OMAN 2014
05 - 14 October
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The RAF Masirah and RAF Salalah Association reunion trip to Oman in 2014 was, in the great part, organised by VIc Nugent who served in Masirah 1972-73.
It was an amazing 10 days where, some of us, experienced 5 hotels ranging from appalling to magnificent. Some did the legs between destinations without overnight stops so missed out on the appalling!
This little travelogue will, I hope, give some idea of how much we all enjoyed the trip and how much we owe to Vic for his amazing efforts.
It was an amazing 10 days where, some of us, experienced 5 hotels ranging from appalling to magnificent. Some did the legs between destinations without overnight stops so missed out on the appalling!
This little travelogue will, I hope, give some idea of how much we all enjoyed the trip and how much we owe to Vic for his amazing efforts.
Day 1 and 2 - Sunday and Monday 05/06 October 2014
Busy morning after a great 'Fairy Tale Murder Mystery' the evening of 03 October for our daughters birthday. Dogs were walked, for the last time for 10 days, and a call from Daniel, our Son, to say his son, Dhylan, has a rash on his face and they have to take him to hospital for an appointment. This means he can't take me to the bus station so Marlane has to do it in my Mother in Laws' little Suzuki Alto!
The Alto has been sitting underneath a birch tree since MiL departed for Holland a couple of weeks earlier so had to get it onto the drive and wash it off.
11:50 dropped off at Gloucester coach station with a very disgruntled Jonty (our Bichon Frise) wondering what I was doing leaving him behind.
It was a pleasant coach journey, which I wasn't expecting as I'm a terrible bus passenger. Driver Lucy was a very careful and considerate driver plus I was wearing SeaBands, plus I was sitting in the front. All of this contributed to me feeling fine for the two hours to Heathrow via Cheltenham and Cirencester. Arrived at 15:00, right on time.
This meant I had 3 hours to kill before the check-in opened but there's lots to browse around at Heathrow.
Met up first of all with Colin Blakelock and his wife Anne who had come over from Canada for this trip, and the AGM on the 25 October. We settled in a cafe and slowly more people joined us until we were so many we had to depart for the check in desks.
Off to the gate at 20:00 and airborne at 21:30.
A really nice meal, for economy, of Feta Cheese Salad, Arabian Chicken Curry with Rice and Turmeric Cauliflower, Roll and delicious fruit crumble, cheese and coffee.
Cabin staff were very attentive and pleasant, unlike the loos but they are always a mess on long haul flights. The flight was 7.5 hours.
Managed to doze a little but economy is not the most comfortable of seats but the 'Cool Jazz' audio channel helped a bit.
Woke up at 0200 (0500 Omani time) when we were over Turkey
Arrived in Muscat 0700, disembarked into 30 degrees centigrade at 0725!
As we were early for checking into the Al Falaj hotel we went by coach to visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and a Christian Cemetery followed by a lunch, at the hotel, of Beef Madras.
Went for a walk around the area in the afternoon and found the military museum but it was closed. We'd arrived at the back end of the Eid Al Adha holiday so lots of things were closed.
As I mentioned, I'm not a good coach traveller and there was the prospect of a total of 1000 miles of coach journey ahead of us so I opted for the stopovers to make the legs less distance to travel. As it happens I managed to sit in the front, wore the sea-bands throughout and we were blessed with a great driver, Mohammed, and I was fine through the whole 10 days.
The Alto has been sitting underneath a birch tree since MiL departed for Holland a couple of weeks earlier so had to get it onto the drive and wash it off.
11:50 dropped off at Gloucester coach station with a very disgruntled Jonty (our Bichon Frise) wondering what I was doing leaving him behind.
It was a pleasant coach journey, which I wasn't expecting as I'm a terrible bus passenger. Driver Lucy was a very careful and considerate driver plus I was wearing SeaBands, plus I was sitting in the front. All of this contributed to me feeling fine for the two hours to Heathrow via Cheltenham and Cirencester. Arrived at 15:00, right on time.
