Oman

    "A right hand vehicles cannot drive in Oman." said the civilian dressed officer. "You have to go back". Oh-man, OMAN!
   Our thoughts were rotating. Back was no option as we had no visa and Brunei was in the east anyhow. Besides we had press  
   conference on Tuesday and TV on Sunday. "Sir," Harun bowed down like an English butler before his lordship master and made him
   worried: "Sir, please, on Tuesday is press conference" Thursday it will be in the Oman papers, that we could not enter. On Sunday
   Norhayati is live TV in Brunei, you can see it here if you have satellite dish. Half the world will know you lower the barrier in front of us"
   These were the big guns we brought in position  and he became obviously concerned and went to his boss in the office. We discussed
   our options: Back to Yemen? No way! We had to go on. If needed we sleep here call the embassy next morning ask them to organize
   us a trailer to transit JAMBO on it through Oman. Oh-man! 
   Nowhere dear reader did we hear about this restriction. Not in travel books, nor internet, nor in the Oman embassy in Brunei.
   When they came, the officer said:" You can go to Salalah" but tomorrow morning see the police chief. He will inspect the car and
   maybe give you the permission. We sign a paper agreeing and confirming this intention and thanked them for their trust in us.
   They were at all times gentlemen. We know it was a risk for them too. The chief of the border station gave his mobile number:" If there
   is problem call"
   Our way  about 190 km through the mountains towards Salalah was long, the night dark and cold. Four hours we drove carefully  until
   finally we saw the orange streetlights of Salalah, reflecting in  the dark sky. A hotel in the outskirt awaited us, the rack rate was
   35.- Rial a night. We got it for 16.-  including a breakfast.

     Saturday 9-2-08

   By 8:00 am We met Ahmad an Omani, working for Shell. He was staying there too and had lots of time,. "I only smoke the pipe and  
   watch the computer" he said. "This is my job".
   As so often on our trip, one  meets kind and very helpful people. He was with us wherever we went in Salalah. Even to the police chief,  
   who had no good news: " very sorry but Muscat does not allow to drive. Put the car on a trailer."

                          
                             That is Ahmed, he was great help. Thank you      In Oman  woman work too, Fatima owns a print and fax shop

   We had meanwhile called our Embassy in Muscat and ask them to help. There must be an exemption and they went into action.
   Looking for a transport company we got a small Bangla firm which accepted to take JAMBO to Muscat. "But their truck will leave on
   Monday, you get it on Tuesday morning" Agreeing, we decided to go by bus on Sunday and leave JAMBO in the house of the company
   owner. After all Ahmed insisted:,  "I will take care, do not worry my friend"" This done we had free and Ahmed showed us around.

   In the hills 26 km out of Salalah, was the graveyards of Prophet Ayub. You may remember the cave and well we had seen in Sanli Urfa
   in South Turkey?. Well, here is his tomb. We do not know how it comes that he is buried here.
   Climbing the hills, camels wander freely around up here. Once a while I had to  "shush" them from the road in order to pass.
   The mausoleum is held simple. Inside only his grave, next to, incense burning. A cloth with golden inscriptions cover it. I prayed.

       
                         Salalah from Ayub's grave                                                            Road users which did not obey regulations

     
                              Ayub's grave about four meters long                                     his footprint; see the toes in the left upper side.
 
   Distinguished  reader, again as many times before we were puzzled. Our holy Koran and other books tell of Giants living before. The  
   grave itself was 4 meter long, and wide to burry three people next to each other! Four meter! Was he one of these
   giants? Outside under  a green metal lid was a footprint of him in the rock. To compare we put a size 42 slipper next by. His foot must
   be size 80 or more.
   Where he stepped, water flow out of the rock. (as in Sanli Urfa).

             
                        calling Rampai pagi  in the early hours                        The Sunday morning bus, only 1000 km to Muscat

   Sunday 10-2-08

  "The road is lo-o-ong" goes a song and so it was. By 7:30 we left Salalah in a full bus heading to Muscat. In front sit's the family,  
   women with children, men are send to the back. We got the second seat behind the driver and it was comfortable. Except maybe that
   only after the first hour eating peanuts, on our rear seat a very big, very round something in black dress, with curtain in front of her face
   begun to snore, that the driver checked the revolution counter constantly to know if his engine was still running. He could not hear it
   anymore. When inhaling, the veil was vacuumed towards the open mouth and the following "blow out" made it flying like the national
   flag on any embassy in an ongoing storm. Oh-man she was something! At a later stage of the journey she removed the face obstacle
   altogether, now we could not only enjoy a sound snore, but see down the open mouth until perhaps the stomach. But decent and
   understanding, we lower our gaze not to be so indiscrete. After all it must be a hard to wobble through live with so much fat attached.

