footprints travel mag issue 6
DESCRIPTION
Oman's first premier Travel MagazineTRANSCRIPT
“Rock Zoo” of Duqm
Vol. 1, Issue 6 ,Vol. 1, Issue 6 , August - October 2012,August - October 2012, Winter SpecialWinter Special
Ra’s Madrakah,Ra’s Madrakah,Veronica- the swaying Veronica- the swaying
beautybeauty,, Cliff Diving World Cliff Diving World Series at Wadi Shab,Series at Wadi Shab, Celebrity sayCelebrity say & & moremore
A safari to Kenya’s wild,A safari to Kenya’s wild,Flight of the Gibbons,Flight of the Gibbons,
Adventures on an Enfield - Adventures on an Enfield - Himalayan Odyssey,Himalayan Odyssey, Most Most spectacular sitesspectacular sites & more more
Oman-TrailOman-Trail Globe-TrailGlobe-Trail
Oman’s first premier travel magazineOman’s first premier travel magazine
Readers Forum
I agree with your comment that Oman is the best kept secret (Footprints, November
2011 – January 2012) in the diving world. A real wonderland exists beneath the waters
and divers must feast on them. Serious divers should look into the prospects of diving
in Oman and I must say that it (diving here) is not all that difficult as many claim. New
divers can of course learn from the many diving institutes set in Oman, but I would really
wish that more professional divers would look into the beauty of Oman’s depths. Oman’s
diving season is roughly between October and May and the latter is also viewed as the
best time for diving. During the season, the water is very clear. Some of the main diving
sites include the Damaniyat islands and Bandar Jissah. Next time you are in Oman, go
take a dive and see for yourself the wonders that exist below the Omani seas!
D. Lewis, (Tourist in Oman, from Louisiana)
I met the rarest creature in the world last year – Lonesome George, a giant Galapagos
tortoise (refer caption in Footprints, November 2011 – January 2012). It was an
amazing experience. I am a big fan of tortoises and I am always drawn into those
big, yellow eyes. The first day I say one of them (tortoises), I was hooked and since
then have visited most of the major zoos, even the San Diego zoo. But, my biggest
meeting was with Lonesome George! As far as I know, George is close to 100 years
and is reportedly in good health. And I am not sure whether George has managed
to have an offspring; earlier attempts seems to have been unsuccessful and I do not
know whether the Galapagos National Park authorities have managed to get any
offspring successfully hatched so far. Would love to know more about George.
Linda George, Muscat
‘Balcony Laden Floating Condominium’ –
the seven day cruise report in Footprints
(November 2011 – January 2012) – made
an excellent read. It took me back to my
own cruise on large cruise ship. Although
I am quite shy and feel claustrophobic
when in confined spaces and had so may
misgivings before I boarded the gigantic
vessel, the remaining week (yes, I also had
a week’s cruise) was one of the greatest
ever experience for me. I was not sure as to
how, I, an independent traveler would find
vacation bliss on a mind-boggling big cruise
vessel, but, I did. While the details of the
experience are too long to write here, I must
say one thing: food, food, food, and food
was in plenty and because of the variety
one could never get tired of it. Besides that,
everything you want, which includes, gyms,
theatre, music, swimming pool, et al are
available and somehow, even if you prefer
solitude, you will still find like minded people
on board! What an experience!
Sue Morgan, Al Khuwair
Lonesome George II?
Cruise ships offer a whole new experience
Come, dive in Oman
Shrinking
Venice and
shrinking purseI would love to catch a sight of the
world’s tourism treasures before they
disappear (‘Honey, my Venice is sinking).
But, however much I want to I am not
able to move in that direction because I
find my purse is always shrinking!
Sunil DCosta, Seeb
What was once a small fishing village, located some six hours – 700kms -- away from the capital, Duqm,
in Al Wusta region, is today poised to become a brand new industrial destination!
A remarkable transformation is on the cards for this once sleepy fishing town when all of the current
development work is completed. The government of the Sultanate of Oman has invested heavily in Duqm
and all of it is going to bear fruit, soon.
This little town, which faces a busy regional sea lane and its port enjoying a very strategic location, is
poised to become a major maritime gateway that will serve an industrial and commercial hub.
Al Wusta region is no longer a mere desert! A port, a dry dock, an airport, a refinery, a petrochemical
complex, power and desalination infrastructure, an industrial area and a free trade zone as well as tourism
and residential projects are all in the making!
The region is rich with natural scenic beauty too – not to miss the beaches of Ras Madrakha, Ras Markaz,
the pink lagoon of Khaluf, the Arabian Oryx sanctuary, the 45 million years old rock garden and the one
and only floating hotel Veronica…
Mohamed Issa Al Zadjali
Editor-in-chief
Duqm – brand new industrial destination
Friend, phi losopher & guide
August - October 20126
C o n t e n t sO
n t
he
cove
r
Design: Beneek Siraj
Published by: Muscat Press & Publishing House SAOC
Postal address: P O Box 86, PC 115, Madinat Sultan Qaboos
Office location: Hatat House A, 2nd Floor, Suite No: 212
Ph: 24565697 Fax: 24565496
e-mail: [email protected]
Editor-in-chiefMohamed Issa Al Zadjali
Managing editorPriya Arunkumar
Work editorAdarsh Madhavan
Design & productionBeneek Siraj
Advt. & marketingPriyanka Sampat
PrintersOman Printers
22
10
Adventures on an Enfield -
Himalayan Odyssey
A group of 14 Enfield men (and a woman)
went up on one of the toughest motoring
routes in the world, on the Himalayas,
riding the Royal Enfield 500, to heights
ranging between 2700 to 10,000 feet
above sea level, and returned as boys
(and a girl)!
A safari to soak in Kenya’s wild
The exotic landscape of Kenya
matches with the untouched
wilderness and the unusual wildlife.
Rising above them all are the
Kenyan people, especially their
lovely, innocent children
Globe-Trai l
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A joint venture with Zahara Travel and Service Bureau
presentationA
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This year’s leading diving
competition was launched off the
cliffs of the picturesque French
island of Corsica. It will continue
its journey into some of the most
magnificent locations around
the world including Norway,
Portugal, Ireland, USA and UK
before landing for its seventh
and closing stop in the wonderful
Wadi Shab
Swaying beauty
Veronica, the 200-plus room floating
hotel, owned and operated by
the DSME, Daewoo Shipbuilding
and Marine Engineering Oman
LLC, the operators of Oman
Drydock Company, was seen as a
phenomenon when it docked here
some years back
Rock ‘Zoo’ of Duqm
We stood ensconced between
millions of years old rocks and
modern life taking shape just some
distance away and got ourselves
baked under a sweltering sun in the
blazing hot Rock Garden in Wilayat
Al Duqm, Al Wusta region
Flight of the Gibbon…
A firsthand experience on the Flight
of the Gibbon, a unique zipline
canopy experience where you fly
through a pristine rainforest
Oman-Trai l Oman-Trai l
Cliff Diving World Series concludes in
the picturesque Wadi Shab – Oman
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Black raven
(a safari to soak in Kenya’s wild)
A raven’s low, hoarse…almost croaking…sound seemed to
emerge from the dark, dense foliage beyond the main road as we
alighted from our extended safari Landcruiser, which had burst
a tire. It actually sounded like a sick crow, but van driver Robert
insisted that it was a raven.
croaking
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Robert, a native son of Kenya, who
was formerly trained as a soldier and
was part of the peace keeping force in
Sierra Leone, should know better. He
was driving one of the two Landcruisers
that were taking us – a bunch of sardonic
scribes and over enthusiastic travel
agents -- to Sweetwaters Tented Camp
from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
as part of our Kenyan fam trip, arranged
by National Travel and Tourism (NTT)
and Kenya Airways. Moyo Holidays were
the destination managers. Sleepy, after
a fabulous breakfast at the magnificent
Nairobi Serena Hotel, we were hurtling to
the tented camp when the serenity of our
drive was broken by the puncture, the
first of many to come!
