I had a marvelous time during the Rush-A-Way Race event. I found out about it while looking for fitness events in Dubai for my husband and I to join. Fitness Link gave me all of the details I needed to know about the race being held December 15, 2015. Just so you know, Rush-A-Way is actually an interpretation of the television show, ‘The Amazing Race,’ American style, just smaller.
Each team member must be at least 16 years old and one of you must have a UAE driver’s license to join in the race.
You and your partner against other teams of two race around Dubai going through a series of challenges. You and your team complete 10 small adventures from making sushi rolls to presenting at a station. Each set puts your physical and mental fitness and navigation skills on the line.
Before the event started, I received an email advising me of the rules and it supplied me with information on how to register my team. The thing is you won’t have a clue as to what you’ll do until the time of the event. Since my husband could not attend this date, I invited my sister to be my partner and luckily, she was a willing contestant.
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The day of the race we arrived at the Jebel Ali Recreation Club for the briefing. We were asked to use the team’s account details to create an application on our phones that would allow them access for the day’s challenges. We could also get our team’s number once we completed our entry. Once that number was issued, the race was on!
Our first challenge of the day was a riddle. We had to answer the riddle and come up with a number that would unlock the next task. If you didn’t get it correctly, you were penalized five minutes. You couldn’t go anywhere until time had lapsed. This meant that the other contestants could get ahead of you. However, we got it right and moved on!
We could see our next moves as they appeared on our phones as we knocked them out. With teamwork, my sister and I, were able to pull navigation off smoothly. She drove, of course, while I directed. The tasks were never the same though each one proved to be fun and exciting. Some obstacles were physical and others were pretty tasty.
We didn’t win first prize, but winning is not always about a prize. It’s about the experience and it’s one I will never forget. We had a great time discovering the beautiful land of Dubai, we tried something new and it gave us memories that we can talk about for years to come. My sister and I took 5th place in the Rush-A-Way Race this time; maybe next time will be a little different.
All contestants will receive a T-shirt and snacks, plus a goodie bag. Rush-A-Way Race was created for all to enjoy, not just fitness gurus. It’s a chance to bond with friends and family in a way you would not normally do.
After arriving in Milan at around 10am and battling with every single car rental company in Italy to no avail, we decided to jump on the train to Verona via Milan’s Central Station. As we purchased our tickets from the self-service machines, a slightly concerning message flashed across the screen, warning us to be careful and to watch out for pickpockets.. We had just arrived from one of the safest cities in the world. How bad could it be that it would warrant such a warning?
Best. Pizza. Ever.
Verona
When we finally arrived at what was meant to be our hotel, we were taken aback by the fact that everything from the room keys to the cards were hotel-esque, except for the actual building itself. More like a renovated house than a hotel, it was clean and comfortable.
After a small rest to recover from our disappointing arrival into Italy, we decided to head to the Arena, situated just 15 minutes away from our “hotel.” Full to the brim with shops, cafes, and restaurants, I was able to snag a beautiful Pandora charm for my sister.
Verona was wonderful; the churches, ancient buildings, intricate architecture, and vast amount of Italian marble dominated the large stations.
Granada Land
With our love for amusement parks, we headed to Granada Land the following day for a bit of fun! The park was celebrating its 40th anniversary, which they advertised with large signs scattered throughout the park. Wow, I thought. This place is almost as old as the UAE!
We could easily see why this theme park was ranked fifth of the best amusement parks in the world! If you like plenty of rides and a fun day out, you should definitely check out Granada Land!
mwahahahaha…
Parco Natura Viva
After checking out and leaving our luggage at the train station, we headed to Parco Natura Viva; a huge Safari Park and Zoo. We decided to grab a rental that had Four Wheel Drive to explore the park. It was so refreshing to be able to drive through the grounds and see the animals free to roam without cages or restraints!
