Part III of Dubai/Abu Dhabi

Here is the last and final chapter of our trip to Dubai/Abu Dhabi. I know there are 3 parts--but hey--we took a lot of pictures!!!

We had a great time in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but our trip was far from complete. With just a few days left before we needed to head home to Okinawa, my parents came up with an idea to take Kevin and I to a really "exotic" location--the country of Oman.

Kev and I had never been there before and didn't realize that it wasn't too far from the UAE.

We got up bright and early at 5am and drove about 4 hours when we reached the UAE and Omani border. We showed our passports, paid our fees for our visas, and then drove further until we reached the Musandam penisula. Our aim was to reach the fishing village of "Khasab."

"Khasab" is a sleepy fishing village with beautiful views. Tourists from Oman and the UAE flock here to enjoy the Arabian sea and the mountainous cliff-like fjords that end right at the water's edge.



Once we reached "Khasab," we decided to take a boat trip on a "dhow"--a traditional Arab sailing vessel with one or more sails. I don't usually do too well on boats, but decided the view would be worth it.



The "dhow" had an open deck with carpet and cushions for us to sit on.

That's Mom, Dad, and me on the deck of our "dhow." It was a bit chilly, so that's why we are all bundled up. :)



During our 3 hour boat trip, we passed small little fishing villages. Hard to imagine that some of these villages have no land access. The only way you can get to these villages is by boat.



We were even lucky to get a glimpse of some dolphins. There were so many of them. They surrounded us.

Despite the fact they were everywhere, it was not easy trying to get a photograph. The minute I would push the shutter, they were gone.

Here are some photos I did get. I admit I "zoomed" in on these so you can actually see what you are looking at. :)




Can you see them?



It was funny to see the other tour boats racing to catch up with the dolphins!!!

As our "dhow" headed back to shore, the sun began to set.



The view of the sun reflecting off the water was beautiful.

We spent the night at a small hotel in Khasab. Here's a photo of Mom and I in the parking lot of our hotel. You can see the mountains in the background.



The next morning, we headed back to the UAE. Kev and I had to pack to get ready to head back to Okinawa...

Oman was a perfect ending to our Dubai/Abu Dhabi trip.