Beyond Oman: Diving in the Red Sea

Leaving it so long to write up this post has worked out quite well. It's nice to reminisce about the last holiday and the last time I was able to dive before I found out I was expecting. We visited Egypt in February going primarily because of a friends wedding, but deciding to make a diving and a sight-seeing break out of it, too. This post will focus on the diving holiday.

The Red Sea is probably one of the best-known diving and snorkelling locations, and I can see why. That said, February isn't the best time of year to go, but more on that later.

We decided to stay away from the typical resort location of Sharm El Sheik and stay a little outside of Hurghada in Safaga. Although from Europe it is one flight straight to Hurghada, we had to take three. Oman to Amman, Amman to Cairo, and Cairo to Hurghada. On arrival, we were picked up by a very entertaining driver called Mahmood who spent the journey telling us all the problems with Egypt and the Middle East and what he would do to solve them. He also told us just how bad the tourism situation was. Ours was the first job he had had in a week. I expected the area to be quite (February isn't peak diving season), but not as quite as it was. Our resort had a total of five guests, and that was after we arrived. The other resorts in the area had similar numbers. So great for tourists looking for a cheap deal, but not so good for the locals trying to make a living.

We stayed at Orca Village, a hotel linked to the Orca Dive Resort. The general idea behind a diving holiday is that is all you do. Our routine was to rise early for breakfast, get on the boat at 8 am, and then spend the day at sea. The diving only takes up two hours, and you don't even travel that far out to get to the dive sites, but you spend a lot of time just relaxing and enjoying the ocean. We would arrive back at the dock/hotel at around 4 pm, shower and rest, then dinner at around 7 and bed by 9 pm, ready to repeat the whole thing the next day.

Before this trip, I'd only ever travelled by speed boat to dive sites, which isn't the most comfortable way of travelling. While the Orca Dive Club owns a few different boats, because of the locations we were visiting and the number of guests we spent all our days on the Alia 3, which is a nice big boat with a good area for kitting up and a sundeck to relax on in between dives. Lunch was freshly prepared on the boat every day and never failed to impress. Diving is one of those things that makes you very hungry and a lot of the time any food will do, but the guys on the boat did a great job, and every day was different. The dinner at the hotel was also fantastic, and catering for such a small number of people meant that we had what seemed more like home cooking than your typical hotel buffet.

Wow, all these words, and no mention of the diving yet. No surprises that it was amazing. The Red Sea is full of coral and lots of interesting sea life, and the visibility was always great. We mostly saw small things, and it was nice that a lot of them were things we hadn't seen before, but there is big stuff to be seen (sharks, dolphins, etc.) at the right time of year and site.

Rather than waffle on much more, I'll leave you to enjoy lots of pictures instead. We also fit in our advanced diving course out there, which worked out cheaper than Oman and were lucky to get an excellent instructor. If I had to pick a negative about the whole trip, it's that the water was freezing! As I mentioned before February is not diving season and even with a thermal rash guard, two thick wetsuits and a hood, I found it pretty cold. But, that just gives us an excuse to go back in the summer when the water is warm and you don't even need a wetsuit.

Beyond Oman: A long weekend in the Maldives

It feels like an age since I came back from holiday. In my last post I mentioned I wasn’t sure if I should share my travels, but then remembered that I have a tab on this blog labelled "Beyond Oman,' which means I must have already thought and decided at some point that I should.


I’ve been lucky enough to go on two holidays in the last three months, one was our main "summer holiday" to Singapore and Bali, the second was a short break to the Maldives to take advantage of the national day holidays.

We booked the Maldives on a whim and made the mistake trying to be clever by predicting the dates of the national day leave, which cost us an extra 80 OMR in changed flight fees. We flew with Oman Air, which is a direct flight and takes around 4 hours. I’m the type of person that irrespective of impending holidays hunts for deals and the best hotel and places to stay so I already had in mind that — as much as I would love a luxury resort — because the main focus of this holiday was to go diving, we would opt for an affordable hotel on one of the inhabited islands. 1) To save on cost and 2) because if we were under the sea for the majority of the days, we wouldn't actually get to properly enjoy any fancy resort. I’ll add a third reason here, 3) I already knew I would want an excuse to go back!

