another throw back photo. this one's when i still lived and worked in oman. i'm still looking for the craft photos @monikozi but i keep finding photos of me that i don't remember seeing before. it's very seldom that i get to see myself in photos unless i used the camera's self-timer and when you're the only one who has a camera (an expensive camera) you don't want other hands to touch it lest it falls off and gets damaged. this one was taken at a beach outside of the city of muscat. i mounted the camera on a tripod and asked my assistant, who was then dating the skinny boy on the right, to press the shutter. those two were spinning the rope too fast trying to make me trip and they were pissed because we did this for twenty minutes straight before i finally tripped my toe on the rope.
yes, in oman women were allowed to wear swimsuit, even a two-piece bikini (which i was wearing underneath my over-sized t-shirt) as long as they're not too revealing. we can also drive and we're allowed to drink. i had a license to buy booze and a license to drink that i present when i go to dine or to a bar. by islam law, the omanis aren't allowed to drink or wear skimpy clothing, but i had a neighbour at the condo who would come to my unit wearing tight and short dress her boobies were almost spilling over. i'd give her a shot of whisky and she was a happy camper. technically, i wasn't supposed to do that.
i befriended these two boys -- i've forgotten all their names) along with another two (they're somewhere ogling at the british women wearing bikinis) as they took care of our fax and telex machines. i always tell everyone who would listen that the techie people are the best people to work with and if you want your tech stuff looked after quite well, you must treat them very well, too. the guy on the left had an affair with a filipina i was counselling. in my spare time, i volunteered at the local church (yes, the expats were also allowed to practice their religion) to counsel the domestics and the nurses who were "lonely" being away from home and their loved ones. oh, the stories i had heard! the affair happened after i left oman, though.
i must apologize yet again for not having time to comment on your photos. i'm finishing up my packing as i need to be at the train station by 9 in the morning. i'm still deciding if i should go for an early morning walk. the next time i post would be monday or tuesday as i don't intend to bring my laptop this time. so go on ahead and miss me. 😜
Loved reading your narrative! Fortunately not a lot has changed! Ladies drive and can still wear bikini's (although not in all places). Expats have their own churches and we have license to buy liquor. The license to drink liquor is not necessary anymore.
Very very interesting narrative on this.
Enjoy your weekend!
Have a magnificent time this weekend we shall all miss you and look forward to hearing your stories when you get back.
Hope your weekend goes well and you get lots of interesting photos.