ļ»æThere were a few things that excited us about being back in Europe ( in Greece specifically). Back in our van, with everything at our fingertips and the ability to roam and stay wherever we pleased was probably the biggest thing, but there were others; not fussing with Ramadan food restrictions, back to familiar rules and etiquettes, and just the sense that you were back to a place much more like home. Weād miss the people from the Middle East, especially their incredible hospitality, the wide open spaces, the exotic feel, and of course, the weather ( always perfect there this time of year, but still a bit cool in Europe ). Nice also to be a little further away from a war zone !
Temple of Poseidon, just south of Athens. Kind of stumbled on this while taking the van out for a run – needed to dust off the cobwebs after 7 weeks in storage.
Prematurely departing from the Gulf did complicate our plans in more ways than one – another 2 to 3 weeks there ( the original plan ) would have been ideal and have given us time to complete the sights in ideal conditions. The first issue was that we would now miss those 3 weeks of perfect weather there and, consequently face cooler weather than we had planned for back in Europe ( weād not expected to be back so soon ). Already sailing pretty close to the wind with expectations ( hopes ? ) of reliable good weather in April, being back in Europe in March would be pushing it. Not unbearable, by any stretch, but certainly not beach weather just yet, even in Europeās far south. Alas, one must be adaptable, there was little choice in the matter this time !
The other matter to contend with was arranging flights home and securing safe, affordable storage for the van while we returned home for the Canadian summer. Our goal was to be home in May in time for the arrival of grand baby # 2. Normally weād do this rather spontaneously ( as is our way ) but the with flight prices skyrocketing due to the Iran situation ( and seat availability shrinking ), it made sense to book flights now ( done, for a May departure ) from a city we thought we could reach based on an itinerary we hoped was reasonable over the coming 2 months. Venturing back to the Caucuses and on to the Stanās was not going to fit into our remaining time now ( an adventure for another day, perhaps ), so we plotted a loose plan for travels around the northern rim of the Mediterranean, heading west from Greece, still keeping us well south and thus as warm as possible given the time of year. This would involve some ferries ( inevitable ) but would provide us new territory to explore ( a key consideration ) – the south of Italy, including Sicily, possibly Tunisia, and on to Sardinia and Corsica. We would then exit home from Barcelona. Fingers crossed, anyway – if the last month has taught us anything it is to keep oneās plans very flexible !
Our plans in the coming two months would be restricted to this area, ending in Barcelona from which we planned to fly home after storing the van.
Crete, the furthest south of Greeceās islands, would be our first destination. It is also Greeceās biggest island, though still quite small, similar in size to Cyprus. Weād not been before, it was highly regarded, and being so far south it should be warmer than almost anywhere else in Europe. The fact that it was a major crossroads of several great civilizations, home to beautiful beaches and other stunning landscapes just added to the appeal. A quick look at ferry options and costs ( for the week we planned on the island ) made clear that it was far more cost effective just to fly over ( only 45 mins ), rent a car and stay in Crete pensions and AirBnBās. Our van was safe in Athens, so we left it stored for the longer trip ahead. Crete being famous for its tight, curvy mountain roads, a sporty little European manual/standard sedan would be more fun than a campervan anyway.
The friendly Europcar agent gave us a very sporty six speed standard Skoda Fabia ( a real rocket as we would later discover ! ).An absolute joy to be driving a 6 speed standard/manual around Creteās mountainous terrain ! I was like a kid with a new toy š
Heraklion, the capital and biggest city is where most start and so did we. Famed for its Venetian architecture, ruins, old port and especially its strategic fort ( tussled over for centuries by Romans, Ventians and Ottomans ) Heraklion was an enjoyable start to our explorations.
Old Venetian Fort, Heraklion. Controlled by many powers over the the last thousand years, still in remarkable shape!It was designed to last for long sieges and did that before i before ultimately falling to the Ottomans before Greece took control again when the Ottoman Empire fell.View from the Fort.
West of Heraklion one travels along the scenic northern coast road, passing Rethymno and historic Chania (the latter definitely the prettier of the two and where we overnighted ). The Chania waterfront and historic Venetian architecture in this port side city are the big draws and we could see why, very easy to explore and soak it up.
North coast of Crete.Old town, Rythemno.Rimoni fountain , Rythemno.Venetian era lighthouse, Rythemno.Old fort, Rythemno..Harbour, Rythemno.Chania harbour.Venetian era ruins, Chania.
One of the great natural features of Crete are its beaches, Balos beach at its western extremity among its more famous. Sadly, a rare cloudy and somewhat overcast day diminished its appeal so we moved on. Continuing south, Elafonisis, famed for its shallow waters and unique pink sand was next on our itinerary. Itās definitely pretty and the pink sand is certainly unique, though the water was still a bit cold for swimming.
Pink sand of Elafonissi beach.Pink, yes, but not quite as stunning as we had expected.
Our generally anticlockwise direction took us on to the popular seaside town of Palaiochora, probably the prettiest setting for a little town weād seen so far. Pretty enough that we spent a couple of very relaxing days there. Great restaurants, nice walks, endless seaside views and a very relaxed vibe.
