Some work.....and some play.

It was a good feeling to be finished in the training college and fortunately my shift cycle didn't start for 4 days so I had a chance to see a bit of Muscat.

Together with my friend Dale, also an-ex Melbourne controller, and his wife Cath and two young daughters, Sophie and Jessie, we headed to the Oman Dive centre for a day of relaxing.

The Dive centre is a pretty little inlet situated on the North Eastern coast, where the rocky Hajar mountain range meets the water. They have a restaurant and bar, pool, boat trips and diving facilities which I plan to utilise after my validation.

The previous weekend I was invited by my rental agent to go fishing with a bunch of his mates. After a 30 minute drive to the coast we boarded our small boat and dropped a few handlines over the side. By the time we left 5 hours later the esky was empty of beer and full of fish. Even Craig 'Rexy' Iapozzuto managed to land 8 or 9, including two of the prized red and white spotted ones which I can't remember the name of now. It seems that the fish around here are as plentiful as the Indian blokes with moustaches!


The main Muscat cricket grounds are prominently marked on the maps, and it was with great anticipation that I arrived at the 'main entrance'. As I desperately searched for 4WD on my hired Toyota echo to negotiate the access road I glanced upon the 2 main ovals, that is after I worked out where the boundary between cricket oval and dirt paddock was! Although the showpiece grounds of Oman are table-top flat, desperately as I tried, I failed to find a blade of grass.

Being that there is a huge Indian population in Oman, and let's face it there are Indians everywhere worldwide, there is loads of cricket coverage both on television and in the media.....Heaven for a cricket tragic!!

The clubroom and 'grandstand' were occupied that afternoon by some of the construction workers that are building a huge ediface near the ground. Everywhere you look the oil money is being funneled into the infrastructure in an attempt to modernise Oman. Although fortunately there is strict regulations with regard to building practices which is ensuring the country retains it's Arabic style and still embraces it's cultural roots.

After my 4 days off it was time to get back to controlling 'live' air traffic again, and strangely I was looking forward to going to work, which is the first time in a long time. My first cycle, (which is 2 x 07-15, 2 x 15-23, 2 x 23-07 followed by 4 off), went fairly well. The procedures and equipment here are a far cry from Australian standards, however with a new airspace, exotic airlines and destinations, and new workmates I am already enjoying my time here at work. When any of the controllers has a special occasion such as a birthday, buys a house has a baby etc, they bring in a feast of local cuisine for dinner. Off go the shoes, down you sit on a big mat and hoe in! It seems to be a lot more communal here than back home due to the culture and the small size of the control centre.

Let's just hope the novelty doesn't wear off too soon!