xXx
Monday 1 August 2011
Tuesday 26 July 2011
As Sifah Beach
The drive to As Sifah beach takes you around 90km south of Muscat past the rugged terrain and small villages that are typical of this part of the world. The first half of our jouney was easy enough, with a decent road system taking us to a place called Yiti. Following Yiti however the roads become less easy to negotiate and a 4x4 is a must - as a relative novice to off-road driving I was slightly nervous at some points! You really feel like you are experiencing the real Oman when you venture out of Muscat and passing through small villages along the way adds to the feeling of authenticity. The villages are as you would imagine: small houses and lots of goats.
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A smooth part of road on the way to As Sifah.
Passing through a village.
The views of the mountains are really spectacular, despite the arid-ness of the surroundings. On arrival at As Sifah beach the soft sands really captured my attention, they are so uninterrupted compared to those within Muscat. Unfortunately some rather selfish people had parked cars in such a way that they blocked off entry to the most expansive stretch of beach, however we still nabbed ourselves a stunning spot and were able to enjoy the setting just as much.
xXx
Friday 22 July 2011
Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
We visited the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque a while ago now but its beauty is still etched in my mind and it is definitely worthy of a post! The Mosque sits beside a main road cutting through Muscat and so cannot be missed. Its car park is huge, providing plenty of parking for the 20,000 worshipers the mosque can accommodate. On entering you are reminded of the conservative dress of the Islamic faith and it is vital that men are covered down the the wrists and ankles and ladies from head to toe. The Mosque really is spectacular. Its marble floors and clean cut lines sparkle in the sun.
The mosque is formed of a main prayer hall, or musalla, a women's musalla and a number of courtyards and passageways. The main musalla can accommodate around 6,500 worshipers and the women's around 750. The rest worship in the surrounding areas. The main musalla is beautiful and houses the worlds second largest hand woven prayer carpet (the largest I believe is in Abu Dhabi). Apparently it weighs 21 tonnes (!) and took around 4 years to make. (Shoes aren't allowed to be worn in the main hall and are left outside in specially designated pigeon holes.)
Additionally the main hall has the most spectacular chandelier, which I think is also up there in terms of largest chandeliers in the world. The carved patterns on the wooden doors and pretty designs on the tiled walls are proof of the level of care and detailing put into the design of the mosque. The women's musalla is less impressive and detailed as the main hall but fits its purpose all the same.
It is worth walking all around the passageways as you come across small study areas, wash areas and pretty garden areas.
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The mosque is formed of a main prayer hall, or musalla, a women's musalla and a number of courtyards and passageways. The main musalla can accommodate around 6,500 worshipers and the women's around 750. The rest worship in the surrounding areas. The main musalla is beautiful and houses the worlds second largest hand woven prayer carpet (the largest I believe is in Abu Dhabi). Apparently it weighs 21 tonnes (!) and took around 4 years to make. (Shoes aren't allowed to be worn in the main hall and are left outside in specially designated pigeon holes.)
Additionally the main hall has the most spectacular chandelier, which I think is also up there in terms of largest chandeliers in the world. The carved patterns on the wooden doors and pretty designs on the tiled walls are proof of the level of care and detailing put into the design of the mosque. The women's musalla is less impressive and detailed as the main hall but fits its purpose all the same.
It is worth walking all around the passageways as you come across small study areas, wash areas and pretty garden areas.
xXx
Friday 17 June 2011
Driving in Oman
Driving here is a crazy, stressful experience that provides entertainment if nothing else. Luckily for me I haven't had to drive yet (yet being the optimum word as my time will come I am sure) and have only had the pleasure of experiencing Omani driving as a passenger...worse than being the driver in some ways! Obviously they drive on the right hand side of the road and everyone (almost) drives an automatic. The issue is that there seems to be an apparent lack of awareness or commonsense when it comes to maneuvering the vehicles between cars and lanes. Its not that the drivers can't control the vehicles, its everything else that is so dodgy! Theory tests here don't exist. They drive at ridiculously high speeds (or far too slow), don't use indicators and some even sit in the car as though they are on a sofa at home, with one leg tucked up under the other and one hand constantly on their mobile phones...its insane. If I didn't find it all entertaining I would be scared to sit in a car at times! I am definitely going to get myself a big 4x4 when I can!!
