Recession in Oman !

The effects of recession are now being felt in this part of the world too. Of course, things are not as bad as in some other countries. It is not that folks do not have money to spend – just that everyone seems to be adopting a ‘wait and watch’ stance. As far as the automobile sector is concerned, people are waiting for prices to fall, which is a remote possibility. This posture was fuelled by American carmakers slashing their prices in the face of possible financial ruin. Japanese and Korean car manufacturers seemingly have no such ideas. The price of crude, which is now witnessing an upswing, is also an important factor in this game. As per the market buzz if the price stabilizes at around $ 60/- per barrel it will auger well for the economy here.
In order to ensure that their bottomlines are not dented too much private companies have started adopting the following measures :
1. Putting fresh recruitments on hold.
2. Downsizing the workforce -shedding excess baggage and non-performing assets.
3. Adopting cost cutting measures.
4. Encouraging overtime and multi-tasking rather than adding manpower.
It remains to be seen as to how long this state will last !!

World's Fastest Ferry Service !

On 18th of March I happened to take my first ride on a ferry - the world's fastest ferry ride. I had gone on a branch visit to a place called Khasab which is located on the northern tip of Oman a day earlier. I flew to that place on the 17th and since return flights are only on alternate days I took the ferry service (which is daily) back to Muscat. 18th March also happens to be the day I was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1978. So it was a memorable day for both reasons. Actually ‘ferry’ is a misnomer because the vessel is more like a luxury cruise liner. It was a good experience for a first timer like me. The ship cruises at 48 knots per hour and sitting inside one does not feel as if one is travelling over water. The crew (nice looking ladies) keep feeding you throughout the five hour journey to Muscat and with music and TV programmes to keep oneself busy the journey was a pleasure. We left Khasab at 1100 hrs and docked at Sultan Qaboos Port at 1600 hrs. So I can now say that it took 31 years of service for me take my first boat ride. Following are some pics I took :

The ferry leaving a trail of froth on departure.
Crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Ships at Sultan Qaboos Port.

Beggars on Wheels !

Some time back it was reported in the press that beggars have been seen in Muscat. This was unheard of not so long ago. Well, I have not seen any beggars around till date, not in the way we are used to in India, at traffic lights, places of worship and streets. But on two different occasions I was accosted by car borne gentlemen (accompanied with families) while I was walking to the mess where I have my meals (a 10 minute walk from my residence). Both of them gave me sob stories about coming to Muscat on a visit and having lost their wallets and being generally high and dry, children not having eaten a morsel etc, etc.

Imagine the sight of a Toyota Corolla or a Nissan Tiida coming to a halt near you and the occupants giving you such bullshit. These incidents happened within the space of a week. I came to know that one family was from India and the other from Pakistan (both countries truly represented !). Well, they did not get a single ‘baiza’ from me but got a long lecture regarding painting our respective countries in poor light. Later on I was discussing this issue with my colleagues in the office and was surprised to learn that nearly all my Omani friends have faced such situations. And gentlemen that they are, they got conned and parted with various amounts upto a maximum of 10 Rials (Rs 1300.00).

“ I call them Car Borne Beggars -Saale bhikari yahan bhi aa gaye !!”

Obtaining a Driving Licence in Muscat

Getting a driving licence in Muscat is akin to obtaining a 'Green Card' by illegal immigrants in the US. The process has become so tedious and time consuming that it is a project in itself. For obtaining a driving licence, one should be above the age of 18 years, produce two passport photos, fill the relevant application form, produce the sponsor's approval and copy of Passport and Civil Card and pass the physical and eye test. Upon successful completion of all these activities and depositing the requisite fees (5 Rials) one gets the 'learners licence' in a booklet form. Learners are allowed to drive in Oman only through a certified driving instructor in their vehicles. These vehicles are white in colour with maroon stripes and display the name of the driving school etc (mobile driving school). The instructor familiarises the learner with the rules, systems and roads. All vehicles are 'left hand drive', rules of the road are rigidly followed and speed limits are upto 120 kmph. The instructor charges 5 Rials per hour with the clock ticking from the moment you sit in the car till you get out.
Four tests are to be passed in the following sequence before a regular driving licence is granted :
1. Traffic Sign Test - Here the learner is required to identify various road signs pointed at on a chart by the Royal Oman Police (ROP) officer.
2. Drum Test - In this test one has to reverse through two rows of empty 200 litre drums without touching any of them. The eight drums are positioned in two rows of four each in such a way that there is barely enough space to park the car. The entire exercise has to be done in reverse gear ONLY and shifting to any other gear or the car moving forward leads to failure.
3. Slope Test - Here one has to move up a slope from a standstill position without rolling backwards or without the wheels making a screeching sound. The slope is cemented and is smooth so as to make the proceedings more miserable.
4. Road Test - In this test the ROP officer sits in the co-drivers seat and gives instructions to test your driving skills on the road in traffic. Even a minor mistake or lapse earns a disqualification.
Failure in any test means a retest for which the requisite fee has to be deposited again and a fresh date for the test is allotted. One has to go back and practice again for that particular test. At present the waiting period in Muscat between two tests is 30 to 40 days. I cleared my drum test in the second attempt on 28 Feb 2009 and I have to appear for the Slope test on 16th March. Going by the present trend it seems unlikely that I will get a licence before May. Thankfully my company pays for 25 hours of driving classes. For any time spent learning/ practising beyond that, one has to foot the bill himself.
P.S. There is NO other way to obtain a driving licence in Oman unlike some other places I know !!

Images of Oman

During the last two months I have been visiting various places all over Oman where my company has branches. Getting out of Oman I was fascinated by the scenery and the natural beauty of the surroundings. I am posting some photos which I clicked during these trips

View of Fujaira (UAE) from Dibba (Oman)
Gateway to Sohar - the Industrial hub of Oman

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque - this marvellous work

of art is a few minutes walk from my residence.

Scenery just after leaving Muscat leading to Nizwa

Beautiful straight roads !!

Sunset before reaching the destination.

Some more scenery !

The grand mosque at Rustaq.

Roundabout at Salalah.

View of Salalah airport from the guest house.

This place is just like Kerela with banana

and coconut plantations aplenty

Salalah roundabout at night.

View of Salalah by night.

Apologies !!

I have not been able to update my blog as often as I would have liked to much to the chagrin of my friends and well wishers who yearn for news from this end. My sincere apologies to them. Well the reasons for this are twofold, firstly I have been quite busy in visiting all the company's facilities all over Oman (about 35 locations !) and secondly, I have still not got my internet connection despite applying on 19 Jan 2009. Will try my best to be regular in future.

The Passing of a Legend

Sheikh Saud Salim Bahwan, our late founder chairman, who passed away on 20 August 2008, was truly a legend. He will be remembered for building a world class corporate empire setting new standards in corporate social responsibility. I just happened to go through his obituary published in the September 2008 issue of 'Business Today'. Log on to http://www.businesstoday.co.om/ and search for the Sep 2008 issue and go through the article (the link is on the right side of the page) to know more about this great individual. There are many employees in my organization whose lives were touched by this legend and for whom he will always be the most unforgettable personality they ever met !