OMAN - a touch of the Orient

The view stretches over endless expanses....a trace of incense lies in the air. A tiny big paradise surrounded by sand as far as the eye can see. I find myself in the southwest of the Sultanate of Oman, more precisely in Salalah in the administrative district of Dhofar. To the north of here, the coastal mountains of the region extend, which stand out only slightly in color from the ground. On the other side, looking south, I see the infinite expanse of the Arabian Sea. The sand grains dance wildly in the air, but only lightly touch me. It is the feeling of a different world...a touch of the Orient and 1001 nights. Here, time seems to have stood still - in a peaceful time. In times of current geopolitical conflicts, this is not entirely self-evident for a country in the Middle East. And besides this pure, simple and natural side, there is also another one: luxury. This is proudly displayed by the locals, the Omanis. Thanks to the oil, the country is doing well economically, and one can only imagine how the country has changed since the reign of Sultan Qaboos in 1970. He worked for his people and his country and was able to achieve fundamentally important innovations. Thanks to his help, the road network was expanded and schools and educational institutions were built, among other things. The number of illiterate people decreased rapidly and the healthcare system was reformed.

After a long flight, I arrive at the newly built airport in Salalah. On the way to the hotel, there is not much to see at first. Suddenly, settlements appear on the horizon as if it were natural. The empty streets are lined with lights. Lights that can already be seen from the airplane and give an impression of how advanced this country is. The roads lead straight for miles, signs at the roadside warn of free-roaming camels.

The first days of my trip are spent on the beach. Not far from the beach, dolphins swim in the water, the sea is calm and still relatively cool. Then I fulfill a long-cherished dream: a desert safari. In the morning, our convoy starts towards the Rub al-Chali, the largest sand desert in the world. In the first few hours, we can still travel on paved roads, only occasionally having to slow down because free-roaming camels are blocking our path. Then the first stop, where our driver reduces the tire pressure of the jeeps. We continue on rocky tracks that we have to pass at high speeds. The swirling sand of the vehicles in front of us blocks our view. Once, a truck appears in front of us out of nowhere, which disappears behind our own sand cloud as fast as it came. After another stop, where the drivers check the tire pressure again and we have the opportunity to go to the toilet - in this case, open-air behind the henhouse ;) - we get closer to our destination for the day. In front of us, the first dunes pile up. Sand...as far as the eye can see. We still have half an hour until sunset and enjoy the view that is offered to us. It is hard to imagine being able to experience something like this one day. As the sun slowly sets, the sand turns different shades of red and the formed ripples cast shadows. We linger for a moment before the convoy sets off again. The camp where we will be staying tonight appears on the horizon. We take one more dune and get stuck. The men have to lend a hand, and the women go on ahead towards the camp. Arriving there, we are greeted by the elder of the camp. He seems friendly, but reserved. The camp consists of sleeping tents, a fire pit, and a communal tent where we all eat together in the evening. The Bedouins have cooked - there is rice with lentil curry and homemade bread. Just delicious! In the evening, we end the eventful day with shisha by the campfire. The Omanis dance and sing exuberantly. But in the distance, only one thing can be heard: silence. At night, I am offered a breathtaking view of the starry sky. After a cold and short night, the wake-up call finally sounds at half past 5. I pack my things and make my way to the nearest dune. From there, I let the impressions that await me at sunrise sink in. After breakfast, we finally start the return journey. And what remains are great memories...memories of a wonderful stay in this refreshingly impressive country, which, despite its simplicity, has so many facets to offer. And the Omanis!? I had the opportunity to get to know open, reserved, and friendly Omanis. They also seem to understand the long-term benefits that tourism will bring them. Let's hope that the country learns from the mistakes of other destinations and preserves its uniqueness.