The road to Wadi Bani Khalid is beset with dangers on all sides.
Irascible camels:
Vicious sand-dunes:
And worst of all… cross winds!
I thank you.
For those who make it there alive, Wadi Bani Khalid has water in its pools year-round, which makes it a popular swimming spot. Rules are quite strict, however:
One might have thought that conservatism meant not perving at other people’s swimming costumes, but you learn something new.
Not being properly dressed, I instead hauled myself up a hill. The whole path to the coast takes three days, but I thought after an hour or so I’d done my bit.
These hills, the Eastern Hajjar, are uncompromising: huge slabs of dry, crumbly rock, flaking away in layers where the water’s got to it:
Accompanying me on the way up was some of the local wildlife, apparently convinced by my struggles that the end was nigh. First a group of Egyptian vultures, which are quite common here:
And then the boss bird, a lappet-faced vulture:
Apparently this is one of the toughest vultures around, and it’s a quite intimidating sight circling over one’s head.
Keep safe from those scary birds!