The Pearl of Arabia: A weekend in Oman via WY F
May 26, 2022, 8:32 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YYC
Posts: 2,074
The Pearl of Arabia: A weekend in Oman via WY F
After a few weeks on the ground in Europe, it's time for another interesting trip. A new country for me and one a little off the beaten path!
My journey begins in PRG. The first flight is at 0600 so I stay the night before at one of the airport hotels - in this case the Holiday Inn. Some of the rooms have a really nice view of the spring greenery in central Europe.
An early wakeup and quick shuttle over to PRG T2 where I'm quickly checked in and past security to the Erste Premier Lounge, a familiar spot, for a coffee and chlebicky for breakfast.
At about 540 I head down to the end of the C pier to our boarding gate. Beautiful morning but not much is moving considering boarding was supposed to have started already.
They make an announcement that there's a mechanical issue that requires resolution and will be another update at 0700. Ok, back to the lounge where at least the chairs are comfortable.
Sometime after 7, I receive an automated email from Lufthansa indicating that the next update will be at 1030. Damn! My flight from Frankfurt to Muscat leaves at 1035!! I quickly search options on Google Flights and ExpertFlyer to see how best to get where I need to go, and head back to the gate to join a significant queue for rebooking. The best option turned out to be BA to LHR in the afternoon, and then WY to MCT overnight - not ideal but the seat map showed I should have the F cabin to myself for the flight over to Muscat. If I'd hung around the gate instead of going back to the lounge I probably could have been routed on Swiss F to DXB but by the time I was at the counter, the morning flight to ZRH from PRG was already full with rebooked passengers. They'll have to offload my luggage so I can recheck it with BA.
They issued delayed pax a 260 CZK food voucher so I headed to one of the best value food outlets in the airport - the cafeteria on the upper level in T1. This is where all of the airport workers eat and has a decent apron view.
I got some chicken schnitzel and potato salad along with a few beverages in exchange for my voucher.
Then I still had to hang around until 1145 to dump my luggage at BA checkin, which was smooth and effortless. I went for a walk outside after that and then to the Mastercard lounge in T1. I didn't have any lunch but the offering looked pretty good - mini schnitzel!
BA863 PRG-LHR
Aircraft: Airbus A320-200
Seat: 2A
Flight time: 1:45
Onboard BA Club Europe - yuck! Hate this cramped cabin. But at least there's no one beside me so I'll have a bit more room to stretch out.
On a SE departure we had some nice views flying just south of central Prague.
The lunch offer was some smoked salmon thing. It was OK but not great. I didn't finish it. Champagne and water top ups were friendly and frequent.
There was a VS flight attendant sitting in front of me in 1A who chatted the whole flight with a mature British gentleman in 1C. She'd flown to Prague basically just to get her hair done. I'll have to locate her on IG.
On landing in LHR surprisingly there was very little delay in getting docked in at a gate. I discovered once my data service came back that I was arriving in T3 at the same time as fellow FTer @keitherson, also with a long layover so we headed offsite to the Runway View bar at the Thistle hotel on Bath Road for a few drinks and planespotting with our travel companions.
Around 6 PM we headed back to Heathrow T5 on the TfL bus where we parted ways. I hopped on TfL rail to T2 and went up to Oman Air check in to have my documents checked for entry. I was asked to produce a vaccination certificate and proof of health insurance.
Oman Air uses the Plaza Premium lounge at T2, for which I was issued a voucher at check in. It's a decent enough lounge but certainly not first class. I just hung out for a little bit enjoying a soup and glass of wine before boarding time.
WY102 LHR-MCT
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9
Seat: 2A
Flight time: 6:40
The boarding area was pretty empty when I arrived but that didn't mean much since most of the seating was a little closer to the center of the concourse.
Here's our bird that will take us to Muscat tonight.
When I scanned my boarding pass at the gate, I was pulled aside by what seemed like a senior agent who escorted me to the aircraft door, and informed me that they were wondering if I was actually a real passenger. I guess they don't get many last minute first class bookings. This would turn out to be a bad sign.
I was greeted onboard by the first class dedicated flight attendant and cabin director. It's a beautiful cabin.
The screen is a bit small considering how far away you are in the seat, but for me I have it on the moving map on most of my flights so not a big deal.
There's a mini bar with a couple of soft drinks and still and sparkling water.
I liked that there was an air vent nozzle right beside the seat.
There are no overhead bins in F and the ottoman only holds a small amount of items so my backpack was placed in a locker at the front of the cabin.
