Tick tock, tick tock

"Don't worry because it is over. Smile because it happened"

- Dr. Suess 1904 - 1991
(adaptation)

Since our last post we have obviously been very poor at getting another entry up. Many apologies for that of course, but soon we'll be able to beg forgiveness face to face to those living in B.C. We will be home in just under a week and we will be in Canada for about 7 weeks before we fly back for our final year in this wonderful country. In the past month we have been quite busy so let's get right to it.

Immediatley after arriving back in the Sultanate from the charms of India I left again for a school trip to Cairo. This is the fourth time to Cairo in the past two years but it's never the same and always intoxicating.

With bags freshly unpacked Tina and I took off with our India travel mates, Lucas and Tennielle, for a short adventure up the coast. We took a couple of kayaks, loaded up our tents and food and paddled in the tourquoise water for a weekend of camping. Looking to launch in a logical place our navigational skills took us to an entry point completely unfit for our vehicles. Instead, we carried the small boats over the hill and down to the water. To make matters more embarrassing we paddled around and around until finally deciding on the perfect spot. In the morning we discovered we had paddled in circles and were now mere minutes from our original launch sight. Idiots.

The mercury levels here have been soaring lately. It actually hit 52 degrees in Sohar and Muscat was right there as well. Scary hot. So we decided to get one last camping trip in and headed south to the sandy coastline of Bar Al Hickman. Following the memories of old directions and a handy compass we headed across gravel desert, small sandy dunes and stunning salt flats until we hit the lagoons and finally the beaches of our destination. We plan to return yet again next year and emplore our readers in Oman to do the same.

As expatriates, the end of the work year always brings about the loss of good friends. Such is the case this year as our Aussie buddies are heading back to the home of koalas and kangaroos. As a farewell tour we took them on a scavenger hunt around our fair city taking in new sights, and others filled with memories. Amidst many highlights was lunching in the middle of the "golden jugs" roundabout at midday. Although we dined alone men of all races and creeds honked their approval and flashed the "thumbs up" sign wildly. Somehow comforting to know that stupidity translates across cultures far easier than great discourse ever will.


With little time left before we head back to Canada we squeezed in a quick trip to Dubai to ring in Tina's 30th year and then took a weekend journey to some hard to reach places in Oman. Our journey in Oman took us first into the depths of Wadi Sahtan. It's a great wadi that we've been meaning to get to but hadn't reached. Amongst the highlights were completely isolated villages, watering systems squeezing drips out of the mountains, and the sheer drops at the heights of this fine summit. The enviromentally responsible sign pictured warns against the cutting of trees. Probably an unnessesary reminder.

Next, we journeyed into the interior with the plan to climb up and over the Eastern Hajar mountains descending to the coast near Fins. With a rented vehicle we climbed and climbed and climbed until we reached the Salmah Plateau. Up at these heights are 90 or so ancient burial tombs that rise some 9 meters off of the ground. They are about 5000 years old and look like they were made yesterday. They were truly breathtaking. Its hardly your easy to reach destination so it feels exceptionally authentic. Just beyond the tombs is the entrance to "Majlis Al Jinns" (Meeting place of the spirits) which is the second largest cave in the world. Its unmarked now, but some village boys showed us the way. For a large black hole it was pretty fantastic. We threw a rock into the abyss and waited until we heard it land. It took over 7 seconds.

Lately, our days are spent wrapping up another school year and spending time with friends we may not see again. We are losing quite a few that we enjoy as they are off to such places as Kuala Lumpur, The Dominican Republic, Australia, China and elsewhere. We wish them all the best of luck and look forward to hearing about their adventures in the future.

For now, we have our sights firmly set on getting back to Canada for the summer. We will be back June 21st and return to Oman August 8th. Hope to see many of you soon!

Inshallah.

Incredible India!

"Anything is possible in India!"

- shouted out by a dusty cycle rickshaw wallah in Rajasthan, India.

