Oman Here We Come
by: Herman Nuncrush
Having practically circumnavigated the world and since retired and
become an assisant CEO of Florida vacation villa rental website of www.fabvillas.com
I thought I would start to write about the trials and tribulations of
same, the travel not the website that is.
Do you use a travel agent or go it alone? Having done both I think
the latter is my preference. Nothing difficult in booking a flight to
your chosen destination and if your truly adventurous wait till you
arrive and get a taxi to take you to a hotel.
My first experience of this was on a trip my wife and I were taking
to final destination Oman in the Gulf.
We started to book the flights as stated above and having questioned
the price, it was so cheap, it was like the old adage, if it sounds
too good to be true, then it probably is! The reason for the low price
was a) Its not direct b) Its with Egyptian Air and b) the pilot might
ask you the way.
That now prompted the wife to say well if it’s going to Cairo
we can go and see the pyramids. Like we were visiting long lost friends
on the way. Maybe she was, friends from a former life, maybe?
We opted for British Airways in the end (at least the pilot would know
the way) and to make it special we opted for Business class as well.
Off we set-to London Airport and from there to Cairo
Arriving in Cairo in the evening. I had taken the time to ask the party
that we were eventually meeting in Oman, if he could recommend a suitable
hotel in the area. Bad move. The man in question was a minister in the
government and as such was accustomed to 1st class everything. Me?
A London cabbie and wife on an adventure.
The hotel verbally recommended was The Oberoi Mena House. So armed
with this information my wife and I leave the terminal building into
the heady and balmy night air of Cairo. Walk across to the taxi rank
and ask the first taxi driver to take us to The Mena House please. You
would have thought I had just asked him to sell his daughter into slavery
Remember I have been in this position at Heathrow, where I used to
conduct business. I said to my wife, “Oh it must only be local”.
This was purely on the cab drivers actions and the look on his face.
That pleading look in his eyes, that I must have shown many times. The
look that says or (you hope it does) “Oh please guv not me I’ve
waited here for over an hour and you only want to go round the corner”
Ever had it happen to you?
I was ready to capitulate when all of a sudden a scruffily dressed
policeman approached two bewildered tourists and this cab driver who
was acting like he had just been diagnosed with some terminal illness
and won the lottery at the same time.
“You have a problem” said the policeman. “No, I don’t
think so” I said. “Where do you want to go?” he enquired.
“Well we wanted to go to the Mena House, but if its only local
we’ll take a bus or maybe they have a courtesy service?”
says I defending the cabbie in his efforts to “broom the job”
In a most authoritative voice the officer turned to the driver and
said “Mena House” accompanied by a cursory wave of the hand.
Still naively trying to defend this hard done by cab driver, I interject
“Hey! Look if it’s local I’ll take a bus. How much
will it cost to get there?” The policeman repeated the enquiry
to the driver. The reply “Eleven Pounds” That in someway
told me that it was in fact a short ride. Wrong!!!!!
So the cases were placed into the boot of this beat up vehicle. Nothing
like the regulation vehicle I was used to pushing around the streets
of the capital back in the UK.
Of paramount importance is the horn must be in full working order.
The other attribute is a heavy right foot. So at breakneck speed we
departed the airport area and entered what the driver must have. thought
The Indianapolis 500.
After 30 minutes or so of swerving, hooting an gasping the white knuckle
ride was coming to and end and we were treated to the sight of the pyramids.
My wife and I in unison exclaimed Wow!
We had arrived at this opulent and historic hotel “Oberoi Mena
House Hotel was originally a royal lodge built for Egypt's Vice King
Khedive Ismail and used when he and friends were hunting in the desert
or visiting the pyramids.”
The cabbie sprung out of this deathtrap he had the gall to describe
as a taxi, I asked “How much” he smiled a toothy grin and
replied,” Eleven Pounds effendi” Feeling entrepreneurial
I handed him Fifteen pounds. Well you’d have thought I had just
given him the key to unlocking King Tuts personal fortune. He bowed
and scraped as he took the suitcases into the reception area brushing
aside the liveried staff.
That was the start of the adventure
About The Author - Herman Nuncrush - 58 years of age
ex London cabbie. Retired through ill health but have never felt better
since I began travelling the world. Now a CEO of www.fabvillas.com
a website designed for homeowners of rental villas in the Disney area
to advertise their homes. Married with 3 children and 7 grandchildren.Enjoy
relating my experiences and people have often said you should write
them down. So here goes. - herman@mailstamp.co.uk
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