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xXx
Saturday 11 June 2011
DUBAI!
Oli and I visited Dubai for the first time earlier this week, staying over for one night. We flew out of Muscat at 8am and landed 50mins later in the UAE giving us two full days to explore. Dubai is nothing like I have experienced before - a strange mix of so many different places all coming together to form something I can't quite categorise. The city doesn't seem to have a set identity but rather feels like a combination of Muscat, L.A., Spain and Shanghai, a bizarre mix enhanced by the presence of so many different nationalities (80% of the population are expatriates). The airport is clean, modern and impressive and its exterior is akin to that of Heathrow T5. Travelling only with hand luggage we could bypass luggage claim and exit the airport quickly. Travelling to Dubai is made even easier by the added bonus of free visa's for British citizens.
The Metro became our most frequented form of transport and cheaply and conveniently got us from A-B with little hassle. It was a dream to use the transport system after having had to rely solely on the use of a car in Oman. That said, it became apparent that Dubai would be far easier to explore with our own transport.
After a brief visit to Khalid Bin Al Waleed station (an area not dissimilar to Muscat) we headed in the direction of our Hotel - the Shangri-La! Last minute booking pays off sometimes and we were lucky enough to get a great deal on a room there. The hotel is located down Sheikh Zayad road - the huge, crazily busy highway that runs parallel to the beach. My first impression of the road was influenced by the hugely tall buildings lining the street. The architecture is impressive and super modern but feels almost as though it doesn't quite fit. Our hotel room was on the 21st floor, giving us a fab view of the city and excitingly the Burj Khalifa - the tallest building in the world!
The summer heat meant that sightseeing was not as easy as in the winter months however we were able to visit the Dubai Mall, the Mall of the Emirates and the Burj Al Arab hotel. We also managed to take a water bus down the Creek (a stretch of water dividing Dubai in two). The Dubai Mall (a metro ride and short bus ride away) is amazing and heaven for those who love to shop. It has absolutely everything you could need and ranges from affordable shops such as H&M up to the beautiful but largely unaffordable designer shops. It was reassuring to see so many shops from back home including Debenhams, Boots, New Look etc. The food options are expansive and we ate lunch in a great value cafe which I will most definitely visit again when we are next in the city. The mall also has an ice rink, a cinema, water features and a Waitrose! Outside of the Mall is a great view of the Burj Khalifa.
The Mall of the Emirates, though slightly smaller than the Dubai Mall, is large and beautifully decorated. The colouring and use of street lamps gives the mall a luxurious, French feel.
We visited the Burj Al Arab hotel in the evening excited to see it all lit-up. Only guests can enter the hotel so we were limited to only enjoying the exterior of the hotel.
Much of Dubai is beautifully designed and well maintained. Its buildings are wonderful and the green palm trees and park areas help make the city more attractive. There are however parts of Dubai that hint at the divide between the haves and have-nots and its is clear that the city is still developing. In my opinion Dubai has a way to go in terms of developing its unique identity, its Arabic traditions seem somewhat quashed from sight and becoming a fully developed place is a little way off. However, it is an exciting, young and vibrant place which is definitely worth a visit.
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The Metro became our most frequented form of transport and cheaply and conveniently got us from A-B with little hassle. It was a dream to use the transport system after having had to rely solely on the use of a car in Oman. That said, it became apparent that Dubai would be far easier to explore with our own transport.
Picture of the a Metro Station Stop.
After a brief visit to Khalid Bin Al Waleed station (an area not dissimilar to Muscat) we headed in the direction of our Hotel - the Shangri-La! Last minute booking pays off sometimes and we were lucky enough to get a great deal on a room there. The hotel is located down Sheikh Zayad road - the huge, crazily busy highway that runs parallel to the beach. My first impression of the road was influenced by the hugely tall buildings lining the street. The architecture is impressive and super modern but feels almost as though it doesn't quite fit. Our hotel room was on the 21st floor, giving us a fab view of the city and excitingly the Burj Khalifa - the tallest building in the world!