This meant I had 3 hours to kill before the check-in opened but there's lots to browse around at Heathrow.
Met up first of all with Colin Blakelock and his wife Anne who had come over from Canada for this trip, and the AGM on the 25 October. We settled in a cafe and slowly more people joined us until we were so many we had to depart for the check in desks.
Off to the gate at 20:00 and airborne at 21:30.
A really nice meal, for economy, of Feta Cheese Salad, Arabian Chicken Curry with Rice and Turmeric Cauliflower, Roll and delicious fruit crumble, cheese and coffee.
Cabin staff were very attentive and pleasant, unlike the loos but they are always a mess on long haul flights. The flight was 7.5 hours.
Managed to doze a little but economy is not the most comfortable of seats but the 'Cool Jazz' audio channel helped a bit.
Woke up at 0200 (0500 Omani time) when we were over Turkey
Arrived in Muscat 0700, disembarked into 30 degrees centigrade at 0725!
As we were early for checking into the Al Falaj hotel we went by coach to visit the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and a Christian Cemetery followed by a lunch, at the hotel, of Beef Madras.
Went for a walk around the area in the afternoon and found the military museum but it was closed. We'd arrived at the back end of the Eid Al Adha holiday so lots of things were closed.
As I mentioned, I'm not a good coach traveller and there was the prospect of a total of 1000 miles of coach journey ahead of us so I opted for the stopovers to make the legs less distance to travel. As it happens I managed to sit in the front, wore the sea-bands throughout and we were blessed with a great driver, Mohammed, and I was fine through the whole 10 days.
Click on a photo to enlarge and use the left and right hand side of the photos to navigate to the 'next' and 'previous' photos.
Day 3 - Tuesday O7 October 2014
Today I did one of the optional tours, thank goodness I did because it was a fantastic day.
Visited the old Capital of Nizwa and then on to Jabreen fort.
Nizwa was fascinating and the photographs show the journey, where we also stopped off to take photographs of Fanjah, a fertile valley with date palm groves.
Apart from the fort at Nizwa there was a lot to see including the shops with pottery, and metal crafts such as incense burners, Arabic coffee (Qawa) pots, fish suq (smelly!) and tourist shops where I bought a few bits and was rewarded with a free UK/Oman flags badge for my hat by a kindly shopkeeper.
Jabreen fort was fascinating and some of the photographs show the views from the battlements plus the 'murder hole', which I thought was a well but was actually used to hold the captured enemies over it when they killed them by beheading. I guess this was so the blood ran down into the hole rather than make a mess of the courtyard.
Very considerate that a grille was over the hole which meant the victim couldn't fall down the hole and hurt themselves before being killed!
In the evening we attended a function at the British Embassy hosted by the defence attache. There were a lot of people there representing all areas of British presence in Oman including Army, RAF and Navy, Diplomatic, Ex-Pats etc. A thoroughly enjoyable and convivial evening.
Visited the old Capital of Nizwa and then on to Jabreen fort.
Nizwa was fascinating and the photographs show the journey, where we also stopped off to take photographs of Fanjah, a fertile valley with date palm groves.
Apart from the fort at Nizwa there was a lot to see including the shops with pottery, and metal crafts such as incense burners, Arabic coffee (Qawa) pots, fish suq (smelly!) and tourist shops where I bought a few bits and was rewarded with a free UK/Oman flags badge for my hat by a kindly shopkeeper.
Jabreen fort was fascinating and some of the photographs show the views from the battlements plus the 'murder hole', which I thought was a well but was actually used to hold the captured enemies over it when they killed them by beheading. I guess this was so the blood ran down into the hole rather than make a mess of the courtyard.
Very considerate that a grille was over the hole which meant the victim couldn't fall down the hole and hurt themselves before being killed!
In the evening we attended a function at the British Embassy hosted by the defence attache. There were a lot of people there representing all areas of British presence in Oman including Army, RAF and Navy, Diplomatic, Ex-Pats etc. A thoroughly enjoyable and convivial evening.
