Henry Dallal is someone you probably have not heard of. But you will be hearing about him soon as the photographer who's published work is published without digital manipulation. That is rare these days. He paired up with Diana C.K. Untermeyer to provide the photos for her new 240+ page book Qatar, Sand, Sea, and Sky. Like Dallal, we will be hearing more about Qatar in the coming years as it is set to host the 2022 World Cup. Untermeyer writes the book on Qatar from her role as the wife of a U.S. Diplomat who lived in Qatar for years and wanted to learn as much as she could about her temporary home in the Middle East.

Pictured below is Henry Dallal.

It is a long time coming because much of English language information on the country is about anything but its culture. That must have been why Dallal set out to photograph Qatar, and is certainly the reason how Untermeyer formed her idea in 2004 to begin writing this book, as she explains in her introduction.

As someone who is constantly feeling guilty about not reading enough, I often find solace for my bad reading habits in coffee table books, which are picture books for grownups. I really like travel coffee table books, with big pictures of places I've never been to inspire me when I'm sitting around my apartment and thinking about where I want to travel to next.

Recently, I picked up a coffee table book on Qatar. I have never been to Qatar, nor had I ever really thought about going there. Actually, I had never really thought about Qatar at all, apart from when I heard they won the bidding for the World Cup, I thought "Where is Qatar?"

Camel show in Qatar

But it’s the pictures that really make this book great. I leave it on my coffee table and when people come over they usually see it and say something like “why do you have a book on Qatar?” Pretty soon they open it up and start absent-mindedly turning the pages. Soon after that they are engrossed. I have heard multiple half-assed plans made in my apartment to go to Qatar in 2022 for the World Cup, based on a quick tour through Qatar, courtesy of this book. I think I might go.

I love the idea of being able to travel between the waterless desert and the Ocean so easily. I have never really had an appreciation for deserts; I always considered their barrenness a kind of ugliness. But seeing Dallal’s photographs gave me a new appreciation for the beauty of the desert, a beauty that is only increased by the inventive ways that people find to navigate it.

And then the ocean, so close by, is another extreme form of nature that the people of Qatar have managed to harness. In Dallal’s pictures, the ocean is a playground for the colors and shapes of vessels, both traditional and modern, that travel the Persian Gulf.

Another fantastic contrast in “Qatar: Sand, Sea, and Sky” is the contrast between the isolation of the desert and the hustle and bustle of the city. Doha, the capital of Qatar, comes to life in the pages, with marketplaces filled with action, motion, and commerce.

World Innovation Summit for Education - Qatar

I have to check my planner, but I think 2022 is pretty wide open for  me right now.

By Jeremy Head

With the most competitive low cost airline network in Europe, England makes the best jumping off point for long-term visitors to base themselves and see the rest of what the continent has to offer. But you don’t have to take the plane to get to the continent – take a ferry to France and you can take your bike or campervan too and you’ve got the rest of Europe at your feet. And you may even save money too!

Dover to Calais ferries
The shortest stretch of sea between England and France is just 22 miles wide. On a bright day it’s easy to see France from Dover. This is the main thoroughfare for ferries to France. You’ll find crossings taking place pretty much 24 hours a day. The crossing takes around 90 minutes, so if you wanted time to sit back and enjoy the ride you might want to head for a different port. But if you just want the cheapest and most convenient way to get over to France with your car or bike then Dover is absolutely the place to head for. The channel tunnel runs under the same stretch of sea and as a result this route is really competitive which helps keep the prices down. To get the cheapest ferry deals book well in advance, travel outside school holidays and during less popular timeslots like late at night or early morning. You could grab yourself a deal for as little as £30 return for a car and two passengers including taxes. That’s way cheaper than any low cost airline fare!

Other ferries to France
If you want a longer crossing, consider catching the ferry to France from Southampton or Plymouth. These crossings take five to eight hours and offer you the chance to jump ashore further down the French coastline, which is ideal if you’re headed for the west coast of France or Spain. Prices on these routes tend to be considerably higher than Dover-Calais. Some companies offer night crossings which means you can save on the cost of a hotel. Don’t expect a particularly comfortable night though if you don’t pay for a cabin. Ferries on these longer routes to France offer more to do on board – most have cinemas and a choice of dining options along with more space out on deck.

Ferries to Belgium and Holland
If you’re based in northern England, don’t think the only options for getting to the continent involve planes either. There are ferries from Hull that make night crossings to Rotterdam and Zeebrugge. So if you fancy catching the ferry to Amsterdam for a mad weekend, this could be a good option (Amsterdam is about 45 minutes’ drive from Rotterdam where the ferry docks). These night crossings take around 10 hours and in most cases you have to book a cabin and the cost of tickets reflects that. You’ll feel more like you’re on a cruise though, as cabins all have en-suite facilities and towels and bed linen are provided. There’s live entertainment in the form of caberet shows and live music from the resident band as well as a cinema. All in all, it’s a great way to get a holiday off to a good start.

