Explorer Mikael Strandberg

In the news in Oman.....the media has been very helpful to promote my vision. This time Muscat Daily. Click on photo to read.

“It is written in the stars, your journey is meant to be!”

A decision has been made!

I have decided to go back to Sweden right now. I feel empty. I won´t get any further at this moment and it seems like I have put all eggs in one basket. Maybe a serious mistake. I just can´t afford to stay in the Gulf anymore and I am forced to relocate to Sweden and kind of start life from scratch again. Build up an economic strong base again. And continue my wait there. And hope that the saga is written in a positive way in the stars. I have heard that phrase so much since I first arrived in Oman.

“It is written in the stars, your journey is meant to be!”

This time I have been a week in Oman, met most of my great friends, and I have had one lecture for the ESO at Crowne Plaza, too early to say how it all went, met a potential backer and finally been able to get a message sent through to the power, which I have worked for since I first came here.

When I arrived to Oman first time in January 2009, I felt like a president. I stayed in luxury hotels, was shipped around in limos, met with the wealthy and powerful and most important, it seemed like everyone I met loved my vision of building a bridge from the Arab World into the West (and the other way around) through an Expedition by camel. The positive atmosphere was electrifying! And I just loved everything which had to do with the country. The people, the Bedu culture underlying everything, the heat, the desert, the food and the dignity that people behaved with. I often get emails from people that think I am naive and say:

“You always love a new country you come to and say it is the best on earth!”

After the lecture at ESO at Crowne Plaza. From left, Marcus Rydbo, Gejrangers GK, Lamees Daar, president of ESO and married to His Higness Sayyid Tarik bin Shabib Al-Said who is next to me. A great couple who makes a major difference on many levels for Oman!

I still feel very strongly for Oman, but I have been here, I think, at least 7 times during a year and the issue have been setting up an expedition, get the needed funds and start working on finding camels and two Bedus too join me. And, to tell you the truth, even though I feel I have done everything in my power, I have invested everything I have, I have had many people like great friends like Talib Omar and Wael Lawati to back the Expedition and promote it, when I think about it, when it comes to the Expedition and getting it on its feet, I am basically at the same stage as a year ago.

What mistakes have I done?

Most likely that I bought all the enthusiasm I received initially as a sign that things would happen fast and easy and fully didn´t realize that things take time in this part of the world. They, the Omanis, really want to know you before they believe in you. I can understand and appreciate that. But it takes time, money and stamina of world class strength. Maybe I didn´t sell my vision good enough. Well, we still don´t know this. But right now, I just feel empty. Like I have walked into a wall. I am totally free of any energy right now. It has been a hard expedition in itself. Coming to Oman with hopes to do my little bit to make life more understandable and peaceful through education and information.

Do I regret anything?

Nothing, absolutely nothing. This time of trying to get an Expedition on its feet has been with the best in my life and I have really already found what I was looking for on a personal level. And most of all, I have learned a lot about this part of the world and fallen in love with it. And I have met some extremely good new friends and I am sure Oman will be a part of my future in one way or the other. But right now, there´s nothing more I can do than wait and see and that is best to do in Sweden. But I do love Oman, see this little slideshow of this spectacular country!

So this is the death of the expedition?

Not at all. Just run out of steam, funds and ideas. I am just at loss of words right now. And I am off to Turkey for a few lectures and a conference on tourism. As my very good friend, whom I will visit, Dogan Tilic says:

“In the East you don´t have to work for anything, it will come to you if you just have the patience to wait.”

Initially it was all like a dream with possibilities in every corner, now it is just a mental void.....the question is, what will happen next?...

Bedu democracy has to do with understanding the power of relationships, meaning that every subject is discussed in detail and meeting on top of meetings essential....

….is understanding the many times confusing ways to get things done in Oman. And, I am sure, in quite a few other Gulf countries as well, where the principle of Bedu democracy is alive. It is easy to forget that Oman, just in a mere 40 years, have kind of exploded out of profound tribalism in the desert to becoming a well to do modern society and one has to understand that changes take time. Every day, travelling through the bustling Muscat traffic, I am stunned at the fact that before Sultan Qaboos kicked his father out, 1970, in a peaceful coup, the country only had a few kilometers of paved road, a couple of hospitals run by American Missions, one primary school and no electricity! And there was a civil war going on at the time! What the Sultan has done for his country since than, no matter what in regards to the lack of Western democracy, (if, as we in the West sees it, our democracy is the only way to enlightenment) it is truly fantastic and couldn´t be better. Truly impressive and the Sultan should be seen as a role model in any civilization.

