress that is the highest on the
continent of Australasia will be an experience to remember and one that not many
people are lucky enough to encounter.
Success rates are high on this mountain
and despite being very remote it is still a

relatively short expedition.
7th November 2015 25th November 2015
Aconcagua
Aconcagua is the highest mountain

in both the Western and Southern
Hemispheres at 6,960m. Expeditions to
Aconcagua, Argentina start and finish in
the beautiful city of Mendoza with its fine
restaurants and vineyards. Although very
popular with climbers, Aconcagua is still a
hard climb and not to be underestimated.
15th December 2015 6th January 2016
For further details and an informal chat
about adventures and travel contact
Sean@outdooruae.com. Terms and conditions apply.
Emirati surfer making waves in ISA

50th anniversary World Games in Peru
Mohammed Rahma is making history as the first UAE National competing in a global surfing event
As a continued effort to grow
the sport and create awareness
for surfing in the UAE, Mohammed Rahma, 27, will be the first
Emirati National to compete in
an international surfing competition, essentially making history
and highlighting the Emirates
as a surfing destination to the
world.
Mohammed, known as Mo learnt
how to surf in 2010 following an injury in
rugby which forced him into rehabilitation
exercises in the water. It was while he was
in the sea that he saw people surfing and
decided he wanted to try it himself. Mohammed spent the next few years immersing himself in the sport, surfing at every
opportunity he had at various beaches in
Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Fujairah as well
as other international hotspots in Sri Lanka,
Maldives, the USA and Australia.
His passion for the sport has driven him
to compete internationally and he has
spent the last year training with a professional coach in Los Angeles (where he is
currently based on a project for Etihad
Airlines) to perfect his skills and raise his
ability to compete on the global stage.
Surfing has changed my life. And as a
young Emirati growing up in Dubai, I wish
that I could have been introduced to this
sport at a younger age. I get so much
enjoyment out of it, which drives me to
develop the sport in the UAE.
Mohammed made history in October
when he joined hundreds of other
surfers from around the world,

representing their countries in the International Surfing Association (ISA) 50th
Anniversary World Games. This is the first
time that an Emirati is being represented in
surfing, on the international surfing stage,
says Manager Carl de Villiers, owner of Surf
Shop Arabia and long time supporter and
sponsor of Mohammed. Ive watched him
progress in his surfing and the fact that he
is now representing his country in such an
elite competition is really something to be
proud of.
Mohammed has funded most of this
journey himself. My intention is not to
New beach safety campaign launched

Words By: Andy McNab
As beach season gets into

full swing, the first and most
important number to have in
mind is 996. This will get you
through to the Marine Emergency Hotline. So, 996 if you
are in any beach-zone trouble
or spot an offshore problem.
Second up, if you are a keen water

sports enthusiast, and we are talking
about everything from jet skis to fishing
10
OUTDOORUAE
to paddling with your water-baby you

really should head to www.bihar.ae and
check through the guidelines there. The
Bihar [water in Arabic] campaign has
recently been launched to coincide with
the Critical Infrastructure and Coastal
Protection Authority (CICPA) PR campaign
aimed at promoting coastal safety and
awareness.
Now, although we here at OutdoorUAE
are more than aware of our very responsible and safety-minded readership, maybe
everyone, ourselves included, would benefit from a quick refresher on some basic
beach and sea current advice. Its no big
deal, it is free public advice and
win but to raise awareness in the UAE for

the sport of surfing, provide a platform for
other young Emiratis to get involved, learn
the sport and also represent their country
in international competitions. I would love
to see surfing being integrated into the
UAE school curriculum and develop this
sport amongst the local Emiratis. This is
why Im competing in the ISA Games. I
want to show the UAE that we do have
great waves to learn the sport, we do have
facilities here to develop surfing and its
just a matter of someone actually breaking
that barrier and showing the world what
we as a nation can offer.
Mohammed carried the National UAE flag
in the Athletes Procession and competed
for the first time against 192 other surfers
from 32 countries from around the world.
While they dont expect to win, they do
expect to put the UAE on the world surfing
map. For more information on Mohammed, you can visit his new Athletes page:
www.facebook.com/
pages/Mo-Rahma/717833374957931.
bihar.ae cicpa.ae Maritime Emergency Hotline
information. The new website is fast and

user-friendly and very detailed at explaining quite a lot of dos and donts. We
would much rather avoid any unpleasant
beach headlines (and closures) and also
would prefer that you knew a little about
some of the penalty fines in place for
various coastal rule infractions. Also, you
may at some point find yourself in the
position where you feel compelled to
lodge a formal complaint about dangerous or anti-social
behaviour, it is always good to have a few
solid facts in place to strengthen your
cause. Bihar.ae offers some basic common sense advice and beach guidelines.
Organised by:
Organised
Organised
by: by:
Tickets available at:

Tickets
available
Tickets
available
at: at:
www.ticketmaster.ae
www.ticketmaster.ae
www.ticketmaster.ae
Call
Center 800 TMUAE / 80086823
Center
TMUAE
/ 80086823
Call Call
Center
800 800
TMUAE
/ 80086823
Approved by:
Approved
Approved
by: by:
NOVEMBER
6th
to
8th
2014
NOVEMBER6th
6thto
to8th
8th2014
2014
NOVEMBER
Dubai
Autodrome
| Motor
Motor
City
|Dubai
Dubai
|UAE
UAE
Dubai
Autodrome
|
Motor
City
|
Dubai
|
UAE
Dubai
Autodrome
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City
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You love the outdoors, we love the outdoors. You love adventure, we love adventure. Sports, water, climbing and
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Thursday
Thursday
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Saturday
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6th November 4:00 pm until 11:00pm

November
4:00
until
11:00pm
6th6th
November
4:00
pmpm
until
11:00pm
November
2:00
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11:00pm
7th7th
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until
09:00pm
If you need to take five away from all the excitement, check out
If you
need
toArea,
take
five
away
from
all the
If the
you
need
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fivewhere
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outout
Exhibition
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andexcitement,
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arecheck
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local
shops
andand
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local
adventure
clubs and
social
groups.
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clubs
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Hungry?
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food
stalls
withand
a variety
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andand
beverages
for everyone
(kids
adults).
beverages
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beverages
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What? You need a breather? Okay. Pull up a bean bag, lie
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because
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night.
Early bird tickets until (31st October 2014) only 30AED.

Starting
1st
November
and(31st
atOctober
on-the-day
gate
entry,
tickets
50AED.
Early
tickets
until
October
2014)
only
30AED.
Early
birdbird
tickets
until
(31st
2014)
only
30AED.
Three-day
passes
available
p.d.gategate
Starting
1st
November
at on-the-day
entry,
tickets
50AED.
Starting
1st November
andand
at 30AED
on-the-day
entry,
tickets
50AED.
For
special
price
promotion
visit
our p.d.
website
Three-day
passes
available
30AED
Three-day
passes
available
30AED
p.d.
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For
special
price
promotion
website
For
special
price
promotion
visitvisit
our our
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The event is sponsored by:

event
is sponsored
The The
event
is sponsored
by: by:
More of our partners and supporters:

More
of partners
our partners
supporters:
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of our
and and
supporters:
2015
RZR XP 1000 92,000 AED
2 Years Manufacturers Warranty and 4 Free Services

For more information, visit polarisuae.com.
2015
DUBAI
Showroom No. 8, Al Ghandi Complex
Nad al Hamar Road, Ras al Khor
Tel: +971 4 2896100
Fax: +971 4 2894914
Email: sse@polarisuae.com
AL AIN
Al Masaood Showroom, Sanaya
Tel: +971 3 7219999
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MUSSAFAH
M4, Sector 13, 10th Street
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RZR XP 4 1000 98,000 AED
DISTRIBUTORS
QATAR
Protech Powered Sports Co
Street: Salwa Road PO Box: 91, Doha, Qatar
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Sales
Email: info@protech.com.qa
OMAN
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LEBANON
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Mr. R. K. Sunder
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Email: khalil@helmets-on.com
Off-road Adventure Routes

Second Edition
There a very few people who

epitomise the spirit of
OutdoorUAE contributors more
so than our recently relocated to
Europe Mike Nott. Reading his
farewell article in Issue 44 (August) was like reading a whos
who or whats what of bucket-list
ME adventures.
As part of his long-term collaboration with ODUAE, Mike provided us with
so much quality off-road content and
stunning photos, that it was inevitable
we should work with him to package as
much of his experience and expertise up
as possible and create a book of some
of his recommended routes and words
of wisdom. The book is expansive and
covers everything from essential vehicle
maintenance to best-fit recovery methods
and of course, his pick of the routes all
in full, glorious technicolour replete with
their highlights and pitfalls. The book was
fully integrated to GPS and web-based
mapping systems, and each drive tried,
tested and graded it fitted right into the
market place alongside other well-known
and established off-road guides. The book
has proved very popular, and we suspect
that a few of you may have a dog-eared
copy buried beneath your passenger seat
or in the bottom of your grab-bag. Some
of you may even have taken your life (and
sanity) into your hands on the Grade 3
14
OUTDOORUAE
Saudi, Oman, Yemen Confluence Route,

some of you may have crest-crossed on
your way through the Grade 2 Al Maghrib
Crossing or some of you may have played
it safe with a Grade 1 Dubai to RAK
road trip.
A second edition book is scheduled
for release next month, and this is an
important follow-on-reading from the first
installment. Firstly, this region is how it is,
and some of his preferred routes from the
first edition are no longer accessible for a
variety of reasons or the initial route has
undergone a few technical changes.
The book will also contain some new
and previously unpublished routes, such
as the southern Emirates Route To the
Corner, the northern Emirates route
Seven Emirates Corner to Corner
and four new Oman routes, including the

Dhofa Traverse and the Jebel Samham Exploration. Mike has spilled sweat
and blood to bring the public a new
and definitive guide to the regions most
inhospitable corners. The photos and advice together are enough to sell this book
the routes are an added bonus.
Advanced Off-road Adventure Routes
Second Edition will be hitting the shelves
in December just in time for you to get
busy in the New Year and carve yourself
some new tyre tracks over virgin territory.
EVENT REPORT
The Emirates Desert

Challenge 2014/2015
Baja Round 1
Words + Photos By: Mark Ackerman
Forty degrees and two hours

in the saddle. The Baja Round
1 was the season-opening race
to really separate the men from
the boys.
This seasons Emirates Desert Challenge kicked off perfectly with a total
registered competitor list of 98 bikes and
five cars all competing, this was a recent
record entry which set the scene for a
great day of racing. The race was situated
just off the Al Qudra Road in Dubai, making for easy access and tarred pits, the
teams were able to set up on the road
and it definitely helped to have professional pits, without all the dust and sand
we normally have to deal with.
The series is made up of several classes
across all capacities and skill levels with
the minimum age being 16 years old.
The classes include the four-wheelers
quads, cars and buggies and the
two-wheel classes for 450cc, +450cc,

Masters and a Marathon class for riders
who wish to run the entire race without
refueling. The races are two hours long,
starting at 9:00am, with a route wellmarked out for competitors and watched
over by marshals from the 4x4 club who
do an excellent job of officiating and
recovering competitors.
This year saw the first entry of teams,
which meant riders could team up and
collectively score points for the overall
championship, which made an exciting
addition to the already hotly-contested
competition. The standout teams at the
first event, in terms of results and presence in the pits included, Moto 1 Racing
Team, SRG Portable Shade Husqvarna,
Sandy Helmets, SebSports, Lunda, Vendetta and KTM.
Improved support has been very encouraging, in particular, from race shops
and manufacturers, most notably KTM,
SRG Motorsports Husqvarna and SebSports. Previous support has been low,
and with the support these teams provide
riders and the professionalism they bring
to the sport it really makes Baja feel more
like a world-class event, which is set to
continue its growth.
Now! Down to racing. All kicked off
promptly at 9:00am with the 450cc class
starting, the class ranked from results of
the previous years in order to ensure the
same skill levels were starting together.
Every minute saw another row of approximately 12 riders blast off into the dunes,
where lap one of seven would begin over
a distance of 18km. The pace in the 450
battle was hot right off the start, with an
early lead coming from KTM with Mo Balooshi, Mohammed Jaffar, Ross Runnalls
and Jake Shipton. The rest of the class

was split more than two minutes after
several laps which really highlights the
level of skill and fitness the competitors
had over the two hours in 40C.
The cars and buggies run the same distance on a similar course, and fortunately
there were no major incidents although
several cars did battle it out with the very
soft sand conditions.
When the dust had settled and the race
was flagged, Mohammed Balooshi (KTM
Balooshi Racing) was left in overall first
place, Mohammed Jaffar (KTM Balooshi
Racing) second in a very well-run-race,
Ross Runnalls (Liberty Kawasaki), Mark
Ackerman (SRG Portable Shade Husqvarna) and Mark Grams (Sandy Helmets
Honda) rounding out the top five spots.
The cars and buggies saw a great turn
out for local Emirati competitors, with
Ahmed Al Fahim (Polaris Class T3) taking
the honours followed by Mansour Al Helei (Nissan Class T2) and British driver,
Graeme Rose (Polaris National Class) in
third. Overall seven autos completed the
race for a great day overall.
Lock in November 14th for Baja Round
3. We know the riders would love to see
you there to support this growing event.
Follow any early developments and catch
up with news and rider reviews at FB
Emirates Desert Championship or at FB
Dune Raiders UAE.
OUTDOORUAE
15
DMX
dust and
vrooms
Photos By: Andy McNab, Nazeeb Nahas
In Dubai there are hot days,

and then there are hot days.
Mid-afternoon on the 10th October was one of the latter. It was
the season opener for the hugely
anticipated 2014/15 Dubai Motocross (DMX) season. Trackside the mercury pushed 42 in
the shade, out on the circuit,
helmet, race protection, team
colours and ubiquitous mounted
GoPros, it must have been like a
cauldron. A couple of senior riders commented it was too hot
out on track, but its the same,
first race of every Dubai season.
No matter whether young or old (there
is a Masters Class for 40yr+ competitors),
these teams have a job to do and although
they know the season will get easier from
a temperature perspective it wont get any
easier from a competitive angle. We stayed
to catch a couple of races this weekend
one of the MX2 races and a Masters Class
battle. The MX2 featured Ross Runnalls
and Dale Jullien from the Green Daredevils. It was a race that Ross dominated from
the first turn until the finish line. So quick
he was out of the first turn the camera was
playing catch up for the entire race, as well
as the pack in pursuit.
16
OUTDOORUAE
Ross Runnalls dominated

Trying to keep cool in the team area. his race start to finish.
MX2 are a mid-range MotoX bikes,

equivalent to the old 125cc class. They
buzz around like angry hornets and
can reach speeds of up to 55-60mph,
although with the tight corners and endless humpbacks of the Jebel Ali course,
most dont get a chance to max out the
speed. In what was a rip-roaring race,
without too many crash outs or upsets
the teenagers from Kawasaki demonstrated that they mean business again
this season. Fist place Ross and third
place Dale. Well done! A mention must
go out to Dean Jullien who finished in
second place in an earlier MX2 race.
Plenty braved the fierce heat that week
Top of the table, an overheated Dean Jullien finished

first in the 125cc category.
to support the teams and favourite riders, and with temperatures on the slide,
the next big meet we are sure will see
more thrill seekers in attendance. If you
fancy a trip to that end of town (on the
Jebel Ali Resort and Golf Course and
carting roundabout), entrance is free, and
most teams are perfectly happy for you
to chat, grab a cold soda and find out
a bit more about the bikes, their specs
and riders. Its a nice, laid back vibe (off
the track). The next meet coincided with
Halloween, but I think collecting points
was on most junior riders minds ahead
of collecting candies.
The tables dont lie.

Plenty of Green in the top half of MX1
DMX 2014/15 Championship MX1
Season: 2015
Pos
1
2
3
4
10/10/2014 10/10/2014
No.
731
18
1
250
Legend:
Name
Total
Diff
Gap
Jack Shipton
Ben Menzies
Ross Runnals
Manfredi Caruso
50
44
38
33
0
6
12
17
0
6
6
5
1st place
2nd place
MX1 Total MX1 Total

25
22
18
20
25
22
18
20
25
22
20
13
25
22
20
13
3rd place
As you can see Green Daredevils are leading MX2 quite comfortably.
DMX 2014/15 Championship MX2
Season: 2015
Pos
1
2
3
4
10/10/2014 10/10/2014
No.
1
2
555
23
Name
Total Diff
47
45
42
36
Ross Runnals
Dale Jullien
Ryan Blair
Mohammed Jaffer
Legend:
1st place
2nd place
0
2
5
11
Gap
0
2
3
6
MX2 Total MX2 Total

22
25
20
18
22
20
22
18
25
20
22
18
25
20
22
18
3rd place
DMX 2014/15 Championship 125cc

Season: 2015
10/10/2014 10/10/2014
Pos
No.
Name
Total
Diff
Gap
125
Total
1
2
3
4
5
73
22
31
Dean Jullien
Darren Berry
Nicholas Kefford
Tiann Nolan
50
44
40
34
0
6
10
16
0
6
4
6
25
22
20
16
25
22
20
16
Legend:
1st place
2nd place
125 Total
25
22
20
18
25
22
20
18
3rd place
And young Abdullah Al Nuaimi doing fantastically well in the 85cc

Season: 2015
Pos
1
2
3
4
No.
19
22
174
88
Legend:
10/10/2014 10/10/2014
Name
Total
Diff
Gap
85
Total
85
Total
Eugenio Barbagilla
Nicholas Kefford
Abdullah Al Nuaimi
Alexander Mortada
50
44
40
36
0
6
10
14
0
6
4
4
25
22
20
18
25
22
20
18
25
22
20
18
25
22
20
18
1st place
2nd place
3rd place

Season: 2015
Pos
1
2
3
4
No.
11
1
174
22
Legend:
10/10/2014 10/10/2014
Name
Siguro Johansson
Yurajsinh Kondedeshmvki
Ahmed Al Nuaimi
Jamie Horn
1st place
2nd place
Total
Diff
Gap
65
Total
65
Total
47
45
40
38
0
2
7
9
0
2
5
2
25
20
22
18
25
20
22
18
22
25
18
20
22
25
18
20
3rd place
Do try to catch the next round if you can. Temperature will be perfect, maybe even on the
chilly side, for Round 3 on Friday, 28th November and I guarantee, you will not be able
to get the whine of those engines out of your head for the rest of the weekend. Dont
forget Jebel Ali Resort and Golf Course Roundabout 24590.70N 55 116.10E racing
should be starting around 8:00am after safety checks and rider briefings.
GO GREEN!
OUTDOORUAE
17
EVENT REPORT
Ride2Nowhere
3-Day MTB event

Experience a taste of proper mountain biking in South Africa
Words By: Eulogy van Dyk

Photos By: Stephan du Toit, Johan Theron and Reghardt Voges
How about taking a Ride2Nowhere?

Some of the best time I have spent on
my mountain bike is when I explore new
routes in places a bit off the beaten track.
Where you suddenly find yourself engulfed by mountains and valleys with no
town or civilisation in sight, it literally feels
like I am in the middle of nowhere. The
kind of place where silence is golden and
the beauty of nature captivates you!
Nestled between the mountains of the
Langeberg region in Western Cape, South
Africa you will find a uniquely alternative, eccentric and therapeutic village
called McGregor, known for its two white
entrance pillars, spectacular art route and

great grape. It is a friendly and welcoming
community with a main road called . . .
(wait for it) the Road to Nowhere.
In this beautiful town you will find
off-the-beaten track routes, and it is the
home of the Ride2Nowhere, a three-day
mountain bike event that was established
back in 2012. But rest assured, the race
actually adopted its name from the main
road of the town, which literally leads into
the mountains to a dead end and therefore became a local legend adopting the
name road to nowhere.
This is the perfect race, where Racing
Snakes and Weekend Warriors meet to
compete for fun!
The 2014 event took place from the
12th to 14th September and saw 215
riders lining up on the starting line. The
event caters to a limited amount of parRiders on route
ticipants only, ensuring there are no major

congestion problems on the route and to
provide riders with quality time in Mother
Nature.
Abdulrahim (Rahim) Abdullah from
the UAE, who learnt about the event via
social media, joined us this year and this is
what he had to say:
This was my first mountain bike stage
race outside the UAE. Mountain biking is
my love and hobby so what better excuse
is there to go and explore other countries
whilst riding your bike!
The name of the event intrigued me
and I wanted to find out what this riding
to nowhere is all about. Upon arrival in
the town of McGregor I realised that this
little town is really hidden away from the
big city life and consists of a beautiful
farming community with friendly people.
I absolutely loved the event. The route
was a great combination of different terrains for riding, there were some good
challenging parts, and I really felt on a few
occasions I am in the middle of nowhere
Rahim Abdullah (from Dubai), enjoying the view
because I could not see anybody or town

in front or at the back of me. I can definitely recommend the race for mountain
bike lovers. It is a fun weekend away, with
a good group of people where you can
really enjoy riding your bike in nature.
The event aims to retain the integrity
and pureness of a classic mountain bike
race with an adventurous and exciting
route surrounded by breathtaking landscape. September is also flowering season
in the Langeberg region and spoils you
with a colourful picture in every direction!
The route offers challenge and reward
for all riders, with riding distances ranging
between 40 and 60 kilometres per day to
choose from. The route follows a cloverleaf format with each days starts and
finish from the same venue in McGregor.
Sixty percent of the daily route is on
open gravel roads or jeep tracks, with a
good combination of flat, rolling hills and
one or two steeper climbs, the remainder
of the daily route are single tracks, cattle
paths or naturally eroded tracks. The ter-
The beautiful scenery of riding to nowhere
rain is mostly hard rock formation and few

loose gravel sections (no crazy stuff, just
Mother Nature providing us with some fun
and exciting trails). With relatively short
riding times per day it meant riders were
finished by lunch time, leaving plenty time
to experience the charm of McGregor
with their loved ones during the afternoon.
One of the big draw cards of the event
is the relaxed atmosphere at the race
village and between riders. The local
community gets involved and benefits
from the event by providing local hospitality and entertainment to participants
throughout the weekend.
From the brass band to the steel band,
the jazz duet and fire dancers, there
is plenty of activity paired with some
legendary local refreshments. Some
riders say the race briefing every night is
also like watching live entertainment as
the Route Director tries to explain his
show.
The event also caters and focuses on
supporter activities. Friends and families

could go on McGregor town tours, donkey sanctuary visits and shop at the local
produce market. Alternatively, there were
spectator points on the route from which
to cheer the riders on! Kids also have a
lot of fun over the weekend with loads of
entertainment, such as a MTB obstacle
course, stilt walkers, clowns, jumping
castles and face painting throughout the
whole weekend.
With the annual dates set in mid September, it is the perfect race to keep you
motivated and those legs turning during
the warmer summer months. It is also the
perfect excuse to escape a bit from the
summer heat in the Middle East.
So if you are still wondering how to
Ride2Nowhere, well it goes down the
road, up some hills, around a bend and
then you find your way to nowhere.
Interested to join next year? Visit
www.ride2nowhere.co.za for more information. Event date for 2015 is 11th to
13th of September.
Many ladies also joined for the event!
OUTDOORUAE
19
EVENT REPORT
Moments from the Race 3
Desert Warrior
Challenge
accomplished!
Not only a challenge, but a real team building event
Words By: Nicola de Corato
Photos By: Nicola de Corato and Mary Samele
I just finished my first [the

inaugural] Desert Warrior Challenge
(DWC). A challenging obstacle-course
run, designed to test the physical
power, mental strength, teamwork
and overall fitness of each and every
participant. The courses were designed for participants with varying
skill and fitness levels, including children to those of little physical fitness,
and the extreme athlete striving for
the real warrior challenge. It required
mental toughness, strength and endurance . . . and most of all the ability
to work as a team to overcome what
lies ahead.
You could participate as an individual,
join a team or create your own team.
And on the day, as the race progressed,
numerous individual athletes naturally
formed teams to help each other to pass
the most challenging obstacles and to
motivate each other.
Completing a Desert Warrior Challenge
course tested my physical and mental
training unlike any other competition ever
before (and there have been a few!). The
obstacles and challenges throughout the
course forced me dig deep within, to find
the inner resource that we all have and
rise up to overcome whatever it is that lay
ahead. During the race I could underThe finish line with the team.
stand why the event motto is Release

your inner warrior. Each course included
a variety of obstacles, which required
participants to run, crawl, jump, climb
and most importantly work as a team to
collectively get across them. Puddles of
muddy water, ropes and netting became
a way to test physical training, build teamwork and fine-tune problem solving skills.
The course comprised a whopping 22 obstacles, some not so difficult (at least for
me), especially the ones I were trained for
(running in the mud for example, or in the
sand, over small dunes or rough surfaces).
Some others were a nightmare crossing
a tank filled with iced water for example or climbing the twin walls with very
little grip was literally impossible for me
without the help of the other participants.
Thats where our team formed spontaneously; after that we went on together.
Seven warriors in total all the way to the
finish line; encouraging each other, supporting each other, helping each other.
DWC provided the perfect environment for individuals to come together and
challenge their boundaries with endless
support, sportsmanship and camaraderie.
Enjoyment and self satisfaction were the
core values of this race and the courses
were designed to suit all different abilities,
providing challenge for even the elite
athletes and Hardcore Warriors.
The course design and obstacle layout
were released to the warriors only on the
day of the event, so even though I trained
Yoga after the race.
a lot and felt very well prepared before

the event, I needed to anticipate anything
and everything the course could throw
at me. I can say that without the help of
other people I would not be able to reach
the end without skipping many obstacles.
The Desert Warrior Challenge has been
organised in cooperation with the Dubai
Sports Council (DSC), which was founded
in 2005, has the aim of developing and
improving sports in Dubai. DSC aims to
create a comprehensive sports environment that meets the requirements of
society and paves the way for the youth
to cultivate their sporting and cultural
talents and aptitudes in a way that leads
them to achieve tangible results so that
Dubai can become a leading name in
the world of sports. Dubai Sports Council
provides many e-Services including eJob, volunteer applications and rules of
organising sports events in the Emirate of
Dubai. The current Chairman is HH Sheikh
Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum,
Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of
the Dubai Executive Council.
Desert Warrior Challenge was partnered with the best training facilities and
programs in Dubai and across the wider
region, to give participants all the tools
needed to prepare for the big day.
DubaiBlog was digital media partner of
the event.
Ready for the next warrior challenge?
Nico
Blogger, marathon runner and triathlete, diver and heli rescue swimmer
with Bergamo Scuba Angels. You can
read my blog www.dubayblog.com,
contact me on social networks or via
email at admin@dubaiblog.it for information about this article or just
to say hello.
[OutdoorUAE contacted the organisers,
who are, Planning for March/April 2015
at this stage.]
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ACTIVITY REPORT
mountain biking
Part 1
in The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal

Words By: Sean James
Still addicted to the high-life.

