An Australian woman has set up the first husky sledding business on the island of Cyprus – and it’s proving to be a howling success.
After rescuing two huskies, one from a roadside kiosk and the other from a shelter, Ali Rhind discovered their true calling on a day trip to the island’s Troodos Mountains.
“There was a lot of snow that year and Dolce and Lulu were having a great time,” says Rhind. “A friend then hired a small sled and introduced it to the dogs, who just knew what to do and loved it.
“After that, I decided this was more than just fun; it was a great thing for the dogs to do because it was what they were bred for and they could truly be themselves.
"So, I had a sled made, bought the proper harnesses and set up shop – and found myself blown away by the response. Everyone adores the dogs; so much so that we are close to booked up before the season even begins.”
Although not famed for its winter sports – Cyprus boasts an average of 320 sunny days a year – the Mediterranean island has two mountain ranges and enjoys snow for at least two months each year. But while most entrepreneurs look to the beach to make their money, Rhind has always taken the more interesting road in life.
From Afghanistan to the Mediterranean
Following a successful career in banking, Rhind, 58, walked away from Sydney’s corporate world to work for a charity in Sri Lanka, testing elephants for tuberculosis. From there she went to Afghanistan, working for Oxfam and Afghan Aid, before taking a role with the country’s fledgling government, headed by Hamid Karzai.
During her eight years in Afghanistan, she was kidnapped, shot at and nearly caught in an explosion.
While on a mission with Afghan Aid, she says: "The Taliban held me captive for a day in a province called Ghor. I had gone to the area to talk about the National Solidarity Programme – a government initiative to rehabilitate and develop Afghan villages – but they wanted none of it. There were a lot of men with guns and they closed the room I was in.
“I was held for about six hours. Thankfully, international soldiers from the Provincial Reconstruction Team came to get me. However, when my boss said she wanted me to stay in the area another week, I said: ‘Are you insane? I’ve just been held at gunpoint’. That’s when I took the government job.
“I loved the work, but in a country like Afghanistan you have to know when your number is up and after eight years there, I found myself stuck in a traffic jam and knew that time had come. From nowhere, dog handlers appeared and the dogs were going berserk at a vehicle two lanes away from me. The security guys then started screaming at everyone to get out of their cars and run. Clearly, I did as I was told.
"The vehicle had a huge bomb inside it. Luckily the detonator failed to go off and they managed to get it away to detonate it safely, but it was a close call, and my signal to leave.”
Knowing she needed some downtime, Rhind went to visit friends in Cyprus, wanting nothing more than to relax before deciding on her next move. However, she liked the island so much, she decided to buy property and stay.
After buying a village house in Polemi in 2012, Rhind knew she would need to find a way to sustain her quieter life on the Greek-speaking island. So she decided to go back to her first love, sport, and retrained as a fitness instructor.
In Cyprus, in the winter you can play in the snow in the morning and be on the beach by the afternoon
“I was actually born in Aberdeen in Scotland and moved to Brisbane in 1971 when I was 9. Dad was a builder and Australia was desperate for builders at that time, so we came to build ourselves a better life.
“Within five hours of arriving, Dad got a job. At first, we lived in a migrant hostel, which wasn’t ideal for a family, but we moved into our own house a year later in Graceville, a suburb of Brisbane. It was there that I saw a sign in a shop advertising Scottish Highland dancing. It was something I really wanted to do because I used to dance in Scotland, but my mum said no, that I should find something Australian to do. So, my brother and I played sport – like every other Australian kid – and we both went on to play junior tennis for Australia.”
Having been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 26, Rhind has successfully managed her illness through diet and exercise. For a woman who loves to cook, this could have been a nightmare, but she turned it to her advantage by setting up her second business in Cyprus, Spicy Ali’s Guilt Free Curry Company, offering homemade, gluten-free curries for the health-conscious.
