Tuesday 15 June 2010

Oman: A very sad day

Toyota Prado OmanToday, the keys of the Prado were prized from my fingers as I handed them to her new owner. She was bought five years ago during Ramadan, together with a free toaster, kettle, iron and rice maker.

On her very first journey, she crept gingerly along the old coastal track to Tiwi. Since then, she has coped with deserts, wadis, mountains and tedious journeys to Nizwa Fort. She was at her finest filled with foraged wood on a deserted beach.

The 4 litre, V6 engine was happy packed with a few Carrefour shopping bags on the Sultan Qaboos highway or crammed with six adults and camping equipment in Jabal Shams or the Wahiba desert.

She never let us down once. A superb car. She will be missed.

She has gone to replace Salim’s donkey.

6 comments:

boxster said...

pit roast recipe?

boxster said...

that's a tearful post

but... where's the buried meat recipe, come ooon, pretty please :) ?

Mr. Steve said...

It was 3.30am when I read your comment. I have a mutli-page list of ‘things to do’ as the packers arrive the day after tomorrow. If Mrs M catches a whiff of me doing this drawing, I will be dead meat. However....I did promise.

Domestiquette said...

Please, please, please advise as to the best place to buy a car! Where to go? This is exactly what we're thinking of purchasing, and would have gladly bought it from you... a month from now. Darn! Do you have a recommendation?

Mr. Steve said...

Domestiquette,

Recommendation for cars? When we left USA many years ago, we naively expected to see rows of used-car showrooms in Oman like we saw in DC. When we arrived in Muscat, I went to ‘Best Cars’ which was more like a scrap yard than a car dealer. We were therefore forced to buy a new car.

If you’re arriving soon, it will be a good time to buy during Ramadan when there are lots of bargains and more haggling potential. Some of the main dealers (e.g. Toyota) are beginning to do certified used cars. Otherwise, you will probably get a used car from colleagues or their connections. Most supermarkets also have notice boards crammed with cars from ex-pats. It is not advisable to buy cars from the locals.

Domestiquette said...

I hadn't had time to check back here in ages, but saw your replies this morning. Thank you! This is good info (on this & the pets). Especially about Best Cars - we had found them online. LOL

Hubby is one hour from landing in Muscat right now, and I'm still in Texas to deal with the movers & whatnot. I'm a nervous wreck, and excited, and terrified. I'll never get everything done. Oh, well.