Pretty Palaiochora, where we spent a couple of days.Palaiochora town. No one gets up early here !Our little boutique beachfront hotel in Palaiochora.A Cretan dinner, loved the beer.Sunset view, Palaiochora.
Leaving Palaiochora the relatively āgoodā weather ended. The sunny days became overcast, the temperature dropped and out last few days there were restricted to some historic sights, mountain vistas and exploring the old towns. Forget any notion of hikes, even ( we really timed this part badly ) – a visit to the famed Samaria Gorge for the full day hike to the coast ( one of Europeās most famous ) highlighted just how out of season we were. I asked the staffer when the gorge would open ( noticing the āclosedā sign across our path ) – āMay 1ā, he replied, much to our dismay. It was cooler, yes, but absolutely hike-able weather; both ourselves and a very disappointed Polish couple (who were looking for ways to get past the āclosedā Ā sign) couldnāt figure out why the season opening was so late ? I suspect we were not the only ones.
Samaria GorgeUnfortunately the gorge was closed till May 1, disappointing because itās one of Europeās best known hikes ( and all down hill, to the sea ).
Our final days took us across the central part of the island, east across the south coast to pretty Ierapetra, en route passing through Hora Sfakion, and Preveli beach ( with its spectacular backdrop ). Sadly the weather did not warm up enough to do anything other than admire each of these places and we even got rained on as we wound our way back towards the north coast and the capital, Heraklion.
Hora SfakionIerapetra, south coast.The stunning oasis-like setting of Preveli beach. View across the north coast toward Heraklion.Traditional Cretan windmill.
Our week there seemed to fly by and with more ideal weather weād have extended our stay. We found Crete easy to travel, much greener than expected ( I think we had imagined it to be much dryer, like Crete was ) and steeped in history. The particularly enjoyable driving experience ( Iād forgotten how much I liked a standard/manual car ! ) went some way to offsetting the lack of beach weather – itās a place weād consider returning to but best visited a month or so later than when we did.
As much as we never, ever, felt threatened in Oman and were very sad to leave it, it was a relief when our plane touched down in Cairo – almost 5 hours flying time from Muscat, and thus far from any possibility of entanglement in the hostilities back in the Gulf states. Tellingly, once we told our Cairo taxi driver that weād flown in from the Gulf, he looked at us both and said, āRelax, my friends – in Egypt, you are safe !ā.
On arrival in Giza, late afternoon distant view from our hotel room, the pyramids, about 1km away. We noticed the same āhazeā here we have seen all over the Middle East ( not good for photos !).
We were safe, and it certainly was nice to be in Cairo for the extended stopover on our way back to Athens. One still could not fully escape the war – it was all people talked about and of course it was all over the newspapers and TV. Physically removed, yes, but still very much in your face and many people arriving in Cairo ( like us ) were using it as a safe conduit out of a very troubled region. We would do our best to just put it behind us and enjoy the three full days we had here – one for Giza ( Pyramids ), one for the Grand Egyptian Museum, and one for exploring this exotic ( but incredibly chaotic ) city of 23,000,000 straddling the estuary of the worldās longest river – Africaās famous Nile. No time for Egyptās southern charms which weād explored on our first visit here way back in 1989. It would be interesting to see what had changed in 37 years.
The next day, am. Much clearer ! And of course, much closer.Up close.Lois, at the base of the pyramids giving a sense of the size of the blocks. Still boggles the mind how they did this so very long ago ,!
One thing that had not changed was the tenacity of Egyptās tourism pedlars- they are just all over you like a rash ! The instant you clear the airport, walk out of your hotel or step out of an Uber/taxi – omnipresent. Arrive at a tourist site and youāll constantly be offered ābest priceā on a guide, rubbed with āgenuineā sandalwood oil or assailed to buy myriad local trinkets. In our experience, Egypt and Morocco rank at, or near, the top when it comes to the intensity of in your face interactions – always with a smile, of course, but it does get exhausting. None of that stuff in peaceful Oman so I guess we perhaps felt it a lot more here. Some of them just cannot understand how you donāt want to be āchaperonedā by a local at all times ! If you value tranquility, Cairo is probably not your place š.
Away from the crowds, a relaxing view of the Sphinx and pyramids from a rooftop coffee shop on the Giza plateau.
So, that all aside ( and just accepted, eventually, as the way it is here ) our few days in the city were most enjoyable. The pyramids never cease to amaze and justifiably deserve their claim to a ā7 world wonderā spot. Often measured against Macchu Picchu, itās a toss up. The Egyptians at least had the smarts to build their structures on easily accessible flat land so probably had the easier time of it ( Macchu Picchu is deep in the mountains ). Bonus for us – the Sphinx was free of scaffolding this visit and much more photogenic as a result.
Sphinx, up close. Against the pyramids it always seems smaller than one might imagine.Another angle, Sphinx.
