Saturday 21 February 2015

066 -077 CYCLE TOURING THE UAE AND OMAN



66 & 67 THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES & OMAN
548 Kilometres – 20 Days
2 February - 22 February 2015


PHOTOS - UAE

 

66 THE EMIRATE OF DUBAI

325 Kilometres – 9 Days

2 February – 22 February 2015

 

2 February - Cape Town, South Africa – Dubai, UAE (by plane)

The flight from Cape Town, South Africa to Dubai, UAE via Doha was uneventful, except for arriving in Dubai at the ungodly hour of 3 a.m. Mercifully, Anton and Andre, friends of my friend, Lois, who lived in Oman at the time, collected me from the airport. I was extremely grateful to them as Dubai was mightily expensive. If not for them, I would’ve had a somewhat pricey start to the UAE. Once at their home, our chatter continued until 5 a.m. before finally turning in for the night.

 

3 February - Dubai

As expected, following our late night, we were slow to emerge. Dubai (the biggest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, one of seven emirates forming the UAE) was undoubtedly the money capital of the world, and it was hard not to be in awe of all money could buy.

Almost everything was the biggest in the world, from shopping centres to aquariums. The water bus provided a unique way to explore the marina. So was roaming around the famous Dubai Mall, Golden Souq and impressive aquarium. A stroll along the downtown area worked up an appetite, and we enjoyed a late lunch watching the dancing fountains. The fountains were impressive against the backdrop of the Burj Khalifa, the highest building in the world (at the time). Then, we went home to watch a 3D movie while enjoying popcorn and wine. What a novel way to end a fabulous day in this world-famous city.

 

4 February - Dubai

Although awake slightly earlier than the previous day, it was already half-past eleven when I finished reassembling the bicycle. Our first stop was the bike shop to purchase a few bits and bobs.

Our next destination was Souq Madinat Jumeirah, where we spent a few hours sauntering through the gold and spice markets. Next, I was treated to a canal-side lunch at the Noodle House, where we had a great view of the famous Burj Al Arab Hotel. Afterwards, we visited Elvira, a friend of Anton and Andre, where we could access the top of her 83-storey building, which sports a fantastic city view. Elvira ordered pizzas, and we had a great time socialising.

 

5 February - Dubai

An additional day was spent in Dubai, and Anton and Andre drove me to the Miracle Garden. In this fantastic flower garden, the whole shebang, including the buildings, was covered by plants and flowers—a remarkable feat considering this is a desert country.

Afterwards, we drove to the world-famous Palm Island with its mega-expensive accommodation. Though immensely sought after, Palm Island wasn’t where I wanted to find myself during a tsunami. Hunger pains drove us to the excellent Carluccio restaurant offering authentic Italian cuisine.

Our next stop was at the metro station where, to my surprise, one could board a driverless train. Our driverless train scooted us off to the Spice and Gold Souq.

Towards the end of the day, Carrefour made convenient shopping to pick up the necessary ingredients as Anton planned on making a traditional Uzbek dish, plov — an extremely suitable way to wrap up another intriguing day in the city of Dubai. As always, the longer I stayed, the more interesting the city became.

 

6 February - Dubai – Al Rama - 100 km

I was all Dubai-ed out and happy to be back on the bike again. A big grin crossed my face as I cycled off doing one of my favourite things - pedalling off in a direction I wasn’t quite sure where it would lead was exciting and relaxing.

I was immensely thankful to Anton and Andre, who gave me a bed, fed me, and carted me all over Dubai. However, the warnings regarding drivers in Dubai slightly concerned me. Excellent wide highways and fast cars aren’t the best places to cycle. Therefore, I was surprised to find vehicles slowing and waving me across a busy motorway. Maybe it was simply out of sheer amazement to see a woman on a bicycle.

My route followed the dead, monotonous, and mind-numbing road to Abu Dhabi, a massive 4-lane highway. At least the numerous petrol stations were a welcome distraction and not one was passed without stopping. Long conversations with fellow travellers made it an enjoyable first day. All enquired about my origin and destination, followed by the inevitable photo shoot: leaving Dubai late and with all the stopping and chatting, the sun soon started dipping towards the horizon. Still winter, the sun disappeared at around 6 o’clock. Luckily, Al Raga sported a room that was costly but convenient.

