A few days ago, Eddie and Ania arrived. They flew in from India, where they had gone exploring. Before their India trip they worked in China for China Climb, an outdoor education program there. They are great additions to the house and program and I know we’ll have lots of fun together. Today, we took them into the wadi we frequent to show them our established climbing routes and the boulder field named Damian's Boulders. We parked the truck at the base of Damian’s boulders and hopped from boulder to boulder. It was really fun seeing Eddie and Ania’s faces as they saw all the boulders for the first time. Weeks could be spent climbing in that boulder field. They are exited about being here and all the fun things we’ll be doing. Then Micah took us to a different wadi on the other side of the dam, which has a really huge solid wall with lots of climbing potential. Micah, Mike and Jesi found it a month or two ago. It has the potential for multi-pitch routes and a boulder field at its base. It hasn't been developed yet so we hope to begin the process. We parked at the base of a smaller mountain and hiked to the top of it, where there is an abandoned village at the top and a great view of the big multi-pitch wall. Eddie has a really nice digital SLR camera and took loads of great photos. We climbed into the little houses and admired the construction of them. There are loads of pottery shards everywhere all over the ground by the village. Once you get a hang of spotting them, you can hardly take a step without spotting a piece. We found a pile of large shards with patterns painted and carved into them and managed to find matching pieces. There are hundreds of little stone buildings in the mountains and dozens of caves we are eager to explore.

Ania and I in the boulder field.


Showing them one of our climbing spots in Wadi Hilti.


The big wall we hope to develop


A stone hut and the big wall


Checking out the abandoned huts




A grave, with the head and foot marked


Inside another hut with Ania




Ania found a person sized dip in a boulder and we proceeded to fit ourselves into it.


Eddie doesn't fit!




Eddie and Ania, peering out from a hut


Three of us in a hut


What's so interesting down there in the dirt?


We're piecing together pottery shards!


And last but not least, a tree goat!

On Saturday, we needed to renew our visit visas which involves driving to a different part of northern Oman. See, even though in Dibba we are in Oman, there is pretty much nothing here except a gas station, a grocery store, a restaurant and a hospital. It isn't an "official" border because everyone has to go into Fujeirah (in the UAE) for internet, banks and various other supplies. Our UAE visas are visit visas and only good for 30 days so we had to go renew it, which involves spending a day in a different country, Oman. So we drive into Ras Al Khaimah and to the western border of the northern part of Oman. We don't have international drivers licenses which keeps us from being able to drive across the border, so we needed a driver. Luckily our landlord Ali was perfectly content to drive us there. He's absolutely hilarious and speaks very good English so we have tons of fun with him. He's even more amusing drunk. Anyway. Heading through Ras Al Khamiah there was a CAMEL IN THE ROAD!! which was unbelievable exciting for us, and I think Ali just got a kick out of how stupidly amused we were by it.


I suppose its like seeing a deer in the road in the states. Still, it was awesome.
So, we drove through RAK and to the border, which costs a good penny to cross. While we're there we head to Kasab, the northern most town in the Musandam. The road to get there is absolutely epic. Its the kind of road you drive and daydream you're really driving a ridulously expensive sports car. Or if you've made it in the world, its the kind of road you take your ridiculously expensive sports car *cough*Craig*cough* to and haul ass. The road is sandwiched between cliffs and ocean. Not only is it an exhilarating drive but the views can't be beat. I'm going to call Top Gear and suggest it for the best road to drive in the Middle East. Oh, and they should totally take something fast there to test out. And show it on TV, so I can live vicariously. Ok enough of that rant...
Here are a couple photos of the road:


so yes, its epic. The original plan was to do some swimming in the ocean, but being a bunch of rock climbers, if there's something to climb around on we're gonna do it. The beach was large and very nice with white sand and cliffs running from the mountains to the sea made up the left side of the horseshoe. We found this awesome boulder to climb.

Micah on the face:

Me heel hooking on the nose-

Mike heel hooking in the same spot-

There were also some awesome boulders sitting just at the waters edge we took advantage of.
Micah-

Me-

There was also a perfect place to deep water solo (rock climb sans rope and harness, you fall into the water) where the cliff met the ocean. The rock wasn't very good quality and fell apart frequently while climbing. The sun was setting and there were jelly fish in the water, so most of us decided not to DWS. Levi stepped up to the plate and went all out. Micah followed but didn't risk falling in. Sharks and jellyfish aren't so nice.
Mike watching Levi climb-

Levi takes the plunge-

Micah takes a turn-

We didn't make it back to Dibba till after midnight, after stopping in RAK for milkshakes and fast food. The sleep deprivation was totally worth the awesome day.

On the 19th, we were invited to join the Smuggler's Bay trek. We start walking from the beachfront property toward the mountains. The trek is really challenging. To get to smuggler's bay, you hike up and then back down several mountains which are incredibly steep and covered in sharp scree (loose rock). One of the descents is so steep you feel like you're rock climbing. When you get to the top of the first mountain there is a beautiful view of the Daba port and the ocean.


Once you get to the top of that, you follow the back side of that mountain, which runs into another mountain, and then there is this really steep ascent. I was definitely the slowest hiker. Devan (our guide) does this trek several times a week and smoked all of us up the mountain. When you get to the top of that mountain, you can see smuggler's bay in the distance. There are clothes and empty bottles and all sorts of other things scattered around the entire way. When you round one corner, you can see across this very narrow and steep valley/crevasse to the actual trail the smuggler's use. We don't take this path because it isn't as direct and because we're more likely to see Iranians along the way.

Then there is a heinous descent- I got attacked by a couple of rocks. Eventually you end up in the bay. Its a huge relief to reach the sand.


The water here is slightly warmer than the other beaches, incredibly calm and clear. I brought my snorkel mask and did a little underwater investigating and saw a few fish and lots of coral and trash.


We had lunch at the beach before heading home. We returned on a different path. Imagine a stream filled with large boulders, running down the seam between two mountains, now take away the water. That was our path back. Lots of scrambling and big steps and balancing. We saw first hand the dangers of smuggling...

Then there was one last big mountain to summit before the descent back home. Will snapped a photo of me getting to the top.

We were all sore and tired by the time we got home, and went out for a well deserved plate of biriyani.