The overnight stay at Desert Night Camps was good fun, lots
of wind, and plenty of sand to take back in our hair and pockets. Ten of us in three 4x4s and a car left at
high noon under a vast sky and penetrating heat and it is not even really that
hot yet. I dread the days with 40 C plus
days that are to come.
Whahiba sands is a quick 1.5 hours away and the vehicle I
was in barely scratched the surface of travels adventures from the group in the
car when we reached the edge of the desert.
The car stayed behind at a gas station while the 4x4s sailed across the
sands to the camp 10km away. With the
heat on and high winds with not much to do, they opened the bar early for our
group. We were happy to be inside where
it was cool drinking even cooler beverages.
Next thing we knew, it was time to brave the elements outside to catch
the lifts up to the top of the nearby dunes to watch the sunset.
The hour up there in the whipping wind and sand either tested
our endurance or our stupidity with staying out there in the raw elements getting
sand in our eyes and everywhere else.
The sunset wasn’t spectacular by any means but it was thrilling to be up
there none the less.
The rest of the evening was consumed with consuming food and
drink and star gazing. The place being
tucked away in the desert presents a great opportunity to relax with good
company and we did just that.
The next morning I jumped out of the comfy bed to watch the
sunrise. I climbed up the dunes opposite
to where we were the previous night but I didn’t find the view appealing with looking
towards the sun and decided to trudge up the other set of dunes for better
views and it was well worth it. The
colors and the patterns in the shifting sands was truly remarkable. Nature’s canvas at its desert best. With my camera not working properly I spent a
fair amount of time studying the stunning art in front of me and around
me. There were tiny animal tracks,
insect tracks, desert plants, and twisted twigs to admire and ponder. I also pondered the quiet of the desert. The quiet is not the same as a jungle quiet
or a forest quiet. This is void of all
sounds similar to the way it is void of moisture. I sat for a spell closing my eyes and
quieting my mind.
Back at camp it was time for breakfast and to linger until
the 11:00am checkout time. A great
weekend to end the month of April. The
wait staff at the camp said the camp would be closing for the really hot
months. I talked with the wait staff
for a bit and with them being from southern India and Sri Lanka, I asked if
they felt like a fish out of water because of living in this dry desert which
is 180 degrees opposite of where they come from. Now you would think they would want to employ
young Omanis for this type of work but I guess they prefer to be the drivers
and camel walkers. Maybe in time. Time for walk by the sea.
