Blogs from Dhofar, Oman, Middle East - page 2

Middle East » Oman » Dhofar April 4th 2014

Temp: 94F 32C Distance travelled: 1122 nautical miles A day at sea then Salalah before another 4 days at sea. As on our previous Arabian Gulf cruise a super quiz is going to be held during each of the 4 days we are continuously at sea. Roisin and I were quick to register. The team has to be between 4 and 8 persons so we signed Margaret and Jim up as well. They don't know it yet so if they're not up for it we may have to hold auditions!! Roisin made it to her Tai Chi class. When we met up for breakfast, she was looking rosie cheeked! I didn't realising standing on one leg with arms stretched out in front then slowly shifting back on to 2 legs, one slightly in front of the ... read more

Chris having a relaxing afternoon in Salalah

A Salalah tug jamming a ship in to its berth

Roisin waving goodbye to the taxis in Salalah

Dubai salalah road trip

Middle East » Oman » Dhofar » Salalah September 6th 2012

Dubai salalah road trip

mechery

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller Dubai Salalah Trip I was planning for salalah trip since i came to dubai 6 years back. The excitement gone far beyond imagination when my cousins visited the place and started poking me with beautiful travel stories. Salalah is like a mirage in desert n raining all the time (Khareef season) while rest of the Middle East is in scorching summer (July to Sept). After a month long planning, we (Sunny, hari, nelson & I) started our road trip in a 4WD from Dubai on17th august 2012 at around 11.30pm and headed to Mezyad border from Al Ain. The immigration process at the border took around 30 minutes and then we headed straight for Ibri. From Ibri town, take right ... read more

Salalah, Oman

Middle East » Oman » Dhofar » Salalah May 14th 2012

Grand Mosque

Jenohn

It is a journey of four days time from Salalah, Oman to the port of Aqaba, Jordan our next destination. To some that may seem like much too long, but I enjoy it. I like to think of Nautica as an ocean liner, not a cruise ship. This is the way people traveled around the world until air travel came along and made us impatient to get to where we want and do it as quickly as possible. Much is lost in the process. It really is the journey, not the destination that is most important, at least I think so. I am spending much time reclining in a deck chair on the deck five promenade looking out at the sea and thinking. Most of the time there is only the sea, the sky and the ... read more

Dhofar, so good in Oman - Salalah is shining

Middle East » Oman » Dhofar October 25th 2011

Boats out of water, Salalah, Oman

chrisandroisin

The sun is shining. It's going to be at least 32 degrees celcius today. Got up, had breakfast…oh! I forgot, you don't want to read about that!! The ship has arrived in Salalah in Oman. Salalah is Oman's immortal second city and is the capital of the Dhofar region. Salalah means 'shining'. 'The guidebook states that the beautiful unspoilt countryside boasts, amongst other things, baobab trees. Now as most people (including myself) don't know what the hell one of these is, I can't see how you can boast about it. It could be one of those stubborn, hard to get rid of, pests of a weed for all we know!! The head of tourism for Oman probably decided to give it an exotic name so they can boast about it!!! The many historical wonders include the ... read more

Sunny Salalah in Southern Oman

Middle East » Oman » Dhofar » Salalah March 20th 2009

Salalah Mosque

rrruss

Oman, the land of Frankincense, or is that Yemen?! Well, the two countries probably share the moniker. We were happy just to be in a land of rugged coastlines, beautiful beaches and hot sunshine! Salalah is located in the South of Oman, not too far from the Yemeni border. We stayed for a few days with Peta who we had met during summer school in Damascus last year. It was wonderful to catch up with her and her friends, and to learn all about life as an ex-pat teacher in Salalah. It's now high on our list of future possibilities!!! Peta was an excellent host, leaving us to do our own thing (like sleep off the effects of the 16 hour bus journey from Dubai!) when necessary and showing us around the area when we felt ... read more

Oman Part I - Salalah and around

Middle East » Oman » Dhofar December 26th 2008

Very much Oman

Ake Och Emma

Sand dunes beat the hell out of snowdrifts For this year's Christmas vacation I decided to go to Oman. People have for the last couple of months asked me why and I couldn't really explain. Well, here is the best explanation I can come up with. Oman • Daylight - 12 hours a day • Temperature - 25 degrees in the shade in the daytime • Typical weather - sunshine Sweden • Daylight - 4 hours a day • Temperature - hovers around 0 • Typical weather - cloudy sky and rain Add to this that I found a cheap flight ticket to Oman and that Oman is a country with old history and as such probably has one or two places worth seeing. That and two weeks off from work is all I need for ... read more

Salalah 2 & Camels and Caves

Middle East » Oman » Dhofar December 9th 2008

not the harlot

Sunday 7 December. It is less than a week since I left Cornwall but it seems an age already with experiencing so many different things. A fairly negative day. I woke early and walked to the Post Office. It was windy and therefore dusty. All buildings are vast and spread out and the entrances are never where you expect them to be. Eventually I found the PO after having to retrace my steps and attempting various entrances I found the correct one to buy stamps. I only wanted to return a book that had been given to me by Kath for her to finish. It was going to cost £10- the book only cost £7.99 so I said forget it. The Omani behind the counter looked for ways to make it cheaper whist puffing on his ... read more

Salalah Oman 1000kms south of Muscat.

Middle East » Oman » Dhofar December 6th 2008

not the harlot

Salalah Oman 1000kms south of Muscat. Staying at Salalah Tourist Hotel. What makes me laugh is that the taxi driver will often ask you if this is the way to your hotel. I don't know I live in another country-you live here-you tell me. It is a new hotel that could be nice but is already going to seed and quite dusty. Costs just over £30 inc. breakfast- coffee/toast/jam. Just like my backpackers! Made enquiries about half day tour £80! So managed to get Abdullah from the hotel to take me in the hotel Mercedes for half that. Visited Taqa pretty village and beaches at last the sea is clear and blue here. On the way the fast traffic had to stop several times for camels casually crossing the road. Then Khour Rori, the ruins of ... read more

Salalah, Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman

Middle East » Oman » Dhofar October 28th 2007

Oman - Taqa Castle

MandiT

The port stop today was Salalah, Oman. Salalah is the second-largest city in the Sultanate of Oman, and the largest city in the Dhofar Province. Once again the cruise dock was a little out of the way. We had decided to use some more of our "credit" and took a ship's tour called "Oman Heritage" which travelled into the 'real' Oman. First we went along the easterly Cornish to the coastal village of Taqa where traditional rafts and boats are still made. We took in views of the village from the cliffs, and then visited the castle (for which the town is most famous) which was previously occupied by the Wali (local tribal chief). We rejoined the coach and were taken a further 20 km to the tomb of Bin Ali who brought Islam to southern ... read more

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