Pop out to see us . . .

. . said Nigel & Adrienne on their posting to Oman.  So we did.

The VISITEM that Nigel produced was definitely up to standard and our appetite was wetted with the expectation of a desert trip, turtle watching, souks, mosques and off-course, the Omani social event of the year, the Thin Red Line Ball.

Nervous of the 8 hr flight with little Owen, Oman Air could not have been more helpful and we arrived in good spirits.  Straight to the Officers Club for lunch and a dip in the pool was a great plan. 

Back to Nigel & Adrienne's' pad, which Owen successfully trashed, before we all fell victim to jetlag.

We were rudely awakened by Nigel at the crack of lunchtime.  Then we headed off to our overnight camp in the desert.  We had camel rides, dune bashing (we lost), a very tasty evening meal followed by sitting around a wonderful campfire while being kept replete with coffee.  No light pollution here and the stars at night we quite superb, and not spoilt by a Naval astronomical bore !

From the desert camp, we headed down the coast, past Sur and to Turtle Beach resort.  A little oasis with a small beach and excellent scope for snorkelling and general chilling - but equally importantly, cold beer for the men and white wine for the ladies.

Following the desert camp, Owen had developed a strange aversion to sand but was quickly put to shame and embarrassed by a 18 month baby girl who relished the sand.  He responded well and with a quick "how you doi'n", was soon back in the swing.

We also took the opportunity to visit the nearby turtle beach sanctuary where we saw a large green turtle lay her eggs . . and were doubly luck to see some young hatchlings emerge and make their way to the sea to start the cycle.  With a survival rate of only 0.4%, it reminded me of Nigel's No Limit Poker skill level.  Cheap holiday Oman !

We returned back to Muscat and enjoyed several days of relaxation which included trips to the Grand Mosque, local souk, City Centre shopping complex . . . along with some excellent restaurants and coffee shops.  We had a great barbecue evening with Tim and Susanne, and a fantastic day on Nigel's 56' yacht . . . even if the poop deck was out of action.  The last night saw us all at the Thin Red Line Ball which was a superb do and enjoyed by all.  All too soon, the curtain came down on a fantastic trip to Oman.  Thanks Nigel - anytime you want to visit Bristol . . . .