Amongst those who've been sharing their travel tips and experiences this month are Diana Russler – who recounts a memorable adventure exploring the Atacama Desert - and Ken Shane who returns to his home town, Atlantic City, to review the recently opened Chelsea Hotel.

You'll find features on Nottingham and the Isle of Wight in ourarticle directory.

And, in our monthly Featured Article, Dubai based Freelance Writer Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey recounts an idyllic afternoon soaking up the culture and history of Nakhal and A'Thowrah – an easy drive from Muscat, the capital of Oman.

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FEATURED ARTICLE

Hot springs - Nakhal and A'Thowrah
By Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey

The hot springs at A'Thowrah are the villagers' life line. The stream irrigates some 90 per cent of the surrounding land by feeding the intricate falaj system that winds its way through the valley crammed full with palm trees, under whose shade the villagers have planted vegetables and run small farms.

Chickens, ducks and, most predominately, goats roam free and the small roads leading into the hidden valley from Nakhal makes it obvious that cars are a tolerated necessity, but not really part of the quiet life of the valley.

The stream and its banks were busy when we arrived: just downstream from us a young girl had been entrusted with doing the family's weekly laundry and was scrubbing away at the colourful clothes whilst watching longingly the children that were allowed to run free and even take a dip in the shallow water, some stripped to their underwear, others in full pretty Friday-dress.

Next to us a local family had brought everything but the kitchen sink – probably deemed unnecessary considering the closeness and warmth of the stream – and was setting up their picnic. Soon enough we were entertained by a group of young men who played musical instruments, sang and clapped enthusiastically, and who were ironically sitting right underneath the sign asking the ‘Dear Tourist' to please appreciate the peacefulness of the place and refrain from making music.

I suppose if you are a resident, strictly speaking, you are not a tourist, so the sign does not apply – anyway, I could not have thought of a better way of enhancing the peacefulness of the area than with happy music and laughter.

Everybody seemed busy as well as relaxed at the same time, but we barely had eyes for the gorgeous time-warp scenery around us. We were focusing on the inhabitants of the stream.

Myriad small fish flitted about, sometimes sunning themselves in a shallow pool, at other times darting away from too interested children. Although we had a small net with us and had successful caught some tiny fish, which now had temporarily set up home in the jam-jar decorated with small rocks and some algae for comfort; our main aim were the frogs.

Just about fully-fledged with legs in place and tails lost, the frogs were only about thumbnail size but could leap several times their own height. Hiding under the pebbles lining the stream, it took all our concentration to catch the elusive little amphibians, and when we caught what must have been their productive mum, our pride knew no bounds.

Our screeches of delight soon drew a crowd: we were joined by several young children and quite a few grown-ups who let us relive their childhood memories – what a great way to spend a lazy afternoon, especially as we had already done the educational bit and had soaked up the history of Nakhal fort just two minutes down the road.

Nakhal, literally meaning date palms or palm grove, is home to what must be one of the most spectacular and largest forts in the region. 3,400 square metres large and some 350 years old, the fort is literally built on and into a 200 metre high rocky outcrop of Jebel Nakhal, incorporating the mountainous surroundings into its design inside as well as out.

Restored to its former glory and decorated to give visitors a feel of what life inside the fort must have been like, the fort also invites to a game of "Where's Wali". There is the Wali's office, sitting room and Wali's bedroom, in which a traditional bed is displayed leading to the assumption that the original Wali must have been quite short of stature, proving that it is not your height that matters, but the size of your fort!

Built on foundations that are believed to pre-date Islam, the fort has been added to in the 9th, 16th and 19th century, with sympathetic restoration works using traditional materials completed only recently. The fort has been built in two sections, with the outer wall mostly for protection, but with some living and working quarters incorporated; entrance only through a heavy wooden door that looks as if it could withstand an onslaught from elephants and is said to date back to 1830 and the reign of Sayyid Said bin Sultan. The inner ring contains the sleeping quarters, stores and a well that made the forts self-contained and able to hold out even in long sieges. The top tower holds an arsenal display showing old rifles and bullet making equipment.

With the fort's height of roughly 30 metres, plus the rocky foundations of 200 metres, Nakhal Fort makes a perfect vantage outlook point. On clear days you can see for miles across the plains all the way to the distant coast, whereas behind the fort the windows overlook the green gorge. The stream filled with fish and frogs, and the fertile village fields only to be guessed to lie beneath the dense green of the palm trees rising between the imposing walls of the mountains which hug the luscious oasis.

Considering that Nakhal and A'Thowrah can be reached within an hour's drive from Muscat, yet provide the whole family with culture, history and lots of fun – together with a reprieve from heat and sunshine – this is the perfect Friday picnic location, summer and winter. The only disadvantage of coming in the summer is that the frogs will have grown up, but there are always the fish that take plenty of slipping and sliding through the stream to catch and provide hours of watery fun.

Directions:
From Muscat follow the Sohar road until Barka roundabout. Turn left toward Rustaq.
After 30 kms, turn left at the Oman International Bank toward Nakhal Fort.
1,6kms after crossing the wadi, turn right to the fort.

For A'Thowrah, head back from fort and instead of turning left to return to main Rustaq road, turn right and head down Nakhal high street, with its small shops and large mosque.
Follow the sign to Ayn Thowrah (2kms), past small watchtower and crumbling mud house, through the palm forest. After 2.5kms you will reach a ford across the stream, once across turn left, where you will find parking, a small shop and restaurant and public toilets (don't even think about using those).

For more information on Dubai based Freelance Writer Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey, visit www.ulwoolfrey.com – or subscribe to her blog at http://www.blog.ulwoolfrey.com/