For predeparture beverage, I of course had champagne with some warm nuts. The flight attendant apologized that there were no first class food menus onboard, only the wine list, so she would handwrite one (LaP, anyone?!) and bring it to me close to take off.
And Arabic coffee just prior to take off.
Sadly, at this point, the flight attendant came back to me with a mortified look and apologized profusely that no first class catering had been loaded! :-( :-( I'd have to order from the business class menu and follow up with guest relations after the flight with a complaint, which the cabin director would also note in her onboard service report.
Spotted the Concorde as we turned to 27L for takeoff.
I was pretty disappointed not to have the first class catering to try out as I was really looking forward to it, and ate sparingly on the ground in London to save room. Nevertheless, I ordered a few items from the C menu which were both delicious and beautifully presented, and the first class wines had been loaded at least.
I've just come from here...
The flight attendant made my bed in the suite across the aisle after I finished dinner, where I settled in for a 3 hour nap and woke up as the captain was making the announcement that we were starting our descent into Muscat.
Arriving in beautiful and empty Muscat airport, I caught this mural on the wall just prior to border control, and was through immigration formalities in minutes.
More to come....
My journey begins in PRG. The first flight is at 0600 so I stay the night before at one of the airport hotels - in this case the Holiday Inn. Some of the rooms have a really nice view of the spring greenery in central Europe.
An early wakeup and quick shuttle over to PRG T2 where I'm quickly checked in and past security to the Erste Premier Lounge, a familiar spot, for a coffee and chlebicky for breakfast.
At about 540 I head down to the end of the C pier to our boarding gate. Beautiful morning but not much is moving considering boarding was supposed to have started already.
They make an announcement that there's a mechanical issue that requires resolution and will be another update at 0700. Ok, back to the lounge where at least the chairs are comfortable.
Sometime after 7, I receive an automated email from Lufthansa indicating that the next update will be at 1030. Damn! My flight from Frankfurt to Muscat leaves at 1035!! I quickly search options on Google Flights and ExpertFlyer to see how best to get where I need to go, and head back to the gate to join a significant queue for rebooking. The best option turned out to be BA to LHR in the afternoon, and then WY to MCT overnight - not ideal but the seat map showed I should have the F cabin to myself for the flight over to Muscat. If I'd hung around the gate instead of going back to the lounge I probably could have been routed on Swiss F to DXB but by the time I was at the counter, the morning flight to ZRH from PRG was already full with rebooked passengers. They'll have to offload my luggage so I can recheck it with BA.
They issued delayed pax a 260 CZK food voucher so I headed to one of the best value food outlets in the airport - the cafeteria on the upper level in T1. This is where all of the airport workers eat and has a decent apron view.
I got some chicken schnitzel and potato salad along with a few beverages in exchange for my voucher.
Then I still had to hang around until 1145 to dump my luggage at BA checkin, which was smooth and effortless. I went for a walk outside after that and then to the Mastercard lounge in T1. I didn't have any lunch but the offering looked pretty good - mini schnitzel!
BA863 PRG-LHR
Aircraft: Airbus A320-200
Seat: 2A
Flight time: 1:45
Onboard BA Club Europe - yuck! Hate this cramped cabin. But at least there's no one beside me so I'll have a bit more room to stretch out.
On a SE departure we had some nice views flying just south of central Prague.
The lunch offer was some smoked salmon thing. It was OK but not great. I didn't finish it. Champagne and water top ups were friendly and frequent.
There was a VS flight attendant sitting in front of me in 1A who chatted the whole flight with a mature British gentleman in 1C. She'd flown to Prague basically just to get her hair done. I'll have to locate her on IG.
On landing in LHR surprisingly there was very little delay in getting docked in at a gate. I discovered once my data service came back that I was arriving in T3 at the same time as fellow FTer @keitherson, also with a long layover so we headed offsite to the Runway View bar at the Thistle hotel on Bath Road for a few drinks and planespotting with our travel companions.
Around 6 PM we headed back to Heathrow T5 on the TfL bus where we parted ways. I hopped on TfL rail to T2 and went up to Oman Air check in to have my documents checked for entry. I was asked to produce a vaccination certificate and proof of health insurance.
Oman Air uses the Plaza Premium lounge at T2, for which I was issued a voucher at check in. It's a decent enough lounge but certainly not first class. I just hung out for a little bit enjoying a soup and glass of wine before boarding time.
