2011 - H & A WORLD CRUISE - MUSCAT

ARRIVING AT MUSCAT - OMAN

A GREAT LOOKING CASTLE ON A HILL & A LOVELY BLUE MOSQUE...

GOING ON QUITE A LONG RIDE TO A WADI THAT LOOKED GREAT WHEN I RESEARCHED IT.

I THOUGHT I WOULD BE WITH BARBARA TODAY BUT SHE GOT IN ANOTHER CAR & I WAS WITH TWO OTHER LADIES, CAROLIN & VLADKA

THESE ARE OUR DRIVERS, WAITING ON THE QUAYSIDE.

WE DRIVE TO A SEASIDE TOWN FOR A PHOTO STOP BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO NOT ENTER THE TOWN, BUT STOP JUST OPPOSITE.

THEN WE CARRY ON FOR ANOTHER STOP AT A SINK HOLE WHERE I SEE THE LEADER OF OUR GUIDES FOR THE FIRST TIME.

HE IS YOUR HOLLYWOOD EXAMPLE OF THE HANDSOME ARAB, WITH A HUGE MACHO EGO TO MATCH.

HE JUMPS UP ON THE PARAPET & PROCEEDS TO BERATE PEOPLE FOR NOT LISTENING TO HIM.

SOME PEOPLE, INCLUDING BARBARA HERE TAKE THE HIKE DOWN TO THE CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER.

HEADING OFF AGAIN WE RUN INTO ( NOT LITERALLY ) SOME CAMELS CROSSING THE ROAD.

NOW FOR A STOP AT THE GRANDLY NAMED - DIWAN OF ROYAL COURT OFFICE FOR CONSERVATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT, RAS A SHAGAR RESERVE -WHERE THE TOUR DESCRIPTION TOLD US WE COULD EXPECT TO SEE ANTELOPE.

OUR HANDSOME GUIDE TELLS US IT IS HIGHLY DOUBTFUL WE WILL SEE ANY ANTELOPE SINCE WE HAVE COME AT THE WRONG TIME OF DAY.

SILLY US!

THE LEADER HAD COMMANDEERED LISA, THE SHIPS YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER, FOR HIS CAR & WHILE I WAS CHATTING TO HER, HE PUSHED HIS WAY BETWEEN US.

VERY POSSESSIVE & A RIGHT ROYAL PAIN IN THE ARSE.

IN THE EVENT, WE DID SEE SOME ANTELOPE, WAY OFF AT THE EXTREME END OF MY ZOOM. OUR DRIVER WAS GREAT, TRYING TO GET US THE BEST VIEW. HE CAUGHT SHIT FROM OUR MIGHTY LEADER FOR DELAYING THE GROUP.

ON THE SUBJECT OF SHIT, HERE’S SOME FOR CAROLIN WHO HAPPENS TO BE CO-WRITING A BOOK ON THE SUBJECT OF SCAT, WHICH IS A STUDY OF HERS.

APPARENTLY ALL SORTS OF THINGS CAN BE DEDUCED FROM ANIMAL DROPPINGS.

HER BOOK IS TO BE CALLED.

‘KNOW SHIT!’

REALLY - NOT KIDDING.

THIS IS CAROLIN...

WE NOW GET TO THE WHITE SAND BEACH ADVERTISED IN THE DESCRIPTION BUT ARE NOT ALLOWED ON IT & HAVE TO SETTLE FOR WHAT WILL BE SAND IN SEVERAL MILLION YEARS.

WE HAVE A QUITE ENJOYABLE PACKED LUNCH SITTING ON THE BOULDERS. THE GUIDES HAVE THEIRS ON A NICE BIG BLANKET.

HERE’S BARBARA AGAIN..DIPPING HER TOES IN THE ARABIAN SEA, OR INDIAN OCEAN, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO.

THE STORY ABOUT THIS CAR IS THAT IT WAS STRANDED DURING A BIG WIND OR SOME SUCH.

A LOT OF WIND PROBABLY.

SOME GREAT LOOKING DOORS, A VIEW OF WHAT MIGHT BE THE WHITE BEACH -

AND THE MOUTH OF THE WADI, LOOKING VERY INVITING.

THE TOUR DESCRIPTION WAS NOT CLEAR ON WHAT WE WOULD DO HERE, BUT I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WE DID NOT VENTURE ALONG IT A BIT. MY RESEARCH SHOWED LOTS OF OFF ROAD TRAILS. OUR INTREPID LEADER WAFFLED ON ABOUT SOME REASON FOR NOT GOING FURTHER. MAYBE WE HAD RUN OUT OF TIME OR NEEDED BETTER TRANSPORT. WHO KNOWS, I GAVE UP LISTENING TO HIM A WHILE AGO.

ANYWAY - THAT WAS OUR FIVE MINUTES AT THE WADI & NOW IT’S THE LONG DRIVE BACK TO MUSCAT.

PASSING SOME LOCALS

AT ONE POINT OUR CONVOY SCREECHED TO A HALT SO THE DRIVER OF ANOTHER CAR COULD BE CASTIGATED FOR LEAVING THE ROAD & SHEDDING STONES TOWARDS OUR CARS. OUR LEADER AGAIN.

WE STOPPED FOR GAS & A PEE STOP & TALKED A LITTLE TO OUR DRIVER WHO IS ALSO NOT IMPRESSED WITH HIS LEADER.

THERE IS THE USUAL LINE UP FOR THE BATHROOM & ONE OF THE GUIDES SURPRISED ME BY SUGGESTING I USE THE ABLUTIONS AT THE MOSQUE. I QUERIED IT WITH HIM AS I AM NOT MUSLIM & HE WAS QUITE OK WITH IT.

MY ONE & ONLY VISIT TO A MOSQUE.

I KNOW THIS TOUR SOUNDS A BIT LIKE HELL ON WHEELS, BUT I LIKED IT. LEADERS EXCEPTED.

PITY WE DID NOT HAVE OUR EXTRA DAY HERE SO WE COULD OVERNIGHT. BUT WE SAIL & MOVE ON TO SALALAH, FURTHER DOWN THE OMAN COAST