A pair of determined friends on an epic cycling trip across the world had their spirits lifted by a stop-off in the UAE.
Dominick Fischer and Simon Helmecke quit their day jobs to get saddled up for the ride of their lives back in April, 2016, pedalling their way from their home in Cologne, Germany, to New Zealand.
Nearly three years, and more than 47,000 kilometres and 40 countries later, the dedicated duo have reached the UAE, the latest leg in an incredible journey which they expect to complete this Autumn.
The German globe-trotters have embraced new cultures and made plenty of friends along the way - as well as having the odd dice with disaster.
“We are both avid travellers and wanted to take a trip around the world by the time we were 30,” said Mr Fischer, who is now 30 and gave up his job in online marketing to fulfil his dreams
“The idea to do it on a bike came to us because it’s more flexible than taking a bus or train. We thought we would see more of the world doing it on a bike because when you’re travelling on a plane you don’t to get to see a lot.
“We were never into cycling before but we thought it was the best available option.
“We had been saving up for a few years to be able to afford to do this. Travelling on a bicycle is not a particularly expensive way to travel so it allowed us to stretch our money a bit further.”
Mr Fischer said that each country came with its own unique set of challenges – including the UAE.
The problems they encountered in the Emirates will strike a chord with those who live here.
It's fascinating to see how so many different cultures here live together in peace.
“We never encountered traffic like it anywhere else.
“Dubai is a wonderful place but I think people only cycle for recreation here.”
After a trip which has spanned the continents, the intrepid cyclist found a world in one city in Dubai.
“It’s fascinating to see how so many different cultures here live together in peace.
“Everybody speaks English here unlike other countries we have been to. Being here actually feels like a holiday within a holiday – except for the traffic”
Their journey did not only take them to Dubai though. They have also cycled through Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Ras Al Khaimah.
Their trips to other countries have not gone as smoothly, however.
“I was hit by a lorry as it was pulling out on to the road in India,” said Mr Helmecke, also 30.
“It destroyed my back wheel and I was terrified. Luckily I was not hurt too badly apart from a few bruises.”
However, their plight received short shrift from the local police.
“They were more concerned about the traffic jam that was caused by the accident,” said the former accountant.
While their journey has left them far away from home for years, it pales into insignificance compared to other global voyages.
Fellow German Heinz Stücke famously took 50 years to travel across 196 countries, having left his hometown of Hovelhof in 1962.
His rationale was that it was better than spending his days working in a factory.
“We met a Polish couple who had been cycling around the world for the past nine years,” said Mr Fischer.
“We cycled with them for a month and actually bumped into them three times in South East Asia, Central Asia and then again in Oman.”
Their journey seemed positively leisurely compared to Britain’s Mark Beaumont, who set a world record for cycling around the globe in 2017.
In 2017, he managed to travel around the world in a mere 79 days – beating the previous record by 44 days.
Another unexpected challenge that the Germans faced were finding ways to communicate with people in other countries.
“We’ve practically become experts at body language and miming. A lot of people didn’t speak English so we had to find other ways to communicate with each other,” said Mr Fischer
“That was especially the case when we were travelling through China. It was weird only speaking to each other and nobody else for a month. We had to mime actions when ordering food.”
Mr Fischer said that he has learned a lot from the trip, not least about what’s important in life.
“I have become much more laid back since starting this journey,” he said.
“Everything we absolutely needed was able to fit onto two bicycles.”
That was not to say they didn't miss some home comforts.
“When I was meeting my parents in Central Asia they asked if I wanted them to bring me birthday cake but I said I would rather have some German bread because I missed it so much,” he said.
“It has been hard in many ways, I have not really seen my parents properly in two years. Our tastes have also changed. You realise there is only so much tinned fish you can eat.”
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
RESULTS
Bantamweight:
Zia Mashwani (PAK) bt Chris Corton (PHI)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) bt Mohammad Al Khatib (JOR)
Super lightweight:
Dwight Brooks (USA) bt Alex Nacfur (BRA)
Bantamweight:
Tariq Ismail (CAN) bt Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Featherweight:
Abdullatip Magomedov (RUS) bt Sulaiman Al Modhyan (KUW)
Middleweight:
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) bt Christofer Silva (BRA)
Middleweight:
Rustam Chsiev (RUS) bt Tarek Suleiman (SYR)
Welterweight:
Khamzat Chimaev (SWE) bt Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA)
Lightweight:
Alex Martinez (CAN) bt Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Welterweight:
Jarrah Al Selawi (JOR) bt Abdoul Abdouraguimov (FRA)
FIXTURES (all times UAE)
Sunday
Brescia v Lazio (3.30pm)
SPAL v Verona (6pm)
Genoa v Sassuolo (9pm)
AS Roma v Torino (11.45pm)
Monday
Bologna v Fiorentina (3.30pm)
AC Milan v Sampdoria (6pm)
Juventus v Cagliari (6pm)
Atalanta v Parma (6pm)
Lecce v Udinese (9pm)
Napoli v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
INFO
Everton 0
Arsenal 0
Man of the Match: Djibril Sidibe (Everton)
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlmouneer%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dr%20Noha%20Khater%20and%20Rania%20Kadry%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEgypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E120%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBootstrapped%2C%20with%20support%20from%20Insead%20and%20Egyptian%20government%2C%20seed%20round%20of%20%3Cbr%3E%243.6%20million%20led%20by%20Global%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20Sandman
%3Cp%3ECreators%3A%20Neil%20Gaiman%2C%20David%20Goyer%2C%20Allan%20Heinberg%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Tom%20Sturridge%2C%20Boyd%20Holbrook%2C%20Jenna%20Coleman%20and%20Gwendoline%20Christie%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
