MUSCAT. DAY 90. 12th MARCH 2023

WOKE UP FEELING 65 NO DIFFERENT TO 45. 

Left the Golden Oasis Hotel and rode around to the Saltan's Palace and fort which is on the water and then saw his two ships in the harbour. Went to the Grand Mosque but was closed so walked around it, very impressive. 

Pictures of the day.

    Finally got to wear a crown, took 65 years.

    Marlena sidewalks around the Palace.

    Palace, with three huge guns at the waters edge, look carefully and a fort to the left.

    

    Front entrance to Palace.

    Fort flanking the Palace.

    Grand Mosque. 

OMAN DAY 87 FETCH BIKES FROM CONTAINER.

SALALAH TO MUSCAT   9TH TO11TH MARCH 23.    1400km.

On the 9th we got the call to pick up the bikes, the ship had arrived on the 7th on schedule. The guy was in such a hurry to get the bikes out that he just cut all the straps loose, so it didn't  take long at all  and none had fallen over. I connected the battery and the bike won't  start, tried everything and then Fracois towed me back to the gem of a hotel we are all staying at. The mechanic in Cape Town  said it was my immoboliser that was gone, the key antennae won't  recognize the key, the dash lights up and everything but it will not start. I called BMW in Muscat and they were closed so could only order it on Saturday cause everything is closed on Friday and Saturday and they start their week on Sunday.

Friday 10th March 23   732km  8.5 hrs.

DAY 88

Got up early and went and took the key housing off and discovered the it had disconnected, so I plugged it back in and it started. Was so dang happy that I could leave, so quickly packed up and was on the road again at 10am heading for Muscat. Couldn't believe how my luck changed that quickly, lessons learnt on that , should have done it last night. Was good to be back on the bike again after eleven days. 

The roads are really good and you can jam , except for the camels that are sometimes in the road. The place is kept very clean, hardly see and garbage laying around, so different to Africa, it's all organized and stuff works and no potholes ! It started getting dark so I ducked down a dirt road to the beach and got there in the dark and was exploring and got the bike augered into the sand and I couldn't move it. So camped there, didnt even pitch my tent, with no moon it was pitch dark, I even got a little scared it was so dark. 

    A fairly new coastal road, the amount of excavation through the mountains was amazing.

    Augered in for the night. 

    Didn't  even bother pitching the tent.

    Finally unstuck, campsite at beach.

Saturday 11 March 23    704km.  10 hrs.

DAY 89

Got up at sparrow fart and walked to the road and flagged down so.e fisherman to come help me pull my bike out which they gladly did, another problem solved. Of course I had no water with me and did have some dried fruit which was for supper and breakfast, one way to lose weight I am hoping. 

Mounted the paaniers and dry bag back on the bike and buggered off back down the dirt road to the main road  where I found a Pakistan Restaurant, if you can call ot that, more like a room with a table or you can go and sit on the rug and eat from the floor. 

Followed the coast road all the way to Muscat. Got a room at the Golden Oasis which is anything but golden at $31 a night. 

Rauel is also here, the others are en route.

So tomorrow I will explore Muscat  and am not going to ride more than 65 kms.

OMAN ARRIVE IN SALALAH DAY 81 to DAY 86 3rd to 8th MARCH 2023

SALALAH  

Have been here for six days now and thankfully we can collect the bikes tomorrow 9-3-23. Rauel and I flew over together last week and the rest dribbled in later in the week and we are all at the same hotel.

    Rauel after hearing a sandwich and a beer costs $27 in Dubai Airport. 

We have walked everywhere, the beach had nobody on it and you can't swim as they say it is dangerous, but certainly isn't. The water is nice and cool and there is no humidity like Mombasa but it is 34*C . 

Went to see the largest Mosque here which is just across the road, but would not allow me in cause your knees need to be covered. A local guy helped me out and went to his car and got me a Musar and tied it around me and told me to keep it, as a gift, so was able to enter.

We all go and have dinner together which averages $5 a meal and food is good and there are plenty of places to eat, Lebanese, Indian, Pakistani and Omani. 

We hired a car for two days and drove down the coast to the Yemen border which is about 140km south west. The mountains run to the ocean with dramatic views and some windy roads up and down with camels wandering around on the roads and highways. Had a refreshing swim and visited some view spots overlooking the coast after having some camel stew for lunch.

MOMBASA TO OMAN 2-3-23 DAY 81

DIANI BEACH  STAYED AT STILTS.

Did a lot of walking on the beach, was a fun time with all the lads playing volleyball and eating and drinking out daily.

Came back to Mombasa today to Tulia House where Richard stayed and got our Carnets and flight tonight at 11pm to Dubai then on to Salalah, Oman. Arrive in Salalah at 6pm, so will get know Dubai Airport on the looong layover.