OH MY OMAN!
Guest Post by Hannah Copues
I was tiresome of holidaying in the buzzing metropolitan city destination, the crowded hubs that provide little more than historical enrichment and the adrenaline junkie holidays that leave you more than ready to hibernate in your comfy bed for about a year. I must admit and you can probably presume by my tone, that I was sufficiently intrepid to escape off the beaten track. After many tedious nights examining every travel magazine and brochure I could set my vulture-like eyes on, when I stumbled across the idea of visiting Oman, the prospect of traveling to (what I was promised) a deserted area of untouched beauty, without mounting a major expedition, seemed highly pleasing.
I was finally at peace, had satisfied my preferences and had escaped to Oman heaven! With 2700km of staggeringly beautiful empty sands, lonesome mountains that make perfect destinations to enjoy relaxing and pleasurable strolls and pristine landscapes, where you can discover adventurous mountain tracks and colourful nature, it’s no wonder I wasn’t craving the 24/7 club scene or greasy burger bars you can find in any ordinary 21st century holiday destination.
Many best know Oman for being a strategic location that plays a major role in many campaigns and regional conflicts in and around this region. If one thing was putting me off before I visited, it was this! However, let me put your mind at ease and assert that whilst I expected to see armed forces and a multitude of guns, this was scarce in the areas that I visited. Oman, overlooking the beautiful Arabian Sea, is home to some of the friendliest natives I have ever met. Disregard the comments you hear of British hostility or the brawling that occurs in the streets as a result of culture mixing. You’ll be happily invited to participate in and savour the traditional culture and folklore that make it such a unique destination.
In the Sharqiya Region you’ll discover some of Oman’s main attractions, like the beautiful beaches of Sur, turtle nesting sites in Ras Al-Jinz and the desert dunes of Sharqiya Sands. Obviously, travelling with company who had other needs apart from relaxation and escapism, they too became bewitched by Oman with all the other exciting experiences to be had. You can enrich the mind and dip into a sea of historical findings, when you explore the ancient tombs at Gaylah or architectural masterpieces of castles and religious sites. Now, I’m a girl’s girl and although I’d had enough of being bombarded with a mass of beautiful garments and accessories, even I’d admit that the shopping was sensational. My male company might disagree and boast about Oman’s diverse range of thrilling activities. If you’d be observing our holiday shots, you’d observe camel rides, scuba diving, caving, whale watching, four wheel drives, rock climbing…….I think you get the picture. Oh, but I didn’t mention excessive eating! The restaurants in Oman are to die for. Think cheap, charming and cheerful. From fusion cooking to Haute cuisine, we found a perfect and distinctly unique outlet from the last to dine in every evening, breakfast or lunchtime. The mouth-watering and artistically designed food made taking cuisine photos an expedition in itself.
So, I’ve shared my best-kept secret, or should I say Oman’s. Now that I’ve introduced you to the splendours and un-touched beauty of this region, perhaps I’ve defeated the object of escaping to unknown territories to find a little peace. Now, we’ll all be visiting! But with this in mind, I’ll leave you with a little anecdote to kick start your Oman experience. If someone greets you on the street saying, “Ahlan wa salan!” don’t expect the emergence of a hand gun and think you’re about to be arrested, simply nod and smile because it means ‘WELCOME’.
For more info on Oman please visit this site
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About The Author
Cecil Lee
The author is an avid traveler and photography hobbyist who loves to share with others his travel and photo-taking experience in many popular tourist destinations around Europe, Asia and Australasia. Read the exciting stories with many photos captured on his journeys.