We got out in the blazing sunlight to
forage among the bright colours of
Kenya: small food outlets painted stark
raving red, black attired dark Kenyans
along with their red adorned women.
Newspapers, fruits, plants are sold
from these roadside outlets bordering
large woodlands, abound with amazing
colours. Suddenly, our eyes fell upon a
lone black bird. Robert was right – it was
a raven, which was sizably larger than a
crow, almost the size of a hawk.
It stared at us.
Lookalike raven A scene like this itself could make it into
a postcard. Orange mud, green foliage,
blue sky, white cars, black men and
women wearing a riot of colours. The
men were mostly relaxed and laidback.
The women were entirely different. They
always seemed to be on the move and
definitely more industrious. When the
puncture was repaired we got into the
vehicle but not without throwing a second
glance at the raven, which fluttered and
took wing.
We went on our way and suddenly
in the hot semi dust-laden highway
our Landcruiser lost another tire to a
puncture. We got down again there on
this road flanked by small fields where
some workers were toiling. As we
unleashed our cameras, we sighted our
raven, yes, looked like the same one! It
has to be, or perhaps all ravens looked
alike!
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A different brew Two flats and a detour to Fairmont Mount
Kenya Safari Club Resort ate into our
time and schedule, but the coffee we had
at the resort made up for the inordinate
delay. Kenyan coffees were of a different
brew!
A kind of magic Still, we were not deterred by the
punctures or the heat. There was a kind
of magic in the air – the kind of magic that
made us believe that our dreams, our
fantasies were all going to come true! It
was the kind of magic that made us feel
that we, somehow, belonged here in the
wild!
Tourists are just tourists But, did we actually belong? Were we
somehow part of this? Not quite. We are
a clear contrast in the scheme of things of
Kenya. Highly opinionated tourists, in rich
seasonal clothes, expensive cameras,
money in our pockets and with nary a
care in the world save for our desire to
shoot ourselves silly before big game.
We were out of place in the earthy tones
of Kenya, where the sheer struggle to live
for man and beast alike is an unnerving
story, which most of us would studiously
avoid. We prefer to have what intoxicates
us: the wild animals; snatching up some
bargain items from poverty-ridden folks,
whom we believe we have successfully
conned.
We are not ready to stand in the Kenyan
blaze, which is really more intense,
more personal than we can strive to
understand. There are plenty out there
for whom a mere morsel or a drop of
water can be the difference between
life and death. If we understand that, we
would learn to appreciate the magic of
Kenya more. But, who has the time or the
inclination?
Charming Sweetwaters The vehicles turned slowly into the
luxurious Sweetwaters tented camp,
set in a 22000 acre wildlife sanctuary. It
offers the perfect African ambience for a
tourist, replete with a tented camp and
a well cared for animal sanctuary. Sheer
bliss! This private game reserve abounds
with wildlife and offers night game drives;
guided bush walks plus both horse and
camel riding across its plains. There were
around 30 luxuriously appointed tents.
Each tent had a thatched roof, an en
suite bathroom, a large verandah, most
of them overlooking the waterhole. It was
not just the quality of its African, Asian
and international cuisine (five course
table d’hote) that bowled us, the camp
night was peaceful (hot water bottles
gave us company in the beds) as well
as enchanting. Polite and graceful deers
walked all around the camp area and
the whole night was punctuated with
animal cries, some distant, some quite
near. The waterhole, which could be
viewed from the dining area, as well as
the tents, unveiled a steady stream of
animals ranging from zebras, warthogs,
ibis, cranes…many claimed seeing lions.
We were unlucky – we did not hear even
a roar.
A lone elephant The afternoon game drive gave us a
sample of what was to come. But the
jumbled sight of a variety of deer (impala,
bush bucks, dik-diks etc), zebras,
warthogs, bison and a lone elephant
could only whet our lips. The elephant
was not near, yet it seemed not too happy
at seeing us and glared at us until we
moved past it and disappeared into the
distance. They say lone elephants could
also be rogue elephants, but we were not
inclined to find that out for ourselves.
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The exotic landscape of
Kenya matches with the
untouched wilderness
and the unusual wildlife.
Rising above them all
are the Kenyan people,
especially their lovely,
innocent children
August - October 2012 13
Feeding a blind black rhino If you stumble upon a mother rhino and
her calf in the wild, it will surely attack you.
In fact, a black rhino can attain speeds
of upto 40 miles an hour, zoo officials
claim. But the one we met was a gentle
black giant, so tame that it ate from our
hands. The rhino is normally considered
to be dangerous, but blind Baraka at
Ol Pejeta Conservancy (Sweetwaters)
was a sweet old rhino who allowed us
the grandness of feeding him. A board
however cautions: “…all animals maybe
unpredictable. (So) approach Baraka at
your own risk…”. We did.
Feel good moments Fruit and vegetable vendors broke the
monotony of a rocky drive towards
the next destination for lunch: Lake
Elementaita lodge. En route we had a
stop over for photo shoots at a waterfall,
curio shops et al. Wherever we went
we bargained until the sellers gave in,
exhausted. They would never have met
specimens like us before! But, when
Gladys, a thin but optimistic sales lady,
took us to her tiny hole of a curio shop,
our bargaining resolve melted. There
were very little items there, but we did
not have the heart to move away without
spending some time and money there.
We were accosted by others who wanted
to show their outlets too, but we did not
budge. From the corner of our eyes, we
saw Gladys animatedly explaining to her
neighbour about our generous exploits
in her shop. She happily waved us
goodbye. We responded and felt a little
flicker of do-good happiness in us.
Fellow traveller Off the dirt track from the main Nairobi-
Nakuru highway, we drove in to Lake
Elementaita lodge, which had flower filled
gardens, a lovely pool and grassy lawns.
Robert, who sat with us during the lunch,
explained how in the south-to-north
sequence of Rift Valley lakes, Elmenteita
is located between Lake Naivasha and
Lake Nakuru. During the photo shoot and
the tour of the premises, our eyes fell on
the black raven again. It was perched
atop a tree and seemed quite innocent by
itself. As we tried to train our cameras on
this pesky stalking creature, she (she?)
flapped her wings and disappeared.
As we edged out of the lodge, we saw
her watching us again. We realised that
there was nothing ominous about her
presence; she could only be a benevolent
soul in the raven form; a fellow traveller; a
feathery guide!
Politically conscious A brief stopover at the market town of
Naivasha (part of the Nakuru district)
gave us an opportunity to hobnob with
some of the locals. Some of them were
exceptionally friendly and helpful, tending
to our needs and going out of the way
to assist us in our tasks. Most of them
were highly politically conscious and they
had their independent views with working
knowledge of other countries’ politics
too.
