Wilfred Thesiger and Oman’s Desert

I arrived at Aiyun around Sunset. The mountains were cracking as they cooled down after the day’s intense heat and, in answer, birds called .

Wilfred Thesiger first arrived here in the Autumn of 1946, descending through the same pass as I had taken. The place hasn’t changed since his visit. The beds of Reed still flourish and the water in which, he was told, a monster serpent lived and would sometimes seize a goat when it came to drink, is still deep and suitably mysterious & dark.

Wilfred Thesiger stayed here in 1946

The next morning I took a few photos – of a magical place, serpent or not.

Returning to Muscat I took in the Aeolianite Coast – the fossilized sand dunes of Oman that underlay both desert and sea bed . Here they form cliffs which crumble into the sea, probably retreating meters every year.

Wahiba Aeolonite

Tropic of Cancer in Oman

A crawl up the slopes of Jebel Misht and then a very tired stumble back into the car - sunset in the Rub Al Khali and a puncture on the way out  – the link – all on my search for the Tropic of Cancer in Oman.

 

From the Tropic of Cancer – the school in Wadi bani Auf

 

Its one of the Earths great circles of latitude . Cutting through northern Oman, the Tropic of Cancer crosses some of Oman’s most spectacular scenery and historical places . I journeyed along the Tropic from the place where the sun first touches Oman to its setting .

OmanToday’s June issue has an article of my journey of discovery ‘Chasing the Sun’

Exploring the Rub al Khali in northern Oman

After a long drive we managed to make it to the Rub al Khali border with the UAE in time for sun-set. Not as dramatic as southern Oman’s Rub Al Khali nor with the interest of the Wahiba Sands but this section still has the power to make a human feel insignificant.

Looking west from a mega dune

It was from this dune that I heard the ’singing of the sands’ – wonderful  

When camping in the Wahiba a few days ago the sunset wind was strong , here fortunately is was little more than a gentle breeze

Two men exploring the Rub al Khali in Oman

 

Rub Al Khali Desert Oman

Taking advantage of the cooler months it was great to spend time in one of Oman’s natural features – the Rub Al Khali.

Exploring the Empty Quarter in Oman

Exploring the vastness of the Empty Quarter we walked through a landscape full of deafening silence and with no visible occupants until I came up against this Agama Lizard – catching the last rays of the sun before the chill of night set in.

Agama Lizard Oman

 

 

Empty Quarter Desert, Oman

The Empty Quarter / Rub al Khali offers a great chance to sleep under the stars . On my way to Salalah, I drove through the Empty Quarter (Rub Al Khali ) to spend the night there . The coldest I have ever been in a desert was a couple of years ago when the thermometer dropped to 2c . Fortunately, though cold, at about 10c, my night this time wasn’t so bad. However, perhaps because of the chill or because the Moon had set – I woke at about 2pm. Above was a black sky set with diamonds of stars – wonderful.

A climb up a Mega Dune in the Rub Al Khali

Needless to say a climb up a Mega Dune was called for and though not as extraordinary as the night sky – the view at dawn from the top is also breathtaking .

A Bee guards her hive in Salalah

The next day I arrived in Salalah and amongst other things came face to face with a friends Bees . He had moved his hives from the mountains because of the cold and wind – I could understand why.