Oman

We just got back from a very quick visa-run trip to Muscat, Oman. We would have loved to stay longer, but money and vacation days are all being saved for adoption needs right now. But our first experience definitely left a desire to come back soon.

Oman is much more like the US than it is like India, so not only did we enjoy getting to experience a small taste of the culture and sights, but we were able to enjoy many missed western amenities. We stayed in a guest flat, which came with a car, so we had plenty of space and freedom to explore. (Gasoline costs about $1 a gallon there too!) Next time, we'll use the car even more to our advantage to explore the wadis (mountain natural pools), sand dunes, Beduin fishing villages, and some snorkeling at remote beaches.  

We could see the beautiful blue Gulf of Oman from our guest flat and took a short ride to a beautiful (and CLEAN!) beach. We went pretty early and only managed an hour, because it is hot and humid in Oman this time of year. From walking down the stairs from the flat to the car, we were already dripping with sweat. Really, that was the only downside and it wasn't a hinderance from doing outdoor activities, except during midday. We enjoyed the drive through the city on the huge, broad, expressway from which you can see old mountainside watchtowers, forts, the Sultan's Palace and his Grand Mosque, the Opera House, and other architecturally impressive buildings. All the buildings, even the houses are impressive there. From what we learned, most families have 6-8 children and they all live together in one massive house. So it appears that everyone in Oman lives in a mansion, but really they are multi family houses. 

And of course, we greatly enjoyed the amenities of the shopping malls, especially the free AC. We ate, played, and shopped as much as we could in two days. There was a lot of hamburger and donut consumption and playground stomping to burn off the affects of the latter. 

Check out more pictures from our trip here.