Hippos of Naivasha Persistent knocks at our door at around
3.30am hauled us up from our cosy
beds of the Lake Naivasha Country Club
where we were staying overnight. We
stumbled out and the friendly guards led
us over the slippery-when-wet grass.
We had befriended the guards who kept
their promise to help us get up, close
and friendly with the fabled hippos of
Naivasha. The previous evening we
had ventured out to the edge of Lake
Naivasha – along with the same guards
– and spent a near eerie three quarters of
an hour watching the submerged hippos.
Their eyes bulged out from the river
surfaces as they floated close. Where we
watching them or where they watching
us? And, where was our raven? We had
seen something fluttering earlier from the
tree tops, but this time our airy guide was
staying away from sight.
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Night hippo safari “Don’t go too close!” the guards cautioned
us as this intrepid group braved the cold
and the dark morning to wander along
with some of the most dangerous beasts
on earth – the lumbering hippos! Soon,
the group split into two as we followed
the pre-dawn snacking of the beasts on
the grassy lawn. There were others too,
but some of them whom we followed
disappeared into the night and later we
heard them splash nosily in the river as
they plunged headlong into it.
We also had the luck to be greeted by
some really extra tall giraffes right at
our doorsteps as they munched the
vegetation and leaves of trees outside
our rooms. Moments such as these
cannot be explained in mere words.
Shantytown stopover Heat waves danced up from the
ramshackle slums where water taps are
known to have dried, but we still went
searching for something to wet our
parched lips. Dust whipped through this
small town, which comprised of many
tin-roof shacks, where vendors sold
small essentials.
Children gathered around as some of us
in the group turned mini Santas doling
out toffees to the youngsters.
The women members tried out the
fashionable tight curls and braiding
from a Kenyan hair stylist set in a small
dwelling. You could also get rides on
100 to 200 cc bikes and in fact, Robert
hopped on one to get an essential spare
part – a fan belt -- from the main town
for his vehicle, which was broken, one
of the main reasons for stopping at this
shantytown.
Empowering womenWe were some hours into the interiors of
Kenya, yet, we had not seen anything of
the big game as yet. Or, any game. Big
birds, yes! And big men lolling about,
while their thin as well as large women
desperately sought out to better their
lives by engaging in all kinds of labour to
meet both ends.
Africa is honed in this constant struggle
of these determined women, with several
kids and mostly a work-shy husband,
who does the job of 10 men to keep
her family afloat. The success story of
Kenya too would lie in empowering these
women who have the power and the
ability to lift families and communities –
men included – out of poverty.
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Tall woesBeing the tallest living terrestrial animal has its disadvantages. Because of its
long neck, it is difficult for giraffes to pick, eat or drink from the ground level.
To bend down to eat, it has to either spread its front legs very wide apart
and pick its food, or bend its knees. Most often, they look as though they are
about to fall.
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Out of disappointment stemmed such
idealistic observations because that
afternoon, which was originally reserved
for a game drive, where we were supposed
to see the game of the savannah, was
totally wasted as we were stuck with a
handicapped vehicle. It took a while for
us to reach the Mara Serena Safari lodge
and all this while our eyes darted out of
the speeding vehicle trying to rediscover
the raven again. Sometimes we thought
we saw her, and sometimes we didn’t.
She was playing hide and seek.
No big game?Rains lashed the car and drowned the
dusty track with muddy streams as we
neared the Mara Serena lodge. Just as
we dashed in from the rain, we heard her
again. The raven. Croaking in the rain.
But, we still couldn’t see her. She was
somewhere around!
Ensconced in the safety of the lodge,
we relaxed and how! We made up for
the time lost in the afternoon and our
deprived luncheon with a vengeance. But
deep in us, we wondered whether this
was one Kenya trip sans the big game?
God’s own creatures But the big game was just playing hooky
with us. They were just around the corner
waiting to surprise us in the expanse of
the Masai Mara. En route to the Keekorok
lodge, we finally began to satisfy our
cravings for the big game as most of the
missing members and other creatures of
the safari capital of the world streamed
into view displaying their sheer majesty
for us.
Post lunch, we were once again treated to
a real time play of the mesmerising animal
world peopled with as many animals that
we could conjure in our fantasies. As we
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ventured deep into Kenya’s most popular
game sanctuary, we began to realise that
there is nothing more satisfying than to
watch God’s own creatures go about
their lives in their own wild world.
Best for last This trip reserved the best part for the
last. The beautiful Sarova Mara Game
Camp was one of the best camps
out of the whole trip. The camp is well
positioned to enjoy the best of the Masai
Mara. Although we did not have the luck
to view the phenomenal spectacle of
the wildebeest migration, which could
be viewed sitting at the camp, thanks
to its layout and the other activities
there, we enjoyed the locale like mini-
kings in paradise. The only downside
to the luxury tented experience was the
odd policy of power cutting from 4pm
to 6pm and 12am to 4am. Since some
of us were not warned about the same,
we were quite incensed at this power cut
and ventured out in the inky blackness
to voice our protest. However, we were
pacified when the friendly and supportive
guards helped us out with candles and
matches and led us back to the safety
of the tent. Also, the wooden doors had
no locks. Perhaps security may not be
an issue there in such a beautiful locale,
but it does pose some uneasy moments
when you realise this.
Epilogue We stopped for lunch on the side of the
highway whilst on the way back to the
airport from where we would fly out to
Muscat. At a distance we saw our raven
alighting on the branch of a tree. It waited
while we finished our meal and then as
our vehicles moved, it flew past us and
beyond, its tail waving us goodbye. We
made a silent prayer of thanks to the
departing wings of this strange black
mascot. She seems to have been our
good luck charm. Other than some
punctures, we were all safe and sound.
Bye, bye raven! Keep flying!
August - October 2012 19
An oft repeated quote in the biking circles
– especially in the Enfield biking segment,
where it originated from -- is that
if you ride asif you ride as a boy on a bike to the a boy on a bike to the
Himalayas you willHimalayas you will return as a man; return as a man;
if you ride as a manif you ride as a man to the Himalayas to the Himalayas
then you return as a sagethen you return as a sage; ;
if you go as a sage, you will probably if you go as a sage, you will probably
returnreturn as a boy. as a boy.
Globe-Tra i l
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– adventures on an
Here, a group of 14 Enfield men (and a woman) went up on one
of the toughest motoring routes in the world, on the Himalayas,
riding the Royal Enfield 500, to heights ranging between 2700 to
10,000 feet above sea level, and returned as boys (and a girl)!
Himalayan Odyssey
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August - October 201222 August - October 201222
Ani Varghese revs up his Royal Enfield Classic 500 at his bike showroom in Wattayah. The bullet rumbles in its classic tug-tug-tug sound and strikes an immediate chord in the heart of Bullet lovers. There is something unmistakingly rough, tough and wild about a
Bullet/Royal Enfield, which other bikes, however bigger and richer, cannot offer. There is nothing like a Bullet, which while being minimalist, still offered an unusual rugged charm.Ani, 41, whose love affair with a bike began when he was just 14, was the team leader
for this Himalayan ‘Bullet’ expedition. He explains that their ride up the Himalayas was not just a picnic – but one of sheer adventure.
Here, both Ani and his other team member, Krystal
Murriy, detail the wonder of riding together in extreme
conditions on an isolated terrain and how they flogged
their Enfields on almost impenetrable roads.