 

7 February - Al Rama – Abu Dhabi - 40 km

The ride into Abu Dhabi, the bustling capital of the UAE’s biggest emirate, was shorter than anticipated. Shortly before the city centre, my route unexpectedly spat me out in the fast lane of a busy highway, leaving no means of getting to the opposite side. Eventually, police helped me across, and two kind Samaritans stopped and gave me a ride into town. It was a good thing too, as the police didn’t want to let me go, and only once they saw all of us in the car did they drive off.

The GPS on my phone didn’t work without a SIM card, and being my only form of navigation, I searched for a local SIM. Returning to my abode, I grabbed a bag of falafel and a few samosas for only a few dirhams.

 

8 February - Abu Dhabi – Ramah rest area - 125 km

My first stop was at the imposing Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to snatch a few photos. Afterwards, I pointed the bike in the direction of Oman. Initially, my plan was to cycle halfway to the border, but I couldn’t find a suitable camping spot.

Again, nothing significant happened, and again, service stations broke the monotony. These stations made filling my water bottles and buying snacks convenient, as chewing while riding kept me occupied. As a result, I slinked into the Ramah rest area long past sunset and in darkness.

The thoughtful gift from Andre, a solar-powered flashing light, proved incredibly useful. Its automatic activation in low-light conditions made it the perfect companion for cycle touring, providing just the right illumination when needed.

 

9 - 10 February - Ramah rest area – Al Ain - 60 km

The ride to Al Ain was straight into the wind, but there was nothing one could do. I put my head down, adjusted the bicycle gears, and soldiered on. Truly, nothing happened - even the service stations weren’t equipped with shops selling snacks or drinks. Then, out of the blue, a stranger stopped and gave me a small souvenir. I was completely gobsmacked, and I wonder if I ever thanked him for his kindness.

The oasis town of Al Ain rolled into view shortly beyond midday. My early arrival left me enough time to investigate the nearby Al Ain Oasis which sported a labyrinthine of cobbled streets. The entire area was walled and fitted with an ancient underground irrigation system dating back thousands of years. The nearly 150,000 date palms within the walled area made it a relaxed and shady meander. Falafel and samosas from the cafeteria, once again, made a quick meal.

Al Ain offered several places of interest and the city was a great place to spend the following day. The Palace Museum was fascinating, and so was the old fort. Al Jahili Fort was constructed in 1891 as a fort and a summer residence for Sheikh Zayed the First. I believed it customary in those days for Abu Dhabi leaders to escape the summer's coastal humidity in favour of Al Ain's dryer climate. The oasis, offering plenty of water, must have added to its popularity.

Carrefour supermarket was a great place to stock up. As the camel market was right behind the shopping centre, the market was easy to explore before returning to my wonderfully comfortable abode. For the third night in a row, supper was falafel and more samosas before turning in.

 

 

67 OMAN

223 Kilometres – 11 Days

11 February – 22 February 2015

 

11 February - Al Ain, UAE – Sobar, Oman - 110 km

Certain days were more challenging to get going than others, and this day was one of them. After packing up and a cup of coffee, the time was already past 10h00 before I got underway. The Omani border crossing was 10 kilometres away and a leisurely cycle through the town of Al Ain.

Once on the Omani side, my first stop was at an ATM, then a quick breakfast before picking up a new SIM card. As a result, it was past 12h00 before I headed into Oman and over the Hajar Mountains toward Muscat. Once out of the city and in the desert, the road became a shimmering mirage. Besides barren mountains and a few camels, the scenery remained unchanged. Oddly, the Omani border was 50 kilometres further, making it a sizeable no-man’s land.

By the time I received my entry stamp, it was well past midday, and I had covered only a minimal distance. I filled my water bottles and headed for the hills. Like the previous day, the weather was windy but the wind didn’t bother me, and a strange peacefulness prevailed. Sunset was between  6 and 6.30 p.m. and, soon afterwards, darkness fell. To my delight, streetlights lined the entire road.

I was a bit taken aback on reaching Sobar as I didn’t envisage Sobar quite as substantial. The traffic was horrendous, and the roadworks and detours scared me off the road. A taxi driver pointed me to a nameless hotel which suited me fine. Once in a room, I cooked pasta, but being a terrible cook, the pasta was awful, and I should’ve settled for falafel instead.

