Worldrecordtour, Weltrekordreise, Asia, Middle East, Oman, Muscat, Musandam, Pictures, Guinness Book of Records, Toyota, LandCruiser, Emil Schmid, Liliana Schmid

Pictures of our trip 2013 to Oman – part 3
- with our vehicle in March 2013:
Sur - East Coast - Island of Masirah - Dhofar

Oman 1999 - from mid-March to mid-April 1999
Oman 2013 – Part 1 - February 2013: Musandam Peninsula
Oman 2013 – Part 2 - February 2013: Sohar - Muscat - Rustaq - Nizwa
Oman 2013 – Part 4 - March 2013: Salalah & Surroundings (Dhofar) - Nizwa
Oman 2013 – Part 5 - March 2013: Western Hajar Mountains
(Oman 2013 – Part 6) - April 2013: Omani Madha Exclave in the UAE

Oman Map	Middle East Map
Oman Map	Middle East Map
latest picture: March 8, 2013 click a picture to see details


*130* Uniform mass settlements are the newest trend. They sprout everywhere like here in the Hail al Ghaf area near Qurayat. It’s said that these have been built for the victims of the category 5 super cyclon “Gonu” back in 2007	131 Two adorable little girls are sitting with a snack on the grass at the „Wadi Daykah“ Dam	132 The construction of the “Wadi Daykah” dam began in 2006 and was opened in March 2012. There is an attractive viewing area with picnic tables and flowers. Camping however is prohibited


*133* The green date palm oasis of Daykah spreads picturesquely along the dry wadi, framed by bare desert mountains. We remember bathing in the pools during our first visit in 1994, while being with friends on a “Wadi-Bashing” weekend	134 Like in every oasis, the ancient water system called “Falaj” is used to distribute water among the community at Daykah too	135 On the old road to Wadi Daykah, we find a lovely camping spot. Liliana is enjoying the peacefulness at breakfast


*136*	137	138
It is just amazing what different kind of flowers nature is producing even in the driest areas. They grow even between stones


*139* A little gem: The „Sink Hole“ near Dibab: The water is shimmering azure, tiny fishes swim around, birds fly in and out of small niches and all around are blooming flowers	140 Feral donkeys, which roam around peacefully, are an often and always an enjoyable encounter in Oman	141 Emil is filling a jerrycan of shower water at a fountain of the small village of Ash Shab near Tiwi. Mostly we can fill our water supplies only at mosques


*142* Along the East coast, there are miles of deserted beaches like her east of Dibab between Qurayat and Sur	143 Can a place be more peaceful? The fishing village of Fins between Qurayat and Sur	144 Coincidence or purpose? At the nostalgic fishing village of Fins we discover a wooden door with the Mitsubishi logo


*145* Along the rugged coastline at the „White Beach“ southeast of Fins we find a rocky outcrop with lovely view for our lunch .....	146 ..... Liliana is dealing with our new pressure cooker “made in India” on the new gas stove “made in China”	147 Once more the rising sun is announcing a new day – here near the „White Beach“


*148* Fishermen are checking their laid-out nets and head back to the shore	149 An Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is gliding through the skies scanning the region for potential carrions .....	150 .... shortly afterwards it is landing near our camp! – must have been an erroneous assessment


*151* The coastal village of Ash Shab/Tiwi northwest of Sur spreads a peaceful atmosphere with its fishing boats bobbing up and down	152 Tiwi is also the starting point for Wadi Ash Shab, to be explored by boat and by foot. Early morning, when the sun casts long shadows, the backdrop looks especially moody …..	153 ….. and at dusk when the sun is setting, it gets a mystical touch


*154*	155	156
Wadi Tiwi lies just east to Wadi Al Shab. It captivates with its wilderness and beauty, with its stunning mountain scenery, white boulders and emerald pools, with blooming trees and remote villages surrounded by green date palm plantations. The village is named ‘Harat Bidah’


*157* A female date palm branch: Date palms belong to each oasis. With their long roots they are able to fetch water from a depth up to 20 ft. (male branch see Oman 2 – pic #117)	158 Date palms need care too: At one of the Tiwi oases, a farmer removes dry leaves …..	159 ….. while his wife walks back from her garden with a freshly picked pumpkin on her shoulder


*160* It is spring time: The flowering tree with its golden yellow blossoms undermines the beauty of Wadi Tiwi	161 Our LandCruiser is on its exploring tour through the narrow Wadi Tiwi with its many bends	162 The crumbling tomb of Bibi Mariam in the village of Qalhat northwest of Sur sits picturesquely on a hill. Apparently Marco Polo visited it already in the 13th century


*163* On the eastside of Sur where fishing boats line the sandy beach, the white houses of the village of Ayjah gleam across the bay	164 One of the three watchtowers marking the safe passage for the dhows into the lagoon. Oman is known as great boat building nation and traditional dhows are still made by hand in Sur	165 The lighthouse and two watchtowers add to the charm on Sur’s corniche


*166* Traditional dhows line the shore of Ras al Hadd, Southeast of Sur. They are a reproduction of the dhow with which ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ sailed from Sohar around the world according to the saga	167 Ras al Hadd is considered the “last point” in the east of Oman and lies only 10 miles from the most eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula: Ras al Jinz	168 Liliana enjoys the start of a day at our idyllic camping spot between Ras al Hadd and Ras al Jinz


