Afleveringen
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Today Mark is joined by Scott McDonald, CEO, The British Council and Thomas Lloyd, Country Director Oman, British Council who have both joined the expedition for 48 hours.
Resting under an acacia tree in a wadi that Thomas described as lush, green and over a kilometre wide, Mark , Scott and Thomas talk about the role of The British Council as it celebrates its 90th year, the work it does in Oman, and how it is helping the expedition engage young Omanis to push for a more sustainable world.
Towards the end of the expedition, The British Council is hosting a sustainability hackathon aimed at promoting and supporting young Omanis in start up to continue to drive the sustainable momentum.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
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The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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After camping last night at Bar Al Hikmann the expedition team have travelled west to try and cross over to Mahoot island.
Mahoot island has one of the largest mangrove habitats in Oman and is a biodiversity hotspot. The mangroves harbour fish nursery grounds, they provide nesting grounds for birds, some of which are only found on the island, but they also provide coastal storm protection from the monsoons and have 10 times the carbon capture capability of traditional forestry.
But their habitats are decreasing in size.
There is a strong and effective mangrove restoration project being run by the Omani Environment Agency and led by Aziza Al Adhoobi. Mark speak to Aziza about the work being done to protect and restore the mangrove habitats
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
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The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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The Bar Al Hikmann wetland reserve is an internationally recognised site for migratory birds. Its mudflats have some of the highest densities of shorebirds in the world and it’s geographical position makes a key point on the West Asian – East Africa flyway route for migratory waterbirds.
With its rich biodiversity and local efforts to protect, conserve and record the wetland, this was going to be a key place for the Jewel of Arabia Team to visit.
Mark sits down to talk to Aziza Al Adhoobi who is leading the some of the work to get protected status for the wetlands and while also being heavily involved in the fieldwork around the reserve.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
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The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Day 9 started with an emotional goodbye for the team as Amour and the camels left the expedition as planned. Mark and Amour have done several expeditions together and their goodbyes are always difficult.
Later in the day, the team have travelled over a short sea crossing to Masirah Island, about a third of the way down the Omani coast. Unlike Thomas who was welcomed by the local Sheikh on the mainland, the Jewel of Arabia team were welcomed to Masirah by the local Wali.
Masirah Island is a wildlife hotspot and Mark talks to us from their campsite at the southern tip of the island. The white sandy shoreline, speckled with corals, gives way to rocky upper shore zones which were full of hermit crabs. As the camp torches were switched on at dusk, swarms of silver tipped moths were attracted to the light.
Light pollution is a big issue for the resident loggerhead turtle population and Mark speaks to Juma Al Urami from the Environmental Society Oman about some of the conversation measures they are putting in place to try and stop the population decline of this critically endangered species.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
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The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Oman is home to 5 of the world’s 7 different species of turtle. The coastline provides the ideal beach nesting conditions for turtles, which during the laying season come ashore in vast numbers to lay their eggs in their sand nests.
But like almost all wildlife they are under various threats. Climate change, light pollution and uncontrolled tourism all pose a risk to the resident species.
Mark and the team have reached the Indian Ocean again and soon will travel to Masirah Island, home to several species of turtle. To learn more about the different species, their life cycles and the conservations effort around their protection Mark speaks to Rabab Al Lawati, a conservation and outreach co-ordinator for the Environmental Society of Oman.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
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The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Last night’s camp was about 8 kms from the coastline, it was much colder than previous night which led to a heavy dew and the whole team waking through the night very wet in their sleeping bags.
But sunrise bought warmth and the desert dawn chorus which (loudly) serenaded them during breakfast.
As they walked today they came across a mosque in the desert. The local caretaker was happy to open it up and show them around. For Amour and Ibrahim this meant they were able to pray in the mosque. But with no call to prayer being sung Amour sings one for them both.
Marks describes the 5 core pillars of Islam for listeners who may not know them and explains the importance of the moon and lunar cycle on the Arabian calendar, which he finds gives him a far greater connection to the moon than he otherwise finds at home in the UK.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
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The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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As the team leave the Sharqyia Sands behind them and continue back towards the Indian Ocean Mark reflects on desert travel.