View from our hotel room.
The summer heat meant that sightseeing was not as easy as in the winter months however we were able to visit the Dubai Mall, the Mall of the Emirates and the Burj Al Arab hotel. We also managed to take a water bus down the Creek (a stretch of water dividing Dubai in two). The Dubai Mall (a metro ride and short bus ride away) is amazing and heaven for those who love to shop. It has absolutely everything you could need and ranges from affordable shops such as H&M up to the beautiful but largely unaffordable designer shops. It was reassuring to see so many shops from back home including Debenhams, Boots, New Look etc. The food options are expansive and we ate lunch in a great value cafe which I will most definitely visit again when we are next in the city. The mall also has an ice rink, a cinema, water features and a Waitrose! Outside of the Mall is a great view of the Burj Khalifa.
A view of a water fall feature in the mall.
A view of the Burj Khalifa (what I could fit in the camera!).
The ice rink.
The Mall of the Emirates, though slightly smaller than the Dubai Mall, is large and beautifully decorated. The colouring and use of street lamps gives the mall a luxurious, French feel.
Inside the Mall of the Emirates.
We visited the Burj Al Arab hotel in the evening excited to see it all lit-up. Only guests can enter the hotel so we were limited to only enjoying the exterior of the hotel.
The Burj Al Arab at night.
Much of Dubai is beautifully designed and well maintained. Its buildings are wonderful and the green palm trees and park areas help make the city more attractive. There are however parts of Dubai that hint at the divide between the haves and have-nots and its is clear that the city is still developing. In my opinion Dubai has a way to go in terms of developing its unique identity, its Arabic traditions seem somewhat quashed from sight and becoming a fully developed place is a little way off. However, it is an exciting, young and vibrant place which is definitely worth a visit.
xXx
Friday 3 June 2011
Interior Design
All this moving we have been doing over the past week or so got me thinking about Omani interior design. We have visited a number of local curtain and furniture stores including a small curtain store in Al Ghubra, the Marina in Qurum, and Home Centre in Muscat City Centre. In traditional Arabic style much of the furniture is rich in colour and extravagant in design. Unless you were to visit Ikea up in Dubai its unlikely you will come across minimalist furnishings. Interior design here is impressive and luxurious and I love it (perhaps not to live with all the time mind you.) Wood is covered in intricately carved patterns and is all solid and somewhat overpowering. Gold, orange and red are really popular colours, particularly for curtains and bed linen. I adore the little ornaments you can find in the souks and shopping malls, especially if you spend some time looking around: small camels, elephants, kunja's and so on. Lanterns are popular too and in the evenings they really help create a magical atmosphere.
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(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/48/143296192_bf923173e0.jpg)
xXx
Saturday 28 May 2011
The Chedi
I absolutely LOVE The Chedi. Its like stepping into a magical oasis of calm and beautiful architectural style. Its one of Muscats luxury hotels, located along the beach near Al Ghubrah / Al Khuwair, and really is worth a visit. The bar offers interesting fruity mocktails. I tried a refreshing one made with soda water, lime, lychees and blueberries. I've not eaten there or managed to use the gym/pool/spa but have wondered down to the private beach and walked around all the small turquoise pools/water features which just add to the zen-like sense of relaxation. The only down side of the hotel is the lack of air con in the bar (the fans aren't really enough when its 45 degrees outside) and walking around the water pools is potentially hazardous if you don't watch where you were going!
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xXx
Friday 27 May 2011
Lulu Hypermarket
Such an experience shopping in Lulu's is that I feel it deserves its own post. Not the only food shop in Muscat, but definitely one of the largest. The store is HUGE. It is something akin to a large warehouse with a higgledy piggledy (spelling?!) car park; bright signage that lights up like a casino come the evening; and is full of all the food you could possibly want plus tonnes of non-food stuff. The fruit selection is amazing. The store was busy when we went and full of a diversity of people from all, it seems, the different ethnic groups within Muscat; shopping becomes a cultural experience unto itself.