In 2025 Egyptās antiquities were all moved from the old āEgyptian Museumā in downtown Cairo to the stunning and enormous āGrand Egyptian Museumā complex out in Giza, right near the pyramids ( the two sites eventually to be connected ). Makes it easy to combine them but a comprehensive visit to both is best done over two days – there is so much to see. Star of the show is the gold bust/mask of Tutankhamen – with a separate lineup, managed by usherās, just to photograph the former boy king. Itās truly impressive – not just the mask but the other golden accoutrements that were part of his world.
Entering the enormous Grand Egyptian Museum. Ramses was one star of the show, butā¦ā¦.ā¦.everyone beelined it here, to seeā¦ā¦ā¦..THIS GUY ! Tutankhamen. One had to line up to take photos.His golden chariot.There you have it, no expaese spared for Tutankhamen.Tutankhamenās mummy ( see description below ).From Tutankhamen.Typical art/writing/imagery.King Khufuās boat, unearthed near the Great Pyramid in 1954 and substantially reconstructed.
On our final day we walked all over the city, along the Nile, and into various markets. The days were a bit quieter than expected but the nights made up for it – during Ramadan, cities in the Arab world come alive and Cairo is no exception. They are real night owls, even kids stay up and shops stay open till the wee hours. Traffic here is just insane and simply crossing a road can be a death defying experience – the golden rule is not to stop !
A view north along the Nile showing itās famous Corniche on the right.Typical downtown Cairo street. Hands down the noisiest city we have ever visited !Why let a seat go to waste when you are moving across town ? Give someone a ride ! Motorcycles everywhere, never saw a helmet in all the time we were there ( safety not a big concern, obviously ).Always interesting to wander the backstreets, like this one.While the Middle East war has pushed up fuel prices globally ( we are dreading what weāll have to pay for diesel back in Europe – it was scandalous BEFORE this war ), they have it good in Egypt. Here, a fuel station sign showing petrol at $0.39 US per litre and diesel at just $0.20 US per litre. One never even thinks about fuel prices here or in the Gulf countries, but you do in Europe. Greece is at 1.8 Euros, or just over $2.00 US per litre – ten times the price in Egypt.
Apart from some pretty intense airport security (and several roadside checks en route ) exiting Cairo was uneventful. As we looked down on the Med from 36,000ft up, we reflected on our last crossing from Egypt to Greece, almost 36 years ago- then at sea level, crewing on an old Swedish tall ship, the Gulmar ( see appendix: A Walk Down Memory Lane ). This time faster and smoother, of course, though devoid of any sense of adventure. We were actually ok with it, weād had enough āadventureā in the past 10 days to last us a while š.
Till next weekā¦.
A Walk Down Memory Lane: āāāāāāāāāāāāā-
Our trip from Egypt to Greece this time reminded us of the first time we did this many years ago. It was 1990, weād backpacked across Asia to the Middle East and found ourselves looking for an option to get across the Mediterranean to Greece, most likely flying. In the lobby of our backpacker hotel, on a bulletin board, was a familiar handwritten note by the captain of an old Swedish tall ship looking for crew to sail through the Suez Canal and across the Mediterranean to Rhodes, Greece. I say āfamiliarā because we had seen the same note in a backpacker hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka, looking for people to crew the same ship from there across the Indian Ocean to Suez, at the bottom of the canal. We were not brave enough to tackle an ocean crossing so passed on that opportunity. We felt it was fate that we got a second kick at the can in Egypt some months later, so signed up. Had an amazing time with other young crew members from all over the world. Some pics below:
The last time we crossed the āMedā ( Egypt to Greece ) was 36 years ago ( we were much younger of course ! ), when we crewed on the Swedish tall ship, āGulmarā as it was completing a round the world trip picking up crew in different ports. We sailed from Port Said to Rhodes. Here, Lois is stepping over sundry backpacks as we leave from the north end of the Suez Canal.Yours truly relaxing up front ( on the left ). Ironically the Mediterranean was literally dead calm, did not put a sail up and motored all the way to Rhodes ( much to the captainās disappointment! ).
As of last weekās blog we advised that, with the tempo changing quickly in the region, and out of an abundance of caution, very regrettably, we made our way out of Oman. In short, we drove 1200kms in two days, straight back to Muscat from Salalah ( missing many of the very sights we had come to Oman to see ), dropped the car off and flew out to Cairo, Egypt ( more on āWhy Cairo ?ā later ). There was much more complexity ( in what may have seemed like a pretty simple decision ) than one might realize so Iāll elaborate further on that in the passages below – see the last section, headed āBehind the Scenesā. Skip it if you are just pleased to know that we are safe, that we are āoutā, and the machinations donāt matter – itās at the very bottom of the blog. But first, hereās what our last days in wonderful Oman looked like – we were very sad to leave so soon and to have missed many of its greatest attractions.
The weather has been literally perfect for the last seven weeks ( Oman being no exception ) so we spent a lot of time poolside and beachside, knowing that, back in Europe it will be some time before weāll be able to enjoy either. Soak it up while you can, we figured. Had a most enjoyable few days with our Swiss friends before the decision was made to pull the pin – ironically, they left Salalah the very same day.
