Just like the town of Sur, Nizwa is another good base with lots of interesting surrounding sites to explore, including two UNESCO World Heritage sites and a picturesque old mountain village.

I was really happy to find out that my 3-day stay in Nizwa coincided with the goat market that happens in town every Friday morning. It takes place next to the souq (market), and starts at around 7am.

The owner of Sur Hotel gave me a tip on where I could see some nice sand dunes without needing a 4×4 car or an expensive stay at one of the desert camps.

Sur is a small town with not much to see, but it makes for a good base to explore the many wadis (valleys with riverbeds) and vast deserts around.

Leaving Asia after 10 months, I experience quite a bit of culture shock during my first visit to the Middle East.