healthLook after your heart

event horizonGlobal gig guide

it’s oman Mountain biking the Sultanate

destinationKhartoum on the Nile

April 2011 Your CopY To Keep

The inflighT mAgAzine of omAn Air

healthLook after your heart

event horizonGlobal gig guide

destinationKhartoum on the Nile

it’s oman Mountain biking the Sultanate

MarhabaOver the last couple of years, Oman Air has unveiled new services to a range of exciting new destinations. These have increased opportunities for travellers from Oman to see some of the most attractive and fascinating places on Earth. They have, of course, also enabled people from around the world to visit Oman and to discover for themselves the unique history, culture and landscapes of this beautiful country – and to make the most of Oman’s wonderful hospitality.

I am delighted to announce that the expansion of our network is to continue this year and we will soon be operating new services to two destinations that could not be more different.

The Russian capital of Moscow is the largest city in Europe and is steeped in history. It is home to a number of World Heritage Sites and, from the ancient fortress of the Kremlin and the city’s world famous metro system to some of the world’s most opulent shopping opportunities, there is much for visitors to experience.

Khartoum is a very different sort of destination. The bustling capital of Sudan is located where the White Nile and Blue Nile rivers meet and its blend of African and Arabic cultures– even the city’s name has Arabic roots – make this a must-see destination for travellers from the Gulf and beyond.

Elsewhere, must-see destinations were the focus of Oman Air’s recent participation in ITB Berlin, one of the world’s largest travel shows, where we were pleased to be promoting Muscat and Oman Air’s 40 other destinations to both travellers and travel agents from around the globe.

We were also able to showcase our expanding fleet of new aircraft. Having introduced luxurious Airbus A330 aircraft on our long haul routes, we are just about to receive the first of our impressive Embraer 175 jets. With 11 business class seats and 60 economy class seats, these outstanding aircraft will operate on the regional routes. The Embraer 175s offer a high level of comfort and perfectly complement the A330s which have helped to ensure that Oman Air is recognised as one of the world’s great luxury airlines.

With such exceptional aircraft, an expanding network of wonderful destinations and a home base that offers everything the discerning traveller could wish for, Oman Air is the ideal way to travel to Oman or further afield.

Thank you for flying with us and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.

Peter Hill Chief Executive Officer

ContentsFestival focus Calling all cool cats for the Cairo Jazz Fest, and dreamers for the Paris Festival of the Imagination.

8

The Cushty wayStraddling the confluence of the Blue and White Niles, Khartoum is throwing open its arms to industrial and tourism investment.

Triple by-passAvoid heart disease by making sure you eat daily amounts of three proven anti-heart attack food types.

24

28Wheel spinLocal mountain biking expert Bob Tunbridge chats to Wings about the thrills and spills of the sport in the Sultunate.

Dumb luckAnd they said it would never work! Here are eight seemingly silly business ideas that have netted their owners millions.

12

18

ReviewsA selection of some fab reads and latest movies on circuit this month.

38

World ViewLife in all its forms on the third rock from the sun. 36Contents34 Sports

Book your place in front of the big

screen for these sporting dates!

Oman Air’s inflight magazine is issued by:Corporate Communications & Media Department - Oman AirP.O. Box 58, Muscat International Airport, Postal Code 111, Sultanate of OmanTel: +968 24519616, Fax: +968 24510771E-mail: wings@omanair.com Website: www.omanair.com

For advertising enquiries contact the publisher:National Publishing & Advertising LLCP.O. Box 3112, P.C. 112, RuwiMuscat, Sultanate of OmanTel: +968 24793098, Fax: +968 24708445Email: advertising@npaoman.com

EditorialManaging Editor

Craig Bishopcraig@npaoman.com

Designers

Justin Das

Mohammed Iqbal

MarketingMedia Sales Director

Ashish Chaturvediashish@npaoman.com

Media Sales Executive

Ravan Jaafarravan@npaoman.com

The publisher regrets that they cannot accept liability for errors or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Culture and Heritage A twitcher’s guide to Oman.

43

8 Festivals

Frankfurt Spring FairApril 15 - May 8Probably the largest folk

festival in the Rhine-Main region, this festival comprises a market with stalls as well as parish fair with fairground attractions. Fun and games for the whole family! Frankfurt celebrates its annual spring Dippemess, which dates back to the 14th century, when it was a medieval market for pottery, especially ceramic bowls and pots (called “dibbes” in the Frankfurt dialect). Today, the spring fair is well-known for rides, roller coasters, and fireworks. With visitor numbers reaching 2.5 million annually, the Dippemess always features the latest high-tech rides and attractions for all the family.Located at the fairground on Ratsweg, take the U-Bahn Line 7 to Eissporthalle/Festplatz. Tram number 12 and bus numbers 103, 103N and 38 also stop at Eissporthalle/Festplatz.

April 1-30Untold stories about the land and the people, this annual festival will leave you with insights into the Arab world. The only such festival in the Middle East and North Africa to be organised by an independent theatre company, performances are mainly in Arabic and English. The festival was first held in 1994, initiated by members of Amman’s Al Fawanees theatre company to provide a venue for artistic exchange among independent and experimental Arab troupes. It aims to encourage alternatives to the present environment in which artists work in the Arab world, as well as increasing their exposure. Enjoy performances from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Italy, Palestine, Jordan, Sweden, and Turkey, workshops, movie days, and three workshops on sound techniques, improvisation and dance.

Be a part of these fun and education cultural events this month

Amman International Theatre Festival

Fly Oman Air to these exciting events this month

10 event Horizon

Christie’s auctionWHERE: DubaiWHEN: April 19-20WHAT: Middle Eastern art saleThe Christie’s sale of Middle Eastern Modern and Contemporary art and the auction of dazzling jewels and watches will be held at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel. At Christie’s last sale in October 2010, an untitled painting by Moudarres, similar in style to the current work, sold for a record breaking $374 500. In the jewellery section, a spectacular eight-strand graduated natural pearl necklace with an antique diamond clasp is expected to fetch unto $280 000. A delicate three-strand pearl necklace is estimated at $75 000. www.christies.com

Outdoor art expoWHERE: MilanWHEN: April 15-21WHAT: In the third week of the month, the famous, trendy Via Bagutta in the city centre pays host to an open-air art exhibition. After soaking up all that culture, take in an espresso at one of the many roadside cafes in the area, and watch La Dolce Vita pass you by!

Thai New YearWHERE: BangkokWHEN: April 13-15WHAT: Songkran celebrates the end of its year in style, with music, dancing and tons of splashing, as the usually chilled residents explode in wild celebration. Picture Time Square right after the Dec 31st count-down, only extend it for three days, add 40º C heat and an endless amount of water guns, buckets, bottles, or any other instrument that allows you to soak a perfect stranger, while shouting “Sawadee pi mai” or Happy New Year. Dress accordingly!

Sci-Fi expoWHERE: LondonWHEN: April 23 - May 02WHAT: Sci-Fi London is an international London science fiction and fantasy film festival, specialising in films, books and focusing on reviews, forums and news. With Harry Potter’s fantastic success, as well as the recent boom in Marvel comic films over the last decade, not to mention Lord of the Rings, fantasy films and science fiction have never been more popular. Described as a festival for people who don’t like sci-fi, this particular event promises to attract a wide number of people with different interests and tastes, not just strange Star Trek addicts. www.sci-fi-london.com

The Cushty wayStraddling the confluence of the Blue and White Nile, Khartoum is throwing open its arms to welcome industrial and tourism investment

12 international Destination

Is there possibly a river anywhere in the world that has inspired so much literature, so much poetry and so many expeditions as the Nile? The Amazon, you say? Or perhaps the Mississippi? Even those grand old waterways don’t really hold a candle to the sheer romantic longings and exotic dreams lavished upon the Nile.

Moreover, to talk about the Nile is to throw a spotlight on ancient civilisations, long buried under drifting sands. Everyone knows about Pharonic dynasties of ancient Egypt, but the great civilisation of Cush in olden-day Nubia, or present day Sudan, dates back to at least 7 000BC, making it older (and longer-lived) than the Egyptian, Greek and Roman empires combined. It was once the centre of the known world, complete with an alphabet, distinctive architecture and a flourishing trade.

And if real estate is all about location, then Khartoum is sitting pretty right at the confluence of the White and the Blue Niles - the White flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue flowing west from Ethiopia and both meeting at Al Mogran (meeting place) in uptown Khartoum. Khartoum is actually one of three sister cities, Omdurman to the north-west across the White Nile, North Khartoum, and Khartoum itself on the southern bank of the Blue Nile.

The word khurtum means the end of an elephant’s trunk in Arabic, and could refer to the narrow spit of land that juts out into the Nile at the confluence. Another theory is that Khartoum is derived from the name of a local oil plant, gartoon, which was extensively cultivated in the area.

Modern-day Khartoum was founded in the 1820s by the then Mahdi, or leader, Muhammad Ali, as a military base. The British were ousted from the region after the Battle of Khartoum in 1885, when the legendary British

(Image sources: Shutterstock, Photolibrary)

general Charles Gordon - Gordon of Khartoum - was defeated and killed by Mahdi rebels. To this day, Khartoum’s oldest streets are designed in the shape of the Union Jack.