However, the traditional way of the Bedus is still strongly in place and that is what makes it very frustrating for somebody like myself who wants things to get done. In the way I am brought up, the Western way. Fast. Things are just not happening as fast as I would like and that is not only due to my mistakes and impatience, but also to the fact that I still don´t fully understand the power of relationships and the time (in the Western eye) it takes before one can go ahead. I am still to frustrated to understand, but I am learning slowly. Let me just give you an example what I mean, which in the Western eye, is not only frustrating, but also quite entertaining.

The other day I went to the University in Nizwa to hold a lecture….

First of all, it was set to be today the 12th, so for this reason I was kind of surprised when Talib called me 08.30 in the morning four days ago, whilst I was swimming in the ocean, saying that the lecture was due at 13.00 that day. We, P and me, ran like mad to get back to the flat, have a shower, check the lecture to its full plus the technique, so all was perfect and than zoomed off to Talib, who had initiated the contact and was seen as part of the show. We traveled with Talib in his Porsche to Nizwa, 130 km:s west of Muscat, and we didn´t even stop for lunch to get there in time.

Halwa from Oman...

The Nizwa University compound is large and have more than 6000 talibs (pupils in Arabic). We were met by an assistant at 12.45. He was the assistant to the assistant to the chancellor. He brought us through the compound into the assistant to the chancellor, an old pal of Talib. Mohammed Abdullah Said Al-Adawi greeted us heartily and we sat down on his couch nervously. I wanted to set up my lap top, check the sound and prepare. On top of that I was starving. Talib had said we would get a bite to eat before the lecture.

The University is just a stones throw away from the oasis of Berkat Al Mauz

“Don´t worry” , the assistant to the Chancellor said, “We have moved the lecture till two o´clock. And students have exams today, so I don´t think many will come.”

Then he winked for an assistant to them all, a coffee server, who with great dignity poured Arabic coffe in the traditional small cups and served us sweet halwa. At that moment a female student came in. She was there to show us around the compound before the start of the lecture. Or maybe as an assistance to P, so she wouldn´t roam around the camp in an inappropriate fashion. After about half an hour, it was 30 minutes remaining before the start of the lecture and by now I knew the students had waited for an hour. In my book that was close to a disaster. They would be very edgy. Those few who were apparently there. My hunger pains got worse. I just have to eat to get energy before a lecture.

“We are waiting for you to meet the chancellor!” Mohammed Abdullah suddenly said, then we kind of moved through the campus in procession, whilst more assistants joined us….I have always wondered, whilst meeting a lot of powerful people in Oman, what do these assistants do except sit on a coach and look like the world is passing by?…..They don´t say a lot.

Bedu boy in the Sharquiya, continuing many thousands of years of Bedu traditions and democracy.

Due to the high amount of assistant’s in His Excellency´s room, the Chancellor, we had no idea initially who was who since Omanis all dress in the national costume, a dishdasha and turban, but eventually it turned out to be the oldest fellow. Like all His Excellency´s in Oman he was very dignified, interested and opinionated. I brought up the story about Wilfred Thesiger and his visit to the area, when he wasn´t allowed to come into Nizwa in the end of 1940, because it was such a conservative place and they didn´t like nasranis. (Christians in Arabic) Maybe I was the first explorer they had seen than? I asked.  Not the best choice of conversation… However a lot of photos was taken on all of us together in a handshaking manner. We had some more coffee and sweet halwa.

2.30 p.m, one and a half hour late we arrived in the auditorium,which was packed with students, maybe 350 of them. Talib, who was suffering from the flu and severe hunger, said we would get food after the lecture. I had absolutely no energy left. And of course, nothing worked technically so that took an additional 20 minutes, so just before 15.00 hours it all started….. with a student reading from the Quran illustrated with pictures and quatations. All hell and fire. This is one thing with promoting religion I do just not understand. Why scare, like most religions can do, of fire and hell, instead of bringing up the positive aspects of the religion? I do know that much about the Quran and its suras and hadiths to know, that there are so many other, much better choices of readings and quotations which will inspire not scare.  Being brought up myself in a society where baptists where part of life, I just dislike the selling issue of, if you don´t do as the book says, you will end up in hell.