Day 4 - Wednesday 08 October 2014
This morning we departed Muscat early in the morning, 0830, after a good breakfast. My first real test of the Sea Bands but, as mentioned, everyone was kind enough to let me sit in the front all the time so I was fine.
I was on Coach 2, with Mohammed driving and Kush the tour guide. Coach 2 was the one that was doing the stop-overs so our destination was Aseelah, and the Arabian Sea Motel. Sounds quite exoctic, it wasn't!
We stopped for lunch in Sur and rather than eating I went for a walk to find a road map of Oman. Couldn't find a single shop that sold maps although there were loads of vehicle repair garages in the area. I also found Khimji Ramdas warehouse. Kimji had a little wooden shack of a shop half way between the RAF Masirah camp and the jetty. People used to stop off there to buy odds and ends, for me it was usually a bottle of 7up. He now has a large company nationwide in Oman and is a very rich man, good on him.
Oh, and when I got back to the Sur hotel I asked at the reception about a roadmap and they gave me one, in English, free of charge.
On the journey between Sur and Aseelah we rode the coast road and saw many flamingoes, Herons, gulls of various types, goats and camels. Made the journey interesting and everytime camels or goats were spotted Mohammed would slow down and shout out 'Camels, Camels' to give people a chance to take photographs.
We arrived at the Arabian Sea Motel at 14:30 (6 hours after departing Muscat but we had an hour at Sur) and the place is pretty rough when you are used to 'nice' hotels. However, the Bangladeshi staff were brilliant, friendly and really tried to make our stay enjoyable. It was only for one night and everyone still enjoyed it. The beach is lovely and it's a great place for surfboard sailing etc. Our room (I was sharing) was swimming with water that was rapidly dripping from the Air Conditioner soaking the curtains and the floor. I switched the AC off, reported to the reception who were horrified. They brought us some 'old' towels, which were actually better than the ones in our bathroom, to soak up the water. We left the AC off and opened the patio doors and got invaded by hundreds of flies but the night was not too hot so we just left it off.
The highlight of this stopover was for us to go Turtle Watching at Ras al Jinz. That was fantastic and made up for the hotel a hundred times over.
The coach took us the 50 minute journey to the conservation centre at Ras al Jinz and we had a terrific moonlight walk down to the beach where we could immediately see shiny black blobs pulling themselves out of the sea and up the beach to lay their eggs.
We saw 7 turtles, 1 laying eggs, 2 covering up their nest holes and 4 others leaving the sea.
The moon was full and it was a beautiful night for it. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photographs which was a shame because with the bright moonlight I would not have used flash, which is the thing they were afraid off as it would frighten the turtles.
We got back to the motel at midnight and we were up at 0530 to leave at 0700
I was on Coach 2, with Mohammed driving and Kush the tour guide. Coach 2 was the one that was doing the stop-overs so our destination was Aseelah, and the Arabian Sea Motel. Sounds quite exoctic, it wasn't!
We stopped for lunch in Sur and rather than eating I went for a walk to find a road map of Oman. Couldn't find a single shop that sold maps although there were loads of vehicle repair garages in the area. I also found Khimji Ramdas warehouse. Kimji had a little wooden shack of a shop half way between the RAF Masirah camp and the jetty. People used to stop off there to buy odds and ends, for me it was usually a bottle of 7up. He now has a large company nationwide in Oman and is a very rich man, good on him.
Oh, and when I got back to the Sur hotel I asked at the reception about a roadmap and they gave me one, in English, free of charge.
On the journey between Sur and Aseelah we rode the coast road and saw many flamingoes, Herons, gulls of various types, goats and camels. Made the journey interesting and everytime camels or goats were spotted Mohammed would slow down and shout out 'Camels, Camels' to give people a chance to take photographs.