Five years ago on a backpacking trip through Asia Joel stood in Kathmandu and had to make a decision with his travel mates whether to push on into India or double back through southern China and into South East Asia. Although the resulting journey was marvelous he has always had an overwhelming desire to make up for lost time and get to the Sub-continent. Tina, on the other hand, had always wanted to see the Taj Mahal, loves Aloo Gobi but wanted to avoid Delhi belly at all costs. Decisions, decisions.

So we got together with our good friends Lucas and Tennielle grabbed some Imodium, a good sense of humour and headed to the sensory overload of India for our spring break vacation.

Walking through the dusty, crammed, loud, chaotic streets of Old Delhi we all savoured the feeling of being back, travelling through Asia. Amidts the motor cycles, motor rickshaws, cycle rickshaws, cows, goats and people we took in the forts, mosques, streets, and buildings that Delhi is famous for. As a side note learning how to swear in Hindi during my 9th grade Science class really came in handy here. I knew there was a life lesson there somewhere.

We boarded the train and headed off into the province of Rajasthan's capital, Jaipur. Train travel is not only essential for travel in India but appears to represent the arteries of a nation whose political heart is hundreds of miles removed from most of her citizens. The bustling platforms, small scale business associated with each station, shanty towns along the tracks and the tremendous ability to link Indians of all areas combine to underline the importance of this system.

We unloaded at Jaipur and took in the "Pink City". In 1876 the Maharaja had the whole city painted pink for the visit of the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. (Possibly a Valentines gift gone mad?). Amongst all of this pinkness the bustling of the streets is the real draw. Camel carts, big moustaches, donkeys, etc all give the dusty city its charm. After a few days in the old city we decided to hike up to the overlooking fort. On the way down in the winding alleys we walked by our 418th cow that day. Thinking nothing of it we walked by until it reared its head and gored (maybe an overstatement) Joel in the back, tossing him across the alley and into an oncoming motor scooter. The driver was actually angry that my leg ended up under his wheel until he saw the gash across my back and sped off thinking he was at fault. What an upstanding man. Sadly, the sacred cow that in fact had caused my wounds felt no remorse. Only in this country would the rest of the people on the street take the bovine's side but alas I had utterly no defence. At the end of the day we decided to take in our first Bollywood movie at the famed Raj Mandir Cinema. The roof looked like a giant marshmellow, the crowd was lively and the movie was way over the top. Brilliant. (Odd side note - the Bollywood movie was filmed in Alberta?!?)

Patched up, we boarded a local bus and headed to Agra to see the Taj Mahal (courtesy of Sayaka/ Chris). Getting dumped off in Agra and hopping a rickshaw to our hostel we first caught a glimpse of the Taj. Our hostel's rooftop overlooks that grounds and we watched her all evening. Many descripters have been thrown at it over the years but it really is simply "perfect". It didn't dissapoint at all. Additionally in a trip filled with remarkably atrocious smells Agra produced the foulest of them all. Well done. Leaving late at night in a torrential downpour and howling winds our rickshaws weaved through the dark streets dropping us a block short of the train station as a billboard lay across the road. Wet and dirty we boarded the crowded night train for Varanasi.

Varanasi is a sacred destination for Hindus as they come to wash their sins away in the Ganges river and hope the die on her banks. It is where the spirituality of India's people are evident all over the colourful ghats. The shaved heads of the devoted, the ritual-laden prayer of the pilgrims, the washing of the clothes, the splashing of the children, the ringing bells, the incence burning, the creamated bodies floating, the cricket playing is all so other worldly. The river is so remarkable in that it is so unremarkable except for the peoples devotion to the mother Ganga. Its not especially long, or wide, or powerful or beautiful. But its importance to the people over rides all of these things and makes it completely facinating. We spent a few days here and took row boats up and down the area in the mornings and evenings and tried to soak it all in. It's a place that becomes more and more complex the further you look at it but is well worth the effort to linger. A highlight without question.

Back in Delhi we headed to Gandhi's memorial site at the location where he was assasinated and checked out the New Delhi part of town. A day of shopping and some well earned Kingfisher 's later our India jaunt came to a close.

It was one of the best places we've been together and can't wait to get back there soon. It was really special to travel with our good friends Lucas and Tennielle as they are returning to Australia after this school year.

Thank you India.