This young, smiling man was follwed by a young lady reading my full CV, which isn´t that short, see it here. When she was over, a film done by a student followed and that point was followed by another young lady reading a poem. At 3.30 it was my turn and it started off with the professor of cultural studies, a Sudanese, who once again read my full CV…

Once it was my turn, at 3.45, I was hungry, totally free of energy and the students, they had waited for two hours and 45 minutes, they had no energy left either. Or patience. It was the worst lecture in my life. The students talked, screamed, sent text messages, slept, walked in and out and when it was time for questions somebody shouted, a group of female students at the back, that they wanted to leave….it seems like these quotations of hell and fire doesn´t work too much…..well, it was the worst lecture of my life!

The lecture was finished with the assistant to the Chancellor presenting me first, than Talib, with a painting with a quotation from the Quran. Very nice gift! Many official photos was taken. When all that was over, the assistant left us in the hands of other assistant´s and 8 hours after eating breakfast we had lunch.

The punchline? Well, I went to lecture to the students because it is my mission to try to build bridges of understanding, trying to educate these young people, not to meet a lot of dignitaries, shake hands, chat a bit, drink coffee and eat halwa. It seems like at times Omanis care more for this, than the actual mission, to inspire students. As a whole it was a good lecture for me in traditional beduism!

Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said

A wedding procession along the route. The bridegroom and his friends on the way to the bride to be.....

During these three days of Eid Al-Adha we did a tour to the north of the country, passing through a lot of small fishing villages along the coast dominated by a strong smell of dried fish and people on vacation. The villages where teeming with people! We really enjoyed this part of Oman and we realized what a great family gathering this important holiday is. Muscatis leave the capital en masse to visit their birthplace and their parents during Eid Al-Adha. We finally ended up in Sohar, formerly capital of the country and the birth place of two of the globally most famous Omanis, Sinbad the Sailor and Ahmed Ibn Majid. The real Oman is, of course, located outside of Muscat. During our trip we also passed through Sawaidi, the birth place of a famous Omani to be. Talib Omar, one of my best friends. I meet him every Thursday for some of the most enjoyable conversations. Last Thursday we had this talk:

“Yesterday I saw this little ant on my floor and my first thought was to kill it, but than I realized how amazing it was, this little life walking on my floor, with all its legs and body moving forward and I thought, woow, another of his great creations!” Talib said with great joy in his face and continued passionately: “Our prophet said that life is precious and that humankind shouldn´t kill anything. All life has the same value! The prophet Mohammed was fantastic!”

“Oman is mainly Ibadi?” I asked him, my very good friend Tali Omar, during this, one of our many Thursday meetings, when we discuss everything from religion to football.

Talib goes up at 4.30 every morning to go to the mosque an pray....

“I don´t see myself belonging to any specific arm of Islam. I am sunni, shite, ibadi, all. I am a Muslim in all ways. It is simple really, it is just to follow the ten commandments of the Bible. I try to do as good as I can.”

Talib is one of the nicest human beings I have ever met. He has been the big difference in many ways, regarding the success or failure to put the Expedition on it feet and his wisdom is plentiful. And he never talks bad about anyone, doesn´t pass judgement without knowing, he is well read and educated in life, he speaks with a soft voice, always in a non-aggressive way and he is never pushy, but always helpful, very generous and no matter how busy, bogged down with work, he always takes time to listen and help. Lately he has spent hours in his phone trying to help me find my way through the sign-free parts of Muscat. He is a devout Muslim which prays 5 times a day, he listens often to prayers on the radio or TV and he reads a lot on the same subject.

The five pillars of Islam is: Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad; Establishment of the daily prayers; Concern for and almsgiving to the needy; Self-purification through fasting; and The pilgrimage to Mecca for those who are able.

“I prefer to read books by Western scholars when it comes to Islam” , he says, “They go deeper, question and are more neutral, which means you get a broader spectrum of Islam.”

“Why do you think Islam is so misunderstood in the West?”