This month our resident Tahr
escapes the Dubai humidity to
do a spot of extreme MTB in
one of the worlds most stunning
mountain regions.
The domestic UAE mountain bike
scene has grown hugely over the past few
years. The number of trails that have been
opened in and around the desert and
mountains increases every month. As a
result the experience of the riders here has
also grown. There are many groups that
ride regularly every week and for many
mountain bikers, the UAE trails were their
first experience of riding dirt. Naturally this
desire and motivation has expanded and
broadened, and now those bikers have
started to explore lands further afield.
In this months MTB section we will give
mountain bikers here in the UAE a glimpse
at a destination in a foreign country that
will open your mind to the possibilities of
travelling with your mountain bike.
Nepal is a country that conjures up
many images: high mountains topped
with snow, temples festooned with prayer
flags, the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu
street-life and of course high-altitude
climbing and trekking. Like the UAE, the
mountain bike scene in this part of the
Himalayas has exploded, and in the last
10 years Kathmandu has become home
to many well-stocked biking shops as well
as experienced agents operating tours
to the far flung corners of this Himalayan
state. I have spent a lot of time over the
last 15 years in Nepal, and the care and
levels of service given to western visitors by the Nepali and Sherpa people on
climbing expeditions has been transferred
22
OUTDOORUAE
to the many mountain bike tours that are

available. If riding twisting high passes
and narrow tracks with your own personal
bike Sherpa to assist you when things get
tough is your thing, then read on. The
next two issues of the mountain biking
section will be dedicated to looking at
possible mountain bike tours in Nepal and
showing you some of the many options
available. This month we will look at biking
around the Kathmandu valley and also
biking the famous Annapurna Circuit. Next
month, the epic Lhasa in Tibet to Kathmandu ride will be featured.
The Annapurna Circuit
The Annapurna Circuit is a classic. A

world-renowned trekking route that is
the aspiration of many and is consistently
ranked as the best long distance trekking
routes in the world. Situated in the central
region of Nepal, the trail circles the Annapurna range and gives views of many
peaks between 6,000 and 8,000m. On
this ride you will pass the 8,000m peaks
of Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna I.
Over the years, parts of the Annapurna
Circuit have been developed into a track
for motorised vehicles making it shorter,

but it is still 230km long, taking 8-20 days
to walk and the crossing passes of over
5,400m. Now it is also a popular mountain
biking circuit, where motorised support is
a definite advantage to mountain those
cycling. The intention of the government
is to develop the road along the whole
circuit by 2017, which will dramatically
change the appearance and atmosphere
of the region. However what trekkers lose
out on, mountain bikers gain. Although we
describe it as a road it is still a Nepalese
road! There is very little traffic, and on one
of the sections from Muktinath to Tatopani
it is possible to ride downhill either by
the dirt road or by single track, a total of
3,000m in 2-3 days making it one of the
worlds best downhill mountain biking areas [definitely sound preferable to cycling
3,000m uphill! Ed.].
About seven hours drive from Kathmandu, or a short flight when the weather
is good, is Pokhara. Pokhara is a much
more relaxed town on the outskirts of a
beautiful lake and it is from here that the
most people start the Annapurna Circuit.
The Annapurna area has only been open
to foreign visitors since 1977 due to
previous local disputes between guerrillas
in neighbouring Tibet and the Nepalese
army making it too dangerous. Now the
area has fully embraced adventure tourism and all it brings to a developing rural
economy. Those who live in the comfort

of the developed world and look at Nepal
and complain that the culture is disappearing and is not what it was 30 years ago
are missing the enthusiasm and need of
Nepali people to better and improve their
society. Now that Nepal is more stable
than in recent history tourist numbers have
increased by approximately 10% a year
to around 700,000. This is still not a large
number for the range of adventure activities the country has to offer, and amazingly, tourism still only accounts for about
3% of the nations GDP. If you do decide
to bring your own mountain bike to Nepal
you will still feel part of a pioneering
set of adventurers, having to overcome
obstacles and barriers at every step. This
is part of the fun. Still in 2014 only about
40% of Nepals population has access to
electricity which highlights just how rural
the country is, with more than one third of
its people living at least a two hours walk
from the nearest road. If you have been
to Kathmandu you will know that access
to electricity does not guarantee that it is
available all day, and even the capital has
regular power cuts every day.
High Altitude
Nepal is diverse in many ways, the people,

climate and landscape all seem very different day-to-day. The Annapurna Circuit
mountain bike trail passes through four
different regions: Lamjung, Manang, Mustang and Myagdi. Lamjung and Myagdi
are at lower elevations and predominantly
Hindu, with lush green subtropical valleys,
farming villages and terraced agriculture. Manang and Mustang are higher in
elevation and mostly Tibetan Buddhist.
The trail goes anti-clockwise and the
highpoint is the Thorung La pass which is
a hard-gained 5,416m high. At 5,000m the
amount of oxygen available to breathe is
50% less than at sea level. Mountain biking and every push is hard work here but
the views are spectacular. This is when you
are reminded of the value of your personal
Sherpa.
All along the Annapurna Circuit are
teahouses in which you can eat, rest or

stay. Some agents offer camping and this
is equally pleasant as you have your own
cook and mess tent. During the day on the
trail you will not carry any equipment, save
what you need to eat, drink and protect
yourself from the weather. This means you
can enjoy such famous sights as Poon Hill,
which looks toward the Annapurna massif,
and the spectacular and sacred shape of
Macchupucchre, otherwise known as the
Fishtail Mountain without being overloaded with mountain survival kit.
Although the trail is normally fully
supported dont think that it will be easy.
This is an adventure experience and as
you can see from the pictures you will be
crossing, and sometimes descending, very
steep scree slopes, with your bike on your
shoulder and scrambling in some parts,
coping with altitude sickness, fending off
hygiene issues and generally toughing it
out to get you around in one piece. Nepal
is basic but that adds to the experience,
and makes it more real, according to the
2011 census, 39% of the total households
do not have toilet in their houses, away
from the capital that number gets much
higher.
Of course you could probably ride the
distances much quicker than the schedule,
but to counter the effects of altitude, a
program of acclimatisation is necessary.
Gaining too much height too quickly will
lead to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). It
is generally understood that gaining 300m
every day when you get above 3,000m
should be adhered to.
The Kathmandu Valley
The Kathmandu Valley offers some of

Nepals best mountain biking. Riding
in the valley is a completely different
experience from the remote and tranquil
Annapurna Circuit. Using Kathmandu
as a base from which to ride every day
is possible. The riding is on a mixture of
dirt trails, jeep tracks, roads and single
tracks and you will bike between the many
temples, monasteries and viewpoints in
the Kathmandu Valley that overlook the
Himalayan range. All of the mountain bike
operators are based around Thamel in
Kathmandu and although it doesnt look

possible, you can ride out from the centre
of town. Hiring or replacing equipment
is not a problem here as the shops are
plentiful and well stocked. A typical day
will see you heading off early, after coffee
and cake from one of the many great cafs
in Thamel, then fighting the chaotic traffic
onto a steadily climbing paved road in
the direction of Kakani. At the top of the
climb you are rewarded as you can then
enjoy one of the best technical trails in
the valley, which was used as the Nepal
Mountain Bike Championship course. The
trail heads down on a wide undulating
jeep track mixed with single track passing
through the Shivapuri Forest and onwards
to Budhanilkantha, a fifth century statue
of the reclining Lord Vishnu. Where else in
the world could you do this and then head
back to your guest house, before having a
steak and hops in the world famous Everest Steak House?
As you can see from the map, there are
so many other fantastic mountain biking
tracks around Kathmandu and the scene
is continuing to evolve and develop.
Since starting to travel to Nepal I have
used many different agents. For the past
few years, I have used one of the largest,
Makalu Adventures. The owner, Mohan
provides a very personalised service
and has an extensive network of guides,
hotels and yoga retreats. This October
each morning as we had breakfast in the
tranquil Thamel Eco Resort, we would
see groups of foreign cyclists, bedecked
in their recently received flower garlands
and prayer scarfs arriving from the airport
with their bike boxes. They would spend
a short time here before flying to Lhasa or
Annapurna or taking day trips around the
Kathmandu Valley.
So Nepal is definitely a place to explore
on your mountain bike. The best conditions and the clearest views of the mountains are in the spring and autumn between March and June or September and
December. Only a short flight from Dubai,
you will enter a completely different world,
in which your senses will be assaulted and
your spirit calmed. Next month we look at
the epic journey across the breadth of the
Himalaya as we travel from Lhasa in Tibet
back to Kathmandu, so do not miss that.
OUTDOORUAE
An exotic location for a MTB ride
23
ACTIVITY REPORT
600km The Balearics
Part 2
Mallorca to Ibiza
Words + Photos By: Tati Coco SUP
After 15 days in the stunning

island of Sardinia, I had to keep
following my tracking plan. The
next destination was Mallorca
and Ibiza the ever-popular
stars of the Mediterranean Sea.
In my opinion, Mallorca has a big sunny
personality thanks to its ravishing beaches
and remote mountains. When you arrive
in Mallorca you want to hike the Serra de
Tramuntana trails, paddle around all the
coastline and discover every inch of this
beautiful island. Mallorca has two faces,
much like Ibiza has, one side you have
the famous and ultra-modern party spots,
luxurious villas and the crowded fashionbeaches and at the same time, up and
down the island, locals are embracing their
roots and revamping long-abandoned
fincas (estates) into refined rural retreats.
Spend silent moments along the olive and
almond groves and you will soon fall for
the quiet charm of Mallorcas hinterland,
where summer is one long party.
In Mallorca, I met lovely people, and
enjoyed the hospitality of David and Maria
from Paddlesurf Aloha, where I spent really

nice moments and had excellent local
dishes. Also a big thanks to John Oliver
who took me to some beautiful caves in
the north of the island.
Head west for cliff-sculpted drama and
sapphire seas, or head north for hikes to
pine-flecked bays and breezes that carry

kitesurfers, windsurfers and sailors across
turquoise waters. Scope out deserted
coves in the east, or dive off bone-white
beaches in the south. There are a few

special places I really loved from Port
dAndratx to Sant Elenhere which were
grandiose and surprising. On the other
side of the island, I want to highlight from
Cala Santanyi to Es Caragoler and the
famous arch, Es Pontas. Unfortunately, I
wasnt able to go through it because of the
strong winds. Finally, in the north there is a
magical place going from Cala Formentor
to Cala Figuera which is spectacular, but
extremely windy.
In Ibiza, my trip was completely different
as I had my family with me. I stayed every
night at my aunties houses, and had such
delicious typical Spanish dishes. The big
difference with the other three weeks was
in my quantity of rest. As I was sleeping
every night in the same bed and house, I
finally had proper sleep and stopped being on the road finding new spots.
In Sardinia and Mallorca I only slept few
hours around five per night and when
you are in the burning sun all day, paddling
between six and eight hours non-stop,
that we paddled, the three of us, on my

board and we did some mini exploration.
Like that, my last 150km was extremely
easy to achieve and I was the happiest SUP
mummy.
In conclusion, Sardinia is the destination
I will recommend you to visit first. Explore
and enjoy. Mallorca and Ibiza are also
charming, but they have two faces, if you
chose the peaceful, traditional roots, you
will find amazing places and people. This
was an incredible experience in my life,
and even if people told me that I was crazy,
I did it! I bring with me now, such a huge
experience in my life, and I do not regret
any moment, and as I always say, every
stroke is a new adventure.
desperate to find some shade and tired,

digusted with cereals bars, bananas and
tuna having a bed, a shower and delicious food is like being treated to five-star
luxury.
There is a moment that you overcome all
the heat, the loneliness, the exhaustion,
the kilometres. You just forget all who
you are, why you are here and time loses
all chronology. You are lost and empty,
but you are offering your eyes and soul the
most spectacular scenery.
I almost completed all the island of
Ibiza, and I really loved the north around
Portinatx and the western coast with Cala
dHort and the island of Es Vedra. Ibiza city
is also beautiful for its old town with the
castle on the top of the cliffs always looking after you.
The best gift from my trip was when
my little boy and husband joined me and
spent the last kilometres with me. While I
was in the water, they were never too far
away, and we used to meet in my arrivalpoint spot. I was so happy to see them
OUTDOORUAE
25
ACTIVITY REPORT
Three times the

challenge nearly
Fire ends Ironman Challenge for now
Words + Photos By: Chris Queen
I should be writing this as a

newly anointed Ironman, a member
of a group of insane individuals who
think nothing of putting themselves
through a day of hell with a 3.8km
swim, 180km cycle and topped off
with a marathon for good measure.
Alas, in spite of being as prepared as
it is possible to be, it ultimately came
down to an idiot with a match to bring
the whole dream crashing down. Or
should that be, somewhat ironically,
extinguished?!
Taper time
As the race approached, training reduced in

overall volume and intensity but in a bid to
better prepare for the high altitude of Lake
Tahoe, and the even higher parts of the
bike course, I worked with the team over at
Talise Fitness, making use of their altitude
room. The final 12 days of my taper saw me
pull up outside the Madinat, wheel my bike
past perplexed looking hotel guests and
spend sessions training at up to 3,500m
above sea level, accompanied by the
various stars of MTV. In hindsight I am not
sure how much of a physiological difference
the training made in terms
of altitude preparation, but the
psychological boost going into a high
Taka (a fellow Dubai Tri Pirate) and

I are about to leave Dubai for the
US for our respective races.
26
OUTDOORUAE
altitude race certainly made the experience

worthwhile.
The final countdown
The final week is incredibly nerve-wracking

before any big race, especially one for
which so much preparation has been invested. Between a definite uptick in patient
aggression, culminating in both a dog bite
and cat mauling, concerns about anyone
even sniffing near me, and worries that
Icelands volcanoes were about to blow, the
final week before a big race is a stressful
one. Needless to say I survived, in spite of
the fact that packing nearly killed me I
officially detest the activity! In fact, maybe I
should add it to my pre-race training.
Airport dramas
Flight day finally arrived and the issue of

how to lug my considerably sized bike
box to the airport was solved by a good
friend of mine who sacrificed sleep to
ensure I made it to the airport for stupid
oclock. Check-in was anything but simple,
initially due to the fact that I was acting as
a chaperone for two rescue Salukis who
were being relocated to new homes in the
US by a local rescue group. The real drama,
however, was when the friendly check-in
assistant asked me if I had applied to Esther. Sorry, who? was my swift, puzzled
response. Who is Esther?! Apparently a
special visa known as an ESTA (Electronic
System for Travel Authorization) is required
for entry into the US, something that I had
completely overlooked in preparing for my
trip. Visions of missing my flight, homeless dogs and the entire IronVet challenge
crashing down in an instant formed in my
mind and my response was to hastily enquire, with clear panic in my voice, whether
I was able to apply for this visa now, as
in right now?! Thankfully it was possible,
although I had only fifty minutes in which
to do it and had to somehow get access to
the website. With my phone choosing the
worst possible time to ignore any available
internet connections I desperately wracked
my brains for options, ultimately
Bike in transition. Racked and raring to go!
plumping to inconvenience the same friend

yet again in the same morning. Thanks to
her exceptionally good humour, speedy
typing and credit card I had my application in, confirmation back and clearance to
enter the US within thirty minutes. Phew!
With disaster averted we rejoined the
check-in queue, by now significantly longer,
and were soon ushered through ahead of
others due to the fact that our particular
flight was due to leave soon. It should have
been plain sailing from there but we chose
the new team member who also happened
to have a clear dislike of dogs and no idea
of what to do about checking them in. Further delay and by now some very anxious
foot-tapping and thoughts again of missed
flights and ruined trips. In the true spirit of
the morning so far, however, we were finally
checked in, bike, bags and dogs whisked
away and I raced through security and on
to my gate. Fast forward 15 hours and our
story moves to the USA.
Fire and arsonists
I had heard reports shortly before leaving

Dubai of issues with wildfires in Northern
California, and one in particular that was
raging a short distance away from Tahoe
and apparently threatening the race itself.
I arrived in Tahoe on Friday with clear skies
but an unmistakable smell of charred wood
lingering in the air. The previous few days
had apparently been appalling, with thick,
noxious smoke enveloping the entire area,
making it hard to even venture outside.
Fingers were firmly crossed as everyone
prayed to Mother Nature to keep the winds
switched round, thus keeping the smoke
away for race day. The fact that the fire was
set intentionally made it even more galling,
and the perpetrator is, at the time of
writing, in prison.
Smoky Squaw. Thick smoke covers
the area, making the race impossible.
Sign in and final preparations
Once I was settled into my super sweet

home for the week a three bedroom alpine chalet with views out over Lake Tahoe,
towards the Eastern shoreline and Nevada
it was time to head on over to Squaw
Valley, host of the 1960 Winter Olympics
and the site of the bike to run transition and
finishing chute for the race. It was clear to
see why Ironman had chosen this site for
a race, with the beautiful valley rising up
to majestic peaks, serving as the perfect
backdrop to an epic finish. With race numbers, swim cap and transition bags firmly in
hand, thoughts turned to final preparations,
including having a set of Zipp race wheels
fitted, giving my bike a real race-ready
look.
Concerns about the swim were quickly
put to rest as I ventured into the lake to test
out the waters, convinced that they were
going to be bitingly cold. Refreshingly cool,
and unbelievably clean and clear, was my
rapid reassessment, as I enjoyed a pleasant
swim past moored yachts and a packed
lakeside restaurant, before donning runners
and taking in the sights, sounds and smells
of the forest during a short run, recapping
the trials and tribulations that had brought
me from a mere daft idea a year ago to
now finding myself in California about to
race for real.
The course
Revered as one of the toughest courses on

the Ironman calendar, the entire race takes
place at a base elevation of 6,200 feet, with
the two-lap swim being in the crystal clear,
cool waters of the mighty Lake Tahoe, at
Kings Beach, a gently sloping public beach
a short distance up shore from the cute
little town of Tahoe City. Once on the bikes,
the two and a third loop course was to take
us along the lake, through Tahoe City and
Olympic Valley, past Squaw Valley on to
Truckee, before making the long climb up
Brockway, topping out at over 7,000 feet,
before a lengthy downhill back to Kings
Beach. T2 was at Squaw Valley, home of the
1960 Winter Olympics, with the marathon
taking runners out to the turnaround at
Tahoe City, along the Truckee river, keeping
eyes peeled for the plethora of wildlife
species native to Tahoe, including bears.
The two-loop run eventually finished back
in Squaw Valley, with the mountains serving
as the backdrop for what would have been
a memorable moment.
The drama climaxes
With the air remaining clear all of Friday

and Saturday, all was looking good for
race day, with the organisers stating that a
final decision would be made on Saturday

afternoon, which came and went. It was,
however, with a sense of impending doom
that the winds swung round late Saturday
evening and the smoke started its insidious creeping re-invasion of the area, much
like a Dementor scene from Harry Potter. Waking up to catch the buses from
Squaw Valley on race morning it seemed
as though the smoke was thicker than ever
but with no announcement made we were
all very much in race mode, chatting excitedly as we all headed down to the lake for
the swim. With bike primed, special needs
bags and nutrition prepared, and wetsuit
donned, my initial race nerves soon converted to sheer excitement at the imminent
start and the culmination of a year of gruelling work. Heading out to the lake shore,
goggles in hand and race plans crystallising
in my mind, I was now pumped and just
eager to get started. Then the disaster
The race was cancelled! Called off at
literally the last minute, with the pros even
under starters orders and some age-groupers already in the water. The reason, as we
all suspected but didnt want to believe,
was the unhealthy levels of smoke in the
air making the conditions hazardous to
human health. In spite of hearing the words
and knowing at gut level that the decision
was the only sensible one to be made,
the sense of disbelief was palpable. So
much so that most of us, myself included,
simply ambled back towards transition
almost expecting a second announcement
to be made telling us that a terrible error
had been made and that the race was
to go ahead after all. No such follow-up
came and so as quickly as excitement had
peaked, a crushing sense of anticlimax
washed through the crowd.
We had come as close to starting the
race as was possible and yet it had been
snatched away. That was it. Our race was
over before it had started and a year of
preparation, it suddenly seemed, had
amounted to nothing. Some athletes,
whether through a sense of not wishing to
accept that which had been stated or, more
likely, on account of needing an immediate outlet for the caffeine induced energy
about to burst out of them, completed the
swim course and I later saw people out on
bikes and running, in spite of the choking
smoke that gradually crept as far as Tahoe
City itself. In hindsight, I wish I had at least
dived in and completed even one lap of
the swim loop, but in my sense of numb
disbelief I simply did what most did and
collected my things before boarding the
buses for a return to Squaw Valley, by then
almost invisible on account of the noxious
Home for the week a beautiful Three-bedroom chalet overlooking Lake Tahoe.
smoke blown in from King County. A return

trip with my bike to take back the wheels,
an expensive 24 hours of mere decoration
as it transpired, and I turned my back on
Squaw Valley for the last time during my
trip, left to wonder what if and contemplate
whether or not I would be returning the
next year to legitimately claim my finishers
medal. Talking of medals, the ones that
we were due to receive at the finish were
left out for us to pick up, an exercise that
carried a sad sense of fraud about it. I collected one, more out of simply following
the herd than actually wanting one, and
even now I look at it with a deep sense of
sadness, anger and disentitlement at being
in possession of it. Why had Ironman even
made them available? It seemed wrong that
there were two thousand medals out there,
awarded for a race that was never staged
and owned now by people for whom they
simply serve as painful reminders of a shattered dream.
The aftermath
Long story short, I ultimately signed up for

next years race, determined to return and
conquer it. With ice last year and now fire
this time, every athlete will be keeping their
fingers firmly crossed for a calm Mother Nature and finally getting to race Lake Tahoe.
If you would like to continue following
the training and racing exploits of Chris as
he prepares for his new challenge of racing
Ironman Lake Tahoe 2015, then you can do
so via the website www.ironvet.net or via
the Facebook page, Ironvet 2014. Similarly,
if you would like to donate to the WVS and
support Chris chosen charity in this challenge, then you can do so
at www.justgiving.com/ironvet.
Determined to have some fun, I took to the lake regardless.
ACTIVITY REPORT
FAST TRACK
TO FREEDOM
This month, Andy McNab gives his trusted 4x4 a summer break,
and instead surfs the silver snake to get him to one of Dubais most
accessible patches of prime real estate to stretch his legs.
Walk Route A to B
Al Ras Metro Station (Green Line only)

to Union Metro Station (Green
and Red Line service)
Distance
2.75km
Time taken (with refreshment stops)
120mins
Cargo waiting to be loaded.
**Do pack sun screen and water**

Words + Photos By: Andy McNab
So what do we know? Firstly, it cost
countless millions of Dirhams, Dollars or
whichever currency you care to use. It is
driven by a robot, each day up to 140,000
people use it for their daily commute or
coffee shop meet up. And if I remember
correctly, I first wrote about its imminent
arrival way back in 07.
Until a few months ago, I was a selfconfessed metrophobe, for whatever
reasons [robot drivers youve heard of
Skynet?] I had never really felt the need to
do the two-railed cruise. No matter how
many people recommended it, I wasnt
really that fussed. However, as soon as
I broke my mass commute duck, I was
instantly turned on to, not just an easier
and less gridlocked system for getting
from A to B, but also a never-seen-before
perspective on the city. From the elevated
ride the metro permits, you begin to spot
open areas that were until now not an
easy spot. Previously hidden trees and
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OUTDOORUAE
small patches of green popped into view,

and there seemed to be a little more
space between the buildings in even the
most cluttered of neighbourhoods. Now
that I am fully plugged in and assimilated
into the Dubai Metro network I use it once
or twice a week and I guess the question has to be asked, is it the best way
to see the city and get outdoors at the
same time? Over the next few months
OutdoorUAE will wield its NOL card with
impunity, as we hop on and hop off in pursuit of some of the citys best kept open
spaces and city walking routes for you
to enjoy with family, friends, visitors or in
splendid solitude.
CREEKSIDE STROLL
On opposing sides of the Creek, Deira
and Bur Dubai have always been regarded the beating heart of the city. A
place where the late night neon shines
just as brightly as the daytime fabrics and
gemstones. Where the pace of business is
always lively and often frenetic and where
Bastakiya - faded face of Old Dubai.
Bikes, bikes and more bikes awaiting transfer to Iran.
shiny, new Dubai seems like a hazy desert

mirage.
ARRIVAL
For our first outdoor excursion were
jumping off the metro at Al Ras, Ras,
meaning head in Arabic is right on the
apex of the creeks first meander. The
Super-sized dhow.
Contrasting cityscapes
pass numerous small fishing and marine

supply shops on your left. Although fishing is prohibited along all of the Creek,
the shops are useful to know for pending
outdoor activities. I even stumbled across
a fly rod and feathers in one, which I am
assured are not so easy to come by in
the UAE. Also theres a small Indian caf,
which is fine to refuel with sweet tea and
a quick paratha bread. Swing a left at the
end of the shops and Civil Defense, and
enjoy the shade of a few trees as you pass
St Georges Hotel left and library right.
Pick either side of the street, although
you will soon see, the waterside sidewalk
provides the best vantage point over and
along the Creek. Lace up you sneakers
and enjoy a very pleasant walk. Simple as
that. After around 200m youll approach
the Dhow Wharfage which stretches for
the best part of a kilometre. First you will
pass the smaller dhows and they seem to
get progressively bigger until we finish
with whoppers. When you think, traditionally dhows were constructed using
only wooden pegs and rope to hold the
timbres in place, they are amazing vessels. These things should never be taken
for granted, they may look battered and
bruised in most instances, but they are
still marvelous machines and testament
to the local boat builders ingenuity and
craft.
A SNAPSHOT OF YESTERYEAR
Whether or not heritage is your bag, do
take a brief pause and look across the
water to the Bur Dubai/Bastakiya side,
where you have got to appreciate this
fading faade of Dubai. There is Bank
of Baroda on the left, one large mosque
Friendly faces from the cabin. centre, the minarets of another far right
and in between all manner of low rise
buildings, shops, cafes and restaurants, as
underground platform is decorated with
if to testify the age of this snapshot into
numerous friezes that reflect this patch of
the past there is a three-storey date palm
Dubai and its maritime past. It is the point
adding a splash of vert into an otherwise
on the Creek at which pearling boats
drab colour palette. Three-storey date
would launch and dock during their grupalms do not grow over night this is
eling summer season. The pearls being
Old Dubai. The buildings reflect that,
counted out, sorted and priced, before
and thank goodness they do. In a city
captain and crew received their share of
that knows no limits and changes on an
any profits. One of my favourite Old
almost daily basis, it is good to see some
Dubai pictures is exhibited on the wall,
evidence of a bygone era not only survive,
the aerial photograph of the 1950s Creek.
but thrive.
A kink in the creek and a smattering of
As you progress on your way one thing
temporary barasti shacks and one humstands out about the Dhow Wharf, much
ble-looking palace. It is an education in
like many other parts of Old Dubai, it
itself. A reminder of both past hardships,
is not pretty. It is not dainty or shiny or
and rapid pace of change and developshowy. It is sweaty and noisy and real.
ment that swept through this part of town
Tyres, white goods, battered sewing
when the regions fortunes changed.
machines, car parts, A/C compressors
Exit the station at Exit number two
and what could best be described as a
(Al Khor Road) (Khor, meaning creek).
pile of bikes seem to be the main trade
Once outside you should be pleasantly
today. Rewind 35 years and that great
surprised by the open space, although
globetrotter and outdoorsman Michael
you are in the midst of arguably Dubais
Palin hopped on to a Dubai dhow and
busiest business district, the station is
made the trip across the Indian Ocean to
slightly distanced from the 24-hour madthe then Bombay. Im not sure whether
ness. Directly ahead, you should see the
you could get away with that these days,
HSBC Bank HQ in the middle distance,
and I doubt the dhows are equipped with
this should be your direction of transit.
a priority boarding, first class menus or EAs you walk towards the Creek, you will
Gate, but for some salty old sea dogs out
there, this is day-to-day life and a means

