A Series of Events

Whether they were unfortunate or fortunate depends on who you asked, when.

*Disclaimer: I have learned my lesson. I will plan more thoroughly in the future. It is safe to travel with me. Do not condemn me as a traveling companion due to this post please :) And besides, everyone needs a trip like this at least once.

The second leg of my travels involved flying into Muscat, Oman. But before that could happen, I needed to say goodbye to Laura as she headed back to Sama Tower, and meet up with Sachi, my fellow NYUAD Vermonter. This coordination was interesting. I had booked tickets from Dubai to Muscat, but in reality, I booked a bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, then a flight to Muscat. So I hung around Dubai Marina Mall for about 3 hours until that bus came (and I got onto an earlier one). I checked into the flight, got through security in under a half-hour, and was waiting at the gate for Sachi, who was coming from Sama to the airport once we figured out the flight was from Abu Dhabi. Now, she took a bus. Which don't run as often at night. Boarding for the flight was supposed to start at 1.45 (AM. I have been awake for a very long time, with only some naps, by this point. Story of the trip). 1.45 shows up, luckily they haven't started boarding, but there was also no sign of Sachi. We were both panicking a bit at this point, but just as they start boarding, she arrives.

The flight was smooth and short. But we should have taken some of the earlier things as signs (like the fact our tickets took forever to book because of the website being down, our confusion, and the almost being late to the plane).

Arriving in Muscat, we thought our visas would be 5 Rials because we are UAE residents, which is a GCC country. But they are student visas. Which apparently don't count. We probably could have argued it, but it was 4AM. Neither of us had enough sleep. And it was 4AM. So they cost 20 Rials instead. Which is a lot. Cue massive re-planning. This plan will be elaborated on once we actually get to the taxi.

After withdrawing more cash, we went out to the taxi stand. I knew what hotel we were going to, but we thought that check-in wasn't until noon (well in reality that was check out time, but again, we didn't know that yet.) And I knew where the hotel was- along the Muttrah Corniche. But that was not listed in the places for the taxis. There was an Intercontinental listed as corniche, so we decided to go there. In that journey, we decided we would only stay at the hotel 1 night, and try to move our plane tickets (which were for 10.50AM two days later), to earlier in that same night, eliminating the second planned night at the hotel.

We got to the Intercontinental, and asked them where Naseem Hotel and the Muttrah Corniche were, and how to walk there. They started laughing at us and said we wouldn't be able to walk there, unless we wanted to take 5 hours. They offered us a taxi, but we declined.

Wandering around the Intercontinental, we found the beach. It is now about 4.30AM. Lacking anything better to do at this time, we sat down, and then ended up napping on the beach. (Also, I would like to note that this is actually the most exciting part of our trip, story wise- sleeping on a beach in Oman at 4AM).

I did not have socks with me. I regret that now, and they will be something I always pack while traveling, because I have over 50 bug bites on my feet right now. (Side note- you cannot find Benadryl in the UAE, but you can find equivalents).

But there were stars. So many stars in the sky <3

After sleeping on the beach until around 5.30-6ish, we began to walk. We watched the sun rise over the mountains, and began to notice how much friendlier people are in Oman.

Since we didn't really have a set plan at this point, we just kept walking.

We walked from A (Intercontinental) to B (Crowne Plaza). Here is the maps scale. 

Then at Crowne Plaza Hotel it was determined that it really was too far away to walk to Naseem Hotel. 

So after finding out that the "Rock Bottom" Cafe did not have rock bottom prices, we went to the beach by Crowne Plaza. Sachi had thought ahead and had brought 2 apples and a muffin. Which was our breakfast and lunch. 

During this beach sitting (around 8AM), we called Etihad and changed my flight, but then we realized that we were down to 17Dh of credit on my phone, and none on Sachi's. So her flight remained where it was (we tried calling later, but she couldn't get through, but when I get to the airport part of this story, you will see how it all turned out ok- Etihad Airways are AMAZING. I recommend them 200%). We also called Krushika, a fellow NYUADer who was home in Muscat for Eid, and made plans to meet up with her later. 

Once again, lacking any real plan, we began walking again. In the above map, if you see Al Qurm street and follow that off of the map, that is where we walked to. Our attempt (because by this point we had a map), was to go to the souks there. During our walk we found a little foodstuffs store that was open (the first we had seen), and we got water. Which was a Good Thing, seeing as we had been walking in the sun for quite a while now. And then when we finally decided to ask someone where the souk was, they gave us the very useful insight that because it was Nov 6, which was Eid itself, everything was closed. Good to know. 

Also, by this point, in my brain, I was very very worried that Sachi had regretted going on this trip. Because in all honesty, if the situation were reversed, I might wondering why the heck I decided to join this crazy adventure. But soon the story begins to turn!

We decide to get a cab to Old Muscat, and on the way we pass our hotel. So it is confirmed that it exists, we know where it is, and that we can get back to it. But everything in Old Muscat is of course closed as well. We commence to take lots of pretty pictures, and almost go up a back staircase in a still-active military fort. Because even though they were built centuries ago, they are still in use by the police. As we got told by the guy in uniform with a rifle. Oops. 

But no harm, no foul. It is now 11ish, and after taking photos of the palace (also still in use), we went to the hotel. This is where things start to get better. We checked in, and slept for a few hours. 

