We got up early and met our school bus to take us on a tour of the Grand Mosque. It was an amazingly hot day and we were sweating just thinking of having to wear 'modest' attire. Our complaining was soon forgotten as we witnessed one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. The Grand Mosque was built in 6 years and has amazingly ornate carpeting and wall panelling as well as ceiling carvings. The chandeliers are Swarovski Crystal and actually contain a maintenance staircase in the largest one. Our tour guide and a friend of Daryl's, Naima was an amazing host and was very knowledgeable about the world's view of Islam and how the Omani's stray from the mass media hype to make their faith inspiring and peaceful.

After the Grand Mosque it was off to the beach for lunch and to dip our toes in the Indian Ocean for the first time. The heat was amazing; it was about 41 degrees with 90% humidity. I was sweating constantly but still in awe of where we were. We ate our first Shawarma and then were back on the bus to head home for a much-needed night of sleep.