The hotel we chose was called Stingray Beach Inn, on the Island of Maafushi, which is one of the larger and well-known inhabited islands. It had great reviews on TripAdvisor and I was impressed with the communication of the owner before our arrival. It turned out to be a great choice. While the room was nothing to write home about in terms of decoration or facilities, it did have a very comfortable bed, which after a long and tiring day was wonderful to collapse onto. We paid $100 a night, plus taxes (peak season rates) for bed and breakfast. Another really nice addition was that the hotel organises day trips. We did one our last day, and the trip was planned so that we could still come back to the hotel, shower, and then leave for the airport. It's such a small detail, but having the trip organised around our schedule and still having our room to use after the usual check-out time meant we got to enjoy our last day rather than wasting the time waiting to leave. The trip consisted of dolphin watching, snorkelling (twice) and lunch on a sandbank (which was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen). And that was all for $30 each.

We arranged our transfer to and from the airport via the hotel, too. This transfer, irrespective of where you are staying (be it Maafushi or a private resort) is almost as expensive as your flight to get there. For a private speedboat, the price is around $300 for a round trip (this goes up in peak season) or if you are willing to share (of course you are) that drops to half the price. Each hotel seems to have its own speedboat and I really can't figure out why the costs are so high, possibly because your only other option would be to swim. That's a lie, there is a ferryboat to Maafushi, but this takes four times as long and is only once a day. Transferring from a plane to a boat is a unique experience, the journey took about 30 minutes and in that time you get to appreciate why the Maldives is such a dream destination. There are clear blue and green waters and huge white clouds that seem close enough to touch, and the weather that is just right.

Maafushi itself is an interesting island and I appreciated getting to see this real side to the Maldives. You are warned that being an inhabited island you must be respectful of the people and culture (because it is an Islamic country), which means no walking around in a bikini (although I did see girls in hot pants). Apparently, the island has 2500 inhabitants, although in our four days there I struggled to figure out where they were, we seemed to see the same staff and tourists roaming around, and even walking around in the "back streets" I could barely recognise what peoples homes were. The island takes about 30 minutes to walk around, on one end you have the guest houses/hotels and bikini beach, and as you walk towards the other you get to a football pitch, mosques, a rubbish dump, and then a prison — maybe that’s where the rest of the inhabitants are?

As I mentioned, this was predominantly a diving holiday. We booked six dives over two days with Maafushi Dive, who were great. On a few occasions, we had the whole crew and boat to ourselves, the team did everything for us in terms of set-up and took us to some fantastic sites. The highlight of the trip for me was hanging out with a turtle for a good five minutes (they are normally quick to swim away) and seeing grey reef sharks and eagle rays. Probably the only downside to Maafushi was the food, the quality wasn't that great and neither was the service in some places. If you like grilled fish, that is really your best choice. We did find one place where I got to try a traditional Maldivian dish, which was very nice. It was described to me as tuna in a sauce with chapati, but it was all mixed together. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name.

Now, would you believe me if I told you that after describing what a great time we had that it actually rained the majority of the time? December happens to be the wettest month. I think that's the funny thing about living in Oman. A couple of years ago I would have cried if I had paid to go on holiday and it rained. Now a bit of rain anywhere is welcome.

Well, that was a lengthy post, and that was only to cover a four-day trip! I’ll leave you with some of my favourite shots above and below sea level.

Life Lately: Home Sweet Home Part II

I'm back! Admittedly, this post is up much later than intended because I was a little grumpy earlier this week: a combination of the holiday blues and the fact that it was still ridiculously hot. This weekend seems to be the sign that winter is coming, and I say, roll on!

I thought I would share some the highlights of my trip, before jumping back into life here in Oman, so here goes.