WY102 LHR-MCT
Aircraft: Boeing 787-9
Seat: 2A
Flight time: 6:40
The boarding area was pretty empty when I arrived but that didn't mean much since most of the seating was a little closer to the center of the concourse.
Here's our bird that will take us to Muscat tonight.
When I scanned my boarding pass at the gate, I was pulled aside by what seemed like a senior agent who escorted me to the aircraft door, and informed me that they were wondering if I was actually a real passenger. I guess they don't get many last minute first class bookings. This would turn out to be a bad sign.
I was greeted onboard by the first class dedicated flight attendant and cabin director. It's a beautiful cabin.
The screen is a bit small considering how far away you are in the seat, but for me I have it on the moving map on most of my flights so not a big deal.
There's a mini bar with a couple of soft drinks and still and sparkling water.
I liked that there was an air vent nozzle right beside the seat.
There are no overhead bins in F and the ottoman only holds a small amount of items so my backpack was placed in a locker at the front of the cabin.
For predeparture beverage, I of course had champagne with some warm nuts. The flight attendant apologized that there were no first class food menus onboard, only the wine list, so she would handwrite one (LaP, anyone?!) and bring it to me close to take off.
And Arabic coffee just prior to take off.
Sadly, at this point, the flight attendant came back to me with a mortified look and apologized profusely that no first class catering had been loaded! :-( :-( I'd have to order from the business class menu and follow up with guest relations after the flight with a complaint, which the cabin director would also note in her onboard service report.
Spotted the Concorde as we turned to 27L for takeoff.
I was pretty disappointed not to have the first class catering to try out as I was really looking forward to it, and ate sparingly on the ground in London to save room. Nevertheless, I ordered a few items from the C menu which were both delicious and beautifully presented, and the first class wines had been loaded at least.
I've just come from here...
The flight attendant made my bed in the suite across the aisle after I finished dinner, where I settled in for a 3 hour nap and woke up as the captain was making the announcement that we were starting our descent into Muscat.
Arriving in beautiful and empty Muscat airport, I caught this mural on the wall just prior to border control, and was through immigration formalities in minutes.
More to come....
May 26, 2022, 8:43 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
Excellent report YYCCL3. And nice play calling audible on the reroute via LHR. EF has saved me numerous times on IRROPS. Too bad that your LHR-MCT had no other F pax as it was probably too late for them to cater. Definitely worth complaining and getting some compensation.
May 27, 2022, 7:56 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YYC
Posts: 2,074
Since I was arriving 12 hours later than originally planned, I only went to my hotel to take a shower and freshen up before heading out of town for the next two days.
My driver, Qambar, picked me up in a Toyota Prado and we driving south towards Nizwa.
It's been a while since I've seen one of these at a gas station! One thing I noticed in Oman is that there are freely accessible public toilets everywhere. So nice to see this as opposed to some other countries where it's really difficult to find a restroom on the move.
Our first stop is the Nizwa Souq which is several hundred years old and still operates as a traditional style market with livestock sales early in the morning, fresh meats and fish, produce - and then of course a small amount of shops with crafts and souvenirs.
We visited an air conditioned shop that specialized in dates, spices, and oils and sampled some of the delicious dates.
In the corner of this shop, like many, I'd find out, there is a small sitting area with a coffee pot and dates where customers and passersby alike are welcome to sit down and have a refreshment and chat with whoever is there. No obligation to purchase anything.
We visited another shop that specialized in homemade halwa and did some more sampling - again no obligation. Yum!
Then to the crafts area of the souq where I'd find a souvenir to take home - but not the silver khanjar (traditional curved dagger).
Another sitting area for complimentary coffee and dates in a craft shop.
Next point of interest was the Nizwa Fort, a restored historical fort with interpretive signs and displays.
Just past the entrance was a stall where an Omani woman was making khubz - traditional Omani bread. I had mine with cheese, mayo, and egg. It was so good!
I walked around the fort after my snack and explored passageways and battlements for some great views including of the mosque across the road.
There was an ancient well - presumably still able to operate, as it had a recent certificate from the Ministry of Water Resources attached.
I read an interesting display about burqas before heading back to the sweltering car.
We then drove about 45 minutes or so to Jabreen Castle, about 350 years old.
I did the self guided audio tour and the place was absolutely deserted.
Some of the transcriptions on the interior were very interesting.
As were the restored rooms. Gorgeous. And hot! I can't imagine how hot the people building these places were.
I heard one other group in a courtyard when I was up high but never saw anyone else other than a guy cleaning display windows.
