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Dear Reader,Way back in the day, Turbo and Ozone took theheat for youthful misconduct. Before them it wasSid Vicious and Johnny Rotten, and even beforethem, it was Lennon and McCartney. Heck, evenElvis Aaron Presley and his rhythmic gyrating wereonce viewed as a cause for concern amongstconservative parents.All of these artists changed history, even thoughat the time their work was met with intolerance,frustration and public outcry. The influence ofgraffiti art and ghetto culture is clearly seen todayin mainstream fashion, car advertising, musicvideos, and even architecture. Breakdance isa colourful yet straightforward, and defies thepopular conventions of dance. It is only masteredwhen passion meets physique, and boundariesare pushed. Here in Oman, in the face of adversity,one young ‘crew’ is keeping true to the tradition ofthis art form.In this issue we bring you an incredible look atAudi’s stunning new R8 supercar, weigh up thepros and cons of breast versus bottle feeding,show you a whole bunch of cool stuff on themarket, venture out into the desert for some dunebashing, recount the tale of Omani explorer NabilAl Busiadi and share with you our slice of theworld over the past week. We hope you enjoy theissue.Y TeamEditor-in-ChiefSayyida Iman bint Hamad bin Hamood Al BusaidiWork EditorPaul McLoughlinDesign & LayoutJon HueekContributorsPenny DestroTory GarnerPhotographyJerzy WierzbickiEditorial Enquiriesinfo@y-oman.comPublished by SABCO Press,Publishing & Advertising LLCY is a SABCO Media Product.

This week in9Twentyfour SevenDr. Shashi Tharoor, Pinaki, Abu Dhabi Bridal Exhibit12Check This OutSounds, Viral Video, Erudite, DVD16VentureWahiba SandsCMY20Y-rated:OMANISBREAK ONTHROUGH TOTHE OTHERSIDE26 SpotlightAssila and Fatma Al-Harthy28 Yin-YangBreast vs Bottle, Beauty and Kitchen Secrets40 X-tra TimeNabil Al-BusaidiCMMYCYCMYK634AutoBAHNExclusiveTest Drive:AUDI R842 ChillaxativeCrosswords, Your Stars and Comic ReliefFull list of Int’l Rates available at Mazoon Mobile Outlets.These rates are applicable from 8 pm - 6 amwhen you choose two international numbers.Terms & Conditions apply / Offer valid till 21.02.2010Get a Mazoon Mobile SIM starter kit forOMR2 and get OMR 3 FREE TALK TIMEGetting in touch with family andfriends back home has never beencheaper, now with calling rates aslow as 77bz, and that too, right fromthe first minute. Go on, call them.Make their day.For more information, call:Starter kits are available at:• ABT outlets at City Centre, Seeb & Qurum • Safeer Hypermarket, Azaiba • Wholesale Centre, Al Khoudh • Ruwi High Street • Safeer Centre,Barka • Makkah Hypermarket, Ibri & Tharmad • Thaibat Hypermarket, Musanna • Al Kawther Shopping, Suwaiq & Rustaq • AlkaramaHypermarket, Suwaiq • Safeer Mall, Sohar • Sur Souq • Salalah Alkhoaf, Salalah South • All Lulu Hypermarket Branch • Oman Oil (Ahlain) •Shell (Select) • Mars Market, Ghubra • Maalem Musanaa, North Al Hail & Musanaa and other authorised dealers.

BLOOD AND SANDDear Y,I run the group Quads in Muscat on FB I have a total of 165members on the group at the moment. See Link. http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=14422&uid=261106340160#!/group.php?v=info&gid=261106340160I was very upset after reading your article Blood and Sand from 2Feb 2010This was a unnecessary accident and I would like to do my part inhelping to get the word out there and to see if somebody will stepforward. I feel very sorry for the family of this little boy.What I did is I took out a small piece of your article and send it to allmy group members with the part of your contact detail if somebodywitnessed anything. You can take a look at my discussion board onthe group as well to see what I have posted to the group members.I hope that one of my 165 members witnessed something and thatthey would step forward.OMAN OMX has got a track in Muscat where Quads can race, if theyhave the right safety gear and the right Quads. If you would liketo get more information on the track you can contact Ian Bowen atsecretary@omanmx.com he is in charge of the OMAN OMX track.There is no reason for guys to race on the beaches. If I can doanything from my side to help further in this case or place otherinformation on my group, please let me know and I will do it witha pleasure. I am not a Quad Biker myself, I love to take photos ofthem, and with the group get them to be safe, were safety gear andnot race where they are not allowed. Feel free to link up with theFB group if you would like to load any other stuff regarding Quads,or the accident that happened.RegardsAzelene WilliamsDIG IT?I would like to complain about the municipality roadwork that’staking place in Al Mawaleh North. I opened my front gate yesterdaymorning to drive to work and found that my drive way has beendug up. There is no way for me to drive out. The person who isworking in my drive way speaks no English and is pointing to anempty water bottle. After giving him water, he agreed to patch upthe hole so I could go to work. Today, the hole is sort of patched upbut all cobblestones have been removed and are scattered aroundmy drive way outside my gate. My issue is that I do not know whatkind of work is been carried out and that I have not been given priornotice.Wouldn’t one expect to receive a written notice a week prior to thescheduled work with a simple explanation of what will be done?This is what happens all over the world, but not here. Now I amleft to move the cobblestones and wait for the worker to hopefullyreappear, fill the 1 metre ditch that was dug, and clean up themess. It is now Wednesday afternoon and so far nobody has shownup to deal with the hole in my driveway. My guess is that I willhave to live with this mess until Saturday, as nobody works overthe weekend. I would like the responsible parties to understandthat they are inconveniencing Muscat’s citizens due to their lack ofcommunication. This is simply not acceptable.A concerned citizenSaleAl Khamis Plaza - Tel: 24560992Muscat City Centre - Tel: 24558148Roll Up for the Mystery TourAmongst photographers he is known for his skillin encapsulating the raw beauty of Oman’s naturalscenery, while writers know him for his brillianttravel pieces covering areas across the Sultanate.Pinaki has become something of a legend here inOman, famed for his tenacious attitude towardsthe outdoors. The photojournalist has faithfullynoted his experiences of travelling across Omanwith his renowned blog ‘http://pinaki.info/blog/’.His images often capture the stark realities of lifein the interior, with Bedouins and village people allat the receiving end of Pinaki’s sharp eye and trusty camera. Now, Pinaki is offering his services to the generalpublic, and for a nominal fee of 1.5 rials, you can learn hands-on what makes for a good snap. The photographerwill give a series of guided tours of unexplored areas of the Muscat area, with talks on not only the technical sideof photography, but how to create and build a story around your images by discussing cultural aspects of the areasvisited on the tour. The first 2-hour workshop will begin on the 18th of February at Khimji’s Nikon Showroom inRuwi, and participants may then upload their images and enter a special Khimji/Nikon exhibition with great prizesup for grabs. Places are limited, so visit http://khimjinikonblog.com today! PM9

