Oman: running out of time

Before the children had the chance to breathe, mother embarked on another day of frantic activity starting with the mosque. Floss noted a new souvenir coffee shop stocked with a range of merchandise not normally expected at a mosque including whiteout pens, physics notebooks, clockwork mice, squeaky toys and stickers.

They stopped for the usual tourist snaps before whizzing to the souq where Al bought an amusing duck for his office. The Chinese creators of this beautifully crafted toy must have used Borat as the translator…..'toys series with strong sense for playing…………..lay egg is true!!!' Even better were the detailed descriptions on the side of the box, 'as the duck advancing, flicking the plumage and yawning the mouth go with music & light'…….'the duck stop, it swaying tail then the duck lay an egg as open it's buttocks, go with the duck's call'. You cannot write stuff like that.

Lunch was taken at the marina. Following sandwich consumption, Al and Pixi went with out to sea with Russ to fish. I received a text message later saying 'buy fish' which suggested an unsuccessful mission. The nearest they got to a fish was captured on Al's phone showing Russ cuddling (someone else's) man-sized tuna on the jetty.

Meanwhile Mrs M returned with Ava and Floss who dragged me to Lulu's for a spot of last minute shopping. Em purchased a 'lifelike and lovely' peacock for Al, to go with his duck. We crawled home in the evening traffic to prepare dinner. We all went to bed exhausted.