For me Oman is a visa run much like it is for a lot of the expats residing and working in Dubai. Since the working visa is such an arduous task to get in UAE, requiring an inordinate amount of paperwork, time, and even more hoop jumping, most people just work on the free default tourist visa. It use to be that you were able to get a free 60day tourist visa upon entry into the UAE, recent policy changed it to where it is now only a 30day visa. With that said even though it is the New Year’s day I must get up and head out to do a visa run to get a renewed 30days.

Oman is much quieter and feels more like what the Middle East should be. There is more traditional architecture and no extravagant over the top skyscrapers that can be seen all over Dubai. Dan Karr and I make our first stop in Muscat where we crash for the day. Because Sheik Mohammad got bored and decided to cancel New Years, there are a lot of tourists from Dubai that decided to spend the New Year in Muscat. It was a hassle just to find a hotel.

There wasn’t a whole lot going on in Oman. The country seemed really tame and there is not much to see and do during the daytime. We are stay right off the beach and head to the fish market in the morning. The stench of seafood hits you like a brick wall as you walk towards the indoor market. There are tons of fresh catch lying out on the ground. After getting more than our share of the fresh smells of the market we decide to walk around the area. Overall Oman was really uneventful. Perhaps it was because we got there right after New Years and everyone was on their way back to Dubai or because we didn’t bother to book a boat tour, which is what a trip to Oman is really known for.

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