we arrived in muscat yesterday and mostly just took it easy at our hotel. but today… we met our driver and guide, adil, at 830am and he drove us to bimmah sink hole first, in arabic hawiyyat najm or falling star. so much more poetic, no? legend has it that the sinkhole was created when an asteroid struck the arid plain that separates the ocean from the craggy peaks of the al hajar mountains. gorgeous. we then drove to fins white beach. again, the blue green water is sublime. next, wadi shab, a canyon which is home to crystal clear blue water pools. we started with a boat that took us across the river, walked past small farms and irrigation channels, and then… an hour long, arduous hike! we climbed over pristine white boulders and extremely slippery and narrow canyon walls. it’s the month of february, thank god, but still, middle eastern afternoons are hot. this was one of the most physically challenging things i’ve done in a while. but the views, and the pools at the end – nothing short of magical! we had lunch in wadi tiwi, drove around sur, learned how dhows are made, and more, before arriving at our eco lodge – sama ras al jinz. dinner and a walk, in the middle of nowhere. the sky is full of stars. and oman is so very special.
