Dubai is the biggest city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and at the same time the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. About 85 % of the Emirate's inhabitants live in Dubai city and thus it is not surprising that Dubai is the central place for social life, culture, economy, and politics. Dubai represents a perfect mixture of a vibrant, cosmopolitan life and tradition. Apart from that it is a well-known synonym for luxuriousness! No other place in the world can boast of seven star hotels, man-made islands of all kinds of shapes or the tallest building in the world! Dubai's greater area has approximately 150 skyscrapers of more than 500 ft, 60 buildings of more than 650 ft and another 6 skyscrapers of more than 980 ft. One of them is Burj Khalifa with 2716 ft, the highest building in the world! In contrast to all this you will find the old dhow boats, chugging along the Dubai Creek, and the traditional souqs. Here you will come across all types of spices and herbs. Right next door you can stroll through the gold market and enjoy the building with its traditional wooden front and the typical bustling atmosphere of an Arabian souq. The history of Dubai can be traced back until 3000 years BC! In 1833, one of the important years of the area, the Bani Yas tribe settled at Dubai Creek. Until today, the dynasty, founded by their leader Maktoum Bin Butti, is ruling the Emirate of Dubai. But the biggest change that lead Dubai into a new and modern aera took place in 1966: Oil was found in Dubai-Fateh.

Scenically wedged between mountains and ocean, with old forts and excellent museums, an opera house and flower-filled parks, the gentle city of Muscat is a delight to visit. Its name means ‘safe anchorage’, and the sea plays an important role in city life to this day, sustaining the fishing industry and providing opportunities for visitors to swim from sandy beaches or dive with turtles in nearby lagoons.

The city has a character quite distinct from neighboring capitals. There are few high-rise blocks, and even functional buildings are required to reflect tradition with a dome or an arabesque window. The result is an attractive, whimsically uniform city that retains the elegance observed by early travelers. The city is quite conservative in nature, asking of visitors decorum in dress and manner, but in return, it offers a warm sense of Omani hospitality and an opportunity to connect with the country's rich heritage. (www.lonelyplanet.com)

Yes, it is sad that we weren't able to take the dirt road from Khasab back to the Oman. But what would we do if we missed out on this fantastic road leading up to the Jebel Jais from the Emirate's side? We are sure you will have a blast roaring up the paved and winding line of asphalt. On top of the mountain, an equally magnificent view over the mountain range awaits us.

The Jebel Shams (Mountain of the Sun) rises north of the city of Al Hamra and, at 3009 meters, is the highest mountain in Oman. Located in the Al Hajar Mountains, the mountain is around 240 kilometers away from the capital Muscat. During the winter months, temperatures rise to a pleasant 20° C during the day. Strictly speaking, Jebel Shams has two peaks - a northern and a southern one. Below the southern peak, a dirt road takes us up to a hill.

The Wadi Nakhar Gorge is also known as the Grand Canyon of Oman and is in fact almost as impressive as its famous namesake, the Grand Canyon in the USA. A high plateau at an altitude of almost 2,000 meters offers the most magnificent views of the imposing gorge. With a bit of luck, a vulture will be circling in the air.
The summit of Jebel Shams (3,009 m above sea level) cannot be driven all the way up. But it is possible to circumnavigate it at a slightly lower level.
On the way back, you should take time for a short stop in Ghul and take a look at the old, abandoned settlement that clings to the rock like an eagle's nest

The Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve is a really great opportunity for us to watch the rare sea turtles laying their eggs or the hatching of the baby turtles. As you can imagine, this is a natural spectacle we will need to be flexible with. This is why we will only be able to finally coordinate our visit once we have arrived at our tonight’s destination at the Turtle Reserve.
The big sea turtles prefer the coast of the Gulf of Oman for laying their eggs, and so Oman is playing an important role in protecting these endangered animals. At the age of 35-40 years, the female sea turtle will become sexually mature, and will then lay approximately 70 to 120 eggs in a 50 cm deep hole in the sand. Once the eggs are covered with sand again the turtles are crawling back into the sea after the two-hour spectacle. The female turtle lays her eggs about 2-3 times per year, but only every second or third year.