DUBAI // By now, the adventurers should have been speeding along the ice, their faces whipped by the wind as they kite-skiied north towards the Arctic Ocean.
But after making good time at the start of the week, Adrian Hayes and his teammates, Devon McDiarmid and Derek Crowe, have "hit stalemate" and spent the past few days clawing their way forwards on foot as the cold, downward katabatic winds needed to propel them along the last half of their journey continue to elude them.
Forecasts from their meteorological adviser, Marc de Keyser, suggest good winds will begin on Sunday about 250km north of their current location - now all they need to do is get there.
No easy task, Hayes said yesterday, when you are pulling 90kg sleds behind you. "There is no way we can do that in four days but we will try and do a little bit," he said. "We will get up as far as we can. It gets us out of the tent and gets us some exercise."
When the wind will not co-operate, he added, movement becomes incremental. "We did 185km one day and the next day we packed our tents up and managed about 185 metres," he said. "We literally could see our campsite. The wind died. We spent the rest of the day sitting. The next day was bad so we were sitting again. We then had a day where we managed a little bit and then we had this forecast of four days of stillness."
But they will try to press forward on foot until the westerly 10- to 15-knot winds arrive on Sunday.
Hayes and McDiarmid are used to trekking along icy regions - they were part of a team that 18 months ago trekked to the South Pole unassisted - but to trek the remaining 500km to the Arctic Ocean, at the pace at which they completed the South Pole expedition, would take about 30 days. It is time the trio simply do not have.
loatway@thenational.ae
Company%20Profile
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Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
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.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice.
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.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
OPENING FIXTURES
Saturday September 12
Crystal Palace v Southampton
Fulham v Arsenal
Liverpool v Leeds United
Tottenham v Everton
West Brom v Leicester
West Ham v Newcastle
Monday September 14
Brighton v Chelsea
Sheffield United v Wolves
To be rescheduled
Burnley v Manchester United
Manchester City v Aston Villa
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
More from UAE Human Development Report:
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