Palapaās on the beach provided by our hotel. It was tough making the decision to leave this.In our haste to return to Muscat we very sadly had to drive right by some of Omanās greatest attractions ( Wadi Shab, Bimma Sinkhole among them ). We did see a few lesser wadiās, such as this.The road back to Muscat, mostly along the coast, provided a different topography than the inland route we travelled south on.Arriving back in Muscat, much earlier than we had expected, and with very limited time to explore it.
Heading north back towards Muscat there were some of Omanās best sights still ahead of us and with our original schedule allowing for a few days sightseeing at these locations we chose a route ( substantially coastal ) that would have taken them all in. Then came some further news that rocked us somewhat – Salalah, where we had spent a peaceful and fun week, was just attacked by a drone ( they hit the port, quite a way out of town, and no casualties or material damage was suffered, but it was unsettling, no question ). We decided then and there to move our exit date forward as far as we could. There would only be time to get to Muscat, visit ( briefly ) with friends Al and Barb, and see a bit of Muscat before we needed to be on a plane. Tired, but happy to be there, we reached Muscat, had an afternoon and evening with them, taking in a few sights, and then flew out the next day. It just all seemed to happen so fast.
Good friends, Al and Barb, in front of their house, where we stayed on our way into, and, rather suddenly, on our way out of Oman.The American International School in Muscat ( TAISM ), where our friends teach. Many embassy personnel kids attend, and itās an American school, so they had access to updates direct from the US Embassy.A good time was had by allā¦..In our last half day in Muscat we got a little tour of the city – thanks Al !Selfie ( with Coronaās to celebrate getting together ! ).Enjoyed an evening drink on Alās deck.Muscatās famous Sultan Qaboos Mosque.The fort.Omani men enjoying āiftarā after the daily fast ends ( sunset, during Ramadan ).
So that was how the week ( or almost a week ) played out. Iām writing this from chaotic Cairo and by the time it goes out we should be back in Athens with our van- back doing our usual thing !
Till next weekā¦..
Behind The Scenes – The Decision To Leave ( And What Was Involved )
Neither of us are ones to easily panic, and make plans in haste- we usually carefully weigh things up logically and calmly and try to filter out the ānoiseā then make rational decisions about when and where we travel, considering any risks that may be involved. Nor was this our first time dealing with ādramaā – weād navigated our way safely out of China during the Tiananmen protests of June, 1989 ( the long way out – over the Karakoram Highway to Pakistan ! ), and safely exited Chile as the Covid pandemic exploded around the world in March 2020. These things happen ( sadly ) and our usual approach is to keep calm and carry on, whenever we possibly can. We could have done so here, but a few things played on our mind this time cementing the decision to leave:
1) Getting stuck here with no way out ( and it can happen ) would be no fun, even though Al and Barb had graciously offered us their place āfor as long as we neededā ( thanks again, guys ! ). So we were better off than most, some with no place to stay if things got bad.
2) We of course have family (and friends) concerned about our well-being and we donāt want to be stressed, nor have people stressing over us, especially our very pregnant daughter carrying our second grandchild – we definitely plan to be home for the birth and any protracted issue here could jeopardize that. We knew people that got stuck in South America for many months during Covid. It does happen ! We do read, and follow, government advisories from the Canadian government ( as well as others, including Australia – we find they generally align their advice ). See the video above which references the sources we had access to. We also had access to the US government advisories, and since it is the US that really knows what is going on here we ultimately put serious stock in their commentaries regarding the Gulf crisis. It was one of theirs that actually cemented our decision to pull out
3) Finally, we felt weād had a lot of āluckā so far and did not want to push it. It was absolutely the right call NOT to bring our van over here from Greece- glad we did not have that to worry about. Just getting ourselves out was a major headache and considerable expense, the mind boggles at how we would have shipped our van out ( not via the Israeli port we would have shipped in through, certainly ! ). The major shipping lines were cancelling services all over the Middle East. We definitely made a lucky call there. We also left Saudi just before it got hit and then left Bahrain shortly after that – literally days before missiles landed there. We left Salalah here in Oman and just hours later a drone landed there. We seemed to be luckier whenever we moved, so figured it was just best to get out while we were ahead.
Just one of the many bulletins about shipping challenges in and around the region. If you could get space on a ship out of the Arabian Peninsula ( and you almost certainly could not ) I canāt imagine the cost. So glad we did not have to.
Below is a series of images that show what we were seeing here on TV, and when we were seeing it, as well as the various government travel advisories that were coming in ( and when ). It was initially calm, then just a generally escalating tone, (not dramatic initially). When the Canadians shifted Oman to āAvoid Non Essential Travelā ( or, leave if you are there and donāt need to be) and around the same time the US State Department advised all Americans to āGet out of the Middle East, by commercial means while you canā, we just pushed everything forward, literally flying as soon as we could get on a flight. If it was not safe for Americans, it probably was not for us.
Hotel room, Al Jazeera was the only English language channel. Kept us up to date.An early update on Oman from Canada – be careful , things could get worse here, basically.We had initially bought a Pegasus ticket to Istanbul but when we saw this, decided to buy another ( to Cairo ) just to make sure that, one way or another, we could get out of Oman.As more and more of these messages appeared on airline websites we realized that more UAE and Saudi residents would be flocking to MuscatThings went from ābe carefulā to ādonāt hang aroundā fairly quickly.Then this one from Canada – basically, donāt stick around, you will be on your own if things get bad. As we were making plans to leave Salalah the next day, this next one was published from the Americans ( below ).This one really had us concerned – essentially, āget the hell out of the whole Middle East as soon as you can, however you canā. Literally impossible for everyone to do that all at once, of course.
