- Dr. Suess 1904 - 1991
(adaptation)
(adaptation)
Since our last post we have obviously been very poor at getting another entry up. Many apologies for that of course, but soon we'll be able to beg forgiveness face to face to those living in B.C. We will be home in just under a week and we will be in Canada for about 7 weeks before we fly back for our final year in this wonderful country. In the past month we have been quite busy so let's get right to it.
Immediatley after arriving back in the Sultanate from the charms of India I left again for a school trip to Cairo. This is the fourth time to Cairo in the past two years but it's never the same and always intoxicating.
With bags freshly unpacked Tina and I took off with our India travel mates, Lucas and Tennielle, for a short adventure up the coast. We took a couple of kayaks, loaded up our tents and food and paddled in the tourquoise water for a weekend of camping. Looking to launch in a logical place our navigational skills took us to an entry point completely unfit for our vehicles. Instead, we carried the small boats over the hill and down to the water. To make matters more embarrassing we paddled around and around until finally deciding on the perfect spot. In the morning we discovered we had paddled in circles and were now mere minutes from our original launch sight. Idiots.
The mercury levels here have been soaring lately. It actually hit 52 degrees in Sohar and Muscat was right there as well. Scary hot. So we decided to get one last camping trip in and headed south to the sandy coastline of Bar Al Hickman. Following the memories of old directions and a handy compass we headed across gravel desert, small sandy dunes and stunning salt flats until we hit the lagoons and finally the beaches of our destination. We plan to return yet again next year and emplore our readers in Oman to do the same.
As expatriates, the end of the work year always brings about the loss of good friends. Such is the case this year as our Aussie buddies are heading back to the home of koalas and kangaroos. As a farewell tour we took them on a scavenger hunt around our fair city taking in new sights, and others filled with memories. Amidst many highlights was lunching in the middle of the "golden jugs" roundabout at midday. Although we dined alone men of all races and creeds honked their approval and flashed the "thumbs up" sign wildly. Somehow comforting to know that stupidity translates across cultures far easier than great discourse ever will.
With little time left before we head back to Canada we squeezed in a quick trip to Dubai to ring in Tina's 30th year and then took a weekend journey to some hard to reach places in Oman. Our journey in Oman took us first into the depths of Wadi Sahtan. It's a great wadi that we've been meaning to get to but hadn't reached. Amongst the highlights were completely isolated villages, watering systems squeezing drips out of the mountains, and the sheer drops at the heights of this fine summit. The enviromentally responsible sign pictured warns against the cutting of trees. Probably an unnessesary reminder.
With little time left before we head back to Canada we squeezed in a quick trip to Dubai to ring in Tina's 30th year and then took a weekend journey to some hard to reach places in Oman. Our journey in Oman took us first into the depths of Wadi Sahtan. It's a great wadi that we've been meaning to get to but hadn't reached. Amongst the highlights were completely isolated villages, watering systems squeezing drips out of the mountains, and the sheer drops at the heights of this fine summit. The enviromentally responsible sign pictured warns against the cutting of trees. Probably an unnessesary reminder.
Next, we journeyed into the interior with the plan to climb up and over the Eastern Hajar mountains descending to the coast near Fins. With a rented vehicle we climbed and climbed and climbed until we reached the Salmah Plateau. Up at these heights are 90 or so ancient burial tombs that rise some 9 meters off of the ground. They are about 5000 years old and look like they were made yesterday. They were truly breathtaking. Its hardly your easy to reach destination so it feels exceptionally authentic. Just beyond the tombs is the entrance to "Majlis Al Jinns" (Meeting place of the spirits) which is the second largest cave in the world. Its unmarked now, but some village boys showed us the way. For a large black hole it was pretty fantastic. We threw a rock into the abyss and waited until we heard it land. It took over 7 seconds.
Lately, our days are spent wrapping up another school year and spending time with friends we may not see again. We are losing quite a few that we enjoy as they are off to such places as Kuala Lumpur, The Dominican Republic, Australia, China and elsewhere. We wish them all the best of luck and look forward to hearing about their adventures in the future.
For now, we have our sights firmly set on getting back to Canada for the summer. We will be back June 21st and return to Oman August 8th. Hope to see many of you soon!
Inshallah.
