Oman: oh no, Nizwa Fort

We left the house exactly to Mrs M Tours' schedule and reached Nizwa by 12 o'clock to visit the fort. They have done a really good job of improving the signs and exhibits - there are even lighted steps and posters describing the 'pitfall' traps on the stairs leading up to the main tower that were designed to catch unsuspecting marauding invaders that actually managed to get past the cannon, guns and boiling date jam. Outside the fort, Katie honed her haggling skills to purchase two water pots (which will make a nice jigsaw puzzle for Andy when they get home) and a coffee pot.

Although Mrs M was showing visible signs of panic due to the time, we picnicked at Falaj Daris before heading eastward to the Al Areesh camp in the Wahiba. On arrival she brusquely dealt with the new European reception chappie to greet the owner Salim and ensure that Abdullah was available for the dune drive.

We had time for a cup of tea during which Holly demonstrated the intellectual thought processes of a four-and-a-half year old; was the floor under the sand?, where was the sea?, which one is my hutch? Half-an-hour later, Abdullah was flinging them around the dunes in a Toyota. All the cars stopped at the top of dunes to watch the sunset, after which everyone walked back down to the camp.

Nibbles, beer and the last samosa turned into dinner which was heartily enjoyed by all. We adjourned to the majalis and the rhythmic sounds of drum and guitar. Other tourists tried to mimic Omani dance movements while we sat with typical British reticence until Holly ceased to function. Andy and I slept outside on our respective bed racks soothed by the sounds of a snuffly hippopotamus emanating from Miss Morris.