Thomas referred to the monotony of the days travelling in his book Arabia Felix. Thomas would spend long days in the saddle, sometimes noting in his diary he found himself bored. But for the Jewel of Arabia team slow travel in the desert is anything but boring. Marks describes different patterns in the sand he has observed which give away the changing wildlife – from gerbils to scorpions and snakes.
Desert travel is about using all of your senses to absorb the landscapes around you.
Camels and Land Rovers are the main forms of transport for the team. They have 2 of each. But riding camels in the desert and driving vehicles in the desert take particular skills and Mark describes some of the essential skills, and his admiration for the way Amour reads the sand ahead, for driving through the sand.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
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The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Mark talks to us as the expedition team stop for lunch and to rest the camels on Day 5 of the expedition. The expedition team are settling into a strong routine now. Mark and Amour are walking and riding the camels, Nigel and Ibrahim have got the overnight camps working really well. Dikra is off working with some young Omanis and Ana-Maria is capturing pictures and film that tell the expedition stories.
After heading inland the team are now on a south south east route to intersect Bertram Thomas’s original route and although this is the desert, it is rich with life. The camera trap continues to show the coming and goings around the camp while the team sleep. Hoopoe Larks sing around them, yesterday they heard a swarm of bees and the camels grunt, spit, burp and digest their grazings.
The weather has a huge impact on desert life. Marks refers to Thomas’s diary where he observed that many of the coastal Bedouin communities moved inland during the summer months when the winds made fishing at sea too dangerous. But the winds bring moisture which makes the desert green and full of life and rich harvests.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
Follow the expedition on social media: Instagram and Facebook
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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After a cold night in their desert camp the team woke up to a covering of dew on their sleeping bags. Today is the start of their trek into the Sharqiya Sands and the team are joined by students and staff from the British School Muscat for part of their walk.
Mark talks to his old friend Jonathan Turner while he walks. Jonathan runs a commercial dive business in Oman and describes the beauty of Oman’s underwater world to Mark.
The end of today see’s the team arrive at 1,000 night camp. A luxury campsite deep into the desert. Today it’s run by Wisal Al-Harthi, who talks to Mark about the values of the camp, her passion for sustainability and responsible tourism in a fragile and hostile environment like the desert.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
Follow the expedition on social media: Instagram and Facebook
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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After a reception from local leaders at Jalan fort earlier today, Mark and the team made quick progress into the Sharqiya Sands, formerly the Wabhiba Sands, to meet up with a group of students and staff from Outward Bound Oman.
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition has strong links with Outward Bound Oman, which since it first opened in 2009 has trained over 30,000 young people. Mark sits down in conversation with acting Executive Director Mohamed Al Zadjali to find out about the impact of the organisation on young Omanis and how it is adapting to a sustainable future.
One of the legacy projects of the expedition is the delivery of a brand new all-terrain wheelchair that will enable people of all abilities to go on courses and expeditions at the various field centres run by Outward Bound Oman. Today is the day it arrives with students for the first time.
This isn’t just a first for Oman, this is the first all terrain wheelchair in The Middle East.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
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The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Overnight Mark is setting a camera trap to see the wildlife that comes near to the team camp. Despite last night sandstorm, the camera has picked up several different animals in its lens.
The wind and driving sand have been the big factors of todays journey, so this update comes from the shelter of one of the expedition Land Rovers. One of which was provided by an expedition sponsor and the other is Mark’s own beloved 110 Defender.
Today Mark walked with expedition photographer Ana-Maria Pavalache and he describes how they were introduced, what inspires him about her incredible photography and the way she is able to capture desert stories through her lens.
Looking ahead, tonight the team are camped about 10 kms from Jalan Bani Buali which they will visit tomorrow before heading further inland.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
Follow the expedition on social media: Instagram and Facebook
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Welcome to the start of The Jewel of Arabia Expedition. With the Indian ocean lapping at their feet, Mark and the team have gathered on the very beach that Bertram Thomas landed on at the start of his expedition.
After a busy day of logistics and packing yesterday, today is the day the team start their journey, and Mark talks to us just as the sun rises about what lies ahead. Already Oman’s beautiful biodiversity is on display with birdlife surrounding them.
