Learn to Flyboard… with 10% discount!

K flyboarding!

It is fun to try new things, especially if you can do them only in a few places in the world.

It all started with me looking for some exciting activity to book for W and his sister K as a birthday gift: they are both thrill-seekers and I really wanted to get them something special. Imagine my excitement when I realised they could try Flyboarding!

Flyboarding is a brand new watersport: according to Wikipedia it was only invented in 2011.

To flyboard you have to wear boots which have jet water nozzles underneath them.
These are attached to a jet sky, through a very long hose. The movement of the jet ski creates the power pressure in the hose… so the person wearing the boots gets pushed up in the air.

Basically: do you remember that scene in Iron Man 3 when this happens? (see pic below)
Well, it is basically the same, but with less Robert Downey Junior and a lot more sunshine.

(photo © Walt Disney)

After a bit of research, I decided to book with Flyboards UAE ( flyboardsuae@gmail.com – official website – official facebook page) on a lazy Saturday morning.

They sent us directions to a beautiful beach with cristalline water – which, by the way, we did not know existed – and once there an instructor helped W and K get the most out of their 30min sessions. He secured their jet boots (I am not sure if they are actually called like this, but hey!) and teached them how to stand up over the water.

The beautiful beach…

…and the flyboarding kit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The instructor fixing the jet boots…

…and she’s off!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the first five minutes both were obviously spluttering water and falling repeatedly, but once they got the knack of it, they had a blast.
They did so well that boats passing by even started filming them! (They are probably on youtube somewhere right now!)

W in action…

…and K in action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was so fun, both to do it and to be there watching and cheering, so I would wholeheartedly recommend this as a new, fun sport activity.

Pro tip? Keep those feet horizontal!!

But it gets better: once hearing about our intention to write about our fun experience on the blog, the guys at Flyboards UAE said that they will give 10% discount on their 30 minutes session to whoever books mentioning the fact that they read this blog post!

If this is something you would like to do, however, you better hurry up: booking is possible until the end of June, but then they will close for the whole month of July and you will have to wait until mid August to be able to book again.

Happy flying!

Click HERE to read more about SPORT or HERE to read about LEARNING NEW THINGS.

Three days left to become a marshal at the Formula 1 Grand Prix!

(photo © SWB Sports Co Za)

With tickets to the upcoming 2014 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix selling like hot cakes (apparently this year marked a new record, with 75% already gone) becoming a volunteer marshal sounds like a great option!

The Abu Dhabi Touring Club UAE (ATC) is looking for volunteer marshals to help trackside at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix.
All they need are individuals which are at least 18 years old of age, committed to attend the trainings and willing to actively participate in the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Today I called the ATC and they have been incredibly helpful: basically they said that they already have around 70% of the marshals they need, but they still have openings, so if you think you might be available to volunteer for this event please send your confirmation at marshals@atcuae.ae no later than Wednesday 11 June. (Yes, in just about three days).

The first training is scheduled for this Friday, 13 June at 1PM, and it will last until 5PM – at the latest.
It will be held in the Media Centre inside the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Registration will be open from 12.
Another two or three trainings will follow ( The next dates should be: Friday the 12 September and Friday the 10 October) and then an official list of the marshals will be released. Please note that attending the training do not automatically ensure you a marshalling place.

If you read this post and the 11 is already in the past, no worries: you can still email them and they will put your name in their database, ready to be called at the next chance: the ATC needs marshals for a lot of other races throughout the year, not only the F1, such as the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and more.

If you like racing and want to experience the thrill of being trackside, you better hurry up!

Click HERE to read more about SPORT or HERE about volunteering in Abu Dhabi.

O1NE Yas Island – Nightclub in Abu Dhabi

(photo © O1NE)

If you have ever been to Yas Island, or just drove through it on your way to Saadiyat, you can’t have missed it: there is an oval building in front of the du Arena, with amazing graffiti walls whose bright colours stand out both during the day and even more at night, when lit by industrial-sized spotlights.

We were very curious about it, so imagine how excited we were when we finally got to have a proper look!

That impressive building is home to the O1NE, nothing less than one of the most exclusive nightclubs in the UAE.
Open only one evening a week, on Thursdays (and sometimes on Fridays for special events), this unique venue is so popular that they have a limousine service bringing people in from other cities.
It opens at 11pm at night and goes on until late, with celebrity DJs making sure to keep you on your feet all night.

The fun for us started from outside: the graffiti wall is even more amazing when seen up and close! At 2,500 square meters going 18 meters-high, this is the largest privately-owned graffiti wall in the world: apparently it took 18 artists two weeks to complete it.

The graffiti façade when was just completed (photo © O1NE)

Graffiti artists at work (photo © O1NE)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside, the atmosphere is elegant and sleek, but most of all, it is different from anything you might have seen elsewhere: it feels a bit like stepping into a different world, a futuristic Time Square where every week is New Year’s Eve.

