Oman
My 2011 travels have started in spectacular style with a visit to Oman, where the cloudless blue skies and sunshine are in marked and welcome contrast to the UK’s current cold weather.
I’m here with the Guild of British Travel Writers courtesy of the Oman Tourist Board, who are generously hosting our 2011 AGM.
After an overnight flight with Oman Air (the only airline in the world that allows inflight use of mobile phones) I and 90 other travel writers, photographers and broadcasters arrived in Muscat, short of sleep but keen to make the most of our limited time. Our visa formalities completed, we sped off in three large coaches accompanied by talkative and enthusiastic guides wearing a bright red T-shirts, which made them easy to spot when we were in crowded areas.
First stop had to be the Grand Mosque, as this is only open to tourists on certain days between 9am – 11am. This remarkable and beautiful modern building took six years to build and was a gift to the nation from Sultan Qaboos to mark the 30th year of his reign. The vast prayer room is lit with huge chandeliers made from the finest Austrian glass and crystals and the floor is covered with the largest handmade carpet in the world measuring 70m by 60m wide. Before entering the mosque, shoes had to be removed and placed in shelved areas. We women had to cover our heads and have our clothing checked that we were not exposing bare flesh. One poor soul was severely reprimanded and barred from entering because her ankle length skirt had a tiny slit! The men in the group had no such restrictions and were free to enter in short sleeve shirts.
After touring the awe-inspiring mosque, we had a quick stop at the Muttrah souk, the oldest in Oman and a confusing labyrinth of small shops, stalls and winding alleyways selling an infinite variety of wares that included household items, furniture, carpets, rugs, clothing, incense burners, antiques, handicrafts, dates, spices and fragrant teas and of course the ubiquitous pashmina. There was only time for the briefest of browses before our red T-shirted guides escorted us back to the coaches. Sadly, a severe fire broke out in the souk a couple of days after our visit. Several shops were gutted and surrounding property damaged, but fortunately there was no loss of life.
Lunch was served on board one of National Ferries Company’s new fast diesel ferries capable of carrying 208 passengers and 56 cars at speeds of up to 104 km per hour. These operate between Muscat and Khasab 480 km to the north. We were hosted with a delicious lunch while having leisurely sail out into the Gulf of Oman. Before returning to the harbour, the captain upped the acceleration so we could experience the vessel’s extraordinary power and speed.
The Guild’s AGM was at the newly opened Millennium Resort at Mussanah, a 90-minute drive from Muscat. The hotel is the first part of the complex to be finished and is luxuriously appointed. One of the staff who serviced my room told me I was its first ever occupant! Later this year the swimming pool and a spa is due to open and once the gardens are fully landscaped the property will be transformed.
During our short stay in Muscat, we enjoyed hospitality at the Chedi and Hyatt hotels and our gala dinner was at the Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, where I stayed on for a couple of extra days to experience its lovely Chi Spa. I’ll be covering that in a future edition of Spa Wellbeing.