I hadn’t planned on Oman but I’d been hearing great things, both as a travel and a cycling destination, and there were ultra-cheap flights from Budapest (where I had just finished my tour of east Europe) to Dubai, so I had no excuses. First I spent a day checking out Dubai, another checking out Abu Dhabi, then started my cycling trip in Al Ain, crossing the border into Oman just a few hours after hitting the road.

Oman turned out to be a dream cycling destination for me – amazing wide roads with little traffic, easy camping anywhere you want, friendly people, and great sights and scenery. I absolutely love the desert so the scenery was extra awesome. Did I mention the wadis? Wadis are desert washes , some quite massive, holding water, palm trees, and sometimes even small villages. And the beautiful beaches? And that you could camp right on the beach for free and have it to yourself? And how about the people? If I just appeared to be looking for something for a few minutes, someone would offer to help. Oman gets 5 stars all the way and I hope to return…