A CALL TO THE COUNTRYSIDE
“Fasten your seat belts. We’re about to begin our descent into Muscat. Thank you for flying Oman Air.” My forty winks were shattered by the pilot’s booming voice on the microphone. After a little over two hours of flying from Mumbai, I was about to land in a country that I’d been eyeing for several years—primarily because its countryside made a strong case for an adventurous holiday.
Kareem, my sartorially savvy chauffeur and guide, greeted me genially at the arrival lounge. Dressed in a dishdasha, a traditional white Omani gown, he would be my travel buddy for the next few days, witnessing firsthand my zest for the great outdoors.
A few minutes into the city, I realised I’d got Muscat all wrong. Devoid of shiny glass and