The animals were clearly used to humans driving around; as one very bold giraffe peeked into our window! Even though the safari park was not as big as we had anticipated, the zoo was so huge that we, unfortunately, didn’t have time to explore it all.
Visiting Parco Natura Viva was a really great experience and we would highly recommend it; just give yourself enough time to explore it all in depth!
Mont Blanc
Not everything had gone as planned thus far. However, I was determined not to let the next part fail. Forget everything else. We were about to embark on the ultimate adventure, which we had been dreaming of for years; hiking Mont Blanc.
We headed back after our mini-safari adventure to Verona, where we jumped on a bus to Turin. Arriving quite late in Turin, our host met us at the station and drove us to our hotel. A small, yet stunning room was waiting for us; well styled and gorgeously modern, I loved it!
We rose early with a spring in our step. This was the day we had both been waiting for. After gathering our things, we headed to the station to meet our guide, Elisabetta. We agreed to leave our luggage at another guide’s house whilst we went for the hike.
Boots, bags, sleeping bags, and food for the trip were all packed and ready. It was time to head for the mountains. The trip there was incredible in itself. The greenery was such a striking contrast compared to how it is back home and there was so much of it! Waterfalls, houses in the mountains, old castles; was this place real?
After driving for two hours, it was time to jump out and start walking. The cold air hit our faces immediately and I had no other choice but to wear every single item I had brought; hence the mix-matched outfit! That didn’t matter. I didn’t care. I was finally doing it.
When we initially booked the hike, the website; Trekking Alps asked us whether we wanted to opt for the easy, medium, or hard hike. We were coming to see it all and live out our dream; so we went with HARD. What were we thinking? The hike was tiring and cold, simply unbearable.
The breathtaking views and intense adrenaline rush were what pushed us forward the whole time. Just knowing that we were hiking the “white mountain” kept our spirits high! It may have been deadly cold; however, we had been sweating underneath our layered clothes, which caused an icy chill to shoot through us when we stopped for some lunch.
Powering through, we continued on for another two hours. We were done. Completely exhausted. Or so we thought. Elisabetta turned and looked at us, imparting some not-so-great news. “We need another three hours to reach our hut. It’s not heated or equipped.” Followed by, “Come on guys, we can do this!” To which the only response that was appropriate was, “No, no we can’t.”
Elisabetta told us of a hotel we could stay at back down the way we came, to which we quickly agreed! After giving them a call, we were all booked in. Yes! I had seen the views, felt the burn, now I was ready to warm up and feel the soft sheets of a large bed! “How long will it take to get to the hotel?” I asked.
“Around three hours,” Elisabetta said calmly.
We wanted to cry. Surely, she could not be serious! After thinking we couldn’t take another step, we made it to the hotel. We knew along the way that the river was the half way point, back when we thought we couldn’t take another step, yet look at us! We laughed and felt proud on our way back down, with the occasional, “Go on without me, I can’t go any further!”
Feeling the burn from our muscles, we started to think that our gym membership was a waste of time. This was a completely different type of workout and to be honest, even though we were unprepared, we were surprised by how much we achieved!
After a grueling four hours, we made it back to the car. We did it! The moment I got into the car, I fell fast asleep, awaking to the view of a beautiful wooden house. The owner of the house, a very proud man, greeted us and showed us around. The bed was the most inviting thing I had seen all day; but not before one of the best hot showers of my life! That night, we slept like babies!
The next day, we awoke feeling well rested and proud of our previous day’s adventure! Our host had prepared breakfast for us, but not just any breakfast: homemade Italian breakfast. Honey, eggs, marmalade, cheese, bread; all locally sourced, mainly from the farm! It was incredible!
After packing up our stuff, we went and had a little walk around, where we bought some souvenirs before heading back to Turin. Looking back on the hike, I feel so immensely proud of what we achieved. I suppose you never really know how strong you are until it’s your only option.
Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment.2300 meters above sea levelBed & Breakfast | Mont BlancThat breakfast tho!!!
