Wadi Shab

 There was no definite confirmation of time before I went to bed of what time we were setting out, there was movement around 4.45 so I guess the original plan of leaving at 5am was still on. 

Car loaded with the 2 Chinese, Ting, myself and Kaab.  A quick stop for coffee, water and snacks and we were on the road.  Wadi Shab is located about 2hrs south of Muscat.  The drive was amazing, sunrise and so many mountains.   Realise Oman was so mountainy.  

After a non eventful journey we arrived.  We came off the main road, down the hill and then you see the beginning.  You go under the bridge and then there is a lotus 🪷 'field'.  It's absolutely beautiful, white and pink lotus sitting there amongst the water and green leaves with the back drop of the cliffs.  Amazing. 

The first part of the journey is to cross the lotus field ... originally we were going to swim/walk but then the Chinese guys mentioned that they couldn't swim!! So we had to call a man to get life jackets and then we had to call another man to drive the boat.  The boat takes you through the lotus.. spectacular 🪷🪷

Then the hike starts.  The plan to go early was a. to miss the heat and b. Miss the people.  Have to say wasn't 100% prepared for the hike as I had on my havianas 🩴🩴 didn't have sun cream and definitely forgot my hat!!! I did have water 😁

So the hike follows the gorge, passing date trees, banana and papaya trees.  It's a mixture of homemade concrete path, rocks and pebbles.. Alot of it I walked bare feet as the rocks were smooth and not so hot.  

The colour of the water that we were following was out of this world..I really couldn't wait to get in, but I kept being told not yet, not yet 😜

We stopped often to drink , finally after I have no idea how long we got to the point where we could enter the water.

We left all of our stuff under a tree and got in....omg amazing...so clear, quite warm but refreshing! We swam, we walked, we swam we climbed.  Following all the natural pools up the gorge... The rocks were so smooth, the water so clear.  I really was in my element.  

We got to what looked like as far as we could go, but then you could see a little hole in the rocks where the sun shone through.  It wasn't very wide , you had to turn sideways, keeping your head above water and pull yourself through. It was a tighter squeeze for the guys with the lifejackets.  Also a bit nerve wracking for them but we got them through and they weren't disappointed.  

There was a waterfall inside the cave.  I went through first and could see down the side of the waterfall a rope ..so I tried to climb lol but failed, so I went back to help the group get through the gap.

2nd try and I'm up, climbing up the waterfall, the rocks were just so smooth it was amazing that my feet didn't slip.  I got up half way and just sat and took it all in.  Kaab was determined to get us all up the waterfall.

So with all hands on deck all 5 of us reached the top .. climbing out of the top it then plateaued again with more pools and another waterfall.  This was as far as we could go but before turning back I just sat under the fall ...I love feeling the power of the water!! 

After a while of just chilling in the falls we started to head back down ...there was another option of getting down without going down the waterfall.  It was going round the top but still in the cave.  My feet even though dey were so slippery on the rocks I was never going to make it.  We had to climb around a pillar type structure, staying close to the pillar as the other side was just a drop.  I couldn't do it ..so I opted to go back down the water fall taking two of the other guys with me.

It was fun, not easy but there really wasn't another option.  Slipping and sliding and finishing off with a jump off the end of the waterfall we got back into the cave... back through the gap and out into the hot sun.  We had done all of this and was only 11am 🤣! 

Slowly swimming through the rest of the pools we made it back to the start.  Up until this point we had had the whole place to ourselves a good 3 hours without seeing anyone.  We had been super lucky, and so would the following group, just that for them the sun would be hotter.

We spent ages in the bottom pool because we just didn't want to be out of the water.  Some of us obviously more comfortable than others 😜

At 12 we headed down..it was so hot, so hot.  We took opportunities to stop in the shade and drink when we could.  Also took the opportunity to dip in a lower pool.  We definitely made it down a lot quicker.  We got to the boat dock called a boat and within minutes it was there to pick us up, although myself and Kaab decided to swim back.  Swimming through the lotus flowers was amazing!!

Back at the car we all ate and drank as we had taken snacks but not enough.  At that point I couldn't care about the belly trouble, I needed energy, my levels were super low and definitely not getting I'm enough water.

We stayed a while just so Kaab could have a bit of a rest before heading back.  I did offer to drive as you do 🤣🤣

Within 5 mins off being on the road everyone was asleep, I tried to stay awake too help Kaab, feeding him, talking to him lol but soon it got me too and I was gone.  I think for maybe 5 mins I have no idea.  But the next thing I know I was asked if I could drive!! Yeah sure I said...how do I drive an automatic 😜😜 

Quick lesson, drivers changed, music changed, cheesy pop playing and away we went V at the wheel 🤣🤣 I thought I wouldn't drive for that long , It was a good hr and there I was going from empty roads to driving in the middle of Muscat!! 

We arrived safe and sound and I can't straight into the Aircon and just laid on the floor ...I was done 

But what an absolute incredible day, the sunrise , the lotus flowers, the hike , the water, the water and more water and then to drive just amazing. 

When I got back there were new girls in the dorm ... Some of the girls before ( I've only spoken to girls because I'm in a female only dorm and there is no where to meet others there is no common area) had mentioned a restaurant so we agreed to go a bit later.  I had a shower and a well earned siesta.