Ferries to Spain
The longest journey of all takes you to northern Spain. Ferries depart from Plymouth in the south west of England and Portsmouth in the south east. The journey typically takes 24 hours, but on some crossings you end up spending two nights on board. The cost is typically £200 or more return per person – so definitely not cheap. But before you right this option off completely, consider the cost of driving all the way through France (after paying for the ferry to France in the first place). There’s fuel and autoroute tolls to pay for, along with at least one if not two hotel nights. It clearly depends how long you plan to be away, whether you want to see some of France along the way and what your on-going plans are once you reach Spain (for example driving on into Africa by taking a ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar) – but in some cases taking the ferry can work out the best option.

Often the biggest difficulty for people from different countries living in Australia is not getting dates. Australians are generally comfortable with inter-cultural relationships, but there are different customs that apply to different countries.

Dating etiquette

The famous laid-back attitude of Australians means they don’t tend to like to be over-affectionate in public. This is important, as they tend to go out in groups more than in couples. In fact, whether you’re dating Sydney or Melbourne singles, many relationships can start in group situations. The first ‘solo date’ may not happen for a while.

This type of group dating is often misinterpreted for matchmaking, but most of the time it’s just a simple way for singles to meet and maybe find someone they’re attracted to. The organiser often doesn’t have a particular potential couple in mind, and this can take the pressure off the event and allow everyone to have a good time irrespective of what might happen later.

Dating equality

Similarly, women are used to paying their own way. Stemming from group situations, where the bill is split, dating – even in the context of a relationship – is a lot less informal, and it’s often assumed both parties will contribute to the cost. This can seem ungentlemanly to people from different cultures, but it eases the pressure and can make a date – particularly an expensive one – a much more enjoyable experience.

Women in Australia are generally a lot more forward than they are in Britain and America. It’s not unusual for women to make the first move, invite a man out, or be the first one to express an interest.

Dating inspiration

There are many different activities and events that are ideal in both group and romantic situations, and most Australian cities offer plenty of opportunities for dating, so you shouldn’t be stuck for ideas. If you’re going to be with a group, a picnic, an excursion or even just some drinks in a bar can provide a relaxed environment.

For one-to-one dates, don’t discount outdoor activities – the weather back home may not be good enough, but in Australia an activity date can be a good way to focus on doing something together while having fun.

The key to dating in Australia is to not take it too seriously. It is not uncommon to joke around together and act a lot more relaxed than you might typically in other countries. This atmosphere can take some getting used to, but ultimately it can mean two people get to know each other better and have a much more honest beginning to their relationship.

As an American child growing up in East coast suburbs, Orlando, Florida was always magical and mythic Valhalla of fun and wonder. I remember realizing that Disney World was in the same city as Universal Studios, which I realized from watching Double Dare on Nickelodeon and hearing at the end of every episode that Marc Summers' slime-fest game show was taped in front of a live studio audience at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. At some point, I think it was while watching Carmen San Diego, I found out that Sea World was there as well. Wait a minute, I remember thinking as a small child who watched far too many game shows aimed at elementary school children, all of the best amusement parks/pieces of heaven are in the same city? What is this magical place? And, Mom and Dad, why have you not taken me there?

Over the years I've been to Orlando a few times, and of course it is a real city, not just the most expensive playground of all time. You can actually stay in Orlando Hotels and enjoy the city, instead of choosing some crazy expensive themed resort on Disney property.

It turns out that there are lots of other things to do in Orlando as well, besides the big three amusement parks. You can enjoy Orlando on a variety of budgets. There’s a place called Gatorland, which I remember being awesome and terrifying as a kid. There’s also Holy Land, which is a biblical themed amusement park. Any kind of theme park you want, you can find in Orlando.

I remember when I was a kid my parents got a timeshare. It was on the northeast coast of America, at a pretty little resort with an Indian name that looked over the water and had an amazing golf course. I was real young when they got it, but I remember my siblings and I had a great time playing in the pool, and by the water while my parents got a chance to relax.

Then things changed. First of all, my sisters grew older and never wanted to go hang out with the family anymore. Then we suddenly stopped being able to get prime summer time slots; we started going in October, sometimes even later.  I have memories of my Dad and I trying to play Golf on frozen ground while wearing gloves and wool hats. (Hey, at least we had the course to ourselves.) Eventually we stopped going altogether. Recently, I asked Dad about that timeshare.

He told me we stopped using it because us kids grew older and we couldn’t get good timeslots. He also said the rates and maintenance fees kept going up and it was nearly impossible to get out of the contract.

"We tried to sell it. We tried to get out of it. Nothing worked. That thing just bled us for years."

I was thinking about this when I came across Transfer America, a company that specializes in getting people out of timeshare agreements. In fact, that’s all they do. They get you out of time shares so you don’t get bled dry from something you never use. I wish Transfer America had been around when my Dad was trying to get rid of his timeshare. Maybe I would’ve got better birthday presents if my parents weren’t throwing money away on timeshares.