Hi everyone!
I hope you are enjoying our site and following all of our travels thus far. We would love our trip not only to inspire people but to also help us raise funds for a foundation we hold dear to our hearts, the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria.
Please visit our fundraising page either via the menu above or this link below.
https://purpleday2014.everydayhero.com/au/our-adventure-bug
Thank you to everyone that can help us help this great cause.
Cheers,
Chris, Elayne and Victor
Date: 8th April 2013 Waypoint 139 – 25klm from Dubai border
We make our last camp in Oman near the main road which was just relentless traffic noise, I should have known better and driven another few kilometres off the road but it was late when we found a spot to hide off the road, just as a huge lightning storm had come to greet us and the rocks just kept getting bigger as we tried to push into the wide Wadi which we were worried about if it flash floods during the night.
All we heard all night was flapping truck tyres and rumbling exhaust notes which eventually faded in the early hours, but not until the all night noise had done its damage.
It was a clear fresh morning we had survived the night, no flash floods had threatened our Wadi, we were still in the land of the living and the scenery was beautiful. Elayne cooks up breakfast and we contemplate our last few hours in Oman
Victor rumbles back to the main border road heading for Dubai joining the endless stream of trucks heading in either direction.
We surly know what we are doing when it comes to borders …… well you would think so…… …..BUT….we did not see any Oman Immigration Customs checkpoint, the border control guards/army just smiled and waved us through in that delightful friendly Oman way….BUT then it was too far, we arrived at the Dubai border????…Well done 10 out of ten we should of known better and yes we had to return once again to the Oman border to be stamped out ……what idiots we are, but we just missed it completely another very Arabic convoluting road design which is confusing to say the least….and as for the Omani final check the solider just waved us through…so not all our mistake, but we should have known better.
Eventually all was done after our brief return to Oman, I managed to skip the Dubai insurance and use our International cover, which saved us a few dollars, but again could not find a Dubai Customs check point to stamp our Carnet, so again we just drove off….will we ever learn.
Elayne and Victor our first night in Dubai ………construction site camping.
Our construction site Camping in Dubai…….not bad for free …..considering how much a square metre it would cost to buy….lol…Elayne finds the perfect toilets and Shower on the 52 floor of a nearby skyscraper…well done Elayne. Continue reading
Date: 25th March 2013, Waypoint 126
We wave our goodbyes to our Egyptian friends Tharwat and Magda from their beautiful apartment overlooking the Sualtan Qaboos Mosque, the mosque is a magnificent structure beautifully laid -out with its wonderful surrounding green gardens. The smell of Frankincense in the local shops is one which your nose will never forget walking around Salalah which has many Frankincense trees along its green Wadis. It would be a fantastic place to visit during the Monsoon season when everything turns to lush green the Salalah Mountains would look outstanding…another time for us we hope.
A sign Post which really changed our adventure in Oman……..read on.
Beer Can Bay just outside Salalah Port our first night of freedom after 4 days locked down in the port Victor being unable to drive in Oman as we are RHD…….but that all changes. Continue reading
Date: 18th March 2013
Our beautiful Indian Dhow Noore Al Salam had carried us more than a 1000 sea kilometres in 4 ½ days, from the Port of Berbera Somaliland to Salalah Oman. Elayne and I stood on the early morning deck squinting our eyes peering into that semi darkness an hour or so before sunrise. “Look” Elayne exclaims, pointing into the darkness. “Can you see?” I try to focus my early morning eyes still bleary from our lack of sleep from our beetle nut chewing crew. “Yes” I reply “I can see.”
Ragged mountains rose from the seas edge. I could just make them out, pale mauve’s, grey blues , orange sandy whites, their deeper shadows silhouetted their shapes it was our first sight of land.
Noore Al Salam enters Salalah Port after 41/2 days crossing from Berebera Somaliland to Salalah Oman. Victor and his 449 Somaliland Cows.
Towering above us Modern Tech meets ancient tech…..our beautiful old Dhow is much better… Well that’s what we think.
Our Dhow family…Osman our Captain checks our berth alongside one of his family friend’s in their bright blue Dhow… wow it looks great. Continue reading
