Special Visit

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness"

- Mark Twain (stolen from Sayaka's blog) - http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/69478/Old-Muscat-4


Over the course of the past few years Joel's brother Chris has tried to schedule a time to visit but to no avail. We were always hopeful that this would happen but realized the difficulty in getting away from work and family. But when Joel's nephews put on the charm and convinced their Grandparents to watch them for a week both Chris and Sayaka could make the trip over. We couldn't have been happier to have them both with us.

Their visit was short and their energy was high, so we did our best to cram in as much as possible. After a 3am arrival they whisked themselves around Muscat dodging the erratic drivers and taking in the sights of our city. I believe they spent the first 45 minutes whizzing around the same roundabout Homer Simpson style. Off to a good start. We concluded the night at the market and enjoying an Arabian dinner under the stars.

The next day we took a day trip out to the forts and souks of the interior. Driving through mud bricked oasis towns while weaving through herds of goats we quickly caught up on lost time . We should have had these two folks with us here long ago as we saw camels in the most obscure locations. We climbed up and over the mountains and drove home via the beautiful Wadi Bani Awf.




When Chris and Sayaka first mentioned that they were coming we asked what they'd like to do. Sayaka answered, "turtles, all I want to see are turtles." Alright then, turtles it is. Down we went to Ras al Jinz on a search for nesting turtles. In an effort to protect the turtles the government has done a much stricter job of closing the beaches off. This is the slowest time of the year so we were hopeful that some Turtles could be found. If not, tina was prepared to throw on a fake shell and flap around in the sand while a yelled, "Look at the turtle" as I bumped over the flashlights. Anything for our guests. Lucky us there were turtles up on the beach and we even got to see the eggs being laid. Very cool.




Waiting till sunrise as the turtles went back into the ocean we strolled along the beach. The cliffs in this area are stunning and being the Eastern point of Arabia the sunrise is brilliant.

From the waters of the Indian Ocean we drive into the interior and hit the Wahiba Sands. This rolling orange-sand desert was filled with fun for us. Chris got to play older brother again and throw Joel down the dune while we all took turns in flying photos. A relaxing evening spent on the dunes was followed by a morning camel caravan. I think Chris' camel was a little jealous of the camel carrying Sayaka. Just kidding.

It was so great to have both Sayaka and Chris with us. They were always game for the next adventure and seemed to really enjoy themselves. We were so lucky to be able to share part of our final few months here with them both.

Muscat Moments

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. "

- Siddhartha Gautama

Four days after Tina and I got married in the cool winter air of Vancouver we headed back to life in Arabia. Having this time with our friends and family in Canada was a special time for both of us. But it was time to head back to the land of frankinsence, camels and khanjars for our final few months here.

As we returned to Oman we were treated to a reception thrown by our friends here in Muscat. Catching up with friends, getting roasted in a toast and sharing a very creative cake (Joel's likeness is uncanny!) made it feel like we got married a second time. But with a much better price tag!










In the weeks after our reception Tina and I acted like responsible adults and allowed work to get the better of us. Very disapointing. We spent countless hours planning a program that sent all of the kids camping for a 'Discover Oman' week to destinations all over the country. Just our luck - it poured. Winds, rain and floods helped make this week one to remember. Not our finest time. Finding ourselves looking to the future we started to take the time to enjoy our daily lives again.

Soon after we got back into exploring the area and took a few days around the capital. We took a hike from the Sultans palace to Sidab, a small fishing inlet . With a quick climb over a wall we were on a path leading from watchtower to watchtower along the jagged hills seperating the crystal clear ocean waters from the traditional buildings of Old Muscat.

Having explored this area by foot we decided to take our kayaks out on the water again. We launched from Muttrah and paddled in the morning sun along the coast until we pulled in next to the Palace. A quick visit from a police boat quickly reminded us that being here can be a "big problem" and we should leave. Its an awkward paddle struggling your way through head winds as a police boat motors right next to you the whole way. In classic Omani style the police chatted with us about where we are from and welcomed us to Oman at the same time as kicking us out of the water. I love this place.

As our time winds down here Tina and I are trying to get to some favourite spots before the weather gets too hot for camping. One of these spots is Bar Al Hickman. The drive is half the fun as you leave the tarmac and drive along little sand dunes, salt flats and into deeper coastal sand for an hour before pulling up a spot at any piece of the beach you fancy. Our friend Pat joined us on this trip and we enjoyed showing her this place. Along the beach Pat found a whale bone and off we went to check it out. It was huge. Of course, this needed to accompany us back on the 5 hour journey to Muscat. We folded the back seat down and the bone reached from back window all the way to the front windshield. The smell was only a slight factor on the drive.

We arrived back in Muscat excited because Joel's brother Chris and our sister-in law Sayaka were due to arrive in Muscat in a week. It will be great having them with us here.