We did get questions and suggestions from family, friends and readers, of course. Some asked why we did not just āget out right awayā. Nice thought, but when everyone races for the exits at once there just are not enough seats/planes to accommodate. We were also safe, comfortable and there was no advisory from the government to get out of Oman right away. Oman was not even involved for the first 4 or 5 days. We were where everyone wanted to be ( certainly those in the Gulf states ). Others asked āWhy did you go to Cairo ?ā Simple – there are no direct Muscat to Athens flights, and most indirect flights go via one or other of the Gulf states, all of which were grappling with restricted air space or closed airports. We did not want to be stuck there ! We chose two cities close to Athens that had direct flights and ideally had a flight route away from the area of hostilities – Istanbul and Cairo both qualified, so we bought tickets to both and paid extra to be able to cancel the one we did not use. Cairo just gave us the easiest, fastest route and had an easy connection on the Athens. When we needed to move it forward, it was the easiest ticket to move.
So thatās a little background for those interested. Itās always more complicated than just ājumping on a plane and leavingā. One never knows if the right call was made until the dust settles, hopefully, for everyoneās sake, it settles soon. We were very sorry to leave Oman – loved it there and do plan to revisit at some point in the future. But it certainly feels better to now be on the outside looking in, rather than the other way around.
Driving to Muscat airport we saw a ton of cars with UAE plates, all driving to Oman because Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports were hit and were closed at times. This made getting tickets out much more difficult and of course, MUCH more expensive.Never have we been so happy to see a plane waiting for us at an airport – ever ! Our plane from Muscat to Cairo.
Iāll begin this weekās update with some good news ( in short supply in the Middle East this past week š³ ). Thereās also an update on our current status ( as of March 7 ) at the end of this blog ( more good news ).
Upon arrival in Muscat, Oman, we were (finally !) able to buy some beer and wine (at the airport duty free store )š„³. Not the worldās best value duty free store, but hey, beggars canāt be choosers as they say, and we were very happy just to have it following a month of effective prohibition in both Saudi and Bahrain. I bought a case of Corona and a couple of bottles of wine for Lois. The friendly fellow at the airport store then asked me if I āperhaps wanted a second case ?ā ( their liquor allowance is quite generous here ). āNo, thanksā, I replied. āAre you sure ?ā, he asked, then added that āā¦ā¦it costs 3 times as much in town, and thatās if you can get it – itās Ramadan here now, you knowā. A good salesman – I took the second case š.
Upon arrival in Muscat, a sight for sore eyes ! Beer, wine, spirits, all available, and very welcome after none in either Saudi or Bahrain.A map of Oman, showing the capital, Muscat, in the north and Salalah ( where we would spend most of our time here ) in the very far south. Note the proximity of the much talked about āStrait of Hormuzā, which sits just above Oman.
While not nearly as big as Saudi, as with Saudi there would be some very long drives here in Oman, too. Given the distances, our plan was to tackle the very long drive first up – Muscat to Salalah via the inland ( desert ) route. Everyone weāve spoken to who had been to Oman before us told us we had to get to Salalah. A really pleasant small city right by the ocean, with palm trees and camels everywhere, along with beautiful beaches – we had long anticipated it. The vibe, we had heard, was very laid-back, something that would appeal after the long drive to get there ( just over 1,000kms ). A quick overnight stay in Muscat with old friends Barb and Al ( teaching in Oman now ) got us rested up for the long drive ahead ( thank you for the superb dinner and gracious hospitality Barb !). The plan was to get to the very bottom of Oman and then slowly work our way back up the east coast, taking in its considerable sights before wrapping up back in Muscat for a few more days visiting again with our friends.
The road south to Salalah often looked like this. Not alwaysā¦ā¦.but often ! It gets mesmerizing after a while.
It all started off so well. The route, while mostly boring desert, took us via historic Nizwa and its famous fort, a nice respite from hours on the road. Finding a hotel in the desert after leaving Nizwa was a challenge but we stumbled up one in the end. We asked in the first town we crossed ( none there ) and were told there was āoneā about 120kms further south- like I said, lots of ānothingā here, much like Saudi.
Historic Nizwa Fort, protector of several vital trade routes in days gone by. Very nicely restored and contained an excellent museum.Traditional trade routes across the Arabian peninsula and beyond.Traditional Omani guard, Nizwa Fort. We thought this fellow looked like he came straight off a Hollywood movie set.Inside the fort.Nizwa market,Oasis view from the fort. The setting was postcard-like.Saw this German – plated overland rig parked at Nizwa. I was always happy with our little rental carā¦ā¦until I would see one of these !More scenery on the road to Salalah. There was some variation in the landscape and periodic herds of camels to keep us company.We split the 1,000+ km drive into two long days.Map showing the relative location of Salalah ( blue dot ). Almost in Yemen.
