Oh golly, Oman

I'm currently reading Ranulph Fiennes' book, "Atlantis of the Sands: The search for the Lost City of Ubar" (1992). When I moved at the end of December I discovered my copy to be missing (I'd had it for ages but had read little, only really checking out the photos) - I fortunately found a second-hand copy through Amazon, which my dear friends Heather and Michael got hold of for me.

So, I've got this desert thing... I'm reading all kinds of desert stuff. Ran's book is a gem plus he's one of my favourite authors (lovely relaxed and fluent style - and adventure content). Checking out the pics of young Ran in the book; he was a dish. That he was 30-odd years younger now... ;)

While reading this book, I've been surfing on Wiki and other web resources - reading about Oman, Ubar, frankincense trade and oogling satellite images. Then, on Monday night I decide to do some Google Earth flying to match terrain with the sketch maps in the book. More than an hour later I was still surfing the sands of southern Oman.

Wow, the terrain in the Dhofar area where Ran was based in his military days (working for the Sultan)... absolutely, frikkin' incredible! Those massive wadis, the flow of sand, patterns... it's really amazing. Ran cruised this area first in the late 60's and spent 24 years and-and-off searching for this lost city, tipped off my tales that seemed fictitious but came up in oral and written records.

Like Abu Dhabi, Oman has beautiful beaches, five-star (plus) hotels and a range of outdoor activities, especially around the capital city, Muscat. Forget this - gimme the southern mountains, wadis and Empty Quarter dunes!

Just check this image out (from Google Earth). Incredible eh? Some of the big sand river beds North of the coast (near Ubar) are around two kilometres wide! Looks like land lightning - incredible patterns.

So, anyone going to Oman needing a luggage carrier?