 

12 February - Sobar – The Millennium Resort - 113 km

My friend Lois had arranged to meet at the upmarket Millennium Hotel and Resort for a drink. With a cold beer in mind, I ground into the wind until I finally crawled into the resort shortly after 6h00 p.m. Lois was already there and, to my delight, I learned she had organised a room. It’s good to have friends.

A great deal of babbling took place over a drink, as we had years of catching up to do. The jabbering continued over supper and until late in the night. A few beers were consumed before retreating to our luxury room overlooking the Gulf of Oman.

 

13 February - The Millennium Resort – Seeb

We had a relaxing start to the day, followed by a massive breakfast overlooking the Gulf of Oman, and was midday before we eventually headed out. Lois persuaded me to load the bike in the car and join her for a sightseeing ride to Muscat.

Our first stop was at Al Sawadi, a beautiful beach where boats departed to the nearby island for a day of leisure. From Al Sawadi, we resumed our slow drive to Barka, hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous “bull-butting”. Regrettably, the event wasn’t taking place until much later. Lunch was in true Arabic style and then onto Seeb, where Lois lived.

 

14 - 20 February - Muscat and surrounding areas

Lois hauled me out of bed and announced we were driving up the mountain. The drive was spectacular and featured hazy views far in the distance, and I was grateful for being in a car and not on a bicycle. A long, steep walk down the mountain brought us to an old, abandoned village where well-preserved mud-brick houses clung desperately to the mountainside. Then, a hot, sweaty walk finally spat us out at the car.

Later, we had refreshments at an upmarket hotel offering spectacular views of the mountains and the small villages far below. One could barely make out the tiny, luminous green terraces used for farming.

We then proceeded along the nearly vertical mountain road to Nizwa, sporting an imposing fort and fascinating souq. This huge souq sold the whole caboodle, from vegetables to livestock and almost anything in-between, from beautiful pottery products to antique-looking jewellery, and even guns.

Back in Muscat, the days came and went, and I spent my time mostly sampling all of Oman’s exotic dishes. The hop-on-hop-off Big Bus city tour around Muscat was money well spent as one got to see all Muscat had to offer in a matter of a day. In the process, I met another cyclist biking around Oman, mainly following the Oman Cycle Tour.

Soon, the 19th arrived and Lois took the day off work, loaded the car, and we made our way south along the coast. The landscape was typically desert-like and dotted by unexpected little gems. Our first stop was the Bimmah Sinkhole, also known as Hawiyat Najm or The Falling Star. According to legend, the crater was a result of a meteor. The experts, however, have a less romantic story, claiming natural causes of dissolving limestone formed the hole.

Our next stop was in Sur with its famous dhow building yard. The area was old and traditional where no one referred to a sketch or blueprint. But, surprisingly, in this modern age of technology, dhows were still handmade, a process that appeared slow and labour-intensive.

Our day’s destination was the turtle reserve at Ras al-Jinz. The night was spent at a conveniently located hotel, a short walk from the famous turtle breeding ground. I don’t know what I expected. Still, it wasn’t seeing giant, pre-historic-looking turtles slowly making their way out of the water. Mesmerised, we watched them dig metre-deep holes with their short fins. Then, very slowly, they placed themselves over the hole and laid roughly 100 perfectly round golf-ball-sized eggs. Once done, they meticulously closed everything up, but this wasn’t the end of their duties. They then dug a fake hole next to the real one to mislead predators. Only once all was done did they drag their weary bodies back to the ocean — poor things.

We returned to the beach in the morning to see if we could spot more turtles. Unfortunately, we only came upon one returning to the water after her busy night on the beach. Still, we spotted newly hatched ones appearing from their sandy nest and scurrying to the water’s edge. The whole process was captivating - what a fantastic experience. Thank you, Lois.

After breakfast, Lois and I headed inland, stopping at a wadi high up in the mountains for lunch. Next, we headed to our beautiful desert camp—a haven amidst the arid landscape. The camp, adorned with rustic reeds, is nestled in the heart of the desert, surrounded by magnificent sand dunes.

 

21-22 February - Muscat

Too soon it all ended, and it was time to return to Muscat. Once in Muscat, I packed my belongings, and Lois drove me to the airport for my flight to Sri Lanka, my next destination. En route to the airport, we had time to have one more memorable meal consisting of a camel-meat burger, a first for me.

I cannot thank Lois enough for all she did. I had a most enjoyable time and saw more than I would ever have seen. She also covered all expenses. I will forever be indebted to her.