Hope for Illegal WorkersThe presence of Dr. Shashi Tharoor in the Sultanate from January 4th to 7th has encouraged further strengtheningof ties between India and Oman. Omani Ministers, dignitaries, businessmen and Indians expatriates residing in thenation were all on Dr Tharoor’s ‘meet and greet’ list.And Get FREE Shoe bag + Sports T-shirtValue offer@MUSCAT SPORTSBefore Dr. Tharoor left the country on January 7th, he revealed great news for the many Indian workers lookingforward to the amnesty offered by Oman. After intensive talks with Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Abdullah AlBakri, the Manpower Minister in Oman, Tharoor, stated that he has been assured that the March 31st deadline,regarding the exit without penalties, will be extended.With approximately 3,000 Indian workers in dire need of help, with little food to feed their hungry mouths andno shelter, and employers holding their passports, the situation is pressing. The Omani Minister stated that suchactions on behalf of these companies is in violation of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and has assuredTharoor that “strict actions would be taken against such companies if workers complained.”Sayyid Fahd Bin Mahmood Al Saeed, Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, told Tharoorthat “Indian workers were innocents and had contributed to Oman’s well-being and were only victims of someunscrupulous agents.”Conditions Apply :Limited period offer only on footwearThis offer cannot be clubbed with any other promotional offer/scheme.Gifts shown are for illustrative purpose only.Hurry, Don’t Miss Out!Buy Sports ShoesFrom your Favorite Brands,REEBOK, PUMA, LOTTO, UMBRO,NEW BALANCE, ASICS & HEELYSSayyid Fahd also stated that Oman would not object to workers regularising their status and then returning.However, the main concern is that those taking amnesty are leaving the country with a ‘no re-entry’ stamp.Tharoor carried the problem to the Manpower Minister who assured press that he will look into the matter. So if allgoes as planned, these workers will be eligible to return to the Sultanate after their status is legalised. CEA Wee Drop of RockThey are an award winning Scottish band creating a ‘Trad-rock’fusion for the 21st Century. Playing across the world, they have nowstopped off here in Muscat for the craic of the year! Skerryvore wasformed back in 2004; “from traditional roots the band has developedboth in size and sound to create a unique fusion of their traditionalmusic and songs with the urban sounds of rock and funk.” Thisblend of musical styles has created a sound unique to Skerryvore,which will almost certainly have people dancing a jig or two.On the 24th and 25th of February, the Grand Hyatt Muscat will hostSkerryvor at Club Safari. Tickets are available at OUA MQ RetailOutlet and Club Safari or for further information call 95555699.PMSomething Old,Something New...For four days last week, the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre turned into a bridal haven.The world of a bride is an exhilarating one, beginning with the planning of the ceremony,planning the dress, planning the honeymoon – basically, planning, planning and planning!And that is just the beginning, because then choosing anything (be it planned or unplanned)is an arduous process all on its own. Rich smells of the best perfumes around penetratedthe area, gorgeous invitation cards, stunningabayas and exquisite gowns all made for adazzling spectacle. Dreamy wedding dresseswere showcased from all around the world,and experts answered most of the commonconcerns of a bride-to-be. Standing out atthe event were beautifully handcrafted itemsand boxes featuring high-quality ‘Mother ofPearl’ inlays from Hue International. Comingall the way from Korea to put their items ondisplay, I was very fortunate to meet themthat day.Y VALENTINE’S DAY COMPETITION WINNERCongratulations to Sahana Ramegowda and her husband Prasanna for winningY’s VIP VALENTINE’S DAY PROMOTION!The lucky couple were picked up and pampered by our partners for this spectacular prize promotion. We’ll be bringingyou a glimpse into their Valentine’s evening and their answers to the competition questions, in our next issue.A very special thank you to our partners Left Bank, Gardenia Florist, The Grand Hyatt Muscat and Suhail BahwanAutmotive for making Sahana and Prasanna’s night memorable.Lookout for the next stunning bridal show,but this time it will be in Dubai. KF11

SoundORCHESTRIONPat MethenyBorn August 12, 1954, Pat Metheny is a critically acclaimed composer and musician withmore than 40 years of touring experience. He has released many albums, each one bold anddefiant, yet delicate and harmonically complex. He is an extraordinary guitarist, and also amulti-instrumentalist.Although among the first names to be muttered by Jazz aficionados,Metheny’s music is as much folk, progressive, world music andcontemporary, as it is Jazz. A few critics have labelled his sound‘post-bop’ - in an attempt to describe his trad-jazz wizardry andsophisticated musical concepts. Many know Metheny for his workwith Joni Mitchell, Jaco Pastorius, and David Bowie, but his latestsolo endeavour is surely something special, and worthy of a wideraudience than merely Jazz-heads.Orchestrion is a bit odd, but in a good way. It is full of colour andspace. Metheny uses his trademark midi guitar, combines it with a wonderful myriad of custom acoustic stringed instruments(all designed to take the composer to new heights) and adds the mechanical and repetitive structure of ‘robots’. These robots are programmed guitar parts,instruments and percussive lines – all initially played and recorded by Metheny and triggered automatically during the compositions.The first track on the album, the title track, quickly grabs your attention and immediately changes your mood. It is energetic, playful, and bursts out of yourspeakers with radiant joy. All of Metheny’s albums are cleverly crafted and well produced; Orchestrion is no exception. Five tracks make the album; all memorable,and all reward the listener the more you pay attention.Although his music is primarily for thinkers, a friend of mine best summed up the new Metheny album when they said: “It sounds like music you’d hear in a NewYork Art Gallery.” KJHEruditeThe Catcher in the RyeJ.D. SalingerIt’s just over two weeks since the death of J.D. Salinger, an author who transformed contemporary fiction with just one book; TheCatcher in the Rye. However, like Salinger’s life, nothing was simple. When the novel became a commercial and literary successin 1953, Salinger shied away from fame and further literary recognition to live a hermit-like existence away from prying eyes; butthe legend of this novel was fixed. Catcher in the Rye became the novel of the lost generation who like Salinger were scarred bytheir experiences in the Second World War and yearning for a childhood lost due to the conflict, epitomised by protagonist HoldenCaulfield. Following Caulden’s experiences as a seventeen-year-old ‘runaway’, searching for truth, solace and companionship in New York City, Catcher is a novelwhich deals with a childhood scarred by learning first-hand about the painful realities of adulthood and modernity. The message is invariably bleak and testing,and is in parts an extremely uncomfortable read, particularly with the intoxicated and matter-of-fact, first-person commentary from Caulden, who becomes evermore detached from the people and city that surround him. With a few desperate and well-intentioned grasps at retaining humanity, Caulden throws himself intoa wonderland where he plays ‘The Catcher’, saving children who are playing in a field of rye from falling off an imagined cliff. The abstractness of the novel leavesa lot open to interpretation; it was in this novel that Mark Chapman found perverse inspiration for the murder of John Lennon but controversy shrouded the bookboth before and after its publication, . Today, despite misgivings from some quarters of society, the book has been an inspiration for another generation of buddingwriters, film makers and ordinary people across the world. PM12