“Well, it has become to politicized. Really from the beginning with the Ummiyads and up until today it is far to often based on political and not spiritual power. And when two Muslim sides are at war, like Iran or Iraq or like in Somalia, they blame each other for not being true believers. I guess, like Christianity, look at the catholics and protestants in Northern Ireland…..” I chip in with the former republic of Yugoslavia, “….they´re still not getting along even though they should be called educated people. Because one problem for Islam is that in many Muslim countries education is poor and if you get a bad Imam preaching in an uneducated area, we have a situation. Therefore, if it is a poor country with big divisions between rich and poor, than people will join the opposition whether they are fanatics or not! Education and a fair government is vital!”

“One thing I realized during my time in Yemen studying Arabic, was that in reality, like the Talibans in Afghanistan”  , I said, “These geezers don´t even speak or understand Arabic, how than can they than properly understand the Quran? They don´t even know what they are reading.”

“True. I haven´t thought about that.”

“What about the issue of women? I get a lot of questions from my readers about Islam and their views on women and then they, the readers, refer to some horrible article written about lashing or stoning woman. And add that some Muslims say that it is written in the Quran that the beating of women is a right.”

“The situation for women is not good. Indeed it is terrible. But that has to do with the old culture in this area, which was strong far before the arrival of Islam, and this ancient culture has unfortunately been applied to Islam. But that is not good, because it is a fact, that The Prophet loved women and he had some very strong women around himself and if people try to read his first sermon where he specifically said that society has to protect women and give them the same rights. I have a daughter myself, she plays football and I will give her every chance in life to choose what she wants to do in her life. And regarding beating woman, in Oman it is written in the law that it is forbidden, but it is still not easy to implement, because if a woman goes to court, she will pay a social prize of being evicted from the community. So we still have some time before it works perfectly.”

All throughout our conversation his mobile has rung, messages has poured in, it is Eid Al-adha, plus that Talib really never takes a day off work. Suddenly somebody very important calls and our time is up and we return in his Porsche to Al Ghubra where I live. He stops half way at a mosque for midday prayers. For me Talib is a role model of how a human being should be.

The shopping for Eid Al-Adha is hysterical right now!

Some of the most imposing mosques have elaborate design, like the Sultans Mosque in Muscat.....

I have just put foot once again in Yemen, after four very relaxing days in Oman. I have been up and handling camels again…gee, I just love camels…they´re so sweet, cuddly, funny, difficult, independent and gracious….I cruised the dune ridges with a friend in the Wahiba Sands….silent, spacious, fresh air and open wilderness…everything that Sanaa doesn´t offer…..

Life is nevere, ever boring in Sanaa!

I will keep it relatively short today, I did of course pick up a cold going in and out of air conditioned rooms and hotels in Oman and I started with the Arabic classes again today. So I am, as always, more or less knackered. But I just have to do some kind of a comparison, even if it is not a good idea to do. They´re two extremely different countries with different possibilities, Oman and Yemen. One has plenty of gas and oil for awhile and only around 3 million inhabitants in a country bigger than Yemen, where at least 25 million people fight for some fresh air in a country with very little natural resources as such.

The reason I went to Oman was two, first of all, just to keep myself updated with the Expedition planning, which hasn´t, of course, moved anywhere due to holidays and now the upcoming Ramadan…but good to see all of my great Omani friends,Talib, Dana, the boys and so on…secondly, just had to have a break from Sanaa. It is extremely demanding in every way. Water shortages, electricity shortages, noise, pollution, dirt, poverty, chaotic traffic and it takes such an enormous amount of energy to come across all these amazing personalities from the New and Old World! Sanaa is never, ever, boring!

A view of the Old Muscat, not far from Muttrah.....still very modern!

But, the break was good. Less people, very orderly, no pollution hardly, great coffee (I have dreamed about espresso for 5 weeks now!), a feeling of luxury and just a rest for the brain. HOWEVER, I felt very happy getting of the plane in Sanaa again, yesterday, and 30 minutes later and much poorer due to the exorbitant visa price (65 dollars again!)hitting the souks with a almost dead taxi and once again ending up in this amazing array of life! Sanaas souks are probably the most amazing place regarding seeing interesting people on earth! I just love the sense of being alive more than ever!

And I am happier than I have been in many years! Latest time I was happy, was here!

And, do not forget my other blog at http://preparingforthenextexpedition.blogspot.com/

My very good Omani friends, Talib to the top right, one of my very best friends, and the guys sitting next to me, are Salim and Nasser who will join me on the Expedition!