Spectacular Sinai

Just returned from a four-day trip to Sinai full of many spectacular sights. I was reminded of Egypt’s size when we took the 11 hr bus ride to the town of Dahab. The drive was prolonged by the 6 checkpoints we had to stop at to show our passports. The security going towards Israel’s border is tight for obvious reasons but it did make for an unbearably long ride. Dahab, which means gold in Arabic, is a popular spot for hippies and backpackers and also one of the most beautiful diving spots in the world. We arrived in the morning and had breakfast at a restaurant on the beach. Directly across from us we could see the mountains of Western Saudi Arabia and personally I found it daunting to consider the lives of the villagers on the other shore. I am certain the atmosphere of Dahab with its clubs, dancing, alcohol, and young people lounging around in swimwear listening to Bob Marley would not fly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Actually, according to my guide book, Dahab is the number one place for snorkeling in Sinai so I wasted no time renting a mask and some flippers and getting out into the sea. This was slightly trickier than I imagined because for first 100 yards you have to walk backwards amongst jagged rocks and stones in the shallow water until you reach the point where the ocean floor drops 50 or 60 ft. The way you do this is to walk almost until the edge and then you lie down in the shallow water, put your mask on and glide over the corals until you reach the edge. The sight that awaits you is truly astounding and as this was my first snorkeling experience I was completely blown away. The Red Sea is so dense and salty that it is easy to stay afloat, in fact, swimming is so effortless that it felt more like flying to my senses. When you are gliding above the reef with the ocean floor so far below you feel as if you are soaring not swimming. Of course the sea life was equally impressive and diverse with fish of all colors and types. After this experience I can easily understand how people become addicted to diving and snorkeling, as the world below is simply magical.

We spent most of the day in the water and then after dinner and a nap piled into a stifling minivan and drove to Mount Sinai at midnight. The climb takes around 3 hours and after experiencing it first hand I can honestly say it is not for the faint hearted. If this is in fact the mountain Moses climbed to receive the 10 commandments (as there is some dispute over this) than I am seriously impressed. I consider myself to be fit and healthy, but I was not expecting it to be quite so difficult. Armed with biscuits, flashlights, and cameras we began our climb with a group of Americans, Egyptians, Indians, and Israelis. Our guide started us off at a quick pace and only slowed as we passed through the Bedouin camp. We were walking here and I suddenly sensed something moving on the path beside me. Squinting through the dark I realized dozens and dozens of camels and young Bedouin men surrounded us. This was a surreal experience, as the men were dressed in galibayas, a floor length man dress, and turbans resting on their camels, looking exactly as they must have looked thousands of years ago, sitting in exactly the same spot.

We climbed and climbed with occasional water breaks but as the morning progressed the temperatures were falling and some members of the group were lagging behind. I decided to keep going because if I stopped too long or slowed down to wait I wouldn’t make it to the top for sunrise, which is the whole point of making the climb! So eventually 3 others and myself just powered ahead and tackled the 750 steps to the summit. I noticed there were much less people at the top than we had seen climbing, a testament to the difficulty of the climb I suppose that not everyone made it up. For those who did however, it was well worth it to see the amazing sunrise. Actually, Rhiannon, Maandi, and I nearly missed it altogether because we were wrapped up in a blanket on the ledge of the mountain half-asleep. Thankfully, Chris shook us awake in time to take the pictures and to marvel and the beauty around us. I have decided that Moses was not in fact up there praying for as long as the bible tells us, rather it took him so long to make the climb and he was too embarrassed to tell the Israelites he had struggled to carry the tablets down!

When we finally returned from the mountain back to Dahab everyone was exhausted. The rest of the day was spent sleeping and we only ventured out at night for a seafood dinner and then back to bed. The next day I decided go with Maa’ndi to Sharm al Sheikh where he was visiting his father. The Egyptians are incredibly proud of Sharm and its hundreds of hotels and shopping malls. Because it is something like a mini Las Vegas to them they want to present it to the rest of the world as a mark of development and progress. Personally, after the peace and quiet of Dahab I would probably not choose Sharm as a vacation destination. It is not like Egypt to me, rather it is a place for foreigners to party hard, lounge at the beach, and pay exorbitant prices for food and cheap souvenirs. I did enjoy my time there though because Ma’andi’s family was so generous and treated me like a V.I.P the whole time! On the second morning we went on a desert safari. Before sunrise we took 4 wheelers out into the desert and drove around for a couple hours. It was a great feeling to just cruise around and once again we stopped in a Bedouin camp for some tea and to watch the sunrise. The desert is a spectacular sight and every time I look across it I experience a mixture of fear and wonder considering how expansive and desolate a place it is.

On the bus ride home, slightly sun burned and tired, I reflected on the trip and Egypt and just how much this country has to offer. The places to see and variety of things to do are just endless. Next stop Alexandria… my time is running out!