Just don't sit down 'cause I've moved your chair

During the summer days there is not much to do in Dubai. It’s basically too hot to go outside (unless there is a breeze from the water and you are in a shade and preferably water in the pool is cooled down, which unfortunately is impossible for the sea), stupid to stay in the mall go shopping whole weekend, claustrophobic to spend your time in the hotel room and exhausting to work out in the gym all day.
I really try to keep myself occupy and I’m not finding easy excuses and I’m not trying to complaint about Dubai in the summer time, but the heat here is just unmanageable. After 5 minutes of walking you are sweating and your head starts spinning from dehydration. Yes I miss European summer.

To make things better and to keep ourselves busy and sporty during the weekend we’ve drove to Abu Dhabi to Al Forsan resort to learn wakeboarding. They have there cablepark with three cable systems, starting form the beginners to the advanced. Maybe it’s not the cheapest experience, but at least it’s fun and challenging and even after three days you feel that you are alive as every inch of your body aches.

First we had some issues to get there as we were not able to rent a car, cause all three of us left our passports with the guy who takes care about residence visas for us. Obviously to rent a car in Dubai you need your pass. So after the whole trip to the airport on Friday to get a car we had to give up and we went to the beach. But wasn’t it for three consulting company employees who we are that we come up with another idea. There is that private driver who drives us sometimes back to the hotel from the office (especially on Thursdays). He offered one day that even with waiting time in Abu Dhabi it’d only cost us 400 Dh to go there and back. Fair enough. We booked him for Saturday.

Saturday was as hot as every other day and by the time we got to Al Forsan I was shattered already, even though I was only sitting in the car, not even driving.

First you pay entrance fee which is 55 Dh (25 of that is a voucher which you can spend for any of the sports), than you pay 230 Dh for 4 hours of wakeboarding. At least it includes swimming vest, helmet and basic board. You can also rent obstacle board for 40 Dh which when you are doing it for the first time is unnecessary.

I’ve spent first hour trying to start up, falling to the water, swimming to the shore and trying to start again. And to our luck/unluck only advanced cable was on, so we had to learn on the fastest cable system there (38 kph). But the crew there was very helpful, especially some guys from Philippines and Myanmar who were saying the same things all over trying to explain things and holding the board for me in the right position each time I was giving a try.

At last after an hour or so, I’ve started to get it and I’ve managed to start up and do quarter of the lap. I’ve fallen to the water on the curve which I did not know how to deal with. But after some time I was already able to do 1,5 laps. From the riding perspective I could probably do more, but my hands were too weak to hold the handle that long and to be pulled that long so I was basically letting it go and falling to the water.

After some time and after I was managing it easily to ride one of the employees there told me to change my easy start up board to the pro one which is narrower and you put your feet into shoe thingy and not only into straps. Why not?

Jacek was having a break and nice obstacle board so I took it from him. What a difference. So much easier to ride, but indeed more difficult to start with. Too heavy to hold it in the starting position. Again I’d be unable to start up without the help of the crew. The guy was holding the board each time I was starting up.

Unfortunately after 2 rides I had to give back the wakeboard to Jacek and I took one of the pro boards which were for free. But they were with fins, which I realised I don’t like, so I had to sweet talk the guy to unscrew them. And guess what? He did. I had fun on the slippery board (this is how they call it).

After a while I got annoyed that I was not able to hold the board by myself at the start up (I’ve realised just now why my hip hurts that much, it’s not from keeping my balance on the rear leg when I was riding, it’s trying to start) so I’ve decided to go one level up and learn to start form the standing position from the elevated ledge which involved jumping with the board.

And again I was trying to jump, falling into the water, swimming to the shore, getting out and trying. In the end I’ve managed and I was so satisfied with myself almost like after finishing the marathon run. What’s more everyone was trying to help me when I was learning, they were giving me tips, asking how I’m doing and telling ‘Now’ to give me a sign when I should jump. But no wonder. I was the only girl there who got so involved.

By the end of the day I was not able to walk, talk, move or do anything. I’ve just wanted to get some food and go to bed to get some rest.

It is insane how exhausted you can get after 4 hours, but it was one of the best things so far that I’ve done in Emirates. The only drawback now is that I again have problems with my hip which on the other hand has impact on my running trainings and preparation to the Berlin Marathon.

Cable park in Abu Dhabi - Al Forsan. Beginners cable.

With the lame - easy start up board

Progress - obstacle board

During the ride

Jacek and Michal

Start up

Start up by me - was it successful one or not.....

........guess.......

..........unfortunatelly water was not refreshing at all

Floating.

I'm getting pro here ;-). Am I really or is it just a fake start up and I'll end up in the water anyways?

No fakes ;-)

When I've got kiteboard uder my feet

Kiting classes were going well, when I’ve started them again until wind died. It died yesterday morning when I even got up at 6 a.m. to go for classes at 7. By the time when I got to the school it was gone and never risen up again.
Other problem was that the day before I’ve stepped over sea urchin which made me unable to walk. I’m limping or walking funny trying not to step over the spot on the sole of my foot where the needle got in. And it is not easy to take it out; they’d have to cut my foot to take it out. The thing is that they are very fragile and break, so you cannot pull it. That’s why it remained it my foot and aches like hell when I walk.