After about an hour exploring the castle it was time for a late lunch. Qambar brought me to a local semi-fast food type place in a village not far from the castle. We enjoyed fresh smoothies to accompany fish, rice and a big salad. It was all really good and everything on the table was 6 RO (about 15 USD).
After lunch, the next stop is Bahla Fort - a UNESCO world heritage site that has an unclear history but is believed to be about 1000 years old. It's made out of mud brick which to me looks like classic desert fort scenery.
Again, this place was completely deserted. Did not see a single other person here.
Driving for about an hour took us way up into the mountains - about 2000 metres above sea level where we'd spend the night at Sama Heights Resort in these traditional looking villas.
The stone villas are constructed from stone blocks created on site by jackhammer - very cool! I saw another resort under construction the way up and I could see the workers in action.
I stayed in one of the basic rooms since I was solo.
After a walk up the hill overlooking the resort, I enjoyed an included, but basic dinner buffet I headed off to bed for a good night's sleep after my long day....
My driver, Qambar, picked me up in a Toyota Prado and we driving south towards Nizwa.
It's been a while since I've seen one of these at a gas station! One thing I noticed in Oman is that there are freely accessible public toilets everywhere. So nice to see this as opposed to some other countries where it's really difficult to find a restroom on the move.
Our first stop is the Nizwa Souq which is several hundred years old and still operates as a traditional style market with livestock sales early in the morning, fresh meats and fish, produce - and then of course a small amount of shops with crafts and souvenirs.
We visited an air conditioned shop that specialized in dates, spices, and oils and sampled some of the delicious dates.
In the corner of this shop, like many, I'd find out, there is a small sitting area with a coffee pot and dates where customers and passersby alike are welcome to sit down and have a refreshment and chat with whoever is there. No obligation to purchase anything.
We visited another shop that specialized in homemade halwa and did some more sampling - again no obligation. Yum!
Then to the crafts area of the souq where I'd find a souvenir to take home - but not the silver khanjar (traditional curved dagger).
Another sitting area for complimentary coffee and dates in a craft shop.
Next point of interest was the Nizwa Fort, a restored historical fort with interpretive signs and displays.
Just past the entrance was a stall where an Omani woman was making khubz - traditional Omani bread. I had mine with cheese, mayo, and egg. It was so good!
I walked around the fort after my snack and explored passageways and battlements for some great views including of the mosque across the road.
There was an ancient well - presumably still able to operate, as it had a recent certificate from the Ministry of Water Resources attached.
I read an interesting display about burqas before heading back to the sweltering car.
We then drove about 45 minutes or so to Jabreen Castle, about 350 years old.
I did the self guided audio tour and the place was absolutely deserted.
Some of the transcriptions on the interior were very interesting.
As were the restored rooms. Gorgeous. And hot! I can't imagine how hot the people building these places were.
I heard one other group in a courtyard when I was up high but never saw anyone else other than a guy cleaning display windows.
After about an hour exploring the castle it was time for a late lunch. Qambar brought me to a local semi-fast food type place in a village not far from the castle. We enjoyed fresh smoothies to accompany fish, rice and a big salad. It was all really good and everything on the table was 6 RO (about 15 USD).
After lunch, the next stop is Bahla Fort - a UNESCO world heritage site that has an unclear history but is believed to be about 1000 years old. It's made out of mud brick which to me looks like classic desert fort scenery.
Again, this place was completely deserted. Did not see a single other person here.
Driving for about an hour took us way up into the mountains - about 2000 metres above sea level where we'd spend the night at Sama Heights Resort in these traditional looking villas.
The stone villas are constructed from stone blocks created on site by jackhammer - very cool! I saw another resort under construction the way up and I could see the workers in action.
I stayed in one of the basic rooms since I was solo.
After a walk up the hill overlooking the resort, I enjoyed an included, but basic dinner buffet I headed off to bed for a good night's sleep after my long day....
May 27, 2022, 9:50 am
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Programs: Marriott (Lifetime Titantium), whatever other programs as benefits make sense.
Posts: 1,920
Lovely. I did a long weekend in Oman back in 2017, and have already seen a few places you saw as well. Bringing back some lovely memories and looking forward to the rest of your TR.
