Well, it sure has been a struggle to keep up to date with my posts these last 6 months, but who would have guessed it, GoT has been TRAVELLING!
Apart from my annual trip home to Australia recently (more on this later), I had the opportunity to visit a part of the world I may have otherwise overlooked. Oman.
Often I remind myself that one day I will not have such easy access to all the wonderful locations that are basically on my doorstep right now, so I must seize the opportunity to explore these places whilst I can.
Musandam was brought to my attention through a friend of mine, who had recently visited on a weekend trip and highly recommended the tour company we used.
When most people think of a trip to Oman, they think Muscat, but we on the other hand chose to go for the lesser know part called Khasab.
We were greeted at Dubai airport by our own driver, then taken the almost 3 hour drive over the border along the coastal drive overlooking the Gulf of Arabia and the Hormuz Strait. Such an interesting drive with the gradual change from golden sand, to red sand (oxidised as PPP informed me) to outcrops that covered the horizon on arrival to the border of Oman.
Arriving at our cliff top hotel at around lunchtime, we had a couple of hours to spare before our 4WD safari to Jebel Harim (which is the highest peak of the Musandam with views of the Hajar Mountains.)
Our tour guide pointed out Bedouin villages along the way and some fossilised animals.
On our way home we asked for a recommendation for dinner and were taken to the best car park diner in town. So good we went back there for dinner the following night. Don't let the stray cats winding their way around your legs as you sit at communal tables in the car park put you off. They knew the food was just as delicious as we did.
The second morning we were picked up with a group of 8 other tourists (mainly Germans infact), and took a short ride to the jetty where for a small price we were able to hire some snorkelling gear and then herded onto a traditional Omani fishing boat called a Dhow. After some leisurely stops along the way to view fishing villages (most of which only accessible by boat and not road - even the local children have travel to school by boat), interrupted pleasantly by some playful dolphins alongside our boat, we stopped for some snorkelling and lunch. The leftovers of which the local fish ate out of my hands when I jumped back into the gorgeous blue water.
Later that afternoon was spent relaxing by the clifftop pool of our modest hotel, waiting for 6pm to roll around so we could order our alcoholic cocktails (Omani Law dictates that alcohol can only be served between 12 & 3pm and after 6pm). Back off to dinner at Al Sharmalia again then home in bed by midnight.
Our last morning followed a very relaxed style of a brief town tour including a visit to Khasab Fort (now a museum which once stood right at the waters edge only now to be part of a disappointing reclaimed land development with a Carrefour shopping mall to take away to ocean view).
With a few more hours to catch some last rays before our drive back to Dubai airport and our flight home ready for work the next day.
A big thank you to Khasab Travel & Tours for being such wonderful hosts. A locally run company with individualised service and knowledgable tour guides. A word of warning for the faint hearted though. The 4WDing experience did have me white knuckled for most of the time!
Khasab Travel & Tours
Apart from my annual trip home to Australia recently (more on this later), I had the opportunity to visit a part of the world I may have otherwise overlooked. Oman.
Often I remind myself that one day I will not have such easy access to all the wonderful locations that are basically on my doorstep right now, so I must seize the opportunity to explore these places whilst I can.
Musandam was brought to my attention through a friend of mine, who had recently visited on a weekend trip and highly recommended the tour company we used.
When most people think of a trip to Oman, they think Muscat, but we on the other hand chose to go for the lesser know part called Khasab.
We were greeted at Dubai airport by our own driver, then taken the almost 3 hour drive over the border along the coastal drive overlooking the Gulf of Arabia and the Hormuz Strait. Such an interesting drive with the gradual change from golden sand, to red sand (oxidised as PPP informed me) to outcrops that covered the horizon on arrival to the border of Oman.
Arriving at our cliff top hotel at around lunchtime, we had a couple of hours to spare before our 4WD safari to Jebel Harim (which is the highest peak of the Musandam with views of the Hajar Mountains.)
Our tour guide pointed out Bedouin villages along the way and some fossilised animals.
The second morning we were picked up with a group of 8 other tourists (mainly Germans infact), and took a short ride to the jetty where for a small price we were able to hire some snorkelling gear and then herded onto a traditional Omani fishing boat called a Dhow. After some leisurely stops along the way to view fishing villages (most of which only accessible by boat and not road - even the local children have travel to school by boat), interrupted pleasantly by some playful dolphins alongside our boat, we stopped for some snorkelling and lunch. The leftovers of which the local fish ate out of my hands when I jumped back into the gorgeous blue water.
Later that afternoon was spent relaxing by the clifftop pool of our modest hotel, waiting for 6pm to roll around so we could order our alcoholic cocktails (Omani Law dictates that alcohol can only be served between 12 & 3pm and after 6pm). Back off to dinner at Al Sharmalia again then home in bed by midnight.
Our last morning followed a very relaxed style of a brief town tour including a visit to Khasab Fort (now a museum which once stood right at the waters edge only now to be part of a disappointing reclaimed land development with a Carrefour shopping mall to take away to ocean view).
With a few more hours to catch some last rays before our drive back to Dubai airport and our flight home ready for work the next day.
A big thank you to Khasab Travel & Tours for being such wonderful hosts. A locally run company with individualised service and knowledgable tour guides. A word of warning for the faint hearted though. The 4WDing experience did have me white knuckled for most of the time!
Khasab Travel & Tours
DUBAI OFFICE:
P.O. Box 34110, Dubai, U.A.E.
Tel: (+971) 4 2669950; Fax: (+971) 4 2686857
Email:khaztour@emirates.net.ae
KHASAB OFFICE:
P.O. Box 50, Khasab 811,
Musandam, Sultanate of Oman.
Tel: (+968) 26730464 Fax: (+968) 26730364
Email:khastour@omantel.net.om
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7 readers decided to share their thoughts:
WOW! What an amazing trip. I am so jealous!
Dolphins & snorkelling, good food & relaxing... what a life!
=) The pictures are gorgeous, you are so very lucky to be able to experience all these things, good on you for taking advantage of them
P.S. The images in your sidebar are awesome! Like, unbelievably! What a collection! xx
What wonderful travel-diaries you keep! Full of lots of fun little details, too :)
(the comment about the cats winding around your legs at the car park diner cracked me up)
What a beautiful and exciting life you lead! Thanks for sharing it!
Very cool. Whenever someone says 'Oman', it makes me think of that show the Amazing raced. Somehow, they always seem to stop in Oman!!!
Thanks for stopping by Sheri. I absolutely adore your blog! Seriously.
waou love love your header !! and your post about lovely places are so interesting !
im gonna visit more right now :)
well if you wanna be inspired by my collages or just dreaming, come and visit my blog:)
a très bientot!
Boubouteatime xx
Wow, thanks for sharing!
Casey
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