   I had a chance to read into Oman. The Sultanate is with 310.000 sq km about 6 times of my beloved Brunei. Most of it is desert and 
   mountains, reaching with Jebel Sham 3000 m. The desert is inhabited by nomadic Bedouins .But the population majority lives along
   the shores. There are several islands along the coast and on one, Masirah, -look who is here- the Americans operate military
   installations.
   After all, through the strait of Hormuz travels over 90% of all oil and that had to be watched over.

         
                               Roads along Muscat                                                                beaches as clean as it can get

   The Omani love their Sultan. When in the seventies Oman had only 10 km paved road and three primary schools, the oil wealth wisely
   spend, catapulted Oman into the our age. The Sultan as a strong leader, draws his people into the modern world, but preserves
   heritage and character of the country at the same time.
   He is a caring monarch, just as Brunei's beloved leader. As we hear, within one year they got increments twice. Over 15% last year
   and up to 15% this year, to compensate for inflation and make life better for the Omani.
   The oil price rose (through speculation) to around US$ 90.- That provide lot's of cash for the country!
   Oman is clean, very clean  there is no rubbish on any road. The beach is "picko bello" as the Italian would say. No plastic or paper!
   You are fined if you through thoughtless an empty bottle out of your car window. Around towns the grass is sprinkler irrigated, flowers
   blossom in the sun. Houses are pure white, just as on Greek island pictures. Shops are trendy modern western, cuisine is
   international. Small stalls are inspected regularly and closed at once, if found dirty.
   Oman is a nice, safe country to live in.
   Most work is done by foreigners, but, so we hear, the government started a "step by step Omani" program. All drivers must be Omani  
   within a certain time. then all cashiers, then all accountants, the store attendants and so forth. Omani take their destiny into their own
   hands; in the foreseeable future the Bangla's, Indians and all other who had their income here, will have to depart.
  
        
              picturesque setting a cove on the shoreline near Muscat                       spacious and clean, the roads in Muscat

        
                  A small mosque next to the diplomatic quarters                           Entrance to one of the Sultans palaces

   We arrived at about 8:00 clock in the evening, the journey was without further events. And good for our budget planning, we were invited
   to stay at the house of the second secretary  Hajah Ida Fauzana Hj Ibrahim and husband Pg Ashanuddin. They had the space and
   offered it freely. We are very grateful to both of you.

      
         Here in front of their house.  What a loveable family..                                           A second secretary and a caring mother

   Honorable reader if you are not from Brunei forgive us now the pictures of family and friends. We have been here so cared for.
   The Brunei society in Oman, working for Brunei Shell but under PDO (Petroleum Development Oman) has not forgotten its cultural
   roots.  In 3 day we had been invited twice for dinner. They are patriotic, industrious, active families which not only care for each other  
   but also or especially for guests, such as us. Many thanks to Mohd Jair Japar and all the others for what they gave, but foremost
   showing interest on our trip and last not least on JAMBO, the Gadong registered cruiser of African soil, who came himself  hitchhiking
   on a truck over Oman roads all the way from Salalah, resting up there like a king.

      
                                                                    Fine Bruneian they are

       

        

   the second night brought again Makanan Melayu and we enjoyed it. So much , so tasty. But what is an evening without a present?
   Here it was. Many many thanks even we will hang it in JAMBO up, for our way back and in Brunei it will get one of the best places in
   the house.

       
                                     Brunei Family                                                                Doa Selamat Ceremony

            
                      More fine Malay food...                                                                              ...and more eating

       
                                          It was an enjoying evening, relaxed, the belly full in moments of friendship.

                    
    Plenty pictures were shot and our worry is now that with so much professionalism of your photos, ours drop the substandard
   quality. But yes send us our photo if you like, just a few and we load them into the web where applicable.

         
                   JAMBO attracted lot of interest                                           especially for the kids it was great to crawl around


     Monday 11-2-08

   After a fine sleep we worked on the web page, but at noon were invited into the residence of His Excellency for a lunch. The
   Ambassadors hobby is fishing, and it seems fish like his bait, because at lunch we had a self caught brass of a size which does not fit
   into a large frying pan anymore. It was the freshest tastiest Ikan (fish) between the Namibian Atlantic coast, and Muscat for sure.
   We never ate a better one.

