07.57 It's a new morning at the Hallmark Hotel in Dubai and the UAE. Our legs and bodies feel fine after all the walking yesterday. There will be more walking today and we need to start to prepare for tomorrow.

09.05 Another tasty and refreshing breakfast is finished. The cost was the same as yesterday. There is nothing to complain about here. As soon as the last morning chores are done we'll go out to graze the "to do list" that we set up yesterday.

09.51 We've walked along Al Rigga Street and found a beautiful mosque at the end of that street. Near it there was an escalator and a walkway across and above the intersecting street Abu Bakr al-Siddiq. Let's see if we can find our goal, an office that sells bus tickets to Oman. It should, according to our guidebook, be over here.

10.10 We were right. We have bought bus tickets for a round trip to Muscat, Oman. We depart tomorrow at 15.00 with ONTC, Oman National Transport Company (http://www.ontcoman.com). This gives us some time tomorrow as well. A helpful gentleman with a white robe and typical Oman hat wrote our tickets and gave us a tourist brochure each when he heard it was the first visit to Oman for us. Now we will reschedule today's plans. The bus office and tomorrow's bus stop is a few blocks away, approximately 20 minutes walk from our hotel.

Morning walk to the bus ticket office.

This street is not crossed at ground level. Notice the long white car!

11.23 There were not a lot of new plans. However, we have rescheduled a visit to the pool on the hotel roof until tomorrow morning. There is plenty of time for that. Today, many other things must be done. We can not remain here in the hotel room. We have to get out even though it is hot and sunny.

11.59 Now it's finally time. Now it can not be avoided anymore. We have taken a bench break. Baniyas Square is the site for the break. Here are also a metro station and some children that play with sand and water. Speaking of water, we have brought some with us with us. It will for sure be needed. Today is +26º C and the sun bakes despite it being winter.

12.24 We've strolled into the older parts of Dubai. We are in the Deira district. This does not feel like the same city as the one we visited yesterday. It reminds of Cairo but feels like India as most of us locals have originated in India or Pakistan. There are also plenty of tourists here.

12.42 We've walked past a number of gold and jewelry shops. The actual street was roofed. We have thus passed what in these parts is known as a souq. You can probably call it a bazaar. It was the Deira Gold Souk that we walked through. Now we are resting in the shade outside the souq. Next to us we have one of the city's mosques. This one has a greenish colour and has a unique style. We sit along Old Baladiya Street. It sounds as if the speaker emits sound from inside the mosque. It has just been called to prayer but the sound from the sermon can be heard in the street.

Baniyas Square, Dubai

We are walking through Deira.

Entrance to the Dubai Gold Souk, there are about 300 jewelery stores here.

Christer is walking through the crowd.

Beautiful mosque on Old Baladiya Road.

Christer is walking in Grand Souk Deira.

13.07 We have walked back and forth through the market area, but no purchases were made. The area is like a world in itself, a landmark, and you do not have to buy anything. We visited the Dubai Gold Souk and then Grand Souk Deira. Now we have reached the water. The water is a bay that divides the city in two. It is called the Dubai Creek. There are plenty of different types of boats; most of them are transporting passengers back and forth across the water, they are water taxis. One or other large freighter, dhow is visible. The small passenger boats are called abras.

13.15 We started walking along the bay towards the sea. This part of Dubai named Al Ras and consists of a peninsula surrounded by the bay that curves.

13.28 In the water came to our surprise, a bus-like yellow vessel. We were even more surprised when the vessel ran ashore and disappeared in the streets. It was an amphibian bus. A company called Wonderbus Tours (http://www.wonderbusdubai.net) is running tours with these vehicles.

13.53 We got a quick look out over the open sea, Arabian Gulf, or as it is also known as in Europe, the Persian Gulf. The latter name is not appreciated here in the UAE. Now we have gone down in the Al Shindagha Tunnel, a yellow-painted pedestrian tunnel and emerged on the other side of the Khor Dubai, Dubai Creek.

