Oh-Man

Going on a trip with someone you love can make the dullest of places seem incredible....
But going on a trip with someone you love to a place that IS incredible makes that place so much better.
Zighy Bay, Oman was that place.

Lauren and I left early Thursday morning with nothing short of high expectations for our getaway to Oman. We quickly realized that getting there stress free was going to be the hardest part about the trip.
We both had expired visas that almost canceled the trip before we even left Doha but luckily, they let her slide and after a hike across the parking lot, I was able to pay a fine and get on the plane.
The plane ride was far from the spoils of Qatar Airways as well. Turbulence and a drink cart that never made it to us before the landing message came over the speakers left us shaken and cotton mouthed.
We got to Dubai International and found out that we were in the wrong terminal for our car rental so we had to get shuttled over to the "right" terminal and fill out an hours worth of paper work just to get our trusty Nissan Sunny aka the worlds slowest car.
I finally got the experience of international driving as our GPS did everything in its power to NOT give us proper directions to the spa.
Somehow we made it through the mountain detours, goat crossings and small villages and found ourselves at the foot of a massive mountain that sheilds Zighy Bay from humanity.
We jumped into a 4x4 and snaked through the narrow paths.
Once at the top, we saw it. Paradise.
It was even more beautiful than the photos.

We got settled into our villa and jumped into the pool and then the ocean.
We woke up early on Friday with plans of snorkeling but the weather was against us.
Instead we got a big breakfast and decided to climb the mountain.
One thing about mountains is, they always look smaller from the bottom.
After an hour of extremely difficult climbing in humid Gulf air, we were at the top.
It was an incredible view of the entire beach village.
We climbed back down covered in sweat and muscles aching.
Only one thing to do at a spa for aching muscles: massages.
Excellent.
Later that night, we headed back up the mountain (this time in a car) and had dinner at a mountain top restaurant. Not just any dinner.... A NINE COURSE DINNER!!!!
After eating every food known to man, we headed back down to bed. Bursting at the seems and praying for better weather on Saturday.

Sadly, the weather was even worse. Snorkeling and all other activities were canceled. Except one....
Kayaking.
But only crazy people kayak when there are 10 foot waves crashing on the beach.
We are those crazy people.
To say the least, it almost killed us.

We came back to the villa to swim for awhile and catch lunch before checking out and heading back to the airport.
The GPS was a bit more helpful but going to the wrong terminal AGAIN was not.
Either way, we made it and flew back to Doha with memories of an incredible trip and plans to come back again soon.