My Oman

Every country is beautiful in its own unique way, and I must say I love the desert beauty of Oman just as much as the lush greenness of Ireland.

Dunes

Green oases and parks are very well maintained and watered and provide exceptional explosions of colour and much sought after coolness and shade.

Date palms

Muscat Municipality Naseem Public Park

Weather

I didn't know you could get tired of sunny weather until I spent a year in Oman, where it rains only once or twice a year. Summer temperatures reach +50 during the day and winter temperatures +30. I had to hide from the sun under an umbrella going to work (7 minute walk). I did not have problems with sunburns as the dress code for women (foreigners) actually protected from the sun - we were allowed to wear loose-fitting bum-covering tops with sleeves below the elbow and skirts below the knee. It's tougher for local women who have to wear headscarves and abayas (full-length loose long-sleeved dresses worn over conventional clothing) - all black to make it worse, while men are dressed in cool-looking loose white robes and ornate caps.

Knowing the weather was going to be hot all year long, made my packing very easy and I arrived in Oman with only one suitcase as I didn't have to worry about clothes and shoes for different seasons. I really loved that, but I was worried how I was going to survive the heat. And to my surprise, I survived! All accommodation, transport, offices and classrooms are air conditioned, which means you're only outside in the heat for short periods of time. But it also means you have to run the air conditioning day and night.

In the evenings you can cool down in the warm see breeze on any one of the numerous fantastic beaches. And if you go camping in the mountains or in the desert, the night temperatures there can drop to +10, so you might want to pack some warm clothes or a blanket.

People

Traditional dancing at a festival in Muscat

People are extremely nice and friendly. Almost everybody (shop assistants, taxi drivers) speaks some English.

One evening my husband and I were walking along a road and a local driving by stopped to talk to us. We ended up being driven to his farm, where he showed us all his farm animals, then to his house, where we had dinner in the company of his brother and kids.

Another time I was returning home from work and some local women chilling in front of their houses, started talking to me and invited me to go with them to their farm and spend some time with them.

One interesting observation is that culturally men and women don't mix, so if I am invited somewhere by women, my husband won't be able to join us, and vice versa. Or if you're invited to a wedding, prepare to spend the evening separately from your spouse - men and women celebrate in different rooms/buildings.

Working hours

Opening hours at Naseem Public Park

Just as you would expect from any hot country, smaller shops and cafes close in the afternoon and reopen in the evening. Working hours in the college I worked in were till 4 pm and during the month of Ramadan, till 1 pm. And remember that Saturday and Sunday are working days. The weekend is Thursday and Friday.

Transport

Things might have changed since I was in Oman in 2006, but when we were there, the only public transport was taxis (and some fixed route minibuses in the capital city).

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When you are in Oman whether on holiday or for work, make sure to check out their beautiful mosques, colourful and aromatic suqs (or souks - the local name for "markets"), go hiking/camping in the mountains or the desert, go swimming all year round in the warm waters of the Arabian Sea.

For me Oman wasn't an easy country to get used to - climate, culture, food - everything was so different from what I was used to, but I do feel nostalgic about it and I definitely want to visit it again one day!

Sunset in Al Muladdah village

Only in Oman - camels on the road

Hiking in the mountains