to feed a family, and I guarantee, if you
smile and wave up at them, theyll smile
and wave back as they take rest before
their next crossing.
Continue along with dhows on your
right and notice Deira Spice Souk on your
left certainly worth a look if you have not
seen before or if you need a fix of some
Iranian Viagra (honey) or dried lemons
(yum yum!) At this point on the waterfront
is Deira Old Souk Abra station, where one
shiny Dirham will get you across to the
Bur Dubai side, expect wet feet and dont
expect an overbearing health and safety
procedures demo. If you are wanting a
little more sightseeing, and why not, you
are here after all, 120 AED will buy you a
private abra (water taxi) stopping off at a
few points up the Creek, until you reach
Creek Golf Course and then back. I guess
if you have visitors in town or a lazy day
itinerary you may fancy.
PUT YOUR FEET UP
Keep on along the waterside for a further
500m past Radisson Blu and glass-fronted
Deira twin towers and youll come to
a small municipal green space on the
creekside, directly opposite the imposing
Expo 2020 emblazoned Dubai Municipality office block. Its not going to be a
life affirming experience or the greatest
park you have ever encountered, but its
a pleasant, basic outdoor space which is
home to two camels, and plenty of seating from which you can watch life on the
creek gently pootle along. There isnt any
real shade here, so do be careful not to
sit out during the hottest part of the day
without water and a cap.
Once you have had your fill of Creek
life, dhows and abras. Cross the main
road and head through the DM car park
to the pedestrian overpass. From there
you are basically at Union station and your
walk has concluded. Nice and easy. Union
is a green/red station, so from there you
can literally pick your next destination and
descend, descend, descend into the cool
once more.
PS: The walk can be done in reverse
order and is the same distance.
PPS: If you are feeling particularly active
you can jog the route, it doesnt cost any
extra.
Happy walking.
Keeping watch over the Creek - DMs
very own humped guardian
OUTDOORUAE
29
ACTIVITY REPORT
St Thomas Bay, sometime

a quarter of century ago . . .
Words + Photos By: Glen Grixti
Originally from the beautiful Mediterranean outdoor hub

of Malta, now a globe-trotting
blogger with a passion for one
thing and one thing only Glen
Grixti is a kitesurfing enthusiast
and expert. With over 25 years
strapped to a board, it is safe
to say he knows a thing or two
about this relatively new open
water pursuit. Were starting today with a history lesson, so pay
attention at the back!
Back in the early 90s I was a windsurfing
geek, and nothing could change the idea
that windsurfing was the ultimate sport for
me, but every true adventurer knows that
outdoor sports keep evolving to feed the
adrenaline cravings that fire in our brains.
30
OUTDOORUAE
As I recall back, myself and fellow

water sport geeks were having a group
windsurfing session at St Thomas Bay in
Malta, the small Mediterranean island I
call home. A friend of mine showed me
a picture of a new sport that was being
talked about by virtually everyone. It
was a picture of the two French brothers
Dominique and Bruno Legainoux being
propelled by a kite on a board and it
tugged at my curiosity.
Lets dive into a bit of history!
Kitesurfing (or kiteboarding) is one of the
latest crazes to hit the world of extreme
sports. While the sport may seem new
to many people, with super lightweight
kites, carbon fibre harnesses and state
of the art boards, its roots can be traced
back to China in the 14th Century, where
kites were used to drag canoes out at
sea. Through the years, the concept has
evolved until it became what we see
today as kitesurfing, and, as you would
expect, as the sport has evolved, so too
has the equipment.
The first kite tested by the Legainoux
brothers was done with a pair of water skis
strapped to their feet, and that was patented way back in 1985. The same year
they did a presentation of their invention

at the Brest International Speed Week.
Unbelievably, the windsurfing companies
were not interested in investing in this
new sport, and this led to the brothers to
further improving their kites.
In 1987, Bruno gave a demonstration with the biggest wing ever made,
(17mx2m), the following year prototype
kites became smaller, lighter and were
more stable. Great improvements were
achieved and you could see kites propelling catamarans, small fishing boats, water
skis and windsurf boards, skateboards,
inline skates, inflatable boats, kayaks and
buggies, almost anything and everything
water or beach based.
The inevitable breakthrough
Around 1993, the two brothers met with
Neil Pryde a very well known windsurfing manufacturer and the first commercially obtainable kites could be found for
sale under the name of Wipika Trademark.
The ball had started rolling and Robby
Naish and Don Montague (surf legends
turned manufacturers) asked the brothers
for a license as well. Kiteboarding started
growing at an unstoppable pace and the
brothers secured an intellectual property

licensing agreement with Best Kiteboarding. The licensing agreement settled any
intellectual property rights between the
parties for inflatable kites and control
systems, past and present. Kitesurfing was
born. So, rewind quarter of a century and
what we know today is already 25 years
old, and back then, in the mid 90s, trust
me, it was not easy to fly a kite.
After moving to Holland in 2000 for my
hotel internship I was desperately looking
for a kite, and believe me they were still
very hard to find. Finally I stumbled upon
a small windsurfing shop that featured a
Wipika sticker on the window, so I went
straight in and walked out with my first
kite. It came with a small hand pump to
inflate the leading edge and, as I browsed
slowly through the manual, I rigged the
kite in a field with very soft grass. Later
on my friend helped me launch and the
kite started flying wildly from side to
side, while I was being dragged around
and leaving lines across the field like bad
handwriting. I would not let go of the
control bar until, luckily I now see, the
kite wrapped itself around a tree. This is
madness! But yeah, a hell of a lot of fun
and it didnt stop me from trying again
and again. Of course the early model I
got from Wipika kites was only controlled
by two lines, and the concept of having
four lines on the bar was still not popular,
however, the same kite could be converted to four lines.
Initially, the safety system was just a
simple leash that was strapped around
one arm and which created all sorts of
tangling problems rather than actually acting as a safety leash.
Practise makes perfect(ish)

By hook or by crook I was improving my
kite control, and I could land and launch
the kite safely without any injuries (to myself or anyone else!). In my next trip home
to Malta my cousin joined me with his jet
ski, which was the perfect safety device,
and we decided to launch the kite in the
water with a wind speed of around 23
knots (a fairly moderate wind). This was a
new chapter, as the kite seemed to launch
very easily out of the water while I was
being tea bagged all over the bay until
I ended up in the tuna fish farms a couple
of miles out to open sea. My cousin came
zooming across on his jet ski with the biggest laugh on his face, as hed been lucky
enough to see the whole charade unfold
right in front of him.
A few improvements
Later on I converted the kite to four lines,
and immediately, it had a totally different
feel, as the kite could be sheeted (changing the angle of the kite relative to the
wind) in and out of power better, which
gave me more control, better manoeuvrability and also improved safety.
Nowadays kites are mostly all controlled by four lines, with a few models
having even a fifth line for a different
perspective on safety, and the equipment
has undergone some of the toughest
tests in the extreme sports industry. Safety
has always been one of the top priorities
when designing kites, and also one of the
sports biggest achievements.
Many top brands now keep on developing the equipment and the evolution
of kitesurfing gear, one of the reasons the
sport is still growing rapidly and kites can

now be found in every stretch of water
with a bit of breeze, all over the world.
Glen is a regular travel, adventure and
kite-surf blogger, please visit his blogsite
at, www.bordertube.com.
You looking to get started with kitesurfing, or have a question you would like answering, please do not hesitate, drop us a
quick line at, andy@outdooruae.com.
In months to come Glen will share

a few real-life experiences and tips
and is also here to field any of your
kitesurf related Qs. So, if you have
any ahead of the UAE season kicking
off, send them in and well test his
knowledge.
OUTDOORUAE
31
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Prilep: Bouldering
in the Balkans
Petzl RocTrip Basecamp 5
Words + Photos By: Read Macadam and Tara Atkinson
Prilep in Macedonia (FYR)

sits at the base of two open valleys full of golden granite blocks
the size of your house. There are
no trees, only rocks and grass
as far as the eye can see. Fresh
air courses over the hills. An
ancient monastery presides over
the whole scene.
We could not see this vista yet because
it was raining. Of course it was raining.
This is the story of our trip so far. But
we were resolved to boulder in Eastern
Europes famed granite landscape. Once
more the thwacking of the windshield
wipers played a rhythmic soundtrack to
our craning necks and exclamations of
wonderment as glimpses of boulders
appeared ahead of us in the murky grey
morning sky.
As we passed through town, tobacco

leaves strung up by the thousands under
homemade wood framed shelters lined
the street-side. It was said that at least
2% of the tobacco in each pack likely
originates here, but the rural makeshift
method belies the industrial scale of
cultivation. Crossing a gypsy village with
broken down trucks and archaic homemade tractors, we made our way towards
the Petzl Basecamp at the foot of the
boulder-strewn hills.
Screech! We stopped suddenly at the
foot of the grassy knoll upon which our
little rental car would have to ascend.
We both did a double take. The 300m
uphill dirt track was a stream of greasy
red-brown mud, rutted and glistening,
the gooey texture a literal definition of
slippery.
The Petzl Caravan in Prilep, Macedonia (FYR).
An old harvest truck in its final resting place,

tobacco leaves drying in the background.
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OUTDOORUAE
Allez! Of course we drove up. Thats

the thing about the Petzl RocTrip: you go
for it! Tara at the helm, right foot planted
and wheels spinning, the engine whined
and the car slid upward, facing left, then
right. Use the grass! Tara leaves the
track for the firmer grass and we
accelerated up the hill and finally slid to a

stop in front of another Petzl-Woodstock
scene, the Petzl caravan ringed by tents,
vans and people milling about. Whats
up, guys? we inquired. Rain. But it
should clear up later! We got a thumbs
up, and grinned back. Might as well head
to town, so we set off back down, buoyed
by the forecast of blue skies ahead and,
from what we had seen, these hills have
more than enough granite for many lifetimes of climbing.
The thing about Prilep is that its a
melting pot of culture. From the rural Balkan flavour of its muddy streets we were
met by Soviet era sculpture and design,
Ottoman influence, a gypsy village and of
course the tobacco industry framing it all.
Underneath an Art Deco Pepsi advertisement, endearingly hand painted on an
old brick building at the towns central
market, we were greeted warmly by the
Macedonians. Zdravo! Friendly and full
of smiles they offered us samples of their
fresh produce, and, with the taste of local
salty cheese and olives on our tongues,
we stocked up for four days camping
nestled in the boulders.
The ruins of an Ottoman era mosque
stand guard over downtown Prilep.
More and more climbers flitted into

town. Familiar faces from our journey,
road weary but excited to be in a new
space. Over coffee at a cozy jazz caf in
the town centre, stories of the road were
shared and before we knew it the sky
was clear. They say a watched pot never
boils a watched sky never clears?
Tara and I made it up the mud and
back to camp just in time to boulder in
the evening light. The boulders in Prilep
are a beautiful playground. With a crash
pad and excited info from Philippe Ribire
a man who considers Prilep one of his
homes we set off. The scale of the place
is unfathomable each hill that we crested added hundreds of ancient golden
orbs into our line of sight, filling us up
with excitement. Crash pads bobbed up
and down as other climbers scampered
up to revel in this natural masterpiece.
Where do we start?!? A question we

and most of the others asked ourselves
each day in Prilep, as we gawked at
the dizzying array of rocks surrounding
us. Finally we threw the pad down at a
deeply featured boulder, stained on all
sides with fluorescent green lichen, we
both climbed, feeling free, unhindered
by ropes and with golden light and wind
filling our spirit. To climb free in the fading
sunlight, as if on the edge of the earth,
was uplifting after the previous weeks
rain, and after a few more boulders we
wandered back to camp by head torch;
the lights of Prilep far below and a warm
campfire welcoming us back to the caravan.
The first thing you notice about the
granite of Prilep is how rough it is on your
skin. After only an hour of bouldering we
were feeling our fingers. Back at camp
we all compared our fingertips, imagining
how they would feel after three more days
of the same.
Evening sunshine over Petzl Basecamp Prilep in an old tobacco field.
Day two dawned, cool and clear. With

clinking bells and shouts of a shepherd
and his flock we unzipped our tent to the
view of dozens of sheep winding their way
between a hundred boulders or more. We
felt like we were awakening in a land of
myth and legend.
Morning at our campsite in Prilep. There
is bouldering within steps of your tent.
We set off to Dabnia with the Petzl

team and others. This sector and I use
the term sector loosely because it is
really just a selection of boulders a fraction of the total that have been cleaned
and climbed within walking distance, and
they sit above a tiny little village at the
foot of the valley adjacent to our camp,
replete with abandoned relics of buildings, sheep and a shepherd.
We connected immediately with a
group of friendly Romanians and began
our day in the warmth of the Macedonian
sun on some gymnastic, uncrowded lines.
As we climbed, shouts of Allez! Allez,
uh! reverberated across the hillside. The
French Petzl team were up the hill working
on climbing something that sounded exciting, so when we finished up it was time
to hike up the hill. We arrived to a scene
of boulder madness. Above the trail, 5m
atop a giant boulder were the entire Petzl
team, packing up their pads and leaving
two epic looking boulder-shaped problems behind them. Pads came crashing
down around us, people squeezed past
as we climbed up to see what the rock
was like. It was perfect timing, we had the
entire wall to ourselves.
Read warming up in the sun on
an athletic 7B in Dabnia sector.
Tara enjoying her first boulder of the trip as

the Treskavec Monastery sits on the hill in the
background. Hows the rock, Tara?
Rough!
OUTDOORUAE
33

Petzl athlete Arnaud Petit floats effortlessly up the 7C in Dabnia sector.
A gorgeous 5m tall wave-featured overhang with large grain granite, it was like
nothing I had ever seen before and made
for a world-class 7C. Arnaud Petit poked
his head around to see and, also joined us
to try the beautiful line.
After sussing out the starting move
I managed to climb to the top on my
second try, and in textbook Arnaud style
he witnessed us all climbing, put on his
shoes, evaluated his own sequence and
then floated effortlessly upward to top
out.
The guidebook features a photo of
Dani Andrada at full wing-span between
two giant holes in a nearly perfect sphere
shaped rock, and we immediately set
off further up the hill to seek it out. This
boulder is a must-do; it is long, high and
has distinctive movement on perfect
granite. It is not the hardest boulder,
but it took me a few minutes to figure
out how I could spread my hands so far
apart without scraping my face across the
rock! From the top of this high boulder
the whole valley spreads out below and
I could see other climbers laughing and
sharing on the boulders beneath me.
On our way we passed Arnaud and
others trying an untamed boulder that
followed an improbable line of shallow
sloping edges up to a jump. None of
us managed to climb the route, but we
descended with smiles on our faces and
stinging fingers back to camp, telling
stories of old climbs and adventures.
The next day, with hands shredded,
we awoke, stiff and sore, but there is so
much rock in Prilep that our excitement to
explore new boulders won out and we set
off into the hills above camp. Bouldering
at Prilep is so accessible that within ten
minutes we were all taking turns warming
up. More and more people arrived and
we progressed up the hill, feeding off
each others energy. With an international
group of Mexican, French, British, Canadian and Bulgarian climbers we played
on an unbelievable block that can only
be described as the granite version of the
Imperial Death Star if it were designed
as a mushroom!
Prilep is such a perfect venue for the
RocTrip because bouldering really brings
people together in climbing, creating a
wild energy that cannot be shared from
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OUTDOORUAE
high up on a rope. After much laughter

and a lot of stripped skin, we determined
that a wire brush was required to progress
past the archaic lichen and moss preventing our success on that route. The sun
was too hot, a little early in the season
for midday climbing, so we lounged and
spotted other climbers on their problems
through the afternoon.
Read trying the Death Star mushroom

project. Daniel from Mexico and Guilhem
from France showing their support.
The evenings are the best time to

climb in Prilep the ambience created by
the evening light washing over greenstreaked orange granite amongst the tall
grass is heavenly. Not to mention that the
breeze and cooling temperature is perfect
for your friction on the rock.
That evening we moved up to Balvanija
sector to climb in the magical orange
evening glow. Leaving the crowds, and
passing through thirty or more sheep and
their friendly shepherd, with the scent of
the wild dry herbs on the breeze, was an
idyllic scene to say the least. On the way
we crossed a large wild tortoise, inching
his way across the grassy plains, reminding us in his own very essence to just slow
down and take it all in.
Dan sending the right variation, a stretchinducing 7C dyno.

Arnaud sneaks in one final climb, a beautiful and subtle 7A below the project.
Read making the stretch on a super classic 7A in Dabnia sector. A

must-do boulder for any visitors.
Climbers lounge in the hot midday sun.
The evening is the best time to climb

when we should probably have been
resting our skin. After just two days bouldering my fingertips were in agony. The
route I had my eyes on was just too painful for the state of my hands, so I settled
for the stand-start, called it a day and left
it to our American compadre Dan to send
the right side variation 7C before we all
headed down, exhausted and content.
That night, in true Petzl RocTrip fashion,
we partied to a high-energy Macedonian
ska band that kept us all dancing around
the campfire until far too late.
The Hounds riled up the crowd at Petzl Basecamp Prilep. It was great to unleash with the
team after a great few days bouldering.
As camp slowly packed up, and one

by one the tents came down and vans
convoyed out of town, we decided that we
were too enamoured by the raw scenery to
leave, and so decided to stay an extra day
in Prilep. In town, we bumped into Philippe
Ribire and Andreas, a Belgian who had just
lost all of his bags passport and all. Not
to worry, he said, a new one will be ready
in Skopje tomorrow so lets enjoy the day!
The thing about unexpected travel hiccups
is that they lead to new adventures!
The four of us piled into the car and set
off to visit the historic Treskavec Monastery
that sits perched at the top of the mountain
over town. The monastery is a must-see for
any visitors, housing frescos from the 15th
Century and incredible ornate wood sculptures. It was vacant, adding to the peaceful
tranquility of the setting, and with a friendly
cat we scrambled up the boulders above
the complex to admire the competing
views, both down on to the boulders below
and to the golden sun set behind.
As the sun set over the western mountains far on the horizon and a rich purple
light flooded the tobacco fields beneath us,
we shared stories of our trip, our passions,
our life-philosophies and what drives us.
A perfect end to our favourite stop of the
Petzl Roctrip so far.
The centuries old Treskavec Monastery is a
great rest day activity. Check it out at sunset for
epic views over Prilep and Macedonias western
mountains.
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
The Honey Badger

Episode 7: Zanzibar
Destination: African Impact
Volunteering Project, Jambiani
Diaries
Stiff after climbing Kili, worrying slightly about leaving our

beloved Honey Badger in Dar
es Salaam and seasick after a
two-hour ferry ride in a squall,
[a sudden strong wind], we
finally made it to Zanzibar feeling
fragile.
Our self-pity was to be short-lived,
however, and when we arrived at Jambiani,
we were welcomed by a highly energetic
group ranging in age from 17 to 40. Mark
and Pauline, the Regional Project Managers, helped us settle into our separate dormitories and gave us a quick introduction
to the teaching structure and volunteer
rules and regulations.
A good nights sleep was followed by an
early bike ride on two rusty bikes, which
were to be our transport for the next two
weeks. Our first ride through Jambiani
Village to Sirajatil Nursery School was an
uncomfortable reminder of bicycle seat
purgatory, but the village was beautiful
and full of a welcoming smiley community. We quickly felt at home
until we arrived at the school
where we were greeted by 50
children jumping up and down,
screaming, Teacher!
Teacher! Within minutes we
had become a mobile jungle
gym. James, the human tree,
rarely had fewer than four
children hanging off him as
he walked into the school
grounds. Mira had mistakenly
worn a skirt and spent her first
few minutes battling to keep
it on amidst the playful chaos.
Somewhat shell-shocked
we sat down to watch Rob,
a veteran volunteer, run the first lesson.
Thankfully African Impact has a robust
structure for teaching English, practicing
motor skills and singing etc, so once the
children had settled down everything fell
quickly into place.
We had a daily schedule of playing,
reading and singing songs at Sirajatil,
followed by the Nutrition Programme
(porridge and snacks) at Ibrahim Nursery
School, then teaching English, drawing
and writing until lunchtime. By midday we
had finished with the delightful whippersnappers and were ready for bed.
36
OUTDOORUAE
However, a lunchtime dip in the Indian

Ocean watching the dolphins offered
some respite before we headed off to the
adult English classes.
The adult lessons were another legsplitting bike ride away at Kikadini School.
The 90-minute sessions were rather more
relaxing than the nursery school, and also
a highly motivating opportunity to meet
people who were driven to develop their
English and improve their employment
prospects. Ages ranged from 17 to 70
years old and the majority of the students
came from Jambiani. Some were hoping
to pass government exams by bettering
their English, others were keen to learn
how better to befriend tourists and sell
them souvenirs on the beach.
Each week focused on a new
subject, such as tourism or
global conflict, and a grammar
topic like pronouns or the conditional tense. Lessons were
planned a week in advance,
supported by the African
Impact team and a wealth of
textbooks we were also given
a lot of freedom to address
the needs and learning ability
of each class. We both found
the adult classes incredibly rewarding because the tangible
impact on the community was
so easy to see.
At 5:00pm we started the final lesson of
the day. Mira would head off to a womens
teaching project called the Kanga Girls
and James shared his time between Kids
Club [lucky James! Ed.], a continuation of
the human tree experience from the morning, and irrigating the African Impact vegetable patch. By 6:00pm we would all be
back at the house filthy and exhausted.
Most evenings included a group game of
Werewolves or the Belgian game. Despite
the significant age gap within the group
we all got along very well, and James had
no issue fitting right in with the teenagers.
Aside from the teaching there were a

number of other duties and voluntary activities, like harvesting the African Impact garden, collecting rubbish from the beach and
helping the staff with whatever they needed
for the day. Mira was also out of bed every
day at 6:00am to join in the morning exercises with the local women on the beach. A
full, but extremely fulfilling daily routine.
Weekends began on Friday afternoons,
but this was no opportunity to reduce
the tempo. The entire group was ready
to explore, and we started with a ngalao
(small wooden trimaran) trip with snorkelling and fishing for octopuses along the
reef. The next day was called Aquaholics
and was brilliant. We started with scurfing
(wakeboarding on a surf board), subwinging (one of the most fun things we have
ever done) snorkelling and surfing. James
was mesmerised by the subwing [imagine
being towed underwater a little like Buzz
Lightyear Ed.] and could easily have
spent the whole weekend gliding through
the corals on it a fantastic invention.
Our second weekend was spent diving
at the Mnemba Atoll, which is home to an
aquarium-like coral reef with fantastic visibility. Unfortunately James camera broke
and Miras dive ended with nausea and loss
of balance after catching a cold from the
nursery children.
Whilst exhausting, our first African
volunteering experience was an ideal
combination of hard work, fun, and a clear
benefit to the local community. We have
every intention of returning to Jambiani
and would like to thank the African Impact
team for making it possible.
If you would like to support the teaching
and community project in Jambiani you
can find out more about volunteering here:
www.africanimpact.com.
Alternatively, donations can be made
through us here: http://www.gofundme.
com/thehoneybadgerdiaries; or directly
to The Happy Africa Foundation here:
www.happyafricafoundation.org.
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Bali, the Mountains and the Sea

Words + Photos By: Fareed Majeed
We had planned a holiday in

Slovenia and Lake Garda and ended up
in Bali, and it all started with a friendly
smile and some advice from the owner
of Caf Betawi in Karama, that trekking through the sweaty jungles of Kalimantan might not be the best place
for first-time travellers to Indonesia.
That friendly smile was literally our first
point of contact, when my wife Megs
and I decided to head to Bali for our first
holiday since moving to Dubai in 2012.
Were not the type of folks who research
until their eyeballs turn to puree, so we
didnt question why the Etihad plane read
Seychelles, if the person sitting in front
of me could feel my knees through his
seat, or why so many men kept asking me
if I wanted mushrooms, of all things, on
our late night walk through the streets of
Kuta. Do they come with cheese? I was
tempted to ask.
The final plan for our 10-day holiday
was simple, start with a day at Kuta on the
west coast, followed with a drive into the
hills of Tabanan for a jungle trek and stay
at the Bali Mountain Retreat, and finally
a drive down to the dive-centric little
town of Sanur on the southeast coast.
We decided against cramming up in one
place for the entire trip, and packed light
to keep logistics simple.
In my opinion, there are two kinds of
tourists: those with holidays of endless
foot selfies by manicured lawns and bluetiled pools; and those who make sure they
have extra cheese with their mushrooms.
We were going to be the kind that had
a little of the pool and extra cheese with
everything. Between stuffing our faces
with breakfast at the resort and bargaining
for the fake Louis Vuitton, we made sure
we saw as much of the sun-tanned party
scene of Kuta that our jet-lagged limbs
would allow to imbibe.
We had booked a ride up to the
Mountain Retreat since we were advised
that most of the city drivers really didnt
know the way up to the place. A friendly
guide picked us up from our hotel and
we got chatting. There are a lucky few
among us who are close to what they love
doing, and our guide was just such a man.
He was genuinely passionate about his
country, so much so that we took a detour

and landed up at an organic farm that
grew their own cocoa and coffee, right
in the middle of postcard paddy fields.
The highlight of this detour was a cup of
freshly picked and ground civet cat coffee,
yes, thats right, youve read about it. Super, super expensive and passed through
a civets digestive system! I would say
usually I would never have ever imagined
drinking something that was drying in a
pile of civet poop a few hours ago, but
man, that stuff was good! And buying coffee from an organic farmer feels good.
From the farm, it was a 40 minutes
drive up to the hills and we arrived at our
Mountain Retreat. The highlight of our
stay there was the trek through the jungle
and up Mt Batukaru six hours of trekking
through lovely rainforest. We were picking
snake skin fruit and cocoa fresh off the
trees, understanding more about how the
animals and birds interacted with the forest, learning why the Balinese pray before
destroying any patch of forest to accommodate all that tourism-driven growth
and identifying certain kinds of ivy that
can leave one with burning, itching skin
for days. We got to walk through valleys
full of terraced rice fields, where the locals
use the subak water management system
to keep their crop nourished. Words fail
me when I try and describe the calm our
small group felt shuffling through those
fields with nothing but the squish of mud
beneath our feet and the soft trickle of the
crystal streams all along our route. Back at
the retreat, our dinner was spent getting
to know the other guests; the owners
Richard and Rani have managed to make
their guests feel as if they are part of a
little community of adventure travellers,
a rare feeling when we were on an island
that has been on the commercial tourist
map for over 50 years.
We found that there were surf schools
scattered across most of the islands

resorts and thats exactly where we spent
most of our time for the next five days, at
a resort in Sanur. This area of the island
was the first to open up to tourists back
in the day, and has a reef a kilometre out
from the main beach. Both complete SUP
novices, Megs and I had a lovely sunsoaked time learning how to SUP and
starting each day out on the water. High
tide meant that we could SUP or kayak,
and low tide was when wed ditch the
yaks for an evening walk across the bay.
To sum up, what we finally got to do was
nothing like the list I scribbled down, and
thank God for that. All too often we are so
guilty of converting a holiday into an exhaustive Lonely Planet to-do list and then
come home more exhausted than we set
off. So yes, Bali has really good snorkeling
off Candidasa, amazing fabrics, wood and
stone art at Ubud, Gamelan ensembles
that you can head bang to and blissful
yoga retreats scattered all over the island.
You can spend days diving off a longboard, or sport fishing until your fingers
are sore with bending all that wire leader. If
you venture off Bali to the other islands in
the archipelago, you can maybe sea kayak
the Gili Islands, ride a fast boat to Lombok
or swim with stingless jellyfish in Palau.
You could fly into Palangkaraya airport and
explore the thicker jungles of Kalimantan,
or witness some amazing aquatic flora and
fauna at Raja Ampat off New Guinea.
What was most necessary for my soul
was to make this beautiful part of the
world my own, to stay until the names and
the sounds and the good and bad of nasi
goreng became familiar, to wait until the
glass and steel and heat felt far, far away.
To find out how few very different cultures
live together in peace and harmony and
to let the taste of Balinese coffee linger, to
get to know the soil and the salt.
And thats exactly what we did.
OUTDOORUAE
37
TRAVEL + ADVENTURE
Navigating the crevasses
further Adventures
in Si ber ia
Part 2
This is part 2 of a climbing expedition to Mt Belukha in Siberia