14.20 We've walked along the other side of the bay. The sun is on and cooks us thoroughly. Here are some beautiful to look at and take photos of. Now we are starting to get hungry. Next stop should hopefully be a restaurant. We are now in the Bur Dubai district.

Boats of various types on Dubai Creek.

Water taxis, Dubai Creek.

Wonderbus Tours run both on land and water.

Christer stands along the waterfront in Al Ras.

Parking spot for Abra No.93.

A cat enjoys the winter sun among protective stones.

Al Shindagha Tunnel takes us smoothly over to Bur Dubai.

14.48 Now it's finally time for lunch. We walked along various streets and pondered various options. At the last minute we turned down pizza because we do not get any ham on our pizzas as we are in a Muslim country. The choice fell at last on the Local House Restaurant (http://www.localhousedubai.com) in the district Bastakiya. Here we will have camel burgers. I have never, to my knowledge, eaten camel before. We are sitting on a serene beautiful courtyard under a roof.

15.43 It took some time to order and even longer to get what we ordered but it was great with some food. Now we have sought us into older neighborhoods. There are low, beige stone buildings here. The area known as Bastakiya is built by Persian merchants for around one hundred years ago. It is all restored and fresh, a quiet oasis in the big city.

15.53 We have sat on a bench near an art gallery. We are deep down in Bastakiya Quarter. Nearby is the minaret of the Al Bastakiya Mosque and the buildings here have small tower, the wind tower, an old way to get air conditioning in buildings.

16.16 Again, we sit by the water Khor Dubai (Dubai Creek). We got here via the Dubai Museum (which we did not visit) and even a souq (bazaar), this time the Bur Dubai's old souq. The gulls are crying out and the sun is shining. The boats are going back and forth. We will get back with one of them. Now the seagulls and pigeons are fighting over something.

16.33 We are with newly bought tickets for the water transport, out on the water. We are not a dhow or an amphibian bus. Instead, it can be called a water bus. It will take us home to Baniyas. It is similar to the boats we went to Istanbul a year ago.

17.22 The boat trip went well. Baniyas water taxi station was not too far from our home. Now we wrap up our tour day at Starbucks Coffee in Al Ghurair Centre. I ordered a small coffee. One tall, said the cash man. No, I said, one small. Their small coffee called tall. I might blame the confusion on the heat.

18.11 After the coffee break (a little too weak coffee), we went shopping at the supermarket Spinney's. Now we are at home in room 314 to gather force. Three days ago, we sat on the airplane to Istanbul. It really feels like it was longer ago.

A sign about camel burgers attracted us to stop for a late lunch.

Lunch at the cozy Local House Restaurant.

Wind towers, old-fashioned air conditioning.

One of the many alleys in the district Bastakiya.

Dubai Museum.

We go back across the water with the help of a "water bus".

19.28 Our bodies liked to get home. In addition, they estimated to have a shower. We have had time for a lot today. We have estimated how much more dirham which will be needed over the time we have left in the country and on his return on January 4th.

20.41 CNN continues to report on the crisis in Syria. We are going out to eat dinner.

21.09 We treated ourselves a little city tour and now sits at the popular outdoor area to Aroos Damascus (http://aroosdamascus.com), a Syrian restaurant some blocks away from our hotel.

22.38 First came a huge plate of salad. It looked more like a houseplant than a salad plate. Then followed yogurt dip and bread. Finally, they carried a "mixed grill" each to us was with rice or fries. We could not finish eating everything. It was very tasty. Memories of our Syrian journey in 2005 were lured by the flavors. It was the grilled meat, mint, yogurt, etc., that took us back. Now the last day is planned. After the meal, we got a respective glass with complimentary beverage. Was that a vodka shot? No, it was hot sweet tea.

23.10 On the TV there is a camel race or are they dromedaries. They have no riders and are running on their own. The transmission is from a sports channel in Kuwait. Tomorrow is planned. The commentator is enthusiastic. Not by what we have done, but over the course. I've withdrawn the dirham I may need.

23.47 Tomorrow's plans are, as I said, done. It has been planned to do more things before we make the last trip abroad.

Plenty of vegetables for tonight's dinner at Aroos Damascus Restaurant.

