Fun in the Dunes, Relaxing in Oasis

My dad and I didn't really make a lot of use of the bed inside our tent as we woke up early to catch the sunrise over the dunes.

Having slept only a few hours after enjoying the outdoor cinema last night, we took the same way up the dune as for sunset yesterday with the slight exception that nobody was driving us up, but we had to walk up the dune ourselves. Took around 15 minutes or so and would be totally worth it.

Once we were up there, we made ourselves comfortable and watched how the sky changed its colours every few minutes. In the distance, a hot air balloon was being prepared and shortly after set off. Combined with the early morning sun rising in the distance, it created a magical scene full of colour.

After lingering for a bit, we, of course, took a few photos, but more importantly, I was now having a drone with me. I had flown it a bit in Germany to practice, but this one was the first time I was properly doing some shots. And I have to say, those shots and videos definitely help to capture the amazing scenery. It was also super fun to play around with it, try things out and see what works and what does not. Really glad I brought it with me.

Of course, I had to run down the dune again and by the time we got back to our tent, my mom was waiting there, already having had coffee outside and also enjoying the early morning glow of the desert. We quickly changed and headed to breakfast that was plentiful - we particularly liked the Omelette station!

Then it was time for some activities - always my favorite part when travelling. First up was camel riding. If I had ever thought to see both my parents on a camel, I would not have believed it. But here we were. My mom was definitely a bit sceptical but she ploughed through bravely (not gracefully - she was basically holding on to the saddle with her dear life), whereas dad was more 'easy' in the saddle. I, of course, loved it. Definitely a nice experience.

Then came dune bashing. In other words, sitting in a car with a driver who races up and down the dunes in a 4x4. My mom was all for it and ready to jump into the car. My dad, on the other hand, was a little bit too chicken, and decided not to join us. I mean, after the little 4x4 drive through the canyon a few days ago where it was his turn to more or less hold on for dear life, it was a 50/50 in my mind already.

Anyway, mom and I met the driver who quickly raced up the dunes for a ride full of adrenaline. Going to some of the dunes I thought there is no way we are not going to flip over, but he expertly navigated the steep dunes. At one point, he was going a bit crazy, though, when we drove a steep dune backwards! I mean, BACKWARDS! What the hell. Not gonna lie, it was fun. My mom seemed to really enjoy it as well - and said afterwards, she wants to do it again - even though it was already the second time this morning where she was holding onto her dear life.

That pretty much concluded a perfect morning and stay in the desert. Catching the sunrise, riding camels, racing down dunes. These are the moments I live for.

Sadly, it was then time to leave the desert behind us. On the drive back, I was catching some aerial shots with my drone and even managed to find a herd of camels roaming around.

Having left the desert, our next stop was Wadi Bani Khalid, which is a beautiful oasis amidst rocks and in the middle of nowhere. It was a nice little contrast to the desert. As mentioned in previous posts, a Wadi is a river valley and this Wadi had a large pool of water where we could swim in.

After the dry desert, it was an ideal location and dad and I took the opportunity to refresh ourselves, while mom was chilling out in the shade reading a book. It was once again quite hot as we were there sort of in the middle of the day, so the water - even if a bit warm - was a nice refresher.

We stayed there for a couple of hours before heading to Raz Al Hadd, our next destination and accommodation for the night.

But yeah, another really cool day spent in Oman with new experiences for me and my parents. I cannot repeat it enough, but at this time, I was really amazed by Oman and did not expect it to be this diverse. And I did not even know what absolutely amazing thing would happen tomorrow!Read more