Globe-Tra i l
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Thundering atop mountains They had their share of tumbles, ill luck
and risky life-and-death moments. But,
like Ani noted, riding an Enfield is not just a
ride – it is a special bike for a special rider
and they were special moments. Riding
an Enfield is about attitude and riding
it skillfully is an achievement. Riding it
atop the Himalayas is all about teamwork
and having a sound head above your
shoulder. But, it is the ultimate adventure
on a mountain, Ani noted.
Recalling their thrilling moments when the
group thundered across the mountains
and plains of the Himalayas, Ani noted
how such rides were all about the rider
and what he/she rode. “Riding in the
Himalayas is primarily about who you
are and not just about how you ride,” Ani
explained. “When you talk about riding, it
is riding in an unusual environment where
we have to meet with difficult challenges
at every turn. But, it is also about making
a mistake and then learning from it!
“We experienced lot of hurdles, but we
managed to overcome them, and some
days, it was quite difficult to ride. Bikers
had their share of tumbles; bikes had
their share of damages! We also had our
share of altitude sicknesses! There were
some moments when we wouldn’t feel
like getting on a bike, but, once we did,
we forgot everything and rode like the
wind!
“But, despite all the challenges, we did
not break down! We somehow rose to
the occasion and managed to battle the
odds!”
Third-time ventureThis is Ani’s third biking adventure so
far. “After completing this successfully,
we are now keen to make this an annual
affair. June to July is the best time for
the trip and I would always recommend
the Royal Enfield 500 (classic) for these
type of mountainous biking adventures,”
Ani said.
“For every biker this is a dream route
with all sorts of different and difficult
terrain from water to ice to rock to gravel
to sand… every turn is tricky and you
have to be most vigilant to complete the
nine-day route successfully. Our team of
14 bikers comprised senior professional
bikers to rank new bikers; a backup
team to ensure that the adventurous trail
remains safe and exciting!”
Love for bikes“Biking is in my blood. A biker is not
created – you either have it or you don’t.
The passion for it is inbuilt and you need
to build on it. My dad was a biker and
he had an Enfield. So, I took up biking
at a very young age. I have had the
experience of riding all brands of bikes.”
Other than his passion for riding, Ani is
also a full-fledged bike mechanic: “I was
one of the first –starting in 1999 -- Harley
Davidson mechanics in town.”
Dream life A life with bikes has always been a dream
for Ani and it is this dream that he brought
to life at a very early age. “My love for the
Enfield is not a passing fancy, as a sound
technical bike mechanic, I can vouch for
its performance any day. The trip which
we took would have been impossible on
any other bike other than an Enfield 500.
The brand is synonymous with quality,
durability, performance and credibility.
Oman’s bike market is still at a very
nascent stage and only a handful of
passionate bikers are available in town.
Being the dealer for Enfield in Oman, I
hope to woo in many more passionate
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‘Bullet’ riders whiz past a camp in the Himalayas
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all that a biker can ever dream of!”
This year, the team of 14 comprised
different nationalities, and of a mean
age range of 24 to 64 years; some were
professional bikers, while some were
pretty raw. Most of them were above 40,
but all keen bikers. It was truly a trip of
the like minded.
“I remember every corner was tricky,
every terrain a challenge! In fact mine
was specially challenging one, with a
small mishap that threw me off my bike
at a treacherous turn, leaving me with a
broken wrist. I feel, for a biker, the safest
haven is on top of a bike, and I had to
confine myself to the seat of the follow
up van for a day, until my wrist was
medically attended to. In fact sitting in
the van actually made me more nervous,
because of the winding roads! After a
day of rest, I was back on track with a
bandaged arm and completed my trip
successfully. Good times always come to
an end but I have come back refreshed
and ready for the next adventure!”
Moments of bliss When they were riding, the roar of the
bikes could drown any other sound. But,
when they camped out in the Himalayas,
there were sheer and unbeatable
moments of tranquility and peace where
the stillness enveloped everything. “There
were moments of complete stillness that
was amazing; it could heal any wound,
real or imagined; it was poetic!” Ani and
Krystal recalled. And there was music
too. There were moments when nature
thrilled them with heavenly music. “The
sheer wind and the trickle of water from
little springs made magical music!” they
said as they rekindled those moments of
sheer bliss atop the Himalayas.
Six out of the 14 bikers were from Oman:
The six bikers are residents of Oman,
brought together by the love of biking
and the Enfield brand…
The 11-day trip started off from Oman to
New Delhi airport and to Chandigarh by
local train, reaching the starting point of
the nine-day adventurous biking route.
Bikers from Oman• Ani Varghese (team Leader and
Enfield local dealer)
• Krystal Murriy
• Simon Hawgood
• Lars
• Jesper Ege Rasmussen
• Kevin Junglov
and serious bikers in to the adventure
team. I hope to do more of the road trips
and one day hope to take up a bike trip
on the Silk Route. The Leh-Ladakh route
is considered the toughest motoring
route in the world and I believe that every
serious biker should take up this route. It
is a lifetime achievement for every biker
as it offers multiple terrains to ride on!”
A real biking experience“I have no words to describe the 9-day
(actually 11, taking in the total days of
travel) adventure!” Krystal Murriy, a keen
biker, noted.
“This is a route and ride every biker will
dream of. I have been on a bike since I
was three. Both of my parents are biking
enthusiasts. I have mastered the bike at
an age where girls of my age were just
out on the playground.
When Ani told us all about the Leh-
Ladakh route trip, I knew I was not going
to miss it! Looking back, I guess I will do
it every year! It is a challenging, exciting
and a dream route for bikers of the world.
With a good support team, the 9 to 11
day trip proved to be a well planned
adventure. The climate, the landscape,
the terrain and the vroom of the bikes is
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“The Leh-Ladakh route is considered the toughest motoring route in the world. Every serious
biker should take up this route. It is a lifetime achievement for every biker as it offers multiple
terrains to ride on!”
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Stay at: Agyaat Vass Eco Lodge
Route: Panchkula – Pinjaur – Kalka – Dharampur – Solan
– Kandaghat – Chail – Kufri- Theog-Narkanda
Narkanda is a town in Shimla district in the Indian state of
Himachal Pradesh. It is at an altitude of 2708 meters on
the Hindustan-Tibet Road (NH 22) and about 65 km.
Stay at: Hotel Shangri-la, Kalpa
Route: Narkanda-Rampur-Jeori-sungra-Wangtu- Karcham-
Poari-Recong Peo – Kalpa
Kalpa is a small town in the Sutlej river valley, above Recong Peo
in the Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh. It is inhabited by
Kinnauri people and famous for its apple orchards.
Kalpa is a town with a history of ancient temples. The Sutlej river
below hurtles through deep gorges, the winding mountain road is
bordered by chilgoza forests. The serenity of this sleepy hamlet
was not often visited by foreigners until recently, but there are still
relatively few visitors. Relaxation of the inner line permits in the
mid-nineties (kinnaur borders China) opened the area to tourism.
Stay: the Spiti, Kaza
Route: Kalpa-RecongPeo – Poari – Jangi – Puh – Yangthang –
Chango – Tabo – Kaza
The town of Kaza, Kaze or Kaja is the subdivisional headquarters
of the remote Spiti Valley in the Lahaul and Spiti district, Himachal
Pradesh in the western Himalayas of India. Spiti, which is a part
of the the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal. Kaza, situated
along the Spiti River river at an elevation of 3,650 metres (11,980
ft) above mean sea level, is the largest township and commercial
center of the Valley.
