My first weekend in Oman

On Wednesday night I was shown the city centre of Muscat by two of my colleagues, Nigel and Nick, and they really walked the extra mile to make my 2^nd night in Oman delightful.  I was shown the largest Supermarket in Muscat where anyone can virtually buy anything.  We ended the evening with some good coffee at Costas. 

My first weekend in Muscat was really uneventful, and I slept most of the time.  I felt extremely tired, and I reckon it could have been due to the body’s adjustment to the weather, the lack of sleep on the aeroplane and just the excitement of experiencing a new country and its people.  The weekends used to start on a Wednesday afternoon, and ended on a Friday night.  So, the first day of the week used to be Saturday.  Not very long ago it was changed, and now weekends start on Thursday afternoons, and end on a Saturday night.  The first day of the week is Sunday.

I have been told that this is not unusual, and decisions like this are taken and implemented with immediate effect.  Another example is the announcement of public holidays – I was told on Thursday that next week Tuesday, 23^rd July, will be a public holiday.  My first week at work is therefore a 4-day week!!

I decided that I needed to do a recce of my surroundings and thought it a good idea to start at my guest house, and walk in concentric circles to discover what shops and places of interest I could find.  The heat was unbearable, though, and I found myself meandering into the air conditioned shops more frequently.  I now know where the supermarket is, and where the bakery, barber shop, laundries and 6 hotels are.

I strolled down to the beach on Friday afternoon, and what a pleasant surprise!!  It was closer than I had anticipated, and very close to my apartment is the most beautiful green park.  Most of the trees are fruit-bearing date palms.  I could not help but notice how clean the streets are, and when I got to the beach, it also struck me how clean and beautiful it was.  The sea was calm, not a breeze and no waves.  A few skiffs lay beached along the shore, and apart from a lone Indian fisherman, that part of the beach was deserted.  Needless to say I was there again early Saturday morning.

 Date palms growing in the park

 

 My first glimpse of the sea

 

 An impressive new development (or hotel) on the beach

 

The lone fisherman on the beach

 

I went shopping for a mobile phone and sim card this afternoon and my landlady was kind enough to drive me to a very quaint shopping centre.  Once again the neatness and cleanliness of everything struck me.  I gingerly asked a security guard if it was OK to take pictures, and he agreed.  The shopkeeper was an Indian businessman and he very eagerly tried to sell me a second hand mobile phone.  I quickly recognised that his price was inflated, and went to a dealer who sold me the exact same model (brand new) for 5 Riyal less than the other one.

 Inside the shopping mall

 

 My own personal pedestrian bridge to the beach ...

 

 Impressive building on the way to the beach

 

 Traffic over the weekend

 

The road along the beach

We drove back along the beach and being a Saturday, and in the middle of Ramadan, the roads were reasonably quiet.  My landlady reminded me that the roads can get very busy at times, and that one has to be extremely careful when driving in Oman.  Traffic safety is one of the few things I have been told that can improve.

Well, lesson plans all worked out, powerpoint presentation prepared and checked, and I am ready for my first lesson tomorrow.  Roll on week two – I have decided to tick off every day, and eventually the weeks, until Riana and I are united again.  I miss her dearly, and our love for each other is more evident now that we are apart.  Some things are taken for granted so easily and it just makes one realise that you always have to appreciate all things in life.