Where No Man Has Gone Before....

I do like an adventure and to try to make the best use of weekends here. Yes we do occasionally watch men in tight trousers on a Friday, and of course beach club is high on the agenda in the warmer months, but whilst it’s cold (26 degrees) it seems criminal not to get out and about exploring.

Which saw me CROSSING A MOUNTAIN PASS last weekend. Yes, you read right.  If you head into neighbouring Oman via Al Ain and Buraimi, then drive for about 30 minutes into the mountains, you find one of the most beautiful and hidden treasures: Khutwa Oasis. It’s so unknown that when asking for directions at a hotel 20 minutes away, they’d never heard of it.

After pootling through the stark Oman landscape, driving through tiny villages where life looks to have stayed the same for years, and driving up up and UP we finally crossed a teeny mountain pass. To be greeted by a flash of green in the middle of such dusty, dry scenery was pretty impressive – I squeaked very loudly. 

The oases have been in existence for thousands of years – evidenced by ancient ruins, old villages and iron smelters inside them. Walking around them in the shade of the date palms, watching workers go about their day in a way that’s been unchanged for thousands of years, is a very calming experience and so good for the soul. Dubai with its glitz and glamour seems a very very long way away.

If you haven’t been (and I’m assuming 99.9% of people won’t have) I can’t recommend it enough. We left feeling very blessed to have seen such a place and very giddy to visit the neighbouring Jazira Oasis next time.

Thanks to this journalist who described Khutwa Oasis in such enchanting detail that we just KNEW we had to go and find it. Oh and if it wasn’t for their directions we might never have found the place.