I can't believe my luck as I sit in this mini bus on this a most perfect day.

There isn't a cloud in the sky. It's hot ( around 30 deg )

We're driving along a road that clings to the side of huge limestone mountain ridge. The sea, blue, glazed and pristine is on our left.  The horizon blends from sea to sky. White sand completes the picture
I catch a flash of water spray as a dolphin jumps high in the air
Occasionally there are Inlets on the mountain side of the road. The light is soft and touches the tips of the palm trees and catches on the minarets of the occasional Mosque and flat roofed houses.
Goats scramble over the Stoney earth climbing high on the sheer cliff.

We arrived late at out destination so we were  escorted to our boat by speed boat, it was no where in sight when our driver spotted a pod of dophins.

I scrambled to the front of the boat, video and camera in hand and hung precariously from the side rail. The dolphins swam and breached in our wake and the driver pushed the huge boat engines even faster encouraging the dolphins to compete in speed. It was an  exillirating experience.

An hour or so later we arrived at the moored boat.

Some adventurous folk were already snorkelling in the ocean.

The air was still and there was a sound of chatter in a number of languages. People look at you with interest… Or is it surprise  that a lady would whip an iPad, a tv camera and a rather large SLR out of her bag.

I'm writing everything down in the Ipad and listening to classical music. Keith and I shared it on the trip..

Carpets lay haphazardly across the deck of the boat. We, the patrons, sit on brightly colored tasseled cushions resting our backs against the side of the boat. It wasn't too comfortable because I was getting up and down taking photos.

I've done this trip before and just loved it… but today was different. Keith was able to share in the experience and it's just a day till I begin teaching so we made the most of the time,

Amid the German and Russian dialects there were 4 Aussies and 2 Scots… so we had conversational companions.

I think the only description I could evoke is "majestic" Mountains wending their way to green tropical ocean and we happened to be part of the experience.

Straits of Hormuz – these three photos were taken minutes from each other, but different light effects.