To live in
the desert is to befriend the elements.
It is to
understand the language of nature – the majestic moods of the sun, the purposeful
movements of clouds, the power of the wind, the etiquette and unwritten codes
of lesser creatures, the positions of the multitudinous stars, and most
importantly, the vast emptiness of the desert. Life is hard yet rewarding. The
Bedouins have lived so for thousands of years. For them it is a way of life.
For people from
other parts of the world, it is an adventure that brings them closer to
themselves and encourages a better understanding of this world.
The famed Wahiba,
also known as the Sharqiyah Sands of Oman, near the city of Muscat, are easily
accessible by road. As we raced along the highway from Muscat towards the desert,
with the sun blazing overhead, we left behind the urban comforts and within a
couple of hours, entered an arid landscape dotted with green plantations and
tiny hamlets. The road snaked through the imposing Al Hajar Mountains and at
strategic locations opened up to a spectacular views. There were clear road
directions beckoning us to follow the right way. Among the scant vegetation
that we saw along the way, the only fellow creatures we saw for miles were the
grazing herds of goats and camels.
There are
two ways of exploring the desert sands: either camp in the open or book into
the many commercial camps available. Both have their unique charms. If camping
in the open, you need some training, a lot of equipment and perseverance. You
need to deflate your tires once you are on the soft sands, hitch up your tents
before sundown, lookout for midnight predators, stay clear from vehicle tracks
or else some vehicles might surprise you by entering your tent in the middle of
the night! You may also have to carry four boards and ropes to tow your
vehicles, just in case. Among the many advantages of an open camping adventure
is the challenge of travelling along “the road not taken”. Not to mention the
rare pictures and amazing experiences. On the other hand, if you book into one
of the commercial camps in the Wahiba, you can be assured of warm food,
abundant water, air-conditioning, and a sense of security. One can relax, enjoy
the Bedouin experience and be taken care of by the friendly staff.
As we neared
the camp we had booked into, our young Omani tour guide wished us peace with
the greeting - “As salaamu aleykum!” He helped us into his 4WD and zoomed
off along the sandy path to reach the campsite 20 km away. We instinctively reached
for our seatbelts only to realise that there weren’t any. That made the ride
all the more exciting. The sand dunes shifted past us as we speeded through a
cloud of golden dust. We passed by bones of unlucky goats which reminded us of
how harsh and unforgiving the desert can be.
Once at the
camp, we checked into our comfortable shacks lined with palm fronds. Along the
way we had also passed some camps which had black and white tents made from
goat hair. In the middle of the camp was the dining area enclosed by a bougainvillea
trellis. We
buried our feet in the cool soft sand on its floor as we sipped our welcome tea.
The camp also had a large outdoor children’s play area with climbing frames and
slides. The roaring quad bikes seemed to be the major attraction. Riding them
was a macho adrenaline-boosting experience for people of all ages. We were led
into a 4WD to do some dune bashing. In the absence of seatbelts, we bashed
against each other as our guide bashed the vehicle against the hundred meter
high dunes. Down, down, we went defying gravity in the soft sands as everybody screeched
and laughed. And then it was time to go up and then down again several times.
The sand dunes at Wahiba are stretched in the north-south direction so we
were going perpendicular from east to west. “Dhabaki up and dhabaki down,”
chorused the children. Roller coasters, we agreed, are much tamer than this.
This was the real thing.
Afterwards,
totally spent, we lazed on the warm sand. Someone tried sliding down the sand dunes
and all of us joined in. It was pure childish fun. A middle-aged man slid face
down and then started hunting for something frantically in the sand when he
reached the base. When he found what he was searching for, he raised it up for
all to see. It was his solid gold wedding ring. His wife of many years smiled
and blew kisses to him as she sat on the top of the dune.
The sun,
however, was the real hero of the moment. Through the day it had coloured the
sand in different shades of honey, burgundy, golden, red, yellow, and white. As
it slowly settled into the hammock of the soft sand dunes in the distance, it
lighted up the landscape in such a magical light that people talked in hushed
whispers as if to avoid breaking the magical spell that had been recently cast
on them. From blazing yellow, the sun turned amber and then crimson just before
pulling a purple cover and disappearing completely. Mesmerised by this drama,
we lay on the sand dunes which gradually became cooler. As we competed to spot
the first star in the sky, a strong wind blew the sand into our eyes and
nostrils. Covering our faces and heads with our scarves and shawls like the
Arabs do, we made our way to the safety of the camp again. We were also warned
of the several venomous night creatures that the hour heralds.
This time we
were greeted by an aroma of food. It was a simple fare of freshly cut salads, spiced
rice and barbeque. After dinner, in the shaded majlis or sitting area, Omani
cushions and carpets were neatly laid out and frankincense burned in strategic
corners. Old Bedu men played traditional Omani music as the young men danced to
the rhythmic beat and sang along. Perhaps they sang about the hard life in the
desert, their history, or perhaps about love? Arabic language is quite
ornamental and their love for poetry is well known. Shisha (hookah) pipes were quietly passed
around. When the musicians and dancers had bowed and retired later in the
night, the guests enthusiastically took turns to sing and dance to music from
their own cultures. This was greatly appreciated by the hospitable Omani staff.
When the
lights around the camp went out at last, the moonless night sky dazzled with
the stars. The desert sky is stunningly brilliant in the night. In the absence
of any artificial lighting for miles around the camp, we were drawn back to ancient
times when people looked for signs and messages in the sky. Instinctively
people drew closer to each other and marvelled at the vastness of the universe
and their own earthly existence. It was a treasured moment of our trip.
After an
enlightened night of truth-seeking and peacefulness, we left the camp the next
morning and took the road leading to Muscat and modern civilisation. The
locals, as we noticed along the way, are always enthusiastic to meet tourists
and offer hospitality. We passed by several wadis (dry river beds) and picturesque
villages nestling among the hills of solid rock. We halted for some time at one
of the wadis which had a cool green stream of clear water flowing over
perfectly oblong smooth pebbles. Around the wadi was a vibrant growth of
date palms and banana trees. In the heat of the sun, it seemed like a perfect
paradise.
Next time, inshallah
– god willing, we will go open camping.
(This post was first published in Outpost Muscat Newsletter, Nov-Dec 2013)