Words By: Sean James
Its never pleasant to start

walking in the rain and to leave
behind the delights of a comfortable basecamp, but sometimes
its necessary. Already we had
been in Russia or more precisely
Siberia over a week and had a
mountain to climb.
I was the leader of a commercial expedition with four clients and we had limited
time, a tight schedule. Soon there would
be a return flight from Barnaul in Siberia
back to the UK. This was the first time
that the company had run this expedition
and I didnt want to mess up by leaving us stranded in these Russian wastes
while our flight took off to London. So we
started out, heavily laden with equipment
and supplies. Eight hours later after a
grueling climb over moraine debris, ice
and snow we arrived at Camp 1 well on
Heading up into the mountain
At the start of the third day on the

mountain it was essential to be the first
away from Camp 1 so we were up early
and packing our heavy rucksacks. Only
an hour into the climb we came to the
steep section of ice that we had heard
about. Only about 400m in length and
45 degrees in angle, it was only passable
with ropes and would take our team three
hours to ascend. We didnt want to be
stuck behind other climbing parties who
might knock debris down upon us and
slow us down. Hence the reason for the
shotgun start. It was as brutal, as wed
been told and being the first party that
season we also had to fix the ropes. The
pain and suffering of this section was soon
forgotten however when we regrouped
at the top. An immense view of the next
glacier leading to Camp 2 and hopefully
the summit indicated that we were making progress.
During winter in Siberia the average
temperature is -20C and it can drop below -50C. However the summer months
of July and August are more manageable
and are particularly suitable for visiting the
Altai area and the glacier we were on now
Drying equipment at camp 1 had good firm snow underfoot. The glaciers here are a permanent year-round fixture here but shrinking as global temperature rises. 30% of the Earths oil reserves
are still locked under the permafrost here
in Siberia and unlocking them could be a
good thing or not. The melting of the ice
our way to the summit of Mount Belukha.

In three days time we would hopefully
be standing on top of one of the highest
mountains, looking out over this empty
patch of land on Earth known as Siberia.
Over 800m higher at approximately
3,000m, Camp 1 is situated at the foot of
the glacier proper. As glaciers always are,
it was just a barren patch of rock and ice
that needed scraping and digging before
we could pitch our already wet tents. The
glacier would eventually lead to the summit of Mt Belukha, the highest mountain
in this range of mountains; the Altai in
southern Siberia. At altitude, everything
deteriorates quickly and looking after
yourself is essential. Clothes stay damp,
appetites disappear and even getting out
of the tent to find a patch for the toilet
is arduous. We would rest two nights
at this camp with the next day spent
practicing rope and technical skills. During
our stay here avalanches and rocks from
higher up rained down on the glacier
around us constantly, all day and all night.
It was very atmospheric but we think we
loved it.
Its always hard work
The summit team
also releases a number of nasties. 2014

saw the discovery in the layers of ice of
a giant 30,000 year old virus known as
Pithovirus Sibericum.
After a rather circuitous and winding
route across the glacier to avoid the crevasses, we stopped for lunch, remaining
roped together, just in case, before the
final steep slope up to Camp 2. Camp 2
required more shovel work again but the
snow was perfect for digging platforms
and it is always a pleasurable task to see a
small neat and orderly community appear
on a snow slope where only a few hours
before there was nothing. Only twice did
we dig in the wrong place and stare open
mouthed into a deep gaping icy chasm
that we had uncovered. Those areas were
quickly marked with wands so as to be
avoided in the future. Many jokes about
it being better to find them while digging
than to drop down into them while asleep
at night helped to cover the anxiety in
the group. The expedition had suddenly
turned from a pleasant hike in the forest
to a real mountain expedition.
The final summit day is impressive.
From Camp 2 you cannot see the summit
and it seems a long way off. There are no
well-worn trails or Sherpas fixing ropes
on this mountain like the popular peaks
in Nepal. As usual for a summit day we
started in the dark around 4:00am. This
was not particularly early but meant that
the temperatures although well below
freezing were relatively manageable.
The first couple of hours from high camp
meandered through deep snow, around
crevasses, across snow bridges and
around toppling seracs until at first light
we stopped for a break on a small flattish
area at the start of the steep stuff. From
here there was a choice to be made as
a number of different routes led to the
summit, still over four hours away. The
weather this year had left the initial slopes

covered in bullet hard ice and we roped
up into groups of three in the hope that
if a member slipped the others could
hold the fall. Being roped together has
many advantages and disadvantages.
Working together can provide much
needed motivation to keep going if you
are the first on the rope or to keep up as
a member further back. As the morning
light revealed more of the slopes and
the clouds appeared far below us we
made good progress. The climbing was
edge of the crampon stuff and exposed,
moving between ridgelines and islands
of relative safety in the snowy landscape;
as we zigzagged higher and higher up
the mountain, the landscape of Siberia
dropped precipitously away below us until
we could go no further.
We finally stood on the top of the
highest peak for a long way in either
Five summit day above the clouds
direction. Standing on a summit, whatever

the height is an exhilarating and uplifting
experience. We could gaze out with a
360-degree view and there was nothing
above us. Quickly taking summit photos
and paying tribute to the memorial built
to honour lost climbers, it was getting
cold and windier.
The slopes on the return were much
easier to navigate as the sun had softened
the surface. Plunging knee-deep with
each step provided a form of braking and
we descended directly down the fall line
crossing and recrossing the tracks we had
made earlier. Only twice did we have to
leap the crevasses that started to appear
because the snow bridges had become
too weak to support our weight.
Back at the high camp it was only
10:00am and there is always a
temptation to pack up and keep going
down. However the route below was still
First light over the glacier
OUTDOORUAE
39
The horses lead the march back to the resort
Back to civilisation
relentless and we spent the rest of the day

eating and sleeping. Tomorrow we would
try and go from Camp 2 all the way to the
basecamp. At this stage, the thought of a
log cabin and Russian sauna was our idea
of heaven.
At altitude, strange things happen
to sleep patterns and the dream state
because of oxygen starvation. Much
amusement can be had by trying to
inteprete these visions. One member of
our team talked frequently about trains
and of course one cannot talk about
Siberia without mentioning trains. The
Trans-Siberian Railway took 19 years to
construct and was finished in 1916. It was
the dream of Nicholas II to provide closer
links with Siberia and exploit the vast
natural resources. Ugly industrial towns,
packed with grim tenement blocks and
factories pumping smoke and pollution
into the environment owe their existence
to this railway. The railway is in the south
of Siberia and most of the population live
alongside it. One of the reasons, the railway was built in the south is the weather.
In the north, one village has the dubious
reputation as having one of the worst
weathers in the world. With a population of 500 it recorded a temperature of
-71.2C and is considered the Northern
Pole of Cold, meaning the coldest known
point in the Northern hemisphere. The
permafrost there, the depth to which the
ground is frozen solid, is said to reach
nearly 1,500m. This desolate weather
Celebrating with the locals in the weather station
40
OUTDOORUAE
Receiving our certificates
creates the taiga. Another word that can

only be associated with Russia. Taiga is
the most dominant vegetation in Siberia
with a tundra belt on the northern fringe
and a temperate forest zone in the south.
Across Siberia the climate varies dramatically but basically its cold and even more
so in the winter, which is long. The summer only lasts one month. Our climbing
season was therefore very limited. We had
only been in the region for 14 days but
even over that short period, a change in
the air mass was noticeable. On returning
to our exclusive resort and the main road
we were happy to leave the hardy locals
to survive the long desolate.
The period of time after climbing is
always a period of reflection and calmness mixed with the rush and anxiety to
get out and back to normal life. However
we still had a three-day trek through the
foothills with hopefully more experiences
to come. The Golden Mountains of the
Altai are so unique and diverse that they
have been designated a natural UNESCO
World Heritage Site. A vast area of 16,178
sq km, the UNESCO description of the
site reads; the region represents the
most complete sequence of altitudinal
vegetation zones in central Siberia, from
steppe, forest-steppe, mixed forest, subalpine vegetation to alpine vegetation.
UNESCO also cited the Altais importance
for preservation of the globally endangered mammals, such as snow leopard,
the Altai argali and the Siberian ibex. And
so we trekked back through some of the
most amazing landscapes you would want
to see.
After nearly two weeks in tents, any
opportunity to sleep under a roof with
walls was a welcome relief and our guide
suggested we try the local weather station

as he knew the people there. Perched
on a hill overlooking the thick forests, we
toasted our success late into the night
with bottles and bottles of local fire-water
whilst watching an international sporting
event on a crackling television.
Because there are relatively low rainfall
levels here most of the water comes from
the glaciers that receive snow during the
winter months. In the summer this melts
and the rivers rise becoming highest in
the early part of July. We knew river crossings would be fun and indeed we needed
to reroute our trek as one of the valleys
had been washed out. The inconvenience
this provided was outweighed by the
spectacular display of huge waterfalls that
were in full flow.
Sadly our trip was nearly over and even
in Siberia we could feel a sense of returning to civilisation and buildings. Roads, or
dirt tracks appeared, smoke from buildings and bridges over rivers indicated we
were close. We piled into the truck that
was waiting for us and dashed for the
shower and herbal teas that were awaiting
us.
After the Russian painter and mystical adventurer Nicholas Roerich made a
pilgrimage to Belukha, many followed
him and during the height of the summer,
locals claim the area reaches Glastonbury
proportions becoming a major centre for
new age believers and others seeking
shamanic enlightenment. Obligatory purchases of CDs of Siberian chill-out music,
zithers, Siberian necklaces decorated with
fake petroglyphs and fragrant tea made
from Altai shrubs completed this remarkable journey for us.
So if you had not considered visiting
Siberia before and have something different in mind, you should make the effort.
Everything is spectacular here and you will
find yourself away from the crowds and
enjoying a most singular and extraordinary experience.
There are two videos that we made on
YouTube showing the trek and climb.
Trekking in the Altai mountains with Adventure peaks Team Leader Sean James
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=0269lozqKF0
Belukha - The Mountain (www.adventurepeaks.com) http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=nQZnY2DenNk
Lets test the dunes, but safety first!

It was a fantastic Friday afternoon and the weather was perfect
for off-roading. The day had finally
arrived when we were going to launch
the All New 2015 Yamaha Raptor
700, Yamahas flagship model, and
offer test rides to the customers. We
gathered in the Al Badayer area, set
up our tent and hoisted our Yamaha
flags. With the rise in the number
of people taking up ATV riding as a
hobby, we were expecting quite a few
customers to show up and have a go
at the mean machine.
As customers started to walk in, they
were greeted and welcomed to a sight
of the Raptors displayed upfront with
the beautiful sand dunes of Dubai in the
background.
The main purpose of organising such
an event was not only to launch the new
extreme machine, but also to create
awareness amongst off-road and ATV enthusiasts about the dangers of riding in
the dunes and precautions to keep themselves and their surroundings safe. Even
though it might be 50 degrees outside
and all that safety gear might be heavy
and uncomfortable, thats no excuse for
not wearing it. All it takes is one trip to
the ground to appreciate the protection
that safety gear gives to a rider.
Foremost, safety begins with proper
gear. Customers were given a short
briefing about safety and the correct
safety gear to wear before they could
have a test ride. Customers were asked
to wear a helmet and goggles along
with body armour, gloves and appropriate riding boots. Each article of safety
gear plays a vital role in the safety of the
rider in case of an accident. They were
confidence while riding the most powerful ATV that Yamaha produces.
A fun evening of riding would be
incomplete without some good food to
finish it all off. Food caterers were arranged to prepare food for the
customers. All customers and riders
finally sat down to enjoy dinner together
while discussing their different
experiences out on the dunes.
The day ended on a high note with
happy customers leaving with a smile on
their faces.
instructed on the proper and safe

operation of the ATV keeping in mind the
other ATV riders in their surroundings.
While riding in the tranquility of the
beautiful undisturbed dunes, it is very
important to not lose focus of what we
are doing. Riders are always reminded
to know their limits. They should never
exceed the limits of their own abilities
as well as push the boundaries of their
vehicle. Each customer/rider that walked
in for a test drive was on different skill
levels and had to be guided accordingly.
There were people ranging from complete newbies to the sport riders who
were just short of turning pro.
As customers finally set off into the
dunes, many of them were seen applying what they had learnt in the safety
briefing. For their safety, they were followed by a professional desert driver in a
Yamaha Viking (ROV).
After each test ride, customers were
offered refreshments and were asked
to fill out a form giving feedback about
their experience. Customers were specifically asked about how safe they felt
during the test ride and whether wearing
the correct safety gear boosted their
Always remember: race wear not only

helps you to look good while racing but
also give you extreme comfort in tough
racing conditions, whereas the protector such as shoulder, knee, elbow brace
etc are usually covered under them. It is
always recommended, while choosing
the safety gear, may it be helmet, gloves
or jersey always keep in your mind the
track and weather conditions, distance
and stunt requirement. You can find all
off-road quality products at Al Yousuf
Motors only.
OUTDOORUAE
41
DANNY CS
RUDE
AWAKENING
WEEKDAYS [6 10 AM]
RADIO1UAE
MYRADIO1UAE
RADIO1UAE.COM
PART OF
LIFESTYLE
Habitually healthy
Grass Fed Beef Cottage Pie

Words By: Chef Christopher Zerbe
Fall is here! You know what

that means right?
This is the time of year that all of us
love. Cool breezy days followed by even
cooler, breezier nights. Perfect weather
for all of your favourite outdoor adventures, events and activities. Whether it be
camping in the wadis or mountain biking
in Showka, this is the best time of the year
to truly enjoy what the desert has to offer!
With the addition of all these amazing
outdoor activities comes the need for
proper fuel the night before. With the
running, swimming, cycling and triathlons happening this fall/winter season,
the need for a proper pre-race meal
is essential to your success. These meals
should consist of lean protein, healthy
carbohydrates and lots of vegetables! Of
course simple grilled chicken or roasted
turkey is a great choice, however, I tend
to get a little bored with the white meat
every now and again, and need a little
change of pace. One of my favourites is
an easy to prepare Grass Fed Beef Cottage Pie. This classic family style meal is
quick to prepare, super cost effective and
can even be made in advance. Try my
recipe below and Im sure you will agree
that it not only hits the spot but also toes
the line in pre-race nutrition giving you
all the protein and carbs you need the
night before your event without having to
carbo-load on heavy pastas and other

wheat based baked goods. Enjoy!
Prep time: 20min
Cook time: 60min
Method:
1. Start this recipe by pre-heating your
oven (top and bottom heat) to 177C.
2. Place a large saucepan on the stove
and fill halfway with water and bring to a
boil.
3. Add your peeled sweet potatoes that
have been cut into one-inch cubes and
boil till soft.
4. Once the sweet potatoes have cooked,
carefully drain the water off and reserve
about 150ml of the water. Mash the sweet
potato and season with a bit of sea salt
and black pepper.
5. While the sweet potato mash cools
down, place your shallow sauce pan on
the stove on medium heat.
Grass Fed Beef Cottage Pie with Sweet Potato Crust:

Makes: (1) 9 x 13 baking dish
Ingredients
Preparation
Quantity
Unit
Lean organic grass

fed beef mince
kg
Carrots
each
Peeled and diced (1cm cubes)
Yellow onion
each
Peeled and minced
Thyme
Rosemary
each
Beef stock
500
ml
Bring to boil
Arrowroot powder
tbl
dissolved in 4tbl cold water
Sea salt
tt
To your liking
Black pepper
tt
To your liking
Garlic
cloves
Sweet potatoes
lg
44
OUTDOORUAE
Keep chilled till right

before cooking!
pieces Stripped and chopped

Stripped and chopped
Crushed and chopped

Peeled, chunked, boiled, mashed
6. Add 2tbl of coconut or olive oil to the

pan, and slowly add your minced onion
and garlic, careful not to burn it!
7. Once the onion and garlic have
browned, slowly add your beef mince in
little bits at a time to keep it from clumping up and forming a giant hamburger in
your pan!
8. While the meat is browning, continue
to break up the meat and turning it with
a spatula or your favourite wooden spoon
like I do!
9. Now with the meat cooking, add your
chopped herbs and a bit of the sea salt
and black pepper to your preferred taste.
10. Add your boiling beef stock to the
cooking meat and your carrots at the
same time. Be careful not to add too
much of the stock as you dont want it to
become soupy.
11. Lastly as all the ingredients in the pan
are bubbling and simmering, add your
arrowroot mixture to the pan and remove
from the heat and continuously stir while
it thickens into a nice gravy. (You can add
a touch more stock or arrowroot mixture
to get your gravy nice and thick but still
pourable)
12. Now that everything is cooked, pour
out the meat mixture into your baking
dish and allow to cool a bit (if you try to
put your mash on top now, it will just mix
all together and start to sink.) I prefer to
refrigerate it till the next day.
13. As for the topping, I like to use a 4L
zip-loc bag! I fill it, zip it then cut the bottom corner off to create a simple cheap
piping bag! Pipe out the potato mash on
top of the beef mixture. Sprinkle a bit of
the sea salt and some of the chopped
herbs on top.
14. Now go ahead and bake off your
pie until its nice and browned and
crusty on top and starting to bubble
around the edges. Remove from the oven
and allow to rest on the counter while
you prepare your favourite side dish to
accompany it.
Bon appetit!
The Cycle Bistro

GPS location:
Latitude:
N 25 02.792
Longitude:
E 055 14.384
04 425 6555
Phone:
T R&I E D
TESTED
ODUC
THIS PR
OV
T IS APPR
TDOO
ED BY OU
RUAE
Surf Ski Review
Stellar Elite Intermediate

Words By: Graham Malkin
Last week I was offered the

chance to try out a new surf ski the
Stellar Elite Intermediate. I had dabbled in surf skis over the years and
I was keen to try out the SEI which
had recently received some glowing
reports.
I tested it at the Jumeirah Sunset Beach
around midday. After a solid hour spent
paddling up and down, I am able to summarise the surf skis performance under the
following categories speed, stability and
comfort/fit.
Speed
The SEI is 18in wide and 20ft (6.1m) long.

It certainly has intermediate stability, but
its speed exceeded my expectations. It
takes a bit of hard effort to get it up to full
speed, but once it reached the top end, it
felt like it was racing along with minimum
effort to maintain the momentum.
Stability
I found the SEI a little challenging at the

start, but that is more a reflection on my
skill level rather than the surf ski. I am more
used to and suited to sea kayaks, and as
many of you will be aware the surf ski is a
different beast requiring more balance and
core-stability. Like all the Stellars the stability is very predictable and kicks in early so
the learning curve is minimised. Once you
are up and moving, the ski feels stable (the
water was relatively calm).
Comfort/Fit
The bucket width is tapered nicely for a

more ergonomic paddling position with
your knees closer together and supported
by the sides of the boat. The bucket is
also deeper than other Stellars with higher
gunwales while your backside is planted
in the back of the seat therefore limiting
any sliding when seated. Due to the small
footprint of the surf ski and its hydrodynamic design, it is not so easy to settle
into a relaxed paddling position pretty
much the entire time a high or low brace
seating position is required, and although
this is great from a workout perspective
it is never going to provide a particularly
easy-going paddle experience. Having
said that I am sure with a few more hours in
the bucket, a more relaxed rhythm would
begin to develop quite naturally.
Conclusion
The SEI offers intermediate paddlers with

an all-conditions boat that has a high topend speed. The SEI also provides great
stability for a surf ski of this nature at an
affordable price (6,995 AED). One point
to maybe note is that, with a length of just

over 6m, it is not the easiest watercraft to
store or transport.
Advantage Model (weight 14.6kg)
Gelcoat finished heat cured infused epoxy
Fiberglass and Soric core laminate is very
tough and resists against punctures.
Price: 6,995 QAR/AED; 760.3 OMR
Comfortable seat for effective hip rotation
Three-point quick release footboard
Strong Dyneema steering line
Low volume cockpit
Venturi drain with rubber plug
Paddle/boat-leash anchor
Narrow catch
Peaked deck to shed water
Three-rudder options from 4 - 9
Very fast hull shape
Low wetted surface area
Good secondary stability
Swede form hull
Length: 20 / 6.1m
Beam: 18.1 / 46cm
Depth: 13.8 / 35cm
Paddler: 5-66 / 1.5m-2m
Capacity: 290lbs / 130kg
Exclusively available at GO Sport stores
Graham Malkin is a level
2 kayak coach (BCU), a
leader of many kayak
expeditions throughout
Oman, National Park,
Canada and Grade 4
white-waters throughout Africa. He is also a
Mountain Leader (MLTE).
PRODUCTS
A round-up of quality products available right here in the UAE
Corran Matrix SUP board
5,995 AED/QAR; 651.6 OMR
Available at GO Sport stores at Dubai Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall and Bawabat
Al Sharq Mall in the UAE; Villaggio Mall and City Centre Doha in Qatar; and
Muscat Grand Mall in Oman
The Matrix is truly the master of all. Solving all the problems of flex and wobble of inflatable boards. This ultra rigid do-it-all board acts like a its a hard
shell, with the advantage of being able to roll it up and put it in your Fiat 500,
carry it on to an airline, or hike up the furthest peak in Peru. Once inflated, this
board is fast and stable, making it possible to paddle long distances with ease,
or fish off of it.
Aside from its obvious pedigree design, weve solved the problem of the board flex
in inflatable boards. Pumping it up to a sturdy 15psi after inserting the carbon rods,
this board is almost as stiff as a hard shell board, with all the advantages of being
able to roll it up. The cream on top is the innovative flip-up skeg that means you
can launch into the water with the back of the board beached (keeping feet dry) and
paddle over shallow shelves without getting bumped off.
Battery for eVolve V2 Torqeedo

2,895 AED
Available at Adventure HQ
A lightweight, 6.6-pound, 320 Wh Lithium-Manganese battery (11Ah at
29.6V) powers the systems featherweight Torqeedo motor. The battery is
buoyant and completely waterproof, ensuring safety and there-when-youneed-it performance. Its built-in GPS unit generates pertinent information
such as speed and range.
Distance Elite
695 AED
Available at Adventure HQ and The Cycle House

Originally designed for our elite racing team, this shoe was tested and loved by some
of the fastest runners in the US before being released to the public. The classic fourlug Newton ride with a seamless upper feels fast, light and efficient. The Distance
Elite is great for high or low distance training and racing. We hope you love it as
much as we do!
Perfect for: the Type A athlete looking for an equally dedicated training partner.
Likes: Race day PBs and crushing high-intensity workouts.
Ride: Dynamic and race ready. Designed to amplify performance and maximise
efficiency.
OUTDOORUAE
47
PRODUCTS
Trek Farley
9,000 AED
Available at Modells Sporting Goods, Ibn Battuta Mall, Mall of the

Emirates and Mirdif City Centre
Fatter is funner.
Dont let the fat tyres fool you. Farley is a pure performance bike thats
light, agile and handles just like a great mountain bike should. Ride it,
race it, love it. Jackalope TLR 80mm wheelset (2857g) | Hodag 3.8
TLR tyres (1244g). Get the girth without the weight.
Drift Ghost S Action Camera

AED 1,695.00
Available at Modells Sporting Goods, Ibn Battuta Mall, Mall of the Emirates
and Mirdif City Centre
Ideal for the casual user and prosumer alike, the Ghost-S is the most powerful
Drift camera to date twice as powerful as its predecessor. Boasting a leadingedge processor, Sony CMOS sensor, plus seven-element aspherical lens
technology, the Ghost-S is capable of 1080p at 60fps, 12mp stills and unprecedented low-light performance. The result is extraordinarily smooth, rich video
in any condition. Best in class battery life (3.5 hours) means you can record
more and worry less. A vivid 2 Corning Gorilla Glass scratch-resistant LCD
screen further distinguish the Ghost-S from its competitors.
Shoots stunning video including: 1080p at 60fps, 960p at 60fps, 720p at 120fps
Scene Mode and Slow Shutter Mode for improved low-light performance
Built-in LCD screen
12MP, 8MP and 5MP still photos
Timelapse photography with intervals from 0.5s to 1min
Two-way remote control with LED indicators
Seven-element aspherical lens, leading-edge processor, and Sony CMOS
sensor for crystal-clear footage
Adjustable bit rate
Flashback video tagging, clone mode and car DVR mode
6 Led Advanced Headlight

65 AED
Available at Carrefour, Lulu Hypermarkets, Adventure HQ and most supermarkets /

electronics stores
Runs up to 75 hours (red LED) and 50 hours (two white LEDs)
Two focused white LEDs for spot projection
Two wider positioned white LEDs for flood beam
Four white LEDs for maximum light output
Two red LEDS for night vision
HDL33A1 is also available which is a 3 LED headlight priced at 55 AED
48
OUTDOORUAE
Matt Traver tests the
Nite Watch MX10-209
Available at
Instagram: @almekshah
Facebook: www.facebook.com/almekshah
Mobile:+971 55 4005441
WHERE/WHEN DID YOU

