The list of never-befores goes on. Last Thursday we drove to Oman for the afternoon. It's a four-hour round trip to the closest international border crossing checkpoint, which is the most convenient place to go in order to leave the country, get a UAE exit stamp in our passports, simultaneously obtain entry visa and exit stamps from another country (the Sultanate of Oman), and then re-enter the UAE to get a new tourist visa good for another 30 days. The alternative is flying out of the country and back. Driving to the Al Wajaja border crossing is quicker and only costs a tank of gas. Obtaining our residency visas will eliminate the need for this drill (hopefully soon).The drive is not as dull as I expected. This is the smaller of two groups of what I presume are wild camels that we saw. They may "belong" to someone, but they weren't hemmed in by any gates; and no Bedouins in sight. The terrain goes from relatively flat with scrub brush and these thorny trees to large, red sand dunes to rugged mountains at the border. There are a number of towns along the way, including Hatta, which we think has some historical significance and attractions to be explored when the outside temperature is not 40°C (104°F).
The destination is an impressive, newish-looking structure housing a detachment of the Oman border security agency (photographs prohibited...oops!) . Inside are the forms to be filled out to enter Oman, the very bored, uniformed officer who collects our 400 dirhams and obliges with the requisite stamps in our passports (but no smile), restrooms, and a C-store where, instead of the non-alcoholic beer, we opted for an orange soda for the return drive. Reminded me a little of Rick Perry's million-dollar rest stops in Texas.
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