 

Bread baking at the E5 Bakehouse

I've mentioned before that I miss real bread, so my dad treated me to a baking course at the E5 Bakehouse. They are purists when it comes to bread, and they keep it all very simple based on the principles that all you need is flour, water, and salt. I currently have my sourdough starter brewing and, if it does what it is supposed to, and I can make my own bread here, who knows, I might start a bakery....or at least share the recipe.

Prudential Ride London
What a fantastic day out this was. The weather was perfect; warm, but with a breeze. The roads in and around the city were closed off for cyclists only to enjoy. I understand it was a complete pain for drivers, but while I have always enjoyed walking around central London (and I have done the night marathon in the past) it was nice to see the place from a different angle and get back on a bike again! The organisation of the event was excellent, plenty of pit stops to rest, grab a drink, or get your bike repaired, as well as entertainment too. I'm hoping I will be back in town again next year to do it again.

Wings and a view
My cousin turned 18 earlier in the year and as part of belated birthday celebrations we took him for his first night out. We started on Brick Lane with Sticky Wings, an unusual choice of restaurant for an area known for curry, but they were amazing. I had the buffalo wings style with a ranch dressing. We then made our way to Madison Roof Garden, which has a fantastic view over the city. Again the weather was just right for spending outside.

Cheap eats
You can probably tell by now, I really liked eating this trip. Another standout meal was at Flat Iron, where you get the most tender steak I have ever had and all for the grand total of £10 (that's about 6OMR). They also had a unique knife to use, a mini cleaver, and I am someone who loves those quirky touches.

The Woman in Black

This play has been on my to-see list for a while, and it was fantastic. I don't want to give away anything about the story, all I knew before seeing it was that it was a ghost story and an old-fashioned one at that. The atmosphere was set in the theatre perfectly, and what was most impressive is that the cast was just two.

As much as I love and miss London, I am looking forward to winter in Oman: getting the BBQ out again, road trips, and just being able to be outside. Let me know what your favourite thing about winter in Oman is. 

Life lately: Home Sweet Home

I can't quite believe I am already half-way through my visit back home. I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive about coming back. I had been told that expats can end up having expectations of home that don't match the reality and the result is this feeling that home isn't quite home anymore.

I'm glad to say that all my fears were unfounded and I am having a wonderful break. So far I've spent a lot of time with friends and family, eaten in some fantastic restaurants, and just enjoyed being able to walk around without dripping in sweat.

What has been really nice though is experiencing London a little like a tourist again. When you are travelling through the city every day it is easy to stop noticing things -- I tended to stick my head in a newspaper or a book and never really looked around -- travelling on the underground or train now I've just taking the opportunity to appreciate the sights and soak up the atmosphere.

I've been a rubbish at taking photographs, but I'll make sure I do better this week and share those with you next time.

I'm leavin' on a jet plane....

You know I have never actually heard "Leaving on a Jet Plane" but for some reason I always sing it as a rap in my head.

Anyway, tonight I leave for three weeks in London. To say I am excited is an understatement. I do plan to keep posting here, but we'll see what time allows. I've jammed packed myself with activities, lunches, dinners, and activities pretty much straight from landing. If you are interested in seeing what I am getting up to though I will keep social media updated, mostly my Facebook and Instagram pages. 

Before Ramadan, I also downloaded Periscope and intended to start live streaming parts of my day in Oman. Then my days got very boring, so instead, if I am brave enough, I'll give this a try for the first time in London. 

Until next time, Eid Mubarak! I hope the unexpected dates didn't ruin too many people's plans! Let me know what you will be getting up to this long weekend. 

Beyond Oman: One week in Koh Samui

My probation period at work is over and I've had the luxury of being able to plan and book my future holidays. The plan, while based here, is to explore the east while we can enjoy the reduced traveling time. We spent our honeymoon last year in Thailand, with four days in Bangkok doing the typical tourist attractions and one week on the beautiful island of Koh Samui.

Join me as I reminisce...