May 27, 2022, 10:32 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 3,702
May 28, 2022, 8:13 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YYC
Posts: 2,074
May 29, 2022, 3:15 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BKK
Programs: Mucci Chevalier de la Brosse a Cheveux Dore, SK *GfL, BA Gold, WY G, HH DIA, IC Plat Amb., Hertz PC
Posts: 3,702
)Hope you had a great trip! A shame with the WY let down on catering. I was quite pleasantly surprised with our WY trip when we went to Oman - service not as polished as other airlines, but genuine and with a solid hard product and catering.
May 29, 2022, 11:09 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YYC
Posts: 2,074
After a very restful and much needed sleep, I woke up to a brilliant blue sky day and walked around the resort a little bit before having a basic buffet breakfast and packing up.
A goat family was very quickly crossing the road uphill from the resort. There were goats and dromedaries everywhere, munching their way along bushes and shrubs.
The first stop of the day is the viewpoint of the highest peak in Oman - Jebel Shams - one of the deepest canyons in the world - Wadi Ghul. A simple photo can't capture the grandeur of this point, only reality.... or a video.
Heading back down to the lowlands, we come off the short strech of paved road downhill of the resort and I couldn't help but take a few photos of the route as it reminded me very much of the mountain backroads here in Canada.
A water truck lumbered slowly up the long, steep grade - there is no water supply to homes or accomodation on this road, everything is trucked in. A water line was being constructed as we speak.
At the bottom of the steep hill we stopped to take a look at the abandoned historical village of Ghul at the foot of the Wadi bearing its name. Would like to stop here and explore a little sometime, along with some hiking!
Our next stop is the old part of Misfat Al Abriyeen, a village on the mountain side above Al Hamra. Definitely a popular tourist attraction these days, as Qambar informed me that there were many new cafes and restaurants opened in the last year.
I stopped at a shop that specialized in various types of local honey, to get some as souvenirs.
I had to get some Zizphus honey, which is from the flowers of this local tree.
The Halwa Coffee shop perched precariously on this ledge looked like it must have a good vantage point of the village.
The old sidewalks and passageways in the village were very cool.
Here we are at the top of the Halwa cafe. Again, no obligation to purchase to enjoy the view.
You could even hang out with the bears while checking out the historical sights.
Here's the ancient irrigation system of the village, still in operation today. Each property is allocated a certain time slot to draw water into their holding pools. If they don't use it, they can sell it to someone else.
An ancient bath - almost want to jump in on a day like today.
Lizards abound in the cracks and crevices as we walk the date palm lined terraces below the village.
Driving back down towards Al Hamra, I enjoyed the view of the stark looking peaks and goats guarding the town.
Here is old Al Hamra from the opposite side of the valley.
And a look back at where we just came from.
I wanted to stop for Camel kebab but it wasn't lunchtime yet....
Another very old irrigation system still in active use greeted us at Birkat al Mouz, right outside the mosque. There were a few people bathing in it and kids splashing to take the edge off the heat.
This sign explained how the water flow is diverted equally at this point to places downstream.
A typical main street in Oman.
Over to the historical ruins of Birkat al Mouz.
Can't believe there were some people living in here - foreign workers had built this wall to bathe in privacy in the irrigation canal.
Could explore in here for hours if it wasn't so hot.
We drove through a plantation of date palms on the way to a most excellent viewpoint of where we'd just been.
Alright, back on the highway returning slowly to Muscat.
Qambar offered to show me his new home that was under construction in the town of Fanja.
It's a typical style for the area. It will look similar to these homes across the street when complete.
Here's the mosque in Fanja.
Did I mention it's hot out ? This pic was not taken after a long parking stay - this was on the highway in Fanja.
Our last stop of the tour will be Rozna, a restaurant not far from the airport in Muscat built in the style of a traditional castle.
The food was delicious.
You could sit at a table in the main dining room.
Or in one of these traditional style rooms that lined the exterior of both floors.
I'm back at the Hilton and sweltering. It's only 43 down here by the sea but it's humid.
Time for a dip in the pool.
I walked over to the Grand Mosque after dark, about 45 minutes from the hotel. Cities in Gulf countries are generally not pedestrian friendly and Muscat was no exception, but I made it, in a sticky mess. I took an OTaxi (taxi ordered by app, way cheaper than flagging one) back to the hotel after enjoying the views of this majestic building.
I was still hot and sweaty even after the air conditioned taxi ride, so one more dip in the deserted pool before bed.
A goat family was very quickly crossing the road uphill from the resort. There were goats and dromedaries everywhere, munching their way along bushes and shrubs.