Then we ventured out to try and find food. The bakery was closed, but as we walked along the corniche, we noticed that some of the coffee shops were opening. And then we walked through the Muttrah Souq, and emerged into more of the residential area of the city, where we found cheap (and really good) samosas. We bought enough to have lunch the next day, because with the way the trip was going, who knew where we would be? Also found sweets, and brought them back to the corniche wall and had a late lunch/snack. 

By this point, Sachi no longer regretted coming along, and we were starting to figure things out. 

We went to dinner with Krushika and her friend, right around where we slept that morning. It was a really good time for many reasons. It is so nice to see people at home- they have a different level of comfort about them, and a different type of happiness. We also learned more about the sultan, who is very tolerant and a good leader. Walked across a wadi for when it rains (which we missed- both in Oman and it rained in the UAE. While we weren't there.), and then we wandered with them a bit. Krushika's parents were so amazing when they picked all of us up- they drove us back to our hotel. It was very appreciated, and once again, it is really nice to see my classmates with family, because they are different in a more real way. You get to see another side of people. 

Then we made one more venture out to get more water, and then we slept. 

It seems like it was a long day. It felt like a long day. That is because it was. But then it was day 2!

We got breakfast at the hotel because it was cheap and good. Then I had the roomiest shower in the past 10 weeks (my dorm room has a small square shower. Naseem Hotel had a tub). 

I highly recommend that hotel if you are ever in Muscat. Just tell the taxi Muttrah Corniche, and it is on the right of the roundabout. Cheap and safe, with beds and hot water. Also, a general note on traveling in Oman- barter for the cab price. We realized after we got back that basically we got ripped off on every cab fare, but it was at least consistent. (One way we knew this was how we were able to barter with the driver on the way to the airport (End of Day 2), because we literally only had 10 Rials). 

We went back to the forts, took more touristy pictures, and then we went to find a museum. (Which was open, because it is now the second day of Eid). We ended up in a residential area, where Sachi climbed partway up a mountain. While she was doing that, I was watching the bags and hoping the police wouldn't drive by (it was one of those places that isn't forbidden, but that doesn't mean you are supposed to be there). We were drawing quite the crowd, but it showed me again how much more open Omanis are- they were saying hi, and I found out I can't pass as living in Abu Dhabi. Also the taxi drivers would point out landmarks as we drove, which doesn't happen in the UAE. 

I loved the Heritage Museum. I am living in the Middle East, but still know very little about the culture and history, and going here gave me some good insights into Oman and the culture of the area in general. 

We had lunch there, with our leftover samosas and sweets and this:

Now, if I ran into this in the US, I might be a bit weirded out. It is basically juice with lots and lots of pulp and bits of fruit. I have never had anything like it, and I don't know if it was just the heat and slight dehydration I think I was nursing this entire trip, but it was really, really good. 

Also on this trip we kept getting asked where things were by other tourists. So I guess we looked like we  might not be complete tourists (and both times it was about the Intercontinental).

Went back to the souq, bartered for shirts, and I got a charm. Then we went and sat by the water, just relaxing. We decided to walk along the corniche. Saw a half sunk boat, and then we ran across some stairs. Again with the stairs which we may or may not have been supposed to climb. As we jumped the gap to get to them, we ran into another group of travelers who all wanted pictures with us. So there are pictures somewhere of us looking bewildered. Very bewildered. 

We then scaled the rocks, climbed the stairs, and discovered this was not an active fort. It was not even a tourist fort. There was a vertical gap to the door too high to safely cross. So we just took some pictures, continued walking, found a closed art gallery, and then sat on some Arabic-graffitied benches. 

Kept wandering, and then we found a park! With actual grass! We laid there for a while. I miss actual ground and sky and mountains- Oman gave me a nice dose of all of those :)

Then we found another fort tower, not off limits, but not necessarily open (notice a pattern?). Climbing that, we discovered that the tower itself only had half a floor remaining- you could see the ocean through it. It makes you think of time and history and ruin and preservation. It is one of the images I hope to remember for a long while.

The sunset was gorgeous. We had a fawakesh special (lots of fresh juices, and ice cream, and fruit), and then just sat on the wall looking at the water and the lights and the people. 

What we decided to do about flights is just get to the airport early and hopefully change Sachi's flight to the 5.30AM one mine had been changed too. But then there was an 11.35PM flight. It was really full, so we had to wait on standby, but the Etihad staff are amazing. They got us both on the flight, and waived the fees. Once again, Etihad 200%. 

Attempted to have an Arabic conversation with the visa guy (well, actually he attempted to have one with me. I remembered the basic words, but couldn't remember how to say what I studied in university). And then we got back into the UAE, took a bus, and got back to home sweet- Sama- home. 

But quoting him, I will visit Oman again, inshallah. 

I don't regret this trip at all. It was an adventure of the best (if slightly trying) kind. And it is hard to convey how awesome the trip was to people when we begin telling stories, because it sounds like everything went wrong. But it didn't. It went differently. Which isn't bad.

And as cliche as this sounds, I learned a lot about myself- how I travel, and how adventurous I can actually be. Seizing the moments :) I will plan more in the future, but it will be things about hours, and locations, and cab fares, and flight times. 

As for the random wanderings? They will always be some of the best moments, where you begin to see the city behind the facade. 

Safe travels all.

<3