In this Issue
This issue is dedicated to sharing our rich Khaleeji heritage and how it is an important building stone in our future’s plans. We discuss traditional Arabs’ dining etiquette, and the influence of African heritage to everyday music and dancing in the region.

Features
The future is drones
While experimental drone deliveries by the likes of Amazon have grabbed the headlines, the construction industry has emerged as a key driver of the burgeoning commercial drone industry.
Raha Moharrak: Changing perceptions of Arab women one mountain at a time
On May 18, 2013, Raha made history by reaching the summit of the world’s highest mountain.
Vintage is the road for success
How can you make a fashion statement? The answer may lie in vintage retail.
Arts and Culture
The African influence on Khaleeji music
What is the reason behind this dominance? And who is this Fairuz that the laywa chanters sing about, and why is he so important?
To move forward, we’ve got to go back
Steve Jobs once said that ‘you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards’.
No place for utensils in Arabian dining etiquette
Though many may view hands-to-mouth eating as barbaric, it was and is still an important daily custom in the Arabian Gulf, the Middle East, parts of Asia, and Africa.
The Arabian paradox: Epidemic vitamin D deficiency in the land of perpetual sunshine
Sensible levels of sun exposure taken consistently can have a substantial positive impact on our quality of life.
The business of camels
“It’s the look of the camel, also the pedigree, the lineage of the camel, that give such expensive camels their value. Famous camels are well known all over the Gulf.”
Mariam Al Qubaisi: A poured heart collected in a book
We meet with Mariam Eisa Al Qubaisi, 21-year-old Emirati author of Woven Words, a collection of poems, reflections, and short stories that will be hitting bookstores in 2018.
How Arabs introduced coffee culture to the world
Legend has it that coffee berries were first discovered in Ethiopia by a shepherd who stopped to examine a coffee bush after noticing his livestock were overly animated.
The time travellers of Oman
Omani photographer Adnan Al Balushi goes on a drive across Oman, and meets with different nationals who have seen the vast changes that the Sultanate has been through in the past 50 years.
Creative
Travel
Sir Bani Yas: A wildlife haven in the middle of the desert
How often do we get to wake up to the sight of Arabian gazelles running freely?
A time travelling cafe in Bahrain
Travel back in time at Haji’s Cafe which opened in 1950, and serves traditional Bahraini tea, coffee, and food.
A close encounter with a Bangkok street psychic
My destination—the dark, cluttered and winding alleys of Tha Phra Chan’s riverside market—is famous for its concentration of mor doos.
Travel with a purpose with these GCC based organisations
Three regional organizations that you can travel with.