The first stop of the day is the viewpoint of the highest peak in Oman - Jebel Shams - one of the deepest canyons in the world - Wadi Ghul. A simple photo can't capture the grandeur of this point, only reality.... or a video.
Heading back down to the lowlands, we come off the short strech of paved road downhill of the resort and I couldn't help but take a few photos of the route as it reminded me very much of the mountain backroads here in Canada.
A water truck lumbered slowly up the long, steep grade - there is no water supply to homes or accomodation on this road, everything is trucked in. A water line was being constructed as we speak.
At the bottom of the steep hill we stopped to take a look at the abandoned historical village of Ghul at the foot of the Wadi bearing its name. Would like to stop here and explore a little sometime, along with some hiking!
Our next stop is the old part of Misfat Al Abriyeen, a village on the mountain side above Al Hamra. Definitely a popular tourist attraction these days, as Qambar informed me that there were many new cafes and restaurants opened in the last year.
I stopped at a shop that specialized in various types of local honey, to get some as souvenirs.
I had to get some Zizphus honey, which is from the flowers of this local tree.
The Halwa Coffee shop perched precariously on this ledge looked like it must have a good vantage point of the village.
The old sidewalks and passageways in the village were very cool.
Here we are at the top of the Halwa cafe. Again, no obligation to purchase to enjoy the view.
You could even hang out with the bears while checking out the historical sights.
Here's the ancient irrigation system of the village, still in operation today. Each property is allocated a certain time slot to draw water into their holding pools. If they don't use it, they can sell it to someone else.
An ancient bath - almost want to jump in on a day like today.
Lizards abound in the cracks and crevices as we walk the date palm lined terraces below the village.
Driving back down towards Al Hamra, I enjoyed the view of the stark looking peaks and goats guarding the town.
Here is old Al Hamra from the opposite side of the valley.
And a look back at where we just came from.
I wanted to stop for Camel kebab but it wasn't lunchtime yet....
Another very old irrigation system still in active use greeted us at Birkat al Mouz, right outside the mosque. There were a few people bathing in it and kids splashing to take the edge off the heat.
This sign explained how the water flow is diverted equally at this point to places downstream.
A typical main street in Oman.
Over to the historical ruins of Birkat al Mouz.
Can't believe there were some people living in here - foreign workers had built this wall to bathe in privacy in the irrigation canal.
Could explore in here for hours if it wasn't so hot.
We drove through a plantation of date palms on the way to a most excellent viewpoint of where we'd just been.
Alright, back on the highway returning slowly to Muscat.
Qambar offered to show me his new home that was under construction in the town of Fanja.
It's a typical style for the area. It will look similar to these homes across the street when complete.
Here's the mosque in Fanja.
Did I mention it's hot out ? This pic was not taken after a long parking stay - this was on the highway in Fanja.
Our last stop of the tour will be Rozna, a restaurant not far from the airport in Muscat built in the style of a traditional castle.
The food was delicious.
You could sit at a table in the main dining room.
Or in one of these traditional style rooms that lined the exterior of both floors.
I'm back at the Hilton and sweltering. It's only 43 down here by the sea but it's humid.
Time for a dip in the pool.
I walked over to the Grand Mosque after dark, about 45 minutes from the hotel. Cities in Gulf countries are generally not pedestrian friendly and Muscat was no exception, but I made it, in a sticky mess. I took an OTaxi (taxi ordered by app, way cheaper than flagging one) back to the hotel after enjoying the views of this majestic building.
I was still hot and sweaty even after the air conditioned taxi ride, so one more dip in the deserted pool before bed.
Last edited by YYCCL3; May 29, 2022 at 5:07 pm
May 29, 2022, 2:06 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
Fascinating TR, thanks!
Wadi Ghul is not the second deepest canyon in the world, BTW. Hell's Canyon (USA, deeper than the Grand Canyon) is deeper, and there are at least two even deeper in Peru. But's it's still very impressive!
Wadi Ghul is not the second deepest canyon in the world, BTW. Hell's Canyon (USA, deeper than the Grand Canyon) is deeper, and there are at least two even deeper in Peru. But's it's still very impressive!
May 29, 2022, 5:11 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YYC
Posts: 2,074
May 30, 2022, 8:27 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: YYC
Posts: 2,074
Me and my travel companion had a restful sleep, waking up for our last morning in Oman.
After a great buffet breakfast at the Hilton, I thought I might walk around a bit as it was still early. Nope. I walked 3 blocks and it was WAY too hot out. So I called for an OTaxi. When I got in the dash temp read 46 degrees C and it wasn't even 930 yet.
