Day 13

Got stuck. Proper stuck. Wheels sunk so low the car engine was being supported by the sand. 


I've learned not to panic from an early age with Dad. An infinitely resourceful man with little limit to his practical imagination. After digging for half an hour to free the engine. We opened up the camp beds and dug them under the wheels in the hope the friction would give us just enough grip to get out. Down side was it would certainly f*** the camp beds for the rest of the trip. Considered using the deck chairs instead as they we're stronger but the canvas on the camp beds was longer. 6 and 2 3s
Sarcastically I was wondering where's all the locals now (just when we could actually use help. I looked up and there was a pickup truck coming towards us... 


I walked over and in my best Arabic told the driver we had a problem. He smiled and started letting down his tyres and attaching a rope to the car. Dad was still instistant on trying the camp bed technique first. I told him it was guareteed to work but why mangle the camp beds unnecessarily? 




Explored an old house. It was like being in Prince of Persia! Shame it's been used as a dumping ground. Beautiful rotten doors. A painted ceiling, palm tree roof and cool. Remember being told that the old Arab building designs are far more efficient than now with regard to keeping cool. Thick walls, high ceilings, narrow shaded streets. Here was a society evolved to live in the blazing heat now neutered by air con. 

Found the pages of an old book I've picked up for Jem. Very frail I hope they survive the journey.


Driving to Nizwa the mountain range on the left is shrouded in heat haze. It looks like the colour has been bleached. Stunning. Wish I could recreate it in Photoshop! 

Got a free walk round the Fort at Nizwa. Old man started jabbering with the attendant. As he was previously a soldier the guy let us in for free. The old man's approach to Arabic has changed from reluctance to free flowing enthusiasm.  This is the dialect he's most familiar with. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy watching him speak it. It's such a mystical sounding language. He's not bilingual he's translating in his head as he goes along. I remember asking a bilingual friend what language she thought in. She replied it depends what I'm thinking.

The Nizwa fort (even though restored) was like walking into a dream. Imagining ancient merchants gathers to trade dates, materials and chatties. Narrow streets lit by lamps, people pushing past each other some covering their faces for god others to hide. Funny last time he was here this was a working Fort. Now its a tourist attraction.


Explored an old Sooq in Birkat Al Mawz (Pool of Bananas). That was fun! Got some great pictures and a short Glidetrack video for Youtube.

Days 09 - 12

Trying to find our way out of Salalah... Proving very difficult. Got a series of great interviews with Dad by the side of the hotel room.  Shot using my old 85m. Love it. It meant I could get the  camera a little further away but still keep the picture very shallow. Certainly going to have to get the 35 and 28 off the chap in Ashbourne.

On the final interview it was getting a little dark. Had to push the iso to 2000 and open to 1.8 cut short because it was getting too dark. Later found I had my ND filter set to full. Stupid mistake! Dad remarked that I need to get some laminated procedure cards made ... I think he's right I've been putting it off to long.

Day 12
Sleeping off the road somewhere near Ibri. Had terrible s***s from an ice cream I had on the way. We got up at 7am and drove 1000km.


Finished watching the Lovely Bones not as good as the book but not as bad as everybody said. Had some great moments. Amazing sound track. Thought Wahlberg would have me clawing at the screen but was ok. Now laying out under the Milky Way. Haven't seen it for ages. The locals call it. Terik La Gabriel. "Gabriel's Road" left behind when Allah sent the Arc Angel Gabriel to stop Aberham sacrificing Ishmael. He didn't have time to go round the stars so he smashed through them leaving a trail behind him.

Day 08

Spent an exhausting and somber afternoon in Sherishitty searching for the spot where Officer Paul Wright fell. This was a large enemy stores area which SAF had come to take after they received intelligence that the area would be very poorly guarded for 48 hours. 

After walking 10km over night to get into position overlooking the caves; at first light the attacking section found themselves in the wrong location. A platoon was sent forward to clear the ridge in front so the section could advance. On moving forward a member of the platoon triggered an anti personnel mine. As it transpires the enemy were at full strength - The firefight and eventual extraction lasted until dark. Both sides took heavy casualties.

There are a mixture of Sangers scattered here which means that the position may have been used since. Dad doesn't remember having the time to build them. Some of the shrapnel and cases we have found point to Iranians. We don't know if we're in the right place.

Day 07

First night in a real hotel. When first driving off the Jebal saw flowers. As I've been starved of strong colour for a few days they seemed so vibrant.



