Jim & Happy : Wadi sight seeing

Oman people are renowned for being friendly and generous. Salim was friendly and helpful yesterday but today he was geniuely generous.

Our first stop for the day on our way to Wadi Shab and Wadi Tiwi was a road side fruit stall. Salim bought a large bag of onions, cucumbers and a few rock melons. He insisted we take 1 rock melon and 4 cucumbers. We couldn't refuse. Next Salim stopped for a drink and he returned with drinks and a fruit bun for us.

A wadi is a valley normally dry except for the rainy season. There are many in Oman and a couple permanently have water.

Wadi Shab was spectacular. We paid for a 2 -minute dinghy ride across the wadi to the other side – too deep to walk across. It was a 45-minute trek to reach the end of the wadi. At times it was a bit difficult to pick a path through the rocks. I’d suggest if anyone else does it, take a guide.

We were lucky we had the place to ourselves. We passed people walking out of the wadi but no one was walking in except us.

We finally made it to the end and had a swim in the beautiful clear water. The pools were in the middle of steep ravines. It was awesome. The bottom of the pools were covered with white pebbles and little fish were nibbling on our legs while we were swimming. For lunch we ate the whole rock melon. Salim gave us his pocket knife to take with us for lunch, another kind gesture. Along with the rock melon we ate fruit, choc and nut biscuits. The biscuits were yummy even if they were covered in melted chocolate. We thought they were choc bits not chocolate coated. We were walking in 38-degree heat.

Wadi Tiwi was 7km from Wadi Shab near the village of Tiwi. To get there we drove through narrow windy roads through the village. On both sides of the roads there were banana trees and date palms. Wadi Tiwi was not for swimming but still picturesque with village homes perched on the banks.

Jim noticed that Salim drove on 140 for most of the day even though the speed limit is 120. Salim did say he could safely stop if a donkey or camel runs out in front of his car at 140. Not sure what rulebook he got that out of.

The 4 cucumbers are in the mini bar fridge maybe housekeeping would like them.