My destination for the morning was public visiting hours at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. There were a few gentlemen hanging around the entrance offering pseudo-guided services for 5 OMR so I took one of them up on the offer.... it wasn't worth it. I probably would have got more information from the self guided audio tour. Anyway, I first visited the women's prayer hall.
Then walked around outside a bit.
And the huge men's prayer hall with its ornate decorations, enormous handmade carpet, and massive chandeliers.
There's some people in this pic for scale.
More walking outside the beautiful grounds.
It's hot. How are these bushes not wilting like me? LOL
I still had a couple hours but it was just too hot to do anything else so I picked up my stuff at the Hilton and headed back to the airport. With an interesting and off color rant from the taxi driver about monkeypox. LOL
I entered Oman Air First and Business Class checkin which is a separate entrance that brings you over top of the arrivals hall where I'd got my Ooredoo visitor SIM on Friday, then to a dedicated set of counters for premium pax.
There wasn't anyone else there as I was over 3 hours early for the flight. Looked like a pleasant place to lounge though if you had to wait for any reason.
After being deposited directly into a deserted passport control queue and security checkpoint, I was dumped into the shopping gauntlet like at many other airports.
MCT really is a beautiful, tasteful airport.
I headed over to the Oman Air lounge, sure to be a highlight. Now the opportunity for WY to redeem itself for the lack of catering will begin.
I was escorted to the First Class side of the entrance by the lounge supervisor who would also be the one taking care of me for my stay. I was the only person there for a brief while before another passenger on my flight showed up. We were the only two people in the lounge until about 10 minutes before boarding where a few others showed up for a different flight.
The lounge is intimate but spacious, and gorgeous.
The only disappointing thing is that a great apron view is blocked by a part of the terminal building. The business class lounge on the other side seemed to have a much better view on my short walk through.
There's a well stocked bar with a proper espresso machine next to a sit down dining area.
I had a glass of Laurent-Perrier Brut champagne on arrival with some snacks and a cold towel.
Aha - here we go - the first class menu!
Some great views of Muscat and the coast as we head west.
Here's the contents of the mini bar.
And amenity kit.
Oman Air also offer a very comfortable pair of PJs to first class passengers. I took both sets home from each leg, but forgot to take pics.
More great views of the desert, and UAE coast just west of Dubai with Palm Jebel Ali in view.
It took a while after being in the air to get a refill on the champagne, but this probably helped me from getting blitzed on board.
Another look at the gorgeous cabin. It's full on this flight, such a contrast to my empty flight 3 days prior!
The food service was a bit slow to start. We were served an amuse bouche while offshore Kuwait already. Refills of the champagne were frequent and generous.
The suite has ample room for buddy dining.
I selected the beef as a main, but my request of a glass of red to accompany seems to have been forgotten as I had to wash it down with champagne and by the time the FA appeared again I was almost finished eating, which was a little disappointing.
I enjoyed some port with the cheese plate for dessert.
Some great views over Turkey.
I really like the subtle beauty of the cabin and suite.
Over Germany, I have the panini for the light meal before landing. It was really good!
Here are those views of central London that I was looking for.
As we land, we're informed that the police will be boarding presumably to arrest a passenger, so everyone should stay seated until further notice. It didn't take long, and within 25 minutes of landing I was groundside at LHR T2.
This flight was quite enjoyable although the soft service could use a little polishing in terms of the speed of service and forgotten items - I'd also ordered a soup that never came, and when I asked for it with the panini I was informed they were out - I think the guy across from me enjoyed the last of it. The guy who informed me that he was able to get an upgrade from business by politely begging at check in. Also, I knew there were lockers at the front to store larger items that wouldn't fit in the ottoman, but one of the C FAs told me just to shove my backpack down the side of the suite by the air vents which is definitely not as intended.
I've submitted an EC261 compo request to LH for the departure delay on the outbound and a complaint to WY for the lack of catering on the outbound. Let's see what they will get back with and how long.
That's the end of the fun part of this particular journey - I headed into London for the evening to meet a friend for drinks, then back to Canada the next morning on AC which is decidedly downscale from this experience. They ran out of champagne while serving the starter course ex-LHR!!
Stay tuned for another interesting adventure - might take me a bit longer to get the TR up this time but I've got the most niche trip since pre-COVID departing tomorrow!!
