Prepping for Christmas in Oman

So it is just Courtney and I alone in the deserts of Oman... It's been a roller coaster for the past week, preparing for the departure of staff, either for good or just for the holiday. It was hard to say goodbye to good friends and to wrap our heads around the fact that we will be in Dibba alone. Our house is empty (clean for once... but empty) and we have found ourselves missing our messy roommates. It's been surprisingly emotional and sort of scary being in this crazy country alone, with only each other to depend on. But we are thriving!

But amongst the goodbyes and work, we have been craving some Christmas spirit! Needless to say, Christmas is not a huge thing here in Oman and the UAE. So in order to satisfy this craving, Courtney and I are creating our own Christmas in Oman!

 

Our mini tree and some Christmas treats provided by the amazing care package sent by my loving parents!

 

The Christmas pillow I HAD to have!

 

Some little tags that also came in the package...

 

Courtney's star!

 

Our lights and stockings! We didn't really think through the lights because they flash and play Christmas music at this annoying high pitch... but we love 'em anyway! 

 

So that is our holiday masterpiece... Courtney and I leave on the 26th for our amazing 2-week vacation in Malaysia, Borneo and Singapore. We are going to hike Mt. Kinabalu, visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, spend three days and two nights on a river safari on the Kinabatagan, celebrate Courtney's 25th birthday, relax on the beach and visit the Teman Negara rainforest. Then we will head to Singapore to spend some time with my parents and Em! We are super excited and ready for some legit R&R!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Flying in Oman!

So there is this amazing five star resort that is hidden in a bay nearby in the Wadi. It is called Six Senses at Zighy Bay and the only way to get there is by boat or through the wadi and up and over this insane mountain on a windy road down into this isolated, hidden bay. We opened an adventure center there and have three staff living at the hotel. So the other day, I was going to go there to visit a staff member for dinner and he told me that he would come and grab me in a bit. Thirty minutes later I get another phone call saying he can't come anymore but his friend Itsu was heading to Dibba to refuel the microlight and he would pick me up. I flew!

 

Here is the microlight that I took. It felt like I was being picked up by my own private plane!

 

Here is a video of us taking off and flying over the Golden Tulip Hotel. Notice the flying seagulls... beautiful!

 

View from above of an old abandoned village on the Dibba shore.

 

View of the Munsandam Peninsula.

 

Fishermen down at Smuggler's Bay!

 

Landing and freaking out some Six Senses guests... I'm pretty sure Itsu gets bored doing over 15 flights a day, and gets a kick out of pushing the limits with the plane. Needless to say it was a fun, stomach dropping, and breathtaking experience!

Thanksgiving in Oman

We had an insane week of work and rewarded ourselves with a fantastic Thanksgiving feast. For many, it was their first. For the Americans, it required imagination and improvisation. Our guest list consisted of:

Courtney and Micah

Kyle (left) and Dillon (right) (caught red handed eating the cookie dough!)

Representing the Red, White and Blue!

Dee (Slovenia) and Alex (UK)

Karen (Philippines)

and Billa (left) and Ram (right) (Nepal) we’re our first timers…

Our menu included:

-Two chickens and stuffing

-Garlic and butter mashed potatoes

-Karen’s amazing spring rolls and sweet chili sauce

- Homemade rolls

-Micah’s plum sauce (couldn’t find cranberry sauce)

-Gravy

-Micah’s duck stuffed with plums, apples and a cinnamon, honey glaze

-Mom’s sesame/soy sauce/ginger green beans

-Corn

For dessert we had:

-Dee’s famous double chocolate apple cake

-Courtney’s hello dollies (magic bars)

-Chocolate chip cookies

-Karen’s custard/jello bars

Karen and Micah prepping the duck’s stuffing…

The girls making rolls…

Courtney and Billa hard at work…

Bein’ silly…

We ate our delicious meal at the Adventure Center by candlelight. We kept to tradition and went around the table and said what we are thankful for…

All in all it was a wonderful thanksgiving away from home, spent with delicious food and amazing people!

Miss you all and hope your thanksgiving was as full of fun and love as ours was! 

Happy Turkey Day!!!