Inner Peace in the Middle East

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Day five of my adventures in Oman promised to fulfill all of my Kitschy tourist desires as we drove to Wahiba sands to stay at a desert camp set up like a traditional Beduin village in the middle of the dessert. Barzani the sketchbot Land Rover drove over the dunes in the mid day sun. We approached the abandoned village. I was "Mahid" (the equivalent of the Spanish Siesta). Lying on a bed of pillows under the camps main shelter was Salam, the owner/ operator of the camp. Salam immediately began explaining to us that the reason for Mahid was so that Muslim men would have more time to make love to their wives, thus populating the world with more America hating Muslims (or at least that is what I got out of the conversation).

Dave and Jana's Land Rover (Barzani) had seen better days. All fluids leaked, and it had already conked out once on the journey while ascending a steep mountain pass. When Dave agreed to take it on a Dune bashing, off roading Dessert caravan, disasterous visions went through my head. Our hearts palpitated, the blood rushed to our heads and we sweated profusely as drove up and down massive mountains of sand on the emotional and physical rollercoaster that is Dessert Off Roading. Every time we panicked, or felt that our lives were at risk, we could see Salam driving the car in front of us smiling non challantly.

That night we dined on a delicious Indian feast, listened to a traditional Omani band, danced in a congo line, and smoked sheesha. We slept on raised beds outside of our palm leave huts underneath an infinite blanket of stars. I fell asleep listening to Salam and his friends drinking scotch and attempting to seduce Naive German girls who believed him when he told them that "after the sun sets, all religious laws can be broken by muslim men."

Morning brought Sand dune Snow Boarding, Camel riding, and covered Beduin women who were experts at emptying tourists pockets. Sand filled ever crevace of our bodies and so it was time to leave the camp to go to the beautiful but polluted Wadi Bani Khalid for cleaning, swimming and jumping off cliffs into deep pools of water. (Not so deep that you avoid hitting and bruising your hip on the way down).

Tiwi is a sleepy fishing village on the Arabian Sea where life goes on the same way it did 50 years ago, oblivious to the new wealth and modernity of the larger centers.We approached Tiwi as the sun dipped below the mountains. This is the time of the day when everyone is in the streets talking and laughing after the worst of the mid day heat is over. Driving through the narrow streets, children waved old men with pop bottle glasses smiled and I finally felt "off the beaten track." Beyond Tiwi is White Beach, a small stretch of paradise which we had all to ourselves. We set up camp, had a fire and drank Canadian Club into the wee hours...

When I opened my eyes the next morning to complete and absolute darkness I panicked. I was hot; hotter than I had ever been. I tried to move; I couldn't. Trapped inside my black mummy sleeping bagunderneath the blistering sun, I desperately attempted and crawled 10 feet to the welcome shade of Barzani where I passed out for another hour. The day was spent on the beach where the "Kris and Dave are awsome" for was constructed, snorkelling was attempted, and awkward back burns were aquired.

The next morning we would hike then swim, to Omans most beautiful spot and best kept secret. After a misleading hike through goat trails and Christ thorns, we arrived at Wadi Shab. At the end of the Wadi is a tiny key hole. To the untrained eye it would appear to be the end, but being the hardcore Travellers that we are and having the expertise of John Dale (Adventure trekking in Oman circa 1980) by our side, we knew to swim through the hole to a stunningly beautiful underwater cavern. Light seeped in from above, illuminating the crystal clear waters. I can die a happy man.

A second swim at a sink hole near the highway was our last stop before arriving back in Muscat where 2 more days of maxxing and occasional relaxing followed... Sea turtles were snorkelled with, the price of Hammerhead Sharks was bartered, Mosques were visited, 9 pm bed times were practiced, more sheesha was smoked and tons of delicious food was eaten.

Oman was a brilliant surprise. The geography is stunning, the people are warm and genuine, the roads are smooth and the shwarma and mago juice is plentiful. GO NOW!! because once the throngs of tourists who frequent Dubai find out how incredible this place is, and how safe and easy it is to visit, everything that makes Oman what it is will be exploited, polluted and bastardised.


*Special thanks to Dave and Jana, you made this trip amazing for me. I am forever indebted to you. Much Love.

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