Welcome Matts and your ladies

Craic: "an Irish word roughly meaning fun, enjoyment, abandonment or lighthearted mischief; often in the context of drink or music. There is no english equivalent"

- Wikipedia

On the plane back from South Africa we had moments to reflect on the trip before looking forward to our awaiting visitors in Muscat. In fact, we were both so looking forward to having these four in town that while we were driving amongst the marvellous wildlife of Kruger National Park we were busily planning for our guests. Ridiculous,but true.

Matt Murphy and Cora Clarke are a couple that I met several years ago in Tibet. Together we negotiated our way across Tibet, got stuck in the middle of Maoist rebellion in northern Nepal for several days and took in the luxuries of Kathmandu. Since then they have been out to Vancouver and we attended their wedding in Donegal, Ireland. They’re great craic.

They actually arrived in Muscat a day before we did. We sent them maps, directions and instructions to get to our place. Unfortunately the Sultan was hosting the regional conference and decided to shut down the roads for 5 hours. So within 2 km’s from our place Matt and Cora stood on the side of the highway waiting for the tanks, helicoptors and SUVs to roar by before they could proceed. Welcome to the Gulf. Luckily our good friend Keith picked them up and brought them home.

The next morning on Dec 30th we arrived, and so did Matt and Alisa. Matt and Alisa have a taken a year off of their lives back in Vancouver and are travelling. They started in South Africa and came up the East coast as far as Ethiopia. From there they flew to Muscat. After Muscat they are heading through part of the Middle East, North Africa and on to South America. They will conclude their trip in Trinidad in July. Since they are at the halfway point of their journey we proved to be a much needed resting place for them. But first we wanted to show them our adopted country.

On Dec 31 we rented a big 6-seater SUV and headed out for a 3 day trip in the country. We headed down the east coast and drove into the orange sands of the Wahiba Desert. Everyone took turns sliding and bumping through the sands on the way to our camp. It was great to catch up with each other in such a bizarre environment. We stayed at a fancy desert camp for the night and exchanged resolutions at the edge of a dune under a sky of thousands of stars. Sitting up there, 2008 ended perfectly.

We started 2009 with a morning swim in the ice cold desert pool and then headed back over the dunes and into the interior of the country. We stayed in Nizwa that night and headed to the goat market at 6am the next morning. After a morning of lively goat haggling and rifle swapping we took in the local forts and castles before heading up and over the Western Hajar mountains. We drove up to one of our favourite spots in Oman; the top of a mountain pass that is always empty and barren. But today minutes after our arrival a fleet of 35 Porsches from the Muscat Porsche club joined us at the top. Then, so did a collection of 20 cyclists touring through the region. What a ridiculous scene. We all took turns winding our way through the hills and through the oasis villages below.

Back in Muscat the regional soccer tournament – the Gulf Cup - was starting. Oman was hosting the event and the country went bonkers for it. We went to a night of matches featuring the Emirates, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. We joined the ladies in the “family section” of the stadium and enjoyed the festive atmosphere created by the passionate, alcohol-free fans. After a few more evenings, including an English dinner they supplied, Matt and Cora were off back to London. They were such great people to have with us and we are looking forward to seeing them again soon. Inshallah.

With Matt and Cora back in London our travel-weary guests geared down a little and rested while they planned the rest of their journey. While in Muscat we got fully immersed in the Gulf Cup attending several games, including sliding down a wall and running through an open gate for admission. We stood the entire game in the stairs as there are no tickets and way too many people in the stadium. After each Oman win the city would fill with revellers sitting on their cars, waving their flags and having a great time. We took in the final game {Oman vs Saudi} at an outdoor shisha place on the beach. The packed crowd erupted when Oman won on penalties with everyone singing and dancing. To cap it off we got a national holiday to celebrate the next day.

During their restful time here the four of us celebrated “Christmas” on Jan 4th as well as our 30th birthdays at a party that Tina and Alisa organized for us. It was really nice to celebrate such meaningful moments with Matt and Alisa here.

After some freakish weather (rain and hail in Oman!) we were able to take them away for a day trip into the interior. As a side note the rain resulted in a day off of work due to flooding. Our first ever “rain day”. Hilarious. On our quick trip we took in a few old villages and tombs from 2000 BC. Although the weather kept us from taking Matt and Alisa to other areas of the country, it allowed them to rest and recover before heading out on the rest of their journey.

Of course, we wish Matt and Alisa all the best on their journey and are grateful that they could make us a stop on their trip.

*All photos came courtesy of our guests.

Deck the Falls

"God is really only another artist. He invented the girafe, the elephant, and the cat. He has no real style. He just keeps on trying other things."

-Pablo Picasso

Leaving the beauty of Cape Town and the varying attractions of Namibia we headed towards Botswana, the Caprivi Strip, Victoria Falls and finally Kruger National Park.

Ringing out our clothes and tent from the rains of Namibia we entered a country so dry that its currency – Pula – means rain in the local language. Botswana is an economic success story in the region. An influx of investment associated with diamonds has propelled the country from a dire situation to a bright future. Years of civilian governments, strong health care and relatively little corruption are points of pride. But the country is being ravaged by HIV infection where the life expectancy hovers around 33 years old. With the diamonds set to run out in 35 years coupled with such a high infection rate many difficult decisions need to be made in the coming years.

We spent most of our time in the rural wonderland of the Okavango Delta. An area of dense vegetation and shallow waters hosting hundreds of crocodiles and Hippos. We spent a pleasant day “poling” on Mokoros (dugout canoe) through the waters amidst crocodiles as one of our guides “fished” for baby crocs with his hands. After an ill-advised piggy back fight in “Hippo-free” water we continued on through the Caprivi Strip towards Victoria Falls.