In more modern news, Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir recently accepted the result of a referendum on independence for the south, in which 99% of voters chose to secede from the north.

Khartoum is presently undergoing a massive modernising facelift. A Chinese consortium recently signed a $1.2bn contract to build a new airport with a runway long enough for the giant Airbus A380. It is expected this will lure businessfolk and tourists alike. Khartoum is rich with breath-taking attractions, for example, Abd-el-Qayum Gate, the Nile’s Islands, the Church of St Matthew, King Farouqe’s mosque, Sayyid Ali’s mosque, the Republican Palace, the Botanical Gardens, west Omdurman’s desert and the Jebel Awlia mountain range.

InternatIonal DestInatIon 13

Most rural Sudanese would never dream of eating in

front of you without inviting you to join them

Sudan is the largest, yet one of the least visited, countries in Africa. Although various ongoing conflicts mean much of this vast nation remains off limits, travel is possible in the northeast, and in parts of the south. Much of the Middle East and Africa has a reputation for warmth and hospitality but Sudan is in a league of its own, making it a joy to travel in. It is common to be invited to stay at someone’s home and most rural Sudanese would never dream of eating in front of you without inviting you to join them. Talking the afternoon away over a glass or five of tea is a serious national ritual, which extends to dealings with officials.

If you are in Khartoum for a business trip or for a few days holiday, here are some of the must-see venues.

The Mogran: Khartoum Mogran, at the confluence of the two Niles is an outstanding natural attraction famous for migratory birds, stunning flowers and various restaurants, as well as a family park.

Al Sabalouga: There are only six waterfalls on the River Nile, and five of these are in Sudan. In the north of Khartoum, near the village of Al Sabalouga, is one wild and beautiful gorge, accessible quite easily from Khartoum by private car.

Port Sudan: This area is known among tourists for its excellent scuba-diving and beaches. Tourists, as well as far larger numbers of Muslim pilgrims en route to undertake their once-in-a-lifetime Hajj to Mecca, use Port Sudan as a departure point to cross the Red Sea to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

Um Doum: For a pleasurable few hours away from the throb of Khartoum’s traffic, rent a boat and travel along the Nile southwards to Um Doum Island. It is fresh and enjoyable on the water, and gives you a different picture of Khartoum. There are farms and rest houses along the banks of the Nile, a beach where people have picnics, and then the island itself where children can build sandcastles or bury themselves in the sand.

Omdurman market: This ancient Souq exhibits all types of handicrafts, artifacts, souvenirs and various items of Sudanese folk memorabilia. Ivory and ebony candlesticks are carved by market craftsmen, goldsmiths and silversmiths fashion all kinds of jewellery and the atmosphere is lively and bustling. The best time to visit is on Friday mornings. The market is usually open from 8am and closes at sunset.

Museums: Khartoum is home to several museums, including the Sudan National Museum, The National Museum for Ethnography, Natural History Museum, and the Khalifah House Museum, plus others. The National Museum contains antiquities and artefacts from several periods of Sudanese history and pre-history, including glassware, pottery, statues and figurines from the ancient kingdom of Cush. Ancient Nubia’s Christian period is well-represented, with frescoes and murals from ruined churches, dating from the 8th to the 15th century. The Museum’s garden contains two reconstructed temples, which have been salvaged from the Nubian land flooded by Lake Nasser. These Egyptian temples of Buhen and Semna were originally built by Queen Hatshepsut and Pharaoh Tuthmosis III respectively.

The Mahdi’s Tomb: It is located at Omdurman and encompasses an important part of the country’s heritage during the Mahdist Era. Beit al-Khalifa, is situated opposite the Mahdi’s tomb. Once the home of the Mahdi’s successor, the house was built of mud and brick in 1887, and is now a museum. It contains relics from Mahdiyya battles, including guns, war banners and suits of mail. An interesting collection of photographs depicts the city of Khartoum at the time of the Mahdi’s revolt and its subsequent occupation by the British.

Sheikh Hamad-el-Niles Tomb: On the western side of Omdurman on Fridays, many dervishes congregate dancing their famous and well-known rites and songs. The practice exemplifies the tradition of Sufi in the Sudan.

Boatyard: It lies just off shore of the Abu Raouf quarter of Omdurman, on the western side of the Nile, where you can take in the manufacturing of traditional boats, the way it has been done for millenia.

14 InternatIonal DestInatIon

Shendi: If you have a day to spare, visit Shendi, some 150km north of Khartoum. This is a good place to see the desert as well as temples of the Meroe culture. Shendi is the centre of the Ja’aliin tribe and an important historic bustling trading centre. The pyramids of Meroe (Begrawiyah) are 40kms north of Shendi. The ruins of the Royal City of Meroe are located about 100km south of Atbara. Residence of the kings of Meroe between 592BC and AD350, the city shows strong Egyptian architectural influence. The ruined Temple of Amun is still standing, together with the remains of several palaces and a swimming pool.

Know before you GoCustoms clearance: Long waits for customs clearance are not unheard of. Entering or exiting by land usually goes smoothly. Alcohol is forbidden in Sudan, and attempting to import it could bring strict penalties.

Credit cards: Because of the US embargo, no credit cards can be used in Sudan. Carrying out online transactions while you are in Sudan can cause problems, as some merchants (especially American ones) will pick up your Sudanese IP address, and refuse to do business with you. If you attempt to use an American Express card for any online transaction while in Sudan, you are likely to have the card summarily cancelled.

Permits and other legal requirements: Registration at the Ministry of Interior is obligatory within three days of arrival. It costs 110 Sudanese Pounds. Many hotels will complete the registration on your behalf.

Independent travellers in Sudan require a Permit To Travel if going to any places the government deems unstable. Travel permits are not required for the Northern State, nor on the road to Ethiopia. They are required if going near Eriteria, toward Darfur or southern Kordofan.

BasicsAssalaam Alaikum : Peace be up on youWa Alaikum Assalaam : And peace be upon youMarhabbah : HelloSabah al Khair : Good MorningMasah al Khair : Good Afternoon / EveningShukran ( Jazeelan) : Thank you (very much) Aafwaan : You are WelcomeAhlan wa Sahlan : WelcomeAhlan Beek : welcome to you (to a male)Ahlan Beech (to a female) Ahlan Beekum (to a group)Keef Haluk? : How are you?Al Hamdu Lillah (bi khair): Praise be to Allah (well)Ana Bikhayr, Shukran : I am fine, thank youMaasalaamah : GoodbyeInshallah : If Allah WishesMaashallah : What Allah WishesMabrook : CongratulationsNaam : YesAywa : Yeah / OKLa : NoMin Fudluk : PleaseShoo Hada? : What is this?Mafi Mushkil : No ProblemItfudul : Be my guest / My PleasureTamaam : Perfect Baadin : LaterDilwaati : Now Ilyoum : Today Bukra : Tomorrow Ashoofook Bukra : See You Tomorrow Affwaan : Excuse me/ Welcome

Learn Arabic

Country FactsOman Air will, from May, fly four times a week between Muscat and Khartoum.Visa requirements: An entry visa is issued at all Sudanese embassies and consulates around the world. All passport holders must have at least six months remaining validity from the day of entry into the country. Three passport-sized photographs are also required. All tickets and documents for return or onward travel must be presented.

International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever required if arriving from infected area within five days.

NB: Your passport should not have any Israeli visa nor immigration stamps inside.

Languages spoken: Arabic is the main language in the North. The official languages of Sudan are Standard Arabic and English. In the South, Dinka is spoken in many villages.

Currency: 1 Sudanese Pound (SDG) = 100 piasters. The Sudanese Pound has replaced the Sudanese Dinar, which was phased out on 30 June 2007. 1 Sudanese Pound = 100 Sudanese Dinars.

Useful words and expressionsNumBers0 : Siffr1 : Wahid2 : Itnain3 : Thalatha4 : Arba5 : Khumsah

6 : Settah

7 : Sabaa

8 : Thamaaneeya

9 : Tissaa

10 : Asharah

InternatIonal DestInatIon 1716 InternatIonal DestInatIon

It’s oman 19

The caress of the wind in your hair and the tang of the countryside on your lips? Calves like coconuts and iron-hard wrists? Even the excuse to wear Lycra or get out into the fresh air once a week? If these things sound appealing, then chances are you are a natural convert for mountain biking.

And the Sultanate of Oman is a superb destination for one of the fastest-growing adventure sports in the world. You only have to Google mountain biking and Oman to see that for yourself. There are superb offroad trails just a short drive from the capital area.

Wheel spinLocal mountain biking expert Bob Tunbridge chats to Wings about the thrills and spills of the sport in the Sultanate

18 It’s Oman

Track suit: There are also plenty of routes in Oman’s diverse countryside, and if you are keen on joining in or starting up then it is wise to join a local cycling club. The main club, the MTB Ride club has around 15 different routes which can vary in distance between 15km to 42km, depending on the area and terrain which varies from graded tracks, single tracks, goat tracks and in some cases prepared specific tracks.

