We are incredibly fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the world; I mean the UK as a whole not just the Westcountry. As a result I'm sometimes slow to admit that there are other countries with equally stunning scenery and landscapes. Wherever I am in the world I'm easily upset when I see a lack of respect for nature. The majority of these places are protected but sadly it isn't always seen as a priority or necessity.
Oman, in the Middle East, is a country that can take your breath away with its extensive coastline, thousands of miles of empty desert and dramatic mountain ranges yet even with such attractions it is still relatively new as a tourist destination. When I visited over the holidays I was sold on the aforementioned whilst also being saddened by the state of some of the main tourist attractions.
I made the most of an international friendship from my sailing trip across the Atlantic back in June. One of the crew from the trip has lived in Oman for almost twenty years and kindly invited me out on his boat for a day trip in the Indian Ocean. We headed to the little known Dammanyiat Islands which from our anchorage point resembled a picture from the front page of a travel brochure but as I swam towards the shore I was disappointed to discover bags of rubbish strewn across the beach. Thankfully the sea life doesn't seem to be affected yet and the tropical fish still made snorkelling a beautiful experience.
As a nation we rely heavily on tourism and understand that maintaining our unique scenery is a significant part to attracting visitors. I seriously hope that Oman quickly realises what a beautiful country it is and the importance of preserving itself for future generations to enjoy.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Am I old enough?
I have a distinct memory of one of my mother's birthday cards from many years ago; it accused the birthday girl of being a BBC Radio 2 listener which I then gathered inferred she was old. I didn't really understand this joke especially as we always listened to Steve Wright in the afternoon on the way home from school.
It wasn't until I received my first radio and discovered Radio 1 that I realised the other station was for oldies. As I looked beyond the obvious Radio 1, it became apparent the station you listen to can say a lot about a person and possibly their age. I now love a variety of stations and there are certain presenters I've followed across to other wavelengths. Maybe I'm an exception to the normal or maybe I'm still transitioning from my university days. One thing is for certain - I'm constantly trying to increase my knowledge and become more cultural.
I first visited the theatre at a very young age. I remember attending productions at the Theatre Royal with my grandparents, what a treat it was. That hasn't really changed, I still love to dress up and always look forward to the ice cream in the interval. One thing that has now changed is my appreciation of the performance.
During my time out here in Oman I was invited to see a live orchestra at the Royal Opera House. I love live performances and going out for the evening although wasn't sure I was actually old enough to go to such a sophisticated event. That said, I'd never say no to such a generous offer. I found myself sat next to a girl of primary school age who reassured me that we should never restrict ourselves with imaginary age limits.
It wasn't until I received my first radio and discovered Radio 1 that I realised the other station was for oldies. As I looked beyond the obvious Radio 1, it became apparent the station you listen to can say a lot about a person and possibly their age. I now love a variety of stations and there are certain presenters I've followed across to other wavelengths. Maybe I'm an exception to the normal or maybe I'm still transitioning from my university days. One thing is for certain - I'm constantly trying to increase my knowledge and become more cultural.
I first visited the theatre at a very young age. I remember attending productions at the Theatre Royal with my grandparents, what a treat it was. That hasn't really changed, I still love to dress up and always look forward to the ice cream in the interval. One thing that has now changed is my appreciation of the performance.
During my time out here in Oman I was invited to see a live orchestra at the Royal Opera House. I love live performances and going out for the evening although wasn't sure I was actually old enough to go to such a sophisticated event. That said, I'd never say no to such a generous offer. I found myself sat next to a girl of primary school age who reassured me that we should never restrict ourselves with imaginary age limits.
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