Back out on the road now. The odd thing is it's 12:39 the sun is high in the sky, but it's so windy I'm freezing. My skin will be burning but I can't feel it. I'll have to put a shirt on soon to keep warm in the desert during mid day!
In the distance a caravan of camels walked towards me. Surrounded.  They stopped just looking at me for 5 mins. Then ALL took a piss in turn.... and left !?! 

The sun has just vanished behind the ridge and the temperature has plummeted. It's windy I think we're gonna be in for a cold one. Wind blowing from N to S. Had an hour after the sun set before the moon rose. Beautiful stars. The sort I remember from the desert. Didn't see the Milky Way though. Did a time laps of the moon rise but f***ed up the exposure. Went from pitch black to a moon so bright I have a shadow. Sleeping in a crater like Wadi. In this light I could be on Mars.

This is night

Day 06

Woke up crying in my sleeping bag. Well unusual. Can't remember what I was dreaming about but it wasn't good. Woke up still pulling crying faces and with tears down my face. Took me a while to realise I was awake. Wish I could see what it looked like - coz my guess is the answer is S.T.U.P.I.D

Amusing myself with the fact that I'm walking round in 30 degree heat wearing a scarf.

Gone back to the ambush site to try a different approach. I hope we find something to get Dad's spirits up. This was the site of an ambush in which they lost a man. At the base of this tree one of the Adoo (enemy) was cut in half by the return fire from the GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun).

Where is all the gold? Just found a huge piece of shrapnel. Result! 

Followed by 2 303 carts, a 7.62 and possibly the core of an AK47 round. 

Massive avenue of coconut palms and grass lining tue approach to Salalah. The lamp posts are so ostentatious it's as if someone said "I don't want them just to light the way, I want them to say something more like - we have more money than you.

Down on the Salalah plains this is more of the type of heat I'm used to/was expecting. Baking. Ate bread fresh from the bakery. Smells great, tastes better! The beach opposite The Wadi Mugsail is beautiful. Mugsail itself epic fail. The whole mountain has been bulldozed to make the beach road. 

Old man very annoyed/upset/disillusioned. This was the site of a major operation. Now it's just flat.

What should the focus of the poster be? The diary? Dad? An old picture in Oman? Poster - could have a hand holding out a round with my secret war stamped round the rim.

Day 05

Got up while it was still cold to film the sunrise over the Wadi Darbat. 

Heard so many stories of this place over the years. Its less menacing than I expected... but then again I'm not being shot at while walking over it. Imagine incoming fire (which always has the right of way) would cause me to reconsider my feelings towards the place.  Today will be walking over the Darbat trying to find an old machine gun nest. Found a mortar round so far. 

11am. Sun now very hot - getting closer to finding what we're looking for. Spent 40 mins walking over the same ground because I lost my glasses.

Rules learned so far.

Rule no. 1 check shoes for Scorpians. 

Rule no. 2 don't p*** into the wind. 

Rule no. 3 don't sneeze into shermalk.

Rule no. 4 don't "put down sun glasses for just a minute." 

Noticed Dad is always very aware of where the sun is. Any direction he knows exactly where the sun will be.  Here now I can see why so many people before failed to cross the Wadi. Its totally open and whoever holds the high ground can see for miles to dominate the ground. Some Jordanian special forces tried but lost a lot of men. 

Found machine gun position!

1972

Now

Walked through a position where Dad was ambushed. Didn't find anything but an old Sanga. Met a man with camels who insisted in us helping to pull down branches to feed his hurd. Now I see why there is so little vegetation. Snapping branches off trees is hardly sustainable. The dude and his son had bare feet. Must have been hard as rock!! Got a great interview out of Dad last night. Had to adjust a stop after each question as the light was fading quickly. 

Day 04

Hit gold! We pulled up outside the first house where we saw a person. He knew everybody we had talked to during the past few days and in what order. Small village. Amazing coincidence - Musalim Masud's (the lad I went to drink Camel milk with yesterday turns our to be the son of the  Firqa Captain we are looking for... These villages in the middle of nowhere have roads and good roads at that. Its odd looking at things thinking the Sultan paid for that. Not a government but an individual.

Drove down onto the Salalah plain to find the Wadi Darbat. Stopped in an old camel shed to camp. Convinced the old man to see if we could find a better place. Now camped out on a beautiful secluded spot overlooking the Darbat. Brought some white Stilton with cranberry cheese. Forgot about it for a few days. It's gone very soft in the heat and it gave me an idea... Now sitting eating Stilton smeared over ready salted Pringels. Bliss. 

Personal note: Slightly worried that I can smell my feet, through my socks, in my sleeping bag, surrounded by camel s***... I probably should have a wash.