Having reached our AirBnb in Taqah (near Salalah), we were both ready to relax, kick back, enjoy the ocean view and sip on a glass of wine and cold beer. Indeed, we did just that for the first few days – swam, hiked, walked the beach, shopped, toured around and just generally enjoyed the place. The weather was divine, making it all so seemingly perfectā¦ā¦.
Sunset, Taqah beach, out front of our AirBnb, looking east to the Arabian Sea.AirBnB unit, Taqah ( near Salalah ).Interesting- when we shopped there was always a well dressed employee to pack your groceries. We donāt usually see that at home.One could not have ordained more perfect weather. Divine.Salalah.
Then all hell broke loose. News broke of the Israeli/US attacks on Iran, death of the Ayatollah and senior Iranian military personnel , and retaliatory Iranian strikes on Israel and US interests in the Gulf states. While we felt very safe in Oman ( far enough away, and initially not attacked by Iran ), that would change in the coming days. In the meantime many hours of every day were spent glued to the TV ( Al Jazeera, in English, giving some excellent coverage ), attached to our phones and IPads, watching international news and fielding calls, texts, WhatsAppās and emails from concerned friends and family. Very touched by the concern from everyone, thanks to all who reached out. At this point we decided to move into Salalah proper to be closer to the attractions and to meet up with some old Swiss friends from our Turkey travels. Found a wonderful hotel with great amenities so at least we could spend this increasingly tense time in the company of friends, who were, in a sense, in much the same predicament.
Needless to say, while we loved Salalah ( and spent Ā almost a week there by the pool and beach ), much of it with Swiss friends ( Martin and Maria ), ultimately events took a turn for the worse and the āwarā ultimately touched us, even in Oman. Ā Just north of us, in the port city of Duqm, a drone strike hit a warehouse at the port. No deaths, no real damage, and the Iranians ( typically friendly to the Omaniās ) actually denied firing it. It shocked everyone here – after all it was the Omani foreign minister who was doing the mediating between the United States and Iran, prior to hostilities starting ! Ā Of all the places here that absolutely no one unexpected them to hit, Oman was top of the list- no US bases, no other US military installations, and no permanent US military personnel are here, unlike the other GCC states. But, it happened.
Martin and Maria, Swiss overlanders who weād first met in Konya, Turkey, and who drove their Sprinter across Iraq and on into Jordan and Saudi. Had a feeling weād cross paths again and we enjoyed a few wonderful days with them in Salalah. Note the duct-taped side mirror ( courtesy of a crazy Iraqi driver in Baghdad ! ).Having moved in to Salalah proper we stayed at the wonderful Plaza Hotel And Resort. A great spot, with pool, beach club, and the best Indian restaurant we could find in Salalah!
At this point we decided it was time to secure a flight out ( subsequently even a second flight out – yes, we booked two, to different destinations for some added insurance ), and start thinking about when to start making our way back to Muscat. We were not fearful ( no one here was at that stage ), and certainly we were not rushing for the exits, but we did want to secure seats for the future in the event things deteriorated further at which point getting out maybe more challenging – or even impossible. We did that and chose a date to leave Salalah a few days ahead so we could get to Muscat in time for the flights out we had booked. Full details on that in the upcoming blog – interesting times we live in, to say the least š³.
Till next weekā¦
Alert: Just prior to this blog post being published, everything changed, we scrambled back to Muscat and managed to safely exit Oman. I will leave the tumultuous details of our final days there till next week.
NEWS UPDATE: As this update goes out folks are no doubt seeing the rather unsettling news coming out of Iran. Since weāve already had notes from concerned family members, thought I would preface this blog with a note advising that we are safe, and Ā currently in southern Oman. Weāre monitoring events closely and are ready to adjust plans as needed ( seems we may need to ).
Itās fair to say that the experience in Uruq Bani MaāArid was certainly a highlight of our time in Saudi Arabia , if notĀ theĀ highlight of our experience so far. Itās not like it was the desert itself that was new but actually getting up onto the dunes and racing up one side of them and slowly drifting down the other in a 4 x 4 vehicle was an experience weāve not enjoyed before. Seeing the famed Empty Quarter from a high vantage point was also a delight – while we didnāt see an Arabian Oryx, the few wild gazelleās were a nice consolation prize.
This is an Arabian Oryx. So disappointed not to see one at Uruq Bani MaāArid. We even tried the Riyadh Zoo but it was ātemporarily closedā. May get another shot in Oman.
