Muscat

While we didn't fully explore Muscat, I got a few shots. It was 43C on the corniche at Mutrah so the pics are a bit washed out, still worth sharing. We've decided next trip to take advantage of the flight specials offered at the moment so we can take full advantage of our time in Muscat. A weekend gives limited time when sightseeing.

We drove from Al Ain, through the border, then another border towards Sohar. The drive is really scenic and we were amazed at the variety of landscapes. There were big rock faces, scree slopes and lovely green areas with all sorts of fruit trees and palms, obviously very fertile. We got a brochure at the border telling us to not pick the fruit as it was part of the livelihood of the local people. That seemed like common sense to us, until we saw the laden mango tree.......we resisted the temptation of course.

Sohar was nice and we went on a hunt for beach towels so we could go for a swim. These are hard to get here for some reason. Annie and I both had to buy kids towels, a pink princess one and a Cars movie one, very fetching. We found the beach after a few dead end country road, what a smell. There was red algae so the sea looked and smelled uninviting, back on the road again feeling a little disappointed not to have used my Cars towel.

We saw the resort sign when we were hot and bothered and needing a break. It seemed like a good deal and it turned out to be an excellent choice. It had reasonable food, cold beer and a good beach complete with towels, deck chairs and umbrellas. We even had a beach front room. What a luxury to head out early in the morning (OK not really early because we slept in, no sunrise shots) and swim in the sea before dining on a large buffet breakfast.

Muscat was an hour or so away and we were running short of time. It's a long drive through the mountains, longer than I thought, and Annie and Sue still had to get back to Abu Dhabi. The scenery was different again, unforgiving sheer cliffs and amazing fault lines. We headed towards Al Ain in a sand storm with the sand blowing across the road and little visibility at times. That didn't stop the locals speeding past of course.

It was a great weekend, a relaxing weekend of good company and a few laughs. Roll on next weekend. Marilyn has organised a trip for a group of us to Musandam in northern Oman. We're going on a dhow cruise, can't wait!