Matt: Wow!! What an amazing weekend! We took a trip to Fujarah on the east coast of the UAE. It was a fascinating drive through the country, vast expanse of nothing but desert that gives way to a rugged and desolate mountain range called the Hatta Mountains.
We were frequently surprised by the things we saw, from miles of cables and pylons snaking through the mountains, to massive billboard adverts seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Deep ravines cut across our path and sporadic plantations sprung up in the least expected of places.
The above photo was taken looking down 80 feet from the roads side.
Towns were few and far between, but even so signs of civilisation were present in the harshest of places. Roadside traders and shops appeared almost out of nowhere and as we rounded one corner, high in the mountains, we were greeted by a mile long stretch of road which was flanked on either side by open market stalls hawking all kinds of wares. Mainly fruit and veg, but also ceramics, rugs, beach balls, kitchen ware.
We were treated to a taste of the sweetest magoes and the smallest banana's by the sellers all eager to garner our trade.
Eating in a local cafe was an experience, fast food indigenous style was good. They sliced open a young coconut so we could find refreshment from it's milk. Once we'd drunk that, they took it away and scrape the coconut out from the shell and serve it back to you.
As for the hotel, it was simply lovely. A real treat. We relaxed by the pool, ate in the lovely restaurants and bathed in the sea. Well actually we were thrown around like drift wood in the sea, the waves were immense and a little frightening at times. But we had a lot of fun and laughed a lot as one or the other of us were wiped off our feet.
Kelly faces off to another 10 foot wall of water
All in all we had a fabulous time and I highly recommend a trip there if you are ever out this way.
Sadly - it's back to work now!!