From there it was a solid two day drive back to Riyadh where we planned to spend a few days relaxing, sightseeing, and prepping for the next stage of our Middle East travels. There was not a lot in Riyadh we wanted to do, but what we did see was enjoyable. A couple of popular attractions were unfortunately closed. The city is not only huge in terms of population, it is extremely spread out and it takes an eternity to get from one side to the other. Having driven through it from the south to the north side (where we stayed) we were able to see just how challenging the driving was in this city- in fact, while in Riyadh, we actually had a āfirstā. We parked the car and used the excellent Riyadh Metro to get around, a) because the Riyadh metro is so good, and b) because the drivers are so bad and the traffic is incredibly brutal ! Normally, we donāt hesitate to drive around the cities we visit (and thatās when we are travelling in a 7m long van !) -here we only have a small car and have still found it incredibly difficult at times – the drivers here take terrible risks and do very unpredictable things, more so than anywhere else weāve been. We see accidents all the time and the number of new, and near new, cars that are banged up is shocking. Many are never repaired as they know theyāll just be hit again. Lois has often looked at me in Saudi Arabia and said, āGlad you didnāt bring the van here, nowā¦.?ā While I very much miss not having it with us right now, some days indeed Iām glad we did not bring it here from Greece.
Not only did we encounter a lot of very dangerous driving, we saw countless badly overloaded vehicles – these were everywhere, very unstable and top heavy.
Iāve often commented in this blog on how friendly and welcoming the Saudiās have been, ever since our first day here in fact. It has been at times almost embarrassing – the experiences below will explain what I mean, one on the way south and another, nearly identical situation, on our way from Rijal Almaāa to Riyadh. In both cases, we had walked into restaurants near the hotels we were staying in just to order some simple meals. In the first case, a pizza, and in the second case, some chicken, salad and fries. Both times, Saudi men, standing in the restaurant, waiting for their orders just like we were, secretly approached the restaurant manager, and, unbeknownst to us, paid for our orders. Two separate events, and two separate places, but just days apart. In the former case, we had at least spoken to the men nearby, but in the latter case we had not – yet in both cases they paid our bill and when we insisted that it was not appropriate to do so, and that we would pay it ourselves, they just smiled, pushed our money away, and said āWelcome to Saudi Arabiaā. Not something weāve experienced anywhere else, but totally consistent with the kind of generosity and hospitality weāve experienced all the way through our travels here ā we are constantly offered tea, grapes, bread, dates, water bottles, all free just by walking into stores to buy something else we need. Thereās no hidden agenda, just genuine local hospitality. Itās constant ā¦..and amazing. Truly very touching.
The gentleman on the left quietly paid for our take out dinner one night. Absolutely, steadfastly, emphatically refused to take our money, repeatedly saying, simply āWelcome, welcomeā¦ā¦welcome to Saudi Arabia !ā The very same thing would happen again in Riyadh a few days later.Black camels. A first for us !There is always a camel herder wherever you see camels ( it seems ). A hot and lonely job.True to our web address, much of Saudi was indeed āone endless roadāā¦!Not a lot of formally designated ārest areasā as we know them, but easy to just pull over ( pretty well anywhere ) and take regular breaks.
After the nightmare of traffic and driving into Riyadh it was a relief just to get into a nice hotel and rest up – no driving for a few days now, just planned to relax and explore the city. One of the cityās big attractions is its National Museum – highly rated and well worth the few hours we spent there, it chronicles the whole history of the country, itās evolution into its present form, the emergence of Islam, the reign of the Ottomans, the unifying role of the much revered King Abdul Azziz in the early 20th century ( donāt miss the late kingās car collection if you go there !), right up to the discovery of oil in 1938 – which, of course, changed everything in Saudi. The museum was a fascinating look into this amazing country.
I mentioned really missing our van here in the Middle East. That said, itās certainly been nice to have the space of a hotel room. Without exception they have all been very big!A uniquely Saudi twist – on the new Riyadh metro,men travelling alone use these carriagesā¦.ā¦.while ladies ( alone ) or āfamiliesā ( couples with or without kids ) travel in these carriages. There is also a āFirst Classā section ( more expensive ) which we have never seen on an urban metro anywhere else. We eventually got the hang of it !National Museum, items from centuries back. A section detailing the discovery of oil and how itās extracted. It hugely impacted Saudiās transformation into a modern country.Former King Abdul Azzizā had an impressive car collection – this classic Rolls Royce donated by Winston Churchill, no less !Last week a āHoldenā car, this week Vegemite in a Saudi supermarket – heaven for expat Aussies !
During our time in Riyadh, we made a minor change in our forward plans. Rather than travelling directly on to Oman, we decided to visit Bahrain first. Itās only a 4 and 1/2 hour drive from Riyadh to Bahrain, and whenever we can go by road, rather than flying, our preference is always try to do that if itās practical ( this is an āoverlandingā journey after all ! ). There was, of course, more to it than just a little extra overlanding ā Bahrain is a very popular R&R destination for Saudiās themselves principally because itās close, but more practically because itās a lot more liberal than Saudi Arabia – one can easily get beer and wine there and the whole vibe is reportedly just a little more cosmopolitan, much like it is now in Dubai. Since weāre not sure weāll revisit the UAE, a very slight detour now to Bahrain made sense. Oman, weāre told, is much like Saudi so a break between the two just seemed wise. That at least was the logic when we booked the tickets and hotels. Subsequent to that Lois did a little more in-depth Googling and discovered that those more liberal lifestyle features of Bahrain apparently disappear during Ramadan, and of course, Ramadan ( which lasts a full month ) begins the day we arrive in the country. Too late to change plans nowā¦we shall have to wait and see !