*169* The Ras al Jinz bay is a famous turtle nesting site. In the season from May to October yearly 30’000 of the endangered green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) are said to land here to lay their eggs. We saw their reproduction struggle in French Guiana	170 Two rather white-black flamingos (Phoenicopterus) stalk in a shallow lagoon	171 Camouflaged nearly to perfection: A tiny transparent gecko (Pristurus carteri) that we discovered on different camping spots


*172* We drive along the chain of dunes of the Wahiba Sands. The dunes respectively its valleys run more or less north to south and are interrupted by narrow channels where some greens are growing	173 What an adorable sight: Camel mother and baby walk through the desert in search of food. Like in the time of the 1940’s expedition of Wilfred Thesiger, camels are still used today for crossing the sands	174 Where the white crescentic dunes of the Wahiba Sands and the blue sea run into each other


*175* The ride along the coastal road towards the south is sandy and lonely. Now and then we encounter a Bedouin with his LandCruiser pickup, driving from or to his settlement	176 Landscape short of Qurun: Desert as far as the eye can see	177 This is how a Bedouin family lives in the sand near the sea. They even have a draw well


*178* Scattered Bedouin dwellings along the east coast show up now and then. Sometimes they are reached only by 4x4 through deep sand – here south of Qihayd	179 The desolate salt flat of Barr al-Hickman replaces the dune fields when we drive to the Shannah ferry terminal, where boats connect to the desert island of Masirah	180 The sun is setting at the ferry terminal of Shannah behind the dhows. We camp there to catch the morning ferry to Masirah Island


*181* Two dhows leave the ferry terminal of Shannah for the open sea. They are loaded with food, ice bags (to cool the fish catch) and heavy blue barrels with fuel	182 Our LandCruiser is on board the ferry to the remote island of Masirah. It costs Rial 10 = US$ 24 and it takes one hour	183 A special “passenger”: A camel with a red-white head scarf loaded on a pick-up is boarding the ferry to the Island of Masirah


*184* This is Hilf, the main town of Masirah Island – not much else than a quiet fishing community which has been spared from tourism yet	185 One wonderfully shaped bay after the other lines the west coast, one lovelier than the other. And all of them are deserted	186 Whenever screeching gulls gather, fishing boats came home with their catch


*187*	188	189
Be it at the seashore or in the mountains, on the remote Masirah Island even the dwellings radiate peace and solitude


*190* The East Coast with its blazing white sandy bays is the place where from May to October four species of turtles emerge from the sea to lay their eggs. 87% or 30’000 are “Loggerhead”. Others are “Hawksbill”, “Olive Ridley” and “Green Sea Turtles”	191 The “Lost Boat“ – a stranded dhow – at the West coast is the only “foreign body” at the remote beaches where snorkeling is wonderful. The boat is praised as a tourist attraction	192 Also the modest white mosque in front of the black hills reflects the simplicity of Masurah’s islanders’ life style


*193* There is not one guest at the lovely hotel pool with sea view at the ‘Masira Island Resort’ (formerly Swiss-Belhotel) except Liliana. Until now Masirah has been spared from mass tourism	194 Haqal, at Masirah’s eastside, is our most treasured spot on the island: The lagoon gleams in different colors	195 On our last desert camp on the Island of Masirah , two wild donkeys make for an unforgettable sunset

More websites from Oman: Oman 1999 - from mid-March to mid-April 1999 Oman 2013 – Part 1 - February 2013: Musandam Peninsula Oman 2013 – Part 2 - February 2013: Sohar - Muscat - Rustaq - Nizwa Oman 2013 – Part 4 - March 2013: Salalah & Surroundings (Dhofar) - Nizwa Oman 2013 – Part 5 - March 2013: Western Hajar Mountains (Oman 2013 – Part 6) - April 2013: Omani Madha Exclave in the UAE More websites from the Middle East: Fairytale Wedding in Dubai - United Arab Emirates - with our car from February 7th, to May 20th, 1999 Sharjah + Dubai: United Arab Emirates - without our vehicle from February 19th, to 27th, 2011 Sharjah/Dubai/1st Traveler's Festival/Emirates National Auto Museum - UAE with car Nov. 2012 to Jan. 2013 - part 1 Liwa - United Arab Emirates with our car in February 2013 - part 2 Al Ain, Eastcoast & Ras al Khaima - United Arab Emirates with our car in April 2013 - part 3 Welcome to Kuwait on March 3rd, 1996 Yemen car trip (from Oman to Saudi Arabia) - from May 16th, to June 15th, 1996 Sandstorm in Saudi Arabia on February 4th, 1999 Trip to Dubai in January and February 1999 Iran 2013 – Part 1: Ferry Port Bandar Abbas-Shiraz-Persepolis-Pasargad (between Persepolis and Yazd) Iran 2013 – Part 2: Pasargad (excl.)-Yazd-Esfahan – May 2013 Iran 2013 – Part 3: Esfahan (excl.)-Chelgerd-Hamadan-Sanandaj-Orumiyeh – May 2013 Turkey 2013 – Eastern Anatatolia - June 2013 Socotra - without our car from February 9th, to 19th, 2011: Part 1: Socotra trip in Yemen (East) – Hadibo - Dihamri - Arher Beach Part 2: Socotra trip in Yemen (South) – Homhil - Aomak Beach - Wadi Daerhu - Dicksam Plateau Part 3: Socotra trip in Yemen (West) – Qalansiya - Shouab Beach - Qadama Beach - Momi Plateau - Wadi Ayhaft