Stay at: The Chandrabhaga, Keylong
Route: Kaza – Losar – Kunzum – Pass – Batal – Chhatru – Gramphu – Sissu – Tandi –
Keylong
Situated at an altitude of 3350 m, keylong is the headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti
district of Himachal Pradesh. The region is strange, exciting, primitive, mountainous and
delightful. It is located along the Manali-Leh Highway, about 7 km (4.3 m) north-east of
intersection of the Chandra valley, the Bhaga valley and the Chenab valley; on the banks
of Bhaga river. It is an oasis of green fields and willow trees, water streams surrounded
with brown hills and snow capped peaks.
Day 1: Narkanda Day 2: Kalpa
Day 3: Kaza
Day 4: Keylong
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Stay at: Himalayan Saga, Sarchu
Route: Keylong – Jispa – Dharcha – Patsio – Baralacha La-
Sarchu
Sarchu (Also called Sir Bhum Chun), a tented camp in the
Himalayas on the Leh-Manali highway, on the boundary
between Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh (Jammu and
Kashmir) in India. It is situated between Baralacha La to the
south and Lachulung La to the north, at an altitude of 4,290
m. The journey along the Manali-Leh highway at high altitude
and variable road conditions, normally takes two days, so
travellers and tourists use this spot as an overnight stop. An
Indian army camp is sited nearby on the banks of the Tsarap
Chu River. The highway and thus the camp are closed during
the winter, when snow blocks the high passes along the road.
This spot can also be used as a start point for the difficult trek
into the Zanskar region of the Ladakh.
Stay at: Hotel Caravan Centre, Leh,
Route: Sarchu – Lingti- Lachalung La – Tanglang La – Rumtse
– Lato – Upshi – Thiksey – Leh
Leh is the heart of the Leh Disctrict and capital of Ladakh in
the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Leh is located in the Indus river valley at a crossroad of the old
trading routes from Kashgar, Tibet and Kashmir.
Stay at: Thirit Camp, Thirit
Route: Leh – South Pullu – Khardung La – Khardung – Khalsar
– Thirit
The Nubra Valley, once on the trading route that connected
easter Tibet with Turkistan via the famous Karakoram Pass, is
the most recently opened area of Ladakh. Nubra invites you
to a trip back in time into a nearly forgotten ‘Shangri La’. With
breathtaking views and delightfully hospitable inhabitants,
it is quite an experience. Local scholars say that its original
name has was Ldumra (the valley of flowers). The Shyok River
meets the Nubra or Siachan River to form a large valley that
seperates the Ladakh and the Karakorm Ranges. The average
altitude of the valley is about 10,000 ft. above sea level.
Route: Thirit – Khalsar – Khardung- Khardung La – South
Pullu - Leh
Day 5: Sarchu
Day 6 & 7: LEH
Day 8: Nubra Valley
Day 9: Return to Leh
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Flight of the Gibbon…Words: Priyanka Sampat
Photographs: Jackline Vieira
August - October 201232
One moment I was on terra firma, and in the next, I was swinging wildly from tree to
tree like a mad monkey. It was great to be a
teenager again! I doubt whether any ‘flight’ could be
this fun and exhilarating! I was in a deep Thai rainforest enjoying an
unrepeatable adventure – the Flight of the Gibbon, a unique zipline canopy
experience where you fly through a pristine rainforest.
My heart skipped a beat when I stood on the first
treetop platform and viewed the scene before me – the ziplines looked like some
thin lines, more like electric lines, connecting some
large trees in a dense green forest. For some moments
I stood there transfixed, not fully sure of what I was
going to do. Then the gentle voice of one of the two young sky rangers, who
accompanied us throughout the tour, broke in to my moment of temporary
paralysis: “It is quite safe, you don’t have to worry one bit,” he said, smiling
reassuringly at me. I closed my eyes, gulped and finally decided to take
the plunge.But, before I leap, let me
take you back to how I got here:
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After many discussions and
brainstorming sessions on the various
destinations to visit, we zeroed down on
Thailand, deciding to explore Thailand
a little differently than the usual. Some
research led us to discover an adventure
sport, Thailand’s premiere day Zip Line
Canopy adventure tour called the ‘Flight
of the Gibbon’, which is located an hour
away, on the outskirts of Bangkok in the
lush rainforests of the Chonburi district in
Thailand, somewhere between Bangkok
and Pattaya. The world famous course
is situated between the 30,000 hectare
Chompoo Wildlife Sanctuary, home to
some of Thailand’s most fascinating
plant and animal life and Khao Kheeo
Open Safari.
Once we reached there we were
welcomed by the friendly staff who
gave us a verbal tour of the flight. Then
we were introduced to the sky rangers.
They explained the nitty gritty of the tour
and gave us the safety instructions, after
which we were equipped with the safety
gear.
Then we set out for a quite steep 15
minutes walk in the rainforests of
Thailand, which brought us to the first
treetop platform to start off our zip lining
experience.
The whole zip line canopy was stretched
over three kilometres. The first zip line
was rather low and stretched to around
50 meters. Every time we started off, one
sky ranger would zip line to the other end
before us to ensure that we land safely…
I shut my eyes, uttered a prayer, and then
launched myself into a world unknown.
During the Eid holidays (Aug 2012) my group of friends (famously known as the ‘Wolfpack’) and I decided to go on a mini vacation or more like a
weekend getaway.
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August - October 2012 37
A gibbon at the Khao Kheeo open zoo
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But, I couldn’t shut it permanently. My
eyes inflated, my heart raced and my
breath whizzed along with the ‘flight’. For
the first few moments, I did not realise
that I was screaming and when I did the
silence that followed was all enveloping
and I began to scream again.
What I was doing was – in a crude form
– what the masters of air locomotion,
namely, the gibbons, did in forests –
swinging from branch to branch. But
unlike these extremely acrobatic and agile
creatures of the forests, I was a novice
to this. Yet, within the next few minutes,
I realised that there was nothing much
to fear. Safety is foremost in this flight
and while it is a fast paced experience
(you can zip between platforms in mere
seconds at times) and quite a challenge
for the vertically disinclined. But, if you
manage to control your initial fear, it is a
cakewalk, or should I say, ‘cakefly’?
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Globe-Tra i l
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August - October 2012 41
One important thing to remember though
is that you should never ever place your
hands on the iron rope – your fingers
could get sliced off in a jiffy! But, the safety
aspects were thoroughly drilled into us by
the sky rangers so we were not liable to
make such mistakes. I flew, sometimes,
low, but still cutting in between the trees
and other times, atop them, so much
so that all I could see below were the
frail tips of the presumably tall trees!
Sometimes it felt as though I could even
touch the skies.
I was part of a nine member group and
all of us zipped, most of us yodeling on
top of our voices. We zipped across 24
platforms, with one of the longest zip line
stretching over 300 metres. We spent
nearly three hours in the air enjoying
one of the most unadulterated flying
pleasures one could ask for. They say all
good things have to end and so it was
with a certain amount of reluctance that
we descended down from the ‘heavens’
back to the land, but an authentic and
delicious Thai meal helped bring us down
to earth. We ate ravenously, for we did
work up an appetite.