                     
             His  Excellency Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adam Bin Haji Ahmad and Datin Hajah Saindah Binti Aman at their home

      Tuesday 12-2-08

   Today is press conference. A room was prepared and I talked about my beloved Brunei and Tourism. The conference was attended by
   a number of people, the interest was high. We will keep contact with the travel agents. Maybe armed with brochures and a film,
   adjusted to their gusto and requirements we return and make a week long promotion this coming autumn.

             
                                                            At the press and tourism people conference

                                       
                                 This is the very efficient staff of our Embassy in Oman. In the centre His Excellency.

   JAMBO had arrived from Salalah. By 7:00 am we pick it up and drove to the Embassy compound to keep it there. Then we got the  
   approval. Through the efforts of the embassy and staff. we are able to drive in Oman.
   His  Excellency we thank you wholeheartedly for your personal initiative and contribution. "All what ends good, is good" Is a saying.
   Now we are free. JAMBO can roll.
   In the evening we were invited to the house of his Excellency, as a delegation from the Ministry of Health in Brunei had arrived. It was  
   an exquisite evening, we felt greatly honored. Who are we after all? Just travelers between South Africa's Cape Aghulas freezing   
   shores and the warm waters of Brunei, with a handful of adventure in-between.

            
                                                   with the Permanent Sectary of the Ministry of Health

                                             
                                                           and the ladies of the event in the center Datin Hajah Saindah

      Wednesday 13-2-08  

   In the PDO School some of our Brunei ladies teach Religion, so we went there. It was remarkable how the children respond and
   enhance knowledge about Islam. Question by them, Harun had to describe how he escaped the big mouth and teeth of an Hippo in
   Africa's river. The kids Fantasies run wild, one could see it in their eyes. 

       
                      Islam teachings with Hjh Florinda                                         Listening to Harun's Africa story of a daring escape

   By noon we had the first two newspaper clips, telling about our intention. Now the Omani know why we are here.

         
  
   The Oman government organizes for 3 weeks a cultural and heritage festival at Qurum, where the visitor can see the skills of Omani
   crafts people, functional and beautiful, using the material available in the local environment. It was a great opportunity for us to see
   without traveling into the interior. So we went there and spend what time we had to look at the fascination which was unfolding before 
   our eyes.

         
                        The evening show is on                                                  I met Mona at the village, the smile comes from the heart
 
        
                      desert singers , dancers                                                                  and musician with an "Aout"

             
                  playing "Congkak" in sand with camel droppings                                                    a "rice mill"

                          
                        a woman from the foothills of the Hajar mountains                look at the pride the girls wear her gold

         
          drawing water from a well, the ox and donkey walk down a slope         rotating  sugar cane mill; an ox provides the power

             
            a bride in her marriage dress                                                         Musicians of the desert...

                  
                           the water carrier; she liked me                                                         In the eyes you find her soul

               
               No, not gold plated, that is genuine             a trumped from the beachside                 beautiful decorated children

                                
                                  pounding the spice with the "Lesong"                    waving, many crafts are similar to ours

   Honorable reader who spend so much of your valuable time on this web site. There are more pictures but somewhere we must stop.
   And it is here and now.

     Thursday 14-2-08

    Today is JAMBO and web page day. Cleaning up and organizing the trustworthy machine, as tomorrow we leave for Abu Dhabi on our
    relentless journey home.

    One more time and finally we thank you all for what we have got so unexpected. Hospitality embedded in our culture and preserved in
    foreign land. The one or other we will meet again. To all Assalamulikum and may the Almighty bless you and fulfill the innermost
    dreams. The adventurers among you good luck although a visa might be hard to come by...

     Friday 15-2-08

       By 8:30 we left the house. Half of the Bruneians were present for the farewell. It was a touching moment for us.               
           
              thinking of the long haul ahead           last farewell from our  Embassy and Petroleum Development Oman staff in Muscat

      
         the ladies picture, a honor for us and JAMBO                      then we were escorted out of the cleanest town on route

   JAMBO was running fine and therefore we cruised "leisure like" through the countryside North west towards our next destination the
   united Arab Emirates, or short U.A.E, which you dear reader have to click should you wish to follow our journey.

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