A series of sofas and low tables are arranged on three different levels, and instead of a dance floor there is a catwalk-like area right in the centre of the club, where the bravest (or most talented) dancers try to show off their skills.

The most impressive feature of all, however, must be the 360 degrees 3D projection mapping system, which is basically a wide, curved screen completely covering all the interior walls.
The three-dimensional background images keep changing, accompanied by a psychedelic light show that left us looking up and around in amazement.

View from the DJ booth (photo © O1NE)

The amazing interiors (photo © O1NE)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even if clubs are not your cup of tea, you should try this one, at least once.
Even more, if you like to dance the night away, you will love this place and be back again and again.

Definitely this is a go-to destination, thanks to its very fun and relaxed atmosphere – and yet very lavish, stylish and unique setting.

The entry is free, they have a full bar and great music. We truly had a great time and we have been talking about it ever since.

Our top tips to have a great night:

– Dress to impress: everyone in there look amazing and you simply don’t want to stand out for the wrong reasons. Door selection also means that you need to be elegant to be let in, but the extra time spent rustling through your wardrobe is definitely worthwhile.

– Book a table! The bar’s high-stools are free hence they go as quick as hot pancakes: either you arrive extra-early to grab one and never move from it all night (which somehow does not sound too fun), or you call 052 788 8111 and book a table – maybe sharing it with your friends. You will get a personal assistant taking care of your drinks, a comfy sofa and perfect view over the Dj booth. Totally worth spending something extra, especially considering that you don’t have to pay an entry ticket.

Ferrari World

Ferrari World is the largest indoor amusement park in the world.

Ferrari World is part museum, part theme park, part ode to Italy, but with added shawarma.

Based on Yas Island, just minutes away from Yas Marina Circuit, Ferrari World boasts the fastest roller coaster in the world.
Called Formula Rossa, those of a nervous disposition will not want to watch it shoot past as you queue up. In only 5 seconds it hits 240km per hour, and wearing safety goggles is mandatory. If only they had something to keep my stomach in place, because it certainly takes a little while to recover from, for even the most hard-core rollercoaster riders out there.

One of the simulators in the park.

Speed of Magic ride.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of the park (all covered to protect visitors from the sun) has a varied selection of attractions, from rides appealing to the brave and to those who like it more sedate.
There is a cinema showing old Ferraris and what it is like to drive one, as well as some great racing simulators.

One of the Scuderia Challenge simulators.

The Fiorano GT Challenge ride.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Ferrari lovers, you can buy anything Ferrari related you can dream of (except for an actual Ferrari), and for those who have always wanted to visit Italy, or for those who miss it, Italian food and a miniature Italy await.

The centre of the park with view on Bell’Italia.

The park’s main entrance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A top tip for visitors would be try and go outside of peak times. The park can get pretty busy during the holidays.
There are fast track tickets available on days when you can’t escape the crowds, and handily the screens as you queue up show you how long you have to wait for rides, with and without the fast track option.

For the early birds, make sure you ride Formula Rossa before the crowds descend. It may leave you a little dazed for the rest of your day but it might be wise to do it on an empty stomach.

Click HERE to read more about THEME PARKS in Abu Dhabi.

Ikea:Unexpected Ice Cream Destination.

Yummy!

These are days in which multi-tasking, thinking outside of the box and whatnot are seen as essential skills.
That’s probably why nobody is surprised one bit to find gourmet restaurants at the back of a curtain shop, cocktail bars under a launderette, and all sort of food on sale next to bookcases and bedside tables.

Ikea food is famous for the meatballs with cranberry sauce, the ‘elk-shaped’ pasta, and the hot dogs, but I would have never imagined it would become one of our ice cream destinations. And yet!

First the data: at the shops after the tills, an ice cream (vanilla, chocolate or both mixed together) costs 1 AED.
Yes, I wrote that right: ONE Dirham, which is the equivalent of 0,17 GBP.
Seventeen pence.  Let that sink in.

See? I am not lying.

Now, I am not trying to be cheap, but what can we buy nowadays with 17p? I can’t think of anything, not even a song on iTunes, hence I could stop writing right now and it would be already a reason enough to recommend it.

BUT the ice cream is actually really yummy:  a simple and yet lovely soft served cone. And if we really want to splurge we can have a biscuit to go with it, but it will cost us another 0,17 pence, so I am not sure about it…

What’s here not to love?

IKEA ABU DHABI is on Yas Island, very easy to find as there are plenty of signs.

Phone: +971 2 493 5888
OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Store Opening Times:
Sun – Sat 10:00am – 11:00pm
Restaurant:
Sun – Sat 09:30am – 10:30pm