Whether you want climbs, downhill, rocky and gravel terrain, easy flat areas or technical rides, there will be something for everyone. Most areas have long established trails that were or are used by local villagers, plus some of these trails/areas were used by off-road motorbikes and rally cars in the past.

First of all, a quick scene-setter. Oman’s jagged mountains lie in the north and south of the Sultanate. The northern peaks are composed of hardest sedimentary rocks. In the Jebel Akhdar range these are very dense limestone

in thick beds. Below the mountains there are wadi beds where you will see huge boulders. Several major wadis drain Al Jebel al Akhdar: Wadis bani Awf, Sahtan and bani Kharus north to Al Batinah, and Wadi Ghul to the south.

The way of life remains traditional with scattered communities growing date palms and fodder crops fed by groundwater and springs.In the more sheltered areas, a variety of tree crops are grown, such as almonds, walnuts, apricots, peaches, figs and pomegranates. Stunning scenery, great cycling, and the friendliness of the local people make this an unforgettable experience.

XLPE Insulated MV Power Cables XLPE/ PVC Insulated LV Power CablesXLPE/ PVC Insulated Control Cables Overhead Conductor

Instrumentation Cables Pilot Cables Building Wire and Cables

OMAN CABLES INDUSTRY (SAOG)

PRODUCT RANGE

FACTORY and HEAD OFFICEP.O. Box 25, Rusayl 124, Sultanate of Oman Tel: +968 2444 6464 Fax: +968 2444 6096

omancables@omancables.comwww.omancables.com

TrulyOmani.

TrustedGlobally.

20 It’s oman

Slow as you go: Mountain Biking Oman’s Robert Tunbridge says that his club’s policy is “to ride as fast as the slowest rider”, and there is plenty of scope to get yourself accustomed to cycling in the area. One of the members is Oman’s top triathlete, Suleiman Alalwi. The riding levels of club vary, but the focus is on the social side to mountain biking. Of course, you do have to be reasonably fit, and there are areas where newcomers can practice safely.

The Mountain Biking club ride in the following areas: Al-Amerat, Al-Hadja, Al-Nahda, Al-Ansab, Hammam, Jiffnain, SQU area, Al-Khoud, Marbella, Ghalla, Bowsher, Nahfa, Sa,al, Jiffnain, and a little further away, including Yiti, Al-Hillo, Arqi and Quriyat.

All the day rides with support cars have included Nahkl to Rustaq via Wadi Abad, plus Wadi Bane Awe/Wadi Sattan loop, Jebel Shams, Jebel Akhdar, Rustaq to Ibri, (pre-tarmac) Quriyat to Sur to Quriyat (pre-tarmac) return over two days, and many others.

The popularity of mountain biking in Oman is shown by the increased number of regular meetings and day rides. For example, the MTB Ride Group meet every Thursday afternoon all year round in many different areas. There are also day rides during the year as well an annual MTB Race, plus new special events like downhill racing and the Trans Oman MTB event.

The easiest and quickest place to go for a ride is opposite Muscat Private Hospital. Park in the car park out front, cross the road and head for the back of the houses, veering right. There are a lot

of good single tracks and you will end up in old Bousher village. From there you can follow the blacktop back which brings you out at the stadium or you can go right on the highway under construction.

Jebel Akhdar range: If you love fast cross-country and like to test yourself on back-country trails, this is the ideal ride for you. The riding conditions are excellent, on broad paths and sometimes on rough jeep roads, including sections of technically demanding single and doubletrack, some tough climbs and some exciting descents. Altitude is not generally a problem as the biking is mainly below the 2000m mark.

Hajar Range: Travel deep into the Hajar Mountains on remote trails through traditional Omani villages where the locals show true Omani hospitality and provide a welcome resting place with platters of fresh fruit grown on the green plateaus of the mountain range which reaches some 3 000m.

Stunning single track, challenging terrain, beautiful scenery and seldom visited villages, that’s what this holiday is all about. This is pure Omani mountain biking at its very best.

Rules of the road: There are of course rules! Riders must wear safety helmets, and be be self-sufficient in terms of carrying ample water (one good way is to use a backpack), some energy food, spare inner tubes, pump and basic spares.

For more information on mountain biking, please contact Tunbridge on: Robert.RG.Tunbridge@pdo.co.om

22 It’s oman

Avoid heart disease by making sure you eat daily amounts of three proven anti-heart attack food types

(Image source: Photolibrary)

Every year, millions of people face the uncomfortable realisation that all is not well with their heart. Heart disease is, in fact, one of the leading causes of death around the world, with an estimated 23.6 million people dying from a heart attack or stroke. Around one in five men and one in seven women will die from the disease.

According to the World Health Organisation, the most important behavioural risk factors of heart disease and stroke are unhealthy diet,

physical inactivity and tobacco use. Behavioural risk factors are responsible for about 80% of coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease.

The effects of unhealthy diet and physical inactivity may show up in individuals as raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, raised blood lipids, and overweight and obesity; these are called ‘intermediate risk factors’.

Danger signals: Often, there are no symptoms of the underlying disease of the blood vessels. A heart attack or stroke may be the first warning of underlying disease. Symptoms of a heart attack include pain or discomfort in the centre of the chest, as well as pain or discomfort in the arms, the left shoulder, elbows, jaw, or back.

In addition the person may experience difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath; feeling sick or vomiting; feeling light-headed or faint; breaking into a cold sweat; and becoming pale. Women are more likely to have shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

The most common symptom of a stroke is sudden weakness of the face, arm, or leg, most often on one side of the body. Other symptoms include sudden onset of numbness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body; confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding speech; difficulty seeing with one or both eyes; difficulty walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination; severe headache with no known cause, and fainting or unconsciousness.

Triple by-pass

24 HealtH & Beauty

26 HealtH & Beauty

People experiencing these symptoms should seek medical care immediately.

However, in most cases it is a preventable illness and small lifestyle changes can make all the difference. It is known you are more at risk of heart disease if you smoke, have high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels or are overweight. In addition to a healthy lifestyle, natural food supplements can help boost your heart health by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels the natural way:

Dairy peptides: It is important to eat food types that contain natural ingredients including dairy peptides - bioactive proteins extracted from milk by using advanced scientific methods - that have been proven to help reduce blood pressure after a minimum period of six weeks. Extensive research has shown that dairy peptides (lactrotripeptides), the key ingredient in helping to combat high blood pressure. It also reduces the chemical in the blood stream that causes blood vessels to narrow and constrict. This will help the blood vessels to relax and widen, and so the pressure of blood within the blood vessels is reduced.

Although dairy peptides can be found in milk, the beneficial blood pressure lowering effect is only activated when the bioactive peptides are extracted from the milk. This means that drinking litres of milk is not going to lower your blood pressure. An easy and effective solution is to take pills containing these bioactive peptides.

Beta glucan: Clinical research has shown that taking 3g to 8g of barley beta glucan a day reduces the ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) by an average of 10-14%. These results have been confirmed by the EFSA (European Food Standards Agency) in 2009 after analysis of the clinical research into the cholesterol-lowering benefits of beta glucan.

The EFSA is extremely cautious about allowing food brands to make health claims for its products and ingredients. However, after a period of research

and consultation, the EFSA Scientific Panel approved beta glucan as one of the first food ingredients to have proven health benefits.

Beta glucan is the soluble fibre naturally found in the cell wall of cereal grains. It is present in barley, but to activate the cholesterol lowering effect, a person needs to consume at least 3g of barley beta glucan daily.

Statins: At the moment, anyone judged to have a one in five or greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease over 10 years is advised by the NHS to take a statin. Although millions of UK adults take statin drugs to reduce heart attack and stroke risk, recently there has been much debate over its side effects. It is therefore important to consult your medical practitioner before embarking on any dietary supplements.

And they said it would never work! Here are eight seemingly silly business ideas that have netted their owners millions

28 BusIness

Dumb luckThe next time you have a brainwave business idea, and someone tells you it will never work, don’t be so quick to listen, as these testimonials reveal. The company websites are listed at the end of each example for further inspiration.

Slightly dotty: 1000 000 pixels, charge $1 per pixel – that’s perhaps the dumbest idea for online business anyone could have possible come up with. Still, Alex Tew, a 21-year-old who came up with the idea, is now a millionaire. (www.milliondollarhomepage.com)

Name of the game: Got a great idea for a business, but just can’t think of a name for it? Surely no one would pay for someone else to name their brainchild for them? Creating domain names for others turned out to be a thriving business for PickyDomains, which currently has a waiting list of people who want to pay them to come up with a snappy, memorable domain name. PickyDomains is expected to hit six figures this year. (www.pickydomains.com)

(Image sources: Photolibrary, iStockphoto)

BusIness 29

Doggles: Indulging the western world’s obsession with kitsch, this website designs goggles for dogs. Sound ridiculous? Come on admit it, have you never put your sunnies on your house pet and had a quiet giggle? Enough people have been, because this business now has shops all over the world and the owners are millionaires. (www.doggles.com)

Writing on the wall: LaserMonks.com is a for-profit subsidiary of the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Spring Bank, an eight-monk monastery in the hills of Monroe County, 90 miles northwest of Madison in the USA. Real monks refill your printer cartridges. Their 2005 sales were $2.5 million! (www.lasermonks.com)

A full deck: Create a deck of cards featuring exercise routines, and sell it online for $18.95. Sound like a disaster idea? But former Navy SEAL and fitness instructor Phil Black reported last year sales of $4.7 million. Surely beats what the military pays. (www.fitdeck.com)

Slightly potty: Christie Rein was tired of carrying diapers around in a freezer bag. The 34-year-old

mother of three found herself constantly stuffing diapers for her infant son into freezer bags to keep them from getting scrunched up in her purse. Rein wanted something that

was compact, sleek and stylish, so in November 2004, she sat down with her husband, Marcus, who helped her design a custom diaper bag that’s big enough to hold a travel

pack of wipes and two to four diapers. With more than $180 000 in sales for 2005, Christie’s company, Diapees & Wipees, has bags in 22 different styles, available online and in 120 boutiques across the globe for $14.99.