HAJIME IN OMANKamegaki is one of the oldest andmost respected experts on Japaneseanimation and his wealth of experiencedates back to the 70s. He hasanimated, directed and producedmany amazing and ground breakingtitles, including Zambot 3, Gundam,Detective Conan, Lupin III, SpaceBattleship Yamato, and more recentlyNaruto-Shippuden the movie...parts 1 and 2.Funded by the Japan Foundation,animation expert and Director HajimeKamegaki will be in Muscat, Oman as partof a series of lectures on anime. His tourof the region will include Morocco andTurkey, however with the growing numberof anime fans in Muscat, his lecture is nowtalk-of-the-town!DVDOffice Space‘Office Space’ is a comedy directed by Mike Judge and released in 1999, starring Ron Livingston, JenniferAniston and Gary Cole. Now before you baulk at my review and rattle on about the impossibility of aFriends-star starring in a movie that is actually good, hear me out. Aniston plays a very small role in thefilm, and her part, limited as it may be, is actually good.Protagonist Peter Gibbons (Livingston) is stuck in a rut. He hates his job, cares little for the pursuit offun and happiness and detests his boss, something we can probably all identify with at some point inour lives. He suspects his partner is cheating on him, and in an attempt to appease her, visits a ‘CareerHypnotist’ to see if things can improve. Bad timing and a fatality result in Peter’s life changing rapidly.Organised by the Embassy of Japan, Mr. Kamegaki will deliver a lectureon the most widely appreciated form of Japanese pop culture, anime.Imparting his knowledge from an extensive career in animation, thelecture will take place on Tuesday, the 23rd of February, at 7pm.Participants will have the chance to ask questions as the floor will beopened to discussion after the lecture.The film shows the ridiculous nature of corporate life. The systems and procedures not only chokeprogress but also perpetuate the illusion of work being carried out. The ‘system’ sucks the life out ofPeter and a clever computer programming scam changes his outlook and that of his two best friends,Saudi born Samir and Michael Bolton – no, not the singer!Actor Stephen Root steals the show with his portrayal of the meek, muttering, sad Milton Waddams.‘Office Space’ is a great film and worth watching on DVD. KJHThis is an incredible opportunityto meet the great HajimeKamegaki, and is open to thoseinterested in attending. To findout more contact the Embassyof Japan on 24601028.Viral VideoT-SHIRT WAR by Rhett & Link. These two crazy kids - well I guess they are not actually that young – have posted up several interestingvideos on YouTube. They are charismatic and sharp and their videos are always posted up in extremely high resolution.This video is by far their best creation. Whilst we are big fans of ‘stop-motion’ animation here at Y, and have seen many things done with this medium, this efforthas pretty much blown us away. It is clever and clearly very hard to do. Most animation like this is extremely time consuming, this clip is also complicated andunique. If you were to storyboard this film, your local stationer would probably run of paper! The props are an excellent idea of linking the artistic world with reality,and the editing is seamless.A wonderful viral video with just under one million views, and one you simply have to check out.KJHKIRAN JAY HASLAM 201015

Edgingeverdeeperinto thedesert –Wahiba SandsNobody can truly say they know the Wahiba Sands if they have been there just for a day. However, the truth isnobody can really say they are acquainted with this area apart from The Wahiba tribe that called this desert home,and regardless of technological advances in motor vehicles, it is still only the desert dwellers who can successfullyunderstand, navigate and master this expanse. The sand dunes are as hostile as they are breathtaking and theoutlying dunes that most off-roaders speak of when referring to Wahiba are just the start of a vast unforgivinglandscape. Our first trip to the desert was cast in the shadow of darkness, as we rumbled carefully throughthe valleys lying between the dunes; we found a suitable place to camp for the night near Al Arish Camp. With acooking stove we made steaming cups of tea and warming pots of noodles - it was just what was needed as thetemperature dropped beneath the cloudless black sky. It’s only in these pockets away from human civilisation thatone can appreciate the night sky; the murky ink colours of Muscat’s sky parted, revealing a canopy of bright lightsand a crystal clear moon. Indeed, it’s not the conversations around the camp fire which will denote a night out inWahiba, but the myriad of stars and constellations on show, as the irresistibility of this spectacle will leave youcraning your head towards the heavens throughout the night.After a cold night, it was time to wash out our gritty mouths with cups of tea before we clambered into ourphotographer’s trustworthy Land Cruiser Series 80 Model HZJ80 diesel and crept towards the sand dunes. Thedunes appear more intimidating, and as this was my first time dune-bashing, I am not ashamed to say I was morethan a little worried. The steep sandy banks often give way to sharp drops, and with no disrespect to the prowessof our driver, the Land Cruiser appeared far too bulky and cumbersome to navigate the slopes and trails betweenthem. With a rev of the engine, the vehicle turned upright on a sharp angle and climbed the first dune, beforemaking a sharp turn to avoid the embankment which dropped just below my door. The Land Cruiser continuedeffortlessly up and down the sand banks, despite damage to the bumper from one clumsy drop, reminding us thatno matter how slight the gradient of a dune may appear, there is always the hidden risk of damage to your car.Wishing the sun would remain high a little longer, we cut our losses and headed back to Muscat at twilight whenthe flickering lights of Al Qabil became visible.16Photography by Jerzy Wierzbicki, Paul McLoughlin

Eager to finish our story on Wahiba, we finally got our chance when we receivedan out-of-the-blue phone call from Sherrin Davies of Zeenah PR asking if we wouldlike to test drive a new Mitsubishi Pajero Sport in the Sharqiya Desert. After a briefmeeting at the Mitsubishi dealership in Al Athaiba we made our way to the desert, inconvoy, and began to explore another expanse of sand dunes further into the interior.Coffee and a buffet welcomed us to the Sama Al Wasil camp, before a line of Jeepsand Mitsubishis snaked towards the dunes to test out the capabilities of each car.From the initial impression of the Pajero having limited capabilities on-road, ourphotographer switched to low-range and soon the merits of the car emerged. ThePajero is a delight on the sand dunes; handling of the vehicle is nothing short ofexcellent, which is just what is needed when one mistake can prove disastrous. Thecar moved gracefully from one embankment to another and the sand tossed fromthe wheels of the Pajero proved to be as aesthetically pleasing as the car’s gracefulmovements across the steep sand mounds. Ever nimble, and with sufficient power,the Pajero proved to be an able off-roader. The highlight of the journey was the slopeleading down to the camp. The convoy stopped to enjoy the awe-inspiring views ofnothingness that is Wahiba’s real charm, before the suspense-ridden experience ofguiding the tyres of the Pajero into the marked trails of other 4X4 vehicles began, anda heart-in-mouth experience unfolded. The car appeared to turn to an almost uprightangle until we reached solid ground.With adrenaline levels at an all time low from an exhausting day on the sands, wepolitely declined the request to try out a pair of Yamaha quads and headed southeastback to Muscat, promising ourselves that we would return to inch closer to theforbidden interior of the Sharqiya Desert, but next time with our heads donned withhattas, marking our return to the desert of The Wahiba. PM18

Break on ThroughPaul McLoughlinAlthough stubborn would be too strong a word to describe Sultan,he is certainly dedicated to break dancing, and with words such ashope, goals, dreams, and love filling his speech when he discusseshis struggle for acceptance, Sultan sounds remarkably like a youngObama. “We need to clear things up,” he says. “People still thinkwe’re a gang. We are just people who enjoy break dancing. It’s ahobby, a form of exercise... a type of art.” It’s only when I join Sultanand his crew at Al Sahwa Park that I begin to understand whathe means. The group congregate in the only accessible place forb-boys to practice, a black marble surface of a quiet public area inthe corner of the park, and when a family sheepishly approach thegroup to pass, they stop, the crowd parts, and some ask the oldermember of the family how they are. Another rival crew are alsothere, but there is nothing resembling the confrontation you wouldcommonly associate with ‘gangs’ – the two groups of young menmingle freely and with ease. In turns, the young kids step forwardand break dance with variable levels of skill – they throw theirbodies into spins, sharp shapes, and flips, with limbs protrudingand arched into impossible angles. It’s an impressive sight, andalthough I am slightly ignorant to break dancing, it’s obvious thathours, upon days, upon months and years of practice have gone intohoning these skills. Each member has their own signature moves,including Sultan who arches his legs into an L-shape, holding hiswhole body weight up with one arm, and holds the move for a fewseconds – if this does not become an Olympic sport in ten yearstime, I’ll be very surprised.Dancing is not a hobby commonly associated with rebellion and struggle. A pastime which has been enjoyed by generationsthroughout the history of civilisation, it has become a cultural norm which represents a myriad of human emotions andreflects on cultural issues and understanding. While the rather tame swing dancing which older generations still enjoytoday may look tame by our standards, at the time it was a movement and representation of counter-culture, seen by manyas an act of rebellion against the rigidly tight social structure of 1950s America. Nevertheless, forms of artistic rebellionstill exist here in Oman.Sultan is a young man whose appearance falls in sharp contrast to his personality. Decked out in the obligatory hip-hopgear (a baseball cap slightly skew-whiff, a baggy zip-up hoody, and t-shirt with his crew’s initials emblazoned on it),Sultan looks just like one of the millions of young men from various ethnic groups that are seen every day on the streetsof New York, London, Paris and Tokyo. The clothes are as much a part of the genre of hip-hop as the other fields of themusical-cultural phenomenon; notably rap, mixing, graffiti writing and break dancing. It permeates every aspect of hislifestyle, from the clothes he wears, to the music he listens to, and even to the slang words that pepper his well-thoughtout sentences. But despite his outlaw appearance Sultan remains polite, helpful, and courteous throughout our interviewin a well-known coffee shop in City Centre. When I ask which coffee he would prefer, Sultan replies, “I don’t know, I rarelyvisit these places. Erm, one of those orange juices from the cooler. Thanks.”20

Despite the sense of individuality that the sport encourages, each memberhas faced struggles of acceptance from their families; some even sufferingphysical abuse at the hands of their parents while the majority still keep ita secretive pastime. Sultan brings one person forward, possibly in his lateteens, and translates, “His family doesn’t know he break dances, so hecomes here surreptitiously, telling his family he is going to play football.”The young man keeps his eyes fixed to the floor or looking towards hist-shirt, football shorts or sports shoes, which breaks from the uniformityof the baggy-short wearing crowd. Sultan explains, “He’s too old to bebeaten, but he still wants to keep it secret.” Another b-boy approaches: “Iwas also hiding from my family until my brother caught me break dancingand he went straight back home to tell my parents. When I got home myparents said I was stupid. They told me that we are Omanis and Omanisdon’t dance.” Like most of the crew, he didn’t give up, and continued tobreak dance, despite the protests from his parents. However, the belittlingand shame of this harmless activity obviously leads to confusion formany of these people, who are passing through their teenage years andbeginning to form a personal identity. Break dancing not only provides anactivity they can partake in during their spare time, but allows them toexpress themselves through dance much like any other art form. Whenthrongs of teenagers walk aimlessly through malls, window-shopping andwith no money in their pockets, or sit on street corners with no activitiesto keep them occupied, why are they not confronted? Like rapping, breakdancing was born on the streets where boredom amongst young peoplewas rife. The various forms of hip-hop culture gave these young peoplea way to articulate their frustrations in an expressive, dynamic, and nonviolentway, and helped them turn away from becoming a social nuisance.For some it led to riches, but all were part of a movement which helpedto transform youth culture into a bottom-up renaissance of dance, poetry,and musical expressionism.Sultan’s role is less of a leader but more of a guardian with thisyoung crowd. When I ask for interviewees from the two crews, heis gentle, discreet, and persuasive; something he has learnt in partfrom his role as a taekwondo instructor for young children. “When Istarted getting into magazines with my break dancing I used to tryand hide from the parents of the kids I taught. But when parentsstarted seeing me they would ask, ‘Aren’t you that person who doesbreak dancing? Why don’t you teach my son?’ So I started doingit with the parents’ approval.” Conversely, Sultan faced hostilityfrom his own parents. It’s a similar story to other people I chattedwith; in brief it was of his mother and father’s aversion for theirson being associated with this pastime, which they believed to beagainst their culture. When he began to break into the local mediascene, things changed. They became proud of his achievements:“It all turned around when I was featured in magazines and wouldgo to competitions in Dubai and come back with money. When theyrealised that it was a career and something I could support myselfwith, they became encouraging.” This is just the beginning of hisachievements – Sultan was invited by famous eighties actressand talent scout Debbie Allen and has even started to delve intothe world of filmmaking himself; he is currently filming his owndocumentary on the break dancing scene here in Oman.

It is however the wider context of culturalopposition which is his main problem,and like any other person in a position ofresponsibility, he worries about the youngerpeople in his group. “A lot of the kids herehave to walk here [to the park] because theycan’t tell their parents that they are comingto break dance. They have to cross five orsix busy roads and it’s really dangerous.People can really hurt themselves on themarble if they fall wrong, and all we wantis some support to have a safe place topractice. In the sports halls there are alwaysempty rooms with wooden floors, which isthe ideal and safest surface to rehearse on.Businesses could start sponsoring a minibusto pick up the children to take us tothe sports hall too,” he says with genuinepassion and frustration. “The problem isthat we are told not to break dance or followthis culture and every time you put on MTVyou see people in the clips break dancing.When you go to the movies you see peoplebreak dancing, so if they allow us to paymoney to go see these films, why do theyget annoyed when we start doing what wesee in the films or music videos?”By ‘they’ he means the older generationwho are preventing their children fromentering this clandestine culture ofexpression. Despite this opposition fromsome sectors of society, the ‘Serve ‘n’Knock’ crew continue to turn away fromthe other, more destructive, temptationsof western culture and learn new moveswith temperance and great perseverance,in search of perfection within their chosenart form. While the opponents of the genrecontinue to dismiss it as imprudent andimpractical, perhaps their shame is not ofwhat these talented young people do, but oftheir lack of understanding for the passionthese kids harbour.‘Like rapping, break dancingwas born on the streets whereboredom amongst young peoplewas rife. The various forms ofhip-hop culture gave these youngpeople a way to articulate theirfrustrations in an expressive,dynamic, and non-violent way,and helped them turn away frombecoming a social nuisance.’24Photography by Jerzy Wierzbicki

UNVEILINGTHE BEAUTY WITHINKarima FaridMirror, mirror on the wall, who is the PRETTIEST of them all? Wouldn’t every girl want tohear the answer ‘YOU’?For most of us reality hits, and the only day we are ever likely to get that invigorating answeris on our wedding day. Usually for us Omanis, our ego-driven emotions couple up with thethought of tradition, decency, respect, sensitivity, and last but not least, fashion.It isn’t easy.This is a factual story of a loving mother who pioneered of theart of make-up, and of redefining the image of female beauty inOman, since 1978. Assila Al-Harthy is an inspiration and a leadingexample of professionalism.Assila was passionate about art at a very young age, and luckilyfor her, she was also good at it. Spending countless hours drawingbeautiful pictures, Assila found hair and make-up of interest, twothat things that pieced together rather nicely. When it was time toenter the workforce, Assila landed a job at Oman TV where she wasresponsible for make-up and beauty.Supportive colleagues surrounded Assila; with more experiencein the field they taught her the tricks of the trade and the latesttechniques. Putting make-up on seemed natural to her, and she wasimproving in her art day-by-day. In 1984 she was selected to attendan intensive make-up course in France for one year, but being awife and a mother, it wasn’t an easy decision to make. Perseveranceand a strong will prevailed and when it was time for Assila to returnto Oman, she came back more confident and knowledgeable. Thatcertificate she gained from her studies in France still hangs on hermake-up room. Assila started to apply make-up for clients fromher home, but initially just for family members. She recalls that shewas so nervous when applying makeup for her first bridal client.Looking every bit the dream bride on her special day, that clientstill keeps in touch with Assila, although many years have passed.News quickly spread and Assila found herself in high demand, soshe decided to open up her own beauty salon, the Princess BeautyHouse. After a recruitment trip to Morocco - Assila believesMoroccans are the best hairdressers in the world - she returnedto Oman with a talented young lady, Fawziya, and the two are stillworking together, decades later.I sat with both Assila and her daughter, and I could immediatelysee how proud and loving their relationship was. Her youngestdaughter Fatma, having grown up around salons and brides, isfollowing in her mother’s footsteps. She says, “In high school, kidstend to keep changing interest from one subject to another but,not me; I always knew I wanted to work with make-up, fashion andbeauty.”Fatma started at ‘Sothys Academy’, a French academy for makeupartists in Lebanon. After three years she received her diploma in‘Beauty and Skin Care’. After a short break in Oman, she took up anintensive course at ‘Maincaline Institute’, for Artistic Makeup andNail Art, and officiallytook over the secondbranch of ‘PrincessBeauty House’ in 2003.Assila recalls, “Iremember when herdad and I left her inLebanon for the firsttime, I just always hadfaith that she wouldbe fine and though wemissed her, we knewthat she was equippedwith discipline andambition, which wouldtake her ahead in life.”Fatma chirps in saying,“When I took up my first bridal assignment, I was really nervous ofwhat my mum would think, but thankfully she was very proud ofme and it proved to be the beginning of a steady career in the fieldof my choice.”When Fatma took over the second branch of the beauty salon, sherenovated and created an atmosphere that was relaxing as well asreassuring for her clients. ‘Provide a royal treatment experienceand make them feel like a princess’ is her team’s motto and herclientele now know her by her name, not just as ‘Assila’s daughter’,something which Assila herself is very proud of.Eager to continue honing their craft, both Assila and Fatma stillattend courses and seminars on beauty and make-up techniques.They tell me that the bride’s smile is the first thing they look atwhen they meet a new client, aiming to draw attention to it, notwith the simple use of bright lipstick, but to highlight the style andpersona befitting a bride to be.They agree that makeup should bring out one’s natural beauty, nothide it or disguise it. It is not easy dealing with brides, we all knowthat the stress and expectation of that ‘big day’ morph otherwisepleasant personalities into ‘bridezillas’! For the brides out therewho have been lucky enough to have these two professionals inyour beauty department, then I can confidently state that your daywent like a fairy tale!While a bride might have a clear picture of how she will look, it is ultimately up to a‘professional’ to advise you and have you looking your best. Yet, freedom and the act ofinvention from both the bride and the beautician abounds.26 27

Breast vs FormulaThe Baby Milk BattlePenny DestroBreastfeeding is best for babies – this is what we’retold by the majority of healthcare workers. But isit? Their standard justification is that it’s natural, soit must be, yet not so many years ago thousandsof young women died during childbirth, and onlyhalf the babies born made it to their first birthday– that was also the natural way of things. Thankfullymedical discoveries and inventions have made suchtragedies mostly a thing of the past – but have theyalso managed to match the perfect nutritional valueof nature’s own sustenance?Formula, or powdered baby milk, is now much moresophisticated than it was when it was first developedby Swiss pharmacist Henri Nestlé way back in the1860s. Then it was made from cow’s milk, malt,sugar and wheat flour, and prior to that, infantsunable to be breastfed were given milk from cows –and donkeys.Nestlé’s recipe didn’t catch on immediately: untilthe mid-twentieth century mothers made theirown concoctions with watered down evaporated orcondensed milk with added sugar - little wonder thechildren had rotten teeth by the time they were fiveyears old!Commercial formulas began to gain popularityin the post-World War II baby boom when moremothers went out to work, and there was a period inthe 1970’s when 75 percent of mothers were bottlefeedingtheir offspring.Manufacturers are constantly striving to find aformula which perfectly emulates mothers’ milk andnowadays you can obtain a wide variety. There arerecipes with or without iron, with or without cow’smilk, with specific added vitamins, soya proteinbased products and formula made from goat’s milk,all of them guaranteed to give a baby the nutrition heor she needs for healthy growth. Nutritionists predictthat formulas of the future will contain probiotics likethose in live yoghurt; though these organisms aren’tfound in breast milk, it is hoped they’ll help boostthe infant’s immune system.Bottle-feeding has benefits for mum too: for a start, anyone can bottlefeedyour baby – which gives dad a chance to bond with his son ordaughter. Because formula takes longer to digest than breast milk,bottle-feeding is less frequent; you know exactly how much your babyis taking – and you don’t have to watch your diet either.Disadvantages include the cost of formula, the necessity of cleaning andsterilising all equipment involved, and the fact that it doesn’t containantibodies which protect the baby from illness as breast milk does. It’salso essential to ensure the measurement of the formula is correct, andaccording to one survey, scoops are frequently miscounted – an easymistake in the middle of the night when you’re half asleep. Feeding toomuch or too little formula can lead to obvious problems such as obesityor malnutrition, and this led one frustrated British father to invent anelectronic formula dispenser which eliminates counting and gets it rightevery time. Check out the Bottle Buddy on www.babybuddy.euHowever, breastfeeding has many advantages: apart from the naturalimmunity it gives the baby, there’s no preparation, no cost – and it’sbelieved to help mothers get back into shape much more quickly!Healthcare professionals the world over recommend breastfeeding atleast for the first six months – here in Oman many mothers carry onuntil the child is two years old.But a nursing mother must watch her diet carefully – the general ruleis no spicy food, no alcohol and no medication unless approved by adoctor. She must also drink plenty of water and get lots of rest.Not every mother is able to breastfeed – and not every baby can doso. Premature babies, for example, are often unable to suckle andhave to be artificially fed, and mothers with infections such as HIV ortuberculosis, or who are severely malnourished are advised against it.Breastfeeding doesn’t always come naturally. It’s often confusing for firsttimemothers, and some give up as they’re too embarrassed to seek help,but with support and encouragement it can be an enjoyable experience formother and baby - and rewarding too. Travelling, for instance, becomes somuch easier when you don’t have to pack the proverbial kitchen sink everytime you take a trip!Of course, if lifestyle doesn’t allow mum to be constantly available, itis possible to nurture an infant with a combination of breast and bottlefeeding – often with milk expressed from the mother. This is particularlynecessary as breast milk may dry up or the supply become inadequate ifit is not taken regularly.In the debate between breast and bottle there is no right and wrong– it should be a personal choice. So if when all factors are consideredyou decide to breastfeed, that’s great; but if you choose formula, don’tbottle it! You’re not a failure – in doing what’s best for you, you’re alsodoing what’s best for your baby. A calm and relaxed mother makes for acontented baby.Breast milk benefits• it contains antibodies to protect the baby• it’s always ready and at the correcttemperature• it costs nothing• no cleaning, sterilising or storageproblems• it changes with the baby’s needs• as well as preventing many childhoodillnesses it can decrease the risk of heartattack and stroke in adulthoodBreastfeeding drawbacks• mum has to be available 24/7• mum has to watch what she eats anddrinks• you can’t tell how much baby has taken• it can be frustrating and uncomfortableBottle-feeding bonuses• anyone can feed the baby• there’s more time between feeds• you know how much milk the baby has taken• you can eat and drink what you like• you can go out without pumping or rushingback to feedBottle-feeding hiccups• it’s not cheap• you have to sterilise everything• you must be sure to mix the formulacorrectly• formula left in the bottle for more than anhour must be disposed of• when you go on a trip you have to take allthe paraphernalia with you28 29

Beauty Queen SECRETSTory GarnerMUST HAVES16 beauty tips to boost your radiance and complexion.Beauty is not only down to good genes. Follow these simple tipsand you will feel as good as you look, every day.ProtectyourskinWe all know that an even androsy skin tone equals youth. Toensure pigmentation changedoesn’t give away your age, usinga cream with UV protection is amust. All your facial day creams,make up fluid and hand creamsshould have a sun protectionfactor of at least 15.2RougeAccentuate your facial features perfectlyand give your skin tone an instant fresh andrelaxed look. Our tip for you: Apply rouge at asteep angle and your face will appear slimmer.A horizontal slightly angled stroke will help your face appearrounder. We love Urban Decay ‘Afterglow Blush’, available in lightpink, bright pink or peachy-gold with shimmer.3Boost your skinsradianceMake up helps even out your skin tone’simperfections. Some foundations include lightreflecting and radiance-revealing properties. For a longlasting satin touch try ‘Teint Resist’ by Yves Saint Laurent.The new Bvlgari BLV IIeau de parfum features naturalelegance and sophistication. This allday azure blue fragrance’stop notes include violet,star anis, mandarinand jasmine.Philosophy introduces their ‘Miracle Worker MiraculousAnti-aging Retinol Pads and Solution’. A high performanceretinoid formula promises skin cell renewal without irritation. Full ofgoodies like soothing conditioners and antioxidants, philosophy promisesvisible results within a week.The Jean PaulGaultier iconicscent LE MALEis now available in alimited edition comicfeature bottle. Hurryto secure your ’SuperLE MALE LimitedEdition bottle’.Sonia Rykiel’sknitwear andaccessoriescollection for H&Mwill be available from 20thFebruary in selected storesaround the globe.SummerforeverSo your skin is pale inwinter, but that is noexcuse to look pale andlifeless. Add a little colour byusing a facial cream with self tan or,for a clever option, add two dropsof concentrated make up to yourdaily moisturiser. For that healthysummer glow try ‘Color To Mix’ byHelena Rubinstein.4Say it5withyoureyesA very little eye make upis an instant complexionbooster. Top and bottomeyeliner as well as darkmascara gives youmysterious and glamorouseyes. Add an extrastroke to your outerlashes to give an extradramatic feel. Forextra glow addhighlighter belowyour brow. We love‘Zoom Lash’ by MAC.Check out the newbaby phat spring 2010 collectionby Kimora Lee Simmons.Our favourite picks include this double v-neck romper.6LipsA warm smile, white teethand beautiful lips. Letyour mouth take centrestage with ‘Serum deRouge No 840’ by Dior.30 31TasselDiskNecklaceJerricaHobobagFaranShoes

AUDI R8 V8 4.2 FSITest Drive:Kiran Jay HaslamThe new Audi R8 2010 model is finally here in Oman, and thanks to the guys at Zubair’s Audi dealershipin Wattaya, the keys were handed over to Y so that we could sit-in, buckle-up and gently squeeze thethrottle until we started squealing like kids in a candy store. We suspect that same candy store mayindeed have supplied the secret ingredient for the paint job that adorned our custom spec, “Papaya”V8 beast.As most of you are aware, the four-ringed carmaker par excellence from Ingolstadt also ownsLamborghini, the raging bull of exotic cars. So is it a case of Italian mid-engine madness meetsDeutsche diligence? Supercars are fun and glorious to look at, but seldom provide anywhere nearthe creature comforts and practicality that one needs in order to ‘daily drive’ what ultimately costsmore than a house to buy. The new R8 is different. It comes at a reasonable price and is practical,too.Part supercar, part daily driver the R8 is an incredible combination of sure-footed power, supportiveand airy styling with an injection of passion and fun that makes you drool. We drove our test car outof the dealership and headed up to our office in Seeb; along the way we got more smiles, waves andnods than the Queen of England on a royal parade. Even without the disco orange coating, the wide,menacing stance of the R8, its scowling headlights, race-bred side strips, and Veyron-like sculptingall add up to shout out to passers by “Hey! Look at me,” and look, they do.34

Audi’s revolutionary new space frame for the R8 is constructed fromAluminium and Magnesium. It is ultra-light, ultra-stiff and ultra–strong. Carbon fibre adorns the car with an F1-inspired engine bayso clean and luxurious you’d swear it was lifted from a kitchenette inMichael Schumacher’s lake retreat in Geneva. Anyway, it is so gloriousthat if I owned this car, I’d park it in my living room, lift the clear glassengine lid, and proceed to eat my dinner off the top of the V8 4.2-litrealuminium block.The cabin is so wonderfully designed that at 1.8 metres tall and ofaverage stature, I have heaps of room in every direction. You sit at a nicevantage over the front hood and side sills, and the controls and panelsare all at good reach. A carbon fibre shell cocoons the driver, and thewrap around feeling is more ‘exotic sports car’ than Audi sedan, eventhough a few switches and stalks are borrowed from a run-of-the-millA4. It is, however, well clad in glorious Fine Nappa leather, soft andinviting, and with precise orange stitching to boot. I liked getting in, itwas easy and the flat-bottomed steering wheel is the perfect thicknessand size in your hands. A straightforward key-in-the-ignition start, andthe V8 burbled, tightly. You can see clearly out to your left and right,rear vision is wide and high, and side mirrors catch the road, adjacentlanes and those glorious angular rear arches with ease.Audi have really taken design cues from Lamborghini for the R8, withthe little embossed logos on leather – with its stitching, finely needledby the hand of an artisan – tiny sun visor flaps, knurled aluminiumknobs, precision machined gearlever and surround, and of coursecarbon fibre trim. The instrument cluster is magnificent, and uponstart-up the needles momentarily max out and settle down to displayidle information. Our test car was fitted with a paddle-shift R-Tronic6-speed transmission, the paddles of which were mounted behindthe front face of the steering wheel. A tap of the index finger andyou could shift up (right) or shift down (left). A trip computer and ofcourse the greatest build quality in the automotive world, by way ofbuttons, stalks and dials, encrust the steering wheel, doors and centreconsole. In my opinion, if you consider the volume of cars they sell eachyear, Audi’s quality is yet unsurpassed by any other mass productioncarmaker you may consider a peer.The engine is mounted in the only place it should be for a machine purpose built for highspeed and cornering, in the middle of the car.A glass hatch exposes the direct injection eight-cylinder unit from Audi to all and sundry.It is impressive to the eye and to the ear, with 420hp peaking at 7800rpm. The redlinesits a shade over 8200rpm, which indicates a well-blueprinted combustion process, andis only achieved by an unusually long stroke. Audi calls this high revving design HDZ. It is,however, the 430Nm of torque, a by-product of HDZ, that really gets this baby moving. Itcomes on strong low in the rev range, and seems to be a flattish curve of ‘neck-snapping’proportion. Fearless engineers expecting high lateral forces designed a dry sump oilsystem into the new R8. The bonus to the highly sought after uniform oil feed is the flatsump pan that allows a lower positioning for the engine within its bay, so the weight sitslower to the road and optimises handling. At the R8’s top speed of 301km/hr that littledesign detail makes all the difference.‘thanks to its outstanding design, weight distribution,engine placement and Quattro transmission,you never quite feel like you are brandishing a dangerous weapon.’After a few hours of inner-city traffic and cautious driving it was time to ‘blow out a fewcobwebs’ and with the mutterings of an old fort to be found in a tiny secluded villageemanating from our photographer, we headed out to the mysterious destination.The R-Tronic is perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea. I am, and always will be, convincedthat regardless of the new transmission systems around today - capable of shifting ata fraction of the rate we mere mortals can with a gearlever - a manual gearbox is theonly way to go. That said, once the R-Tronic was slapped into ‘manual mode’, the precisepaddles made light work of fast changes and engine blips. The automatic mode allowsa normal setting and ‘sports’ settings, the latter holds the revs higher and longer, butboth auto settings tend to lunge through the changes, so I found myself seeking out themanual mode for smoothness and interaction.In just about any gear, with the sudden press of the accelerator pedal, the R8 can violentlypin you to your seat and the 4.2-litre V8 screams up to the redline. It is fast. Wonderfully,exhilaratingly, predictably fast. Hustle it through a few bends, turn in tight, bury your36 37

ight leg and wham! You surge forward as preciselyas you place the front end. Feedback is marvellousand the steering is definitely weighted ‘à la Gallardo’- heavy. The four wheels in connected motion don’tfight the tarmac, as the Quattro system never splitsthe power delivery fully; rear wheels always get thebenefit of the traction on offer and so under-steerhas been reduced. Over-steer is near impossible,even without the electronic failsafe switched on.When you pilot this thing, you feel like a superhero.And in my case, just as superman brazenly sportshis bright red undies on the outside of his costume,I am in a fluorescent ‘Papaya Orange’ Audi R8 in thedistrict of Al-Seeb.Electro-magnetic fluid replaces the oil in the car’sshock absorbers, and so at the push of a button aharder ‘sport suspension’ setting can be engaged.For the road surface in Oman this setting is fine, aswe don’t have to deal with train or tramlines in thiscountry. Ride hide can be an issue, so speed humpsneed to be approached cautiously. The titaniumfinishforged 19” rims shod with 235/35 rubber upfrontand 305/30 out the back, deliver immensegrip.In terms of options, as this car was spec’d out to themax, it has it all. CD, SATNAV, Audi Exclusive Trim,Custom paint… I don’t need to list it out for you, asit is quite easy for those interested to pop down tothe Audi showroom to see it for yourself. Our testcar retails just a notch above the mid-60k mark, andat that price puts you in one of the best and mostunique Audis ever built.Audi was quick to bolster the pegging of the original R8 to a new 911or Nissan GT-R. A wildly confident pairing, however, one that seems tosort of fit this newer version well. When you strap yourself into a new911 or GT-R and refrain from holding back, there’s that sensation, thatjust like a child flirting with disaster, you are pushing something verypotent to the edge. That potency and sense that you ‘may very wellloose control of things at some stage’, is really the thrill of it all. Myonly niggle with the new R8 is that thanks to its outstanding design,weight distribution, engine placement and Quattro transmission, younever quite feel like you are brandishing a dangerous weapon. On topof that, you have practicality in a car that in every other way wishesto buck the system to deliver you a unique driving experience. Drivingthe R8 for the day got me thinking: perhaps the taming of the beastis not that greatly hallowed ground that carmakers have been seekingafter all; the ‘beast’ part is what makes a supercar, well, ‘super’.Those who think likewise and want to drive a mechanically intimidatingsports car can always count on a vehicle made by a ‘Signor Giacomo’(in a small Italian production plant out there somewhere) to deliverthe goods. Others may find hope in a carmaker intent on sticking itsengines right out the back, making many wives widows in the process.In fact with the current choice of cars on the market, and with 0-100times in the region of 3.3-4.6 seconds, a wide range of supercars arenow available to suit every taste.Luxury, state-of-the-art design and refinement, efficiency, comfortand prestige; if an extremely polished ride that is still able to switchover from ‘Fritz the Mouse’ to ‘Siegfried the Destroyer’ is what youseek, then look no further than Audi’s glorious new R8.Watch the exclusive video footage ofY’s R8 test drive in Oman!log on to www.y-oman.com or YouTube‘Audi R8 test drive – Y Magazine Oman’‘It is so glorious that ifI owned this car, I’d park itin my living room, lift theclear glass engine lid, andproceed to eat my dinneroff the top of the V8 4.2-litrealuminium block.’Photography by Jerzy Wierzbicki