We arrived at the Arabian Sea Motel at 14:30 (6 hours after departing Muscat but we had an hour at Sur) and the place is pretty rough when you are used to 'nice' hotels. However, the Bangladeshi staff were brilliant, friendly and really tried to make our stay enjoyable. It was only for one night and everyone still enjoyed it. The beach is lovely and it's a great place for surfboard sailing etc. Our room (I was sharing) was swimming with water that was rapidly dripping from the Air Conditioner soaking the curtains and the floor. I switched the AC off, reported to the reception who were horrified. They brought us some 'old' towels, which were actually better than the ones in our bathroom, to soak up the water. We left the AC off and opened the patio doors and got invaded by hundreds of flies but the night was not too hot so we just left it off.
The highlight of this stopover was for us to go Turtle Watching at Ras al Jinz. That was fantastic and made up for the hotel a hundred times over.
The coach took us the 50 minute journey to the conservation centre at Ras al Jinz and we had a terrific moonlight walk down to the beach where we could immediately see shiny black blobs pulling themselves out of the sea and up the beach to lay their eggs.
We saw 7 turtles, 1 laying eggs, 2 covering up their nest holes and 4 others leaving the sea.
The moon was full and it was a beautiful night for it. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photographs which was a shame because with the bright moonlight I would not have used flash, which is the thing they were afraid off as it would frighten the turtles.
We got back to the motel at midnight and we were up at 0530 to leave at 0700
Day 5 - Thursday 09 October 2014
Arrived at Shanna after about 2 hours drive and after disembarking the ferry we left our cases at the Masirah Hotel, which was pretty good considering what we were expecting and our experience the night before!. Set off at 0700 after finding the WiFi wasn't working, the water ran out immediately after Brian and I had a shower (not together although the water would have lasted a little longer if we had I suppose!!!). Couldn't flush toilet, etc. but still cleaned teeth, just couldn't rinse brush.
We had a decent breakfast, different but filling, and drove through a heavy mist (see photos) which cleared before we got to the Askharah hotel where the rest of our group, that didn't go turtle watching, stayed.
Needless to say, on the route to Shanna, ferry port to go to Masirah, we saw many more camels and goats. We also stopped at the Wahaibi dunes to take photographs.
The ferry crossing was uneventful, like a millpond as you might expect for October.
On route we heard of a rebellion at the Masirah hotel where some members were revolting (would have been if they'd stayed at the Arabian Sea Hotel because they wouldn't have been able to shower!!). They were complaining about the condition of the rooms, service, food, pretty much everything. I found it quite acceptable, particularly after the Arabian Sea Hotel.
I arrived to find my room-mate, Colin Wilson, absent and he remained so until later afternoon. I was told that 'Colin' had a palatial room at the posher Masirah Island Resort Hotel.
I couldn't believe he would have been the sort to join the rebellion so I packed his suitcase and put it on the coach going to the resort hotel at 1800.
2100 Colin came into the room (21) at the Masirah Hotel wondering why his case had been sent to the other hotel. He'd gone there for lunch and stayed to use the pool and have dinner in the evening!!! The 'Colin' I'd been told was staying there was Colin Blakelock!!
The smell of Masirah was the same, the sea breeze wafted the smell of the coral and seaweed across the island, along with the smell of hot sand and the occasional whiff of camel dung!
We had a decent breakfast, different but filling, and drove through a heavy mist (see photos) which cleared before we got to the Askharah hotel where the rest of our group, that didn't go turtle watching, stayed.
Needless to say, on the route to Shanna, ferry port to go to Masirah, we saw many more camels and goats. We also stopped at the Wahaibi dunes to take photographs.
The ferry crossing was uneventful, like a millpond as you might expect for October.
On route we heard of a rebellion at the Masirah hotel where some members were revolting (would have been if they'd stayed at the Arabian Sea Hotel because they wouldn't have been able to shower!!). They were complaining about the condition of the rooms, service, food, pretty much everything. I found it quite acceptable, particularly after the Arabian Sea Hotel.
