http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Oman/Nizwa/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Middle East , Oman , Nizwa en-us Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:29:06 BST Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:29:06 BST Nizwa the interior city.Nizwa Arabic 16061586160816098206 is the largest city in the Ad Dakhiliyah Region in Oman and was the capital of Oman proper. Nizwa is about 140 km 1.5 hours from Muscat. The population is estimated at around 70000 people.Set amid a verdant spread of date palms it is strategically located at the crossroads of routes linking the interior with Muscat.N http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Oman/Nizwa/blog-275940.html Wadi Shab'Wadi' means 'dry river bed' Wadi Shab is actually a wet river bed a beautiful emerald green oasis in the desert.Wadi Shab is wadi in Oman and located between the capital Muscat and the town Sur Oman.It has at least seven pools of emerald green water and is studded with boulders. One of the pools is in a cave where light streams in dramatically from above and there are fantastic echoe http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Oman/Nizwa/blog-275933.html Driving tips for Oman1 Beware the rotaries. Arabs love rotaries. I don't think I saw a single stop light in Oman outside of Muscat. The only rule in a rotary is if you are in it you have rightofway. But you can change lanes in a rotary at a moment's whim and you can exit from any lane which gets really interesting in a 3 and 4 lane rotary. 2 Beware the goats and camels. Goats seem http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Oman/Nizwa/blog-264273.html This had to be one of our most boring days on the road so far. We set off from Sur early in the morning again after a lovely complimentary breakfast at the hotel. Mum and dad spied some packed lunches being made and decided that it would be a great idea to get some of those for the trip as we werenrsquot so sure how long we would be on the road today. However I declined the honour of one of the http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Oman/Nizwa/blog-231860.html Day 4We had a bit of a lie in before heading off on a tour in our own car. We went to another town called Nizwa we stopped at the big mosque on route in Mascat. It was very beautiful inside the dome was coloured and the Mihrab was very impressive. We continued on our journey arriving in Nizwa around an hour later at the souk for some shopping where I bought some postcards. The lsquooldrsq http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Oman/Nizwa/blog-128667.html This is an amazing canyon some 3000 meters high. Access to it was through a 1.5 hours drive on bumpy roads into and up Wadi Ghul with a 4WD. All the efforts were worthwhile once I got on top of the mountains where I don't think words or even the photos could describe its beauty wholly. It is just a spectacular place one should not miss when visiting Oman. Just one thing to note it could be qui http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Oman/Nizwa/blog-85119.html 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 pillo http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Oman/Nizwa/blog-54291.html How much to MutrahNo not yet I waitMuch haggling is futile as this man would still not take me without a full taxi. No other taxi's were driving past so it looks like I was stuck. Getting around Muscat isn't as easy as I had heard. Taxi's are seemingly readily available but are willing to exploit tourists. Buses don't seem to run anywhere but to and from towns and cities. The hot arabian sun http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Oman/Nizwa/blog-40377.html