You&meTraveling2

Oman For the next two days, we based ourselves in Sur, which is a convenient location from where to explore the coast. In Sur itself there's not a lot to do except maybe for taking a walk across the suspension bridge to the lighthouse or to one of the watchtowers that look out over the city and the ocean. Sur is a dhow-building (nowadays actually only dhow-repairing) center, so there are quite a few wooden dhows in the harbor. Wadi Shab Wadi Shab is one of Oman's best-known wadis and draws quite a lot of visitors, especially on a weekend. Some of those visitors, however, leave behind their garbage when they go. Sure, it's not as bad here in Oman as it is in some places in Asia, but it's nevertheless a shame. From the parking lot, a boatman brings you across the water to the beginning of the trail. The first part of the hike leads through plantations and then a pretty narrow gorge. After that, the wadi opens up and get ever more beautiful. Steep walls tower on both sides...

Oman Sharqiya Sands is a desert region in Oman. Through a friend of mine (thanks again!) we got the number of Bader, a local beduin. We called him and he immediately agreed to meet us and take us around the desert. Ibra Before reaching Al Wasl, where we were supposed to meet Bader, we made a stop in Ibra. It was a Wednesday, the day when Ibra souq is at its most lively and the only day in the week the women's souq is open. But, once again, we were too late, and the souqs had already closed. So instead, we went to the old quarter of Ibra. The town was once an important trading center and is one of the oldest cities in Oman. Ibra became wealthy through trade with Zanzibar and the town's people built big two- or three-story houses, almost palaces, with elaborately carved wooden doors, painted ceilings, inscriptions, and archways. Although the houses in the old quarter are now just ruins, they still speak of the wealth of their former inhabitants. Into the Desert In Al Wasl we met ...

Oman A 1.5 hours drive from Muscat brings you to Nizwa, a town at the foot of the Western Hajar mountains. It was once a center for trade and education and is still an important town - the biggest in the region - due to its good location at the roads linking Muscat with the interior and the Dhofar region in the south. Nizwa Souq Nizwa is quite big and somehow difficult to navigate (I can't really explain why but you'll see what I mean when you drive there). The souq and the fort in the old part of town, both carefully renovated, are well worth a visit. The souq is a good place to browse for souvenirs or to just marvel at all the things on sale. Jewelry, pottery, old and new khanjar (Omani traditional daggers), dusty wooden boxes with inlays of mother of pearl, but also ugly stuff made in China - there's a bit of everything in the souq. Only open in the mornings is the spice souq where you can buy spices, honey, and dates, among other things. Whether you buy something or not...

Oman Muscat has for centuries been an important trading port due to its strategic location at the Arabian Sea. Today, it's the capital and biggest city of Oman. Don't expect a city like Dubai or Doha however, because Muscat is different. Tradition is still very important in Oman and Omanis are proud of their culture and tradition. There are few skyscrapers in Muscat and the whole city, although spread out over a large area, feels like an entity, and there's no race for bigger, higher, and more modern as in other Gulf countries. One of Muscat's main tourist attractions is Muttrah Souq near the corniche along the ocean. More interesting than most of the shops is actually the building itself, especially the elaborately carved and painted ceiling. Otherwise, I found there are much better souqs in the country. The chandelier in the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque Along the Corniche to Old Muscat A nice corniche links Muttrah with old Muscat. It's a 30-40 minutes walk along th...

Laos Not that long ago, Vang Vieng was   the   party capital of Southeast Asia. The riverside town's main attraction was party, tubing down the river, alcohol, and drugs. Not a good combination. A shockingly high number of tourists died on the river. But it took more than 20 deaths until in 2012 the Lao Government decided to close down most of the riverside bars that had sprung up along the river like mushrooms (pun intended). A Change of Image Since then, Vang Vieng tries to improve and change its image away from the party town to an outdoor destination and to attract a different kind of tourists. That works only partly. Sure, the music isn't that loud anymore, only a few bars are left along the river and there are now at least as many mid-range hotels as cheap hostels. However, still plenty of bars advertise free shots and happy hours, it's not uncommon to see drunk guys staggering through town at 6 pm, and some restaurants still offer - very openly - food and...