We wake to the gentle breaking of waves, a completely empty beach except a large pack of wild dogs who decided that it would be good for an early morning paddle in the sea. They also decided to tell each other about it so the only two humans on the beach with them might wake up and join them.
We tried the gas stove again as a cup of tea would have gone down a treat but to no avail, so the Luke warm water in the flask was stretched out for a mosey but gratefully accepted cuppa to clear the head before packing up. We packed away in the same testing vain as setting up, which included trying to close the iKamper with the new mattress in. According to all iKamper forums, this was going to be impossible but we give it a go and yes it is impossible. That said, I realised after climbing back in and rolling up the mattress back into its bag, we had forgot to extend the wire on the lock mechanism, so we might try again tomorrow. School boy error!
Though this might have been fun we both had things to do and being slightly nervousness of going anywhere near 30 stray dogs on a beach at 6am we declined the offer. They left us alone and we left them alone.
The temperature never dropped below 30 last night for sure and though we went to bed by 9pm, we never went to sleep until midnight. I woke a couple of times and then at 5am due to the dogs, but managed to doze off again before being fully awake at 6am.
Becky did manage to sleep and was not as much of a moaning zombie in the morning as I was expecting to both mine and her delight. Breakfast on the beach would have been nice but it seemed that we had no gas and needed a plan.
So after picking away be found on iOverland a gas supplier near by. This might be the luck we need. So we head off and as we do we take the opportunity to top up on fuel. This was lucky as Becky asks to use the faculties and au think of Wi-Fi, this also lucky as the now rather hungry and angry -#hanggry Becky requests the opportunity for a McDonalds breakfast, this is not good overland practice on first morning on the road., but the gas situation has pushed us both over and it is required. We did manage to use the rather clean facilities, connect to Wi-Fi for some research and let’s be serious now have a cup of tea and coffee, but more importantly both keep our temper with the half a dozen Indian children running feral and slowly destroying the small restaurant. The young manager Arthur was doing his best with what was obviously too little staff but he looked after us.
Luck was not on our side with the gas though. We never got to use the stove last time we were out and in all tense and purposes, the bottle should be full and shaking it like a crazy man, it sounds full too. I thought it was me doing something not quite right in the dark, so in the morning it should be straight forward connecting in daylight and there you go, we have a flame and cooker.
Nope, I have no idea and yes I read the instructions. So a replacement is needed. This is going to be a tough ask as I know that getting a Coleman 2lb bottle was hard enough at home, it will take a true miracle on the road in Oman. That said, we find a gas supplier on iOverland only 20km away. Worth a shot! Thing now is iOverland decided to take us overland through an industrial area and this was an experience for sure. On the way there though, we knew the odds were stacking up against us as everywhere and we mean everywhere (except McDonalds) was closed. – Eid break. Well it was closed and let’s just say they would have laugh at us if we offered our minuscule bottle as this was a 12kg bottle minimum or a small tanker lol. One positive is we met a rather nice and agreeable camel that posed with Bruce.
Never mind let’s push through and high on the McDonalds coffee we head to Muscat. Well we drive through the city and are pleasantly greeted with a colourful city scape and then one spectacular Muscat Mosque. Disappointed we had missed the opening time but we noted it and will come back and not miss out on the chance next time. So what next? We decided to recce our next night stop a place called Anit and though the reports were a little uncertain saying it had been bulldozed flat we head that way.
As we pass the road up towards the crooked finger shaped jetty on the picture we pass By a LuLu supermarket and pick up a few essentials forgotten back in the trailer. This included some chilled fresh pineapple we happily consumed for lunch when we arrived as the large expanse of Anit jetty car park. Not a soul in sight and a pleasant view back across the harbour of fishing vessels and houses in the bay. Yes this will do, even if the toilet situation might be a problem later.
After a light lunch of pineapple and lemon and mint squash, we decided that Ain’t was the place for the night but we would head into the Muscat corniche for the evening. Personally I was super excited by this, but not for wondering down memory lane, but for taking Becky with me to this little corner of Muscat that I am truly fond of.
Armed with two pictures from back in 2010 we head off to find Aladdin’s cave and an ice cream milk shake restaurant. Odd yes but fun!
We arrived at perfect timing, quiet and just setting up. We drove along the front to the Egg Cup and the fort. Parking up for a picture or two, we get my fist fan experience. A random chap asks for my photo as the driver of Bruce the Jeep and 247overland, inviting us to his restaurant on our travels for breakfast or lunch for free. He does not know how inviting that sounds to us. He was super nice, out with his restaurant workforce on a day trip for Eid.
It is always nice to be quiet and have a place to yourself. If for Eid, most things were shut this could mean a fruitless visit to meet up with my friend. After finding Aladdin’s cave by asking and showing the photo another shop owner was happy to report that the shop is still going but sadly shut today. Oh no! Can we find the ice cream shake place! Nope and the barbars gone too! We take a walk and decide a coffee and bite to eat is in order. Well we can’t cook tonight as we have no gas. We notice a place and see a sign for ice cream. Sure this could it be it? It is on the front not inside the Souq. We take a seat and quickly spy a tall multi coloured shake oh my really this is the place they have just moved location. I show the photo and with big smiles and in a flash they deliver me a ice cream rose on top of my shake.
Being ushered into the restaurant I even get to meet the owner whom reminisces with me and even says he remembers me from my visits. He has been working in Muscat 46 years and never forgets a face, even if that face has got older. (2010 v 2022).
The corniche suddenly gets super busy and hundreds, no thousands of mostly Indian men take to the front in their Eid best to stride up and down, as well as risk their lives randomly trying to cross the road to take random photos of each other on a round about. The road which has got super busy with cruising cars now becomes a concern for us to leave.
We head back to Aint and what initially looks like a dark and cozy spot. The temperature had dropped but still in the thirties (later checking actually is 41 all night) but there is a cool breeze. After setting up we have a steady precession of cars visit the carpark for what seems like visiting a creeky jetty and crabbing. I fall asleep and from outside there is not this time a pack of stray dogs but a pack of eight to ten year old boys. It did not take long before I was wishing the stray dogs were back as these little tikes where progressively pushing their luck. It started rather nicely but in broken English it went from what’s your name to I wanted to sleep with your wife and ended with some gravel being thrown and me having to chase them off. Not the experience I wanted to be honest. After chasing them off down the track back to the fish man’s beach, I sat for a while and realised what the carpark is for – a meet up place for a smoke of what I can only describe as a not so legal medicinal plant. Well not as nice as the beach the night before but too late now.
We find ourselves sat together inside the car at 1am. After the incident with the local children, we suddenly get the strongest smell of gas you can imagine. We actually panicked a bit thinking it was our gas bottle suddenly come to life.
Do not be daft that little bottle is not giving us anything. We have no idea where the smell is coming from but think it might be a gas ship anchored over the harbour wall, along with dead animal ship smell, both super Smelly. This is starting to be a challenging evening. Now for that killer question, move or not to move at 1am?