A trip from Nimr in South Oman to Capital of Oman Muscat - Toilets needed on the way

One way is to board a bus in the morning. There are two buses, at 5.30 am and at 6 am.

One is run by a company Desert Line and another by a company named Happy Line. Fare is 5.5 Rial Omani. (approx USD 20). Distance is about 800 kms, and running time about 9 to 10 hours hours.

Both the companies have offices in Nimr and they take parcels too.

The buses are airconditioned,(not all that good, sometimes, it is a bother as well, when windows are closed ac does not cool enough) both have plenty of luggage space at lower deck. No fuss if you have two or three bags, no charges for them.

The seat cover reminds us to fasten our seat belts, however, no fuss.

If you are in PDO controlled bus, the driver will ask you to do that, and you simply obey. No fuss here again. PDO bus does not carry you to Muscat, it is just mentioned for comparison. However you can travel from Nimr to Marmul, about 90 kms for free.

The commercial line bus picks up passagers along the way and stops at Haima, 250 kms from Nimr. In the middle of the desert, the place has two banks, and even one money exchange sporting the logo of State Bank of Travancore, which is in turn owned by State Bank of India.The money exchange is called Global Exchange .

You would get out of the bus, move your legs, have tea and snacks and abimportantly go for a piss. There are four toilets, some what useable. Probably the toilets are built by chaps who run the restaurant.

On the way there are security check by officials and every one has to carry his residence card or passport with him.

Then it is a non stop run for four hours, the conductor plays one Indian DVD, which looks like it is a Hindi dubjob of a Telegu masala movie. Tricornered love , poor boy, rich girls, the works.

well I had eaten something and drank lots of water at Haima and now wanted to piss. Had to hold it tight, if at all I had asked the driver he would have stopped the bus, but there was no cover, I would have had to piss in the open with all passangers watching. I am trying to hold things back, feeling very uncomfortable.

After yet another four hours from Haima, bus halted at Nizwa. It was one pm and I followed other passangers who made a pee line before toilets there.

Bless you guys who built it, and are maintaining it. Need more, not only in the built up area , but in the open desert as well.

An Indian Kerala restaurant at Nizwa served chicken/mutton/biriyani and salad. cost one Omani Rial ( 2.6 US Dollar)

Then around 1.30 we started off to Muscat. Next stop was at Rusayl, then there was another stop at Ghala round about, where I got off the bus.