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xXx
Saturday 21 May 2011
The Dive Centre
Yesterday we spent a few hours down at the Oman Dive Centre, located about half an hour away from the centre of Muscat between Qantab and Barr Al Jissah. The centre is specifically designed for diving, snorkling, dolphin cruises and the like. We went just to use the beach and restaurant but are definitely going to hire some snorkeling equipment next time we go. The centre is a sited within a cove where the water stays shallow for a long way out. Its full of all sorts of marine life. We even saw a turtle!
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There is also a restaurant (The Odyssey Restaurant) and beach side bar and for those wanting to stay longer than a day the centre offers accommodation in the form of Barasti huts (traditional Omani huts; Barasti refers to the material they are made from).
xXx
Friday 13 May 2011
Heating up
How annoying...I spent ages the other day redesigning my blog and writing another entry only to go back onto blogger today and find its all vanished!! Stupid computers. Anyway I shall attempt at remembering what I wrote.
Temperatures are really starting to heat up here, the car has been registering 46C! The locals have been saying how its a lot hotter for this time of year than usual, even for Oman, but I don't expect it'll ever go much above 49/50 degrees (thank goodness!). Its really funny living somewhere where its constantly hot and even going for walks late in the evening is a challenge, quite like walking in a sauna. Occasionally there's a nice breeze but even the wind is hot! The ocean water is lovely and warm and it feels like your'e swimming in a warm (though rather salty) bath. The sun has heated all the water pipes, a little annoying as things like brushing your teeth become a little unpleasant! Also the cars have slightly different tires so they don't skid on the warm roads and forgetting to put the sun screen up in the car window is a mistake not to be made! I can quite imagine how visiting England will be a refreshing break (though I'm not quite sick of the endless sunshine just yet :-p).
You would have thought that with the rising temperatures insects and bugs would be far and few between here by now. However, as my legs found out the other evening, mosquitoes are still annoyingly abundant! Also cockroaches like to find their way into the bathroom in the middle of the night (not a pleasant sight when you wake at 3am...). Apparently all the drains get sprayed with something to kill off all the bugs soon, yay! I haven't seen any spiders (yet) though Oli had to remove one from the bathroom the other evening...there was no way I was going in there until it had gone! There are also a few funny looking wasps and ants are a little irritating but generally insects are not too different to England.
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Temperatures are really starting to heat up here, the car has been registering 46C! The locals have been saying how its a lot hotter for this time of year than usual, even for Oman, but I don't expect it'll ever go much above 49/50 degrees (thank goodness!). Its really funny living somewhere where its constantly hot and even going for walks late in the evening is a challenge, quite like walking in a sauna. Occasionally there's a nice breeze but even the wind is hot! The ocean water is lovely and warm and it feels like your'e swimming in a warm (though rather salty) bath. The sun has heated all the water pipes, a little annoying as things like brushing your teeth become a little unpleasant! Also the cars have slightly different tires so they don't skid on the warm roads and forgetting to put the sun screen up in the car window is a mistake not to be made! I can quite imagine how visiting England will be a refreshing break (though I'm not quite sick of the endless sunshine just yet :-p).
You would have thought that with the rising temperatures insects and bugs would be far and few between here by now. However, as my legs found out the other evening, mosquitoes are still annoyingly abundant! Also cockroaches like to find their way into the bathroom in the middle of the night (not a pleasant sight when you wake at 3am...). Apparently all the drains get sprayed with something to kill off all the bugs soon, yay! I haven't seen any spiders (yet) though Oli had to remove one from the bathroom the other evening...there was no way I was going in there until it had gone! There are also a few funny looking wasps and ants are a little irritating but generally insects are not too different to England.
xXx
Wednesday 4 May 2011
Tuesday 3 May 2011
Women in Oman
I thought it may be interesting to post an entry on what it is like to be a women out here (from a westerners point of view).