(www.diapeesandwipes.com)

Easy street: How is this for a brilliant idea? Get a postal address at North Pole, Alaska, pretend you are Santa Claus and charge parents $10 for every letter you send to their kids? Well, Byron Reese has sent over 200 000 letters since the start of the business in 2001, which makes him a couple million dollars richer. (www.santamail.org)

Bone idle: No more family feuds over who gets to pull the chicken or the turkey wishbone. Fake wishbones might seem like an idea that

was destined to flop but plenty of people saw the need for exactly that. Now producing 30 000 wishbones daily (they retail for $3 a

pop) Ken Ahroni, the company founder, saw sales in 2006 rocket to $1 million. (www.luckybreakwishbone.com)

30 BusIness

Stride and testedRebels with a cause - taking the fashion world by storm this season is the tough girl look. There is always a place for a funky pair of boots in any girl’s wardrobe and these will take pride of place. All the top designers are cashing in, from Chanel to Burberry, biker chic suggests a wild, untamed, adventurous spirit, while the heels capture that certain sense of feminine allure. www.chockersshoes.co.uk

PuzzleBreak out of your comfort zone and sport one of these exquisite, jwellery puzzles that are world’s away from the floral designs and patterns that have been a hallmark of women’s jewellery for decades. Be a 21st century trendsetter with fun, freedom and authenticity. The feel is comfortable to wear, following the curves of the body like a second skin. The lightness is only equalled by their majesty and acute attention is paid to minor details. www.akillis.fr

The Spring/Summer watch look is an interpretation of a luxury sport lifestyle with a sophisticated elegant

mood by combining sporty materials, classic shapes and imaginative designs. Black iron or rose gold plated chronographs combined with innovative materials such as rubberised straps and silicone wrapped

bracelets all create a unique range of luxury timepieces. Stainless steel cases, distinctive dials and colours set off

coloured dial treatments and sophisticated croco-print straps in a rubberised matte leather. www.emporioarmani.com

Quality timeConsidered one of the oldest and finest watch making companies, Baume & Mercier’s story began with the Baume family developing watch technology back in 1830. By 1918 the Baume family joined together with the Mercier family, whose watch designs and artistic abilities were exceptional, and this merger began the Baume et Mercier watch company. It was not long before the Baume & Mercier watch company became prominent for their chronographs and precise watch timekeeping mechanisms. Today, Baume & Mercier continues to produce their branded classic and sporty watch styles in quality timepieces. www.baume-et-mercier.com

FasHIon & trenDs 3332 FasHIOn & trends

Water babyA Sea Otter floats in the water to accustomise its cub to the water. Highly social and intelligent animals, this particular species of otters can spend their entire lives never leaving the water. (Photo: Lynne Stone/Photolibrary)

Feather weatherPine siskins duelling mid-flight in British Columbia, Canada. These pictures were captured by a British photographer in an astoundingly fast 8 000th of a second. That means the camera’s shutter is opening and closing 250 times faster than a person can blink. Five flashes are simultaneously used to fire light towards the birds at 20 000th of a second while the shutter is open. (Photo: Roy Hancliff/Barcroft Media/Getty Images)

Cub reporterFor Chaska the one-year-old Andean bear, the necessities of life include a look at the morning newspaper and rigourous yoga stretching. However, the newspaper becomes breakfast as Chaska begins to chew it and yoga descends into a wrestling match after her twin-brother, Bernardo, also one, tries to join in. (Photo: Jennifer Lockridge/Barcroft Media/Getty Images)

Sun day afternoonThe solar eclipse as seen behind the spire of the Burj Khalifa on January 4, 2011 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo: Ian Powell/Barcroft Media/Getty Images)

White outLike a creature out of a fantasy novel, a rare albino peacock displays its pure white plumage during its courtship dance to attract a female. The peacock’s plumage is white due to a missing pigment, which is dark and absorbs light. (Photo: imagebroker/photolibrary)

Light graffitiWelshman Michael Bosanko creates his amazing photographs by using only coloured torches and by leaving his digital camera on a long exposure. The effect is achieved by literally drawing the images while the camera is held on an exposure that can last from 10 seconds to almost one hour. (Photo: Michael Bosanko/Barcroft USA/Getty Images)

WorlD VIeW 3534 WOrld VIeW

Camel FinalApril, DohaThe final of the long-established Emir GCC Camels Race is held at Alshahaniya Race Track in Doha, attracting a select crowd of wealthy camel owners to compete against each other every year. Even though there is no gambling involved,

F1 Grand PrixApril 10, Sepang, MalaysiaFor the 11th time, this ultra modern Sepang International Formula One Racing Circuit will play host to the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix, which is the second Grand Prix in the 2011 Formula 1 calendar. The circuit itself is one of the finest on the Formula One calendar, with great modern facilities, including a tempting shopping area and an interesting motor museum. Sepang Formula 1 GP racing circuit is user-friendly, spectator-friendly and very challenging for the racing drivers. This Formula One circuit can accommodate a total of 130 000 spectators, with 30 000 in the unique double-frontage Mall Grandstand. A stunning “Tower” Grandstand, nestling at the tip of this V-shaped Main Grandstand features a roof, which looks similar to the Malaysian national flower, the hibiscus. www.malaysia.grand-prix.com

there are various prizes for the winners and the race itself is an entertaining show for everyone. Thanks to a Swiss invention, today it is robot jockeys who attempt to persuade the animals to run in a straight line.

FA Cup semi-finalsApril 16, 17, WembleyIt’s all eyes on the goalmouth at the moment. Current FA champs are Chelsea, who beat relegated Premier League side Portsmouth in the 2010 final last May, to win a club first FA Cup and League Double. From

2008, mainly for financial reasons and to the disappointment of traditionalists, all semi-finals have been played at the new Wembley Stadium - giving a distinct advantage to London-based clubs. The winning team takes home £900 000, the runners-up take home £450 000. www.thefacup.com

36 spOrts

The Net DelusionThe Dark Side of Internet FreedomBy Evgeny Morozov, Investigative journRecent global events have thrown light on the power of the internet and social networking to make dramatic changes in society, even to topple governments. But, argues Morozov, inventions such as Google, Twitter and Facebook might have a more sinister side. They might actually decrease our freedoms. The author writes, “The dangerous fascination with solving previously intractable social problems with the help of technology allows vested interests to disguise what essentially amounts to advertising for their commercial products in the language of freedom and liberation.”

The Last DragonslayerBy Jasper Fforde, FictionA mix of satire comedy authors Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and Robert Rankin. Fforde is back with another strange but comic world where magic is vanishing slowly. Now it is really only useful for delivering pizzas and unblocking drains. Jennifer Strange works for a combined magician’s home and magician’s employment agency. Nearby is the wilderness homeland/reservation of the last dragon on earth. There is a prophesy that he will be killed by a dragonslayer on Sunday at noon. That is all very well until 16-year-old Jennifer finds herself magically recruited to the position of the last ever dragonslayer much against her will.

Hot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on EarthBy Mark Hertsgaard, Green economicsThis book pulls no punches and is likely to dishearten as much as it encourages and shows the way forward. A candid wake-up call to the huge effort society has to make in order to stave off the worst effects of climate change, such as extreme storms, droughts, rising sea levels and mass extinctions of species. Hertsgaard says we already have the technology to make a difference for the next generations, but the difficulty is in convincing a sceptical and apathetic public of the need to adapt, for example by strengthening sea defences, conserving water and food supplies and preparing for more intense heat waves. The examples given are frightening, but at the same time shed light on the changes we all must make.

Fast FiveDirector: Justin LinStarring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, TJ Hassan, Joaquim de Almeida, Matt SchulzeStudio: Universal Pictures. Releasing: April 29, 2011Yet another instalment from the Fast and Furious series. Former cop Brian O’Conner (Walker) partners with ex-con Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) on the opposite side of the law. Since Brian and Mia Toretto ( Jordana Brewster) broke Dom out of custody, they’ve blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers, the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman who wants them dead. But he’s not the only one on their tail.

