Abu Dhabi Escapade: Dhow Cruise in Dibba, Oman

During the work week it seems that time is crawling by; time moves so slowly sometimes that I feel like I'm in some kind of time warp where the weekend will never get here. But I blink and it is indeed the end of another week and another month is over and we're that much closer to the next break...Spring Break!

A few weeks ago we went on a lovely Dhow cruise (basically a double decker boat) out of Oman with 4 other families that are good friends/neighbors. There were 22 of us in all- 11 adults and 11 kids. We left Al Ain early and drove caravan-style the two and a half hours or so through Sharjah and Fujairah (two other Emirates.) The scenery was absolutely gorgeous and we enjoyed seeing more of the country. We were even delayed briefly by a herd of goats on the road. Lol!

Stunning mountains on the way

This picture doesn't do it justice but this mosque in Dibba was beautiful

Before crossing the border to Oman we had to wait for the border crossing agent to decide he was ready to check our passports and information. We've been in the country long enough to understand what "Inshallah" means. Nothing happens quickly here and patience has a whole new meaning... especially when you've had 2 cups of coffee and no bathroom break! An hour or two of waiting around (luckily we were right by a park where the kids could play) and we were finally checked and ready to cross the border and board the boat.

Waiting...

This is what our boat looked like. Oman is known for its Dhow style ships, which throughout history have been used for trade, fishing, and pearl diving.

In the harbor we had to walk across several boats to get to ours. Quite an adventure.

The trip included snorkeling, banana boat rides, a beach visit, deep sea fishing, and an Arabic lunch. The sights were gorgeous with mountains plunging right into the clear, blue sea.