TEST THE WATCH?
Eastern Kazakhstan steppe and desert,
4,000-5,000m mountains in Tajikistan and
endless swathes of sand in the Kyzul Kum
Desert.
WHAT WERE YOUR REASONS
FOR DOING THIS CHALLENGE?
Back in May, Jamie Bunchuk and I set off
to begin the One Steppe Ahead expedition. Originally it was to celebrate the
centenary of Sir Charles Howard-Burys
horseback ride through Central Asia, by
riding 1,100km across part of his original
route in Eastern Kazakhstan. However the
project developed from there turning into
a documentary filming and writing project
spanning across four separate Central
Asian countries.
WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST
CHALLEGE?
Negotiating the 45C summer heat in
Eastern Kazakhstan whilst looking after
three horses!
WHICH MODEL OF NITE WATCH
DO YOU OWN?
MX10-209.
DID YOU WEAR YOUR WATCH
FOR THE ENTIRE EVENT?
I wore it every single day. Only at night
would I take it off. Very often a night I
would mislay it inside the tent amidst a
jumble of clothes and filming gear, only to
find it thanks to the illuminated dials!
DID YOU USE YOUR WATCH
FOR TIMING THE EVENT?
Yes, I particularly found myself using the
watch to gauge how long I was shooting a
certain time lapse or sequence of scenes
for.
DID YOUR WATCH

KEEP GOOD TIME?
Yes, it was unfailing. The only time I did
get confused was in figuring out what the
time was and having to manually change
it when crossing various borders in Central
Asia!
DID THE WATCH BECOME
COVERED IN MUD AND SWEAT?
Yes, my watch has often been caked in
dust and sweat, especially when rolling
around in dirt trying to film from an awkward angle.
DID YOU TAKE THE WATCH INTO OR
UNDER THE WATER?
Yes, dipping around in the occasional
super salty Kazakh Creek.
WAS YOUR WATCH SUBJECT
TO HARD KNOCKS AND ROUGH
TREATMENT?
It wasnt subjected to exceptionally hard
knocks, but it definitely got banged around
a lot inside of cars, on horses, scrapped
against rock, blown with steppe dust and
dirt and so on.
WERE YOU ABLE TO EASILY
READ THE TIME?
Yes, Ive never had any trouble reading the
time on my MX10. Occasionally at night I
might grab the watch the wrong way up
and get confused at the time it shows,
then with the help of the orange coloured
night time dial at the 12 oclock position, I
quickly and easily realised which way is the
right way up on the watch. I find it a useful
feature if youre someone who takes their
watch off at night, which is what I do.
WAS THE WATCH COMFORTABLE
AND SECURE ON YOUR WRIST?
I found the rubber strap comfortable and
soft against my skin. I like the fact it was
low profile as well so I could easily slip it
under a glove or under my shirt sleeve.
DID YOU NEED TO USE THE GTLS
ILLUMINATION?
I used it to illuminated dials all the time,
every evening
DID YOU DAMAGE YOUR
WATCH IN ANYWAY?
Ive had no damage on the watch at all, it
looks good as new. Im impressed by the
toughness of the glass.
WAS THE WATCH SUITABLE

FOR THE ACTIVITY?
Yes, absolutely. Its a minimalist design,
which I like very much. It makes my life
simpler.
WHAT WAS THE MOST EXTREME
THING THAT YOU AND YOUR
WATCH HAD TO ENDURE DURING
THE EVENT?
It was probably just the sheer amount of
travelling involved, lugging around all the
filming equipment/heavy bags, getting
them and myself banged around loading
up on to camels, horses, trucks and cars.
To find out more about the One Steppe
Ahead Expedition and release dates for
the film and book, visit the official website
at www.onesteppeahead.com.
HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR WATCH
OUT OF 10?
COMFORT
10/10
DURABILITY
10/10
RELIABILITY
10/10
ILLUMINATION 9/10
APPEARANCE 9/10
DESIRABILITY 10/10
PRODUCTS
Five Ten Guide Tennie
575 AED (Colours available for men: Black Asphalt, Orangeade,

Ca Sun; colour available for women: Charcoal Iris)
Available at Adventure HQ in Times Square Mall in Dubai
and in Dalma Mall Abu Dhabi
The Guide Tennie is the most trusted approach shoe in history.
Our proprietary Smedge Zone Toe delivers precision edging power
and additional durability. Our new ErgoNomic last has an athletic-fitting heel,
Natural Toe and form-fitting shape for walking comfort and climbing power.
Stealth C4 outsoles guarantee no compromise in these go anywhere, do
anything shoes. Upper material: Nubuck leather
Alpinestars BNS Tech Carbon Neck support

1,150 AED (previously 1,350 AED)
Available at Al Yousuf Motors Across UAE

Constructed from an advanced, high-performance carbon polymer compound to
offer structural integrity and frame strength against heavy impact energies during a
crash
Ultra-lightweight performance and comfort while riding
Resilience to low temperatures (below 0C)
Designed to provide a customisable, secure and personalised fit with SAS (Size
Adapter System) for a versatile fitment in size ranges XS-M and L-XL
Lycra-laminated foam padding kits; adaptable and interchangeable EVA foam pads
allow compatibility with body protection systems
Incorporates a bio-organic engineering design for superb ergonomics
Hobie Outback
9,995 AED
Available at Adventure HQ
A do-everything sporting powerhouse, Hobies Mirage Outback is large
enough to carry plenty of fishing tackle, camera gear or even a date night
picnic, with exceptional hands-free manoeuvrability.
Built around the comfortable Vantage CT seat, the Outback is so stable
you might be tempted to stand when you cast. Studded with thoughtful
features such as molded-in rod holders, generous below deck storage
options, and the smooth Twist and Stow rudder, the versatile Outback is
ready for your outdoor adventure.
Crew 1
Length: 12 1 / 3.68m
Width: 33 / .84m
Capacity: 400lbs / 181kg
Fitted hull weight: 78lbs / 35.38kg
Fully rigged weight: 91.3lbs / 41.41kg
Hull construction: Rotomolded Polyethylene
50
OUTDOORUAE
Polar RC3 GPS

Limited Edition Blue
1,450 AED (includes training device, USB cable

and H3 heart rate sensor)
Available at all major sports outlets and www.sportinlife.ae.
The RC3 GPS is for runners and cyclists who want integrated GPS
with smart guidance. Weighing only 58g and measuring just 1,37cm
in depth, this device is one of the lightest and slimmest

integrated GPS devices on the market. Its supersized digital
display makes it easy to read and customisable, allowing a
user to display up to three rows of training data.
With naturally placed buttons, the RC3 GPS is ergonomically designed and has a breathable wristband for maximum
comfort. Benefits include: instant feedback after your session;
tracks your route, speed and distance using built-in GPS;
Running Index scores your performance; slim and lightweight
design with rechargeable battery, plus it allows you to share
your training with your friend.
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/PolarME
Celebrate the off-road

With the lovely UAE winter
just around the corner what
better way to enjoy the outdoors
than on an off-road adventure.
No matter what type of off-road
entertainment you enjoy, Al
Yousuf Motors and Yamaha got
you covered.
Family off-road
adventure
The Viking VI:
If youre seeking a group fun outing then
you will enjoy our Yamaha Viking VI. This
side by side unit with its three spacious
seats combines family and friend time with
dune bashing. Enjoy the company of your
beloved ones while riding those sandy
dunes. The back cargo bed can host all
your camping equipment and allow you to
delve into new terrains that you wouldnt
have ventured into before. So seize the
season and enjoy the outdoors, but remember these useful tips when you do:
Always setup camp before dark
Prepare a checklist to make sure you
dont forget anything
Dress for the occasion; make sure you
have the right gear
Viking VI specifications:
Engine
Engine Type
686cc liquid-cooled
w/fan, 4-stroke;
SOHC, 4 valves
Bore x Stroke
102.0 x 84.0mm
Fuel Delivery
Yamaha Fuel
Injection (YFI)
Dimensions
LxWxH
153.5 x 61.8 x 76.6in
Wheelbase
115.6in
Turning Radius
244.1in
Ground Clearance 11.4in
52
OUTDOORUAE
Fuel Capacity
9.7gal
Wet Weight
1634lb
Bed Capacity
600lb
Towing Capacity
1500lb
season in style!
Raptor 700 specifications:
Engine
The rebel
The Raptor 700:
Take on those crazy sand dunes and feel
the torque. Aggressive styling makes the
Raptor 700R look as menacing as it really
is. The mighty Raptor 700R is ready to go
whether the destination is the dunes, the
trails or the track. Big power and lightweight, a combination that makes any
ATV rider take notice, is standard on the
Raptor 700R, with a hybrid steel
aluminium frame and Controlled-Fill
YZ450 F specifications:
Engine
Engine Type
449.7cc
liquid-cooled DOHC
4-stroke;
4 titanium valves
Fuel Delivery
Yamaha Fuel
Injection (YFI),
Keihin 44mm
Ignition
TCI: Transistor
Controlled Ignition
Transmission
Constant-mesh
5-speed; multi-plate
wet clutch
Final Drive
Chain
Dimensions
LxWxH
85.6 x 32.5 x 50.8in
Seat Height
38.4in
Wheelbase
58.3in

Fuel Capacity
2.0gal
Wet Weight***
245lb
aluminium sub-frame and cast aluminium

swing arm combining to produce a superstrong structure and the lightest ATV in
its class. However when youre feeling
the wind in your face, dont forget these
important tips:
Be careful while going over rocky terrains or large obstacles
Make sure you wear the appropriate
gear while riding
Check petrol and oil level so not to get
stranded during your trip
Engine Type
686cc liquid-cooled
w/fan, 4-stroke;
SOHC, 4 valves
Fuel Delivery
Yamaha Fuel
Injection (YFI), 44mm
Ignition
32-Bit ECU
Starting System
Electric
Transmission
5-speed w/reverse;
wet multiplate clutch
Drive Train
2WD; sealed O-ring

chain, eccentric
adjustment
Dimensions
LxWxH
72.6 x 45.5 x 43.9in
Seat Height
32.7in
Wheelbase
50.4in

Fuel Capacity
2.9gal
Wet Weight
422lb
A winner right
out of the crate
YZ450Fs revolutionary rearward-slantedcylinder design is an innovative approach
to achieve unmatched mass centralisation. Concentrating the motorcycles
heaviest components (engine mass, fuel
tank, exhaust system and air box) toward
the centre of the machine, as well as the
rotational mass of the valve train, helps
achieve superior, nimble handling.
The 4-titanium-valve cylinder head is
matched to a fuel injection system that
provides superb power feeling across the
RPM range. The adjustable fuel injection
system uses a 44mm throttle body fed by a
high pressure battery-less electric pump to
ensure optimum fuel atomisation and air/
fuel calibration for a wide range of riding
conditions. The YZ450F instantly adapts to

changing air/fuel mixtures depending on
altitude and temperature, for an engine
that delivers no matter what conditions.
To learn more about those exciting
products and much more, visit any of Al
Yousuf Motors showrooms or see us at
the Dubai Off-road and Adventure show
this month at the Autodrome.
OUR EXPERTS
Off-roading
in Abu Dhabi Emirate
Off-roading enthusiasts
in the largest emirate of the UAE
are really spoilt for choice when
it comes to sand dune driving;
some of the most beautiful and
challenging desert terrain in the
world can be found here. In this
off-road article I have listed a few
of the best areas to visit. You
should only off-road if you have a
4x4 in very good condition and I
always recommend a minimum
of three cars for any trip over
sand dunes. See Staying Safe
Off-road in OutdoorUAE
September 2013.
The coordinates given are for the
centre of each area. If you want to
Marina Bruce drive somewhere in particular you
is The Desert Diva read her
will need to study Google Earth or
blog at www.thedesertdiva.com
published maps (there a only a few)
Oasis Offroad is a free to to find tracks in, or alternatively join
join offroad club based in Al
Ain offering family trips and an off-roading club such as Oasis
overland adventures in the Offroad who regularly drive all over
beautiful sand dunes of Al Ain the emirate.
and beyond. Their website is
www.oasis-offroad.com
and their Facebook page is
www.facebook.com/
OasisOffroad
Abu Dhabi
Al Khatim N24 14.283 E54

58.382 - extremely popular with the
Abu Dhabi (AD) off-roading community and also tour groups, this area is
typified by white sand and small and
medium dunes with some extremely
technical sections.
Al Khazna N24 14.265 E55
11.355 and N24 20.686 E55 12.589
- generally a bit quieter than Al
Khatim, you can choose to travel east
towards AD or West to the Sweihan
area. Head westwards parallel with
the walled area and you will come
across some massive pale coloured
Camping near Gate 4, Camel Gatch
dunes with some challenging climbs

along the way. Part of the area is
fenced off to protect wildlife but if you
are lucky you may still be able to spot
and snap some gazelle running up the
dunes in the preservation area.
Al Ain
Sweihan N24 23.582 E55 32.383

- Probably the most popular area
for off-roading in Al Ain, this area is
currently being explored for hydrocarbons. At the moment there are numerous sand-tracks and equipment all
over the west of the area and it should
be avoided completely until operations finish at the end of January 2015.
Once it is open again you will be able
to visit the massive Sand Mountain,
known locally as Nagrah as well as the
famous Old Lady Dune. The dune
lines run from west to east and are
interspersed with sabkah (thin, crusty
salt flats - so drive cautiously!).
Zakher N24 03.166 E55 39.570
a relatively small spit of sand dunes
slowly being encroached upon by the
Al Ain Industrial area; for the moment
it offers some fun driving and with Jebel Hafeet as a backdrop, so get the
cameras out because it offers some
great photo opportunities. Al Ain is
famed for its red sand dunes and you
will find the reddest of them here.
Liwa
Himeem Area N23 05.599 E54

26.858 - much of this area is fenced
off with locked gates but there are
some areas where access is still
allowed. You will find all types of
driving in this area from sandtrack to
undulating dunes, as well as some
high climbs and 40m slipfaces in the
south.
Liwa Crescent N22 59.250 E53

42.427 this is where the real Rub
Al Khali (Empty Quarter) starts
and some of the most spectacular
dunescapes can be found. Huge
dune (massifs) rise up from wide
expanses of sabkah. The driving can
be tricky and is definitely not for the
novice. There are oil and gas operations to the east of the Moreeb Hill
and you should keep well clear of
these. The UAE/KSA border fence
runs along the south of this area and
you should keep off the military road
immediately adjacent to it in fact
you should keep as far away from the
fence as you can, ideally 2km or so,
to avoid any misunderstanding.
The Maghreb N23 21.476 E52
42.771 the most remote area in the
UAE offers some great driving over
mixed terrain. Its easiest to tackle
this area on a north-south route and
two can be found in Mike Notts book
Adventure Offroad Routes: UAE and
Oman (see Routes 1 and 2, pages
70 -76) which is available from the
OutdoorUAE online store.
Madinat Zayed (MZ) N23 19.576
E53 29.305 typified by rolling dunes
and steep slipfaces, a popular route
crosses this patch of desert starting
at 18km south of MZ and proceeding westwards to the Arada-Ghayathi
road. There are very few restrictions
in the area and a multitude of beautiful places to camp overnight where
you really will be away from it all.
Camping spots
A 4x4 is required in all cases on the

list and I recommend minimum two
cars, with a recovery strap plus a tyre
gauge and a means of deflating the
tyres. A compressor is useful to have
The vastness of the Himeem area
too. Many of these places are accessible

by crossover SUVs but if in doubt walk the
track before committing your car. You can
read more camping tips in OutdoorUAE
April 2014 edition.
It is possible to camp almost anywhere
that is not cultivated or fenced off, but
do keep away from local properties and
remember it is never a good idea to camp
downwind from a camel farm. Please be
respectful when camping andalways take all
your garbage home.
Al Ain
Al Ain - Camel Gatch* Take the gatch

track north from the Camel Roundabout
N24 15.785 E55 40.249 note there is a
gatch which runs parallel to the private
road which you should use. Keep going for
around 14km until you are far away from the
streetlights of Al Ain. There are gaps in the
fence to allow access to farms and dwellings and the two best ones for camping are
at N24 21.683 E55 37.536 and N24 22.932
E55 37.297.
Sweihan Gatch Once the oil exploration
project has been completed early in 2015
you will find some great places to pitch your
tent off the gatch which runs between Al
Saad and Sweihan. Enter the desert at Gate
15 N24 21.631 E55 24.024 then drive along
the gatch, carefully cross the pylon gatch,
then head along a sandtrack to reach a
sabkha at N24 23.532 E55 30.400.
Zakher Area, Al Ain
Liwa
Himeem N22 51.940 e54 21.394 a

gatch track leads you through an unmanned
gate into beautiful dunes and sabkah. You
dont need to go far to find some nice
secluded places to pitch your tent.
Liwa Crescent N23 01.203 E53 44.843
turn off the main road here then follow the
gatch and sand track for about 3km, past
some farms and onto a beautiful deserted
sabkah. The only time this area is likely to
be busy and noisy is during the Liwa Festival
in Late December or early January.
Maghreb N23 15.861 E53 08.879 this
gatch track leads you to a telecoms mast,
a disused farm and some very easy dunes
beyond. Dont worry about camping near
the road on a busy night you will be lucky
to hear three cars an hour!
MZ North East - N23 30.230 E53 44.464
- Drive through the disused fodder farm to
the gap in the trees at the other side, and
continue up the gatch. Fork left at N23

27.348 E53 41.507 and follow a gatch with
small pylons, and you should find many
camping opportunities. This area is great for
winter camping or when you are visiting the
Al Dhafra Camel Festival.
MZ North West N23 08.050 E53 17.457
a faint gatch track will take you to a date
plantation, but beautiful camping spots
abound from just 1km in from the road. Before pitching your tent in the shelter of one
of the deep bowls here, make sure you are
100% confident you can get back out.
So what are you waiting for the weather
is now perfect for spending lots of your free
time outdoors dust off that tent and set
your GPS for a desert adventure! [Our sentiments exactly Marina. Thanks for the advice
and encouragement Ed.]
*Gatch is a type of limestone which is
used in making hard gravel tracks throughout the desert.
OUR EXPERTS
e
r
u
t
n
e
v
i
h
C ck
Ad
e Autumn leaves
th
rejuvenates amongst
Tori
runner, writer, blogger &

adventurer
PS. My email address is
tori@fitchicksandfastwomen.
com for thoughts, ideas, and
suggestions or just to
say hello!
56
Despite the incessant summers in the

UAE, for much of the
year, were of course,
blessed with perfect
weather. Blue, cloudless skies, near daily
sunshine and if were
lucky, in winter, the odd
occasion to throw on our
winter woollies [cannot
come quickly enough!
Ed.].
One thing were devoid of
however, is proper seasons
something most expats probably
take for granted before moving to
the desert. But as and when we all
head home for holidays at varying
times of the year, we observe
the seasons in all their glory and
OUTDOORUAE
get excited at the first sighting of a

spring flower or the burnt red leaves
of autumn.
Ive just returned from the UK
where autumn was at its best. I
enjoyed long runs getting lost in
the colours the reds and browns
and golds that quite simply, take
your breath away the golden
translucence of the leaves that cast
a beautiful glow on everything you
see the burnished golds, the brick
reds and the bright yellows that
crunch under your feet on the forest
trails the clean, crisp air that keeps
you cool and makes you feel so very
alive.
Autumn running is exuberant
you find yourself falling into a
perfect rhythm, complete harmony
as all that nature has to offer, throws
us promise of change, hope and
golden light. Running during the
seasons just seems to make sense
of everything. Its an active and
beautiful reminder that all is in flux
everything around us and within
us constantly evolves. I suppose a
wonderful metaphor for this amazing
journey we call life.
But as Robert Frost said, Nothing gold can stay and inevitably
the days get shorter, the sunlight
fades and the days get gray and
gloomy. Winter arrives and then
were suddenly delighted to call the
UAE our home, a place where the
sun rarely hides her smiley face and
a chill rarely cools the warmth of our
bodies.
And now that were entering the
throes of the race calendar, whether
you have the chance to run home or
away, its time to get those trainers
on and get out and run. Fast or slow,
long or short, youll still be lapping
everyone on the couch.
Over & out.
Love Tori x
Photostory Father and son time at Showka for Pete and Tom,
foothills of the Hajar, Ras Al Khaimah 25 316.91N 56 125.01E
Spending time living outside is good for the soul. Life is simpler, distilled into only what
is important, the modern world kept at arms length. It seems there is more of that most
valuable of things time.
Time to see what is around you and time to share it.
Outdoor gear needs to be functional, adaptable, lightweight and dependable. Vango gear
has evolved over decades in the outdoors meaning you can just enjoy your time.
Distributor of awesome outdoor brands www.globalclimbing.com info@globalclimbing.com +971 (0)4 882 9361
QATAR EXPLORER
desert safaris
in qatar
Exploring off-road adventures
Photos By: QIA/Eulogy van Dyk
As outdoor lovers most

of us seek that adrenaline
rush either once in a while
or daily! We love spending time in Mother Nature
and for those of us living in
the Middle East the desert
provides the perfect playground.
The State of Qatar might be a
very small country, but there are
definitely loads of off-road advenEulogy van Dyk tures to explore! One of them, conOutdoor loving sidered by most of the locals at the
Qatar explorer
highlight of off-road tourism in
Qatar, is the desert safari to Khor
Al Udeid aka The Inland Sea.
Why do we consider this a
highlight? A desert safari tour is
a good combination of adventure
and relaxation - depending on how
you approach it. You can either
cross the desert via adrenaline
pumping dune-bashing or take it a
bit easier via the desert highway.
Sand dune bashing adventures
Either way, the setting of Qatars

desert is just fantastic. It consists of
wide, open spaces and big soft sand
dunes which are the perfect place
for viewing the sunrise and sunset!
It is far away from the city and basically surrounded by water because
the Inland Sea also forms the border
between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
In general it is just a great mixture
of crossing the desert and going to
the beach where you can swim, fire
up a barbeque and spend quality
time in nature.
Free camping with a group of friend at the Inland Sea
The best time of the year to go

on a desert safari would be when
the summer heat cools down, so
from mid-October or the beginning
of November right through and up
until late March to the beginning
of April, before the temperatures
starts to rise again. It is however
possible to go during the hot summer months in the afternoons after
3:00pm and enjoy the sun set over
the desert. Local tour operators
provide air-conditioning camps,
which make it possible to extend
overnight during this time of the
year. During the winter season it is
best to head out early morning to
get the most of your day out in the
dunes!
The location and route for these
desert safaris is set only in the
south-eastern part of the country.
Starting from the Sealine Beach
Resort, and then heading down to
A group of people getting ready to go on a desert safari with local tour operators
Khor Al Udeid (Inland Sea) where you will find

Qatars most impressive crescent shaped sand
dunes, that rise up to 40m high. If you are not
familiar with the area it is best to book a trip with
a local tour operator first or go with a group of
friends that have thorough local knowledge.
The local tour operators, that provide half
day, full day and overnight tours also provide
you with an experienced driver and a first-rate
vehicle that will take you on an exciting and unforgettable roller coaster ride over the magnificent sand dunes. During these tours you will also Overnight camping with a local tour operator
have the opportunity to go for a camel ride and
sand boarding or skiing down some of the high
a dip in the tranquil Gulf waters and enjoy a
dunes. They also have permanent desert camps
barbeque at night.
where you can play some beach volleyball, take
It is also possible to attempt the journey of a
desert safari on your own. *OutdoorUAE says,
solo driving only ever recommended for very experienced off-road enthusiasts or with a group of
friends, but please, note four-wheel-drive vehicles
are essential and, again, only experienced drivers should attempt the driving. Free camping is
available all along the coast so pack in your tents,
mattresses, chairs and just remember to take
enough water with you!
Come and experience the off-road adventures, but also the serenity of the Qatar desert,
far from the rush and noise of the city life and
witness spectacular sunsets with no sound but
the breeze and the shifting sand.
Sand dune bashing adventures
Sunset in the Qatar Desert
LOCAL TOUR OPERATORS IN QATAR:

Arabian Adventures
+974 4436 1461
www.arabianadventureqatar.net
Gulf Adventures
+974 4422 1888/1868
www.gulf-adventures.com
Recency Travel & Tours
+974 4434 4503/4718
www.regencyholidays.com
Qatar Desert Gate
+974 555 94016
www.qatardesertgate.com
Qatar International Adventures
+974 4455 3954
www.qia-qatar.com
Qatar Inbound Tours
+974 7745 1196
www.inboundtoursqatar.com
* Please see the Qatar Directory in the back of the magazine for a more comprehensive list of tour operators
PEOPLE
Eva Clarke
Occupation: Specialist fitness trainer
Nationality: Australian
Age: 35
The UAEs fittest female and

former military fitness instructor is in
the habit of never quitting and always
pushing herself to her physical limits.
The multiple Guinness World Records
holder her latest achievement were
the Most Knuckle Push-ups in One
hour and Most Knuckle Push-ups in 24
hours last January and February also
finished first in the womans category
and third overall in the individuals
of the recent Red Bull Sultan of the
Desert 2014.
Congrats on the Sultan of the Desert
2014! How do you feel?
I really enjoyed the difficulty of the event;
the heat was just another test of endurance. Just finishing felt good, placing in
the overall was a bonus. There were many
times in the event that I was questioning
my sanity. But there were only two ways I
was finishing the day and that was either
by completing the three disciplines or being medivac-ed out. Im glad I had the grit
to finish and the luck not to have blown
a tyre.
You mentioned that this event was
tougher than breaking records.
Surprisingly, I was able to do my HUA
session the next day! I really thought I
wouldnt be able to do much because I
muscled through the event. It was all the
little scratches and bumps that got me. I
got some blisters in between the forefinger and thumb, and that messed with my
lifts that week. I guess I can say my body
has adapted to endurance activities. I did
say that it was harder than breaking records and that was a stuck-in-the-moment
quote. I can tell you in complete honesty
the kayaking was torture for me.
How tough was the course?
As I mentioned, it was the kayaking. To
overcome this, I would certainly have
picked up the paddle more often and got
into a kayak to do some specific training/
paddling. You really need to learn the
efficiency skills of paddling especially with
strokes. I was just muscling it and the burn

was intense. The carry was the easiest
part of the event, I would have preferred
an 8km kayak carry then the 8km paddle.
I also need to mention my team, the HUA
boys. They helped me out immensely in
the kayak. Glenn was coaching me and he
set up my kayak, and my hubby rode up
alongside me as I carried the kayak and I
also had my buddy Flavio kick start me in
the run so the HUA team really led me to
the finish line.
Youre a world record holder and have
numerous achievements under your
belt. How do you keep motivating
yourself to continuously top your personal best?
I hate disappointing myself. I am very
good at being accountable for what I
say and do. I am the type of person who
cant sleep if I havent done the amount
of push-ups I said I was going to do that
day. My feats arent exceptional to me,
they are just my goals. I feel exactly the
same way anybody feels when they reach
a goal or set a personal best. I think its
human nature to always be better than
the person you were yesterday, so its not
hard to remain motivated. I am the kind
of person that enjoys breaking records.
It has become a part of me now so when
people hear about it theyre like well,
here she goes again.
What is at the core of HUA Fitness?
I established HUA Fit in 2010. My vision is
to promote fitness with a broad range of
exciting exercise avenues. Some people
seem to get tunnel vision with exercise
programs; they are so caught up in one
genre either branded as a gym junkie,
Les Mills guru, CrossFitter, bodybuilder
etc. But with HUA Fitness I offer a total
package which targets every genre on
the market and I coordinate programs
that push the limits with exciting exercise
prescriptions and combinations that keep
my team on top of their game.
What is your approach as a trainer?