The Conspirator Director: Robert RedfordStarring: James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Justin Long, Evan Rachel Wood, Kevin Kline, Alexis Bledel. Studio: Lionsgate Films, Releasing: April 15, 2011The story of the conspiracy to assassinate US President Abraham Lincoln, the military trial of the lone female charged, and the reluctant lawyer assigned to defend her. In the wake of Lincoln’ assassination, seven men and one woman are arrested and charged with conspiring to kill the president, the vice-president, and the secretary of state. The lone woman charged, Mary Surratt, 42, owns a boarding house where John Wilkes Booth and others met and planned the simultaneous attacks. Against the ominous back-drop of post-Civil War Washington, newly-minted lawyer, Frederick Aiken, a 28-year-old Union war-hero, reluctantly agrees to defend Surratt before a military tribunal.

SuperDirector: James Gunn. Starring: Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon, Nathan Fillion, Linda Cardellini. Studio: IFC Films. Releasing: April 1, 2011 A zany comedy starring Rainn Wilson as Frank, a seemingly average Joe who is madly in love with his troubled wife Sarah (Tyler). But when Sarah leaves Frank for Jacques (Bacon), a smooth-talking drug dealer, Frank transforms into pseudo superhero The Crimson Bolt, stakes out Jacques’ sleazy hideaway, and wages a one-man war on crime. What he lacks in superpowers, he makes up for with a trusty pipe wrench. Every superhero needs a sidekick and so enters Libby (Page), a cute sociopathic teen working at the local comic book store, who morphs into ‘Boltie’ and teams with Frank to take Jacques down.

reVIeWs 3938 reVIeWs

Life’s lessonsOne day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old, that the well needed to be covered anyway and that it just wasn’t worth retrieving the donkey. So he invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realised what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, it quietened down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer’s neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, it would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off! Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up.

Time Out

Comfort zone And the award for the ultimate gaming chair is, drum roll, the Ultimate Game Chair. This chair is packed with features. To start off, there are 12 vibration motors throughout the chair that are synchronised with the games action. As far as sound goes, you can use your stock headphones from a MP3 player etc, or plug the chair into your home stereo system to get full surround sound. There are adjustable 3D stereo speakers built into the chair as well. It’s all leather material, has an adjustable headrest, legrest, and even a beverage and remote controller holder. Oh, and the chair will give you a nice massage, too. Compatible games consoles include the PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, PC, Mac, PS1, and Xbox Live. For audio only, you can use all those and your iPod, DS, PSP, or generic MP3 player. Expect to pay around $400.

Where you been? Think of a cross between a USB memory stick and a GPS receiver - this nifty device remembers wherever you take it. The Portable GPS Tracker is pretty small so you could either always carry it on you or use it in 007 spy mode by planting it on a person or vehicle you want to monitor. Once the tracker has done its travels and it’s back in your possession, you simply

connect it to your PC and download the data. This data can then be plotted on Google Earth, Mapquest maps, Google.com and Virtual Earth to show exactly where it has been, how long it took and how it got there. Very useful for tracking your own holidays and backpacking adventures. So not only can you bore visitors with your holiday snaps, you can also show them exactly where you went. Expect to pay around $249.99 on Amazon.

Watch me sleep If you’re one of those people that suffers from unusual sleep patterns and you want to get your body back in to check you might be able to do it with this acupuncture sleeping gadget, the Dreamate Sleep Inducer.Dreamate uses accupressure techniques to gently massage the “sleeping golden triangle” on your left wrist. Used 30 minutes before bedtime, you can retune and reset your biological clock and train your body to relax and sleep. See results in as little as a week’s worth of use, with best results after eight weeks. These precise pressure points, when gently massaged, calm the body, lower stress levels, and induce sleep, which is better than addictive sleeping pills that knock you senseless, but offer little improvement in your sleep quality. Expect to pay around $79.99.

Fetch, humans! The Rovio WiFi Roaming Bot is a robotic webcam with microphone and speaker for two-way audio. This wi-fi connected bad bot will stream video and audio to your favorite web-enabled browser anywhere in the world! Use your PC, your MAC, your iPhone, even your PS3 to control Rovio. Drive the bot around the house, take pictures of the family and e-mail them to friends. All this can be done from thousands of miles away. Every human family should own a Rovio. This way the machines will be able to see and hear everything you do. www.coolest-gadgets.com

40 tecH talk

Seven ways to improve someone’s day• If you know that a friend is due home after a long time away, leave milk,

bread, juice, some cakes and a paper or magazine at his/her home.• Write a thank you note to your child’s teacher for no apparent reason. It will

make her/his day, and it would also reap benefits for your child.• Buy a ticket to a movie and send it to someone who’s been working very hard lately.• Send a funny card to your partner’s office and write a loving message inside. It will

put a smile on their faces and remind them that you still love them, and that you still enjoy fun in your relationship just as you did in the beginning. You could also include a picture of you two taken on your honeymoon or first holiday.

• Leave an extra tip for the person behind the coffee/flower/ food store/restaurant/ counter where you visit today, and compliment them on a good job.

• If you’re visiting someone who has a child, offer to read the child a story or do a puzzle together. This means a lot to a parent.

• If you have a friend who’s a single parent, offer to have the child, or one of the children over to your place for dinner and games. This gives the parent a welcome break, and means more than you could imagine.

They said it!From a pilot waiting in a long takeoff queue: “I’m bored!”Ground Traffic Control: “Last aircraft transmitting, identify yourself immediately!”Unknown aircraft: “I said I was bored, not stupid!”

The pilot of a Cherokee 180 was told by the tower to delay take-off while a large DC-8 landed. The DC-8 pilot landed and passed the much smaller Cherokee, radioing him, “What a cute little plane. Did you make it all by yourself?” The Cherokee pilot replied snappily: “I made it out of DC-8 parts. Another landing like yours and I’ll have enough parts for another one.”

tIme out 41

Al Jabar Al AkhdarThere are more than 125 species of birds recorded at the Sayq Plateau and Jabal Shams area of Al Jabal Al Akhdar, the central mountain region of northern Oman. Wood pigeons, a species that breeds in these mountains, and nowhere else in Arabia, have been recorded here. Moorhen were found to breed for the first time at Saiq and the first breeding for Isabelline Shrike for Oman and Arabia was confirmed. Possible breeding for Isabelline Wheatear, another first for Arabia, has been suggested.

Ras al HaddViewing sea birds is best from early summer until late autumn, when southern species move out of the southern oceans. Arabian species such as terns, Jouanin’s Petrel and Persian Shearwater tend to stay closer inshore and the monsoon upwelling produces good feeding conditions along the Omani coastline from Ras al Hadd southwards.

QitbitLocated in south-western Oman on the edge of the Al-Rub Al Khali desert, two migration seasons between March and April, and September to October, make this an important ecological bird habitat. Several species make a break here during their journey from Africa and north west Asia. Sightings include sandgrouse, cattle egrets, golden eagles and the rare grey hipocolious, white throated bee-eaters and dusky thrush, as well as many more.

MuseumsTo make your cultural journey complete, a visit to at least one of the dozen museums in Oman is recommended. The Natural History Museum features Oman’s flora and fauna, including some of the indigenous species. To get a glimpse of Oman’s military history, visit the Armed Forces Museum. The National Museum showcases a rare collection of the history of the ruling dynasty. The archaeological lineage of the country can be found in the Omani Museum. There is an exclusive museum for children, the Children’s Museum, that is educative as well as entertaining. Bait Al Zubair and Bait Al Baranda are examples of how Oman’s history has been captured in a capsule for those who are not familiar with it. For a complete listing of Oman’s various museums, please refer to the local dailies.

Hotels Oman has a wide variety of staying options catering to

any and all types of visitors. From plush five-star beach-facing resorts and spas for the more upmarket visitors, to

the four-star, three-star, hotel apartments, camps, guest houses, and youth hostels, everyone’s wallet is catered for.

Desert and mountain camps are particularly interesting experiences if you have not had the opportunity to enjoy

them before. While in Muscat, you will be spoilt for choices, and when you head towards the interior you will

experience true rustic charm and old-world elegance. Either way, you will get to experience the essence of true

Omani hospitality wherever you stay.

ShoppingWhen it comes to shopping, Oman is full of choices both traditional and modern. If you are looking for some of the world’s best brands, you could head to the nearest mega-malls, shopping complexes or hypermarkets. You can find these outlets all across the capital city, as well as in the larger cities like Nizwa, Sohar, Sur and Salalah. If traditional shopping is your interest, then you must visit the Muttrah Souq beside the Muttrah Corniche area. There are also some very old and famous souqs in Nizwa, Sinaw, Ibra and Salalah. For tourists, these souqs are a paradise for souvenir hunting! Frankincense, perfumes, spices, dates and antiques jostle for space with electronic products, fashion accessories and toys. For a complete Oman experience, have a go at both the old and the new!

City Seasons Hotel Muscat

Samail Souq

tOurIsm & entertaInment 4342 culture & HerItage

Bird watching has taken off in Oman recently, thanks to several fantastic viewing locations. Bird watchers can drive to the deserts of the Empty Quarter, trudge across plains, climb mountains or walk through the verdant summer meadows of Dhofar to catch a glimpse of some rare birds.

There are wading birds, spoonbills and flamingos at the Al-Ansab lagoons and eagles at Qurum National Park to delight ornithologists.