Maple Leafs in Muscat

" Take off, you hoser!"

- Bob and Doug McKenzie of Strange Brew fame.

In the weeks that have passed since our last blog entry we have been busy soaking in the life of an expat within Muscat and the regions surrounding. We have a few weeks left before the really hot weather kicks in so we have to get "out and about" before then.

The first expat oriented event we attended this year was the biggest pop concert ever to hit the confines of humble Muscat - James Blunt. Yes, that James Blunt. For those of you giggling away at your computer screens right now I admit to being slightly ashamed. But James Blunt is a well known international musician and Muscat never sees one of those so we were excited. We walked to the outdoor concert along the beaches from our friend's apartment. He started out the concert by explaining that he has a "long list of miserable songs and this is the next one...". I actually do like James Blunt (written in hushed tones), but given the lack of cheer in his lyrics we were happy that this was a "licenced event".

Speaking of licenced events, this takes us to our next Muscat activity. Every year the local Canadian Club puts on the Canadian Stampede. This devoted group attempts to recreate a small version of the Calgary Stampede complete with line dancing, country music, beer and nanaimo bars. I like neither country music nor line dancing but the consumables got my attention. Its an event that sells out every year and reminds us of the bizarre place that we live. It was really good fun and for one night only we waved the flag proudly eh?

In addition to being couped up within the walls of Muscat we have been heading out of town as much as possible. We did some nice hikes and completed the snake canyon Via Ferratta. Apparently "via ferratta" is Italian for "iron way" or something along those lines. Originally it was used during the second world war to get soldiers across the mountains quickly. Four of us headed to the canyon knowing very little about the undertaking. We'd heard varying reports such as it's"a little hairy", "awesome" and " pretty scary". Thanks for the tips.

Basically you climb, scamping, boulder , etc across the canyon 200m up. You clamp and unclamp yourself as you climb along a steel chord attached to the rock face. Every once in awhile you get to a zip chord and zip across to the other side. The final test is a "monkey walk" where two chords run across the canyon's gap. The one above you, you are to clamp onto while walking across the chord below. A little like a tight rope with training wheels I guess. It was definatley "a little hairy", "awesome" and "pretty scary". I look forward to offering advice to the next in line.

Finally, we just arrived back from a beach camping trip to Khaluf on the east coast. We headed down just after work on Wednesday night hoping to reach a guest house by dark. We reached it, but they were full. A guest house on the edge of the desert full? We were completely surprised. With little else on offer in this desolate area to drove on until we could pull off and camp in the desert. We were very careful as we didn't want to offend anyone by being to close to the road, nor attract attention as we pulled off. Our two trucks found the "perfect" location in the pitch black night. We set up our tents and slept. As the sun rose so did the roosters, goats and children in the Bedioun camp about 50 meters from our tent. Darn. Soon enough we were invited in for tea but passed on the offer as we needed to continue on.

Khaluf's secluded beaches kept us entertained with white sand, a warm ocean, schools of dolphins and flocks of pink flamingos. Our list of favourtie camping places in Oman just keeps getting bigger.

At the end of this week we are headed off to India. We will be there for about two weeks and we are looking forward to the sensory overload that awaits.

(Secretly we have also started our countdown to seeing Canada again in June and July)

Good things come to those who wait

"It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. "

- Rita Rudner



This blog is much shorter than usual but we just wanted to send you a quick note of good news. After several years together Tina and I got engaged on the evening of Feb. 19th. I know, I know, most of you are rolling your eyes saying “about time buddy”.

I took Tina on a surprise trip to her favourite spot in Oman in the very south of the country - the city of Salalah. At sunset we went to our favourite white sand dunes that crash into the turquoise Indian Ocean. With a blind fold on I told her to wait a few minutes and then follow my foot prints. Sounds nice, but very poorly executed. I peeked over the dunes to see Tina walking in the opposite direction, thrown off by all the camel prints. Thankfully, with a few shouts she got back on course.

Since I am a terrible shopper I opted to propose in a slightly different way and do the heavy buying together later. Previously, I had an Omani man take me through the old market and select special antique Omani wedding rings for each finger. They each have unique meaning.

