Here's some pictures:
So in addition to the priviledge of just spending time on this beauty of a boat, they also have kayaks, jet ski's and other water toys to play with. When they stopped the boat in the inlet some people went swimming, while others stood or sat just enjoying themselves.
I'm more of a stand arounder then a swimmer but I had a wicked time watching Cush jump off the boat into the water, taking pictures and talking to the other guests, as well as the owner of the boat, Clara, who is the perfect hostess.
I have to admit that when the idea of going on the Azzura came up I was immediatly struck with the panicy thought of, what if I have to pee?
The boat has loos in the pontoons!
Then I thought, what if I fall in?
The boat is huge and has rails on the sides so there was no chance of that happening unless I got crazy.
Then I wondered about seasickness, but the water was so calm, and I felt fine.
Then I wondered about the people who drive the boat...afterall this is Oman, but the crew were very capable, friendly and I liked that they wore matching white uniforms. It was very professional, and extremely well done.
So without trying to sound too much like an infomercial, it was perfect and everyone was super friendly. I had the best time ever and I can't wait to go again.
After that we headed over to the Oman Dive Center for the beach party.
I had fun but there was a lot of craziness that happened that night.
Here it is in a nutshell-
-the guy selling tickets said that they had run out of 10 OR tickets but VIP tickets were available for 20 OR. 15 minutes later there miraculously more 10 OR tickets for sale, how does that work?
-the bar was way short staffed, it took 45 minutes to get drinks.
-the dress code was wear white but then the guy who stamps hands stamped the inside of my arm and the blue ink ran on me and Cush's shirts, thanks guys.
-some asshole threw a cup of coke into the air and it came down on my back and landed at my feet, someone then kicked the cup over spilling the remaining liquid on my feet, thanks for that.
-some greesey guy grabbed my friends arm and tried to take to his car after telling her husband how "beautiful his wife is", it's not like he didn't know she was married.
-there was a fight and I saw some guy grab 2 empty beer bottles off a table and run towards the fight with them, how scary is that?
All in all the music was alright, dancing on the sand was fun but the crowd sucked, other then my group friends of course.
Maybe I'm getting too old for this stuff but I don't have the patience to be dealing with dodgy men, ink stains on white shirts, and fist fights.
Even though I was excited to go to the beach party, after being on the boat and feeling great, the beach party was the low point of an otherwise perfect day.
9 comments:
you are definitely not too old for beach parties...just stupid ones. Wish you could have reversed your day and at least cut the beach party short and ended with a wonderful feeling.
Everyone all dressed in white. I bet it was pretty....except for the blue stains.
Hey, we told you the best place to listen to the music was from the boat! xx Thanks for the infomercial, we loved having you on board!!
M'Happy you had a blast!!
The bar at Dive Centre, need to see that!
Glad that Oman has good sailors...LOL!
"Then I wondered about the people who drive the boat...afterall this is Oman"
This really a derogatory, bigoted and condscending statement. You know people around the Gulf region have been sailing for centuries, at the same time your ancestors were running around naked hanging from trees.
Anonymous,
So because our grandfather's fathers sailed that automatically makes a boat crew here safe, competent, and experienced?
Safety and Competence are, in my mind, vital issues to consider when going on a boat trip. I belive there have been a couple of recent tragedies in Dubai, and Bharain (Also a proud sea faring nation with many hundreds of years of sailing experience) with deaths and injuries due to bad management and incompetent crews. If it can hapen there, odds are it can happen here.
One need look no further than the (non existant) HSE policy on most of the Local Dhows, The average quality and competence demonstrated by our Peerless Omani Driving instructors, or the odds of finding a receptionist who actually knows how to answer a phone to realise that nothing should be taken for granted.
Don't be such an An Ass-Clown, you only make yourself look Pedantic*
;-)
Regarding the competency of crew in Oman. You should know that the only current requirement of a boat captain for the purposes of a tourism license in Oman is that they be Omani and over the age of 18. WITHOUT a test.
As a business that takes safety extremely seriously (as well as public liability insurance!) we can guarantee that ALL our captains are fully qualified to internationally recognised standards (IMO) or they do not take the helm of Azzura. This means not only are they internationally certified as competent to sail the boat and take charge of the lives of others, but they are also equipped to fight fires, administer emergency health care and generally be a proper captain. Something that I am afraid I cannot comment about on board other vessels, as Suburban has pointed out. A matter of some pride to us, as well as concern that we have voiced in the past to the powers that be.
Dude my grandfather was a mechanic for Canadian army, does that mean I am too?
My great grandfather was a farmer, I can barely keep my deck plants alive.
What you come from does not make who you are.
All I meant was that safety is not taken usually taken seriously in this country, and anyone who has lived here or even taken a trip from the airport to the Shangri La and back, knows it.
If it were you wouldn't have guys driving down SQ highway at 150 with kids running around in the car while the papa talks on his cell phone all the while flashing cars to get out of his way.
You wouldn't have people running across the highway in little more then flip flops and sandles.
You wouldn't have construction workers working with no steeltoe boots, safety goggles or gloves.
You wouldn't have one of the highest car accident rates in the world.
Have you seen the kids driving skips down at Qantab? Does that look safe?
It may sound bigoted, derogatory and condescending, but those are facts, and that's reality here.
I think Clara, the owner of the Azzura should (and does) take a lot of pride in the safety standards that she has implemented, and that's what I was trying to highlight.
Mmm..deffo gonna take that sunset cruise....sounds like the beach party was nice..shame about the behaviour though. Maybe a 'couples only' beach party next time ?
Thanks for the infomercial, we loved having you on board!!
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