I pride myself on leading by example and
I always get involved with my team. If I
expect them to give 100%, they know that
Ive done it or I can do it! I loathe trainers
that bark orders, yell and scream yet not
be able to do what they command. My clients and I have a mutual respect therefore
I believe that if we have faith and trust in
each other, the entire team stays motivated. Yes, we have members that find things
too hard or too tough, but hey, thats life!
We cant quit the small stuff and then
expect big things to happen to us. I revert
back to asking them how tough do they
really have it?! If your life is tough because
your training is tough then you should be
bloody thankful.
Being a wife and mum of three,
how do you balance family and work?
Family is always first; without my HIT mob
(Harley, Isabella and a Tyla) I wouldnt
be who I am today! What I do has never
taken precedence over being a parent.
I will always be a wife and mum first and
foremost. Maybe the military instilled my
time management skills because I seem
to be at every event my kids partake in. I
do most of my training when they are at
school and I participate in my HUA group
training-sessions. If I have a class, I go
in an hour early and hit the weights. But
generally its either me doing an event or
one of the kids participating in an event.
Seven days a week, someone is in our
house training or participating in a sporting event. That is how we roll in the HIT
mob house; we support each other and
respect training time. When we holiday
it almost takes us a week for us to relax
because we are not sure what to do with
ourselves. I just cant wait till I get to go to
more of my kids events and they come to
less of mine.
Are you planning on smashing
more world records soon?
On 9th January, Lee Ryan and myself with
Zettanet racing team are raising 50,000
USD to kick childhood cancers butt at the
Dubai Autodrome. My next three Guinness records are most knuckle push-ups in
one minute, 60 minute burpees and most
burpees in 24 hours. Later in 2015, I am
going for another charity Guinness World
Records. Watch this space as I rise to new
heights in 2015.
LOCATIONS
Get outdoors in the UAE

Hiking A series of articles to help you start or progress your hiking in the UAE
Words + Photos By: Sean James
How could you say it any better than the author himself?
The benefits of doing a selfsupported overnight hike are
myriad . . . [and] will open your
eyes to so much more in the
UAE wilderness.
Overnighters
Most peoples hikes in the UAE are single
day events and they return home in the
evening. Alternatively they camp beside
the car in a beautiful wadi or enjoy the
cool of the desert beside a campfire and
BBQ and then hike again the next day.
There are definite benefits and pleasures to
car-camping, but have you ever thought
about doing an overnighter? A multi-day
hike where you carry everything you need
for the duration of the trip. For the purpose
of this article, an overnight hike is not
camping beside the car. There is a sense
of freedom and intrepidation setting out
from your vehicle knowing that you will be
camping somewhere for the night and not
returning until the next day.
The benefits of doing a self-supported
overnight hike are myriad and once in a
while, putting aside the home comforts for
a weekend will open your eyes to so much
more in the UAE wilderness.
Overnight hiking definitely requires a
shift in thinking and a learning curve, but
the rewards will soon far outweigh what
you may perceive as any initial discomfort.
Your experience in the wilderness of the
UAE will be signicantly increased as you
bed down on a high plateau overlooking a
twinkling village, with shooting stars rushing over your head. The anchors of modern
life will be cast off and you will experience
the freedom of roaming the emptiness at
will, at least for one night.
Suggestions for
an overnighter
Probably one of the most spectacular
places in the Middle East is the Musandam
Peninsula. Often compared to Norway,
because of its jagged mountainous inlets
(fjords), the Musandam region has steep
cliffs that are stunning and breathtakingly
drop directly into the sea. Most residents of
Dubai and Abu Dhabi will know Musandam
as a trip on a dhow from either Khasab or
Dibba, where they spend a day cruising
on these wonderful large wooden Arabian
style boats with coolers full of iced drinks
and food. Jumping off into the sparkling
waters occasionally, you will see dolphins
and turtlesand then return at night for the
drive back to the big cities. But Musandam
is ideally suited to an overnight hiking trip.
Access to Musandam is restricted and
controlled. The Omanis knew what they
were doing when they held onto this gem

of land. The mountains drop sheer into
the sea and the only way to get across
between the tendrils of the peninsula is to
flag down a passing fisherman and beg a
lift or climb up and over the peaks which
are nearly all over 1,000m high and some
up to 2,000m.
Although it looks isolated the peninsula
is full of life. Villages are dotted all over, but
there are no roads that lead out the mainland to the peninsula. Villages like Kumzar
and Ash Shishah have vehicles with which
to unload and transport goods but they go
nowhere beyond the village. It would be
a shame if development stretched this far.
Im sure the local inhabitants want all the
services of the mainland but it would be a
tragedy if another highway was constructed
and you could drive straight to the tip.
Exploring this area is not for the inexpe-
rienced or fainthearted, however if you do,

the rewards are staggering, and you will be
blessed with world-class sunsets, welcoming locals and crowds of curious children.
If you look on Google Earth there is even a
national park called Warm Beach National
Park.
So the overnight hike we attempted
started near Khasab and finished at the
northern most point of Musandam near
Kumzar. At the outset it was simply an idea.
We had wanted to walk the whole length
of the Musandam Peninsula for a long time.
There were no trails, only a line we had
drawn as a guess on Google Earth. Back in
Dubai it looked kind of feasible. Whether
we had enough firepower in the legs or
could find water, we didnt know.
Planning all the details of an overnighter
is a very important part of the whole
process. We thought about getting a boat
from Khasab to Kumzar, at the far end
and then hiking back, however we had
heard from others that they had not been
allowed to leave the boat to hike around
the area. So we thought it better to hike
out from Khasab and then try and get back
by boat taxi, apologising for entering any
forbidden areas [please do check Omani
Ministry guidelines and travel advice at
www.oman.om Ed.]. As it turned out, all
of the inhabitants that we met were some
of the friendliest and most accommodating
people you could wish to encounter.
A Long, Long Time Ago
The history of Musandam is complex. Simply for the sheer beauty of the area you can
see why the Omanis have held on to it. The
language they speak was believed to be
unrelated to Arabic and more influenced
by Persian and Portuguese. When you
stand on Jebel Harim, the highest point in

Musandam and look out across the sea you
can almost imagine seeing Iran and those
other fiery countries just 80km away in the
haze. Like most mountains in the world,
millions of years ago they were covered
by vast oceans. The Musandam fjords
were created some 300 million years ago
by a shift in the plates. As we wandered
along the crumbling ridges it was possible
to see ancient deserted settlements and
the petroglyphs [a pictogram created by
carving or removing rock] of camels in the
sandy, hot rock. Apparently these have
survived for over 2,000 years.
Now Musandam has a population
of about 30,000 people, although you
wouldnt believe it when you visit. Most of
these inhabitants are concentrated in just
two towns, Khasab and Dibba. Many of the
other villages on the peninsula are waterlocked meaning they cant be reached by
road. They are completely isolated and
have their own unique dialect. From our
lofty trails we were lucky enough to see the
boat traffic and taxi services ploughing up
and down the coast. It is very impressive,
and made us wish we had taken the easier
and lower path. In an Omani government
initiative to slow youth migration and
prevent these villages becoming deserted,
they are provided with free electricity and
water. Although not published officially,
the network of sea traffic is very useful for
hikers, I have used it many times and the

locals have definitely saved the day in the
past. On previous hikes and adventures I
have often hitched a ride across a bay to
cut short a long climb across a high ridge
of peaks. At other times, a lift all the way
back to Khasab has been most welcome
even if it sat amongst the rubbish sacks of
the municipal waste collection boat.
Hiking on the Musandam Peninsula
carries a sense of mystery and uncertainty.
On one overnight hike, as night fell we unrolled our mats overlooking a quiet bay. In
the descending dark, a mega-yacht pulled
in far below us and moored for the night.
A short time later lights and loud music
came drifting across the water. Clearly a
good time was being had by all aboard.
Next morning a naval patrol boat slid into
the bay towards the floating palace and
clearly communicated with the party goers.
The yacht packed up and disappeared
silently back out of its overnight berth. As
we shouldered our packs, we felt we had
witnessed something that could only happen in this part of the world.
Hiking in this particular region can be
sensitive, and rumors could suggest that
villagers are suspicious and unwelcoming.
As you hike through some of the smaller
villages they always seem deserted and
closed up, however, many is the time that
Ive waited around, resting under a tree
or at a water tap and been invited into
the heart of the Omani family home and
offered food, rest and water - maybe they
thought I was a freelance businessman
and could do some grey-trading. They
must have been disappointed when they
discovered I was not from Iran and not
bringing cattle, spices or agricultural goods
in exchange for their TV sets, computers
and other electronic goods. As exciting as
it sounds, this trade is legal, as Oman is
a free trade zone, and it is regulated. The
situation is slightly different on the other
side of the Strait and only ninety minutes
away.
So the plan was to hike the whole of
the Musandam Peninsula in a weekend. A
distance of nearly 40km with a height gain
of 4,000m. The trail would try to cross
OUTDOORUAE
63
the highest mountain, Jebel Al Harim with

an altitude of 2,087m. This was definitely
an overnighter. A tent was not necessary
as it was October and still pretty hot. We
would only be limited by how much food
and water we could carry.
On! On!
Our packs were pretty heavy and we set
out on the Thursday evening in stifling
humidity. Unfortunately for us the weekend
had decided to really heat up again and
there were to be no sea breezes for us.
A few hours in the dark and we reached
out first camp spot overlooking the dark
outlines of the bays. Below us the twinkling
lights of fishing boats and the villages lit
up the wilderness. The next day we started
early accompanied by the most beautiful
sunrise. Our pace slowed and we ran out
of water and pretty quickly it was stifling.
Our Plan B an immediate return to the
AC of the car was made when we decided
to quit, and involved a 2km swim out to the
daily dhows and hitching a ride back. We
sat around most of the day in some shade
Quick Checklist Route planning
Start point
26 855.75N561744.00E
Off road driving Yes but the track is well graded.It is

required
possible to drive all the way to the
start in a 2wheel saloon. **Valid
Omani motor insurance required.
Check with your insurance provider
first. Oman motor insurance can be
purchased at border crossing.**
Distance and
Time from Mirdif to start
195km 165min Oman Border

Crossing. **International border
crossing, please check passport
status and relevant travel advice,
crossing fees may apply to some
nationalities.**
Navigation on
hike
Requires some scrambling. Nearly

all of the track is not undefined,
steep and loose rock.
Time required
for hike
2 days (1 way = 3.5 4hrs but can

be extended)
Distance
5.6km 1 way
Elevation gain
on hike
629m 1 way
High Point
713m
Grocery / water No **Essential knowledge**

on hike
Possible to
encounter a
vehicle on trail
No
Suitable for all

the family
Requires experience in scrambling,

decision making and route finding. Nearly all of the track is not
undefined, steep and loose rock.
Once at the top of the first climb
it is easy to see the beautiful bay
below. **Young/infant family not
advised**
Directions to the start

Enter the start point coordinates into your GPS device
or follow the directions from Google.
64
OUTDOORUAE
and eventually kindly villagers again took

us in and then ferried us back to Khasab.
On arrival in Khasab they even arranged
for a ride back to our car. Lucky because
there are no public transport or taxis in the
village.
Overnighters are exciting. Starting on
a Thursday evening and only planning to
come back on Saturday gives a truer sense
of freedom. You have a rough objective but
are open to whatever adventures occur on
the way. You can set yourself challenges
that are possible or not. I will definitely be
planning some more overnight trips.
Tips for an overnighter:
1. Be open to new experiences.
2. Go with someone whose company you
enjoy.
3. Stop early. If you dont know exactly
where you are going to camp for the night,
make sure you stop early when it is still light
and you spot a location that is suitable. Setting up camp in the dark is unpleasant.
4. Camp location. Setup somewhere flat
and safe with a great view. After all thats
why you are there. If there is chance of rain,
dont stop in a wadi that is likely to flood.
5. Clothes. Take extra clothes for the evening if you expect it to be cooler.
6. Equipment. Dont bring duplicate equipment within the group such as stoves,
lights, a tube of toothpaste, if you can
share. And only take essential items. Do
without luxuries for a night. A good weight
for your backpack should be about 8kg.
Remember 1L water weighs 1kg. Practice
packing at home and dont leave it until
you step out of the car.
7. Check weather. Before you go make
sure you are aware of what is happening
with the weather on both days and plan
accordingly.
8. Food. Most people take way too much
food. Take enough to provide you with
energy to get through the two days and
items that you really look forward to eating.
Dont skimp on what you take, dont take
food you wouldnt eat at home e.g. dried
muesli bars.
9. Pay attention to first aid kit and hygiene.
Can you cope with blisters, sore patches,
sun screen, cuts?
10. Leave your itinerary with someone sensible and say when you will be back.
11. Dont overload yourself. Carrying a
heavy pack will detract from the experience. As a rough estimate all camping
equipment required for one night should
weigh a maximum of between 7-8kg. As

you become more experienced you will
find that your packing will be less and you
can do without the luxuries for one night.
12. If you dont want to do two full days
hiking, leave after lunch on the first day.
Camp in the wilderness. Get up, have
breakfast and make sure your walk on the
second day gets you back for lunchtime.
You wont have to carry as much weight but
you still get the experience of camping out.
Suggestions for an overnight
Anyone who has tried or completed a hike
in Musandam would rank it as one of the
best adventures they have done, however,
the whole route requires an extreme level
of navigation, confidence, travelling at
speed and personal survival skills. You must
be able to judge the terrain and have a desire to be in remote, potentially dangerous
locations. I will definitely try to complete it
some time.
What this article is trying to do is to show
how rewarding overnight hikes can be. Try
planning your own routes in the areas that
you already know. Maybe extend a familiar
hike so that you feel more within your
comfort zone.
A hike for November
There are many areas in the UAE suitable
for overnighters. We suggest a shorter
version, still in Musandam; hiking from near
Khasab to one of the remote beaches and
back again the next day. Download the
GPS from OutdoorUAE this month and
check out the route.
The author has
guided hikes, treks
and climbs all
other the world.
He gained his
qualifications from
the British Mountaineering Council,
a national representative body for
England and Wales that exists to
protect the freedoms and promote the
interests of climbers, hill walkers and
mountaineers. At present he lectures
in a college in the UAE. Before that
he worked for a private company that
trained the UAE military forces. He has
also appeared on TV programmes in
the UK and Brazil talking about outdoor activities.
LOCATIONS
Victoria Star
Dive sites in the UAE and Oman
How to get there:
Every weekend we have scheduled dive
trips to the wrecks of Dubai from our Dive
Centre based at Atlantis, The Palm. We
normally do the wreck dives on Saturdays,
but other days can be booked if there are
enough divers going out. The boat trip
takes around 45-50mins to reach from
The Palm, which is ideal for residents and
visitors to Dubai.
Description:
The Victoria Star has already been

referred to as one of the best dives in
Dubai!
She is a general cargo carrier registered
in Sierra Leone and was built in 1972 in
Hungary. The Victoria Star sunk on the
31st July 2013 while carrying concrete
blocks near the shipping lanes between
Dubai and Sharjah. This makes her very
accessible to divers in Dubai. All crew
abandoned the ship by life raft and were
saved before the vessel went down, and
she was anchored. She is lying upright
and is very much intact which makes this
wreck a fantastic dive. The top of this
wreck is at around 15m which even makes
it accessible for Open Water divers, and
the sand around the bottom is around
26m making it a great training location for
all divers beyond the Scuba Diver level,
especially Deep and Wreck diving.
There is a lot of marine life that call this
wreck home, including a variety of small
soft and hard corals growing on her. You
can expect to see, very curious batfish,
angelfish, boxfish, sea snakes and some

leopard rays on the sand.
Visibility is normally around 5-10m,
depending on the day.
As with all sites in Dubai, beware
of jellyfish when they are around. It is
recommended that you wear at least a
rash-guard and gloves for protection, and
carry a torch. Water temperatures range
from around 20C in winter, up to 34 in
summer.
On deck
Location:
UAE/Dubai
Depth:
Up to 26m
Type of dive:
Wreck
Level:
Great for Open Water and up!
OBSERVATION:
This is by far the best wreck dive, if not

the best dive, I have done in Dubai! The
wreck is in great condition, and is perfect
for teaching Wreck Adventure & Specialty
dive lessons. Not sure why, but visibility is
normally better here than on other wrecks
in Dubai. Don from Dubai
Contact:
Al Boom Diving, Al Wasl Rd. Call Centre:

+971 4 342 2993 or
abdiving@emirates.net.ae
Al Boom Diving, Atlantis, The Palm:
+971 4 263 3000
Wheel house
Victoria Star before
In the hold
OUTDOORUAE
65
TIPS & TRICKS
DONT DIG IT. JACK IT.

Words + Photos By: Andy McNab
Frank Murray arrived

in the UAE just in time for the
new nations third birthday. In
his time here, he has worked on
some of Dubais defining projects and now, semi-retired he
focuses on the vital and possibly
life-saving service of desert recovery. This is one outdoorsman
you definitely would want to turn
up when youve burnt out your
clutch trying to rock yourself out
of a miserable situation.
So youve got all the kit? Of course you
have. You have spade? Yes. You have
a towing strap? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You
even splashed out and bought a half decent GPS. Yeah, picked it up on Dubizzle
for a song.
Two-at-once tyre compressor that costs
the same as a Biz Class return to LAX?
Nitrous blast canister? Chainsaw? No? We
didnt think so.
Any of us could go into an off-road store
and blow a months salary and feel like we
have it all covered. But, its not until you
come back to your car the following morning to find wadi fish swimming between
drivers and passenger seats, or that you
have impaled your beloved fourbie on a
tree that it sinks in that, as our November
issue 4x4 recovery guru, Frank Murray puts
it, youre not an expert at anything until
you have made every mistake imaginable
and learned from them. And he will freely
admit, he has done that and more.
Frank came to the UAE in 75 (you do
the math) and was contracted at that point
in time to be part of the Dutco team that
built the Dubai to Hatta Road. At the time
the road only headed in one direction,
from Hatta to Dubai, because, all the
natural resources (gravel, crushed rock and
boulders) needed to get an infant Dubai
up and running, was located in that mountain region. Their job was to construct the
return route.
So, living out in Hatta in the mid-70s
must have been the very meaning of a
hardship posting? No, not at all. It was
my first job overseas, away from the UK.
You had to love it for what it was. We [the
work crews] lived in messes (camps) and
we were here to do a job. But, I suppose
having the Hatta Fort Hotel nearby must
have been some sort of comfort? Erm.
Who do you think built that?
66
OUTDOORUAE
Frank has stories, and not just stories

stories we all have those. These are real
stories and enough to fill a book the size
of a telephone directory, and then some.
But OutdoorUAE are meeting with him
in Al Quoz, at his workshop, not to yawn
about how things were, were here to take
a peek into the back of his 10-year-old,
fairly standard, off the peg Land Cruiser
GXR to check out what separates the men
from the boys, and the weekend hobbyists from the cool, clinical professionals.
Franks company AAA Recovery is the
UAEs only real desert recovery specialist
service. End of story. Ninety percent of
Franks recoveries are recced first in his
personal 4x4. If a job can be recovered
there and then, he will roll up his sleeves
and work, to get you unstuck. If back up
and the heavy guns are needed then he
calls the Rashidiya Depot and mobilises
his workforce there.
Hopefully over the next few months,
years, decades(?) well be able to tease
a few real-life adventures (and expert
insight) out of this soft spoken Scot. But as
Frank has stressed already ten times in this
hour-long chat: If youre here to publish
my trade secrets forget it. But, a worldclass desert recovery is more than just a little expert insight. When pressed upon the
value of his desert recovery fleet (which he
has been collecting and adding to since
he imported his first German-made MAN

truck 1975 into Rashid Port [which he also
had a hand in building]) he sucks through
his teeth. Right, lets get the trunk open
and check out what the pro has to show.
Welded on to the front of the LC we
have a heavy duty winch with jack for a
remote control pad. A common mistake
some people make is theyll buy a top of
the range winch and thats fantastic. Generally in these things you get what you pay
for, but, then somebody in a back street
workshop will cut costs by fitting it with
some cheap screws that cant contain the
forces needed to operate the winch. Re-
9. Franks Mystery box
8. Double hose
compressor
Youd probably cry if
you had to pay for this
machine. It wasnt a
cheapy 150 AED job
from a grocery store.
It was around 12K and
that was a while back.
But, has it broken
down? Has it let me
down? Has it prevented
a recovery? No, no and
no. If you do something for a livelihood,
your kit must work, or
else what? You may as
well be doing this as a
hobby.
6
7
6. High Jack My go to for basic sand

recovery. You can keep your shovel and spade and
sand tracks, I dont even carry them, well, actually I
do have a shovel. But, you have to think, any sand
you remove from around sunken tires, what are you
actually doing? You are digging the vehicle deeper
into the sand. Why? You keep going and soon
youll be stuck so deep youll be calling me out.
Best thing, high jack your vehicle, filling the sand
below the tires, compact it down, lower the vehicle
and away you go again. Providing nothing too
serious or vehicle damage. Recovery time 5-10min.
Also, possible to use as an improvised winch, if you
extend, attach and the bring the two lugs together,
kind of like horizontal reverse jacking.
sult? First time you try to winch, either the

winch is flying off the front of you vehicle
quicker than you can say, wasted money
or the cable may snap and then you could
be losing a finger or eye or worse. No joking matter. Seriously.
Both GPS by Garmin, Nothing special
here, off the shelf and out of the box. One
I use mainly for major roads and getting out of town the other, slightly more
detailed with uploaded satellite maps for
looking at specific, hard-to-reach off-road
locations.
BEWARE THE RED-THUMB or Tarthuth as it is known by the Bedu.
1
2
4
3
3. Garden sheers Well, I was

just doing a wee bit of gardening earlier no real purpose in recovery.
5. Air Jack (exhaust pipe fitting checked

and tested) - These jacks are a pretty good,
common sense invention. Obviously, they
vary in price, this one cost over 5K because
it is military-grade and virtually bulletproof.
Cheaper ones or fabric-based ones, you
might need to be extra careful, you may find
they get ripped by a loose screw or piece of
metal underneath the car and then
theyre just about useless. Always
7. A tow rope with
try to place a thin piece of wood
assorted lugs Many cars now,
or stiff card between jack surface
youd be looking an age for a towand chassis surface. Also if youre in
hook, because theyre just not there.
sand, flatten and compact the sand
Ford for example, I dont think any of
around the base of the jack to give
their current models have a tow hook.
a more stable lifting platform. Also
Instead they have lock in lugs. Nothdouble check the hose adaptor. You
ing the matter with that, just as a recov- try fitting a circular adaptor on to an
ery service we have to be prepared for
oval exhaust pipe and youll be
all fittings, sizes and shapes. You cannot fuming. They just wont couple.
fit a tow-hook onto a bumper, youll
end up tearing the vehicle to pieces!
1. Chainsaw No, I dont use this for every recovery obviously. But, once a year, somebody, somehow
will manage to get hooked on to a tree or shrub or
bush or something wooden. If you try moving a car
against a tree in a tug-o-war style scenario then youve
had it. The cars probably gonna be a wreck.
2. Nitrogen Blast Cylinder Firstly,
Nitrogen is inert, and so safe to transport. This can be
used to inflate tyres, but I would normally just use an
air compressor for this job. This is more specialised, if
a deflated tyre has popped off its rim, it is damn difficult to get back into place. Often you will use a blast
of air to kind of pop it back onto its beading. That is
really why I carry this.
4. Angle-grinder Not an everyday piece
of kit. Its there really as a backup tool if say a steel
cable winch has got snagged on something or wont
reverse coil or maybe needed for a vehicle collision
or similar.
Frank Murrays top 3 tips for 4x4 recovery
1. Be truthful. If you explain your situation as a regular

stuck-in-the-sand recovery and it turns out that your
front axle has snapped or that you wheel is lying twenty
metres away from the vehicle (it happens, trust me),
then I do U-turn and call for the appropriate recovery
vehicle. It will cost you time and money, it will cost me
time but not the money.
2. Try not to panic too much. Nobody likes getting
stuck, and first time maybe we all panic and thats just
that. But truth is, within a 30km radius of Dubai currently, particularly at weekends, youll probably never
be more than 250m from somebody else doing some
driving and anytime during the day and youre unlikely
to be more that 5km from a petrol station or farm.
3. What are you going to do? Head of into the desert
without any self-recovery kit, water or anything? Please,
do yourself a favour. Get some kit and at least read up
on some basic recovery techniques. I dont want to lose
business, but I also dont enjoy reading desert horror
stories, especially when they are easily preventable.
TIPS & TRICKS
When releasing a sailfish, you

have to be careful of its rough
bill. Always wear gloves.
Sailfish
The sailfish is one of the
most beautiful fish, as well as

one of the fastest you will ever
encounter in your fishing life. By
design it is a supremely acrobatic fighter and spectacular
adversary in light to medium
blue water tackle.
Sailfish have been clocked traveling at speeds of 110km/hour - with
this kind of speed one can easily
peel 100m of line in about four seconds flat. Its speed and acrobatics
make it one of the most desirable
and prized game fish in the world.
There are two species of sailfish,
the species native to the Atlantic
Rigged baits are very
Ocean (Atlantic sailfish - Istiophorus
effective in slower speeds
albicans) and the other, found in
and when the fish are
concentrated in a small area. the Indo-Pacific region (Istiophorus platypterus or the Indo-Pacific
sailfish) this is the species that we
find in the Arabian Gulf and off the
east coast.
Sailfish grow quickly, adding 1.2
-1.5m (4-5ft) in length in a single
Its easy to go through a lot
year, and feed on the surface or at
of bait in one day, preparing middle depths on smaller pelagic
a lot of them ahead of time
forage fish and squid. Generally,
spells success.
sailfish do not grow to more than
3m (9.8ft) in length and rarely
weigh over 90kg (200lbs).
The fish are named sailfish because of the large sail-like fin on its
back, the other striking feature of
this fish is the long bill-like protrusion on its nose - earning it a place
in a prestigious group of game fish
collectively known as billfish.
The sail is normally kept folded
Small lures such as this one
from Williamson are good
down and to the side when swimfor trolling at faster speeds.
ming, but it may be raised when
the sailfish feels threatened or excited thus making the fish appear
much larger than it actually is. This
tactic has also been observed during feeding when a shoal of sailfish
use their sails to herd a school
A good trick to make your
baits last longer is to put it
of fish or squid. It is speculated
Photos By: Soolyman Sportfishing

that they use their sails as a reflector
for ultraviolet light to temporarily
blind their prey. The sail is also used
in mating displays, when there are
many males vying for the attention
of a single female.
Where to find
and availability
Dubai was a famous destination for
sailfish prior to 2005. There was a
healthy population of a suspected
endemic subspecies inhibiting the
gulf. There are still rare reports of
sailfish caught in the gulf, especially
more towards Irans waters. Very
sadly, the vast majority have all disappeared due to overfishing and the
lack of habitat conservation.
In the gulf, you can target them
in the Musandam, however, a trip
to Fujairah on the east coast of the
country is your best bet for snagging a sailfish. Present all year round
sailfish are biggest and most often
caught in the months when the
water temperatures shift from warm
summer to the cooler temperatures
of the winter and vice versa.
How to catch
Most of the sailfish caught in the
region is caught while trolling.
Trolling with dead bait is also very
popular, rigging fresh baits such as
ballyhoo, squid, small tuna, flying
fish and mackerel is standard technique the world over.
Popular trolling lures are smaller,
skirted trolling lures; also a combination of dead bait behind a skirt is often used when searching for actively
feeding fish. This is the method used
by charter operations such as Soolyman Sportfishing as a standard for
sailfish trolling.
Sailfish have beautiful colours

when they are excited.
Trolling for sailfish is an art on its

own, other methods can also be
employed to catch them effectively
such as, live baiting, which has
proven very effective in tournaments around the world. When
used with kites, live baiting is a very
efficient way of catching them.
Conservation
Although the sailfish is not listed as
endangered, microenvironments
such as the Arabian Gulf let us see
how a population can be easily
decimated when indiscriminately
targeted without conservation.
Speaking with a few long time local
sport fishermen, stories of 50 sailfish in one day is not uncommon,
a steep decline of their population was noticed in the 90s and
continued until their disappearance
around 2005.
The lack of education and understanding of this precious resource
has effectively taken a potential
multi-million dollar tourism industry
to extinction. People from all over
the world travel for a chance to
catch this fish. Anglers from the
US and Europe travel to Africa and
South America to try there luck at
catching them.
The sailfish is prized not only for its beauty,

but for its legendary speed and acrobatics.
behind a trolling lure.
68
OUTDOORUAE
Its common to see your line peel at an

alarming rate behind the boat, and for the
fish to jump in front of and well ahead of it.
A sailfish ready to jump

and greyhound on a mirror like surface is magic!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Sorry to hear that one of our most dependable and stalwart
contributors, Ian Ganderton, is a bit banged up at the moment. After landing flat at the Emirates Desert Championship
of the Baja Round 1, he required over two weeks in hospital,
14 pins and a couple of steel plates to fix his badly broken
ankle. Good news is hes already back in action (albeit on
crutches) shooting (with a camera) riders at the Baja Round 2
and has targeted new year for a return to competitive riding.
Unlucky Ian, specially in light of your October sign off Im also
conscious of how important it will be to remain injury free.
Best wishes from the OutdoorUAE team for a speedy recovery
and more high octane stories.
Ow! Ow! Ow!
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UAE DIRECTORY
General Sports
Equipment Megastores
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center,

Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free: 800-ADVENTURE,
+971 43466824; The Beach on JBR, Dubai:
+971 44304419; Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi:
+971 24456995, www.adventurehq.ae
Decathlon, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre,
+971 42839392
Go Sport, The Dubai Mall: +971 43253595;
Abu Dhabi Mall: +971 26454595; Bawabat Al
Sharq Mall, Abu Dhabi: +971 25868240
InterSport, Dubai Times Square Centre:
+971 43418214 and Dubai Festival City:
+971 42066581,www.intersport.ae
Peiniger BMT Est., CBD, Khalifa Street,
Yateem Optician Bldg., Abu Dhabi, UAE,
+971 26262332, www.peiniger.org
Sun and Sand Sports, most shopping
centres, +971 43504444,
www.sunandsandsports.com
Adventure tours and desert safaris

Alpha Tours, Off #512, 5th Flr., Al Qwais
Bldg., Al Ittihad Road, Deira, Dubai,
+971 42949888, www.alphatoursdubai.com
Bike and Hike Oman, PO Box 833, Ruwi,
Postal Code 112, Oman, +968 24400873,
www.bikeandhikeoman.com
Dadabhai Travel, SR 1&2, GF, Gulf Towers,
Oud Metha Rd. Dubai, +971 43885566,
www.dadabhaitravel.ae
Desert Rangers, Dubai, +971 43572200,
www.desertrangers.com
Desert Road Tourism, Office 503, 5th Flr., Al
Khor Plaza, Dubai, +971 42959429,
www.arabiantours.com
Dreamdays, First Floor Rm. 107 Ibn Battuta
Gate (Offices) Sheikh Zayed Rd.,
+971 44329392, www.dreamdays.ae
Dream Explorer LLC, Shop no # 9, Plot #
312-504, Al Musalla Building , Mina Bazar,
Bur Dubai, +971 43544481,
www.dreamexplorerdubai.com
Dubai Relax Travel, National Towers:
Churchill Tower Suite #614, Business Bay, Dubai,
+971 44221776, www.dubairelaxtours.com
Element Fitness, Dubai, +971 502771317,
www.element-fitness.net
Explorer Tours, Umm Ramool, Dubai,
+971 42861991, www.explorertours.ae,
Gulf for Good, Dubai, +971 43680222,
www.gulf4good.org
Gulf Ventures, Dnata Travel Centre
+971 44045880, www.gulfventures.com
MMI Travel, Mezzanine Floor, Dnata Travel
Centre, Shk Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43166579, www.theemiratesgroup.com
Net Group, Dubai and Abu Dhabi,
+971 26794656, www.netgroupauh.com
Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +971 42628889,
www.opdubai.com
Rahhalah, Dubai, +971 44472166,
www.rahhalah.com
Vera City Tours, Downtown, Dubai, UAE,
+971 556100414, www.veracitytours.com

Wild Guanabana, Dubai, +971 567954954,
www.wildguanabana.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Fishing, Camping, Kayaking,
& Adventure Club, +971504920860,
mohammed.almahrouky@gmail.com
Air
Ballooning Adventures Emirates, Dubai,

+971 42854949, www.ballooning.ae
Dubai Paragliders, www.microaviation.org,
+971 552120155 or +971 552250193
Jazirah Aviation Club, Ras Al Khaimah,
+971 6139859, www.jac-uae.net
Seawings, Dubai, www.seawings.com
Sky Dive Dubai, Dubai, +971 501533222,
www.skydivedubai.ae
YAS MALL Abu Dhabi Opening Soon
Boating & Sailing
Manufacturer
Al Fajer Marine, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43235181, www.alfajermarine.com
Al Jeer Marina, RAK border Musandam,
+971 72682333/+971 504873185,
www.aljeerport.ae
Al Shaali Marine, Ajman, +971 67436443,
www.alshaalimarine.com
Alyousuf Industrial, LLC,
+971 43474111, www.aym.ae,
yamboats@alyousuf.com
Elite Pearl Charter, Saeed Tower 1 office
# 3102, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE,
+971 43889666, www.elitepearlcharter.com
Gulf Craft, Ajman, +971 67406060,
www.gulfcraftinc.com
Distributors and Dealers
Art Marine, Shed Nr. 31, Jaddaf, Dubai,
UAE, +971 4324061, www.artmarine.ae/
www.artmarinechandley.com
Azure Marine, Dubai, +971 43404343,
www.azuremarine.net
Luxury Sea Boats, Dubai, +971 505589319,
www.luxuryseaboats.com
Macky Marine LLC, Dubai,
+971 505518317, www.mackymarine.com
Nautilus Yachts, Sharjah, +971 65576818,
www.nautilusyachts.com
The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae
UAE Boats 4 Sale, Dubai Marina,
+971 44471501, www.uaeboats4sale.com
Western Marine, Marina Yacht Club, Dubai,
+971 43039744
Equipment
Ali Khalifah Moh Al Fuqaei, Deira, Dubai,
+971 42263220
Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43468000,
www.masaoodmarine.com
Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11,
The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43808616 / +971 553899995,
info@bluewatersmarine.com,
www.bluewatersmarine.com
Extreme Marine, Dubai, +971 43992995,
www.extrememarine-me.com
Japan Marine General Trading, Al Garhoud
Road, Liberty Building, Dubai,
+971 559299111, +971 42828255,
uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co
Rineh Emirates Trading LLC, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43391512, www.rinehemiratesme.com
Repairs and Maintenance
Extreme Marine, Dubai, Dubai Marina,
+971 43992995, www.extrememarine-me.com
Rineh Emirates, Sheikha Sana Warehouse 1,
Al Quoz, +971 43391512,
info@rinehemiratesme.com,
www.rinehemirates.com
SNS Marine, JAFZA Techno Park, Jebel Ali,
Dubai, +971 501405058, info@snsmarine.ae,
www.snsmarine.ae
The Boat House, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43405152, www.theboathouse.ae
Cruise Operators
Al Bateen Marina, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26665491, www.marinaalbateenresort.com
Al Marsa Travel & Tourism, Dibba,
Musandam, +968 26836550, +971 65441232
Bateaux Dubai, Dubai Creek opposite
the British Embassy, +971 43994994
Bristol Middle East, Dubai Marina,
+971 44309941, www.bristol-middleeast.com
Captain Tonys, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu
Dhabi, +971 26507175, www.captaintonys.ae

Delma Industrial Supply and Marine
Services, Al Bateen Jetty, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26668153, www.delmamarine.net
Eden Yachting, Dubai Marina,
+971 504586171, www.edenyachting.com
Emirates Yachting, Dubai, +971 42826683
El Mundo, Dubai, +971 505517406,
www.elmundodubai.com
Four Star Travel and Tourism, Dubai,
+971 42737779, www.fourstartravels.net
4 Yacht Arabia, Shop No. 5, Dubai Marina
Yacht Club, 800 92248, www.4yachtarabia.ae
Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa,
Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92449888, www.rotana.com
Ghantoot Marina & Resort, Abu Dhabi,
+971 529933153, www.ghantootmarina.com
Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai,
+971 558961276, +971 503960202,
www.happydaysdubai.com
JPS Yachts and Charter, Room 225,
Emarat Atrium building, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43437734, www.jpsyachts.com
Khasab Divers, Oman, +971 567255889,
khasab.diver2@gmail.com
Khasab Musandam Travel & Tours,
PO Box 411, Khasab, Musandam,
+968 93350703, info@tourkhasab.com
Khour Shem Tourism, Oman,
+968 26731919, www.khourshemtours.com
LY Catamaran, Dubai, +971 505869746,
+971 566506683, www.lycatamaran.com
Marine Concept, Dubai, +971 559603030,
www.marine-charter-concept.com
Nautica1992, Dubai, +971 504262415,
www.nautica1992.ae
Noukhada Adventure Company, Villa 332/7,
Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi, +971 26503600,
www.noukhada.ae
RAK Marine LLC, Ras Al Khaimah City Hilton
Marina, +971 504912696, +971 72066410
Sea Hunters Passenger Yachts & Boats
Rental, Dubai Marina, +971 42951011
Sheesa Beach, Dibba, Musandam,
+971 503336046, www.sheesabeach.com
Smoke Dragon Of London Yacht, Abu
Dhabi International Marine & Sports Club,
+971 507011958 / +971 504546617
Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai,
+971 42573084
The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111,
www.the-club.com
The Yellow Boats LLC, Dubai Marina Walk
opposite Spinneys, Intercontinental Hotel
Marina, +8008044, www.theyellowboats.com
Marinas
Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports
Club, Abu Dhabi, Breakwater,
+971 26815566, www.adimsc.com
Abu Dhabi Marina, Abu Dhabi,
Tourist Club Area, +971 26440300
Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam
+971 72682333 / +971 504873185
www.aljeerport.ae
Al Mouj Marina, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24534554, www.almoujmarina.com

Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road, Al
Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE,
+971 42394760-61, www.cruiseindubai.com
Dubai Creek Marina, Deira, Dubai,
+971 43801234, www.dubaigolf.com
Dubai International Marine Sports Club,
Dubai Marina, +971 43995777, www.dimc.ae
Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai,
+971 43627900,
www.dubaimarinayachtclub.com
Dubai Maritime City Harbour Marina,
Dubai, +971 43455545
Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, Dubai,
+971 43941669, www.dosc.ae
Emirates Palace Marina, Abu Dhabi,
+971 43388955
Four Seasons Marina, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44948899, www.mourjanmarinas.com
Fujairah International Marine Club,
Fujairah, +971 92221166, www.fimc.ae
Intercontinental Abu Dhabi Marina, Al
Bateen, Intercontinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26666888, www.intercontinental.com
Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa Marina,
Jebel Ali, Dubai, +971 48145555/5029,
www.jebelali-international.com
Lusail Marina, Lusail City, Qatar,
+974 55843282, www.mourjan-lusailmarina.com
Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24737286 (ext 215), www.marinaoman.net
Pavilion Marina, Dubai,
Jumeirah Beach Hotel, +971 44068800
The PearlQatar Marinas, Doha, Qatar,
+974 4965801, www.ronauticame.com
Umm Al Quwaim Marine Sports Club,
Umm Al Quwaim, +971 67666644,
www.uaqmarineclub.com
Dragon Boat Groups
Dubai Dawn Patrol Dragon Boating, Dubai
+971 508795645 (Michael),
www.dubaidawnpatrol.org
Dubai Diggers, Jumeirah Beach Hotel,
pier next to 360, Dubai, +971 501547175
(Nick Hando), www.dubai-diggers.com
UAE Dragon Boat Association,
+971 507634008, www.dubaidragonboat.com
Camping & Hiking
Equipment
Blingmytruck.com, +971 505548255,
www.blingmytruck.com
Gulf Camping, Dubai, UAE,
www.gulfcamping.com
Jack Wolfskin, Mirdif City Centre Dubai,
+971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall,
Abu Dhabi,+971 24437802
Picnico General Trading, near Sharaf DG
Metro Station, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43951113
Tresspass, 2nd floor above ice rink,
The Dubai Mall, +971 43398801
Tour Operators
Arabia Outdoors, Dubai, +971 559556209,
www.arabiaoutdoors.com
Absolute Adventure, Dubai, +971 43459900,
www.adventure.ae
d u bai
inter n ati on al
boa t s h ow
A Di sc ove r y of O ppo r tu n ities & E ver la s t ing Rela t ion s hips

See you soon
3~7
ORGANISED BY
VENUE
March 2015
To be pa r t o f th e
eve nt , c ontac t us
Dubai International Marine Club

Mina Seyahi
Call +971 4 308 6204 or please email

us at dubai.boatshow@dwtc.com
SUPPORTING
MARITIME
AUTHORITY
OFFICIAL
PUBLISHER
OFFICIAL
MAGAZINE
facebook.com/DubaiBoatShow
linkd.in/1ahjZyM
twitter.com/dubaiboat
instagram.com/dibshow
OFFICIAL
COURIER
HANDLER
boatshowdubai.com
Desert Road Tourism,

Al Khor Plaza 503, Dubai, +971 42959428,
www.arabiatours.com
Libra, +971 559228362, www.libra-uae.com
Mountain High Middle East, Dubai,
+971 43480214, www.mountainhighme.com
Sheesa Beach, Musandam, Dibba,
Caving
Mountain High Middle East, Dubai,

+971 43480214, www.mountainhighme.com
Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre,
Oman, +968 24543002,
www.holiday-in-oman.com
Oman World Tourism, Oman,
+968 99431333,
www.omanworldtourism.com
Climbing
Equipment
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square
Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free:
800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae
Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai,
Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +971 43466558,
www.barracudadubai.com
Global Climbing Trading LLC,
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai,
+971 48829361, www.globalclimbing.com
Jack Wolfskin
Mirdif City Centre Dubai,
+971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall, Abu Dhabi
+971 24437802
Services
Absolute Adventure, Dubai,
+971 43459900, www.adventure.ae
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square
Center, Sheikh Zayed Rd, toll free:
800-ADVENTURE, www.adventurehq.ae
Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26429995, www.alshaheenme.com
Dorell Sports Management, Dubai World
Trade Centre, +971 43065061,
www.climbingdubai.com
E-Sports UAE, Dubai, +971 42824540,
www.esportsuae.com
The Club, Abu Dhabi, +971 26731111,
www.the-club.com
Information
UAE Climbing, +971 506456491,
www.uaeclimbing.com
Mountain Biking & Cycling
Equipment/Dealers
Bikers JLT, Unit H6, Cluster H,
Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAE,
+971 526221888, products@allbikers.net
Cycle Sports, Shop No. 1, Al Waleed Bldg.,
Al Barsha 1, Dubai, +971 43415415,
www.cyclesportsuae.com
Fun Ride Sports, 301, 3rd floor, Mushrif
Mall, Abu Dhabi, Rm. 4, Mezzanine floor,
C-13 Bldg., Khalifa City A, Abu Dhabi,
info@funridesports.com,
www.funridesports.com
Micahs Bike Shop, Warehouse no.4
6th St. Al Quoz 3, Dubai, +971 43805228
Peak Performance, Mall of the Emirates,
Dubai Mall, Dubai,
+971 43413056 / +971 43308023
Probike, Dubai, Al Barsha 1,
+971 43255705, www.probike.ae

Rage Shop, Dubai Mall, Mall of the
Emirates, Dubai Festival City,
+971 43369007, www.rage-shop.com
Revolution Cycles, Shop G05, Apex
Atrium, Motor City, Dubai, +971 43697441,
www.rcdxb.com
Ride Bike Shop, Dubai Mall, Festival City,
Oasis Centre, Mirdif City Centre,
Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 43750231,
www.ridebikeshop.com
Sportz Unlimited, Sheikh Zayed Road &
Jebel Ali, Dubai, + 971 43388644
Tamreen Sports LLC, Khalifa Street,
Abu Dhabi, +971 26222525,
www.tamreensports.com
The Cycle Hub, Motor City, Dubai,
+971 505528872, www.thecyclehub.com
Trek Bicycle Store, Seih Al Salam,
Al Qudra Road, Dubai, +971 48327377,
www.trekbikes.ae
Trikke uPT, Dubai, +971 45081202,
+971 556096757, www.trikkeme.net
Wolfis Bike Shop, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed
Road, +971 43394453, www.wbs.ae
Operator
+971 43459900, +971 506259165,
www.adventure.ae, info@adventure.ae
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Tri Club,
www.abudhabitriclub.com
Cycle Safe Dubai, Dubai Autodrome
www.cyclechallenge.ae
Dubai Roadsters,
www.dubairoadsters.com
Diving
Equipment
Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi and Dubai,
+971 42894858, www.alboommarine.com
Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment,
Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai,
+971 43444468
Al Masaood Marine, Sheikh Zayed Road,
+971 43468000, Dubai
Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43390621,
www.aym.ae/yamaha
Blue Waters Marine, +971 42232189,
Dubai, www.bluewatersmarine.com
Gulf Marine Sports, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26710017, www.gulfmarinesports.com
Premiers for Equipment, Abu Dhabi,
Sh. Zayed 1st. Road, +971 26665226,
www.premiers-uae.com
Scuba Dubai, Al Barsha, Al Khail Road,
Dubai, +97143414940,
info@scubadubai.com
Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com
Diving Centres
Al Boom Diving (equipment),
Dubai, Al Wasl Rd, +971 43422993,
www.alboomdiving.com
Al Jeer Marina, RAK Border, Musandam,
+971 72682333, www.aljeerport.ae
Al Mahara Dive Center, near Muroor St
across from main bus terminal,
+971 26437377, info@divemahara.com,
www.divemahara.com
Arabian Diver, Hilton Marine, Ras Al
Khaimah, +971 72226628, +971 502428128
www.arabiandiver.com
Arabian Divers and Sportfishing
Charters, Al Bateen Marina Resort,
Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931,
www.fishabudhabi.com
Coastal Technical Divers,
glenn@coastaltechnicaldivers.com,
www.coastaltechnicaldivers.com
Deep Blue Sea Diving, International City,
Dubai, +971 44308246,
www.diveindubai.com
Desert Islands, Sir Bani YAs Island,
Abu Dhabi, UAE, +971 28015400,
www.divemahara.com
Divers Down, Fujairah, Rotana Al Aqah
Hotel Resort & Spa, +971 92370299,
www.diversdown-uae.com
Emirates Divers Centre, Abu Dhabi,
near Meena Fish Market, +97126432444,
www.edc-ad.ae
Euro-Divers Oman, Muscat, Oman,
+968 95035815, www.euro-divers.com
Extra Divers Ziggy Bay, Oman,
Musandam, +968 26735555,
www.extradivers.info
Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com,
www.freedivinguae.com
Freestyle Divers, Dubai, Al Wasl & Dibba,
Royal Beach Hotel, +971 43944275,
www.freestyledivers.com
Fujairah Rotana Resort
& Spa - Al Aqah Beach,
Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92449888, www.rotana.com
Global Scuba Dive Center, Civil Aviation
Club, Oman, +968 99317518,
www.global-scuba.com
Khasab Divers, Oman,
www.khasabdiver.com
Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort,
Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000,
www.lemeridien-alaqah.com
Moonlight Dive Center,
Madinat Qaboos, Oman,
+968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com
Muscat Diving & Adventure Centre,
Oman, +971 503289642,
www.holiday-in-oman.com
Neptune Diving, +971 504347902,
www.neptunedivingcentre.com
Nomad Ocean Adventures,
www.discovernomad.com,
+971 508853238, Dibba, Oman
Oman Dive Center, Muscat, Oman,
+968 24284240, www.omadivecenter.com
Pavilion Dive Centre (equipment), Dubai,
+971 44068828
Scuba Oman, Oman, +968 99558488,
www.scubaoman.com
Scuba 2000, Al Bidiya Beach, Fujairah,
+971 92388477, www.scuba-2000.com
Scuba UAE.com, +971 502053922,
www.scubauae.com
7 Seas Diving Center, Khorfakkan,
+971 92387400, www.7seasdivers.com
Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah,
+971 50784 0830, www.bsac406.com
Sky &Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton,
Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005,
www.watersportsdubai.com
The Dive Shop, 34G, European Center,
Green Community, Dubai, UAE,
+971 48135474, www.thediveshopdubai.
com
Clubs
Atlantis Underwater Photography Club,
Dubai, +971 44263000
Desert Sports Diving Club, Dubai,
www.desertsportsdivingclub.net
Emirates Diving Association, Diving
Village, Al Shindagha, Dubai,
+971 43939390, www.emiratesdiving.com
Filipino SCUBA Divers Club (FSDC),
Dubai, UAE, +971 566952421,
www.thefilipinoscubadivers.com
Freediving UAE, Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
Fujairah, contactus@freedivinguae.com,
www.freedivinguae.com
Sharjah Wanderers Dive Club, Sharjah,
+971 507840830,
www.bsac406.com
Fishing & Kayaking
Equipment
Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai,
Al Hamur Marine and Sports Equipment,
Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai,
+971 43444468
Walltopias ME Sales Showroom

and Bouldering Facility
Single visit: 80 aed
Special rates for kids at weekends
10-visit pass: 500
Courses for beginners every
month
Unleash the Beast!

facebook.com.rock.republic.dubai
info@globalclimbing.com
04 88 29 361
Al Masaood Marine, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed

Road, +971 43468000,
Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed
Rd, +971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha
Abu Dhabi, +971 506146931,
www.fishabudhabi.com
Barracuda Fishing and Outdoor, Dubai,
Street 13A 1, Al Safa 1, +971 43466558,
www.barracudadubai.com
Blue Waters Marine, Shop 11,
The Curve Bldg., Sheikh Zayed Road,
Dubai, +971 43808616 / +971 553899995,
www.bluewatersmarine.com
Challenging Adventure, Wadi Al Bih Ras Al Khaimah, +971 561060798,
contactus@challengingadventure.com
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai,
Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre,
+971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com
Operators
+971 43459900, www.adventure.ae
Al Boom Diving, Le Meridien Al Aqah
Beach Resort, Fujairah, +971 43422993
Al Hamra Marina and Yacht Club, Al
Hamra, Ras Al Khaimah, +971 72434540,
www.alhamramarina.com
Al Mahara Dive Center,
Downtown Abu Dhabi, +971 501118125,
www.divemahara.com
Al Wasl Charter & Fishing, Airport Road, Al
Qwais Bldg., Off. 207, Dubai, UAE, +974 4
2394760-61, www.cruiseindubai.com
Al Shaheen Adventure, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26429995, www.alshaheenme.com
Al Wasl Charter & Fishing (Al Wasl
Passenger Yachts and Boats Rental LLC),
Airport Road, Al Owais Building, Dubai,
+971 42394761, www.cruiseindubai.com
+971 506146931, www.fishabudhabi.com
Barracuda Diving Centre, Fujairah
International Marine Club, +971 9222558
Belevari Marine, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26594144
Captain Tonys, Yas Marina, Yas Island,
Abu Dhabi, +971 26507175,
www.captaintonys.ae
Fun Beach Water Sports, Dubai,
+971 53244550,
www.funbeachsports.com
Happy Days Sea Cruising LLC, Dubai,
+971 558961276, +971 503960202,
www.happydaysdubai.com
Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi
Hotel, Abu Dhabi, +971 26811900
Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort,
Dibba Road, Fujairah, +971 92449000,
www.lemeridien-alaqah.com
Nautica 1992, Dubai, +971 504262415,
www.nautica1992.ae
Noukhada Adventure Company,
Villa 332/7, Al Meena Street, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26503600, www.noukhada.ae
Ocean Active, Dubai, Garden Centre,
+971 502898713, www.oceanactive.com

Soolyman Sports Fishing, Dubai,
Umm Suqeim, +971 508866227,
www.soolymansportsfishing.com
Summertime Marine Sports, Dubai,
+971 42573084,
www.summertimemarine.comz
Xclusive Yachts, Dubai, Dubai Marina,
+971 44327233, www.xclusiveyachts.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Camping, Fishing & Kayaking
Club, mohamed.almahrouky@gmail.com
Dubai Surfski & Kayak Club, Kitesurfers
Beach, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai,
+971 554986280, www.dskc.hu
General Sports Equipment

