Arab hospitality. This is one of the main reasons why I love exploring this region. I asked a man in Oman to explain to me why Arabs are so incredibly hospitable and he replied: "In Scotland, if someone enters your house you treat them as a guest. In Oman, if someone enters your country we treat them as a guest."

Apart from a 24-hour stop-over in Dubai enroute to Oz, my first trip was in 2007 when i travelled from Istanbul to Cairo via Turkey's Kurdish region, Syria, Jordan, the West Bank, Israel and the Sinai. Highlights were the desert scenes, archaeological sites, food and hammams. I travelled alone until the Sinai where I met two friends for some excellent diving from Dahab before exploring the Nile valley.

In 2012 I travelled around Oman with my tent, cooking pots and hired 4x4. My route took me from Muscat through the Hajar mountains, south through the largest sand desert in the world to Dhofar then along the coastal plains and back to the capital. A simply incredible trip!

Press F11 to view the photographs on a full size screen.