The only options remaining were either swimming or cycling. With the polish friend with whom I hang around here we’ve rented bicycles and cycled the whole island, which is not big but is hilly. I was cursing him when I had to go up the hill to the view point situated on the Mt. Luho, and this is one of the things which I really don’t like, but in the end we got there and view was not bad although I’m not sure if worth those 50 P which they charge. We could see almost whole island, with White Beach, Bulabong – Kitesurfers’ Beach (where this time were no kites at all) and we were able to point Puka Shell Beach where we went just before. On the other hand it was so much fun to go down from the top of the hill that I might do that again only if I had better bicycle.
Other option was swimming which we did as well. Swimming goggles to prevent salty water getting into our eyes and here we go! We swam from the White Beach to the yacht that Kazik spotted anchored nearby and what’s more one day we’ve met guys working there and one of them was the guy he knew from some years earlier for the different yacht so they agreed that one day we’ll get there.

Swimming itself was not that challenging as challenging was watching out on the other boats which were passing by. But we managed to get there safely, got water there (so much salty water that you drink when you swim in the sea, that probably for the next year I should not be eating any salt at all), chatted to the guy and swam back.
That is everything cool but I want the wind. I want to start kiting for real, with a board. So far I’m able to set up the kite, start it from water, steer it, body drag myself, do self rescue. It’s high time to do some progress but there are no conditions for that. There are only two days left now…

Freestyle Academy

I'm learing hot to steer a kite

Introduction to body draging

Ready, set...

... Go

9 sqm kite

Puka Shell Beach

Japanese tourists that we saw on the Puka Beach. I guess it must be kinda fashionable in Japan for a couple to wear the same clothes or at least the same pattern on theit clothes. Most of the couples htere that we saw were like that. The same pullovers, girls' bikinis had the same pattern as boys's shorts and so one. Weird. And of course have a look at the shoes. Aren't high heels the best beach shoes?

It looks kitsch and like from a cheap postcard, but it's genuine sun set on Boracay

…. And they were not enough too. As first one I’ve spent throwing up and stayed in bed, as I was not able to get up at all, when I wanted to do some walking I’ve almost blacked out and the other day there was no wind at all. But at least I’ve went the Bulabong Beach and got in touch with Ken – the owner of Free Style Academy where I was having my classes and went to the party with him and some of his local lads, which was cool, as in fact it was the only party that I had here.

Kazik and I. Ready to swin to the yacht.

On the anchor

Palm in a Jungle Bar

Welcome to Island called Boracay. It wasn't me who did that though.

At the party with Ken

Bom Bom Bar with local Filipinos

On the way home. Plane form Caticlan to Manila

Island called Boracay

Boracay is famous for its white beaches. I was not aware of that but it’s first tourist destination in Philippines. What’s more not only for foreigners but also for local people. Actually it’s full of Filipinos, what’s really nice. I must admit that I enjoy it so much more this way than the other like in Thailand and Vietnam where beaches were full of farangs.


Filipinos are the most friendly people that I’ve met. They always smile, speak decent English, help you. This is how I got place where I’m staying right now. We were in Caticlan, arrived there quite late, when there were no more boats to Boracay and we met those local girls who were trying to arrange transportation to Boracay and did all the good job to get it. One of them was renting rooms and as her place was full showed us house next door where a family is renting rooms, so we got one.

Traditionally during holidays I’m sick. Sore throat, fever, runny nose, so most of the time I spend either walking along the beach or sitting and reading. I must admit that I even go into the water as it’s so warm that it can’t make me any harm. I was told that it’s 28 degrees (sic!).

When I thought I’m already better I went to kite surfing classes and in fact got worse again. Damn it! I’ve even spent all weekend evenings in bed, not going out to party and it did not help. Maybe I should have gone yesterday, as when we went for a dinner to very local place there was that bunch of Filipinos and when we got up to pay they’ve asked us if we wanna give it a try. But a try to what? I’ve found out only when two guys took me by the hand and lead me to the long table.

Apparently they were a crew of a Dragonboat (there was dragonboat competition taking place last two days) celebrating their victory (3rd place if I got it right) and drinking. But how where they drinking! There were three tables connected together. There was a line of 15 different bottles with booze and there was a shot glass with each bottle, sometimes there was also a bottle of coke in between. And what you were supposed to do was to get one shot after another.

I was the first one to try, but I knew I’m not gonna make it till the end as I was taking medicines to get me going and mixing it with booze was not a good idea, so after four shots I gave up. But John feeling the pressure made it till the end. That event made us forget to pay our dinner. So we had to go back there in the night to pay.

I was not planning it but in the end I’ve decided to stay here till the end. Especially that I don’t feel like traveling when I’m sick and bearing in mind that way home will be tough. Four flights in a row, transferring between terminals in Manila and Dubai, 17 hours of flights plus some additional waiting times. One needs to be fit for that.

Boracay sun set

Dragonboat warrior

Dragonboats ready to take off

Dragonboats with their crews

Filipino party people

John is taking shots

Very romantic, ain't it?

Coconut tree climber

Jump up