Twitch CityIsabelline shrike

Acquatic waders

Sand grouse

Bait Al Zubair Museum

Omanat a glance

Trave ltips

The Sultanate of Oman is the third largest country located in the southeast coast of the Arabian peninsula. The Sultanate is bordered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the west, the United Arab Emirates in the northeast, the Republic of Yemen in the southwest, the Strait of Hormuz in the north and the Arabian Sea in the east.

Oman has a land area of approximately 3 09 500km2 and a 3 165km long coastline extending from the Strait of Hormuz in the north, to the borders of the Republic of Yemen in the south.

Oman’s coast spans the three seas : the Arabian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea. A number of islands also are part of Oman including the famous islands of Masirah and Halaniyat (Kuria Muria). The country’s northern most part, the Musandam peninsula is Oman’s only coast on the Arabian Gulf and it is located across the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Fact SheetArea : 3 09 500km2.Population (2010) : 2.69 million, including 743 000 expatriates.Language : Arabic (official), English (widely spoken), German & French (most hotel staff ).Capital : Muscat.Local Time : GMT +4.Currency : Omani Rial, which equates to US$ 2.58.Shopping Hours : 09:00 - 13:00 then 16:30 - 22:00

Currency The local currency is the Omani Rial (referred to as RO or OR or OMR). It is further divided into 1000 Baizas. Currency denominations are available in 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 Rial and 500 and 100 Baiza notes. Coins are available in 50, 25, 10 and 5 Baizas.

ReligionIslam is the official religion of the Sultanate of Oman.

Whenever you travel overseas, it is often useful to understand the local laws and customs in the destination country, as they can often be very different to your own. To avoid any mix up or confusion with local laws and customs we have provided some travellers tips to assist you in having an enjoyable visit to the Sultanate.Please be advised that the information contained on this page is not fully comprehensive and may be liable to change without prior warning. Consult a travel expert or your local embassy prior to departing on your journey.Oman’s laws are based on Sharia law, also known as the Islamic Law. • In Oman, it is illegal not to have some form of

official ID on you at any given time. Therefore, it is recommended that you carry either your passport, or a photocopy of, or some other valid identification card. Other forms of ID such as overseas driver’s license or overseas ID cards will not be accepted.

• Visitors holding valid UK, Australian, and American and certain other nation’s driving licenses (check with the embassy if your country’s license is valid) can currently obtain an Omani license without taking a driving test.

• Vehicles are driven on the right side of the road.

• Heavy rainfall can cause sudden and severe flooding to dry riverbeds, which may pass over a road. You are advised to take full precautions when driving during rains.

• Oman is a Muslim country. You should respect local traditions, customs, laws and religion at all times and be aware of your actions to ensure that they do not offend other cultures or religious beliefs, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, or if you intend to visit religious areas.

Basic Arabic Phrases

(Image source: Ahmed Al Shukaili) (Image source: iStockphoto)

Yes : naäam No : laa Please : arjook Thank you : shukran You’re welcome : äafwan

Excuse me : lao samaht I am sorry : ana aasif Good morning : sabaah al khayrGood evening : masaa’ al khayrGood night : tusbih äalaa khayr

44 get FamIlIar Get FamIlIar 45

46 Oman aIr neWs

Oman Air has held a major conference of Airport Services Managers in Oman’s capital city, Muscat.

The conference brought together all of the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman’s Airport Services Managers to discuss a range of key issues, review performance to date and plan for a future that will see the airline continue its rapid expansion.

Hosted by the Chief Officer, Airport Operations, Don Hunter, the conference saw presentations from members of Oman Air’s senior management team, including Chief Executive Officer Peter Hill. He urged all Airport Services Managers to act as

Oman Air Recognises Achievements

Of Airport Services Managers At Major Muscat Conference

ambassadors for Oman Air and to raise the profile of the airline within their own network airports.

Other speakers at the conference emphasised the importance of customer service, effective communications and vigilance on security issues, whilst delegates also heard of plans for the expansion of Oman Air’s fleet with the imminent arrival of the airline’s seventh Airbus A330 and first Embraer 175.

Bangkok was judged the Station of the year 2010 with Doha picking up the first runner-up spot followed by Male the second runner-up.

Six more awards were presented to best performing Oman Air teams at these airports – London, Lucknow, Chittagong, Cochin, Frankfurt and Bangkok.

To honour and recognise the excellent support extended to Oman Air, mementoes were presented to Royal Oman Police, Directorate General of Safety & Aviation Services and Oman Airport Management Company during the awards presentation.

48 Oman aIr neWs

Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, and Emirates Group’s IT services business have signed a multimillion dollar deal. The deal calls for the deployment of Mercator’s SkyChain system to lift productivity levels across the business.

Mercator has helped Oman Air to make major changes to its cargo operations management systems, replacing a paper-based, manual system, with a fully integrated and automated model. This move will result in the airline achieving further cost efficiencies and greater levels of productivity,

Mercator Helps Automate

Oman Air’s Cargo Operationsand helping it to continue building its revenue streams. Mercator, the IT services business of Emirates Group, deployed its internally developed Cargo application, SkyChain, in February 2011. The application provides a solution which supports the airline in increasing productivity levels through more effective management of its cargo sales, exporting, importing and transfer activities.

The implementation of SkyChain will provide Oman Air with the required automation for its end-to-end cargo operations. The system delivers process efficiencies, providing real time flight revenue monitoring, accurate shipment pricing and tracking, optimised flight capacity management and e-freight capabilities.

Oman Air Catering Services

A Registered CIEH Food Safety Training CentreAnother accolade has recently been added to Oman Air’s Catering Unit at Muscat Intl Airport - this being accreditation as a CIEH-registered training centre for food safety - levels 01 and 02.

This will further enhance the staff ’s awareness of the importance of food safety within the production kitchens of Oman Air.

To Oman Air’s Catering Unit, customer satisfaction is paramount and this step will undoubtedly satisfy our consumers expectation, and cement the reputation and business moving forward. The Catering Unit has two certified trainers. Both experts in the field of Food Safety Management. The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) is based in the UK and is an internationally recognized charity and professional voice for environmental health.

CIEH is also UK’s leading awarding body for vocational qualifications in accredited food safety, health, and environment protection qualification.

In pursuit of elevating not only the service quality, but also improving the skills and knowledge base of its manpower, the Catering Unit started implementing the CIEH food safety course early in 2010. Following its certification, Oman Air has now successfully run the first course with 27 participants.

Apart from the benefit of being an internationally recognised food safety curriculum, the Catering Unit also had incurred economic advantage having the course done internally, in terms of cost savings. There are no operational losses in terms of manpower-hours since the training schedule is adjusted according to the operational requirements. The training contents are also custom-fit to address the demands of the particular organisation, which in the case of Oman Air has exacting criteria.

As the forefront to Oman Air’s food safety program, the Catering Unit is planning to have all its food handlers undergo the certification course within the CIEH Food safety qualifications and eventually expand its services by offering the course to the public.

Sindbad is one of the friendliest frequent flyer programmes in the skies. Unique and generous, Oman Air’s Sindbad Frequent Flyer Programme offers unmatched recognition, greater rewards and exclusive privileges making travel a more pleasing and memorable experience.

Sindbad offers three tiers of membership - Blue, Silver and Gold. The more you fly with Oman Air, the easier it is to progress to the next higher tier. As a Gold or Silver member, you enjoy additional privileges designed exclusively for you.

We invite you to become a member of our Sindbad Frequent Flyer Programme and enjoy a host of membership benefits and privileges, some of which are listed below.

If you are already a member, look for useful and timely information about earning and redeeming miles.

Should you have any query, feel free to contact us. The friendly Sindbad Frequent Flyer Team would be happy to assist you.

Sindbad mileS: You will earn Sindbad Miles on all your Oman Air flights, as well as, on qualifying transactions with Sindbad programme partners. Redeem your Sindbad Miles for free tickets and upgrades.

StatuS mileS: You will earn Status Miles every time you fly Oman Air. Status Miles help you to qualify for higher membership tiers, taking you from Blue to Silver to Gold.

luggage tagS: You will receive personalised luggage tags for easy identification and more efficient baggage handling.

exceSS baggage: You are entitled to an excess baggage allowance of 15 kgs as a Silver member and 20 kgs as a Gold member, on presenting your permanent plastic membership card.

duty Free diScountS: You are entitled to special discounts on In-flight Duty Free items. Blue members receive discount of 5%, Silver members receive a discount of 7% and Gold members receive a discount of 10%. Present your permanent membership card to avail of this discount. (Conditions apply).

Pre-aSSigned Seating and meal PreFerence: Get the benefit of preferential seating on Oman Air. You may also choose from Vegetarian, Asian Vegetarian, Seafood, Diabetic, Hindu, Jain, Fruits & Nuts, or a Child Meal.

early check-in Privilege: At Muscat International Airport, you can check-in with your baggage and claim your boarding pass up to 8 hours prior to departure time. You may then return to the airport and proceed to the departure gate just an hour before your flight.

Same day return check-in Privilege: When you travel between Muscat and Dubai or Salalah and plan on returning the same day, you can check-in and receive boarding passes for the entire journey.

tele check-in Privilege: This is possible when you fly Oman Air out of Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai, New Delhi or Thiruvananthapuram.

