I am not a brave man.
Ever since I was a child, I have felt extremely uncomfortable in small spaces. I can’t watch a horror film without a cushion to cover my face. And I am unable to swim in the sea without assuming that Jaws or one of his pals are planning to test my lower leg for firmness and flavour.
Nothing terrifies me more, however, than distances greater than my own height away from the wonderfully safe ground.
It is a crippling, life-altering phobia. My 13th-floor balcony pales into insignificance when compared to some of the unreasonably high outdoor living spaces which tease me mercilessly during visits to some friends’ apartments. Yet, I cannot steadily carry a cup of tea from one end of my balcony to the other without worrying I am going to spontaneously throw myself over the edge.
But phobias are for conquering, everyone will tell you (whether you want them to or not).
I've previously transformed a shark fear into fascination by learning more about the amazing creatures. Since then, I have become a keen scuba diver, plunging myself into waters populated by dozens of huge razor-toothed fish.
But dizzying heights? They are a different animal altogether.
Nevertheless, when the UAE launched its latest daring attraction, Sky Views Dubai – a 219-metre walk of faith around the narrow edge of a 53rd-floor platform at the Address Sky View in Downtown Dubai – I found myself agreeing to give it a try.
Watch The National take on Sky Views Dubai:
The attraction also features a glass-bottom slide with nothing underneath but fresh air, plus an observation deck with a glass floor.
I started with the ledge walk.
A harness strong enough to hold many times my weight was not enough to convince me I had made the right choice, but before I knew it, I was kitted up and being ushered outside.
Astounding views across Dubai held my gaze as the far distance became my closest friend (“don’t look down” is Rule Number One).
As I shuffled my feet along the slender ledge, my much braver wife enjoyed the breathtaking scenery and I began to feel somewhat comfortable. “I can do this,” I thought. Only a few hundred metres more and I can once again enjoy the safety of walls surrounding me.
As I descended the skyscraper, I noticed the glass lift which had been terrifying on the way up now seemed quaint on the way down
But then we stopped, about a quarter of the way around, so our guide – a burly, fearless man whose former job was with Russian special forces – could go down the line and try to convince us to swing over the edge. The ultimate trust exercise.
He threw his considerable frame (“I eat too much!” – his words, not mine) over the edge before swinging back to the safety of the platform to demonstrate the safety of the set-up. I had no doubts that it was safe – I just wasn’t willing to put my life on the line to prove it.
Surely only the bravest – or most idiotic – would take up the challenge, I thought. I was wrong. In fact, the only member of the group (other than my wife, out of solidarity) who did not hang over the sheer drop was me. Even the other scaredy cat eventually lifted up his feet and put all of his trust in the narrow rope.
Did these people have no self-preservation instinct?
I was perfectly happy to be the group wimp. One step at a time, as I told our good-natured guide as he attempted to persuade me to also try the 170-metre-high zipline in Dubai Marina. No chance.
Another 20 minutes of me shuffling, everyone else swinging, and we were back inside.
After that, the glass slide was somewhat easy, even thrilling. And the glass-floored observation deck was, well, like a walk in the park.
As I descended the skyscraper, I noticed the glass lift which had been terrifying on the way up now seemed quaint on the way down.
I am not saying I have cured my fear of heights – a small amount of fear is healthy – but perhaps now I can sit at the table on my comparatively tame balcony for a meal served without the usual side order of all-consuming dread.
Just don’t ask me to try the zipline.
See more photos of Sky Views Dubai here:
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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.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
US PGA Championship in numbers
1 Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.
2 To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.
3 Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.
4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.
5 In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.
6 For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.
7 Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.
8 Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.
9 Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.
10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.
11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.
12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.
13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.
14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.
15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.
16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.
17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.
18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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