Monday 31st of December

08.08 We can hear honking cars from outside the hotel and a humming air conditioner in here. We have reached the last day of this year. This is the last morning at Hallmark Hotel and the last morning in Dubai.

09.15 We are back from the breakfast. Our heads are spinning with questions. They wanted 55 dirham, for today's breakfast. Earlier mornings it's been 25 dirham, a sum stated at check-in. Both the coffee and the coffee maker had disappeared as Christer tried to get some coffee after his meal. On the way out from the dining room, Christer learned that there are different prices for different groups here at the hotel. They had told us the wrong price the other day. Do we now owe anything for the breakfasts? We have in any case paid 30 dirham each today. That was all that we had brought with us.

09.54 CNN is now showing a documentary about a sanctuary for bonobo apes in the Congo. This is the first time we hear about these animals. We are looking forward to take a dip in the pool on the roof.

10.10 Now it has happened. I have taken a dip in the hotel pool. It was not so bad. I've never been in a pool so late in the year. Christer is about to enjoy the pool. Beside the two of us there are just Russians up here on the roof. On the way up here, we got to change in a small dressing room.

A pool on the roof is a good idea.

11.09 We returned to our room after we had dried and read some of our books. A small child is crying out in the hallway. Now we'll take a shower to get the chlorine which is stuck to the skin and prepare to check out. Will there be an extra charge for breakfasts?

11.15 Suddenly the phone rang. It was from the reception. The man told me that we should check it out today. This was confirmed by me.

11.50 We have, without any problems or extra charges, checked out. The backpacks are left in the cloakroom. We have received a receipt. We'll get the backpacks after lunch which we are heading for now.

12.17 Today is a strange day. We can not withdraw money from the ATM:s, neither for Christer who need dirham nor for me when I tried to withdraw to support Christer economically. When we arrived at the intended lunch restaurant they had not opened yet. We simply took a walk, got a bit lost but are now back at Baisan Restaurant for lunch. They have just opened.

13.12 After lunch, we returned to the hotel and handed the submission receipt to the concierge Krishna and from him we got our backpacks back. The Al Nebal International Exchange could not exchange to Oman Notes and ATM:s continues to refuse assisting us. Is there something wrong with our VISA cards? My card worked last night.

13.43 The Al Ansari Exchange, were willing to convert some of my 302 dirham to 31.50 Omani rial. Now we have taken a brisk walk to ONTC's office and are now sitting on the bus waiting for departure. The backpacks are in the trunk.

Taxi drivers relax in comfortable sofas.

We boarded the bus that will take us to Oman.

Peter examines his bus ticket.

14.41 We are still waiting for departure. Two men, probably taxi drivers, sit in a gray couch outside on the sidewalk are having a conversation. In a red and beige speckled couch there is no one. All this waiting has tired me out.

15.30 Our journey has begun. The bus is heading for Oman. We just passed an IKEA store in the city's outskirts. Bye Dubai and thank you for this time. It has been a very pleasant stay compared with the one in 2009. Our room had so many brilliant things, absolutely heavenly beds and pillows. The city should be visited and is enjoyable at this time of year. We were here in July (on the way to South Africa) 2009 and was sweating rivers in the 38-degree heat.

15.52 The modern Dubai has been left behind us. We are instead surrounded by the old, dry and lifeless desert. Some small bushes and such things that people have built is the only thing that breaks the flat, beige landscape.

16.21 A stop was made and a man got on board. He looked briefly into the passports. The bus then continued the journey as soon as the man got off. We have left the United Arab Emirates. We have seen the Omani flag wave in some flagpoles. The road is a bit odd here. It goes into Oman a bit and then back into the UAE again.

Road through the desert.

We are heading for a new country.

The United Arab Emirates flag is visible here and there.

16.36 The bus with the passengers is back in the United Arab Emirates. This time we are in the Emirate of Ajman for a while. The journey continues and it is beautiful, windswept mountains around us here.

17.04 Now we're for sure checked out from the United Arab Emirates. Now we are waiting for the last passengers to get back.

