Arrival

We arrived at 4am on Sunday morning. So far the people are so friendly that even the costoms officials were pleasant. We were taken to a hotel by the new pricipal and told we would be collected the next morning.
Got up after 3 hours sleep and had breakfast before being collected at 11am for medicals. This was fine but lots of waiting. After a quick trip back to the hotel we are told that our apartment will be ready later that day and so pack our bags for the bus ride to school. Air con on the school bus is so good that there is a dramatic temp drop even with the door open.

Muscat International School

We arrive at school and are taken to see the Principal and the Head of Primary. We are given a tour of the school and then the Pricipal drove us around Muscat to show us the sites. After some sweet coffee we are then taken, again by the Principal, to our flat.

Al Ghubrah

We are living in a two bed appartment above a coffee shop. Really nice apartment with views of the moutains from the bedroom windows. A team of people spend the day cleaning the apartment so it was sutable for our arrival and they had even stocked the fridge!

Monday

Tried to go out for breakfast this morning and got the the bottom of the stairs before Beth remembered that it was Ramadan and so we went back into the flat and had cheese sandwiches and tea instead. We then ventured outside again into the 35 degree heat to catch a cab for the 20 minute ride to school. To catch a cab we just stand by the side of the road and wait for a cab to beep at us. After about 1 minute, one drives past and when I wave does a U-Turn to get to us. We have been told to haggle with the driver who started by suggesting 7 OMR we said that we had been told that it would cost 3 and in the end we agreed on 4OMR about 7 Pounds.

Back at school now and waiting for the car hire firm to bring us a car. They said imediatly and it has now been two hours. We are told that this is normal but we are now going to see if we can find out where they are.