Thankfully she said yes.

In true Oman form, moments later as we stood on our isolated sand dune a Bedouin man came racing towards us out of nowhere. After finding out what we were doing he offered us his rings too and drove off declaring Oman our country. I don’t think he has the authority to grant such a gift but the gesture was nice.

We enjoyed a special dinner on the beach that night and spent the next few days relaxing in the southern region.

In the weeks previous we have been busy with varying work duties. Tina helped put on an Aladdin production and then we each took separate student groups out on week-long trips in the country. Tina ventured into the mountains on a multi-day hike and camp trip. I took students down south for five days. Many of the pictures on the side of this entry are of the scenery, camels and rugged mountain people from the latter trip.

We are glad now to be back in Muscat, rested and happy to share our news with all of you.

Welcome Matts and your ladies

Craic: "an Irish word roughly meaning fun, enjoyment, abandonment or lighthearted mischief; often in the context of drink or music. There is no english equivalent"

- Wikipedia

On the plane back from South Africa we had moments to reflect on the trip before looking forward to our awaiting visitors in Muscat. In fact, we were both so looking forward to having these four in town that while we were driving amongst the marvellous wildlife of Kruger National Park we were busily planning for our guests. Ridiculous,but true.

Matt Murphy and Cora Clarke are a couple that I met several years ago in Tibet. Together we negotiated our way across Tibet, got stuck in the middle of Maoist rebellion in northern Nepal for several days and took in the luxuries of Kathmandu. Since then they have been out to Vancouver and we attended their wedding in Donegal, Ireland. They’re great craic.

They actually arrived in Muscat a day before we did. We sent them maps, directions and instructions to get to our place. Unfortunately the Sultan was hosting the regional conference and decided to shut down the roads for 5 hours. So within 2 km’s from our place Matt and Cora stood on the side of the highway waiting for the tanks, helicoptors and SUVs to roar by before they could proceed. Welcome to the Gulf. Luckily our good friend Keith picked them up and brought them home.

The next morning on Dec 30th we arrived, and so did Matt and Alisa. Matt and Alisa have a taken a year off of their lives back in Vancouver and are travelling. They started in South Africa and came up the East coast as far as Ethiopia. From there they flew to Muscat. After Muscat they are heading through part of the Middle East, North Africa and on to South America. They will conclude their trip in Trinidad in July. Since they are at the halfway point of their journey we proved to be a much needed resting place for them. But first we wanted to show them our adopted country.

On Dec 31 we rented a big 6-seater SUV and headed out for a 3 day trip in the country. We headed down the east coast and drove into the orange sands of the Wahiba Desert. Everyone took turns sliding and bumping through the sands on the way to our camp. It was great to catch up with each other in such a bizarre environment. We stayed at a fancy desert camp for the night and exchanged resolutions at the edge of a dune under a sky of thousands of stars. Sitting up there, 2008 ended perfectly.

We started 2009 with a morning swim in the ice cold desert pool and then headed back over the dunes and into the interior of the country. We stayed in Nizwa that night and headed to the goat market at 6am the next morning. After a morning of lively goat haggling and rifle swapping we took in the local forts and castles before heading up and over the Western Hajar mountains. We drove up to one of our favourite spots in Oman; the top of a mountain pass that is always empty and barren. But today minutes after our arrival a fleet of 35 Porsches from the Muscat Porsche club joined us at the top. Then, so did a collection of 20 cyclists touring through the region. What a ridiculous scene. We all took turns winding our way through the hills and through the oasis villages below.

Back in Muscat the regional soccer tournament – the Gulf Cup - was starting. Oman was hosting the event and the country went bonkers for it. We went to a night of matches featuring the Emirates, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. We joined the ladies in the “family section” of the stadium and enjoyed the festive atmosphere created by the passionate, alcohol-free fans. After a few more evenings, including an English dinner they supplied, Matt and Cora were off back to London. They were such great people to have with us and we are looking forward to seeing them again soon. Inshallah.