Other than that, being a women out here is safe and easy enough.
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- As a western women the main issue is the attention you get from the local and Asian male population. They tend to stare and although it is not in a horrid way, it can be rather annoying. The best thing to do is to ignore and not wear clothes that are too revealing and to be honest you begin to not notice.
- Local women don't appear to have as much freedom as western ladies do. Additionally, Omani men tend to socialise without their wives and I hear they can be very flirtatious. In fact I am considering wearing a ring!
- There are ladies only gyms and clubs (which I actually quite like); ladies only checkouts; ladies only benches; and ladies only salon's and shops.
- Dressing out here isn't difficult. I expect that no-one would say anything if I walked around in inappropriate clothing, it would just be very disrespectful. In terms of Omani clothing, the women wear abaya's (the head to toe black dresses) and in the evenings they all seem to emerge from their houses accessorised with pretty heels and bags. It's as though they are in competition with each other! In the UK, abaya's are something we are not familiar with but out here you get used to them and in fact the detailing around the hems is very pretty. They wear their abaya's everywhere, even the sea! The only time I have seen Omani ladies not in their abaya's is in the gym (and in a Zumba class I went to last week...absolutely hilarious, and tiring, dance class!).
- Women are advised not to get into white and orange taxi's alone. Not a problem...I don't like using taxi's in the UK alone!
Other than that, being a women out here is safe and easy enough.
xXx
Monday 2 May 2011
Mingling
The last couple of days have been a bit of an emotional roller-coaster. I was feeling quite homesick on Saturday and poor Oli had to put up with me and my tearfulness all day long. However, I had to pull myself together Saturday evening for an Art Exhibition I went to with Jane. We were invited along by a lady who has been in Oman for around 20 years; she is one of those people who seems to know everyone. The art on exhibition was that of Kathryn Wilson, a young Dubai based artist whose work is inspired by the geography of Oman and the UAE. Her work is very abstract and brightly coloured and although I wouldn't necessarily place it on my living room wall I did quite like it > http://www.kathrynwilsonme.com/. Aside from the art, I was also introduced to the owner of a local art gallery (Al Madina Art Gallery), a friendly English man, and the owner of a beautiful Jewellery shop. The store was very pretty and upmarket; in the private viewing room we were shown a handmade diamond encrusted khanja not too dissimilar to this one:
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and a gorgeous eagle made from ruby...it was so pretty! There were also two fairly large leopard cubs made from china with diamonds in their mouths and a collection of historic traditional Omani jewellery (it must all be worth a fortune!) For those of you who know me best you'd be right in thinking that I was actually quite excited about seeing all this (and all feelings of homesickness subsided somewhat)...to this day I still half regret not doing art at uni!
Yesterday evening was a little scary! Oli, Jane, Kevin and I went to the British Business Forum at the British Embassy which takes place once a month. It is basically a networking event for British business people with canapés and drinks. The evening usually has a small presentation, this time by a lady from a Cypriot company called Aphrodite Sun Properties who was trying to tempt people to invest in property out there, but the rest of the time is spent chatting. It was slightly intimidating at first, especially when the average age was about 30 years older than Oli and myself, but eventually I felt more settled (the wine helped with that!) and it was actually a pleasant evening and we met some interesting people from a wide variety of industries.
I am still getting used to everything out here and seem to be learning something new about the country everyday. I can't wait to explore Oman and the Middle East further and fly down to Salalah in the south, and up north to the UAE.
xXx
Friday 29 April 2011
The Royal Wedding
Good evening!
Today I have felt more British than I ever do whilst actually in Britain! It was, of course, the Royal Wedding. We spent the afternoon at the British Ambassador's residence where circa 300 of us all gathered around a few screens to watch the wedding whilst sipping on wine or Pimms and eating crust-less sandwiches and tiny scones! A very British day. (Although not necessarily typical day-to-day Britain mind you.) All in all, I had a lovely time and the Ambassador's house has such amazing views across the Marina (see photo below)...very jealous!
I thought Kate's dress was really pretty.