Sindbad Mileage Chart:The number of Sindbad Miles earned depends on the booking class, distance travelled and any special offers available.

Class of Travel Booking Class Miles

Full Fare First Class P 300%

Discounted First Class F 250%

Full Fare Business Class J 200%Promotional Business Class C 150%

Discounted Business Class D 100%

Full Fare Economy Class Y 100%Promotional Economy Class B, H, M 50%

Discounted Economy Class K, L, N, Q, T, I 25%

Sindbad Promotions:

First Flight Bonus

Double Miles: Enroll in the Sindbad Frequent Flyer Programme and get Double Sindbad Miles on your first flight with Oman Air.This promotion is valid only for eligible revenue booking classes and applies on the first Oman Air flight registered in the Frequent Flyer system.

Web Booking Bonus

Book your next journey on www.omanair.com and earn a fabulous reward of 500 Bonus Sindbad Miles in Economy Class and 1000 Bonus Sindbad Miles in Business Class, per sector travelled.This offer is valid only for eligible revenue booking classes. Sindbad Miles will be credited with each flight activity registered.

To view the complete list of exciting offers by Oman Air and our Sindbad Programme partners, please visit our website.

Oman Air Sindbad Frequent Flyer Programme, P.O. Box 58, Postal Code 111, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, Tel: + 968 24531111, Fax: + 968 24521075,Email: sindbadffp@omanair.comWebsite: www.omanair.com/sindbadEnroll Now: Please contact a member of the crew for theSindbad Application Form or enroll online at www.omanair.com

S i n d b a dFrequent Flyer Programme

50 Oman air Fast Facts

برنامج والء املسافرين الدائمنيالسـنـــــدبـــــــاد

Si n d b a d Pr o g r a m m e Pa r t n e r S �سركاء برنامج ال�سندباد

HOSPITAL ITY GROUP

جدول اأميال ال�سندباد:

يتوقف عدد �أميال �ل�سندباد �ملقطوعة على درجة �حلجز، و�مل�سافة و�أي عرو�ض متاحة

احت�ساب الأميال الدرجةفئة احلجز

P%300�لدرجة �لأوىل

F %250�لدرجة �لأوىل - خمف�سة

J%200درجة رجال �لأعمال

C %150درجة رجال �لأعمال - ترويجية

D %100درجة رجال �لأعمال - خمف�سة

Y%100�لدرجة �ل�سياحية

B, H, M %50�لدرجة �ل�سياحية - ترويجية

K, L, N, Q, T, I%25�لدرجة �ل�سياحية - خمف�سة

عرو�ص ال�سندباد:

مكافاأة

الرحلة

الوىل

�ساعف اأميال ال�سفر: �أن�سم �ىل برنامج ولء �مل�سافرين �لد�ئمني

“�ل�سندباد” و �أح�سل على �سعف �أميال �ل�سفر على �أول رحلة بالطري�ن �لعماين.

و�سيتم تطبيق �مل�ستحقة �لإير�د�ت لدرجات �لعر�ض �سالح فقط هذ�

نظام �لميال �مل�ساعفة على �ول رحلة على منت �لطري�ن �لعماين يتم

ت�سجيلها يف نظام برنامج ولء �مل�سافرين �لد�ئمني.

مكافاأة احلجز

عن طريق

موقع ال�سركة

على الإنرتنت

www.omanair.com طريق عن �لقادمة رحلتك �إحجز

و�أح�سل على 500 نقطة �إ�سافية لأميال �ل�سفر �سمن برنامج �ل�سندباد

�ل�سفر �سمن برنامج 1000 نقطة �إ�سافية لأميال �ل�سياحية و للدرجة

�ل�سندباد لدرجة رجال �لعمال لكل رحلة.

�سيتم �مل�ستحقة. �لإير�د�ت حجز لدرجات فقط �سالح �لعر�ض هذ�

ولء برنامج نظام يف م�سجلة رحلة كل مع �ل�سندباد �أميال �إ�سافة

�مل�سافرين �لد�ئمني.

�ل�سندباد، برنامج و�سركاء �لعماين للطري�ن �ملثرية �لعرو�ض كافة على لالإطالع

يرجى زيارة موقعنا على �لإنرتنت.

يف وّد� �لد�ئمني �مل�سافرين ولء بر�مج �أكرث من و�حد� )�ل�سندباد( برنامج يعترب

�لأجو�ء. كما يعترب برنامج ولء �مل�سافرين �لد�ئمني )�ل�سندباد( من �لطري�ن �لعماين

فريد� من نوعه و�سخّيا �إىل �أبعد �حلدود، حيث يقدم �متياز�ت ل ت�ساهى ومكافاآت �أكرب

ومز�يا ح�سرية من �أجل �أن تكون جتربة �ل�سفر �أكرث متعة وعالقة يف �لذ�كرة.

يت�سمن برنامج )�ل�سندباد( على ثالثة م�ستويات للع�سوية: �لأزرق و�لف�سي و�لذهبي.

�إىل �أن ترتقي �لأ�سهل لك �لعماين، �سيكون من �لطري�ن �أكرث على منت وكلما �سافرت

مت �إ�سافية مبز�يا �ست�ستمتع فاإنك ذهبيا، �أو ف�سيا ع�سو� كنت و�إذ� �لأعلى. �مل�ستوى

ت�سميمها خ�سي�سا من �أجلك.

ندعوك لتكون ع�سو� يف برنامج ولء �مل�سافرين �لد�ئمني )�ل�سندباد( لت�ستمتع بت�سكيلة

من مز�يا ومكافاآت �لع�سوية �لتي و�سعنا بع�سا منها يف �لقائمة �أدناه.

و�إذ� كنت قد �سجلت للع�سوية م�سبقا فاإنه ميكنك �لطالع على تلك �ملعلومات عن كيفية

�حل�سول على �لأميال وكيفية ��سرتد�دها.

ملزيد من �ملعلومات �أو �ل�ستي�ساحات حول برنامج )�ل�سندباد( ميكنك �لتو��سل معنا.

حيث �سي�سعد فريق برنامج ولء �مل�سافرين �لد�ئمني )�ل�سندباد( مب�ساعدتك د�ئما.

اأميال تاأهيلية: �سوف حت�سل على �أميال تاأهيلية يف كل مرة ت�سافر على رحالت �لطري�ن

�لُعماين. توؤهلك هذه �لأميال لرتفيع درجة �لع�سوية من �لأزرق �إىل �لف�سي �إىل �لذهبي.

�ل�سياحية �لدرجة على �سفرك �أثناء ميال قطعت كلما تاأهيلي ميل على حت�سل و�سوف

وميلني عند �ل�سفر على درجة رجال �لأعمال وثالثة �أميال عند �ل�سفر على �لدرجة �لأوىل.

بطاقات اأمتعة: �ستح�سل على بطاقات مميزة لالأمتعة ل�سهولة �لتعرف عليها و�سرعة

مناولتها عند �ل�سفر على رحالت �لطري�ن �لُعماين.

�لبطاقة �إذ� كنت حتمل 15 كجم �حل�سول على وزن ز�ئد قدره يحق لك وزن زائد:

�لف�سية و 20 كجم �إذ� كنت حتمل �لبطاقة �لذهبية.

خ�سم ال�سوق احلرة : يحق لك �حل�سول على خ�سم خا�ض عند �سر�ء �أي ب�سائع من

�ل�سوق �حلرة على منت �لطائرة، فحاملو �لبطاقة �لزرقاء يح�سلون على خ�سم قدره %5

و�لف�سية 7% و�لذهبية 10 %. ينبغي تقدمي بطاقة �لع�سوية �لد�ئمة للح�سول على هذ�

�خل�سم. )تطبق �ل�سروط(.

اختيار املقعد والوجبات مقدما: ميكن �ل�ستفادة من ميزة �حل�سول على �ملقعد �لذي

تف�سله �أي�سا �لختيار بني �لوجبات �لتي تف�سلها، مثل �لوجبات �لنباتية، �ملاأكولت �لبحرية،

ماأكولت مر�سى �ل�سكري، �لوجبات �لهندو�سية و�لفو�كه و�ملك�سر�ت �أو وجبات �لأطفال.

�إنهاء ميكنك �لدويل، م�سقط مطار يف : مبكرا ال�سفر اإجراءات اإنهاء امتياز

�إجر�ء�ت �ل�سفر مع حقائبك و�حل�سول على تذكرة �سعود �لطائرة قبل 8 �ساعات من

وقت �ملغادرة، ميكنك بعد ذلك �لعودة �إىل �ملطار و�مل�سي قدما نحو بو�بة �ملغادرة قبل

�ساعة فقط من موعد �لرحلة.

امتياز اإنهاء اإجراءات �سفر العودة يف نف�ص يوم ال�سفر: عندما ت�سافر بني دبي

�إجر�ء�ت �ل�سفر �إنهاء �ليوم، فاإنه ميكنك �أو �ساللة وتخطط للعودة يف نف�ض وم�سقط

و�حل�سول على بطاقة �سعود �لطائرة لكامل �لرحلة.