With Matt and Cora back in London our travel-weary guests geared down a little and rested while they planned the rest of their journey. While in Muscat we got fully immersed in the Gulf Cup attending several games, including sliding down a wall and running through an open gate for admission. We stood the entire game in the stairs as there are no tickets and way too many people in the stadium. After each Oman win the city would fill with revellers sitting on their cars, waving their flags and having a great time. We took in the final game {Oman vs Saudi} at an outdoor shisha place on the beach. The packed crowd erupted when Oman won on penalties with everyone singing and dancing. To cap it off we got a national holiday to celebrate the next day.

During their restful time here the four of us celebrated “Christmas” on Jan 4th as well as our 30th birthdays at a party that Tina and Alisa organized for us. It was really nice to celebrate such meaningful moments with Matt and Alisa here.

After some freakish weather (rain and hail in Oman!) we were able to take them away for a day trip into the interior. As a side note the rain resulted in a day off of work due to flooding. Our first ever “rain day”. Hilarious. On our quick trip we took in a few old villages and tombs from 2000 BC. Although the weather kept us from taking Matt and Alisa to other areas of the country, it allowed them to rest and recover before heading out on the rest of their journey.

Of course, we wish Matt and Alisa all the best on their journey and are grateful that they could make us a stop on their trip.

*All photos came courtesy of our guests.

Deck the Falls

"God is really only another artist. He invented the girafe, the elephant, and the cat. He has no real style. He just keeps on trying other things."

-Pablo Picasso

Leaving the beauty of Cape Town and the varying attractions of Namibia we headed towards Botswana, the Caprivi Strip, Victoria Falls and finally Kruger National Park.

Ringing out our clothes and tent from the rains of Namibia we entered a country so dry that its currency – Pula – means rain in the local language. Botswana is an economic success story in the region. An influx of investment associated with diamonds has propelled the country from a dire situation to a bright future. Years of civilian governments, strong health care and relatively little corruption are points of pride. But the country is being ravaged by HIV infection where the life expectancy hovers around 33 years old. With the diamonds set to run out in 35 years coupled with such a high infection rate many difficult decisions need to be made in the coming years.

We spent most of our time in the rural wonderland of the Okavango Delta. An area of dense vegetation and shallow waters hosting hundreds of crocodiles and Hippos. We spent a pleasant day “poling” on Mokoros (dugout canoe) through the waters amidst crocodiles as one of our guides “fished” for baby crocs with his hands. After an ill-advised piggy back fight in “Hippo-free” water we continued on through the Caprivi Strip towards Victoria Falls.

The Caprivi Strip is a narrow strip of land that extends from northern Namibia to the border with Zambia. It’s a part of Namibia that has constantly been fought over as it acts as a corridor connecting west and east Africa in this region. We had the pleasure of staying near a small village and seeing real life unfold. As well, we had a brief game drive that while the guide told us about “gestation times” and “life expectancy” our seedy Afrikaan friend explained how to grill the respective animals and what they tasted like. Classy. He topped our safari off by explaining at special events his family puts a giraffe on a spit and it feeds 250 people. We are looking forward to the invite.

On Christmas day we crossed a river from Namibia into Zambia. It was us, rich illegal diamond dealers, trucks sitting in line for a month to avoid Zimbabwe, and people with tanks of gas going back to Zimbabwe to sell. Maybe not the Hallmark edition Christmas morning but there we were. Finally, in the early afternoon we arrived in Livingstone and reached our destination – Victoria Falls. The water pounded down and mist covered the surrounding air. It was well worth the travel. We spent the afternoon walking around the falls as tons of Zambians did the same wishing all a “Merry Christmas”. That evening we enjoyed Christmas dinner on the Zambezi River.

The next morning we woke early and prepared for our “micro light” flights. On the recommendation of my brother Matt we decided to take a flight in this two seat riding lawnmower with wings. It barely exceeds 50 MPH and stutters in the air but it was marvellous. Dipping and diving around the clouds to get a good view was as memorable a way to see the falls as I could imagine. After swearing like a trucker, shaking profusely and peeing myself I am so glad we both did this.

