Abo Salim arrives promptly at 9am for our day exploring East Salalah. I great him in Arabic and he seems suitably impressed that I’ve expanded my repertoire to include “How are you?”
We have two 20 year old guys from Mumbai joining us and they’re already on my shit list when they saunter out of their hotel 20 minutes late despite Abo Salim advising them we had arrived. Ridiculous.
Our first stop is Taqa Beach. The white sand beach is empty for miles either direction despite it being the weekend at 10am. Birds stand in clusters along the coastline and white crabs skitter across the sand. The humidity is out in full force this morning and I’m already drenched.
We make a quick stop at Taqa Castle and a viewpoint overlooking Taqa Beach before continuing on to Wadi Darbat. Because we’re visiting before the monsoon months, the wadi is completely dry with a trickle of a waterfall. Normally you would need a boat to cross the water to the pools but we walk across the rocks to get a closer view. July and August are the months to visit if you want to see this area lush and green.
Climbing into the mountains to 1200 metres, we reach Jabal Samhan. The jagged rocks overhang the rim of the mountain with a view extending to the Arabian Sea. We have lunch and the Mumbai boys join in the conversation asking us about what we do for work and where we’ve travelled. I mention that when I first started travelling the internet didn’t exist. The look on their faces! I tell them that I had to send letters and postcards to keep in touch with family, use paper maps and a travel book to figure out accommodation and where to visit. “It must have taught you much though. To rely on yourself to figure things out” one of them says.
As we drive, Abo Salim and I chat and he once again mentions that I must return to Oman to start our tour company.
“We will make much money” he says. “If you were staying longer, you could stay with my family in our camp. My wife would cook for you.”
I wish I did have more time as it would be such a learning experience to stay with a local family and have the opportunity to get to know an Omani woman. My interactions with them have been very few and far between.
I ask Abo Salim about the traditional Omani dress for the men and women and he explains. Men wear dishdasha’s. A collarless robe, usually white but sometimes coloured. No Omani man leaves the house without a head covering. He wears a Kumma. A round, tall cap with the rim folded inwards, often embroidered with colourful designs. Or a Massar, a colourful cashmere scarf wrapped around his head.
Women wear abayas. Usually black, the robes are floor length and flowing with colourful clothing underneath. No Omani woman leaves the house without a head covering. She wears a burqa that veils her face and head or a hijab, a scarf covering her head.
We make a couple more stops before heading back to the hotel and say our goodbyes to Abo Salim. I tell him I will be in touch in the future and I will bring many people to Oman. He mentions once again that it’s been a pleasure to meet us and thanks us for all our questions and interest in Oman and himself.
Tomorrow I leave Salalah for the long journey home with stops in Muscat, Dubai and Seattle before reaching Vancouver. Thank you Oman for your amazing hospitality, new friendships and beautiful country!