Distributors
Adventure HQ, Dubai Times Square Center,

Sheikh Zayed Rd, Toll free: 800-ADVENTURE,
www.adventurehq.ae
Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43390621, www.aym.ae/yamaha
800 Sport, Al Quoz, Dubai
+971 43467751, www.800sport.ae
Flip Flop Arabia, flipme@flipfloparabia.com,
www.flipfloparabia.com
Dubai Investment Park 1, Dubai
Goal Zero, +971 509128353,
www.goalzero.ae
Highbury Trading, Dubai, UAE,
www.highburytrading.ae
Jack Wolfskin Mirdif City Centre Dubai,
+971 42840228; Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi,
+971 44437802
Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735,
www.kitesurfsup.com
PORTABLE SHADE UAE, Jebel Ali, Dubai,
UAE, +971 4 3469600, www.portable-shade.net
Sakeen General Trading, +971 47094224,
www.sakeen.ae
Sport in Life Distribution, Nad Al Hammar Rd.,
Ras Al Khor, Dubai, UAE,
+971 42896001, +971 42896002,
info@sportinlife.ae, www.sportinlife.ae
Tresspass, The Dubai Mall
2nd floor above ice rink, +971 43398801
Horse Riding
Equipment
Al Asifa Horse Equestrian
& Requisites Trading, Al Khawaneej 1, Dubai,
+971 554733110, www.asifa.ae
Black Horse LLC, Abu Dhabi,
+971 26422237, www.blackhorseuae.com
Bonjour Equestrian Supplies,
Nad Al Hammar Rd., Ras Al Kho, Dubai, UAE,
+971 42896001, +971 42896002,
info@bonjourequestrian.com,
www.bonjourequestrian.com
Cavalos Equine Care and Supplies,
16th Street, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi,
+917 22222433, www.cavalosuae.com
Emirta Horse Requirement Centre,
Sheik Zayed Rd, Dubai, +971 43437475,
www.emirtahorse.com
Equestrian Clubs/Centres
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu
Dhabi, +971 24455500,
www.adec-web.com
Al Ahli Riding School, Al Amman Street, DubaiSharjah Rd., +971 42988408,
www.alahliclub.info
Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu
Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com
Al Jiyad Stables, Behind Dubai International
Endurance City, Dubai, +971 505995866, info@
aljiyad.com, www.aljiyad.com
Al Sahra Desert Resort Equestrian Centre,
Dubai, +971 44274055,
equestrian.centre@alsahra.com
Desert Equestrian Club, Mirdif, Dubai, +971
503099770 / +971 501978888
Desert Palm Riding School, Near Al Awir Road
(going to Hatta-Oman),
Dubai, +971 43238010,
www.desertpalm.peraquum.com
Dubai Polo Academy, Dubai,
+971 508879847, www.dubaipoloacademy.com
Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Dubai, Arabian
Ranches, +971 43618111,
www.poloclubdubai.com
Emirates Equestrian Centre, Dubai,
+971 505587656,
www.emiratesequestriancentre.com
Ghantoot Polo & Racing Club, Exit 399, Abu
Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi,
+971 25629050, www.grpc.ae
Golden Stables Equestrian Club, Al
Khawaneej, Dubai, (Nouri) +971 555528182,
www.goldenstables.ae
HoofbeatZ, located just inside the Dubai Polo &

Equestrian Club, Dubai,
+971 501810401, www.hoofbeatz.com
Mushrif Equestrian and Polo Club, Mushrif
Park, Al Khawaneej Road, Dubai,
+971 42571256, www.mushrifec.com
Qudraland Community,
info@qudraland.com, www.qudraland.com
Rahal Ranch, Al Wathba Racing Area,
Abu Dhabi, +971 566127914,
www.rahalranch.com
Riding for the Disabled, Dubai,
lessons@rdad.ae, www.rdad.ae,
Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club, Sharjah,
Al Dhaid Road,
+971 65311188, www.serc.ae
Racecourses
Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu
Dhabi, +971 24455500,
www.adec-web.com
Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, Exit 399, Abu
Dhabi/ Dubai Highway, Abu Dhabi,
+971 25629050, www.grpc.ae
Jebel Ali Racecourse, off the main Abu Dhabi
- Dubai Highway (Sheikh Zayed road) beside the
Emirates Golf Club, Dubai,
+971 43474914
Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse, Al
Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai,
+971 43270000, www.meydan.ae
Sharjah Racecourse, Al Dhaid Road, Sharjah,
+971 65311155, www.serc.ae
Jet Ski
Dealers
Al Masaood Marine, Dubai,
Sheikh Zayed Road, +971 43468000,
Al Yousuf Motors, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Rd,
Japan Marine General Trading,
Al Garhoud Road, Liberty Building, Dubai, +971
559299111 / +971 42828255,
uday@japanmarine.jp, www.japanmarine.co
Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4,
www.libertykawasaki.com
Motocross
& ATVs
Dealers
Al Badayer Rental (Rental),
Dubai-Hatta Road, +971 507842020,
www.albadayerrental.com
Al Shaali Moto, Ras Al Khor,
+971 43200009, sales@alshaalimoto.com.
www.alshaalimoto.com
Golden Desert Motorcycles
Rental (Rental), Dubai-Hatta Road, Dubai,
+971 551532550,
www.goldendesert-dubai.com
Just Gas It, Hatta Rd., Al Aweer, Dubai, UAE,
+971 509192394, www.JustGasIt.net
KTM, Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, exit 42, +971
4323151, www.ktm.com
Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange 4,
Polaris UAE (atvs), Ras Al Khor, Nad al Hamar
Road, Al Ghandi Complex, Dubai,
+971 42896100, M4, Sector 13,
10th Street, Mussafah Industrial, Abu Dhabi,
+971 25555144, www.polarisuae.com
Sebsports, Al Quoz Industrial Area 1
Dubai, +971 43393399, www.sebsports.com
Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai,
+971 48321050, www. wildx.ae
Equipment
Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza 503,
Dubai, +971 42959429,
www.arabiantours.com
Sandstorm Motorcycles (Rental),
Al Quoz, Dubai, +971 43470270,
www.sandstorm-motorcycles.com
Sebsports, Dubai, Al Quoz Industrial Area 3,
+971 43393399, www.sebsports.com
2XWheeler, Motorcity Dubai,
+971 44548388, www.2xwheeler.com
Wild X, Dubai, Um Al Ramoul Industrial Area,
+971 42852200, www. wildx.ae
Workshops and Services
Moto-X and Quad, PO Box 476214, Dubai,
UAE, +971 50 6169727, www.gasgasmotos.me
Motorcycling

www.aym.ae/yamaha
Ducati, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu Dhabi, +971
25535771, info2@ducati.ae,
www.ducati.ae
Duseja Motorcycles, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43476712, www.dusejamoto.com

Harley-Davidson, Mussafah 4, Street 10, Abu
Dhabi, +971 25540667,
hd.auh@harley-davidson.ae,
www.harley-davidson-abu-dhabi.com
Liberty Kawasaki, Dubai, Interchange4, Sheikh
Zayed Road, +971 42822144,
Polaris UAE, Al Ghandi Complex,
Nad al Hamar Road, Ras Al Khor,
+971 42896100, www.polarisuae.com
Tristar Motorcycles, +971 43330659,
www.tristaruae.com
Workshops and Services
Al Forsan International Sports Resort, Abu
Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com
Dubai Autodrome, Dubai, +971 43678700
www.dubaiautodrome.com
Emirates Motorplex, Umm Al Quwain,
+971 67681717
2xWheeler Adventures, Dubai,
+971 44548388, www.alainraceway.com
Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi,
www.yasmarinacircuit.com
Off-Road
Dealers
Bling My Truck,
+971 503634839 / +971 505548255,
info@blingmytruck.com,
4x4 Motors LLC, Shk. Zayed Rd, Dubai,
+971 43384866, www.4x4motors.com
Liberty Automobiles, Dubai, 800 5423789,
www.libertyautos.com
Repairs and Services
AAA Service Centre, Al Quoz, Dubai, UAE,
+971 4 285 8989, www.aaadubai.com
Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744,
www.icon-auto.com
Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2, Dubai,
UAE, +971 4 3469600, www.mebarauto.com
Off Road Zone, Dubai, Al Quoz,
+971 43392449,
www.offroad-zone.com
Saluki Motorsport, Dubai, +971 43476939
www.salukimotorsport.com
Equipment
Advanced Expedition Vehicles,
Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +971 43307152,
www.aev.ae
Al Yousuf Motors, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai,
+971 43390621,
www.aym.ae/yamaha
Bling My Truck, +971 503634839 /
+971 505548255,
info@blingmytruck.com,
Heartland UAE, Al Mafraq Industrial,
Abu Dhabi, +971 567231967,
www.heartlanduae.com
Icon Auto Garage, Dubai, +971 43382744,
www.icon-auto.com
Mebar Auto, Al Quoz, Industrial Area 2, Dubai,
UAE, +971 4 3469600,
www.mebarauto.com
Wild X Adventure Shop, Dubai-Hatta Road,
Dubai, +971 48321050, www.wildx.ae
Yellow Hat, Nad Al Hamar, and Times Square
Center, Dubai, +971 42898060,
www.yellowhat.ae
Tour Operators
Arabian Adventures, Dubai & Abu Dhabi, +971
43034888, www.arabian-adventures.com
Desert Road Tourism, Al Khor Plaza 503,
Dubai, +971 42959429, www.arabiantours.com
Oasis Palm Dubai, Dubai, +971 42628889,
www.opdubai.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Off- Road Club,
www.ad4x4.com
ALMOST 4x4 Off-Road Club,
+971 507665522, www.almost4x4.com
Dubai Offroaders,
www.dubaioffroaders.com
JEEP Wrangler JK Fun Club,
suffian.omar@yahoo.com,
www.jk-funclub.com
ME 4X4, www.me4x4.com
Running
Clubs
ABRasAC, Dubai, www.abrasac.org
Abu Dhabi Tri Club, Abu Dhabi,
www.abudhabitriclub.org
Abu Dhabi Striders,
admin@abudhabistriders.com,
www.abudhabistriders.com
Al Ain Road Runners, Abu Dhabi,
+971 504188978, alainroadrunners@yahoo.co.uk
Mirdif Milers, Dubai, www.mirdifmilers.info
Dubai Creek Striders
www.dubaicreekstriders.org
Stand up Paddling, Kite & Surfing,

Wakeboarding
Equipment
Al Boom Marine, Abu Dhabi & Dubai,
Al Masaood Marine, Dubai,
Iknic Brands, Suite 509 Dsseldorf Business
Point Al Barsha Dubai, UAE
+971 506874178, info@ikonicbrands.com
Kitesurf Dubai, Kitesurf Beach,
Umm Suqueim and Jumeirah 3
+971 505586190, www.kitesurfdubai.ae
Pearl Water Crafts,
Dubai Marina Yacht Club, +971 553749398,
www.pearl-watercrafts.com
Picnico, Jumeirah Beach Road
Opposite Sunset Mall, Dubai
+971 43941653
Surf Dubai, Dubai, Umm Suqeim,
+971 505043020, www.surfingdubai.com
Surf Shop Arabia, Building 1,
Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3, Dubai,
+971 43791998,
www.surfshoparabia.com
UAE Kite Surfing, +971 505626383,
www.ad-kitesurfing.net
Distributors
Kitepeople Kite & Surf Store,
International City, Dubai,
+971 504559098, www.kitepeople.ae
Ocean Sports FZE, +971 559352735,
www.kitesurfsup.com
Operators
Al Forsan International Sports Resort,
Abu Dhabi, +971 25568555, www.alforsan.com
Dubai Kite Surf School, Dubai,
Umm Suqeim Beach, +971 504965107,
www.dubaikitesurfschool.com
Duco Maritime, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah
and Abu Dhabi, +971 508703427,
www.ducomaritime.com

Dukite, Kitesurf Beach, Umm Suqeim,
Dubai,+971 507586992, www.dukite.com
Kite Fly, Dubai, +971 502547440,
www.kitesurf.ae
Kite4fun.net, Abu Dhabi, +971 508133134,
www.kite4fun.net
Kitepro Abu Dhabi, Yas Island
and Al Dabbayyah, Abu Dhabi,
+971 505441494, www.kitepro.ae
Nautica1992, Dubai, +971 504262415,
www.nautica1992.ae
Shamal Kite Surfing, Umm Suqueim Dubai,
+971 507689226,
astrid@shamalkitesurfing.com,
www.shmalkitesurfing.com
Sky & Sea Adventures, Dubai, Hilton,
Jumeirah Beach Road, +971 43999005,
www.watersportsdubai.com
Surf School UAE, Umm Suqeim Beach and
Building 1, Al Manara Road (East), Interchange 3,
Dubai,+971 556010997, www.surfschooluae.com
Watercooled, Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa,
Dubai, +971 48876771, www.watercooleddubai.com
Water Cooled, Watercooled Sports Services
LLC, Hilton Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE,
+971 26395997, www.watercooleduae.com
Clubs
Abu Dhabi Stand Up Paddle,
www.abudhabisup.com
UAE SUP www.uaesup.com
OMAN DIRECTORY
Adventure tours
and desert safaris
Dolphin Qasab Tours, PO Box: 123, P.C.

811, Khasab City, Musandam, Oman,
+968 26730813, www.dolphinkhasabtours.com
Go Dive Oman, Capital Area Yacht Club
(CAYC), Sidab Muscat, +968 99289200,
www.godiveoman.com
Nomad Tours, PO Box: 583, Postal Code
100, Muscat, Oman, +968 95495240,
www.nomadtours.com
Oman Trekking Guides, PO Box: 917,
NIZWA, Oman, +968 95741441,
www.omantrekkingguides.com
Diving
Equipment
Al Marsa Musandam, PO Box: 44, Dibba,
QATAR DIRECTORY
Adventure tours
and desert safaris
Al Mulla Travels, PO Box: 4147, Doha, Qatar,

+974 44413488, almullatrvls@qatar.net.qa
Alpha Tours, PO Box: 13530, Doha, Qatar,
+974 4837815, info@alphatoursqatar.com
Al QAYED Travel & Tours, Al Qayed Holding
Bldg., D-Ring Road, PO Box: 158, Doha,
Qatar, +974 44072244,
www.alqayedtravel.com
Arabian Adventures, Al Asmakh Street,
PO Box: 4476, Doha, Qatar, +974 44361461,
www.arabianadventureqatar.net
Black Pearls Tourism Services,
PO Box: 45677, Doha, Qatar
East Marine, West Bay, Doha, Qatar,
+974 55200078
E2E Qatar Travel and Tours,
PO Box: 23563, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44502521, www.e2eqatar.com
Falcon Travels, PO Box: 22031, Doha,
Qatar, +974 44354777,
www.falcontravelqatar.com
Gulf Adventures, 29, Aspire Zone Street Aspire Zone Al Rayyan City, PO Box: 18180
Qatar, +974 44221888,
www.gulf-adventures.com
Net Tours Qatar, PO Box: 23080, Doha,
Qatar, +974 4310902, www.nettours.com.qa
Regency Travel & Tours, Suhaim Bin
Hamad Street, Doha, Qatar, +974 4434
4503/4718, www.regencyholidays.com
Qatar Adventure, Al Matar Street, PO Box:
13915, Doha, Qatar, +974 55694561,
www.qataradventure.com
Qatar Desert Gate, Doha, PO Box: 18496
Ad Dawha, Qatar, +974 55594016,
www.qatardesertgate.com
Qatar Inbound Tours, Commercial Street,
Al Muaither, Al Rayyan, PO Box: 21153, +974
77451196, www.inboundtoursqatar.com
Qatar International Tours, PO Box: 55733
Water Parks
Aquaventure Atlantis, Dubai, Palm

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

+ 971 25588990, www.adgolfclub.com
Al Tamimi Stables, Sharjah,
+971 67431122 \ +971 44370505,
www.tamimistables.com
Blokart Sailing, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai,
+971 556101841, www.blokartme.com
Childrens City, Creek Park Gate No.1,
Dubai, +971 43340808, www.childrencity.ae
Dolphin Bay Atlantis, Dubai,
+971 44260000, www.atlantisthepalm.ae
Dubai Dolphinarium Dubai, Creek Park
Gate No. 1, +971 43369773,
www.dubaidolphinarium.ae
iFly Dubai, Dubai, Mirdif City Centre,
+971 42316292, www.iflyme.com
Sultanate of Oman, +968 26836550,

www.almarsamusandam.com
Al Sawadi Beach Resort, PO Box: 747,
Barka - Al Sawadi, Oman, +968 26795545,
www.alsawadibeach.info
Diving UAE & Oman, www.dive-uae-oman.com
Euro Divers CAYC Oman, Marina Bandar Al
Rhowda, PO Box: 940, Muscat, Oman, +968
95035815, www.euro-divers.com
Extra Divers Musandam, PO Box: 498,
PC 811 Khasab, Musandam, Oman,
+968 99877957,
www.musandam-diving.com
Global Scuba LLC, +968 24692346,
www.global-scuba.com
Moon Light Dive Center, P.O. Box: 65,
Madinat Qaboos, Muscat Oman,
+968 99317700, www.moonlightdive.com
Oman Dive Center Resort, PO Box: 199,
Medinat Sultan Qaboos, Oman,
+968 24824240, www.omandivecenter.info
Omanta Scuba Diving Academy, Al Kharjiya
Street, Al Shati Area, Muscat, Oman, +968

97700564, www.omantascuba.com
Oxygen Diving and Adventures, PO Box:
1363 PC130 Alazaiba, Muscat, Oman,
www.o2diveoman.com
Seaoman, PO Box: 2394, RUWI PC 112,
Oman, +968 24181400,
www.seaoman.com
Sub Aqua Dive Center, Hilton Salalah
Resort, PO Box: 699, Salalah 211, Oman,
+968 99894031,
www.subaqua-divecenter.com
Doha, Qatar, +974 44551141, www.qittour.com

Qatar Ventures, Barwa Village Bulding No. 12,
Shop No. 33, Doha, Qatar, +974 55776679,
www.qatar-ventures.com
Clubs
Doha Sailing Club, Doha Sailing Club,
PO Box: 4398 (9995), Doha, Qatar,
+974 44439840, www.qmsf.com
+974 44435626
Doha Sub Aqua Club, Doha Sub-Aqua
Club, PO Box: 5048, Doha, Qatar,
+974 66304061, www.dohasubaquaclub.com
Extreme Adventure, PO Box: 33002, Shop
3, 4 Ahmed Bin Ali Street (Bin Omran), Doha,
Qatar, +974 44877884, www.extreme.qa
GoSport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar:
+974 44631644; Villagio Mall, Qatar:
+974 44517574,
www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar
Pearl Divers, PO Box: 2489, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44449553, www.pearl-divers.org
Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud
Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2,
+974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com
Qatar Scuba Center, 187 Al Mansoura
Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar,
+974 66662277, www.qatarscubacenter.com
Q Dive, Souq Al Najada cnr of Grand Hamad
and Ali bin Abdulla Str.; Al-Odeid Aisle
numbers 129-132, +974 55319507,
www.qdive.net
World Marine Centre, PO Box: 6944,
Doha, Qatar, +974 44360989,
www.worldmarinecenter.webs.com
Dive Centres
Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street
(near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar,
+97444435626 Pearl Divers, Al Mirqab Al
Jadeed Street, Doha, Qatar,
+974 4444 9553, www.pearl-divers.org
Poseidon Dive Center, Ras Abu Abboud
Street, Al Emadi Suites, Showroom #2,
+974 66084040, www.pdcqatar.com
Qatar Divers, Marriott Hotel Marina Near
Old Airport, Ras Abu Aboud Area, Doha,
Qatar, +974 44313331, www.qatardivers.com
Qatar Marine, Go Sport City Center
West Bay, PO Box: 16657, Doha,
+974 553199507, www.qatarmarine.net
Qatar Scuba Centre, 187 Al Mansoura
Street, Al Mansoura Area, Doha, Qatar,
+974 66662277 / +974 44422234,
www.qatarscubacenter.com
General Sports
Equipment Megastores
Galaxy Sport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor,

Qatar: +974 44822194; Villagio Mall, Qatar:
+974 44569143; Ezdan Mall, Qatar: +974
44922827, www.galaxysportqatar.com
GoSport, City Centre Mall, 3rd Floor, Qatar:
+974 44631644; Villagio Mall, Qatar:
+974 44517574
www.facebook.com/gosport.qatar
Sun & Sand Sports, City Centre Mall, Qatar:
+974 44837007; Dar Al Salam Mall, Qatar:
+974 44932973, www.sunandsandsports.com
Boating & Sailing
Equipment
Regatta Sailing Academy, Al Isteqlal Road,
West Bay Lagoon, PO Box: 18104, Doha,
Qatar, +974 55507846,
www.regattasailingacademy.com
Speed Marine, Speed Marine, Museum Road,
PO Box: 9145 Doha, Qatar, +974 44410109,
www.speedmarinegroup.com
Horse Riding
Equestrian Clubs/Centres
Al Shaqab, PO Box: 90055, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44546320, www.alshaqab.com
Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club, Racing and
Equestrian Club, PO Box: 7559, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44197664, www.qrec.gov.qa
Diving
Equipment
Al Fardan Marine Services, Najma Street
(near Al Fardan Exchange), Doha, Qatar,
Stand Up Paddeling, Kite

& Surfing, Wakeboarding
Equipment, Operators
Kiteboarding Oman, Sawadi Beach,
PO Box: 133, PC 118, Muscat, Oman,
+968 96323524,
www.kiteboarding-oman.com
Omans Kite Center, +968 94006007,
www.kitesurfing-lessons.com
Sadiyaat Beach Club, Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat

Island, +971 25578000, www.sbgolfclub.ae
Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club, Sharjah,
+971 43999005,
www.golfandshootingshj.com
SkiDubai, Dubai, Mall of The Emirates,
+971 44094000, www.skidxb.com
Spacewalk Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi,
+971 24463653, www.spacewalk.ae
Health, Safety & Training
Safety Lessons
Marine Concept Yacht Charter
& Sea School, Rania Business Centre,
Dubai, +971 559603030,
www.marine-charter-concept.com
Safety & Leisure Training Middle East,
Dusseldorf Business Point, Al Barsha 1,
Dubai, +971 44502418, www.sltme.com
Sport and Health Centres
Bespoke Wellness, Dubai,
+971 553724670, www.bespoke-wellness.com
Original Fitness Co., C6 Tower Al Bateen
Bainunah St, Abu Dhabi, +971 2406 9404,
www.originalfitnessco.com
Orthosports, 5B Street, Jumeira Beach
road, Dubai, +971 4355060, www.orthosp.com
The Physio Center, Suite 405, Building 49,
Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai,
+971 44370570, www.physiocentre.ae
Camping & Hiking
Tour Operators
Safari Desert Camp,
PO Box: 117, Postal Code 421,
Bediyah, Ghabbi, Oman,
+968 99310108,
www.safaridesert.com
Fishing & Kayaking
Equipment
AzZaha Tours, +968 99013424,
www.azzahatours.com
Water World Marine Oman,
POBox:76,Muscat,113,Sultanate
ofOman, +96824737438,
www.waterworldoman.com
Boating & Sailing
Manufacturer
Saphire Marine, PO Box: 11, Post Code 118,
Muscat, Oman, +968 99877243,
www.sapphire-marine.com
Qdive Marine Center, PO Box: 16657,
Doha, Qatar, +974 44375065, www.qdive.net
World Marine Centre, Old Salata Street,
near the Qatar National Museum, Doha,
Qatar, +974 55508177
Fishing & Kayaking
Equipment
Al Mamzoore Marine Equipment,
PO Box: 6449,Old Salata, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44444238,
almamzoore@qatar.net.qa
Fish World, PO Box: 1975, Doha, Qatar,
+974 44340754
Motocross
& ATVs
Dealers
Qatar Adventures, Barwa Village, Building
# 9 Shop # 11, Doha, Qatar, +974 77700074
Fishing & Kayaking
Spearfishing Shops
Equipment
Al Kashat, Fishing and Hunting
Equipment, Souq Waqif,
next to the Falcon Souq, +974 66724828
Extreme Adventure, Shop 3,4 Ahmed Bin
Ali Steet, Doha, +974 44877884,
www.extreme.qa
State of Qatar (QatarSub), Souq Waqif,
next to the Falcon Souq, +974 4431234,
www.stateofqatar.com
Stand Up Paddeling, Kite &

Surfing, Wakeboarding
Equipment, Operators
Fly-N-Ride, Al Muthaf Street, Doha, Qatar,
+974 4498 2284, www.fly-n-ride.com
Flo Kite School, Westbay, Doha,
+974 55041039, www.flokiteschool.com
Kitesurfing Qatar, +97430179108,
www.kitesurfingqatar.com
QSUP, Qanat Quartier, Costa Malaz,
The Pearl-Qc, Doha, Qatar, +974 66602830,
www.qsup.me
Integrated Tie-down points

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Lightweight, hygienic & easy to clean
Strong ABS latches with stainless steel fixing screws
Intergrated polyethylene feet & large diameter drain plug
Strong, ergonomic polyethylene handles ( WCI-42 and up)
largest service network and 5 year warranty
Thick polyurethane refrigeration grade foam insulation
Designed for optimal performance/weight/volume balance
Strong, seamless, UV stabilised/food grade polyethylene CFC free
construction
www.waeco.ae info@waeco.ae
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Price: 10 DHS

GET READY FOR THE

DUBAI OFF-ROAD &

6-8.11.2014, DUBAI AUTODROME

ENJOYING A RIDE TO NOWHERE

MEET THE DESERT RECOVERY KING

PADDLE BOARDING THE BALEARICS

QATARS BIGGEST DUNES

GETS A 360 VIEW OF SIBERIA

Tried & Tested

STELLAR ELITE INTERMEDIATE

Issue 47, November 2014

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Editor-in-Chief Daniel Birkhofer

2014 Outdoor UAE FZE

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

BETWEEN THE LINES

The information contained is for general use only.

EXPERTS & CONTRIBUTORS

All contents are copyrighted and may not be

Eulogy van Dyk

WANT TO CONTRIBUTE? CONTACT US! contact@outdooruae.com

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

15 THE UAE BAJA

24 PADDLING THE BALEARICS

EVENT REVIEWS & REPORTS

60 CHAT WITH EVA CLARKE

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Here are the best shots sent in by you for the

Diving for pleasure.

From a different point of view.

In Ras Al Khaimah, taken from one of my weekly outdoor trips.

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Dubai Off-road and Adventure Show 2014

Dubai International Triathlon 2014

Dial-A-Battery Desert Stinker 2014

Wadi Adventure Race 7

Dubai Roadsters Coast

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Dubai Yoga and Music Festival 2014

November 21 to December 2, Downtown Dubai

5th Dubai International Parachuting

Dubai Grand Parade 2014

The Color Run

November 29, 9:00am, Dubai Autodrome, Motor City

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER 2014 - WWW.OUTDOORUAE.COM

Fujairah Offshore Fishing Tournament

start on the first day, arriving at the centre

Best Lady Angler - Team Ichiban

Join the community

OutdoorUAE has been

organising and running events for a

and setting your own tailored training path

Denali or Mount McKinley is the highest mountain peak in North America. It

Just a short distance away from the UAE

The rock climb of Carstenz Pyramid in

and despite being very remote it is still a

Aconcagua is the highest mountain

MIDDLE EASTS OUTDOOR, ADVENTURE, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE