Having evocative moments in a car of any sort is a struggle in the UAE. Unfortunately, the geography of the Arabian peninsula that brought such wealth to the UAE isn't ideal for memorable drives. Yes, you can head to Al Ain's Jebel Hafeet or even up into the Hatta mountains. Or if you really want those sweeping vistas and a road all to yourself, you could take the long route to Liwa.
Having explored all these roads over the last year, 16 members of the UAE Ferrari Owners Club headed to Europe for a summer trip of a lifetime, taking in the amazing roads of Switzerland and Italy. The cars included a number of 430s, 599s and 612s, as well as a 430 Scuderia, all sporting Dubai number plates.
"We've been planning this trip for over a year, so it's amazing to actually see the cars on the roads in Europe," said Fred Kamperman, president of the club. "These cars are built to be driven on beautiful roads and having explored most of the great areas of the UAE we felt this was an ideal escape from the summer heat for the members."
The club arranged for the members' cars to be shipped from Dubai in 40-foot containers.
"Some of the cars had only a few centimetres to spare on each side in the container, so it was a slow and steady job to get them in without damaging them," Stephen White, the club's motorsports and events director, pointed out.
But the shipping of the cars didn't end once the doors were closed. The clearance paperwork involved in shipping cars to Europe - ones that would later return - is a far more complex task than simply exporting a car for good.
To enter Europe the cars needed paperwork equivalent to a passport to ensure they didn't get stopped at the borders, potentially ruining the trip for their owners.
With all the cars arriving safely with all the correct documents, the club's team could enjoy a few days of relaxation before really starting to enjoy the trip.
The two-week adventure had been split into two week-long loops. Both started from the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy .
A few members took an early flight to ensure they had time to nip into Germany to stretch their sleepy Ferraris on the unrestricted highways. Being able to drive as fast as is sensible for the prevailing weather conditions surely has to be one of the last great freedoms left in Europe.
Back across the border, Switzerland may have strict speed limits and heavy noise restrictions, but it's also home to some of the world's most spectacular roads. As driving experiences go, not much comes close. The club's schedule took in the fabulous cities of Zurich and Interlaken, as well as the stunning lakeside venue of Montreux during the first week.
Members also gained access to the world's largest private collection of Ferraris, owned by a member of the Swiss Ferrari owners club. The schedule also built in a great deal of shopping, sightseeing and relaxation time, as well as a tour of the Audemars Piguet watch factory.
The drive then wound its way across the country towards the Swiss-Italian border via Davos and the excellently titled Bad Ragaz, before crossing into Italy.
If Switzerland has almost the best roads in the world, then just across the border in Italy the driving gods set out their very own Scalextric set for the world's most passionate drivers to enjoy.
"Italy really does have some incredible roads," said White. "Each time you pass through a town the locals love to see the cars. I think they really enjoyed the fact that we had travelled so far with our cars to visit Italy."
After a stopover at the stunning Lake Como, the chain of 16 cars eventually arrived at the factory gates, bringing an end to the first week of the trip.
Having whetted their appetites in Switzerland, returning their cars to their birthplace was the perfect start for the second week. All Ferraris are still built in the original factory in the sleepy town of Maranello, close to Modena.
The club had arranged an official tour of the world-famous factory for the members, which gives a small insight into the one of the world's most sought-after car brands.
The whole town is geared towards the prancing horse, including all the shops and restaurants. Across the road from the factory, the Galleria Ferrari is a must for fans. Part museum, part superstore, the Galleria just adds to the Ferrari legend.
With the tour under their belts, the UAE club members met up with members of the Italian Ferrari owners club, for a joint drive on some of the best roads around the factory.
"Meeting up with the Italian Ferrari club was fantastic," said Kamperman. "It's nice for us to be able to meet like-minded members from another country and I think they enjoyed driving with our cars, sporting unusual Dubai number plates."
The drivers then headed to Tuscany for even more scenery and winding roads through Italy's best-known wine region.
The rest of the Italian section of the trip took in the towns of San Gimignano and Siena, as well as the picture postcard Chianti and Brunello countryside. Each member was amazed by the tight back roads and sweeping scenery around almost every corner.
Finally, it was a loop back around to Maranello to drop the cars off for the long journey back to Dubai.
With the trip drawing to a close, both Kamperman and White will be kept busy ensuring the cars are all loaded safely and getting the infamous paperwork in order. Once the cars are back safely both will be able to heave a huge sigh of relief. After such an amazing summer tour, all the UAE Ferrari Owners Club members will probably need a well-earned rest from one of the most hectic holidays for years.
Will they go through it all again? "Probably," concludes Kamperman.
motoring@thenational.ae
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The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Sunday:
GP3 race: 12:10pm
Formula 2 race: 1:35pm
Formula 1 race: 5:10pm
Performance: Guns N' Roses
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Omar%20Hilal%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Muhammad%20Farrag%2C%20Bayoumi%20Fouad%2C%20Nelly%20Karim%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Company%20Profile
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Results
Female 49kg: Mayssa Bastos (BRA) bt Thamires Aquino (BRA); points 0-0 (advantage points points 1-0).
Female 55kg: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Amal Amjahid (BEL); points 4-2.
Female 62kg: Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) v Ffion Davies (GBR); 10-2.
Female 70kg: Thamara Silva (BRA) bt Alessandra Moss (AUS); submission.
Female 90kg: Gabreili Passanha (BRA) bt Claire-France Thevenon (FRA); submission.
Male 56kg: Hiago George (BRA) bt Carlos Alberto da Silva (BRA); 2-2 (2-0)
Male 62kg: Gabriel de Sousa (BRA) bt Joao Miyao (BRA); 2-2 (2-1)
Male 69kg: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Isaac Doederlein (USA); 2-2 (2-2) Ref decision.
Male 77kg: Tommy Langarkar (NOR) by Oliver Lovell (GBR); submission.
Male 85kg: Rudson Mateus Teles (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE); 2-2 (1-1) Ref decision.
Male 94kg: Kaynan Duarte (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL); submission.
Male 110kg: Joao Rocha (BRA) bt Yahia Mansoor Al Hammadi (UAE); submission.
The%20Specs
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MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Asia Cup 2018 final
Who: India v Bangladesh
When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium
Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
