Deciding Where To Go
Been stacking vacation days all year and finally ready to burn ’em. Scrolled Instagram till my thumbs hurt – desert forts in Oman vs Mumbai street markets kept popping up. Couldn’t pick so I texted my backpacker buddy Steve: “Help me choose before I flip a coin”. Dude just replied: “Why not do both? Fly Muscat to Mumbai with 15-hour layover in Doha”. Cheap tickets sealed the deal.
Oman Prep Mess
Packed my dusty hiking boots thinking desert treks. Checked Oman rules: “Need full sleeves, long pants even if sweating buckets”. Airbnb host Fatima warned me: “Sunrise hikes only, afternoons feel like walking in an oven”. Bought a stupid amount of sunscreen that later exploded in my bag. Totally forgot cash – ATMs are rare outside cities, got stranded at a camel farm paying with gum.
Mumbai Chaos Landing
Jumped off the plane in Mumbai like jumping into a boiling pot. Airport guys fighting over my suitcase before I even cleared customs. First Uber cancelled after waiting 20 minutes. Second driver spent the whole ride complaining about traffic while cutting off bicycles carrying goats. Hostel bed smelled like old socks but only cost 500 rupees.
Side-By-Side Reality
Here’s how they stacked up when I stopped taking influencer photos:
- Walking Around
Oman’s streets empty as a ghost town, no sidewalks except tourist areas. Mumbai crowds swallowed me whole – elbows out is survival mode. - Food Situations
Omani restaurants served huge plates of rice that could feed a village. Mumbai street vendors handed me mystery meat skewers yelling “Eat fast before cops come!”. Got the squirts twice. - Chill Factor
Drank mint tea in Oman for 3 hours watching desert foxes. Tried sitting in Mumbai cafes – waiters cleared my cup if I blinked too long.
The Money Punch
My wallet screamed in Oman: $120 desert tour, $35 museum ticket, $8 coffee. Mumbai costs shocked me too – but backwards. Got a full haircut/shave/massage for 300 rupees ($3.60). Meals under $2 until I discovered fancy bars charging New York prices for watery gin.
Final Takeaway
If you want Instagram peace and quiet, Oman kills it – just pack earplugs because 5am prayer calls blast across valleys. Mumbai’s like swallowing an energy drink – exhausting but addictive chaos. Personally? I’ll return to Mumbai. Still dreaming about those 20-cent dosas, and I owe that goat-carriage guy 100 rupees.
