3-day weekend break

Between weekend trips, work, other chores, Yoga lessons and Arabic classes I'll try to give you an update...

The latest highlight: our recent 3-day weekend trip out of Muscat; it was awesome! It was my first trip away from the capital and although I still think Muscat is a fairly relaxing city (definitely nothing like the pace of London), coming back from the desert on Saturday afternoon it really felt like a big bustling city with all those cars and people.

We visited Ras al Hadd and watched nesting Green Turtles at Ras al Jinz, apparently the biggest Green Turtle nesting site in the world. We saw a big turtle laying eggs and small “turtle-litas”running towards the moon into the water... well there was one that looked a bit confused and kept on going round in circles!

On the way to Ras al Hadd we stopped at various places along the coastal road swimming in beautiful wadis (rivers) and stopping for a dip at the sink hole by Bamah, a deep hole in the ground filled with beautiful turquoise blue salty water.

After spending the night at the Turtle Beach Resort at Ras al Hadd we turned inland for our circular route back to Muscat, stopping at another beautiful wadi and then, icing on the cake, we headed for Wahiba Sands, the desert, where we spent the night at the Nomadic Desert Camp (www.nomadicdesertcamp.com) This is a desert camp owned and run by a Bedouin family.

On the way there (off-road desert track) we stopped for some Omani coffee and dates at the place where most of the family still lives, in the desert. We had a ride on their camels, who reluctantly took us on their backs and watched them being fed just before sunset. An interesting business animated by the young guy chasing an insistent free roaming camel (not owned by the family) who wanted to join the feast.. After witnessing the funny scene we got back into our car and followed our host's 4x4 deeper into the desert reaching the camp just after sunset.

After dinner we had coffee around the fire under the stars and the glowing full moon before going to bed. We got up just before sun rise (in reality we were woken up by a screaming baby next door but what the heck it was worth it!). We climbed the dunes and watched the sun raising: it was amazing. The colours of the orange/golden sand are so intense at that time in the morning it's hard to explain what a spectacle sunrise in the desert is!

The morning air in the desert is pleasantly cold (I was wearing my fleece for the first time since I moved here!). I even tried walking bare feet on the sand and it was painfully icy cold. It's incredible how cold it gets in the desert at night!

After breakfast we jumped on the car and went for some dune bashing with our 4x4 (following the guide in his car of course). I was the driver! My very first drive up and down steep dunes! My heart was racing, it was such and adrenaline booster. I loved every moment of it!.
We'll definitely be going back. Next time maybe we'll do the desert crossing....

Anyway, words are not enough to describe the beauty of the places we've visited. Have a look at the full set of photos and book your tickets. This is definitely a country worth visiting. I am loving it... every day a bit more... ma' as-salaama!