Joel & Tina in Oman: June 2008

" When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

-Yogi Berra (1925-)

- Oman's interior region is painfully lacking in towns. This sign gives all the info needed.

Apologies for our lack of “blogging” of late. Our school year has just come to a close, good friends have moved on and we are currently preparing for the summer. As well, we went to a Proclaimers concert (which we treated as if they were U2), attended Oman's World Cup qualifying games vs Japan (very sweaty) and made another trip to Dubai (for winter clothes!).

Amidst all of this movement, the temperatures have continued to reach mercury levels we are both unfamiliar with and our heads have begun to spin. Before everyone journeys out on the road for your summer vacation we wanted to explain the road here in Oman.

Oman’s roads are a new addition to the country. As recently as 1970 the country had one paved road running from the Palace to the airport (at least those are the rumours). With relatively inexpensive gas and a population that appears to enjoy owning vehicles new roads are being built by the minute.

This blog is mainly dedicated to an aspect of roads that few in North America are familiar with – the Roundabout. Functionally speaking, they are designed to slow traffic at converging points and allow vehicles to flow in and out of these points with little inconvenience. Realistically, they are the points where traffic races into and out of playing multiple games of chicken and expressing our undying love for our fellow travellers in several hand gestures.

Here in Oman the Roundabout is also used as an avenue for civic pride. The middle of the Roundabouts are decorated with giant books, fountains, etc. Some of the best are included in this blog. Enjoy and be safe on the road this summer.