Diaryof anExplorerClint Derric EgbertPopularly known as the ‘Sultanof Snow’, Nabil Al Busaidi couldquite easily play a part in theTV series ‘Star Trek’. Why? youmay ask. Because he alwaysseems determined to go “whereno man has gone before” – inhis case – “where no Omani hasgone before”; till now that is. Itwouldn’t be of much surprise ifsome day the wide-eyed adventurer left his footprints on Pluto; excusemy exaggeration, but the man appears capable of even that.Scaling the highest mountain on the African continent – Mount Kilimanjaro,hauling himself to the North Pole to become the first Omani to walk to thetop of the world, and then planting another Omani flag at the bottom ofthe world in the Antarctic recently, have thus far been the highlights ofhis explorations.Like any true explorer, Nabil made notes of his voyage to Mount Vinsonin the Antarctic that he was kind enough to share with Y. These dayto-dayjournals revealed a lucid description of the tremendous effort,struggles, danger and glory the traveller experienced on an epic journeythat engraved his name into the books of Omani history forever.A blow from the very start must have been the last thing Nabil wouldhave hoped for, or expected. With his baggage missing, and with it allthe necessary equipment for this trek, it wasn’t the most ideal start to ajourney of such magnitude.“My bags were misplaced inSao Paulo and the airline arenot sure where they are. I havebeen on the phone severaltimes, but with no informationin the system, no one can tellme where they are or if theywill come. I stayed glued to myphone all night hoping for some news, but fell asleep still waiting with myfingers crossed.”Quick shopping appeared to be the only answer for Nabil. So, off in therain he went, into town to buy the necessary items. As the evening drewnear, back at the hotel a pleasant surprise was waiting; an airline assistanthad finally arrived with one of Nabil’s bags. Too good to be true, Nabilnoticed the security padlock open; fortunately though, nothing appearedto be missing.The following day, bags repacked and gear loaded, 10pmmarked the time of departure for Nabil and the crew who tookoff in a Russian Ilyushin 76 aircraft. The Renaissance ServicesAntarctic Expedition was now on its way.It took them approximately four-and-a-half hours to get toPatriot Hills from Punta Arenas. Landing on a crystal blue glacierat two in the morningthe crew were greetedwith the comfort ofa warm long diningtent; however dueto late arrival thecrew marched to thelong tents to spendtheir first night in theAntarctic.Morning broke with breakfast calling, followed by instructionsfor the next day. Another one hour and fifteen minute flight tothe Vinson base camp beckoned, after which they were anotherstep closer to their goal.The seventh day of the expedition had the crew bound togetherby rope, walking from base camp to low camp. It took themfour-and-a-half hours, and for Nabil it didn’t pose as much ofa problem, but the lack of oxygen at this altitude did make aconsiderable difference.“I can feel a remarkable difference on the effect it has on my bodycompared to both Mount Kilimanjaro and what I experiencedclimbing in the Alps.”With the lack of oxygen in the air, 45 degree slopes and 1,200metres elevation gain on the horizon, the next day was boundto pose a task for Nabil and the crew; a task he was lookingforward to.Feeling good on Day Nine, Nabil decided to ascend, along withhis fellow climber, to high camp which sat uncomfortably at4000 metres above sea level. The gruelling climb took themfive-and-a-half hours, leaving them exhausted and dizzy. Aheadache was the reward for Nabil after his painstaking efforts,but then, so was the satisfaction of ascending closer to thetop.Dehydrated and suffering from a severe headache, Nabil lookedforward to the next day, hoping that he would be well enoughto scale the next 14km to the top. Unfortunately however, thatwas not to be. The Omani voyager was in the pits, down andout. Unfit and unable to make the climb, he thought it best totake a day’s rest before summiting Mount Vinson.Reluctant to get out of his sleeping bag at seven-thirty in themorning, Nabil convinced himself to make the climb, rather thanwaste another day sitting around in the cold. So gear intact andheart set on the top, the crew set-off to finish what they camefor – to conquer Mount Vinson.With bitter winds pounding the faces of the climbers andthe altitude restricting breathing, pain, suffocation, and fearbecame an evident part of the experience.“In addition, the continuous critical effort due to the began totake its toll on me. My Achilles were straining, my heart wasracing, my lungs were bursting, but worst of all my head wasthumping, which scared me that I was progressing towardsacute mountain sickness. I had read about high altitude cerebraledema. It is a dangerous thing and I was scared.”As victory appeared within arm’s reach the unimaginablehappened; a crewmember roped to Nabil, in an attempt torecover a dropped mitten, began dragging his fellow climbersdown. Fortunately, he managed to recover the glove, allowingthe climb to proceed.The thought of returningto camp began making itsway into the minds of theclimbers, but determinedto complete the mission,the men kept going.Now the winds wereblowing up to 50kms andapproaching 80kms as theclimbers neared the top. The crew proceeded along sharp rockyridges to make their way to the highest point, but every ridgethey reached cunningly introduced a higher point. Frustratedand determined they scaled on. Suddenly, a two-meter highpyramid of rock and snow posed ceremoniously higher thanany point visible for miles.High winds bobbing the climbers around like ragdolls, Nabil,with Omani flag in-hand, took the leap of faith. Literally.“All these distracting thoughts contributed to me losing myfooting just as I reached the top. To cover up my clumsiness Idived on the summit like a rugby player scoring a try, plantingthe Omani flag, at the highest point of snow, on the highestmountain, on the highest continent, in the coldest, driest placeon earth. The time was 19:12 GMT on 17th January 2010. And Iwas the first Omani to summit Mount Vinson, one of the sevenhighest summits on the seven continents.”Need we say more?40 41

CHORTLECROSSWORDSUDOKUKFWS • MindGymJanuary 4, 2010Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way thateach row across, each column down and each small9-box square contains all of the numbers from one tonine.Go FigureThe idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures givenat the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagramby following the arithmetic signs in the order they aregiven (that is, form left to right and top to bottom). Useonly the numbers below the diagram to complete itsblank squares and use each of the nine numbers onlyonce.42 43—1—

HOROSCOPE S Amira K.CAPRICORNDecember 22 – January 19An obstacle might run into yourpath this week, but have no fearbecause nothing can go wrong.Just stick to your original planand you will do just fine, but asteady and determined head willbe necessary.AQUARIUSJanuary 20 – February 18No matter how busy you get atwork, or how tired you mightbe at home, you should alwaysmake an attempt to stay healthy,even if this means walkinginstead of driving! Take heedbecause there will be long termeffects if things don’t change.PISCESFebruary 19 – March 20Don’t be impatient when itcomes to an item you can’tafford. You may have just beguna new career and this will slowlycontribute towards financialstability. You may be surprisedwith another financial reward inthe form of a present or prize.ARIESMarch 21 – April 19Keep well away from any familydisputes. There is someone outthere that really cares about you,so just try to be smarter thanthe rest. Be polite and try to getthings done. Sometimes it is notthe survival of the fittest, but thesurvival of the smartest!LATITUDEArt ExhibitionCentre for Performing ArtsFebruary 11, 2010TAURUSApril 20 – May 20It would be a sheer waste ofenergy if you continue arguingwith the one person that doesn’tseem to understand where youare coming from. Maybe it is timeto just ignore this person andmove on with life.VIRGOAugust 23 – September 22Things are finally beginning towork out. You have been warnedin the past about making thesame mistakes again, so now youjust have to implement what youhave learnt. Others are watchingyou, so lead by example.GEMINIMay 21 – June 20You have a long journey ahead ofyou dear Gemini, and it is finallytime for you to start takingthings seriously! The clock isticking and you really must knowhow to manage your time. Thepotential for positive change ishuge.January 4, 2010KFWS • MindGymLIBRASeptember 23 – October 22A person you meet this weekmay prove to be a good friendfor the future. Keep your optionsopen and you never know whenyou might need their help. Goodluck dear Libra!CANCERJune 21 – July 22There is no use in trying toavoid an obligation no matterwhat the circumstances areor how inconvenient thetiming might be. 100 percentcommitment is required becauseyou have been hired for a taskunder the impression of trust.SCORPIOOctober 23 – November 21People come and go, but it isthe special people you meet onthe journey of life that remain inyour heart forever. Sometimesin life it might be the rightchoice to give some individualsa chance to prove themselves.You might be very surprised bythe results.LEOKFWS • MindGymJanuary 11, 2010July 23 – August 22You are heading in the rightdirection. Ultimately, you mightquestion your path, or maybeeven have a few concerns, butdon’t worry Leo, just believe inyourself and everything will bejust fine.SAGITTARIUSNovember 22 – December 21This week you will have a chanceto return a favour to one of yourloved ones. This friend onceshowed you an act of kindnessin the past and you will have theperfect opportunity to repaythem once and for all.SOLUTIONSCROSSWORDSUDOKUGO FIGUREKFWS • MindGymJanuary 11, 2010

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