Monday 26 October 2009

Oman: toll booths still empty?

Mrs M’s brain was hurting from two hours of children’s maths puzzles as we drove along empty roads to Fins.

There is now a tarmac road from the Fins junction of the new highway to the village. If it turns west along the beach we are doomed. For the time being, the beach is still one of the best spots in northern Oman. The children ran to the milky-blue sea past spoil heaps of sand created by crabs scuttling in the early afternoon sun while the big people did all the work. Their time will come.

Two sweaty hours later, the big men collected wood from the secret location which was soon categorised into two piles (small-to-medium and large-to-very large) adjacent to the tent. The sea called. Big people played like little people.

The sun dropped behind the mountains at the expected time which is celebrated with the crack of a ring pull or something from a brown or green bottle. The Weber glowed as we sat watching the sky darken and the arrival of twinkling stars and planets.

Grilled animal pieces and offal tubes went down a treat while Mrs M attempted to explain to our young knowledge-hungry guests how couscous works. There was no such trouble when it came to the ‘smores’. LMF had received advanced training from the Brownies and it didn’t take Ethan long to understand the process. Andrew must have had different training as he usually ended up with a hot sticky lump of charcoal on the end of the fork.

Great location, good food, good drink, excellent company.....what more could you ask?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Steve and Sarah: A selection of comments from Ethan (E) and Bethany (B):
Of the Beach:
B-'More Smores please'
E-'I really liked Steve teaching me how to make a fire'
Cheers Steve.......that and your 'potty mouth' have certainly taught them new words and skills.
Of the wadi:
B-'I liked the climbing and the blue water and I loved the waterfall'
E-'Humongous'