So you think you can drive, huh? None of us likes to think that we're useless behind the wheel, but the question of whether or not you're any good is pretty irrelevant because there are many different factors to take into consideration. You might be an expert at trundling through dense urban traffic without getting so much as a scratch on your precious paintwork, but could you cut it on a race track? And even if you can set a Stig-like lap time on your favourite circuit, what are you like at driving off-road?
Even when it comes to off-roading, there are a great many variables to contend with. If you're an experienced dune basher, it doesn't necessarily mean you could take on Sébastien Loeb on the stages of the World Rally Championship, does it? Like asking how long is a piece of string, the question of being a good driver is one that has no real answer and, in any case, nobody - no matter how good they are - ever really stops learning. We could all be better.
With this in mind, I find myself heading for Abu Dhabi's Marina Mall at the west end of the capital's Corniche, where I'm supposed to see whether or not I'm any good at driving a car on terrain that could best be described as "churned up". It's Sunday, the sky is as grey as an accountant's suit and, before I can get too confident about my untested abilities, I'll be witnessing almost 150 acknowledged experts tearing round the course, trying to set the best possible time. At least they should all have left by the time I climb aboard the Nissan Patrol Hard Top that's patiently waiting to be soundly thrashed.
This is the qualifying stage for 2012's Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, where the results will determine the starting grid line-up for the following day's initial leg. On two wheels and four, these world-class riders, drivers and adventurers are gearing up to spend the best part of a week in some of the harshest conditions nature can throw at them. They must be slightly mad, one and all. This is why I like them, without having met them, and their vehicles range from fairly standard-looking trail bikes and quads to heavily modified cars and SUVs that wouldn't have looked out of place on the set of Mad Max 3. "Tough" doesn't even come close to describing them.
They have descended on Abu Dhabi from 35 countries across the globe, to compete for glory in one of the toughest motorsport challenges anywhere, and this is the closest many onlookers will be able to get to them.
The event is free to enter as a spectator and there's plenty of access to the vehicles and competitors as people mill around, agog at the crazy machinery and the loud suits, helmets and other safety gear they're all wearing. It's a serious business, this, but I can't help thinking that, in the big scheme of things, it's all a bit irrelevant. I mean, how much difference will a second or two make when these guys will be out in the desert for the next few days?
This is international motorsport, and rules are rules. So I sit and watch as the bikers and quad riders set their times first. The course is 2km long, from start to finish, and is marked out by iron poles stuck into the sand with red and white ribbon stretched between each one. Competitors start out by taking their vehicles up and onto the special starting ramp, before being counted down and waved off. As they accelerate, sand is churned up in huge quantities and fills the windy air. Miraculously (or it may be something to do with raw talent), nobody falls off, gets stuck or otherwise embarrasses themselves. That'll be my job …
I'm here at the behest of Nissan Middle East, one of the sponsors of the event. The company's banners are everywhere and for good reason: many of those taking part are doing so in its vehicles. There are certain attributes you really need in a vehicle when thrashing it through the wilds of the UAE: rugged construction and reliability - and these Nissans definitely possess both of those.
Soon, the bikes and quads give way to SUVs and specially built cars that look like they've been designed to traverse the surface of the moon. They all appear to be massively powerful, with ferocious roars emanating from their exhausts before they emit huge bangs on the overrun between gearshifts. More impressive, however, is the way the drivers manage to slide around the corners with seemingly no traction, maintaining their chosen direction and putting down all that power, even through the huge crater that's been dug and half filled with water. It's quite a sight.
The pack eventually thins out and the riders and drivers exit the makeshift arena. My turn is fast approaching so I make my way down to the Patrol Hard Top. It's the model that was launched last November - three doors, short wheelbase, automatic transmission and, here's the best bit, a 4.8L six-cylinder engine. If I let myself down on the course, I can't imagine it will be anything to do with the car. After all, apart from Australia, there are precious few territories where Nissan sells these things. This model is made for our uniquely savage surroundings, to be enjoyed by hard-core dune bashers.
I take my seat and fire up the Patrol. It rumbles into life and I make sure my seat belt is securely fastened before making my way up the start ramp. The crowds have gone but a small group of onlookers remains, although they seem more interested in dissecting the day's results than my personal tomfoolery. There's nobody counting me down, so I simply gun the throttle and try to steer it in some sort of semblance of direction. It isn't easy.
In fact, after 150-odd vehicles have ploughed up the surface, it's quite treacherous, with large rocks peppering the soft and deep ruts in the sand.
Yet I still manage to keep the power on and steer the abused Nissan without going too far off course. The corners are tight and as I reach every apex I apply plenty of opposite lock with the wheel, executing what I think are pretty expert drifts. And then I overcook things. The rear of the Patrol runs far too wide and I'm in danger of ending up stuck in sand up to the axles while facing the wrong way. With the car's nose protruding through the marker ribbon, at least I haven't impaled it on one of the iron stakes and, crucially, I haven't come to a complete standstill.
Motion is everything on hideous surfaces such as this, and I'm still moving. So I slam it into reverse with full lock on the steering wheel. I'm back in the right direction and once again floor the throttle. The stones and rocks clatter against the Patrol's undercarriage but never throw it off course and, before I know it, I've reached the finish line, grinning like a buffoon. This car has made light work of some of the most hideous terrain I've ever driven on - no wonder it's the weapon of choice for some of the intrepid Desert Challenge competitors.
"You should do this professionally," says Nissan's PR lady. "You were really very good," remarks Nissan's official photographer. I smile, knowing they're paid to keep grumpy journalists sweet, but I can't help feel that my couple of minutes have proved something: I'm a fairly good driver no matter what environment I find myself in. But I'm light years away from being an expert.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)
Engine 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch
Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm
Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est)
The%20specs
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Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The%20specs
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