Rallying on tough turf

I was named after the beautiful musical instrument, the rubab, that presents the raw, soulful beauty and pathos of the desert like nothing else. So tough and yet so fragile and vulnerable. When I am in a car navigating for six hours each day in sweltering temperatures of 52°C I know what toughness is all about.

Car rallying is not for the faint-hearted. You are not allowed to eat anything and have to constantly drink a fruit juice fortified with essential salts and vitamins, and of course lots of water.

With the warm rally suit you sweat so much that there seems to be a white sheet of salt on your skin at the end of the day!I fell in love with the idea of rallying because I love driving cars. In the days when I was working as an HR consultant for a leading Dubai-based organisation, I was required to drive to Oman very often.

I would often choose to drive in the night, spending 5-6 hours on the road. I liked the adventure of driving all by myself to Oman and back. I love car travel. I own a Jaguar and my car is my home. I carry my clothes, my cosmetics... I keep everything I need in my car. I have to very often get out of a rally and head for a meeting.

My passion has invited admiration and cynicism, particularly from men.

Many men find it strange that a woman wants to rough it out so much. While there are many supportive of my rallying skills, most men discourage me, saying that I will end up in hospital one day.

However, I value the support of Mohammad Bin Sulayem. He has always encouraged me to participate in rallies. I want men to know that I too can challenge the heat, take risks and prove to them that a woman is as good if not better than a man.

That is why I began participating in rallies from 2004. I did most of the national rallies that were held in Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai. My first rally was the Ras Al Khaimah national rally which had 30 participating cars. I was navigating with the Lebanese driver Richie Hoenin.

I had barely three hours of training before the rally yet we finished 8th overall. I participated in nearly 7-8 rallies as navigator to Hoenin. Those experiences gave me the courage to participate in international car rallies.

The two most memorable were the world's second most prestigious car rally - the Abu Dhabi International Desert Challenge 2009 and 2010. I participated in both with Matar Al Mansoori, a skilled rally driver. We finished at 8th position with 100 cars participating.

Despite cut-throat competition, one doesn't forget basic humanity.

One of the greatest lessons I have learnt in life is to always stand up and lend a helping hand to someone in trouble. If a rally driver's car is stuck or he requires help, even if you know precious driving time will be lost, you simply stop and are obliged to help a fellow driver.

This teaches you the power of compassion. Winning is not always important, participating is. It is only your own experiences that can teach you this.

I was taught to be independent since childhood.

My father Ahmad Al Tajir, who was the UAE's first ambassador to Morocco, was a very progressive man. He wanted my brother Rida and me to have the finest leadership skills and statesmanship. He wanted us to be exposed to multicultural influences and stand on our feet at an early age.

I recall I was barely five when I was sent on a train to Belgium to be enrolled in a boarding school. I made that journey with my brother. I studied there until the age of eight. I could have been spoilt by nannies and helpers here. But there I had to rise early, make my own bed, plait my hair, wash my clothes and be very independent in life. I think those years made me self-reliant very early on in life.

I returned to Dubai and studied at Al Mawakeb School and the Dubai International School and even in Beirut. I did my high school in Washington DC and my graduation in human resource management from the London College of Management. I was barely 13 when I lost my father. His death was a difficult blow but it made me stronger in my resolve to carve my own identity.

I wear several hats.

I am a human resources consultant, dabble in crude oil trading, real estate, speak five languages fluently and participate in rallies as a hobby.I am equally fascinated by being in the thick of a car rally as I am by the delicate beauty of ballet. Both are equally challenging for me.

That is why I can be rough and tough and at the same time I love to paint and write poems and enjoy music. I love to skate, jet-ski and ride horses. One of my poems Game Over which explores the pain of being abandoned in a relationship has been sung by a popular Arab singer.

I hate being dependent on anyone. I change my car tyres, my oil filters, take my car to the garage and my clothes to the laundry. I enjoy intellectually stimulating company where I can discuss current world affairs. I love to be with other women, but sometimes get very bored with their talk on the latest fashion brands or new hairstyles. Those things are important but after a while cease to interest me.

I have many dreams for myself.

The foremost is to become an international car rally driver myself and put the UAE and Arab women on the international car rally map. I can do it but it is an expensive sport, I need to look for a sponsor.

I plan to do a rally for charity where I can raise money for children's causes and also for life-threatening illnesses like cancer.

I want all UAE women to believe in themselves and know that nothing should stop them from fulfilling their dreams.

You must set your sights high and work towards creating an opportunity to achieve those goals. Do not be led by or depend on others, make your own decisions, and be sure of what you want and are doing