Living 'On Camp'

Some diary entries about living on PDO Camp in Muscat

January

A child enthusiastically screams, “Hey that is where we live!”

Other passengers gaze down to take a good look as the plane lowers down and charming villas dotting the Ras al Hamra hills near the Al Fahal Island come into view. Some of them look back at the child and tell him that it must be like living in a holiday resort.

 

February

At a coffee morning, plans are made for a charity fair to raise funds for a mobile library project that will reach the children in the remote villages of Oman.  The ladies are from eight different nations and are excited about selling food and craft from their home countries.

The fair is a big success and the ladies bask in the glory of having gained good karma.

 

March

“Rain Mubarak!”

We wish others who are out in the summer showers as we snuggle into our flimsy raincoats. The air is charged with joy and hope. A week later we even spot wild mushrooms robustly jutting out of thick plastered sun-baked mud on either side of the walking path. Gigantic dark clouds move laboriously over the mountains. On the hilltop, we are in a misty cloud too. Suddenly it gets too hazy and windy. Clutching our raincoats tightly as the strong wind threatens to tear them away, we walk homewards. Not a car in sight.

April

We are on a “photography walk” with some children along Nimr Street one evening. Suddenly, we spot a peacock! He was just there walking – unafraid and alone. As we focussed our lenses on him, he turned out to be camera shy and hid behind cars which were parked along the street.  Amidst the greenery of the valley and the quietness of the street, he must have felt quite at home. We still wonder how the peacock got there.

May

On the beach, swimmers are cheered as they arrive on the shore totally spent after their Al Fahal Island Swim. They have been training hard for this day. For some, it’s just something they needed to ‘tick off’ from their list of ‘Things to do while in Oman’. They share notes about the creatures they saw underwater and the strength of the current that morning. They were all thrilled at having braved the challenge of swimming 4 km in the open sea.

After some refreshments, groups huddle together for photos which are instantly posted on Facebook.

 

June

While we are washing the car, we see maids pass by on their way to work shielding themselves from the sun with their umbrellas and sharing the latest on-camp gossip.

A lady approaches. She is all dressed for a walk in the afternoon – shorts, vest, and bandana. As she comes closer, she looks like a ghost walking. She is pale and lifeless and her lips are blue. “Water” she barely manages to say the word and leans against our wall. She has been climbing the hill in the heat of a summer afternoon. Probably a newcomer, we think, and offer to drop her home. She drinks the water gratefully and walks away.

 

July

School’s off!

Lonesome ‘bachelors’ walk, run, get together to while away the burning summer days while their families have left on annual visits to their hometowns.

Hummingbirds of metallic colours feast in the garden on cactus blooms.

August

The first thing we wanted to do on coming to Oman was to see the famed frankincense trees. Oman, we were told, is the land of frankincense which was more precious than gold in ancient times. However, we read that frankincense trees mostly grow down south in Salalah. So during the Eid holidays we head towards Salalah.

On our return, we come across a frankincense tree in the Sohar Garden at the PDO Club. While taking an unfamiliar route on our daily walk, we spot a few more near Izki and Fahud Streets. Talk about having to look all over the country for something that is growing in your backyard. Now we know how to spot the flaky branches and the thick unpretentious leaves with dangling flowers. Despite all the fame, this tree is modest in appearance and is often overlooked as one of those wild desert trees which sprout all over the countryside.

September

A new school year brings new faces to the camp. Some are on their first deputation to Oman and some have returned for another stint. Scores of introductory coffee mornings are held and there are new names to remember.

Young Omani couples sit on foldable chairs and whisper sweet nothings as they gaze at the sea from the cliff at the end of Fahud Street.

October

A skeleton hangs from a tree in Maha Street and dances to haunting voodoo music. Young and old, dressed for Halloween, go ‘trick or treating’. We follow a lady in white who suddenly turns around to bare her fangs and a bloody mouth.

In the backyard, our cat plays with a live scorpion.

November

The night sky shudders with a burst of colourful lights. It’s the annual PDO Fireworks night.

The sailboats at the beach on a Thursday morning are a magnificent sight. The primary-coloured sails stand out in contrast against the blue of the sea and the brown of the mountains.

We climb over a hill at the club and come across a little beach with the prettiest sea shells.

December

Outdoor sports are a big hit with the dip in temperature. At any time of the day, people are walking, running, cycling around the camp. New police recruits are also seen every evening taking their sprint in batches.

A pure white butterfly flits from bougainvillea to frangipani – unable to make up its mind.

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(This post was first published in Outpost Muscat Newsletter Sept-Oct 2013)