From the plateau of 1000 meters of heights we cycle down to the sea over an impressive pass which is carved out of the rock. In the south of Oman the landscape is brown at this time of the year, but after the rainy season everything is lush green and there are waterfalls and pools, and many tourists from the gulf area travel to here.

The planned 1000 km trip through the desert is only lasting for about 200 km. Then a car hit us from behind, on the desert road from Salalah in the south towards Muscat, on a road where was more or less no traffic. I was very lucky to wear the helmet, which was three times split. Whoever reads this and is cycling, this should remind you to always wear a helmet. The driver gave us a ride to Muscat where we rested in a hotel for a couple of weeks to recover from our bruises and abrasions and back aching.

By bus we traveled on to Dubai, a totally crazy city where the motto is valid: higher, larger, more exclusive, more extraordinary. The entire city is just one big construction site. And what a coincidence happened here. Getting out of the bus, a young man addressed us, asking if we were the cyclists from Switzerland and if we knew a cyclist from Brazil called Arthur (we met him in Yemen). He (Luis) then did drive us to the cycle repair shop on the other end of the city.

Nicole and Beat came to visit and we very much enjoyed spending the time together, and they brought the spare parts for the bikes with them. Now the bikes are repaired and the ferry to Iran is leaving on 23rd of April to Bandar-e-Abbas in Iran. We are happy to be able to discover again another land and culture.

Dubai, 22.4.2008