After landing we caught a cab to the real airport and boarded our flight to Johannesburg. Far less exciting, but mush more comfortable, we arrived in Jo’burg picked up our car and drove to Kruger National Park. Again the rain followed us but this time so did the animals. Groups of Rhino walking around our car, Elephants within a trunks reach and leopards sunning on the rocks above was a great way to cap off our trip.

As we boarded our flight for home we were excited to get back to Muscat and more so because waiting for us there were good friends Matt and Cora from London and Matt and Alisa as well. We were really looking forward to seeing these familiar faces again.

Southern Africa Swing

"Never, never, never again shall it be that this beautiful land experience the oppression of one by another."

-Nelson Mandela

After a brilliant time in East Africa last summer Tina and I decided to explore a much different region of the continent this winter. We headed to South Africa, Namibia and parts of Botswana and Zambia.

After very little preparation we packed our Omani tent, loaded our backpacks and headed for Cape Town.

Arriving in Cape Town was a breath of fresh air. After a year and a half split between here, other areas in the Middle East and a summer in East Africa, Cape Town was amazing. We were both a little homesick before we left and this city oozed Vancouver. It is set on the ocean, with a backdrop of mountains, the city is clean, relatively safe feeling and the population is sporty. Sounded very familiar.

The first day was spent walking through the streets and harbour in the gale force winds of the season. After Tina’s contact flew out of her eye (seriously) we boarded a boat for Robben Island. Robben island was the infamous prison for political prisoners during the apartheid era. An inspirational place of struggle, resolve and learning. Being taken around by a former prisoner made the place very alive. It’s on all the tourists lists but is well worth the crowds.

With clouds frosting the peak of Table Mountain a climb was sadly missed. Instead we took a trip around the coast to the Cape of Good Hope. An afternoon spent driving amongst deep green vineyards, tiny colourful coastal towns, shimmering tourquise waters and busy white beaches helped us gain a better understanding of the area. Along with the beautiful sights were several, heavily secured prisons, endless townships in the Cape Flats and a staggering view into the disparity of the country. The rewarding day was capped with a stop at the Cape of Good Hope and an hour or so watching the Penguins of the area play.

South Africa is a country that has left me more puzzled than almost any country I’ve visited. It’s a “nation” of European infrastructure, beautiful roads, widely spoken English and a large Afrikaans population. Standing shoulder to shoulder with this description is rampant HIV/Aids infection, extreme poverty, appalling violent crime and a life expectancy pushing 40. We read several books on the country and where its heading and no author seems to be entirely optimistic. The motivation seems pure but the troubles so deep, so convoluted and so challenging. Hosting the World Cup in 2010, we can only hope that this proves to be a positive catalyst for change. Inshallah.

Left with more questions than answers we boarded a bus headed for the Namibian capital and after 24 hours of travel complete with “come to Jesus” videos we arrived in Windhoek. Having felt “saved” from the bus ride we rented a car, put our tent in the back and headed for the North.

Our first destination was Etosha National Park. After 32 hours of continous bus, taxi, and car travel we entered the gates and were greeted with herds of giraffe and zebra. With an earlier rainy season this year finding animals proved to be a bit of a challenge. Armed with our complete lack of animal knowledge, and tiny car we set off. Afternoons, of lions, rhinos, giraffes, etc were fantastic. During the night we were treated to watching a Leopard fish in a pond next to our camp for its dinners. Very impressive.

From here we headed to the deserts in the south of the country. Winding through a wonderous mountain road our little car chuggd into a farmland town named Solitaire at the foot of the Namib desert. And it was well, solitaire. We stayed on an Afikaan man’s farm and it was just us, his three dogs and the eerie quiet of the farm. The next morning we explored the dunes and with little knowledge of what we were looking for got lost and thankfully picked up by a truck on its way out. Rookie error, but by luck we actually found the “sights” of the area.

For those of you reading this in Vancouver the idea of rain for you is a daily issue. In Oman it is non existent and in Southern Africa it falls in a familiar seasonal pattern. Not this year. The rains came heavy and they came earlier. All of which meant that our little, porous desert tent was earning its keep.

From Namibia we headed to Botswana, the Caprivi strip and on to Victoria Falls in time to have christmas at the foot of the falls. We'll post these stories and pictures in a week.