Post delicious meal we were taken around
the Khao Kheeo* open safari where we
were given a full animal treat up close,
even some of the most endangered ones.
When we were getting out of the
enclosure, we saw a group all trussed
up in safety gear moving a bit nervously
towards the platforms. We grinned
amongst ourselves and gave them a
silent wink – they did not know they were
going to experience a flight of a lifetime!
(Khao Kheeo is a world renowned
model for the ‘open zoo’ concept where
animals are kept in spacious landscaped
enclosures.)
Price: 3299 Baht/person (approx OMR41/
person)
Website: http://www.treetopasia.com
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In the stillness of a half moon silent night a stray mutt barks somewhere in the distance. We
pulled down the windows of our four wheeler and gazed out into the darkness. We wanted to have a night vision of the rather strange spot we had visited earlier in the day. We were passing through this place so we just briefly stopped to have a night look at a rock garden that we were
all awe struck by, earlier that morning.
In the mut
pppppppulllleand ghave ahad vthhrouhhaavvee a
aa
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August - October 2012 43
The dog barked again and in the distance as our eyes got used to the darkness we saw some eerie looking mammoth-sized animals taking shape. It seemed as though we were on another planet – an animal planet -- where the beasts were cast in stone. Have one of those stone beasts come alive? Did the barking mutt emerge from this stone zoo?
Beasts coming alive We raised the windows and moved on in the dark as we pondered over this weird theory of a ‘stone’ animal coming alive. It was a strange experience and so we did not want to entertain such lay thoughts. The ever affable Mutasam Sulaiman Nasser Al Taway, a media man from Oman Drydock Company SAOC (which had organised this trip to Duqm, particularly to this rock garden), turned and smiled at us: “Do you want to get down and have a midnight picnic in a rock garden?” We were energised by the thought, but we finally decided not to give into our whims. We already had a taste of this famous garden in the blazing sunlight earlier that morning…
eedd
eee aa hhhoouuuggghhhttt, aaa tttaaasssttteee oooffff tthhhiisss
August - October 2012 43
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Amidst history and modernity We stood some several hundred
kilometers away from Muscat, almost in
the middle of nowhere: On one side we
were touching several millions of years,
and on the other – now, modernity,
today. Millions of years old rock on one
side, today’s technology on the other.
We stood ensconced between these
millions of years old rocks and modern
life taking shape just some distance
away and got ourselves baked under a
sweltering sun in the blazing hot Rock
Garden in Wilayat Al Duqm, Al Wusta
region.
45 million years old History touched modernity and that
unique moment was not lost upon us as
we gingerly stepped on some ordinary
looking limestone and sandstone rocks.
Never judge anything – even rocks – by
their looks. For these rocks are said to be
some 40-odd million years old!
Standing in the rock garden, overwhelmed
by the strange rock formations, we also
realised that we were in the middle of
history, archeology, geography and
geology, and then strangely enough, as
we looked into the near distance, you
saw cranes and trucks moving. “On the
one hand you have millions of years old
rocks and on the other you have modern
technology plugging away on the ground
nearby as new buildings and offices
slowly take shape in the distance,”
Mutasam Al Taway explained to us.
The incongruity of the scene is that
development activity is spread all around
this rock garden, which is a three square
kilometers stretch of limestone and
sandstone rocks, which was formed in
an underground freshwater aquifer over
46 million years ago.
Larger-than-life figures This three-square kilometers stretch is
devoid of all activity, except for curious
visitors like us who have come to admire
nature’s work of art. Over the years,
some of the greatest artists known to
mankind, namely wind, water, frost and
other natural forces, have shaped some
unusual figures on this soft white sand.
Some larger-than-life animal figures are
hewn out of the limestone and sandstones
forming a veritable Rock Zoo.
Top site of geological importance Duqm’s rock garden is one of the top 25
Oman-Tra i l
sites of geological scientific importance
in Oman and the rock formations
are of exceptional scenic beauty.
This ancient stone park set in a dry
landscape is a protected heritage site.
While its geological scientific value is
unmistakable, the other aspect, its ability
to inspire is equally amazing. Recently,
it was also a location for a group of
artists, photographers and writers
who, according to published reports,
stayed there for three days as part of a
project, to create their own impressions
of this geological and geomorphological
wonders of this planet.
Another 45 million years?A visit to this rock wonder is highly
recommended. It is amazing how in the
stillness of these uniquely shaped rocks
your mind empties itself and slowly
takes on the surroundings. This is a
phenomenon that has managed to lift
itself from above the mundane growth
of civilisation and even the ravages of
time for the last 45 million years. Instead
of asking the trite question whether it
might survive another 45 million years,
the question to really ask is whether we
will be true to our responsibility to keep it
going for the next 45…?
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Oman-Tra i l
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Is that a dog? A sea lion? No, just a rock shaped like an animal at the Rock
Garden in Duqm
August - October 2012 47
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Where the sea, mountains and hills
Oman-Tra i l
August - October 201248
August - October 2012 49
After savouring the rock garden, we thought it would be only fit
to visit a pristine natural spot where the sea, mountains and hills
meet. A visit to Duqm is not complete without visiting one of its
most popular spots – Ra’s Madrakah, a peninsula that can be
found further to its southern end.
Ra’s Madrakah is about 46km -- around 40 minutes by car –
from Duqm in Al Wusta region. We hit the road from Duqm in
the late afternoon hours to reach our destination a little over
40 minutes owing to a couple of stops to reconfirm the route
with passers bye. There are some villages scattered along its
coast and this quaint spot is a much visited area as we ourselves
realised seeing the number of vehicles returning from the beach
area as we sped there. Some of them were tourists too. Most of
them come to enjoy the weather, to bathe in the sea and the fish
and also to soak in the serenity of the surroundings.
Moving into the white beach, we quickly panned the area to find
some quick shots to take back home. The beach is set in an
area with rocky cliffs on either side. Some of the rocks seem
to rise from the sea and one could sit on the sands watching
the sea playfully gushing over the rocks and sometimes sending
spectacular sprays. The sun was setting as we sat there,
emptying our minds of all thought.
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Swaying Oman-Tra i l
August - October 201250
beauty
Duqm’s unmistakable pride is docked silently at its port. But, the silence
is expected to be broken soon when news of this
swaying beauty spreads far and wide and its popularity
rises in tandem with the emerging industrial oil town
that is Duqm. The town is surely going
to blip on the global industrial radar soon, and the country’s first and only floating luxury hotel, is also
going to get its due.
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Oman-Tra i l
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August - October 2012 53
Veronica, the 200-plus room floating hotel, owned and operated by the DSME, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Oman LLC, the
operators of Oman Drydock Company, was seen as a phenomenon when it docked here some years back. It came at a time when the Omani government was investing heavily in Duqm’s development. Thereby it served as the ideal
venue to accommodate the stakeholders involved in the development. A cheerful Sean Halliday, rooms division manager of Veronica, gave us the
works: “All of the 200-plus rooms on the Veronica are well furnished. You can choose from a range of luxury, deluxe and standard rooms. Veronica also
has readily available entertainment facilities for the guests including karaoke rooms, library, business centre, sports bar, theatre, shopping arcade, gym,
salon, swimming pool, lounges and multi cuisine restaurants.”