ļ»æFour days of relaxing by the pool in a nice Bahrain hotel was something we were really looking forward to, as was the prospect of a beer and glass of wine after 3 1/2 weeks of effective prohibition in Saudi. We would get full value on the former, though ended up being sadly disappointed on the latter ( more on that later ). Leaving Saudi, there was still one nice little surprise in store for us.
The logistics of moving around the region made it much easier to visit Bahrain from Saudi Arabia, just a 4 1/2 hour drive with the new King Fahd causeway linking the two states.
The Saudi rental car, which started in Riyadh, had to be returned to Riyadh. I had asked if I could drop it in Dammam ( which is just across the causeway from Bahrain – one could then literally āUberā over to Bahrain from Dammam) but was denied. That meant bussing was the only āoverlandā option. Still determined to do that, I booked tickets on the express direct bus to make the journey as fast as possible. Much to our surprise ( and joy ) it turned out that we were the only two people on the aforementioned ābusā. So instead of sending just the two us off in a full sized tour bus, SATCO ( the Saudi national company ) provided a nice new Ford Expedition SUV with two drivers who personally took us across to Bahrain – much faster, more comfortably and ( since we were the only passengers ) drove us direct to our Bahrain hotel ! What a wonderful way to depart Saudi ( where the surprises just never stopped coming ) and a beautiful and convenient way to arrive in Manama ( Bahrain ) ! Sometimes the gods just smile on you, and this was one such occasion.
Chauffeur driven from Saudi to Bahrain as it turned out. Nice way to travel !
It was actually an interesting drive across the eastern desert in Saudi- while we cruised comfortably at 140km/h in the big SUV, the traffic was incredibly heavy, Highway 80 being the main road to Dammam, Al Khobar and Bahrain. Weād expected to pass at least some of the massive Saudi oil facilities ( in all our time in Saudi the picture below is the ONLY kind of oil facility we ever saw ) – I guess they are all further north. As soon as it turned to dusk, hundreds of cars and trucks started pulling off to the side of the road to break the Ramadan fast ( one canāt eat, nor drink, between sunrise and sunset during Ramadan ). It was quite extraordinary, looked like dozens of picnics occurring right beside a very busy highway just as it was getting dark ( hence no pictures ). The border crossing was slick and took only minutes at each side – a final āThank you for visiting Saudi Arabiaā as we departed, and equally warm welcome by the Bahraini customs official.
The only oil āfacilityā we saw in all our time in Saudi. We expected to see huge refineries all over the place but seems they are concentrated just north of where we travelled.
It did not take long to see the difference between these two countries; Saudi – huge, and very conservative, while Bahrain is tiny and ( first impressions anyway ) far more liberal. Being Ramadan the streets are alive at night and we saw many people out and about. Hardly an abaya and not a single niqab to be seen, a stark difference from Saudi where much more conservative Muslim attire for women is the rule, not the exception.
We really enjoyed our time in Saudi but in three weeks there ( and all of it uninterrupted sunshine ) we never swam in a pool or the ocean. Nice to have a hotel pool ( and feel comfortable using it ) in Bahrain.
For the most part we simply relaxed in Bahrain, as was the plan ( actually nice NOT to have a car for a few days ). The hotel pool made it easy and when we werenāt enjoying that there were a couple of excellent souks ( markets ) to wander, an impressive waterfront to walk and a bustling downtown to visit. The old Portuguese fort in Bahrain is probably the major historic feature, conveniently located close to our hotel – one of the few āoldā buildings in Bahrain, the city is of course far better known for its stunning modern buildings, the twin towers of the Bahrain World Trade centre being the standout. It was the first building in the world to have wind turbines designed into the structure.
Bahrain Fort, built by the Portuguese in the 1600ās.Bahrain FortView across the fort ruins to Manama, the capital of Bahrain.Downtown souk ( market ).Manamaās stunning World Trade Centre building. Complete with built in wind turbines !Spent an enjoyable afternoon walking around the harbourfront marina area.Plenty of money in this town !
As with the last days in Saudi we continued to navigate the strictures of Ramadan while here in Bahrain – not easy when you are a tourist. While you can buy from stores and restaurants during the day, you absolutely cannot eat or drink in public until sunset. No early morning Starbucks, either. All closed. Yes, it takes a bit of getting used to and we found ourselves walking back to the hotel during the day just so we could eat and drink – while Lois probably could have managed without food during the time between sunrise and sunset ( having far more willpower than I ! ), I absolutely could not and can attest that Ramadan is brutal for habitual āgrazersā such as myself.
Our time in Bahrain was nonetheless very enjoyable- we can see why itās a favourite among expats. Oh yes, that beer and wine weād looked forward to in Bahrain ? Turns out itās effectively a dry state during Ramadan ( perhaps weāll get luckier in Oman š)!
The PanAm completed in April, 2022 and with the truck camper sold, we shipped our new Sprinter van to Australia in late 2022. We travelled there through all of 2023 and into 2024 before shipping it up to North East Asia where we travelled for 4 months between Korea and Japan, before shipping it back to North America. Itās our plan to continue exploring the world in 2025.