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Today I have felt more British than I ever do whilst actually in Britain! It was, of course, the Royal Wedding. We spent the afternoon at the British Ambassador's residence where circa 300 of us all gathered around a few screens to watch the wedding whilst sipping on wine or Pimms and eating crust-less sandwiches and tiny scones! A very British day. (Although not necessarily typical day-to-day Britain mind you.) All in all, I had a lovely time and the Ambassador's house has such amazing views across the Marina (see photo below)...very jealous!
I thought Kate's dress was really pretty.
Tomorrow we are off to an art exhibition in the evening and the British Business Forum meeting on Sunday so I am busy busy! Life out here certainly is different to life at home...
xXx
Friday 22 April 2011
Good Friday
HAPPY EASTER from Oman.
We spent the majority of Good Friday driving around exploring other parts of Muscat and following lunch at the PDO, headed south to the oldest part of the city, Muttrah, home to the Sultans Palace. I really love driving around this part of the city; Muttrah is adorned with ornately designed roundabouts, pretty gardens and beautiful buildings. I will try and take some photo's of this part of the city soon as it really is something else. I love how all the buildings are beautifully designed and still retain many traditional aspects of Omani culture. The domes, arches and Sultan's Palace seem to have been taken out of Aladdin :-) The roundabouts are really interesting and are decorated with, amongst other things, a boat, fish, and teapots. Additionally, Muttrah harbour is home to Sultan Qaboos' two, somewhat extravagant, boats and houses a Souk, a traditional Omani market.
We continued our journey south stopping off at the Marina some 10 minutes from Muttrah. In addition to boats, the Marina houses a bar, swimming pool and offers cruises and dolphin watching and as Friday is the equivalent of our Sunday in Oman, the place was teeming with people today. It was still nice to be able to see the boats and enjoy the stunning views.
After our brief stop at the Marina we headed to our furthest port of call, the Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa. Unfortunately we were only stopping to admire its beauty; the resort is huge and very luxurious and of course pricey! See: Shangri-La. I was lucky enough to go for dinner at the resorts Moroccan restaurant for Jane's birthday last year when Oli and I visited :-). I think there are four restaurants in total and the resort even has a "heritage village":
The drive to the Shangri-La is really pretty and surprisingly green. In fact what struck me the first time I came to Oman was the amount of greenery across Muscat. I found out that although Oman's climate is extremely dry, the country's ancient water irrigation system, falaj (or "aflaj") has enabled these plants and trees to be grown. Falaj are the main source of irrigation in Oman, other than wells; the system taps underground water which is then led by (around 11,000!) man-made channels to towns and villages.
Anyway, I had better be off! I hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather in the UK :-) and making the most of the long weekends!!
xXx
Wednesday 20 April 2011
Week 1
Wow, nearly been here a week already! Have had a productive few days viewing properties and trying to organise some work. We viewed a nice house in Qurum the day before yesterday but unfortunately it was snapped up by somebody else not long after. You pretty much have to put the deposit down instantly to secure property out here. We did however view another nice house this morning, also in Qurum, which Oli's parents may try and get. It has 3 bedrooms and is larger than the apartment we are staying in at the moment. Plus the neighbourhood has a gym and is close to a shopping mall. Viewing places has really helped me to understand the different parts of Muscat, but also the differences in property prices. For instance we saw some teeny tiny houses in a place called Medinat Sultan Qaboos ("MQ"), a location popular with expats, valued at the same price as the large house we viewed today. Although MQ is popular, for me its far to compact with everyone on top of each other and no privacy. The main benefit of MQ is that shops and cafes are all in walking distance whereas in many other parts of the city you can't get anywhere easily without driving. I have taken a couple of photographs of the apartment block we are currently living in. Sorry for the poor quality but I would have had to stand on the road to fit the whole building in...
