Tue 14th Dec, Kirsty (my cousin) and I packed up and headed for Sharm El Sheikh...amidst all the "OMG..what about the sharks?" and "Your not wise...will you be goin in the water?" we didn't care and couldn't wait. Apart from the extremely uncomfy aeroplane seats with leg room just fit for midgets and children, we got there in one piece... and I have to say, it took me a bit by surprise. Leaving the airport (I gots more stamps in my passport :D), we drove into what could only seem like the desert. Nothing for miles...a few half built building here and there but that was about it. Then, every so often there where these "checkpoints" along the road, where men huddled behind cardboard or tin "walls" with guns while others peered in the vehicle and either stopped then or waved them on. Turns out, this is a regular thing in Sharm, as there was more than a few. There where also other people huddled in little buildings with no lights or electric peering at everything that went past...all I could think at the time was "OMG".... then we finally seen signs of civilisation and began to leave people at their hotels, all of which looked really nice. Then came ours, the Sunrise Island Garden Resort. It was an amazing hotel! Staff where extremely friendly and couldn't do enough to help. The place was spotless and our rooms where perfect. I don't remember there being any faults with the place whatsoever :D.
So once we where settled, we had our welcome meeting about the location, where stuff was and what there was to do. We books an adventure safari (keep reading) and got down to what was most important...relaxing by the pool! Being Christmas, the hotel was all kitted out with decorations and Christmas music, which felt different than your normal summer holiday, but was nice. So the next few days was all about relaxing, and exploring what was around us. Leaving the hotel proved a bit annoying, as taxi drivers seemed desperate for business, or just annoying. They drove up and down, peeping at people walking to get in! I also noticed that many Egyptian men are driven by sex and are continuously horny and are not very subtle! They eye women up and down and would say stuff like "Sexy", "Gorgeous", "I'm single (whilst grinding their hips)" or just moan sexually when they look at you! Its like they are permanently on heat! Other, more professional men such as those working in hotels, bars, restaurants and in the airports, couldn't do enough to help, and would jump through hoops backwards if they thought it would help. They go out of their way to make you feel welcome and couldn't be more nice! More of the others should learn from them! Not very many women work, however. It is a very male dominated country. But I still loved it.
So word was that snorkelling was back on. So we headed to the beach for the day to see the nice tropical fishies. Snorkelling I have to say was the highlight of my holiday...especially in Dahab. In the water we got (in Sharks Bay, where the attacks happened :O ) and low and behold, after some fuss from a woman pointing in the water, we had to stay quiet and barely move. There was a shark! In went the divers and along came the boats. It was far enough out for us to snorkel, so I headed on. And it was amazing. So many different fish, from butterfly fish, hawkfish and surgeonfish to wrasse and angelfish! A marine scientists paradise! Then it got cold so we decided to leave.
Next was the adventure safari. What a day, apart from the asshole tour guide, but.... Got picked up and went flying through the desert like mad eejits in the back of a 4x4 jeep...if I lived there, I would do it every day for the fun! Out to the middle of the desert to meet Egypt's Bedouin people, people who live right in the middle of the desert with just the basics and homes they built, and no education for the kids accept what their parents teach them. It was a real eye opener, but a great experience as they took us on their camels to get something to eat. Unreal meal! All organic and grew and made by them. From the chicken to the bread, and it tasted so good. Then off to Dahab reserve for more snorkelling. This was more amazing than Sharks Bay with the huge corals, sponges and anemones and the hundreds of fish! It was so quiet and peaceful I could have stayed all day, but we had to go home. We needed sleep, as the next day we where off to Cairo.The trip we booked before we left and the one we looked forward to most. Queue illness!!! Egyptian Tummy, Mummy's Tummy or Pharaohs Revenge is not nice! Pain, vomiting and diarrhoea all at once. We had to be taken to a 'clinic,' which was a tiny little room with a bed and a drug cabinet, for two injections in the butt and a shit load of tablets. But it meant we felt better and could enjoy our trip around the Egyptian Museum and the Pyramids and Sphinx! All was amazing and I can say I touched the Pyramids before they build the wall around them for protection :D...Back at the hotel, after begging at the airport for an earlier flight (long story), the last 2 days where relaxing days, even though we still felt a bit...iffy!
Tuesday, flight home. We heard about all the snow, but didn't realise it was as bad as it was until our flight was delayed for 6 hours! The pickup and flight times just kept getting longer and longer! Reason = SNOW. It meant we had to hang around the hotel for nearly 10 hours, but we got food and drinks, spend a few hours in the airport, sit on a 6hr 10min flight from Sharm and a 2hour drive from our airport which usually take 45 minutes. Who knew the snow could cause so much damage for two people who weren't even in the snowy country :P But we are home safe and sound ready for Christmas. The temperature drop of nearly 40 degrees was the biggest shock my body has ever had to deal with, but I'm sure I will live.
Sorry this is such a long blog, but what I am trying to say is that Egypt was great and I would go back again any day! The good points far outweigh the bad!
Merry Christmas all :D
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