Here’s how hot air balloons work: heated air is less dense than cool air, so an injection of hot air will make the balloon rise, and letting hot air out will make the balloon descend. So, above the basket, there’s a massive burner that shoots flames vertically up into the balloon. And, at the top of the balloon, there is a small hole that the driver can open and close to let out hot air when they want to go down. Add all that up… and I wasn’t feeling too good about this. BUT, in 2025, an estimated 750,000 people did hot air balloon rides in Cappadocia, and every single one of them was fine. So, it was time to face my fears on this one.

I realized in writing this article that I was a bit fuzzy on what the word “Anatolian” actually means. I’ll admit it! So, here’s a quick clarification: while the region known as “Anatolia” has basically the same boundaries as modern day Türkiye, the name “Türkiye” is derived from Turkish ethnic and cultural identity. Anatolia had been a hotbed of civilization for eons before the Turks showed up. To give a few examples, people groups such as the Hittites, Luwians, Phrygians, Lydians, Romans—and, approaching groups more relevant to the 21st century now—Persians, Greeks, Armenians, and Kurds ALL fall under the “Anatolian” umbrella, in part or in full. That’s why you’ll hear historians say things like “ancient Anatolian civilizations” rather than “ancient Turkish civilizations.” The Turks are the new kids on the block.

Istanbul has a chain of islands just off the coast that contain full-on neighborhoods. The Princes’ Islands are a chain of 9 islands just off the coast of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara, but only 4 of them have substantial populations: Büyükada, Heybeliada, Burgazada and Kınalıada. Combined, they constitute the Adalar district of Istanbul. This is an interesting area to explore not only for the scenery, but because these islands embody and preserve the diversity of Istanbul in some fascinating ways.

From Saudi to the UAE, to Yemen, to Oman, there are all lots of sub-regions of the Arabian Desert, which have emerged over time based on a combination of local tradition, geographical features, and scientific classification. The geography of this particular corner of the desert is largely dominated by long, parallel dunes (also called longitudinal dunes). A single dune can stretch from 5–20+ km (3–12+ miles) in length. And, in terms of height, they can reach 100 meters high (330 feet). To put that into perspective, that could be roughly equivalent to a 30-storey building!

The theme of today is old Arabian fortresses scattered throughout Oman’s Al Hajar mountains. Oman has a lot of these old relics, and we’re going to be visiting 3 of them. We’ll start with Nakhal Fortress, move on to Bahla Fortress, and finish with Nizwa Fortress, which is actually part of a very cool little town bearing the same name. In the past two articles, there was a LOT of information about Oman and the geopolitical neighborhood it calls home. Admittedly, during these articles I was still getting my feet under me in this new country. But this is where we’re going shift gears from educational exploration to something a bit more fun.

So, go use the bathroom now because it’s about 1 hour from Muscat to Nakhal, and we’re not going to stop until we get there. 👀

The first time I learned about Dhofar was actually in a BBC nature documentary! Although they are pretty obscure in the wider world, within Arabia the Dhofar mountains are quite famous for the incredible transformation they undergo each year during the monsoon season. During the “Khareef” (the local name for the monsoon season), this whole place transforms from a desert into a massive, green oasis! It happens from June to early September, peaking in July and August and, in addition to being misty and wet (already very unusual within the region), Dhofar also becomes much colder than the rest of the Gulf. There even seasonal waterfalls that pop up all over the mountainous landscape! During this time, there is a huge influx of tourist (mostly from Saudi Arabia and the UAE) that come in to enjoy the greenery and cool temperatures. There is even a Khareef Festival that happens during this time. UNFORTUNATELY, we’re not visiting during the Khareef. This visit happened in mid-December, so Dhofar will be in peak-desert mode.