The primary reason we came to Oman was to visit Karen’s cousin, John. It was simply too good an opportunity to be in a region where a relative is working, and not stop in to see them. A wonderful serendipity of this was he was an amazing guide and a treasure trove of insightful information on the country.
On his days off, he took us to some wonderful sights in and near the capital of Muscat.We even got a chance to go diving with him at the Daymaniyat Islands, a short boat ride from Muscat. Great to share our love of the sea with family..Mola Mola Diving Centre was recommended to us and they did a wonderful job. I even got a chance to test out my new underwater housing for my camera for the first time. Lots to learn, but it was a blast.John took us on a day trip to Wakan Village which has built several hundred steps through their village to allow tourists to enjoy beautiful panoramas from the top. Did I mention several hundred steps.We stopped for a picnic lunch at Al Thowarah hot springs after our hike. A lovely spot to relax and enjoy a mango juice as the warm creek flowed around us.We also did a day trip to Bandar Khayran. You can hire a local to take you to quiet beaches where you can swim with turtles and just relax. It was neat to watch this young fellow being coached in operating the boat. He did an outstanding job.You could float off shore just above the coral and whenever you felt like it roll over and watch the turtles feeding in their natural environment. Pretty magical.When we were done at the beach John gave the boatman a call and they came and collected us. An absolutely wonderful way to spend a day.This is the part of Bander Khayran where you get your boat. A beautiful area.Karen was kind enough to hang around Jabreen Fort until dusk so I could try and capture some sunsets shots.The largest mosque in Oman is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat. From an architectural point of view it is hard to beat the beauty and design of these contemporary mega mosques. Completed in 2001 it has a capacity of over 20,000 worshipers. The army of cleaners that keep it looking pristine is quite impressive.The main chandelier is truly breathtaking. It was the largest in the world until 2007, however I think it is much more impressive than the one that bumped it from the number one spot. With 600,000 crystals and 1,122 halogen bulbs it is beautiful.I, admittedly, am not a big carpet guy. However, credit where credit is due, this one is impressive. When the mosque opened this was the largest single piece carpet in the world. It took 4 years to put together and weighs 21 tonnes. No matter what your religious beliefs, this mosque is worth seeing. The beauty of the design is wonderful.We loved our time in Muscat seeing the sights and catching up with family. The country and its people are fantastic.Even when it came time to leave and a technological glitch caused our booked taxi to not show up we were able to get to the airport with a taxi we hailed on the street. This is one thing we had been told repeatedly not to do as they usually overcharge you. But after some wonderful haggling and cajoling we landed a ride with this wonderful fellow for the same price as our booked ride. He was a great example of what our cousin John had told us about the truly friendly and caring Omani people. If you get a chance, visit Oman. You will not regret it.
Well you two are certainly the pet sitters that keep on giving. 😊 We were so lucky to have you pet sit our Sophie in Adelaide as since you moved on we feel blessed to have continued to enjoy your adventures around the world visiting places we may never be able to through your blog. Thank you and a happy and safe New Year with lots more adventures to share
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