It was a spectacle that made every
child in Muscat want to become a pilot.
The nine red jets shone in the
afternoon sun as they left trails of red, white and blue smoke over the Qurum
sky yesterday. It was a brilliant performance by the British Royal Air Force
Aerobatics Team, known as the Red Arrows.
While we debated where to watch
this demonstration from, a red jet zoomed past our rooftop at exactly 3 pm. And
then there was another and yet another. It was a perfect treat for our friends
visiting us from India for their Diwali holidays as we watched the performance
from the top of the hill where we live.
The stunts included flying in
formation, rolls, and making a pattern with their smoke trails in the shape of
a heart with an arrow piercing through it.
The birds in the garden flew low
as the jets zoomed past. The cats huddled close – their natural instincts had
not prepared them for anything like this. On the roads, cars had halted in
their tracks, as if stunned.
We stood dazed for a long time
after the trails of smoke had faded away.
