Back in The Sultanate

4^th November: The time had come for us to leave The Netherlands.  Mixed feelings on that front.  Ingrid is not desperate to go to Oman.  This is understandable.  As for me, coming to Oman does not give me those choices.  Hence, I made myself to look forward to Oman.  And for our little Maya, we have no clue if she will like Oman or not.  It is something that lies in our attitudes. 

The flight to Oman was pretty comfortable.   And Little Maya did behave very well. She gave us the least amount of trouble.  A pleasure it was to fly with her.  Amazingly, when I used to travel in those days before Maya came into the picture.  Every time a baby cried, I was the kind of person that was so close to telling the flight attendant,

‘Could you please get the parents of that  wailing brat  to shut up, as I did not pay to listen to it..’ 

Not that I have ever done it. But the thought has crossed my mind many a times.  Hence, I am guilty of the crime. This time however, travelling with Maya, my thoughts were entirely different.  So much so, that if any of the other passengers said anything close to that, I was ready to tell them,

 ‘You are free to sit in the toilet until we land’.  I must admit fatherhood has done something to me. 

We landed in Muscat feeling all excited.  Ingrid and Maya stood in the  queue to get Maya’s visa fixed.  I went ahead to get all our baggage out of the belt.  Which by itself could occupy the entire hold of an aircraft.  Yes, we had a lot of luggage.  Managed to find everything. So I thought.  And then I saw Ingrid coming.

Together, pushing and dragging our load of stuff on trolleys.  Have you ever noticed, that most often the trolleys in airports nearly always have a mind of their own. And it seems like in their mind they have different plans on where to go!!   

We had to unload everything for scanning.  Pretty straight forward.  Still with so much luggage it can be rather tedious.  Managed all that, and loaded our ‘intelligent’ trolleys again.  And then just as we were about to leave,

‘Hello!  You worked at Makatabi?’ asked  a Royal Oman Police officer. 

Took me by surprise a bit.   And from a police officer, all the more reasons.  I glanced at him, and he did seem to have a familiar face.  Still could not connect the face to any place or event.

‘Yes, I used to have my office there’  I said.

'I know, I remember you, I worked there also’.

And then I did realize and remember the face.  Of course this called for the exchange of pleasantries.

‘Hello!!!  How are you?  How is your family?’  I ask.

Thank you!  How are you?  How is your family?  He responds.

‘Ah!  My family is right here..this is my wife and this is my brand new daughter’ I explain.

He is all smiles, ‘Mashallah!  I now work for the ROP.’

‘Wonderful! You look great’ I compliment him.

Thank you.  Ok. Bye!

And we head to the exit.  Out there, I was having friend pick me up.  It is always lovely to see an old friend come to pick you up.  Again, did the pleasantries and walk towards the car park.  The weather in Muscat seems just so perfect. On our way out there, I scanned through the bags. 

‘Oh gosh!  I seemed to have forgotten one bag’  I exclaim. 

Check again, and realized that I had.   A sense of panic sets inside me. I am more than aware how complicated it is going to be to get back into the security area.  I run back.

And to my luck, I see my newly made ROP friend standing at the far end of the hall.  I cannot get to him, since there is the security glass wall.  I realize that telling the person at the country my story will only complicate things. 

'Excuse me, I need to speak to that ROP officer I say’  pointing at my friend.

‘He is a friend of mine, I need to give him message’  I actually lie.

‘No Problem!’  I am told by the airport officer at the counter. 

They get his attention, and he walks towards me.  Again, with a wonderful smile on his face.  I give my hand out again…and we go through the whole,

‘Hello! How are you?’  lines!  Once done, I explain my situation. Maybe I was cunning here.  Just made him feel that he can save my world today. 

‘No Problem!  You come with me.’  He says.

Amazing!  He just walks me through all the clearances and takes me to the conveyor belt. And there I see my bag. I grab it!  Walk to the door and he tells me.

‘Don’t worry!  No need to do anything…’ 

How lovely that was.  I love Oman for the kindness and hospitality of its people.  I thank him and am out in 5 minutes.  Normally, this could have been a story of madness.