Today I had a meeting with the CEO of Oman National Transport Company (ONTC). The company is in a bit of a mess and the CEO joined the company less than a year ago to try and help them sort it out. Public transport in Oman is pretty awful; Muscat has a total of 7 buses. At present ONTC are planning a new bus network with the hope of improving public transport and creating local jobs. The meeting I had today was to see if there was any chance of me helping out with the project. As the government do not consider the ONTC to be loosing enough money to help fund it (which is a joke) I would not be able to work there paid, however I have agreed to undertake some work experience until I find paid work assisting with forming an evidence base to back up the CEO's public transport proposals. I do however get expenses paid for and the use of a car. A real problem in Oman at the moment is a lack of key skills but a determination to have as many Omani's as possible employed in the workforce ("Omanisation"). This creates problems for employers who feel obliged to employ Omani's despite the fact they may not be competent at the job. Anyway, I am due to start at the ONTC on 1st May, and despite the lack of pay I am sure it will be an experience and is something extra for the CV. I have also been "added to the pool of invigilators and examination paper markers" at the British Council. This is paid and so I am hoping some work will come up soon. In terms of other more permanent work, I am going to continue being patient and hope that something exciting comes along soon.
The weather here has been beautiful, sunny and hot. I am not entirely sure how I am going to find the heat in the summer months when temperatures can reach 50 degress C. I saw the weather back home this morning and can't believe that as soon as I leave England has temperatures of 25!! Typical!
Oli and I spent some time at the beach at the Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) complex yesterday afternoon enjoying the sun. Apparently the jelly fish flag was flying the day before so we didn't go swimming that day! The PDO complex also has a gym, tennis courts, a couple of cafes/bars and a place to rent canoes and offers fitness classes so it is a great place to go to keep fit/relax. However at the moment I only have a temporary membership. I saw a green parrot today but couldn't take a photo so here's a link to one instead > Green Parrot.
I've not been feeling too homesick yet, probably due to only being here 5/6 days! Jasper (my dog) is keeping me company beside my bed in photographic form and facebook certainly helps with keeping an eye on things back home.
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Today I had a meeting with the CEO of Oman National Transport Company (ONTC). The company is in a bit of a mess and the CEO joined the company less than a year ago to try and help them sort it out. Public transport in Oman is pretty awful; Muscat has a total of 7 buses. At present ONTC are planning a new bus network with the hope of improving public transport and creating local jobs. The meeting I had today was to see if there was any chance of me helping out with the project. As the government do not consider the ONTC to be loosing enough money to help fund it (which is a joke) I would not be able to work there paid, however I have agreed to undertake some work experience until I find paid work assisting with forming an evidence base to back up the CEO's public transport proposals. I do however get expenses paid for and the use of a car. A real problem in Oman at the moment is a lack of key skills but a determination to have as many Omani's as possible employed in the workforce ("Omanisation"). This creates problems for employers who feel obliged to employ Omani's despite the fact they may not be competent at the job. Anyway, I am due to start at the ONTC on 1st May, and despite the lack of pay I am sure it will be an experience and is something extra for the CV. I have also been "added to the pool of invigilators and examination paper markers" at the British Council. This is paid and so I am hoping some work will come up soon. In terms of other more permanent work, I am going to continue being patient and hope that something exciting comes along soon.
The weather here has been beautiful, sunny and hot. I am not entirely sure how I am going to find the heat in the summer months when temperatures can reach 50 degress C. I saw the weather back home this morning and can't believe that as soon as I leave England has temperatures of 25!! Typical!
Oli and I spent some time at the beach at the Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) complex yesterday afternoon enjoying the sun. Apparently the jelly fish flag was flying the day before so we didn't go swimming that day! The PDO complex also has a gym, tennis courts, a couple of cafes/bars and a place to rent canoes and offers fitness classes so it is a great place to go to keep fit/relax. However at the moment I only have a temporary membership. I saw a green parrot today but couldn't take a photo so here's a link to one instead > Green Parrot.
I've not been feeling too homesick yet, probably due to only being here 5/6 days! Jasper (my dog) is keeping me company beside my bed in photographic form and facebook certainly helps with keeping an eye on things back home.
