An hour out of Dubai, UAE on a bus heading south over the Al Hajar Mountains to Muscat, Oman, my son Yuma and I knew we were starting out on a great adventure. Oman was waiting and we had no idea what was ahead. On the highway to the border, the bus driver went the wrong way and damaged the top of the bus by hitting an over pass sign. After he picked up the pieces on the road we were on our way. After three different passport check points and the Omani police going through are bags, we finally were in the Saltanate of Oman and the home of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said the ruler of the country since 1970. They love him here; his picture is everywhere. Oaboos is the sixth longest current reigning monarch in the world.
The mountains between the border were steep and covered with Juniper, Olive and Fig trees. Small streams were running down the side of the road. The landscape was nothing like the UAE landscape we had just crossed, but similar to parts of California. Four hours later, we arrived in Muscat, found a hotel, asked the reception to buy us some beer ,on the black market, and went on to explore the city. Muscat is fascinating, the architecture is very Middle Eastern and the people go out of there way with kindness. Omar, the taxi driver, was a great example of the Omani hospatality. We got in his cab wanting to just go a couple miles to the bus station, but he ended up driving us around Muscat showing us all the famous sights for two hour and after retuning us to our hotel, he wanted no money. Back at the hotel, our beer had been delivered. Cheers Oman.
