Border Run

The kids and I are here in Dubai on visitor Visa’s, meaning that we have to leave the country every 30 days before we can come back for another 30. This would be a hassle if we were here long term, although, if we were going to be here long term we would be applying for resident visa’s…anyway, that is neither here nor there. What leaving the country every 30 days does do for now is allows us/forces us to go on vacation every 30 days. Don’t mind if I do.

In September we hopped in the car and headed to Khasab, Oman. About a 3 hour drive north. We drove through desert dunes, passed camels walking along the road, saw Bedouin camps seemingly in the middle of nowhere and then crossed the border into Oman where we drove along the Gulf Coast. Once we crossed the border, I was in love. The Omani coast is alarmingly different from the one I just came from in my beloved So Cal, the barren desert butts right up against the sea but I loved it just the same. All the little fishing villages littered with ancient dhow boats charmed me near to death.

(Omani Border)

The drive up the coast…it was Friday, as a result many of the boats were at anchor while their fisherman were at mosque. On Saturday all these boats filled to brim race across the sea to the coast of Iran, just 18 miles and an hour’s cruise across the Gulf to trade their fish for rice and grain.

The locals. I loved the way the Omani men wrapped their Keffiyeh’s. In large part the people of Oman wear much brighter and bolder color in their scarves than those of other Arab country’s. Many of the Keffiyeh’s I saw were really beautiful. And do you see the goat hanging out by the fishing boat. Goats were everywhere! Wandering around like they owned the place. This did not charm me. I am not a lover of goats.

On Saturday morning we took a Dhow boat ride into the Persian Gulf to chase the dolphins and swim with the fish. Our captains were experts at circling around until we attracted the dolphins and then cruising at just the right speed to keep them swimming and jumping right along side us. I must have said “this is amazing!” forty times. We all leaned ourselves out over the boat, let the water spray our faces and watched and cheered with childlike delight. Tessa even took to speaking their language, squeaking/singing,  convinced, the dolpins coming along side the boat was all her doing. It was magical.

The mermaid and her Hawaiian Tropic buns. Wish I could say those were hereditary…

The boss and his dad.

Our Captain and first mate.

The real boss and her dad. Tessa loved this day. She was so brave, jumping off the boat probably 6 feet above the water, and putting on those goggles and looking for fish like a champ that she is. It made my heart light to see her so happy and so free. It had been a difficult few weeks for her prior and here, out on the sea, she was her old Tessa.

The water was unbelievably warm. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was like a bath tub. So great for the kids and for swimming around.

The two little rug rats. Man, we love these crazies. I am sad sometimes that they aren’t older and won’t remember all these things they’re experiencing. They’re seeing the world and don’t even know it. Me thinks we’ll just have to do this for awhile.

The drive home…this is in large part what the rest of Arabia looks like outside the big cities. It is far less developed, dusty and dirty and people struggle to make it. No oil money here. It’s not glamorous and there are no Westerners to be seen. But it is perhaps the ‘real’ thing and therefore I kind of love it.

I had to pinch myself a few times that day. To be on the Persian Gulf, 18 sea miles from Iran, swimming with dolpins. It is a lovely gift to be able to see the world and lovelier still to do it and learn from it alongside those you treasure most in this world.