We flew to the island from Bangkok airport via Bangkok Airlines. They are the only airline that fly directly to the island, or you need to make the journey by boat. We stayed at the SeaDance resort, which had only been open a matter of months by the time of our stay. The resort was new and the staff friendly and keen to do all they could to make our stay a pleasant one. I loved our room, which was decorated beautifully, and we had a fantastic view of the pool and the sea when we woke each morning. Although the hotel hasn't defined itself as a couples hotel, I would say it is more suited for couples or friends than a family.

Day 1

Having arrived late the previous night we spent the first day lounging by the pool, tanning and, after all that relaxation, went for a pamper session at a local salon. We enjoyed an herbal ball massage, a traditional full-body oil massage, and a facial.

Day 2

While my husband spent the day scuba diving, I spent the day with Sonja, a French/Italian German-born trained chef, who has lived on Koh Samui for the past 17 years. She taught me how to cook three Thai dishes: Tom Yum soup, green curry, and Pad Thai. The class was one-on-one and got to benefit from being able to ask questions whenever I needed. Sonja is a character, and she had me giggling all day as she shared her anecdotes of life on the island. Although I have only attempted some of the dishes a handful of times, Sonja really got me excited about cooking and I was much more happy to be a bit adventurous with our meals when we got back home, which my husband appreciates.

Day 3
We enjoyed another semi-chill day, we hired a moped for our time on the island as it was the easiest way to travel around. We visited Fisherman's village for lunch and my husband had what he still considers the best meal of his life at the Happy Elephant restaurant (pictured).

Day 4

We hit the waters on our fourth day and set sail on the Chantara, Junk Boat. According to the captain, the idea behind the day was to do whatever we wanted as long as we had fun. We sat outside and caught some more sun, and after a while had lunch, which was freshly prepared on the boat. We then stopped a bit for snorkeling and continued towards the island of Koh Lanta, which is meant to have a gorgeous beach. Unfortunately, we got hit with heavy rain and ended up inside the boat, which turned out to be just as fun as the staff kept us entertained and provided hot drinks and nibbles while we headed back to the island. Even though the day didn't quite go to plan, we still had a great time. Actually, it rained every day we were in Koh Samui, but it is usually not for long and you can’t complain about it because it is what makes the place so beautifully green.

Day 5

After a day at sea, we headed up to the hills of Koh Samui and spent a day riding a Polaris quad car. It was essentially a tour of the island, with stops to take pictures and appreciate the beauty of the island from a high point. After a home cooked Thai lunch, we then visited the waterfall, which was the highlight of the trip for me.

Day 6

For our final full day on the island, we decided to hit the road on our moped. The island only has one main road, which does a full circle, and it is small enough that you can drive around it in a couple of hours. We stopped at a pub, run by an Englishman, who had been living on the island for 20 years. The location was quite isolated, which can said of any part of the island once you get away from the main tourist areas. It was here we decided that our retirement plans include running some sort of guest house somewhere beautiful.

Day 7

For our last few hours in Koh Samui we decided to treat ourselves to a visit to Eranda Spa, after checking out of our hotel we had a few hours to kill and a pamper session before the long flight home seemed like the best way to end our trip. After picking the various scents of the scrubs and oils we wanted used to our own hut where we were left to start with the steam room and jacuzzi before, getting our scrub, wrap, massage and finally a facial. The whole treatment took around 3.5 hours, and in between each treatment we were provided with drinks and even a cake. It was the perfect way to end the holiday. 

This year we will be visiting Singapore and Bali, and I can't wait. I have been using TripIt to organise all our bookings and to come up with a rough itinerary. If you have any suggestions for activities, or places to stay I would love to hear them.

Beyond Oman: A long weekend in Dubai and great Eggspectations

To make the most of the first long weekend since the beginning of the year, we decided to visit Dubai for a bit of a change of pace.

I still can't decide if flying or driving is a better option; this time we drove. I really enjoy the drive, which is easy for me to say as a passenger. I like to see the sudden flick in the landscape from mountains to sand dunes. The entering and exiting borders multiple times is a bit annoying though. Depending on the driver, and how busy the border is, the drive takes between 4 to 5 hours.