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August - October 2012 55August - October 2012 55
Halliday gave us a tour of the Veronica where one can stay a night at
prices ranging from OMR32 for serviced residences to OMR215 for
one of the two luxury cabins on board. In October 2010, the DSME
bought Mona Lisa, a cruise ship built in 1966, from Bahamas shipping
firm Leonardo Shipping Inc, with the intention of converting it into a
luxurious floating hotel, to be stationed at the Duqm Drydock. With
investments of over $30mn, the ship was renamed as Veronica. The
Veronica, previously known as the MV Mona Lisa, began life in 1966
as a transatlantic liner for the Swedish American Line, a passenger and
cargo shipping line. It was commissioned in Clydebank, Scotland by
one of the biggest shipping companies of the world John Brown and
Company.
Maritime historyEarly in the tour, Halliday pointed out to a large mural, which depicted
the maritime history of Sweden. “We have retained this mural as a
memoir to the ancient history,” Halliday explained. “The last owner was
Greek and the vessel was called Monalisa. The DSME took charge some
22 months back and this was the second vessel to go to the Drydock.
The ship was refurbished and the interiors were done by DSME and are
managed by the same operators,” Halliday said.
Focus on Duqm “Duqm ‘as a region’ is on the highlight of development and progress
and we hope to see more tourists and visitors in the near future. With the
Duqm airport on the agenda, we are sure the percentage of the visitors
will only increase. Our first international guests were from Sweden, a
group of serious bird watchers. They were in Salalah and on their way
back stayed in Duqm on the Veronica. There are no five star hotels
currently in this area and Veronica is a pleasant and unique luxury option.
With the beauty of the pristine beaches nearby, like the Ras Madrakha
and Ras Markaz, the wind sculpted heritage Rock Garden dated several
millions of years and the fabled Oryx Sanctuary near Haima, the region
is a rich destination for visitors and tourists. We arrange tours for our
guests aboard,” Halliday said.
A good place to rest Currently, the local residents are unaware of the facilities available at
Veronica and guests are mostly business related clients of companies
like ODC. “There is a fair amount of people travelling from Muscat
and Dubai to Salalah and Duqm being the halfway point would be a
good place to rest from the long drive. We are looking forward to those
travellers in the near future, once we start our promotional and seasonal
offers,” Halliday said. The Floating Hotel Veronica also has several
retail and office spaces available for lease to local and international
businesses who wish to open a satellite office in Duqm and be closer to
their project sites,” Halliday said. The Veronica offers guests a home-
away-from-home atmosphere and it can also accommodate both long
staying business clients involved in Duqm projects as well as tourists
visiting to see the tourist spots within the vicinity, he added.
(The B&W team visited the Veronica in mid-May this year and the facts
are related as per the date. For bookings: reservations@veronicaduqm.
com; [email protected] )
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Cliff Diving World Series concludes in the picturesque
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August - October 2012 57
Wadi Shab – Oman
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August - October 2012 59
Cliff DivingRed B
ull
Every high diver’s dream is to qualify for the Olympics. They
work hard to perfect their jump and achieve the ultimate score,
overcoming the many risks and obstacles that come in their way.
With time comes the experience, and with experience comes
perfection. But after outgrowing swimming pools, divers begin to
search for bigger challenges, ultimately reaching for one of the
most exhilarating sports in the world: cliff diving. And with Red
Bull Cliff Diving World Series dominating that scene, divers will
definitely step up their game for a chance to be crowned World
Champions.
This year’s leading diving competition was launched off the cliffs
of the picturesque French island of Corsica on June 22nd. It will
continue its journey into some of the most magnificent locations
around the world including Norway, Portugal, Ireland, USA and UK
before landing for its seventh and closing stop in the wonderful
Wadi Shab – Oman on September 27.
The Oman stop will be held under the patronage of His Highness
Sayyid Tarik bin Shabib Al-Said and in partnership with the
ministry of tourism, Muscat Arab Tourism Capital 2012, MBC
Action, Omantel and Merge FM.
The final stopOman hosts the season showdown in the gorgeous Wadi Shab.
The canyon-like valley provides a most spectacular backdrop
for the crowning of the 2012 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series
Champion.
Palm and date trees line the narrow, winding and old rock paths,
with a series of streams, aquamarine pools and waterfalls —
the Wadi combines the attractions of coastal areas and inland
wonders. Wadi Shab lies in Niyabat Tiwi, a village between the
capital, Muscat,and the town of Sur. Easy to reach from the
Qurayyat-Sur highway; it has at least seven pools of emerald
green water and is studded with dramatic boulders. One of the
pools is in a cave where light streams in dramatically from above
The world’s elite cliff divers step up their game for the series finale on September 27th
and there are fantastic echoes heard when one swims in it.
Kingfishers add glorious splashes of colour. Although parts were
damaged in a cyclone, it is still one of the most scenic Wadis in
all of Oman. Some of the natural pools are not for swimming in,
however, as the spring water is an important part of the local
villages’ resources.
Mana and Pono – back to the rootsBuilding on its Olympic roots, this extreme sport requires both
immense strength and balance or what is known as “Mana”
and “Pono” in ancient Hawaiian Shamans. These fundamental
beliefs were at the core of 18th century cliff diver – Lei Lei
Kawa’s philosophy as he rose to fame for his daring jumps. In
modern times, cliff diving continues to call for these two qualities,
particularly with diving adventures thriving in various locations
around the world. Yet it wasn’t until May 2009 that the sport
acquired its organised and professional form of today, when
Red Bull launched the Cliff Diving World Series involving dives of
vertiginous heights comparable to that of the roof of a 10-storey
building. Every year, 14 of the world’s cliff diving elite with huge
amount of cliff diving experience and ranging in age between 25
and 46 years are selected from 10 different countries to compete
in this absorbing contest.
27 meters, 3 seconds, 85 km/hIt takes three seconds to jump from a height of 27 meters and
hit the waters at the speed of 85 km per hour... three simple
seconds that define this mighty jump and call for perfect physical
awareness as the slightest mistake could cause permanent
physical damage to the diver, similar to a 13 meter-high jump
on dry land. During that time, divers accelerate from 0 to
85km/h. But what might seem like a blink for the spectator is
in fact an eternity for the athlete as he “flies” off the cliff in a
perfectly synchronised motion, before immersing in the water,
decelerating then resurfacing with a sigh of relief.
August - October 201260
The competition itself is organised under the form of dual
confrontation with heightened levels of excitement all throughout
the event. And still... the incredibly skilled athletes have to win the
approval of the international judges, who score every fraction of
the dive starting from the moment of the jump to every position
during the “flight” all the way through to immersion.
Cliff diving heroesIn the inaugural 2009 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series competition,
Orlando Duque from Colombia was crowned champion followed
by UK’s Gary Hunt in second place and Artem Silchenko from
Russia came in third. In the following season, roles were inverted
as the Englishman managed to exceed expectations and sweep
up the lead, relegating the Colombian back to second, while the
Russian maintained his position.
Unfortunately, Duque sustained some injuries which kept him
away from the competition in 2011; Hunt retained his lead and
Silchenko jumped up to second place while Michal Navratil from
the Czech Republic won the last of the podium positions. The 2012
World Series is well on its way towards the second half following
stops in Corsica, Norway, Portugal and Ireland, lead by Orlando
Duque (610 points). Hunt (UK) is in second place with 510 points.
