Kite Surfing
Winter may have no direct bearing on a highly adrenaline boosting sport like kite surfing, but the season is known to present an ideal ambience for first-timers seeking a cautious start. As Alexander Friesl, Managing Director of Kiteboarding Oman explains, “Winter in Oman offers good lighter conditions for a safe start into the sport and light wind disciplines such as race-kiting and Hydrofoil-Kiting. In Foiling and Racing you don’t want to have that much wind as the tactical understanding of the actual wind situation – where to tack and how to set the most efficient curse in a race for the personal advantage – is the real challenge.” But if you are seeking Kiteboarding Holidays, summer is a better time, he maintains.
For Muscat residents, Al Hail and Azaiba are the best kite surfing spots, states Alexander, listing wind condition as a perfect spur to get into action. “Thermal wind situation, caused by mountains in the back, presents a pretty reliable system in the afternoons,” he adds.
However, kite surfing during winter has its own demands, as far as the sports gear is concerned. Pointing out that special light wind gear is required in winter, he lists the requirements as, “really efficient kites and/or hydrofoil board, which is the latest development in the sport.”
Winter or not, kite surfing cannot be listed as an easy sport, as it is a combination of several elements, all of which require equal attention. “You need to control a kite, which means a basic understanding of an aerodynamic wing and the skill to perform a board sport – at the same time. Proper training, which guides you through the basics and important steps, is a must in order to start safe and ease into your kite life. I would say it requires a lot of training at the beginning; things become more easy after the first 20 hours or so on a kite,” he explains.
For wannabe kite surfers, here is a quick checklist of dos and don’ts from the expert: “The main requirements are being able to swim and a minimum age of 14 years. No other pre knowledge is required, as this will be learned during the course. The understanding of the sport as a serious sport rather an activity is important; this requires a bit or work at the beginning. Being on the board at the beginning is rather an achievement than an entertainment…”
Gardening in Oman
If adventure is not a stimulus to venture outdoors, gardening could be your best bet to experience the flavours of the season. Winter is the perfect season to get started, says Rachel Eapen*, lifestyle blogger. “In our part of the world, the optimum planting time is October and November and September is the best time to start preparing your soil before planting the seeds,” she suggests.
An experienced gardener with a penchant for interior décor, Rachel has the following guidelines for wannabe gardeners.
Garden patch or area: Select your garden patch in your backyard or planters if you decide to do it in your balcony. It is always best to start small with planters and potted plant. However, please make sure your area gets at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight. If the sunlight is too harsh you can consider using netting for shade. This will help in keeping the soil cool and reduce moisture loss.
Prepare your soil in September: Augment your soil with compost and fertiliser and keep it ready before you plant the seeds. I prefer to plant the seed in a seed-tray till it germinates and I then transfer it to the pot or my garden patch.
Shower your love and nurture: the best time to water your plants is early morning, before the heat goes up. However, please do not over water. If the soil is not dry and contains moisture, you need not water. Fertilise once in a while to provide nutrients to your plants. And, weeding is an important task because weeds invade your crop space, nutrients and water.
According to Rachel, balcony and terrace gardens are more intimate, easy to manage and can easily enhance the living experience of the home. She advises choosing colourful pots, preferably terracotta, which have better drainage with saucers under drainage holes to avoid spillage. “Vertical gardening is another option if you have space constrain. Vines and plant climbers are good to cover your balcony rails and wall; use hanging planters to give a vertical dimension. And, to add a little drama and cosiness to your balcony add one or two strings of fairy lights or Moroccan lantern and place an outdoor chair to make it your own sanctuary,” she states and suggests the following plants for Oman’s climate.
Money Plants: This is a fast growing vine plant and it doesn’t need constant watering. It requires little sunlight, constant air circulation and little water.
Boston fern: Ferns are vibrant green plants and are best suited in hanging planters. All it needs is a cool place with indirect sunlight.
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum): Spider plant produce long leaves that are green and pale yellow and are best suited in hanging planters. These need mild sunlight and water moderately. This is a plant that reproduces baby plants quickly and cleans the air from harmful toxins.
Snake plant (Sansevieria): Snake plant is the most tolerant plants of all. This is a plant that you can afford to neglect and it will still look fresh. It needs indirect sunlight and very little water; it is best suited as a corner plant.
Dwarf Jade Bush: This is a succulent bush that has bright green leaves with thick brown stems. It needs good air circulation and little water. This plant is considered as a good bonsai plant.
But if you have a backyard, balcony or terrace that gets direct sunlight, the most popular and colourful flowering plant to grow are Petunias. They are grown in pots and hanging baskets. They do not need a lot of water and grow best in sun. Even marigold, bougainvillea, hibiscus, chrysanthemums, aloe vera, cactus are good options which are best suited for Oman’s weather. The other option is to create your own kitchen garden. For the past couple of years, every winter I have grown cherry tomatoes, green beans, spinach, green chilli, eggplant, lady’s finger and different herbs. There is nothing more rewarding that reaping your own harvest.
(Rachel is an amateur self-taught artist, a photography enthusiast, freelance writer and a passionate blogger who chronicles about interiors, décor, art & artists, illustrators, designs, photography, travel and culinary adventures through her blog Tickled by Inspirations – http://tickledbyinspirations.blogspot.com/)