I arrived to find my room-mate, Colin Wilson, absent and he remained so until later afternoon. I was told that 'Colin' had a palatial room at the posher Masirah Island Resort Hotel.
I couldn't believe he would have been the sort to join the rebellion so I packed his suitcase and put it on the coach going to the resort hotel at 1800.
2100 Colin came into the room (21) at the Masirah Hotel wondering why his case had been sent to the other hotel. He'd gone there for lunch and stayed to use the pool and have dinner in the evening!!! The 'Colin' I'd been told was staying there was Colin Blakelock!!
The smell of Masirah was the same, the sea breeze wafted the smell of the coral and seaweed across the island, along with the smell of hot sand and the occasional whiff of camel dung!
Day 6 - Friday 10 October 2014
Walked to the RAFO camp entrance to see if we could take a photo of the Strikemaster and maybe enter the camp, not a chance. I sneaked a photo by turning and taking a chance couple of shots when we were a couple of hundred yards away.
The 'Flight Sergeant' on the gate took us into the guardroom and gave us a cup of 'coffee' with condensed milk! I gave him one of my Vulcan lapel pin badges from my cap.
We then had a coach ride around the island after picking up a picnic lunch at the swanky Masirah Island Resort Hotel.
Lots of photographs, see below, including close up to camels, a lizard etc. and Rubber Willy enjoyed it immensely especially the swim in the sea.
We had our picnic lunch on the beach where we swam and got back to the Masirah hotel about 1430.
In the evening I walked 'down town', not possible 45 years ago, into Hilf. Bought a few souvenirs and Shawarmas at a little Indian cafe. They were made with paratha rather then the normal flat bread and were delicious. Photo of the paper wrapped stuff on the plate is them!
Walking back later that evening a very old, wizened, Omani was sat on the pavement with his bamboo cane. As I approached I said 'Masa'al Khair' which made him jump up like a 2 year old and respond. We exchanged just a few words and As I said 'Marsalama' to him he snapped a salute which any drill instructor would be proud of.
Wish I'd spent more time with him to find out where he'd worked, he was obviously an old RAF Camp employee.
Day 7 - Saturday 11 October 2014
I had a very welcome lie in this morning, didn't get up until 0630!
After breakfast I went to the shops in Hilf with Colin to see if we could sort him out with a SIM card as he was having trouble topping up his Vodafone. Wouldn't let us do it on line or by text. He got an Omantel SIM.
When we got back to the Masirah Hotel there were some old employees in the reception area and they were looking at people photographs and actually meeting people that they remembered and worked with. It was an amazing experience.
Went to the Masirah Island Resort for Lunch and a walk along the beach while we waited for the time to go to the jetty for the ferry. We were supposed to leave at 0900 but due to high tides we were delayed until the 1500 ferry. Problem with a high tide is the ramp would be too angled for the coaches to disembark at Shanna. As it is it was a dodgy operation and I've got a video on YouTube.
We arrived in Al Duqm late, around 2000, and checked into the MAGNIFICENT Crowne Plaza hotel. It was like something out of a Bond film hotel, just amazing and brand spanking new.
Had a very good nights sleep.
After breakfast I went to the shops in Hilf with Colin to see if we could sort him out with a SIM card as he was having trouble topping up his Vodafone. Wouldn't let us do it on line or by text. He got an Omantel SIM.
When we got back to the Masirah Hotel there were some old employees in the reception area and they were looking at people photographs and actually meeting people that they remembered and worked with. It was an amazing experience.
Went to the Masirah Island Resort for Lunch and a walk along the beach while we waited for the time to go to the jetty for the ferry. We were supposed to leave at 0900 but due to high tides we were delayed until the 1500 ferry. Problem with a high tide is the ramp would be too angled for the coaches to disembark at Shanna. As it is it was a dodgy operation and I've got a video on YouTube.
We arrived in Al Duqm late, around 2000, and checked into the MAGNIFICENT Crowne Plaza hotel. It was like something out of a Bond film hotel, just amazing and brand spanking new.
