The Ade Tour - Day 12

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This morning the elder Ade’s were up nice an early and had managed to shower, get dressed and have breakfast before I had even gotten out of bed. One would almost think that they were eager to get back to Dubai or something.

We left the hotel at Nizwa rather early in the morning, about 8:30am or so, and hit the road in style. Today was very very long driving day. With not much to distinguish it. Except for the great interlude at the border of Oman and Abu Dhabi.

When we arrived at the border we proceeded through the Oman exit with no problems what so ever. In fact the omani borders have been positively laid back in all places. The UAE borders have been rather more official but the Abu Dhabi border really took the cake today. As we drove up to the border crossing I realised that I needed to visit the little girls room. So I asked the guy in the booth where there was one. He told me that it was behind us but then told me to go to the building over the way. He said that he would keep my passport while we went over there and told me to come back after we had finished, and then handed me mum and dad’s passports back. So we parked the Jeep and I headed over in that direction. Mum decided that she would go to the loo as well. We headed into the building and the friendly person on the door told us that there weren’t any people waiting which was unusual and told us to take a seat. I said no no we are just using the bathroom, so he pointed us in that direction. I went first, and then decided to go and get mum and dad’s passports from the car as the people in the building seemed to want them. Mum asked me to stay until she had finished in the bathroom, but I said no and that I was going to go and pick up their passports. So off I toddled and went and got them from dad who was still sitting in the car. I then went back to the booth in the middle of the road to try and get my passport. Well the guy in the booth was taking ages. He kept accepting other cars that were coming through (all GCC nationals) and processing them whilst still dealing with my passport. I started to get a little fustrated actually.

Apparently whilst I was away trying to get the passports sorted out the guys inside the little building had grabbed mother and told her to sit down and tried to scan her retina. They didn't speak english all that well so all they could tell mum was to 'sit down' and then they kept asking her for her passport. Of course mum didn't know where her passport was and mum being mum got very scared and complelty freaked out. She ran out of the building and went to find dad who came back from the car with her and got it sorted out.

It turns out that the emirate of Abu Dhabi (which Al Ain is in) has a new regulation where they are scanning the eyes of all visitors to the emirate, I guess in an effort to try and build up a database somewhat akin to that of the United States, or even perhaps in conjunction with the US.

Well after mum and dad had both finally been scanned (I didn't have to do it as I have a residency visa and have already been poked and prodded enough times) we were allowed to leave the border crossing. As we reached the customs point they made us stop again and all get out of the car, and then opened the boot of the car and started to unload everything. They seemed particulalry interested in the blue suitcase that had all of the xmas presents in it. They were going to make us open it up so they could search it when they suddenly saw the queue of cars that we were now holding up (about 15) and the fact that they were all GCC nationals. Suddenly nothing was a problem and we were on our way again.

Very amusing. Note to self though that we may not go through that border crossing again in a hurry.

We continued the drive (with mum in a very huffy mood about what had happened to her at the crossing) and arrived back at the ranch at about 1:30pm. Dad was all for staying at home that night and cooking, however mum had really gotten into the swing of this holiday eating out business and decided that we should go out for dinner again, so off to the Arabian Ranches Club House we went for din dins.

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Photos

Vertical rock formations
on the road to Al Ain

The only public toilet that we saw signposted
However it was a squat, which Ma Ade wasn't too excited about

Man with Camel
at the infamous border crossing

Yay
the ranches roundabout - home sweet home