...alone in Om-n...

...but not really.

 

I finally received my last stamp in my passport from Ch-na (I have four total from this trip from that country).  I left feeling very well after watching "Amazing Grace" (an awesome movie about William Wilberforce the abolutionist) and pizza in my tummy.  =)  The cool thing about my flight is that Emerates Airlines has the BEST online entertainment with 500 movie channels and games you can play with other people on the plane (like poker).  So I enjoyed watching Becoming Jane (about Jane Austen and won't come out in the states for another few weeks) and all my favorite parts of the Sound of Music-did I mention you can pause, rewind, or fast forward to??.  =)  The bad thing about my flight was that my layover in Duba- ended up being 6 hours long instead of 4 and I haven't slept in...well....I got up around 8am Sat. morning in Shangha- and it's 10:30pm on Sunday there now so you can do the math.  I took a very light 2 hour nap this afternoon and I'm going to go to bed early tonight.  Forget fighting jet lag!

 

So I finally arrived in Musc-at, Om-n safe and sound and the reality of me driving in a foreign country didn't hit until I drove out of the airport and the first thing I have to tackle is a huge roundabout.  I hate roundabouts.  I've never driven through one before!  After that, it was smooth sailing until I made a slight wrong turn, which led me through a town I don't really feel comfortable but it eventually was the "other" entrance to my final destination.  Well I was driving through some small alleyways, the back of a souk (marketplace).  I made a few more wrong turns and I found myself trying to back up, uphill on a very steep and narrow parking lot.  It must have looked/sounded like I was having problems because right then and there-out of nowhere-an Om-ni guy walks up and offers to help me out. 

 

*WARNING:  I thought this part was kind of scary...especially considering I would never do this in the states.  BUT it actually worked out okay...AND I'M SAFE!  =)

 

Okay...so the guy has me get out of the car, makes as few very tight 5 point turns to fix the whole car situation.  I ask where the corniche is (literally translated "water's edge"-a landmark I do know) and then he offers to drive me there since he's heading there as well.  I hop in the passenger's seat and he drives and tells me about all these places in Oman and how people love helping others in Oman and I'm thinking...THIS IS CRAZY!  On the way he stops and buys my mango juice...and then he wanted me to join him for lunch.  I didn't want to be rude and by this time I felt pretty safe (very safe familiar area for me too-public that's a good thing) so I did.  The we parted ways.  Random and like my disclaimer-something I would never do (even while I was having lunch with him I was wondering...is this culturally appropriate?)  I figure that even if it wasn't, I at least have someone new I can introduce to the rest of the team when they get here tomorrow night.  Oh well, Praise the L-rd I'm safe, wasn't taken advantage of in the situation, and that my car got out of that place without a scratch!

 

I still continue to ask G-d why am I here and what I should be doing.  For now, I need the physically rest.  Thanks for your continual pr-yers!