I really like my time with the Al Hasani family, because they are super hospitable, but also have a really good sense about when to leave me alone. I sleep on comfy matresses in the seperate majilis, and feel really at home there. I woke up excited yesterday because I knew I was going to be shown a piece of Oman I hadn't seen before.
Ahmed informed me that he had roped in a friend, Rashid, to drive us in his sturdy but aging Nissan Patrol, and was it OK if the car had no AC? I had no objections and we set off after lunch. The air was scorching and the famous warm wind that ripens the dates so nicely was blowing. I love it when one drives along and sand blows in little rivulets across the road. There are some places where the dunes are creeping onto the road. I do love Mother Nature! She will assert herself in many ways.
We were heading for the coastal road between Al Ashghara and Ras Al Hadd. Ras Al Hadd is the main beach here in Oman famous for seeing the turtles and Al Ashghara is a small fishing town with a unique and quirky character which I love. As we approached the coast, the air cooled down and the weather became increasingly blustery. We came across a shallow lagoon with flamingoes and a little further on 3 Westerners were kite surfing. It looked like fabulous fun and was a very unexpected sight in this out-of-the-way place.
We drove past long vast beaches, only a few fishing boats and fishing shelters to be seen. The waves were foamy and wild and the sand stung our legs as we walked at the water's edge.
They then took me to an amazing place on a high cliff, where we sat for ages watching the waves break on the rocks, with shoals of silver fish swimming by in the milky green water and birds playing in the winds.
From there we went to a cove with a beautiful white beach which we had all to ourselves. I lay on the sand listening to the wind, the waves and the boys chatting away to themselves in Arabic. Every now and again I would be nudged by a little crap, the beach was full of them, and they were determined to explore me, especially when I lay still for too long.
I do want to share a funny little moment. We have two main mobile telephone service providers in Oman. The one is called 'Hayyak' which is a a kind of local greeting used for both Hallo and Goodbye. The other is 'Nawras', which means seagull. As we were sitting there, a seagull was edging itself closer to us, and Rashid interrupted his conversation with Ahmed to say, 'Shuf, Nawras Hayyak'. 'Look, the seagull is greeting us'. Even the Arabs enjoy a good pun.
I was also treated to a famous Jalani snack, which is "ghoebs, jibin, patata"- flatbread, processed cheese, potato chips... with hot sauce. Needless to say I was quite dubious about this idea, but had to take a chance. All of the ingredients are squashed onto the flatbread and enjoyed with relish, and in this case, even by me! I had two in the end, washed down with 7-up.
This reminded me so much of road trips as a child; my mother's drink of choice on the long hot journey to Calvinia was always lemonade.
As the sun set and the moon rose, a strange kind of whimsy overcame me, and I was ready to be back in the arms of my Muscat.
Ahmed informed me that he had roped in a friend, Rashid, to drive us in his sturdy but aging Nissan Patrol, and was it OK if the car had no AC? I had no objections and we set off after lunch. The air was scorching and the famous warm wind that ripens the dates so nicely was blowing. I love it when one drives along and sand blows in little rivulets across the road. There are some places where the dunes are creeping onto the road. I do love Mother Nature! She will assert herself in many ways.
We were heading for the coastal road between Al Ashghara and Ras Al Hadd. Ras Al Hadd is the main beach here in Oman famous for seeing the turtles and Al Ashghara is a small fishing town with a unique and quirky character which I love. As we approached the coast, the air cooled down and the weather became increasingly blustery. We came across a shallow lagoon with flamingoes and a little further on 3 Westerners were kite surfing. It looked like fabulous fun and was a very unexpected sight in this out-of-the-way place.
We drove past long vast beaches, only a few fishing boats and fishing shelters to be seen. The waves were foamy and wild and the sand stung our legs as we walked at the water's edge.
They then took me to an amazing place on a high cliff, where we sat for ages watching the waves break on the rocks, with shoals of silver fish swimming by in the milky green water and birds playing in the winds.
From there we went to a cove with a beautiful white beach which we had all to ourselves. I lay on the sand listening to the wind, the waves and the boys chatting away to themselves in Arabic. Every now and again I would be nudged by a little crap, the beach was full of them, and they were determined to explore me, especially when I lay still for too long.
I do want to share a funny little moment. We have two main mobile telephone service providers in Oman. The one is called 'Hayyak' which is a a kind of local greeting used for both Hallo and Goodbye. The other is 'Nawras', which means seagull. As we were sitting there, a seagull was edging itself closer to us, and Rashid interrupted his conversation with Ahmed to say, 'Shuf, Nawras Hayyak'. 'Look, the seagull is greeting us'. Even the Arabs enjoy a good pun.
I was also treated to a famous Jalani snack, which is "ghoebs, jibin, patata"- flatbread, processed cheese, potato chips... with hot sauce. Needless to say I was quite dubious about this idea, but had to take a chance. All of the ingredients are squashed onto the flatbread and enjoyed with relish, and in this case, even by me! I had two in the end, washed down with 7-up.
This reminded me so much of road trips as a child; my mother's drink of choice on the long hot journey to Calvinia was always lemonade.
As the sun set and the moon rose, a strange kind of whimsy overcame me, and I was ready to be back in the arms of my Muscat.