After 8 hours of travelling, they arrive at a small Bedouin community. It has been a tough first day navigating watercourses, keeping camels out of quicksand and getting spiked by what Thomas described as jungles of Acacia trees.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Like many explorers Bertram Thomas OBE fell in love with Arabia and its great empty spaces. Awarded the Livingstone Medal by The Royal Scottish Geographical Society and the Founders Medal by the Royal Geographical Society he was the desert explorer that nobody had really heard about.
In 1928 Thomas travelled south down the coast of Oman along a route that joined up sites of rich biodiversity and the unique flora and fauna of this Arab nation. Thomas built a relationship with the people and communities he passed through.
In this podcast you will hear how, using Thomas’s original diary as their guide and inspiration, Mark Evans and his team will retrace this route. They’ll explore the rich biodiversity and beauty of Oman, and the people working to protect it.
Like Thomas before them, The Jewel of Arabia Expedition will form relationships and tell the stories of the people they meet. The people who are navigating Oman into a greener and more sustainable future in the face of the climate emergency.
Leaving on 6th January from Ras al Hadd, join the Jewel of Arabia Expedition around the campfire for daily podcast updates and follow them in the footsteps of Bertram Thomas.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Join expedition leader, Mark Evans at the Royal Geographical Society in London for the launch of The Jewel of Arabia Expedition.
In the presence of, and hearing from expedition co- patrons His Royal Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham, and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales this 30-day journey on foot, by camel and 4x4 retracing the 1928 journey of British Explorer Bertram Thomas will celebrate Oman’s rich biodiversity and shine a spotlight on young Omani’s working in the green arena.
Starting on 6th January 2025 you can join the expedition team as they set off near Ras al Hadd, the Eastern most point of the arab speaking world and share their journey traveling down the coast to the southern city of Salalah through this podcast which tells stories of people, place, and culture and innovation in this unique country.
Find out more by visiting the Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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On an extended journey in a remote location food becomes an increasingly important part of each day; for Bertram Thomas in 1928 this included fish-eyes, dates, dried shark, flour and locusts. In this podcast we learn from Omani food expert Dina Macki about the key influences on Oman cuisine today, how that might change as we head southward along the coast of Oman, and, if given the chance, what Omani dish Dina would serve up for our VIP expeditions Patrons!
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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A conversation with long-time friend of Oman, the inspirational Nigel Winser. In the mid-1980s, as deputy director of The Royal Geographical Society in London Nigel led The Wahiba Sands Project, a multiyear multidisciplinary study of what are today known as the Sharqiyah Sands in Oman.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Oman is unique in so many ways. Several decades of research have shown that there is something very different about Oman’s humpback whales, in that they do not migrate from cool to warm waters each year, but instead remain in the Arabian sea where the monsoon moves the cooler waters to them for several months each year. Oman’s coastline was once home to great numbers of whales; records show that in the 1960’s Soviet Whalers killed at least 242 animals, but what is their status today? Executive Director of The Environment Society of Oman, and a recent recipient of National Geographic’s Wayfinder Award, Suaad Al Harthy tells us the story ….
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
Visit the Environment Society of Oman
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Taimur Al Said, wildlife biologist in Oman’s Environment Authority just loves what he does. Armed with a Masters Degree from Durham University, Taimur is Oman’s expert on the endangered Nubian Ibex and likes nothing more than getting down and dusty in the desert, putting out camera traps and radio collars that enable him to monitor the behaviour of this incredible animal from a distance.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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One of the most incredible stories of bird migration is that of the Sooty Falcon. Wintering on the island of Madagascar, each spring the falcons make the long journey up the east coast of Africa, then head east along the southern coast of Arabia, settling to breed each summer on the rocky islands off the coast of Oman. Here they’ll probably meet Waheed Al Fazari, an Omani biodiversity researcher who make it his mission to monitor this incredible bird.
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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Dr Laila Al Harthy is a senior botanist at Oman’s Botanical Gardens, and is the authority on Frankincense, a tree that grows in the mountains of Dhofar in southern Oman. Once upon a time the sap of the Frankincense tree was much sought after; camel trains and dhows would carry the hardened sap to the markets of Damascus, Alexandria and Istanbul. Today is it much sought after by tourists, and a key ingredient of Oman’s luxury Amouage perfume … but what about the future?
Expedition website: The Jewel of Arabia Expedition
The Jewel of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio
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