As for Artem Silchenko, he secured back to back wins during the
third and fourth phases which prompted him to third place (500
points) in the overall standings.
The leading trio is joined by eight other divers to constitute the
11 permanent divers in the competition, with three more being
selected at every round to bring up the total number to 14. The
first three rounds include seven dual confrontations, with the
winners and the losing diver with the highest score qualifying
for the final dive. Cliff Diving World Series champion is the
athlete who scores the highest cumulated number of points in all
competitions during the season.
RBCD World series finale in Wadi ShabSeven stops around the world from Corsica in the Mediterranean,
to Grimstad in Norway, to the Azores in Portugal followed by the
Serpent’s Lair in Ireland, Boston in the United States, Wales –
UK and finally Wadi Shab in Oman, seven battles in breathtaking
venues to decide the championship.
The pinnacle of high diving competition will fittingly conclude in a
showdown of divers versus gravity over the emerald waters of the
Arabian Gulf in Wadi Shab – Oman to crown the World Champion
and mesmerise audiences.
August - October 2012 61
2012 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series stops:
Corsica – France: 22- 23 June
Grimstad – Norway: 6-7 July
Azores – Portugal: 20-21 July
Inis Mor – Ireland: 3-4 August
Boston – USA: 24-25 August
Wales – UK: 7-8 September
Wadi Shab – Oman: 26-27 September
For more information visit: www.redbullmea.com/cliffdiving
August - October 2012 61
August - October 201262
Celebr i ty say
August - October 201262
August - October 2012 63
Oman’s pristine brownish red desert can make anyone fall in love with it. The ‘Last King of
Scotland’ was one such man who was struck by the beauty of Oman’s desert. Oscar winning
actor Forest Steven Whitaker, who was here in Oman as part of the 7th Muscat Film Festival
(MIFF), was bowled over by the beauty of Oman’s desert. In between picking an award (Golden
Khanjar) as part of the festival and enjoying his stay at Oman’s internationally renowned hotel, Al
Bustan Palace hotel, Whitaker quietly slipped into the Sharqiyah sands along with the organisers
to soak in the sun and sand. Sharqiyah sands, which extends over an area of upto 10,000
square kilometers, is the original
homeland of the Bedouins and
is a well known tourist attraction
offering excitement and vitality – far
away from the madding crowd!
The Unesco Goodwill Ambassador
dune bashed the sands and
enjoyed a night under the stars in
one of the world’s finest deserts.
‘King of Scotland’ falls in love with Oman’s desert
AirlinesFlight Information (24 hours): 24 519456
Aeroflot: 24 704455
Air Arabia 24 700828
Air France 24 562153
Air India 24 799801
Air New Zealand 24 700732
Biman Bangladesh Airlines 24 701128
British Airways 24 568777
Cathay Pacific 24 789818
Egypt Air 24 794113
Emirates Air 24 792222
Ethiopian Airlines 24 660313
Gulf Air (toll-free number) 800 72424
Indian Airlines 24 791914
Iran Air 24 787423
Japan Airlines 24 704455
Jazeera Airways 23 294848
Jet Airways 24 796680
Kenya Airways 24 660317
KLM 24 566737
Kuwait Airways 24 701262
LOT Polish Airlines 24 796387
Lufthansa 24 796692
Malaysian Airlines 24 560796
Middle East Airlines 24 796680
Oman Air 24 707222,
24519953
PIA 24 792471
Qatar Airways 24 771900
Qantas 24 559941
Royal Jordanian 24 796693
Saudi Arabian Airlines 24 789485
Singapore Airlines 24 791233
Sri Lankan Airlines 24 784545
Sudan Airways 24816565
Swiss Air 24 787416
Syrian Airways 24797567
Thai Airways 24 705934
Turkish Airlines 24 475030
Art galleries Al Madina Art Gallery 24691380
Bait Muzna Gallery 24739204
Omani Heritage Gallery 24696974
Omani Society for Fine Arts 24694969
Raj Relics 99329842
Yitti Art Gallery 24564297
BookshopsBorders 24558089
Family Bookshop, Qurm 24564391
Madinat as Sultan Qaboos 24600084
Turtles 24696217
House of Prose
(Used books) 24564356
CinemasAl Nasr Cinema 24831358
Al Shatti Plaza 24693557
Markaz al Bahja Cinema 24540855
Stars Cinema 24791641
Embassies and consulatesAlgeria 24 605593
Austria 24 793135
Bahrain 24 605074
Bangladesh 24 567379
Belgium 24 562033
Canada 24 788890
Chile 24 561977
China 24 696698
Colombia 24 816264
Cyprus 24 490200
Denmark 24 526000
Egypt 24 600411
Finland 24 701454
France 24 681800
Germany 24 832164
Greece 24 706648
Holland 24 603706
India 24 814120
Iran 24 696944
Iraq 24 604178
Ireland 24 797083
Italy 24 693727
Japan 24 601028
Jordan 24 692760
Korea 24 691490
Kuwait 24 699627
Lebanon 24 695844
Malaysia 24 698329
Mexico 24 561977
Morocco 24 696152
Mozambique 24 594207
Netherlands 24 603719
Norway 24 603706
Pakistan 24 603439
Palestine 24 601312
Philippines 24 605140
Portugal 24 561400
Qatar 24 691153
Russian Federation 24 602894
Rwanda 24 487978
Saudi Arabia 24 601744
Somalia 24 697977
South Africa 24 694793
Spain 24 691101
Sri Lanka 24 697841
Sudan 24 697875
Sweden 24 708693
Switzerland 24 568202
Syria 24 697904
Taiwan 24 605695
Tanzania 24 601174
Thailand 24 602684
Tunisia 24 603486
Turkey 24 697050
United Arab Emirates 24 600988
United Kingdom 24 609000
Uruguay 24 568202
USA 24 643400
Yemen 24 600815
LibrariesBibliothèque Française: 24681874
British Council Knowledge
and Learning Centre: 24681000
Oman Chamber of
Commerce and Industry: 24707684
Public Technical
Library Science: 24673111
United States Information
Service: 24643400
Raspberry’s Books: 95086074
MuseumsBait Adam 24605033,
99356676
Bait Al Baranda 24714262
Bait Al Zubair 24736688
Children’s Museum
24605368/9
Currency Museum 24641510
Muscat gate Museum 24739005
Nakhal Fort museum 26781384
National Museum 24701289
Natural History Museum 24641366
Omani-French Museum 24736613
Oman Heritage Museum 24600346
Planetarium: 24675542
Sayyid Faisal bin
Ali Museum 24641650
Salalah Museum 23294549
Sohar fort Museum 26844758
Sultan’s Armed
Forces Museum 24588700
Sur Maritime Museum 24541466
Special interest groupsAmerican Women’s Group 24594751
Environment Society
of Oman 24482121
Historical Association
of Oman 24563074
Horticultural Association 24605493
Indian Social Club 99322713
Muscat Amateur Theatre 24562511
Oman Bird Watching Camp 24695498
Omani Women Association 24602800
Royal Omani Amateur
Radio Society 24600407
Woman’s Guild of Oman
www.womensguildoman.org
TaxisAl Dar Taxi 24700555
Hello taxi 24697997
Muscat Cab 96429096
Info
rmat
ion
Travel ler ’s guide
August - October 201264
August - October 2012
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