The Caprivi Strip is a narrow strip of land that extends from northern Namibia to the border with Zambia. It’s a part of Namibia that has constantly been fought over as it acts as a corridor connecting west and east Africa in this region. We had the pleasure of staying near a small village and seeing real life unfold. As well, we had a brief game drive that while the guide told us about “gestation times” and “life expectancy” our seedy Afrikaan friend explained how to grill the respective animals and what they tasted like. Classy. He topped our safari off by explaining at special events his family puts a giraffe on a spit and it feeds 250 people. We are looking forward to the invite.

On Christmas day we crossed a river from Namibia into Zambia. It was us, rich illegal diamond dealers, trucks sitting in line for a month to avoid Zimbabwe, and people with tanks of gas going back to Zimbabwe to sell. Maybe not the Hallmark edition Christmas morning but there we were. Finally, in the early afternoon we arrived in Livingstone and reached our destination – Victoria Falls. The water pounded down and mist covered the surrounding air. It was well worth the travel. We spent the afternoon walking around the falls as tons of Zambians did the same wishing all a “Merry Christmas”. That evening we enjoyed Christmas dinner on the Zambezi River.

The next morning we woke early and prepared for our “micro light” flights. On the recommendation of my brother Matt we decided to take a flight in this two seat riding lawnmower with wings. It barely exceeds 50 MPH and stutters in the air but it was marvellous. Dipping and diving around the clouds to get a good view was as memorable a way to see the falls as I could imagine. After swearing like a trucker, shaking profusely and peeing myself I am so glad we both did this.

After landing we caught a cab to the real airport and boarded our flight to Johannesburg. Far less exciting, but mush more comfortable, we arrived in Jo’burg picked up our car and drove to Kruger National Park. Again the rain followed us but this time so did the animals. Groups of Rhino walking around our car, Elephants within a trunks reach and leopards sunning on the rocks above was a great way to cap off our trip.

As we boarded our flight for home we were excited to get back to Muscat and more so because waiting for us there were good friends Matt and Cora from London and Matt and Alisa as well. We were really looking forward to seeing these familiar faces again.

Southern Africa Swing

"Never, never, never again shall it be that this beautiful land experience the oppression of one by another."

-Nelson Mandela

After a brilliant time in East Africa last summer Tina and I decided to explore a much different region of the continent this winter. We headed to South Africa, Namibia and parts of Botswana and Zambia.

After very little preparation we packed our Omani tent, loaded our backpacks and headed for Cape Town.

Arriving in Cape Town was a breath of fresh air. After a year and a half split between here, other areas in the Middle East and a summer in East Africa, Cape Town was amazing. We were both a little homesick before we left and this city oozed Vancouver. It is set on the ocean, with a backdrop of mountains, the city is clean, relatively safe feeling and the population is sporty. Sounded very familiar.

The first day was spent walking through the streets and harbour in the gale force winds of the season. After Tina’s contact flew out of her eye (seriously) we boarded a boat for Robben Island. Robben island was the infamous prison for political prisoners during the apartheid era. An inspirational place of struggle, resolve and learning. Being taken around by a former prisoner made the place very alive. It’s on all the tourists lists but is well worth the crowds.

With clouds frosting the peak of Table Mountain a climb was sadly missed. Instead we took a trip around the coast to the Cape of Good Hope. An afternoon spent driving amongst deep green vineyards, tiny colourful coastal towns, shimmering tourquise waters and busy white beaches helped us gain a better understanding of the area. Along with the beautiful sights were several, heavily secured prisons, endless townships in the Cape Flats and a staggering view into the disparity of the country. The rewarding day was capped with a stop at the Cape of Good Hope and an hour or so watching the Penguins of the area play.

South Africa is a country that has left me more puzzled than almost any country I’ve visited. It’s a “nation” of European infrastructure, beautiful roads, widely spoken English and a large Afrikaans population. Standing shoulder to shoulder with this description is rampant HIV/Aids infection, extreme poverty, appalling violent crime and a life expectancy pushing 40. We read several books on the country and where its heading and no author seems to be entirely optimistic. The motivation seems pure but the troubles so deep, so convoluted and so challenging. Hosting the World Cup in 2010, we can only hope that this proves to be a positive catalyst for change. Inshallah.

Left with more questions than answers we boarded a bus headed for the Namibian capital and after 24 hours of travel complete with “come to Jesus” videos we arrived in Windhoek. Having felt “saved” from the bus ride we rented a car, put our tent in the back and headed for the North.

Our first destination was Etosha National Park. After 32 hours of continous bus, taxi, and car travel we entered the gates and were greeted with herds of giraffe and zebra. With an earlier rainy season this year finding animals proved to be a bit of a challenge. Armed with our complete lack of animal knowledge, and tiny car we set off. Afternoons, of lions, rhinos, giraffes, etc were fantastic. During the night we were treated to watching a Leopard fish in a pond next to our camp for its dinners. Very impressive.

From here we headed to the deserts in the south of the country. Winding through a wonderous mountain road our little car chuggd into a farmland town named Solitaire at the foot of the Namib desert. And it was well, solitaire. We stayed on an Afikaan man’s farm and it was just us, his three dogs and the eerie quiet of the farm. The next morning we explored the dunes and with little knowledge of what we were looking for got lost and thankfully picked up by a truck on its way out. Rookie error, but by luck we actually found the “sights” of the area.

For those of you reading this in Vancouver the idea of rain for you is a daily issue. In Oman it is non existent and in Southern Africa it falls in a familiar seasonal pattern. Not this year. The rains came heavy and they came earlier. All of which meant that our little, porous desert tent was earning its keep.

From Namibia we headed to Botswana, the Caprivi strip and on to Victoria Falls in time to have christmas at the foot of the falls. We'll post these stories and pictures in a week.