a TR from Dubai and Oman, part 3
Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:49 pm
Some of you have said that it’s fine with long trip reports and a lot of pictures. So now you get it!
WAHIBA SANDS
After Turtle Beach we drove away from the coast to our next destination, the desert named Wahiba Sands. We had an agreement with one from Nomadic Desert Camp, who should pick us up in a small village with his 4WD, which you needed to drive in the desert. Some other tourists with bigger cars followed us.
Wahiba sands are 200 km long and 100 km wide, and the dunes can be 100 - 150 m high.
Here we saw the first glimpse of the desert. A fantastic sight. Golden sand as far as the eye can see.
On the way the young driver, who together with his family owned and ran the camp, stopped to show us his home, where all in the family lived.
You cannot call it a luxury home!
We had tea sitting on the floor and served by his very sweet little sister. She was the only female, we saw. We could hear some women speak in another room, but I guess that it was a problem for them, if any foreign men should see them
Some of their camels were going around in the nearness
and some of them had a rope around their forelegs, so that they couldn’t run away
The camp was primitive without electricity, and the huts were very small. We knew that beforehand, but we just liked to have such an experience too.
our hut:
the toilets:
Normally we walked barefooted in the camp, but I must admit that I wore sandals at the toilets!
During the afternoon we went on “dune driving”, where the driver’s abilities for driving up and down big sand dunes was challenged. A funny game for” boys”.
Later in the afternoon it was time to go and see the sunset. Unfortunately it was a little misty, as it had been all the time we had spent in Oman. But we enjoyed the surroundings, and it was still lovely to sit in the sand looking at the sun going down.
After dune driving and sunset trip we relaxed for a while in front of our hut (and took a little drink, which we have brought from home). One of the nomads came with a lamp with candlelight and took a picture of us. He must have shaken his hands, when he took the picture. I don’t think he was drunk.
Then it was time for dinner, which was a buffet with a lot of salad, vegetable, chicken and fish prepared in different ways. Of course no alcohol was served, only tea and fruit syrup with water.
We enjoyed the meal in company with the other tourists. Very cosy to chat with different people from all over the world.
After the meal we ended up around the fire, where people from the camp entertained us.
We slept very well even though the beds were a little uncomfortable.
Breakfast was served in the dining area
After beakfast we were asked, if we want a camel ride. I have tried it some years ago, but I couldn’t resist trying it again.
How to enter a camel?
Off we go!
I very fast learned to relax on the camel and follow the movements. But that was while we went up the dunes or were riding at flat ground. When we started to go down from the dunes, the camel moved in a way, which was rather unpleasant for me (my back didn’t like it), so I didn’t mind, when the trip was over. Anyway it was funny.
Shortly after the ride we said goodbye to the friendly people in the camp, and to the other tourists
we had come to know.
WAHIBA SANDS
After Turtle Beach we drove away from the coast to our next destination, the desert named Wahiba Sands. We had an agreement with one from Nomadic Desert Camp, who should pick us up in a small village with his 4WD, which you needed to drive in the desert. Some other tourists with bigger cars followed us.
Wahiba sands are 200 km long and 100 km wide, and the dunes can be 100 - 150 m high.
Here we saw the first glimpse of the desert. A fantastic sight. Golden sand as far as the eye can see.
On the way the young driver, who together with his family owned and ran the camp, stopped to show us his home, where all in the family lived.
You cannot call it a luxury home!
We had tea sitting on the floor and served by his very sweet little sister. She was the only female, we saw. We could hear some women speak in another room, but I guess that it was a problem for them, if any foreign men should see them
Some of their camels were going around in the nearness
and some of them had a rope around their forelegs, so that they couldn’t run away
The camp was primitive without electricity, and the huts were very small. We knew that beforehand, but we just liked to have such an experience too.
our hut:
the toilets:
Normally we walked barefooted in the camp, but I must admit that I wore sandals at the toilets!
During the afternoon we went on “dune driving”, where the driver’s abilities for driving up and down big sand dunes was challenged. A funny game for” boys”.
Later in the afternoon it was time to go and see the sunset. Unfortunately it was a little misty, as it had been all the time we had spent in Oman. But we enjoyed the surroundings, and it was still lovely to sit in the sand looking at the sun going down.
After dune driving and sunset trip we relaxed for a while in front of our hut (and took a little drink, which we have brought from home). One of the nomads came with a lamp with candlelight and took a picture of us. He must have shaken his hands, when he took the picture. I don’t think he was drunk.
Then it was time for dinner, which was a buffet with a lot of salad, vegetable, chicken and fish prepared in different ways. Of course no alcohol was served, only tea and fruit syrup with water.
We enjoyed the meal in company with the other tourists. Very cosy to chat with different people from all over the world.
After the meal we ended up around the fire, where people from the camp entertained us.
We slept very well even though the beds were a little uncomfortable.
Breakfast was served in the dining area
After beakfast we were asked, if we want a camel ride. I have tried it some years ago, but I couldn’t resist trying it again.
How to enter a camel?
Off we go!
I very fast learned to relax on the camel and follow the movements. But that was while we went up the dunes or were riding at flat ground. When we started to go down from the dunes, the camel moved in a way, which was rather unpleasant for me (my back didn’t like it), so I didn’t mind, when the trip was over. Anyway it was funny.
Shortly after the ride we said goodbye to the friendly people in the camp, and to the other tourists
we had come to know.