We took advantage of a 2 for 1 voucher we had for the Movenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta, a beautiful 5* hotel located just outside of the main stretch of the city. I could see the Ibn Battuta mall from my hotel room, which was a sight for sore eyes. 

And that was pretty much what our weekend was made up of: walking around malls and eating junk food, of course. In our defence, unless we were going to hit the water park it was too hot for anything else. I'm not sure if it is as hot here? I saw a lot of people on Jumeriah beach turning a nice shade of pink and as inviting as the beach front looks with its sunbeds and umbrellas I decided to stay indoors. 

We ended up at the Jumeriah Beach Residence area because we were looking for a restaurant I had seen blogged about: Eggspectation. 

Unsurprisingly, they serve a lot of egg-based dishes. Omlettes, pancakes, French toast, etc., but there are also burgers, salads, and a healthy section. The concept is all-day dining and if you are after brunch then the place is ideal.

My one-word review?  It was "Eggcelent". My favourite of the dishes we tried was called Eggstravaganza, which was a combination of sausages or bacon, fried eggs, potatoes, and French toast. Completely indulgent and probably awful for you, but since we had the Dubai Mall to work our way around we were sure to burn off the calories. 

Surprisingly, I was quite restrained shopping wise. I got some books that I couldn't get here and just a few bits of makeup. Ladies (and men) if you are interested you can take a look at those, here.

I would quite like to make a trip to Dubai a regular thing, it would be nice to use each visit as an opportunity to explore a different part without the pressures you would normally have if you were only there for a one-week holiday. I’m specifically thinking of the old side of town.

Do you use Dubai as a break from Muscat and if so where do you go?

What travel means to me...

I've been thinking a lot lately about the direction of this blog, is it a lifestyle blog or a travel one? Should I be providing more advice about the every-day aspects of life abroad, specifically in Muscat? Or do I just carry on with my haphazard ramblings and see what happens?

Which brought me to the idea of travel in general and what it means to me, so here is my list:

…I get the opportunity to discover different ways people do life and the way they think about it.

…I get to act (and dress) like a tourist because really is there anything better than getting to act whichever way you want?

…It gives me the chance to make every moment a memory.

…For a short while, I can enjoy not being in control and living outside of my comfort zone.

…I get a reminder that there really is Life outside the M25.

…I get the constant opportunity to learn and grow.

So tell me, what does travel mean to you?

Road trip: Dubai visa run

Until my spouse visa is sorted I will have to take monthly trips out of the country to renew my tourist visa. For the first trip, along with my brother-in-laws family, we decided to visit Dubai.

Having two young kids with us we decided that driving would be the easier than flying, plus I was glad to have the opportunity to see a bit more of Oman.

Depending on how fast you drive, and how long you it takes you to get through the border, the journey to Dubai can take anywhere between 4 and 6 hours.

The longest portion of the journey is between Muscat and the United Arab Emirates border. The border itself is very strange, you go through a process of exiting Oman and entering the UAE about four times, needing to get permission to leave, permission to enter, stamped out of Oman and then finally allowed in to the UAE. I don’t quite understand the reasoning but we were lucky that both there and back there was no queue.

It is immediately obvious when you have entered the UAE, the landscape is drastically different compared to Oman. The UAE has the landscape you would imagine a desert to have, and a bit more green than I expected, whereas Oman has mountains and is more rocky.

It probably goes without saying that the city of Muscat and of Dubai are not comparable either, the skyline of Dubai made up of highrise buildings and there are pockets of construction everywhere as they add to the city.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get much of a chance to soak up the atmosphere of the city during this trip, other than to renewing my visa, we needed to visit Ikea (there isn’t one in Oman) and add a bit more furniture to the flat.

I almost thought about blogging about that experience separately because shopping in Ikea is normally stressful enough without it also being the first newly-weds home shopping trip. Ultimately it was a success though and we managed to walk away with a lot of boxes of things for the flat, and we were still talking to each other.

I’m going to Dubai again in just over a week, but this time on a girly trip with my mum and sister, which should be a lot more fun.