17.20 There has been a new stop. Now we are at the Omani border, the customs station. The officers have made a quick look at all the luggage on the bus. Now the luggage and passengers are lined up separately. Now what?

17.38 We were asked to stow everything and our journey continues. Soon it will be only six hours left of this eventful year travel. It has started to get dark.

OMAN

18.03 Now it's close. Close to a new country, Oman. Close to a new year, 2013. We were checked in inside a beautiful, light and ultra-modern building. Christer has been able to withdraw money from an ATM here. This is a good sign. There are no errors with the cards after all. We are at the border station Al Wajaja.

19.32 The bus has driven off the main road and we do a ten minute stop at ONTC's office in Sohar. One of the restaurants here called Green Palace Roses.

19.56 The bus hosts look worried. The bus driver honks. The hosts are counting the passengers over and over again. We are still in the same place and time is running. Someone seems to be missing.

20.00 I do not know if everyone is here, but now we have left Sohar. How far is it to go? Behind us are two Dutchmen. People of this country have more than once crossed our itineraries. I have nothing against it.

20.52 Now it's only 150 kilometers to go. We are will probably arrive during this year. The oncoming lorries and trucks have flashing orange lights.

22.11 The journey just continues. Will we arrive before midnight?

23.05 We have finally reached Muscat. We got off the bus at the bus station in Ruwi, one of Muscat neighborhoods. Now it's off to the hotel in a taxi. We were helped by another passenger and explained to the driver where we're going. Our taxi driver is dressed in a traditionally Arab garb. The taxis here in Oman are, unlike the ones in Dubai, driven by Arabs. The profession is not open for foreign workers.

23.14 This is not good at all. The taxi driver who had misunderstood where we were going has left the car and is asking for directions to the hotel. According to him, there should be two hotels with the same name and one of them is near the sea. One thing is for sure, our hotel isn’t supposed to be near the sea.

23.25 Now we have found the right place at last. Out from the taxi, pay for the ride and into the hotel. There is not much time until midnight.

23.33 We checked into room 402 here at Mutrah Hotel (http://www.mutrahotel.com). The restaurant next door seems to be partying. The music pounds at a high volume. Now we're going out and buy some stuff for the stroke of midnight.

23.53 We went to a small shop across the street from the hotel and bought something to chew on, something to drink and something to toast in the New Year with. The hotel TV offer among others a Mauritanian channel.

Peter in our hotel room.

Tuesday 1st of January

00.01 The new year has been toasted with the malt beverage Barbican from the United Arab Emirates and Bario from Saudi Arabia. Both are alcohol-free. It's time to say Happy New Year or as it is called in Arabic, كل عام و أنت بخير or سنة سعيدة that is Sana Saeeda, or Kol A'am wa anta bi khayer. All is a matter of pronunciation. I prophesied in Thessaloniki a year ago that we in 2012 would be in fewer countries than we had been in 2011. Now it was not so. We had time to visit no less than 15 countries outside Sweden in 2012. The last three New Year celebrations have been in a Catholic, a Protestant and Orthodox country. Now we are in a Muslim country. We see not a trace of New Year celebrations here in Muscat. We have heard a car honk and a dog bark. Otherwise, it was completely silent. Now we will munch on the purchased stuff.

01.15 The day and the year are young, soon we will sleep. We have decided that we are going to sleep with open windows and a turned off air conditioning.

We celebrated the New year with Mauritanian folk music.

A wonderful view from our window.

Mutrah Hotel

08.18 A loud sound came from one of the minarets in the neighborhood during the morning hours. Now we´ve slept more and are ready for this day. We have a beautiful view over the white houses and low mountains. According to a Swedish tourist booklet Muscat has been named after the nutmeg nut, in Swedish muskot. The nut is one of the spices the Omani traded with when they dominated the western Indian Ocean and had trading posts along the African east coast. According to English-language sources the city name is either from the Arabic word Moscha meaning inflated skins or the Arabic word for anchoring spot. Additional sources claim that it is of ancient Persian and means strong scent. There are also a couple of other explanations.