بالهاتف: ميكنك ذلك عندما تطري على رحالت ال�سفر اإجراءات اإنهاء امتياز

�لطري�ن �لُعماين خارج ت�سيناي، حيدر �أباد، كوت�سي، مومباي ونيودلهي �أو تر�فندرم.

برنامج ولء امل�سافرين الدائمني بالطريان الُعماين )ال�سندباد(

�ض ب 58، �لرمز �لربيدي 111، م�سقط، �سلطنة عمان

هاتف : 24531111 968+، فاك�ض : + 24521075 968+

sindbadffp@omanair.com : لربيد �للكرتوين�

www.omanair.com/sindbad : ملوقع �للكرتوين�

يرجى طلب منوذج الع�سوية يف ال�سندباد من اأفراد الطاقم اأو �سجل مبا�سرة

www.omanair.com عرب موقعنا

Oman air Fast Facts 51

ΩÉ````eódGΩÉ````eódG

Code share �ights (via Kuala Lumpur)(QƒÑŸ’ƒc ÈY) ∑ΰûŸG õeôdG ΩɶæH äÓMQ

2011 ‘ Ú°TóàdG

ƒµ°Sƒeƒµ°Sƒe

MoscowMoscow

Ωƒ`Wô`ÿGΩƒ`Wô`ÿG

KhartoumKhartoum

To be launched in 2011

مكاتب الطريان الُعماين

STATION RESERVATION الــحــجـــز AIRPORT مكتب المطار المحطاتJeddah 966 2 6577979 966 2 6850868 جدةKarachi 92 21 3569 3977/78/79/80 92 21 3457 0888 كراتشي Kathmandu 0097714444384 كاتمندوKochi 91 484 238 5080/81/82 91 484 2610169/170 كوتشيKozhikode 91 495 236 5972/3/4 91 483 2716561 كوزيكودKuala Lumpur 006032145 6123 كواللمبور Kuwait 965 2295 8787 965 472 9198 الكويتMaldives مالديف 3006623 960 3006626 960Lahore 0092 42 3628 7891/92/93/94 الهورLondon 44 (0) 8444 822 309 442087 574 984/5, لندنLucknow 91 522 229 3574/75 91 522 2439178/54 لكناوMilan 39 02 399192500 ميالنMumbai 91 22 4322 9000/7 91 22 66859556/2/1 مومبايMunich 0049 8997596092 ميونخNew Delhi 91 11 2376 6280/81/82/83 91 11 2565 4712 نيودلهيParis 33 1 47642150 باريسRas Al Khaimah 0097172287885 00971720448111 رأس الخيمة Riyadh 966 1 473 3133 Ext. 101/3 الرياضTanzania 255 22 211 942600 255 22 284292800 تنزانيا Thiruvananthapuram 91 471 243 7017 91 471 2501387 تيروفاننثابورام

مركز الإت�سالت على مدار ال�ساعة طوال اأيام الأ�سبوع: 1111 2453

الهاتفي الإت�صال اأرقام

درجة على للم�صافرين

وامل�صافرين الأعمال رجال

كافة من الدائمني

املحطات بالهند:

ت�صينــاي:

هـاتف: 64561430 )9144(

حيــدر اأبــاد:

هـاتف: 9849632255 )9140(

كــوت�صــي:

هاتف: 646662326 )91484(

مومباي:

هاتف: 32500111 )9122(

نيو دلهي:

هاتف: 64591474 )9111(

تريوفاننثابورام:

هاتف: 3260152 )91471(

44 معلومات عن الطيران العماني

ΩÉ````eódGΩÉ````eódG

Code share �ights (via Kuala Lumpur)(QƒÑŸ’ƒc ÈY) ∑ΰûŸG õeôdG ΩɶæH äÓMQ

2011 ‘ Ú°TóàdG

ƒµ°Sƒeƒµ°Sƒe

MoscowMoscow

Ωƒ`Wô`ÿGΩƒ`Wô`ÿG

KhartoumKhartoum

To be launched in 2011

Oman Air Fleetاأ�سطول الطريان الُعمايناأيربا�ص 300-330 )عدد الطائرات 3(

عدد املقاعد 230 مقعد • املــدى 10.500 كم • معدل ال�سرعة 871 كم بال�ساعة • الطول 208 قدم 8 ان�ش • الإرتفاع 55

RR Trent 772B قدم 3 ان�ش • طول اجلناح 197 قدم 10 ان�ش • نوع املحرك حمركني من نوع

اأيربا�ص 200-330 )عدد الطائرات 3(

ان�ش 11 قدم 192 الطول • بال�ساعة كم 871 ال�سرعة معدل • كم 12.500 املــدى • مقعد 216 املقاعد عدد

RR Trent 772B الإرتفاع 57 قدم 1 ان�ش • طول اجلناح 197 قدم 10 ان�ش • نوع املحرك حمركني من نوع •بوينج 800-737 )عدد الطائرات 13(

عدد املقاعد 154 مقعد • املــدى 5.445 كم • معدل ال�سرعة 818 كم بال�ساعة • الطول 129 قدم 6 ان�ش • الإرتفاع 41

CFM56-7B قدم 2 ان�ش • طول اجلناح 112 قدم 7 ان�ش • نوع املحرك حمركني من نوع

بوينج 700-737 )عدد الطائرات 2(

عدد املقاعد 114 مقعد • املــدى 5.556 كم • معدل ال�سرعة 818 كم بال�ساعة • الطول 129 قدم 6 ان�ش • الإرتفاع

CFM56-7B 41 قدم 2 ان�ش • طول اجلناح 112 قدم 7 ان�ش • نوع املحرك حمركني من نوع

اأي تي اآر 500-42 )عدد الطائرات 2(

عدد املقاعد 46 مقعد • املــدى 774 كم • معدل ال�سرعة 525 كم بال�ساعة • الطول 71 قدم 11.5 ان�ش • الإرتفاع

PWC127E 24 قدم 10.7 ان�ش • طول اجلناح 80 قدم 7.4 ان�ش • نوع املحرك حمركني من نوع

AIRBUS A330-300 (Number of Aircraft 3)Capacity 230 seats • Range 10,500 km • Cruising Speed 871 kph • Length 208 ft. 8 in. • Height 55 ft 3 in. • Wingspan 197 ft. 10 in. • Engines RR Trent 772B

AIRBUS A330-200 (Number of Aircraft 3)Capacity 216 seats • Range 12,500 km • Cruising Speed 871 kph • Length 192 ft. 11 in. • Height 57 ft 1 in. • Wingspan 197 ft. 10 in. • Engines RR Trent 772B

BOEING 737-800 (Number of Aircraft 13)Capacity 154 seats • Range 5,445 km • Cruising Speed 818 kph • Length 129 ft. 6 in. • Height 41 ft. 2 in. • Wingspan 112 ft. 7 in. • Engines Two CFM56-7B

BOEING 737-700 (Number of Aircraft 2) Capacity 114 seats • Range 5,556 km • Cruising Speed 818 kph • Length 110 ft. 2 in. • Height 41 ft. 2 in. • Wingspan 112 ft. 7 in. • Engines Two CFM56-7B

ATR42-500 (Number of Aircraft 2) Capacity 46 seats • Range 774 km • Cruising Speed 525 kph • Length 71 ft 11.5 in. • Height 24 ft 10.7 in. • Wingspan 80 ft 7.4 in. • Engines Two PWC127E

STATION RESERVATION الــحــجـــز AIRPORT مكتب المطار المحطاتKhasab 968 2673 1592 خصبMuscat 968 24765124/130 968 24519591/347 مسقطSalalah 968 2329 5045/2777 968 2320 2597 صاللةAbu Dhabi 971 2 631 9575 971 2 575 7846 أبوظبيAl Ain 0097137669943 0097137855191 العين Amman 962 6 5004450 962 6 44514444 عمانBahrain 973 1721 4887, 1750 0020 973 1732 9255/56/57 البحرينBangkok 662 635 1222 ext. 23/24/26 662 134 1114-6 بانكوكBangalore 91 80 4113 2900/3053/6531 91 80 6678 4242 بنجلورBeirut بيروت 629866 1 961Cairo 202 2576 2447 202 2265 2523 القاهرةChennai 0091 44 4347 3333 0091 44 2256 4377 شينايChittagong 0088312513581/82 250 0792008831 شيتاجونجColombo 0094114462222 0094114462222 كولمبو Dammam 00966 38961412 الدمامDoha 974 4432 0509 974 4462 6835 الدوحةDubai 971 4 351 8080 971 4 224 5639 دبيFrankfurt 496 9 5830 0710 فرانكفورتHyderabad 91 40 23410800 91 40 6660 5669 حيدر أبادIslamabad 009251280 1501/02/03 إسالم اباد Jaipur 91 141 400 2041/42/43 جيبور

Oman Air's 24x7 Call Centre: 2453 1111Tele Check-in for Business Class and Frequent Flyer passengers travelling from all India stations:Chennai:Tel: (9144) 64561430 Hyderabad:Tel: (9140) 9849632255 Kochi: Tel: (91484) 6466626 Mumbai: Tel: (9122) 32500111New Delhi: Tel: (9111) 64591474 Thiruvananthapuram: Tel: (91471) 3260152

Oman Air Offices

52 Oman air Fast Facts