Throughout much of Oman the annual weather can be described as hot or scorching ; however on the southern coasts the summer monsoon, called locally the “Khareef”, brings changes.
As I drove down to Salalah from Muscat in early July the first hint of a change comes with what on the face of it might be a snowstorm. But lasting for weeks this isn’t a snow but sand flying past driven by the monsoon winds; making the sensible precautions by this petrol pump attendant essential to avoid being sandblasted.
Further towards Salalah the field that these cows are grazing in could be in northern Europe; however these are the mountains of Dhofar changed into ‘champs elysees’ through the summer months by the cloud cover brought inland by the monsoon wind.