After a great buffet breakfast at the Hilton, I thought I might walk around a bit as it was still early. Nope. I walked 3 blocks and it was WAY too hot out. So I called for an OTaxi. When I got in the dash temp read 46 degrees C and it wasn't even 930 yet.
My destination for the morning was public visiting hours at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque. There were a few gentlemen hanging around the entrance offering pseudo-guided services for 5 OMR so I took one of them up on the offer.... it wasn't worth it. I probably would have got more information from the self guided audio tour. Anyway, I first visited the women's prayer hall.
Then walked around outside a bit.
And the huge men's prayer hall with its ornate decorations, enormous handmade carpet, and massive chandeliers.
There's some people in this pic for scale.
More walking outside the beautiful grounds.
It's hot. How are these bushes not wilting like me? LOL
I still had a couple hours but it was just too hot to do anything else so I picked up my stuff at the Hilton and headed back to the airport. With an interesting and off color rant from the taxi driver about monkeypox. LOL
I entered Oman Air First and Business Class checkin which is a separate entrance that brings you over top of the arrivals hall where I'd got my Ooredoo visitor SIM on Friday, then to a dedicated set of counters for premium pax.
There wasn't anyone else there as I was over 3 hours early for the flight. Looked like a pleasant place to lounge though if you had to wait for any reason.
After being deposited directly into a deserted passport control queue and security checkpoint, I was dumped into the shopping gauntlet like at many other airports.
MCT really is a beautiful, tasteful airport.
I headed over to the Oman Air lounge, sure to be a highlight. Now the opportunity for WY to redeem itself for the lack of catering will begin.
I was escorted to the First Class side of the entrance by the lounge supervisor who would also be the one taking care of me for my stay. I was the only person there for a brief while before another passenger on my flight showed up. We were the only two people in the lounge until about 10 minutes before boarding where a few others showed up for a different flight.
The lounge is intimate but spacious, and gorgeous.
The only disappointing thing is that a great apron view is blocked by a part of the terminal building. The business class lounge on the other side seemed to have a much better view on my short walk through.
There's a well stocked bar with a proper espresso machine next to a sit down dining area.
I had a glass of Laurent-Perrier Brut champagne on arrival with some snacks and a cold towel.
Aha - here we go - the first class menu!
Some great views of Muscat and the coast as we head west.
Here's the contents of the mini bar.
And amenity kit.
Oman Air also offer a very comfortable pair of PJs to first class passengers. I took both sets home from each leg, but forgot to take pics.
More great views of the desert, and UAE coast just west of Dubai with Palm Jebel Ali in view.
It took a while after being in the air to get a refill on the champagne, but this probably helped me from getting blitzed on board.
Another look at the gorgeous cabin. It's full on this flight, such a contrast to my empty flight 3 days prior!
The food service was a bit slow to start. We were served an amuse bouche while offshore Kuwait already. Refills of the champagne were frequent and generous.
The suite has ample room for buddy dining.
I selected the beef as a main, but my request of a glass of red to accompany seems to have been forgotten as I had to wash it down with champagne and by the time the FA appeared again I was almost finished eating, which was a little disappointing.
I enjoyed some port with the cheese plate for dessert.
Some great views over Turkey.
I really like the subtle beauty of the cabin and suite.
Over Germany, I have the panini for the light meal before landing. It was really good!
Here are those views of central London that I was looking for.
As we land, we're informed that the police will be boarding presumably to arrest a passenger, so everyone should stay seated until further notice. It didn't take long, and within 25 minutes of landing I was groundside at LHR T2.
This flight was quite enjoyable although the soft service could use a little polishing in terms of the speed of service and forgotten items - I'd also ordered a soup that never came, and when I asked for it with the panini I was informed they were out - I think the guy across from me enjoyed the last of it. The guy who informed me that he was able to get an upgrade from business by politely begging at check in. Also, I knew there were lockers at the front to store larger items that wouldn't fit in the ottoman, but one of the C FAs told me just to shove my backpack down the side of the suite by the air vents which is definitely not as intended.
I've submitted an EC261 compo request to LH for the departure delay on the outbound and a complaint to WY for the lack of catering on the outbound. Let's see what they will get back with and how long.
That's the end of the fun part of this particular journey - I headed into London for the evening to meet a friend for drinks, then back to Canada the next morning on AC which is decidedly downscale from this experience. They ran out of champagne while serving the starter course ex-LHR!!
Stay tuned for another interesting adventure - might take me a bit longer to get the TR up this time but I've got the most niche trip since pre-COVID departing tomorrow!!