Nothing I imagined quite prepared me for Oman. In my innocence I assumed it would be endless miles of sand as far as the eye could see filled with movie arabs riding camels and swinging scimitars. Nothing was further from the truth. It was a mix of opposites - opulence beside poverty - both more modern and backwards. Total eye candy wherever I looked.
So, do I start with the people? with C and her amazing hospitality? with the few Omani women I met and grew to love? with the Omani people as a group - their odd mix of naivety and boldness? Do I start with the landscape? with the mountains, the wadis, the cool green blue water, the orange pink sand? Do I start with the camels or the donkeys or the orxy - the fabulous oryx?
An aside about the mountains. I was not expecting the mountains. Sand yes, mountains no. And what mountains. These were not the treed peaks of home. These were brutal slashes like teeth jutting out of the ground around them, huge up thrusts of colour, bare rock with nothing growing on it. I nearly gasped each time I saw them. Everything seemed primal and much more raw than anything I had seen before. I looked through all my shots for pictures that did justice to the mountains and none of them do. In photos they look tame and quiet and hardly the fierce things they were.
This was just barely out of Muscat on the way to the reserve.
I awoke the first morning to the sound of the call to morning prayer echoing outside my window. Although a very foreign sound I sensed something in those sing song chants that said "kindred to your soul" and I never tired of hearing them. The silly alarm clock that C brought me a few years ago now makes me smile whenever I push the button and hear the chanting. I barely had time to unpack my suitcase and we were off on our first adventure.
C had booked me, along with two other girls she worked with, on a field trip to the oryx reserve down to the south of Oman. Can you say Road Trip? We had a blast driving down. The girls had brought a book on the ways and means of snagging rare game and we took turns reading and discussing it. I saw my first of many wild camels.
Momma and her babies -- aren't they adorable? I had to make this one tiny otherwise it cut off mom's head. Stupid blog. Even after many days I could still not get used to seeing them lumber across the road. Everyone slowed and flashed their lights when they were about and I thought "how lovely, they are so careful with their camels". I was just a little surprised to discover, that in fact, it was injury to self and vehicle that had folk so cautious and not love for the ungainly creatures themselves.
I saw my first dune, alone at the side of the road. Finding it's sisters is a later tale.
Arrived late at the reserve in time for dinner, getting settled and watching the sun set.
I was still too excited to sleep much and so I was up early to wander. The reserve is inland enough that it gets little to no rain. All the moisture it receives comes in the form of fog that enshrouds the place in the early morning hours. I stood for quite a while and enjoyed seeing the sun come up - everything covered in a blanket of quiet fog.
This was just taken behind our cabin looking toward the north and the water tank and electrical power for the camp.
We had a very full day of oryx watching and escarpment exploring and a fine lecture by C which mostly went over my head - I being not at all geologically inclined. A rock is a rock is a rock - albeit that some of them are frightfully pretty. I see this is fast becoming more of a pictorial blog than a wordy one but that suits my nature more... A picture is worth quite a few of my ill chosen words.
I tried to show the large version as they can only rightfully be seen in large format but it doesn't seem to work so you will have to imagine. These animals were simply gorgeous, so white against the blue blue sky and very inquisitive. They are kept in a fairly small enclosure to protect them from poachers. They had been allowed to roam freely but so many had disappeared that measures had to be taken to protect them. Soon the new fenced area would be completed and they would be allowed to roam freely once again, protected by the army who would watch for oryx smugglers.
After lunch, which will not be spoken of here (suffice it to say that it was a traditional feast involving goat head) and a rest, we went off down the Huqf escarpment. C was one of three drivers and I must say matched the men in skill and determination. Very impressed and would drive with her simply anywhere. Top Gear material to be sure.
We passed adhesive ripples (see I did remember something) and wet bits where moisture had weeped to the surface. We drove through dried salt flats - very tasty - and volcanic rock strewn higgledy piggledy. We ended up at a series of high cliffs that very much reminded me of southern Utah and the gorgeous coloured rock formations I saw there. This was where C did her work and impressed all comers with her lecture. I wandered and snapped pictures.
the salt flats
I tasted the salt here -- delicious
loved the cube forms
the coloured hills
We stopped and filled the boat with water for any of the animals would might be in need of a drink. Was an amazing and very full day. As we climbed up out of the Huqf the day was ending and the moon was rising over the plains.
We parted ways the next day with bits and pieces of our group going home via different routes and times. We made a circle and instead of going back up the middle we journeyed a more coastal route back following another car toward the beaches of Sirab first and then on towards Muscat. Fiezel (not sure I spelled this correctly) had us follow him but like most men, his directions were wrong and we ended up a small bit away from our end destination. Driving through small villages with goats wandering and children running was always a delight. They looked at us with the same curiousity that I am sure I looked at them with. Eventually we did end up on the beach and had a quick wander along the sand.
C on the sand at Sirab.
I was not surprised by how lovely the water and beaches were but I was by the amount of garbage that was strewn everywhere. This was a society that had been used to leaving their bits and pieces behind them - which was fine in the days of biodegradable and compostable but plastic is neither and there was evidence of it everywhere. Colour bits of plastic clung to scrubby bushes and floated in and out with the waves. Bits of plastic debris formed patterns at the high water mark and turned an idyllic spot into a place that you wrinkled your nose at. I hope that this soon changes and the Omani people realize what a true treasure these places are.
high water mark
Another view of the beach - was sad to leave there.
The day ended the last bit of driving through the mountains as the dark was falling. We stopped beside an old fortress and walked along the banks. A group of children were playing there but they shook their heads at photographs. In the distance was the call from the mosque for prayer and it echoed again through the hills. The perfect end to three fabulous adventure packed days. Then the last few miles down towards Muscat and a soft bed and air conditioning.
This was not the normal tourist experience and I loved every minute of it. I learned to love laban - a yogurt style drink that came in many different versions - and I almost Sang a Song.. :-))
p.s. I notice that not all the pictures took - some of the right side of a few of them are missing. Will figure that out for the next post hopefully.
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