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Adventurers soak up unique gift

Their story started two years ago during an adventure challenge in Cape Town, South Africa.

  • By Marten Youssef, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 00:32 March 10, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Richard with his wife Elina at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
  • Image Credit: Ravindranath/Gulf News

Abu Dhabi: After months of endurance practice and winning the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge in December 2007, the winning couple was invited back to the capital city, except this time to indulge in an all-inclusive honeymoon package.

Sitting at the Emirates Palace Hotel, Richard and Elina Ussher are soaking in the luxurious gift from the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA). "This is very different for us. It truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Because of our career, we don't make that kind of money that would allow us to celebrate our honeymoon like this. So this is a real treat," Richard said.

Their story started two years ago during an adventure challenge in Cape Town, South Africa.

Richard was on a team representing Switzerland while Elina was representing Finland. "He came up to me and said, 'Hello Elina,' and I was really shocked that he knew my name," she laughed. "And from then on, she was watching me but I was too oblivious to notice," he said.

Time constraint

The greetings turned into a conversation and the conversation into a relationship and before long they married in March 2007.

"We didn't have the time or the money to go on a honeymoon. We were constantly training and practising. I was in a challenge one week before our wedding," he said. In December 2007, the couple came as a part of the Eurosport team to compete in the gruelling Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, which covered 400km in six days, including running, mountain biking, desert hiking, cross orienteering, and rope and mountaineering activities.

After winning the challenge, they were gifted an all-expenses paid honeymoon. The shock of the generous gift by ADTA hasn't worn off. "I don't think we can ever forget this," Richard said.

Although this is their second time in Abu Dhabi, this time their carry-on luggage was little lighter. "It's so great not to have to travel with our bikes and our gear.

Most of our friends always tell us that we don't need to go on a honeymoon because we travel enough together as it is, but it's a different kind of travelling when you have to lug around so much gear with you," he said.

The couple, both 31, will stay in Abu Dhabi for a week and with an ambitious to-do list, they hope to see a different side of Abu Dhabi, this time at a much slower pace.

Because of our career, we don't make that kind of money that would allow us to celebrate our honeymoon like this. So this is a real treat."

Richard Ussher
Adventurer

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