The toothbrush was packed, along with a well-worn copy of Arabian Sands, as the adventurer Adrian Hayes set off in the footsteps of the author and explorer Mubarak bin London - otherwise known as Sir Wilfred Thesiger.
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Hayes, who has trekked to both poles, across Greenland and to the summit of Mount Everest, left for the Empty Quarter yesterday on a 1,500-kilometre re-creation of Thesiger's desert crossings to coincide with the UAE's 40th National Day.
Assisting him are Saeed Al Masafri and Ghalfan Al Jabri, army officers and Bedu camel herders.
Mr Al Masafri, 26, and Mr Al Jabri, 27, were selected from a group of 20 officers for their camel expertise.
The trip has been more than a year in the planning, as Mr Hayes is well used to dealing with last-minute hiccups before departing from his home in Abu Dhabi.
"There is not much to take - a few dishdashas, shawls and the medical kit," the former British army officer said on Thursday.
Before any adventure, Mr Hayes lays out on the floor everything he will take.
"You always cut it down 50 per cent. I'll be gone until mid-December, so I was trying to tie up all the loose ends," including his telephone and electricity bills, he said.
On his camel Sadam, Mr Hayes will spend more than a week trekking from yesterday's starting point in Salalah through rough, lush terrain before reaching what he calls the moonscape.
It will be just as Thesiger travelled between 1945 and 1950 when he trekked across Oman and what is now the UAE.
And just as Thesiger did, the team will rely on basic provisions, nature and Bedouin hospitality to survive.
They will wear what he wore: kanduras, khanjars and sandals. They will live on dates and rice and whatever people give them along the way.
In the first three days, the trio are walking through the ancient ruins of Al Balid before they reach the Dhofar mountains.
"It is basically walking and pulling the camels along narrow, steep-sided gorges," Mr Hayes said.
"It will be green, lush jungle before we cross into the moonscape terrain. We don't hit the sands for seven days."
Before they reach the dunes of the Arabian desert, they will follow deep wadis similar to those found in the Hajar mountains between the UAE and Oman.
They will pass through Wadi Uyun, then trek through Wadi Ghadun and the lost city of Ubar, more famously known as the Atlantis of the Sands, found in 1992 by an international expedition that included Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
Thesiger used a well in that area in the spring of 1946.
Two weeks into the trip and four days after reaching the desert village of Mugshin, Mr Hayes's team expects to hit the dunes.
"We will travel early morning and late afternoon," Mr Hayes said. "We are not going back to the Stone Age. I have an old map of the desert and a compass.
"We are not so sure about Mugshin but we will take a bearing and we'll see where that takes us. We will need a good bearing and measuring the amount we travel is the key.
"There will be a lot of lefts and rights around the sand dunes and onto salt plains. The people who have been doing this for years will not walk over high dunes."
Mr Hayes's only luxuries will be his notebook and his copy of Thesiger's Arabian Sands. He has been bulking up to compensate for the weight he expects to lose.
"We'll walk, go hungry and get thirsty. There will never be enough food," he said.
The three expect to reach Liwa on National Day, December 2, and then continue to the capital where they hope to arrive by the middle of December.
They will be shadowed by a two-man film crew from UK-based Twofour Productions.
If all goes to plan, a film of the expedition will air next year.
eharnan@thenational.ae
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The view from The National
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
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SPECS
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The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
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If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
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Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
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Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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