Sights between here and there

The first photo is looking back at our campground from the night before - a memorable moment. The second photo was taken while driving through a town; at the time we were looking for a dealership because we went reverse down a mountain before our 4x4 kicked in and this made a distrubing red blinking light go off. I suggest you read instructions to all your toys before you use them. The third picture was taken after we had snaked our way through this very small town using narrow unmarked streets to find the mountain. The sun was going down and as we were winding up the mountain I caught the view of the town in the valley. The fourth is a fort in one of the towns we drove though. Barry took the fifth while I was sleeping - this is how you exercise camels. The sixth picture was taken in a very small roadside town - the board says "Sale of Foodstuff".

Camping by the water

This was a great camping spot and definitely better than our first night which was spent on the side of a road (sheltered by a large half-mountain) due to the fact that all of the potential camping spots had become construction zones or had the roads leading to them taken away.

The sound of the water against the rocks, a great campfire, the smell of sausage, great weather and a big bright moon.

Lunch and desert driving

It was hot in Oman this weekend. Barry and I stopped for lunch in the shade of a bridge. We weren't alone, there were some locals there who welcomed us with Omani coffee and some kind of jelly dessert; they prayed and then carried on their way. The next group to join us was a group of younger men (possibly early 20s) who layed down mats and, so far as we could tell, played games which involved clapping and singing. Our next stop was Wahiba Sands. We decided to try our SUV in the sand. We met up with an Omani guy who asked us where we were going - we didnt have a destination in mind. He said we should follow him because driving alone in the desert is not safe and because he is Omani, he is very good at driving in the sand. He was delivering water to one of the few camps in the desert. He stopped to help a stuck SUV and we decided we have had enough of desert driving until we had our Desert Driving Course.

Long weekend (Prophet Mohammed's birthday and Easter)

Here is a contrast: Prophet Mohammed’s birthday and Easter. These are the reasons we had an extra long weekend. Barry and I bought our SUV about a week before the long weekend and we were anxious to take it out. The first picture is a roadside shop where we got firewood; as you can see, they also sold National dress. The other photos were taken in Muscat (about a 5 hour drive away). Suzy did you eye those purses? In Muscat the dhows (old style wooden boats) shared the port with the cruise ships.

Deeper into the mountains we go

The mountains were beautiful, and where we wanted to camp, but it started to rain and we didn’t want to risk being blown or otherwise thrown down the mountain in our tent. Almost at the end of the track we turned back to Khasab to find a place to set up camp. We got a flat tire. In the rain and the cold we finally figured out how the tire was released from the bottom of the rental and we found all the gear we needed, UNDER our camping equipment, which was now strewn all over the roadside. We changed the tire with the assistance of a passing national who was obviously experienced in standard flat tire equipment being less than helpful. It was coming down hard but I still wanted to tent. Barry on the other hand suggested we stay in a hotel (the Golden Tulip in Khasab). My reaction to that was an odd look as this is not usually something Barry would suggest. I should have known something was up. We decided to camp under a hut on the beach which sheltered us from most of the rain. Once Barry made the lighting cozy we settled in for the night. This is where Barry proposed.

Around the bend to Khasab

They say that this area is where the term "around the bend" came from. . . . have I told you that before? Once we reached Khasab we were in search for ice - we were surprisingly unsuccessful. Should have known as ice wasn't on the sign, only 'Vegtables, Fruits & Food Stuff'. So now Barry wants to buy a cooler which plugs into a 12V so we can keep our food cool. We carried on to Knor Najid for sunset and then to the Acacia Forest to set up camp. The next day we carried on through a route that was new to us.

Over the mountain we go

Having made it out of the desert we headed towards the mountains. First stop firewood – it can get chilly in the mountains a night. We took the winding coastal road to Oman passing small towns along the way.

Desert driving in the UAE

First stop, Falaj Al Moalla for some driving in the desert. We haven’t taken our desert driving course yet but the track seemed fairly easy so we gave it a go. As the desert is always changing and the different tracks can be difficult to decipher, we ended up heading straight towards a farm – a farm that wasn’t on the map! Almost getting stuck, we contempled our situation and another SUV pulled up behind us. Together we caravanned through the desert, each armed with our “UAE off-road” guide and walkie-talkies. After running into a couple more farms and unsafe passages we almost gave up to head back the way we came but decided to give it one more try. Success – we will not be eaten by desert goats after all. The last picture is my favourite - an oasis. Mental note: come back to this spot to camp.

Getting out of the city

When I got back from surprising my family for Christmas I got a surprise of my own. Barry suggested we rent an SUV and go camping. Always up for camping and exploring I did not question him and quickly signed us up with a 4x4 for the January long weekend (Islamic New Year). One hour away, we found adventure in the desert. The first picture was taken on our way out of the city (SZR and the metro construction) and the next picture is at the beginning of our first desert driving experience.

XVA is one of my favourite places

XVA is a restaurant/art gallery/hotel located in old Dubai. Its courtyard is covered by draping cloth and surrounded by doors which take you into little rooms and walkways with various works of art. Have a coffee, a mint lemonade, order lunch, stay a while, its one of my favourite retreats in Dubai.

Metro and Burj Dubai

Main metro stations will have adjacent bus stations as part of the integrated transport system which will include buses, taxis as well as water transport links at stations near the creek. The RTA is planning to introduce an integrated card system, the Smart Card, that will enable passengers to travel on trains, buses and water transport, as well as use the parking areas.