Concentrating on our goal kept us going, says first Omani woman to ski North Pole

Muscat: Oman's Anisa Al Raisi, who made history by becoming the first Omani woman to ski the Geographic North Pole, has said that focussing on their goal helped her and her group overcome the many challenges they faced on their daunting journey.
Anisa, 34, joined the 'Women's Euro-Arabian North Pole Expedition 2018' and set off for a challenging expedition last month, where they managed to ski just over 80 km on the treacherous terrain at the top of the world and reached the North Pole in 8 days.
The team arrived safely at the North Pole just before 19:00 on April 21, 2018.
Addressing a press conference at the Omantel headquarters on Sunday, Anisa said, "It was a rewarding experience. It felt really great to have the Sultanate's flag at the Geographic North Pole, where we could only reach after going through numerous challenges, like the unpredictable weather conditions that can reach as below as -40 degrees C, the physical and mental tiredness."
"You walk miles and miles, but the view does not change. We couldn't even talk to each other due to the strong wind and I felt all alone. All we could do was to concentrate on our goal and keep going on," she explained.
Despite walking for around 10 hours a day in harsh conditions, Anisa and the rest of the team have gained weight. "We have added fat and lost muscles. A specialised team of researchers have examined us to find out what impact extreme conditions have on women," she commented.
Ali Bakhit Kashoob, Senior Manager of Marketing Communications at Omantel, said, "Anisa has made us all very proud. Making her way to the top of world proves once again that Omani women can reach everywhere with their dedication and hard work."