Speak soon,
xXx
Saturday 16 April 2011
Days 1 and 2
We arrived in Muscat yesterday at approximately 9 am local time (6am in the UK). The flight went by fairly quickly, however I didn’t get much sleep so spent most of Friday in bed or eating chocolate (which, by the way, isn’t as nice as in the UK!).I was feeling a little sad yesterday which got me thinking about the little things I am going to miss about England:
My main priority over the next few weeks is sorting out a job. I have lots of networking to do and people to meet which is a little bit daunting but something that I can’t avoid. All being well it won’t be too much of an issue and I am trying to stay positive about it all and not get too nervous!
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- The New Forest and countryside
- Trees!
- Rubbish but entertaining TV shows
- Running outside in the fresh air
- Cheap, fast and easily accessible internet (although it’s not that bad here)
- Fruit that ripens slowly (i.e. banana’s)
- Drinkable tap water (you can drink it, but I'd rather not...)
- Being able to wear short skirts and shorts without feeling disrespectful
- Porridge oats (they only seem to have small tubs of these and they cost a fortune! Plus the heat seems to attract little bugs which apparently like oats, rice, couscous etc...lovely.)
- Chocolate (it’s just not quite the same here...)
- Marmite
My main priority over the next few weeks is sorting out a job. I have lots of networking to do and people to meet which is a little bit daunting but something that I can’t avoid. All being well it won’t be too much of an issue and I am trying to stay positive about it all and not get too nervous!
We have spent much of today driving around getting to know the area and as Oli’s parents are looking for a new apartment we have been property searching too. Driving around really helps with getting to know the different parts of Muscat, which parts I prefer and which parts I am not keen on. Many parts of the city are still quite undeveloped and a little shabby but others are really impressive with beautiful villas and stunning gardens. Parts are not too dissimilar to Europe really; some of the smells remind me of living in Spain which I find strangely comforting. Perhaps surprisingly, property prices here are high, possibly even more so than in the UK and being an expat you have to be careful they don’t try and charge you more than they would the locals or Asian population.
Oli is off to watch the football at the British Embassy this evening. Apparently we are going to a party for the Royal wedding on the 29th which will be fun I’m sure. It’s quite amazing how much out here depends on who you know and the importance of networking so I am going to make sure that I try to involve myself in social events as much as I can.
Oh and I went to a little pet shop this evening with Jane (Oli’s mum). Although it’s nice to see the cats and dogs it’s really not nice how they keep them in the pet stores locked up in small cages with barely enough room to stand. All I can do is hope that they get bought by nice owners sooner rather than later. There was such a cute little pug and I just wanted to pick him up and take him home!
Also, I bought an Omani sim today and so now have an Omani mobile number :-).
xXx
Wednesday 13 April 2011
Last night in England
I am writing today as I won't have a lot of time tomorrow and wanted to post an entry before we leave the UK.
I have spent the whole day cleaning/sorting and am absolutely shattered. Its now 29 hours, give or take, until we fly and everything is really sinking in. I am actually packing up my life here and moving to the Middle East...can't quite believe it! If it wasn't for the fact that I have been living out of a suitcase for the past month I would think it were just a dream. Despite knowing that I am going to miss my family, friends and the familiarity of home, I am so excited to be experiencing a new way of life and building an exciting future with Oli. The prospect of endless warmth and sunshine helps a little too!
Our flight leaves at 22:35 tomorrow and arrives in Muscat at 9:00 (6:00 GMT) on Friday. Knowing me, I am not expecting to sleep much on the plane and so it is likely I will sleep for most of Friday. (Friday, by the way, is the equivalent of our Sunday.) I will write at the end of the week to fill you in on the very first part of my new life abroad.
xXx
Saturday 9 April 2011
Ahlan wa sahlan...
… [welcome] to my blog! Hopefully the first post of many.
Myself and my boyfriend, Oli, will soon be migrating to sunny Oman in the hope of escaping the dreary weather and gloomy economy of England. This blog is my way of sharing our experiences with everyone back home. It’s just under a week until we leave and I am beginning to get butterflies! I am excited (if not a little nervous!) to see what Oman will hold for us.
xXx
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