Had a very good nights sleep.
Day 8 - Sunday 12 October 2014
Early start again, 0600 call, breakfast (terrific breakfast), and on the coach at 0800. We arrived in Salalah, at the Crowne Plaza hotel, at 1600 so that was quite a trek. We had a couple of stops on the way, for the loo, which caused much hilarity as it was very smelly and not too hygienic looking! (See photo below). I offered to stand behind the door if the ladies wanted to leave the door open but they declined. All of the blokes left the door wide open, but it wasn't so bad then as I was the first bloke, after making everyone else wait while the ladies went first, and before I went I used the bucket of water inside to rinse down the floor and the squatter loo itself.
Some signs were noticed on the way and after much discussion we realised that 'Stop if water is at red' meant that if the level of the water on the road, during flash flooding, rose up the nearby posts and reached the red mark then you should not proceed. At first we thought it meant if you coolant warning light was red!
The journey was long but it was interesting with continually changing terrain, oil fields full of 'nodding donkeys'
Salalah Crowne Plaza was still quite grand but a lot older than the newly opened Al Duqm hotel.
In the evening we had the Gala Dinner with speeches and toasts. There was quite a bit of hilarity with each table being tasked to tell a joke. I told the one about the two Irishmen finding the Pope dead in an inconspicuous room in the Vatican.
Some signs were noticed on the way and after much discussion we realised that 'Stop if water is at red' meant that if the level of the water on the road, during flash flooding, rose up the nearby posts and reached the red mark then you should not proceed. At first we thought it meant if you coolant warning light was red!
The journey was long but it was interesting with continually changing terrain, oil fields full of 'nodding donkeys'
Salalah Crowne Plaza was still quite grand but a lot older than the newly opened Al Duqm hotel.
In the evening we had the Gala Dinner with speeches and toasts. There was quite a bit of hilarity with each table being tasked to tell a joke. I told the one about the two Irishmen finding the Pope dead in an inconspicuous room in the Vatican.
Day 9 - Monday 13 October 2014
A resting day in Salalah.
Some stayed around the pool, some (wish I'd thought of it) took a couple of taxis to Mirbat, I set off to walk to town. Looking at the map of Salalah that I got from reception I thought it was about 1km away, turns out it's about 4km. After I'd been walking for an hour I stopped at the 'Trail of the Frankincense Land' museum. It was an extraordinary museum with cultural, archeological and maritime rooms. A must see if you visit Salalah.
On coming out to resume my walk I realised it was going to be further than I thought, and it was 40 degrees Celsius, so thought I'd better get a taxi. Just then a black car pulled up and the Indian driver asked where I was going. 'To the Suq' I said. He replied that it was too far to walk in this heat and he would turn around and take me. He'd seen me walking on his way to town and I was still walking on his way back. He is a Moslem Indian and when I said he was very kind for giving me a lift he told me that the car had been given to him as a gift from God so that he could help other people. I still think he was a very kind and considerate person, no-one else stopped!
When he stopped my initial thought was about how close we were to the Yemeni border and he might have seen many dollar signs walking along the road rather than a weary old Brit!
Salalah town was a bit disappointing with the general hoy poloy of shops you normally find on any Middle East shopping centre but I think I missed the old part where the old suqs are. By then, I must admit, I was quite weary so after wandering, getting a drink, and not finding anything interesting I flagged down a taxi and returned to the hotel.
I took Rubber Willy down to the beach and we had a swim and sunbathe for half an hour, too strong for any longer. Then had a shower outside, swim in the pool and started my 'Spythatcher' book, which I've been meaning to read for years, on a lounger.
It was a quiet evening, repacking the suitcase for the journey back home, dinner at the beachside restaurant (should have taken my camera, it was lovely). and an early night.
