Well, I can tick off all three. Although B is perhaps debatable. So whilst it does kind of come down to a guy, I'm hoping it's something I'll continue regardless.
I bet some of you are wondering what these "activities" are exactly... No, it's not rampant sex. Unfortunately. But oddly, it feels almost as good. I'm talking endorphins, you twisted people!!
For months I'd been begging M to take me wakeboarding, but so little faith she had in my awakening skills after a night on the cosmos, that she never encouraged me. But alas, some of my friends have a little more faith and I'm incredibly grateful to E for showing me the light and taking me boarding.
Yes, waking up at 6am at the weekend to make the hours drive to the Marine Club in Um Al Quwain is torture and not my idea of fun (anyone who knows me will know I'm really not a morning person). But, the benefits are not to be ignored - beautiful sunrise, a clear Sheikh Zayed Road, silky smooth water, energy to take you through the day and still having the afternoon free to do other weekend activities. It's just a shame the drive isn't more aesthetically pleasing. The 311 highway really does offer very little in terms of visual stimulation, apart from the odd glimpse of a camel, which is now a rare sight in Dubai.
When you arrive at the Marine Club, there's a certain energy and community feel about the place. Most people there are wakeboarders and skiers and seem to bond over their mutual love for the sports. There's no booze at the club (sigh), but they do make fabulous milkshakes, so I can overlook that flaw for now. Everyone hangs out at the pool or in the restaurant watching wakeboarding DVDs and chatting away. But it's only when the boat pulls in, ready to take them out onto the water, when the real buzz kicks in.
We all pile into the boat and it tends to be the most experienced boarder who goes first. They make it look so easy, but I now know the reality! Everyone glides over the crystal waters, slaloming, jumping, switching, it's all very cool to watch... until it gets to me! I'm pulled over, under and backwards, never really managing to get up and filling my lungs with the saltiest sea water you can imagine. Hardly the picture of glamour I try to portray of myself!
Coughing, spluttering and hacking up all the water from my sinuses, I continue to give it another go. Granted it's only my second time wakeboarding but it's still highly frustrating. Having said that, the encouragement from other boarders is truly amazing and they're all the same with each other. The constructive points they all give each other (and me) really makes you want to stick at it and keep trying and trying and trying. And so I did.
I've managed to get up on the wakeboard now, which I consider a massive acheivement, and am very proud of myself. However, you really need patience and determination. Giving up isn't an option. Normally I'd have thrown the gauntlet down by the second attempt but, as the other wakeboarders were so encouraging, I've stuck at it. Usually, if there's the slightest whiff of competition and I'd bolt for the door, but it doesn't seem to be so much competitive as it is self-improvement.
The other benefit of wakeboarding is the eye candy. I'm not one to go for pretty boys, of whom there seem to be a few of at the club, but it makes a change from having to look at Dubai's usual set of absolute mingers you find in the bars. Plus, the pretty boys actually speak to you as you're there for the same reason as they are.
So I'm definitely sticking to the sport. Not buying a board yet, but once I can stay up for a decent amount of time, it is something I'll definitely consider investing in.
Aside from the wakeboarding, I've returned to swimming regularly. You really do take having a free outdoor pool on your front door step for granted. Having barely used it (except for tanning purposes) over the last 3 1/2 years, it's come as a surprise how wonderfully convenient it is. I wake up before work, swim a few lengths and feel surprisingly awake and ready for the day, rather than hitting my snooze button over and over again before waking at 8.50am and realising I have to be in the office in 10 minutes! Plus everyone knows swimming is one of the best sports to tone up. Who needs a gym and running on a treadmill when you can swim a few lengths in Dubai's glorious sunshine?!
Anyway, last but not least, the other sport I'm getting back into is rollerblading. Before I moved to Dubai, blading was one of the only sports I participated in. I'd been blading since I was about 13, up and down the road I grew up on, round the block and, of course, to roller-discos. When I lived in London, I continued to be a regular roller-disco goer - speed skating in circles to house music, to dressing up in 70's gear and skating backwards to disco grooves. I loved it! However my beloved blades were just to big and heavy to accommodate on my stingy baggage allowance when I moved to Dubai (yeah, thanks BA) and so blading became a thing of the past... until now.
Earlier this year, I bought myself a brand new pair of Nike Bauers. It was love at first sight and I couldn't wait to put them to good use. A couple of the girls in the office agreed that they'd come blading with me (I'm not keen on doing sports on my own) and I was too excited about the prospect! However, getting the girls to actually come blading was a different story altogether. Working hours and weather being the most common excuses used. So my poor blades sat in the boot of my car for a few months, untouched.
A couple of weeks ago, I got to talking about blading with some of my friends, and Mr A.P mentioned he had a pair and wouldn't mind giving it a bash after having not bladed for a few months. This was music to my ears and in my head I built up all kinds or romantic images of us roller-blading into the sunset together...
That couldn't have been further from the truth! One evening last week, Mr A.P and I met up for a quick sesh. Blading sesh that is! I couldn't wait to show off my spin-stops, jumps and backwards skating, and so off we went to Jumeirah Beach to use the skating track. I jumped out of the car and donned my blades immediately. It felt weird to be back on wheels after so long, but I was too excited to be weary.
We crossed the sand in our blades to the track. Mr A.P hopped on and started blading and then I stepped on to the track. The track was so smooth that, within one stroke, I felt myself going... downwards. Yep, I fell on my arse. I blame the fact the blades were so new and didn't have stoppers (although that wasn't a problem with my old pair). It was mortifyingly embarrassing. Not only had I bragged about how I used to skate, I fell (and rather heftily I might add) right in front of the guy I was trying to impress. My credibility left me at that moment, like a person's soul when they've just died.
Not wanting to show how much of a wuss I am, I quickly picked myself up and pretended I was fine. I did have a bit of a wobble to begin with, but I didn't fall over after that. I was still far from cool though, and after 15 minutes, I was so exhausted, I was struggling to blade. It really takes its toll on the old calves, you know. It actually came to the point where Mr. A.P had to push me along the track! Although, to be fair, it was almost 6pm and, as I was fasting, I hadn't had a drop to eat or drink all day, so my energy levels were pretty low.
He put his arms around my waist and shifted me along the track. I wanted to spin round and kiss him, but I thought better of it considering I'd already fallen over without trying to do anything! It was still nice to have some alone time with Mr. A.P, even if I was too chicken shit to make a move. And despite the amount of pain I felt, and still feel, in my coccyx, I'm looking forward to our next blading session, where I'm hoping there will be a little more movement...
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