Fai Tira blog still in Salalah 15^th April 2011

April is rapidly progressing, although paradoxically the days here in Salalah still seem to drag their feet, each passing one hardly distinguishable from the previous. Never-the-less April the 18th is approaching fast. It's significance, for me, is that it's the day that I will be leaving the boat. My intention is to head for Crete to attend a long planned family re-union that was meant to coincide  with the original venue and date for the finish of the rally. After that  I'll return to England.

Many things have changed, some of them dramatic, so plans have altered accordingly, and once the boat reaches Turkey it will travel through the Med. without me. I think that I would still like to be on it when it returns to Dartmouth and therefore intend rejoining it in Gibraltar.

So it suddenly occurs that this may well be my final contribution to the blog up-date

Bit of a sad end really that leaves me with many mixed emotions; some typified by the sight of the neighboring big old galleon, owned and sailed by an African called Charles, as it left the mooring recently to sail alone towards the Red Sea and Suez.

When they set off, in the late evening, the weak but still hot sun cast long shadows, and it's reflected glow softened as it glinted off the rippling surface.

It's strange, that even though I know what they're doing is hugely dangerous and I'm relaxed about the decisions that I've made to head back to the U.K.; I still found myself standing on the bow of Fai Tira as they sailed off and watched their departure with strong feelings of melancholy and yearning. Not really sure just why that is.

I know that for the most part his passage will be boring and uncomfortable with disrupted sleep patterns that cause fatigue and irritation, but at times like these romanticism seems to take over!

I suppose it must have something to do with the sensations of exclusivity and achievement that seem to be generated by this way of life, and tends to set you apart from others.

In many ways membership of this weird club has some magnetic pull, and sometimes it can feel good to be fully paid up!

Occasionally I recall images of events of the last twenty months, and only then do I come to appreciate the extent of the achievement, and about what we've done, and because of that alone, I know there'll be elements I'll miss!.

I know that I won’t miss cruising the Med. However, there is something about traveling on the sea in a small sailboat, and the oceans in particular, that's enormously stimulating.

It's such a challenging environment. A vast wilderness that will never submit to control yet still has the ability to provide us with one of the only true sensations of physical freedom, but only go there with great caution we are trespassers and if we're really not wanted we're likely to be removed!

I'm positive that this way of life doesn't have the remotest chance of entering my blood stream, but it's not difficult to understand those who are patently addicted. I've met  many whose lives would be totally empty and meaningless without this almost inevitably un-fulfilling stimulus.

My excursion into this world, by comparison, is small, and I think that the difference between me and a real sailor, is that I now feel satisfied and very grateful for the opportunities that have been presented. It will enable me to gain much pleasure from  reliving my memories, hopefully with interested friends and  family. It's going to take a long time to exhaust this reservoir, I've got lots of words and photos for stimulation.........Just hope that I don't bore my audience to death with my ramblings along the way!

We've all tried to make the best of the last few weeks of our stay in Salalah many of those efforts turned out to be quite successful. Much of it was due to the assistance of the very friendly ex-patriot community, who have  gone well beyond anything we could have expected in an attempt to give our stay an element of interest and sparkle. And for the most part they've succeeded. We've had guided days out, roof terrace B.B.Q's, buffet dinner parties and many general social gatherings. And in addition  they've always been  there to provide assistance and information.

Nothing seemed too much trouble.

                                                                                                          The one on the left isn’t dropping away.......It.s actually going up!

One typical Day, in the company of Andy and his wife Jane, took us on a guided excursion that eventually arrived part  way up a mountain

pass just beyond the anti-gravity road. It was there where we turned off the steep incline into a hot dusty clearing. There they led the way to an obscure rocky and uneven dirt pathway that led to the Baibab forest. Here, amongst the outcrop of giant discarded boulders, these giant so-called upside down trees rose in gnarled and twisted elegance, with  their silhouettes standing sharp against the richness of the clear blue skies.

They store water in their massive trunks…….The trees I mean!

They also pointed us in the direction of the peaceful and deserted beaches adjacent to the Queen of Sheba's palace, Where on a return journey we  drove through humble traditional fishing villages and visited its working excavations and delightful small museum, before picnicking on the adjacent sands. The water and snorkeling proved to be the attraction of some. Others still managed to brave the intense heat of the sun, in order to soak up some of the rays, whilst I, and others, set out on a quest, among the rock pools and soft white sand, to seek out the delightful intricate shapes and subtle colours  contained within the numerous discarded crustaceans, rolling in on the gentle lapping waves........(collected a few shells!) We were startled later on that evening, back on the boat, when one of them tried to escape by running across the saloon floor. The hermit crab inside had obviously decided enough's, enough. So with assistance from me it soon found itself back in its watery environment.......Shame it was a nice one!

Our return journey was livened up by a visit to the Soq, and an encounter with a persuasive and charismatic salesman ended with me purchasing an engraved pen and a turban, that on these guys look so cool, but on me.........Well!!

We also took the opportunity, to visit the fairly new Marriott Hotel.

It sat as grand as a peacock, on a mound overlooking the dramatic coastline. What a soulless place it turned out to be. It was almost totally deserted and sterile, completely lacking in anything resembling character, and its' huge reception proudly displayed an artists model impression of a massive proposed marina development.

It's something that would completely dominate the surroundings. It would engulf beautiful areas of natural beach, and flatten at least one nearby old fishing village that seemed to be occupied by generations of families!.......And all for what?     Another sterile and soulless development just to keep the Marriott company.... What are they thinking about!?

I have to say that I think almost everyone else approved of it..............Strange things opinions!!!

Anyhow  all that seems a long way off, if it happens at all. And it doesn't detract from a great country occupied by proud, elegant, friendly and honorable people. They may have some difficult to understand, rigid traditions and cultures, but I bet when they occasionally look over their shoulders towards the West, if you could see them, there would be wry smiles lurking beneath those alluring black veils!

This isn't the way any of us would have chosen for it to end, but if this is how it had to be, then Salalah has done its best to make it, at least, a little palatable........Thanks!

Goodbye!