Some stayed around the pool, some (wish I'd thought of it) took a couple of taxis to Mirbat, I set off to walk to town. Looking at the map of Salalah that I got from reception I thought it was about 1km away, turns out it's about 4km. After I'd been walking for an hour I stopped at the 'Trail of the Frankincense Land' museum. It was an extraordinary museum with cultural, archeological and maritime rooms. A must see if you visit Salalah.
On coming out to resume my walk I realised it was going to be further than I thought, and it was 40 degrees Celsius, so thought I'd better get a taxi. Just then a black car pulled up and the Indian driver asked where I was going. 'To the Suq' I said. He replied that it was too far to walk in this heat and he would turn around and take me. He'd seen me walking on his way to town and I was still walking on his way back. He is a Moslem Indian and when I said he was very kind for giving me a lift he told me that the car had been given to him as a gift from God so that he could help other people. I still think he was a very kind and considerate person, no-one else stopped!
When he stopped my initial thought was about how close we were to the Yemeni border and he might have seen many dollar signs walking along the road rather than a weary old Brit!
Salalah town was a bit disappointing with the general hoy poloy of shops you normally find on any Middle East shopping centre but I think I missed the old part where the old suqs are. By then, I must admit, I was quite weary so after wandering, getting a drink, and not finding anything interesting I flagged down a taxi and returned to the hotel.
I took Rubber Willy down to the beach and we had a swim and sunbathe for half an hour, too strong for any longer. Then had a shower outside, swim in the pool and started my 'Spythatcher' book, which I've been meaning to read for years, on a lounger.
It was a quiet evening, repacking the suitcase for the journey back home, dinner at the beachside restaurant (should have taken my camera, it was lovely). and an early night.
Day 10 - Tuesday 14 October 2014
Yes, you guessed it. Up early again, breakfast and bags into the reception area for loading on to the coaches.
Mohammed (number 2 coach driver) and Habib (number 1 coach driver) had left on the 13th to drive all the way back to Muscat in one day, about 1,020km, so we had locally enlisted coaches for the transfer to the airport at Salalah.
Managed to get some shots of the military side of the airfield as we were passing and off we flew to Muscat.
Very fast and heavy landing at Muscat, I think the co-pilot must have taken it in but apart from that it was a good flight, as most commercial flights are nowadays. https://youtu.be/vyUR51oqi_8?list=PLmwLktY1sm0Rt7D4dR56vbczbhuHTUUMl
The flight back home was uneventful but couldn't sleep at all so watched 'The Railway Man' and 'The Hobbit - (something or other with the Smaug)'. Really nice meal and flight attendants.
About an hour from London Heathrow John Secombe had a bit of a turn and was given oxygen, I think it was just the long sitting period plus if you have any medical conditions it can leave you short of breath. He was ok after about 10 minutes of oxygen and attention.
That's about it. Back into LHR at 1845, 20 minutes early, baggage obtained, coach at 2020 and Marlane picked me up at Gloucester coach station at 2255 - Home.
Mohammed (number 2 coach driver) and Habib (number 1 coach driver) had left on the 13th to drive all the way back to Muscat in one day, about 1,020km, so we had locally enlisted coaches for the transfer to the airport at Salalah.
Managed to get some shots of the military side of the airfield as we were passing and off we flew to Muscat.
Very fast and heavy landing at Muscat, I think the co-pilot must have taken it in but apart from that it was a good flight, as most commercial flights are nowadays. https://youtu.be/vyUR51oqi_8?list=PLmwLktY1sm0Rt7D4dR56vbczbhuHTUUMl
The flight back home was uneventful but couldn't sleep at all so watched 'The Railway Man' and 'The Hobbit - (something or other with the Smaug)'. Really nice meal and flight attendants.
About an hour from London Heathrow John Secombe had a bit of a turn and was given oxygen, I think it was just the long sitting period plus if you have any medical conditions it can leave you short of breath. He was ok after about 10 minutes of oxygen and attention.
That's about it. Back into LHR at 1845, 20 minutes early, baggage obtained, coach at 2020 and Marlane picked me up at Gloucester coach station at 2255 - Home.