Musandam – Northern exclave of Oman with the “Fjords of Arabia”

After seven days in Dubai we have had enough of great restaurants and the rest of the glittering world and set off for the Musandam peninsula. She is an exclave of Oman, surrounded only by the sea and the Emirates. Since the Iranian Revolution at the latest, its location on the Strait of Hormuz has also had great military and strategic importance: 80% of the world’s oil transports ultimately pass through it and the supposed “axis of evil” is only 40 km away.

We also notice this when we cross the border: our drone and radio equipment are withheld. The negotiations about this make crossing the border tough. The only good thing about it is that – if you don’t want to take a ferry to Mainland-Oman – you have to leave the country via the same border crossing anyway and can pick up the withheld devices.

On the way to Khasab, the sleepy provincial capital at the end of the world or Oman, we are enthusiastic about the rough mountain landscapes: Steep slopes fall almost vertically into the sea. In the afternoon you can see the numerous Iranian smugglers’ boats that we have already seen in Iran leaving the island of Qeshm loaded with sheep for Oman, returning with other goods that are not officially available in Iran. We make a full day, very relaxed, dhow tour through a 17 km long fjord, see many dolphins that accompany our boat in the wake and drive with Shujaa into the impassable mountains. Lots of military here, too.

During a photo stop we hear a hissing noise when getting out and see how the air escapes in a few seconds through a crack in the sidewall of one of our “pre-used” tires … after our experience in Dubai, the second tire that we have lose in a few days. At least the place to change tires is much more suitable than on the highway at night in Dubai and Shujaa has also sunk less because the rim did not completely destroy the flat tire. So we – cursing loudly about our wrong decision when buying tires – do not get out of practice and after 45 minutes the new tire with rim is mounted.

After this incident, we finally lost confidence in the “pre-used” tires and have three brand new tires put back at Continental in Dubai. It’s good that we have such a problem-free tire supply here … in most parts of the world it would have been a very stressful undertaking.

So we leave Musandam, collect our drones and radios at the border and drive back to our well-known tire dealer in Dubai on Karin’s birthday, then to Al Sufouh Beach and have a great meal in Dubai, probably for the last time.