A Friday adventure (Part 1)

Jane, Bart and I set off on an adventure on Friday morning. It was meant to be an early start but, well Friday's are a sleep in day so we set off mid morning after stocking up on supplies at Lulus. Lots of yummy picnic food, chocolate too of course.

Trying to get two Leos to agree on the route, even if this Leo had the map and the other the steering wheel, is quite a mission. Luckily we had a very good off road route book and a man to mediate. Off-Road in the Emirates II turned out to be a useful purchase as Buraimi is over the border into Oman but is actually a sort of no mans land that stretches the length of the border fence and quite a way inland in places. I'm not sure why but it's a bonus having access to Oman without having to cross into Oman proper.

That was what the discussion was all about between the Leos. Should we go around the whole route, meaning we had to go through the second Omani border or just visit Wadi Madbah and surrounds. I was out voted, was just thinking about our companion who doesn't have the special New Zealand passport Jane and I have. That's what the nice border man said, we were special to Oman. His smile lit up the room and Jane and I got the giggles of course.

The fun really began when we tried to find the turn off to Kitna, the first small village on our round trip. After a few discussions, some off roading so we could go the wrong way down a 4 lane highway, we found a police check point. We decided it was a man's job so Bart braved the road and the speeding traffic to seek help. We could see lots to arm waving and then had to go across to pick up Bart and get more instructions and, wait for this, a police escort to the correct turn off, only in the Middle East!

As the photo shows, the nice man in the police 4wd escorted us doing 120 plus in a 100 zone with us close behind until we found the right road. We stopped to thank him and he rolled down his window and gave us a beaming smile, wishing us good luck with our journey. I wasn't quite quick enough to get my camera out and take his photo.

We traveled down the road with the trees alongside into the rugged Omani mountains, through some tiny villages to find a wadi to swim in, it must be around here somewhere the map tells us so. We stopped to enjoy our picnic on the banks of an almost dry wadi, enjoying the fresh air so clean compared to the hazy air of the flat lands. The toads were interesting and the hornets scary but we braved them while we got ourselves prepared for our next adventure. Part 2 to follow.

Another trip to Oman

I thought another adventure into Oman might be a good idea today. The weather is cooling making outdoor excursions really pleasant. A friend wanted some photos for his family so off we went to Wadi Damm with the aim of photos and a swim and scoping out the wadi as a camp site. The best laid plans, with my off road Oman book and a map in hand we headed for the border.

The wrong border as it turned out. The nice man at the border post took the time to show us our mistake, we need to go to the Mezyad border in the south. As always the border people were helpful. We laughed at his comment "I don't know, the tourists always know more than me!" Said of course with a beaming smiling while peering at my map book.

Once again I caused havoc at the border, holding up the cars while we talked then sounding a siren, much to my extreme embarrassment, and telling those waiting to go to another line. It was hilarious. We then got sent to the next office, of course once again driving the wrong way. My passenger is from Belgium so the cost of a visa for the afternoon plus the long wait to get served meant that plans changed yet again. He commented that it was lucky I was a woman as he wouldn't have got away with the disruptions I had caused, so true.

I was hungry, getting very grumpy, so we ate then went off exploring. What a fantastic place Oman is, there's such a lot to see. By just taking a side road we found some picturesque small towns, met a lovely camel drover who shared his camels, climbed a rock formation, found a fort and got to watch a game of cricket played by some very enthusiastic men who didn't mind us taking photos. I feel like I've had a holiday, well I did get to dine in another country today.

On top of the world

Kathryn took this one of me on the top of the world, well actually just walking through the small pass above the oasis. My trusty camera was ready for action and I got caught by another photographer as I got to the top. It was a wonderful day out in excellent company.

The Oasis

More photos from the Oman trip as promised. We had quite a weekend of photographing, socialising and seeing the sights in and around Al Ain.

The photos are of the oasis mosque, courtesy of Stephen as he was tall enough to get the moon in as well; Kathryn and I enjoying feeding our souls in the quiet and very beautiful surroundings (courtesy of Karen) and the group waiting for us, very patiently, to finish feeding our souls.

This weeks trip

Kathryn and Sue arrived on Friday to stay before they had to head to Dubai to fly to the colder lands, Kathryn to Frankfurt and Sue to Birmingham. I had been deciding whether or not I'd go on the Natural History group trip. Luckily Kathryn jumped at the chance to go exploring so off we went, picking up Stephen on the way.

Once again Brigitte provided us with a ride and an informative commentary on our journey. We were venturing into an oasis and she shared why these were situated where they were, dotted over the landscape. My assumption, and I suspect the assumption of others, was that an oasis was where the water is. Not so, it's more about the soil type, about which soils are most fertile for the date palms and crops. Water can be brought in via the falaj system, fertile soil cannot be moved. Makes perfect sense really.

Aflaj (sing. falaj) are the main source of irrigation water in Oman beside wells. They are utilized in agriculture as well as for domestic use since ancient times. Similar systems are present in neighboring Arabian countries and in Persia where it is considered by literature the origin of falaj or Qanat irrigation system. The Falaj is a system of tapping underground water which is led by man-made subterranean channels to villages where it is used for irrigation and domestic purpose. Thanks to NIZWA for the information.

There was a larger group of us this week, a different group. We met Sylvan who is a mud restoration specialist and is working on one the nearby forts. We met up with Karen and others from yoga, a relaxed and sociable group to wander with. There were no big climbs this week but we did get to swim.

The photos are of a pass through the foothills in the early evening light; Kathryn walking along the falaj and the group treking up the side of the oasis. More photos to come, of course as usual I took plenty.