“Cyprus is an island built on small and mid-size enterprises, and there is a very deep entrepreneurial vein running through its core,” she says. “For anyone with ideas and a willingness to work, it’s an ideal place to set up a business and the location is great.
“Because it is famous for its all-year-round sunshine, most people forget that the island enjoys four distinct seasons and they are amazed to find that in the winter you can play in the snow in the morning and be on the beach by the afternoon. Naturally, when I discovered snow in the mountains, I had to take the dogs to see it. And that’s how my third business came about.”
Sledding season
Now in its third season, Husky Sledding Cyprus has expanded its team with old pros Dolce and Lulu welcoming new boy, Dante, to the team. Rhind offers 90-minute sessions for up to six people for €195 ($238).
“For most of the year, the dogs are pretty much house dogs. We all get up before the sun to go for a 12-kilometre hike and then they chill for the rest of the day, so they are not only fit but raring to go by the time the snow arrives.
It's great that I can turn my love of exercising and my love for the dogs into a viable business
“As well as a custom-built sled, the dogs all wear proper dog-sledding harnesses and they only work when they want to. Of course, they don’t really see it as work because they have so much fun – and they love the attention.
“All three huskies start howling on the last 15km stretch of road going up to Mount Olympus, they are that excited and, of course, everyone gets excited hearing them arrive. Though I have done little in the way of advertising, word has quickly got round and during the school holidays we are pretty much booked. For me it really has turned out to be a dream job.
“It’s great that I can turn my love of exercising and my love for the dogs into a viable business. It really is a family business in that sense. And should the day come when the dogs have had enough, that will be the end of it. But right now, we are all having fun – and sharing that fun!”
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
Scorebox
Dubai Sports City Eagles 7 Bahrain 88
Eagles
Try: Penalty
Bahrain
Tries: Gibson 2, Morete 2, Bishop 2, Bell 2, Behan, Fameitau, Sanson, Roberts, Bennett, Radley
Cons: Radley 4, Whittingham 5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
RESULTS
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SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELong-range%20dual%20motor%20with%20400V%20battery%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E360kW%20%2F%20483bhp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E840Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20touring%20range%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20628km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E0-100km%2Fh%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.7sec%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20210kph%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh360%2C000%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeptember%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
More on Quran memorisation:
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMascotte%20Health%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMiami%2C%20US%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bora%20Hamamcioglu%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOnline%20veterinary%20service%20provider%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.2%20million%20raised%20in%20seed%20funding%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
Read more from Johann Chacko
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
Stats at a glance:
Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)
Number in service: 6
Complement 191 (space for up to 285)
Top speed: over 32 knots
Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles
Length 152.4 m
Displacement: 8,700 tonnes
Beam: 21.2 m
Draught: 7.4 m
Aldar Properties Abu Dhabi T10
*November 15 to November 24
*Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
*Tickets: Start at Dh10, from ttensports.com
*TV: Ten Sports
*Streaming: Jio Live
*2017 winners: Kerala Kings
*2018 winners: Northern Warriors
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
Brahmastra%3A%20Part%20One%20-%20Shiva
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Blue%20Beetle
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Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
UAE finals day
Friday, April 13
Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
3pm, UAE Conference: Dubai Tigers v Sharjah Wanderers
6.30pm, UAE Premiership: Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203S%20Money%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20London%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Zhiznevsky%2C%20Eugene%20Dugaev%20and%20Andrei%20Dikouchine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%245.6%20million%20raised%20in%20total%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Play-off fixtures
Two-legged ties to be played November 9-11 and November 12-14
- Northern Ireland v Switzerland
- Croatia v Greece
- Denmark v Ireland
- Sweden v Italy
The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
Abu Dhabi race card
5pm Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
5.30pm Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
6pm Abu Dhabi Championship Listed | Dh180,000 | 1,600m
6.30pm Maiden | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap | Dh80,000 | 1,400m
7.30pm Handicap (TB) |Dh100,000 | 2,400m
Read more about the coronavirus