09.36 The first breakfast is swallowed. Soon it's time to go out and explore the capital Muscat. In the dining room sat a few tourists from the Faroe Islands. It was not what we expected.

10.51 We have begun our city walking tour. Our hope for a sidewalk/walkway from here came true. It was only a short distance we had to go out in the roadway. It is warm in the sunshine and cool in the wind.

11.03 We are sitting in the shade of a palm tree and with a wadi, a dried-up river bed, behind us and we´re looking at the the city map. Some ants are starting to show interest in my left leg. We are in Ruwi, a part of Muscat with embassies, banks, offices and other administrative. There are few restaurants, cafes and shops here though.

11.30 It's time for a brief stop at an internet cafe near the bus station. The circle is closed. It was outside here that our bus stopped yesterday.

Ruwi

Is a river without water really a river?

Lots of birds along Al Jaame Street.

Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Ruwi.

Ruwi bus terminal.

Christer is taking photos of the Ruwi clocktower.

12.23 After browsing through the internet, we looked around a bit more here in Ruwi. We have seen the beautiful Sultan Qaboos Mosque. Now we are sitting in the back of Center Point, a shopping arcade. A short distance away is a majestic bell tower.

13.28 We started to walk home because we had neither found any postcards, cafe or lunch restaurant. On the way home we went to Shell and bought sodas. A liter of diesel cost 0,146 rial, or if you like 146 baisa. It is the same as US$ 0,35. Now we are home in room 402. No hygiene technicians have been here so far.

14.18 The room was left and we went out to find somewhere to have lunch. We've found a place to eat very close to the hotel. The place which is Indian is called Restaurant. The rest of the name was only in Arabic. We ordered chicken masala with rice.

14.59 It was delicious, it was really spicy and it was cheap, one rial or US$ 2,43. We were offered to return for dinner. They promised Chinese food. We bought sodas and snacks at the grocery store Khimji’s after lunch. The room is oddly enough not cleaned yet.

Not far to the mountains if you live here.

Someone is playing with a kite.

16.56 It's been a quiet afternoon. The room has finally been cleaned and Christer have found countless of channels on the TV. Right now we are watching New Year's greetings from companies and authorities on national TV from Djibouti. Other countries we have seen channels from include Jordan, Sudan, Yemen and South Sudan.

17.42 At dusk, we walked away from our hotel. Coffee thirst drove us out of the hotel. The walk took us to a parking lot opposite of LuLu Hypermarket. We are wondering if we are going across the heavy trafficked highway and into the store, or take a detour and use the crossing.

17.56 There was a gap in the traffic. We went across the road, into LuLu and up to Al Ehsan Coffee Shop. Loud commercials or something else can be heard from the rides for children and other stuff next to the cafe.

18.11 Westerners with prejudices about Arabs/muslims should be here and see the Arab men who take care of babies among carousels while their wives shop. The issue that it is always men who decide can be discussed. Here in Oman women have quite a big influence. There are females in the government and in the universities there are so many female students that they had to reserve a number of places to men.

18.47 We finished the comparatively expensive coffee and we walked home. Some taxis honked and wanted to pick us up as usual. That you can voluntarily choose to walk when you can take a taxi is difficult to understand here in the Middle East. It was the same when we were in Lebanon and Egypt 2005. Now we are back in our room for more peace and quiet.

20.08 Manchester United is leading 2-0 against Wigan. We're down at the hotel's restaurant, Gazebo. It'll be dinner. I was about to order an appetizer. Luckily Christer was here and sorted out it. My menu was missing a few pages and what I thought was a cheap main course was just a regular starter. Football is our TV entertainment while waiting for the food to be ready.

20.50 We were served good, hearty food. Now we're back in the room again. It is time to continue to enjoy the evening.

21.56 It's been a varied first day in Muscat and Oman. Last summer we visited all countries with the letter Z and now we have managed, all / the only country on the letter O. Now only twenty-two letters remain.

Lulu Hypermarket, Muscat.

Peter doesn´t look happy. Was the coffee bad?