Hi there,
just looking for some advice and info regarding moving to Muscat this August. My wife has been offered a teaching job, she´s from Finland in her mid 40s, me from UK, a young 52 
no kids. We are both social outgoing people, eating out, movie nights, beaches days, hiking, biking, a good chat at a coffee shop, meeting new friends, I enjoy watching live sport or live tv sport.
We have never lived in the Middle East and was just wondering what life is like there for a middle age couple. We are now living/working in Helsinki Finland" terrible winters" and in the past I lived in Los Angeles for over 10 years. We enjoy new experiences, travelling to sunny places, lots of outdoor activities so this might be a good/fun opportunity due to Muscat looks amazing with its culture/history, old buildings, lovely sunny coastline and mountains.
Things which are my mind, is there a big culture shock for western people moving to Oman, is it easy or hard to adjust to a non Western lifestyle and I hear customer service and getting things sorted is problematic. Are the summers so hot life becomes a indoor lifestyle? After-work and weekends what are the typical things people get up to for fun and socializing? My wife is the one with the job which means I will have to try to find a job or something to keep me busy and content? If my wife buys a car, i guess i can drive it without a work visa?
Her package is 1650 omr a month and 650 for accommodation. Would this be a ok amount of money for two people to have a enjoyable lifestyle. Also any good recommendations which area we should look at for renting and does it make sense to rent furnished or unfurnished. Is it worth shipping things from here that maybe we can´t buy there.
Thanks for any info or help
Looking for advice about moving to sunny Muscat :)
Hi @Steviesp1, I'm also considering a move to Oman. From what I gather Muscat is a great place.
About driving, work visa is not required but you would need to have an Omani driving license.
I'm interested to hear what the others have to say too.
Hi Stevie!
Oman is a beautiful country with a rich cultural heritage. You'd certainly like the place apart from the few things that you have mentioned. You wouldn't face a problem with the culture adaptability as far as you follow the norms. Wearing a bikini at the beach is not really welcomed, however, modesty is a part of the culture under specific norms.
You wouldn't face a problem while driving because you can purchase a private vehicle based on the UK license which is also easily converted to Omani driving license. The offered salary inclusive of the house rent is relatively good for a couple and you'd surely have a comfortable lifestyle. There are certain areas where the population of Britishers, Americans and most of the western people is relatively large, e.g, 'Madinat Qaboos', 'Madinat Illam', Azaiba and the seashore part of "Alhail" area. You can find these via google. Customer care services are not really good not just because of the communication but many other factors which you'll only know when you experience yourself. But apparently, things are manageable at the end.
Heat is a huge factor during the summers, especially from Mid April till the end of October when the temperatures can go as high as 48 and sometimes even beyond. But since everything is "Air conditioned", that can overcome many concerns though.
Rest is all good. Best of luck and enjoy your time out there.
Thanks for the info just a couple more questions, i like to do a lot of pedal bike riding (im thinking about bringing my bike with me on the plane) are there any local bike rides around Muscat, are Muscat roads safe to bike on. Also seeing my wife is the one working, what would be a typical day to keep myself content! beach time, gym, sightseeing etc, is Muscat a busy city and easy to meet friends.
Thanks
Steve
Biking in Muscat is indeed a nice experience, however, the main roads are not bike friendly due to high-speed limits. There are spots, particularly near or alongside the beaches or the Qurum coastal path/bikeways where you and your partner can experience a wonderful bike ride.
Being a Freebird, you'll be certainly enjoying the beautiful natured mountain regions that are very much accessible to people. I would suggest you have a look at a few topics on this forum where like-minded people make travel plans to beautiful WADIS (riversides) or the mountain hikes etc. I would also suggest you purchase a 4x4 vehicle instead of a saloon because the offroad terrains are very much welcoming to he travellers.
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