Egypt
We stayed in Dahab for about one week and remember especially the enormous and delicious ice creams (the small one was about ten balls, the large one about 20 and cost 1 Euro � Freija child dream has come true). We also took the opportunity to refresh our diving skills, including to the Canyon and the Blue Hole, two relatively famous and magnificent dive sites around Dahab. The Blue Hole is also the site were Elmahalewy, Jerry�s previous dive instructor and friend died during a diving accident. We visited a memorial plate that was set there for him, but it gave our dive a special dimension.
The next stop was St. Catherine, a monastery on the Sinai mountain were Mozes received the ten commandments. We reached it after a nice trip through the Sinai desert, where we were stopped two times by local Bedouin, asking for money and shoes (!). By sunset, we finally reached the mountain and after some spaghetti, started the climb to the mountain under the light of the full moon. It was quite cold on the mountain, but we had taken all our cloths, and thus decided to nevertheless sleep outside under the stars. As of 2 am, tourists started to arrive to watch the sunrise. And as of 6 am, people starting chanting religious song and playing some music, creating the perfect atmosphere by the time the sun peeped over the mountains. It was magic.
We arrived in Cairo, using the horn non-stop, as this seems to be the only rule in the chaotic traffic. In hotel Dahab, we met two Dutch guys, travelling around the world by bike. They think it will take them between 10 and 15 years. Just to show you that we are not so crazy after all. We like Cairo more than expected and hang around at the Corniche El Nil, in the Egyptian museum, around the pyramids and the souq Khan el Khaleli and some lively neighborhoods that we end up in by accident. We also meet up with Sahar, a previous colleague and friend of Jeroen, only it is too short. Jerry�s previous stay in Cairo also gave him some Hilton Honour points, that we can now use for a two day stay in the Ramses Hilton. We don�t have to explain you the contrast between the junior suite and our room in Dahab hotel! We don�t go out for the full two days.
After Cairo, we follow the oasis route via Baharia, Farafra, Dakhla and Kargha. The nicest part is certainly between Baharia and Farafra. We are so lucky to be invited by Talat, our host at the camping of Baharia, to follow him on an overnight trip to the White Desert and the Western desert. On the way up to the first sand dune, we got stuck, and after a few attend, we hand over the wheel to Talat�s colleague. But it was woth it. They bring us trough some of the most spectacular landscapes we have ever seen.White mushrooms arise everywhere and take on all different shapes. We camp in the middle of it and continue the next day to the Western Desert. We there say goodbuy to Talat and stay by ourselves for another day. Though we wisely decide to explore the environment a bit by foot this time. We don�t hear or see anyone for the rest of the day and enjoy the incredible silence and peace.
Another highlight along this route was Dakhla oasis, were we were showed around by a local too, who showed us his little village, the orange gardens, the school and the hotsprings. We decide to camp one more night in the sand dunes, but this time luck is not at our side. After some hundreds of meters, Daffy plunges about one meter in the sand with the left fore wheel. We immediately realize that we are in big shit! We collect everything that we brought for these kind of situations sand ladders, highlift jack, ropes, spade � and quickly look for the right chapter in �Sahara Overland�. But when lifting up the car, he starts to hang over even more to the left, and we are afraid he will fall on his side. So we decide to look for help. Freija. The first help we get is from a camel driver, but he soon sees that it is quite hopeless two. To make a long story short, after some searching, Jeroen comes back with a tractor about an hour after sunset � and it works: he pulls us out. The owner of the tractor invites us to his house, where the whole village has been collected and we are invited to a meal at his house. It basically consists of warm milk with lots of sugar and bread in it, halawa (local alternative for choco paste that we kind of got addicted to), cheese, egg and aubergine. We are then invited to stay there for the night. Freija should go in bed with the grandmother, and Jeroen with the man himself. After a lot of gesturing (no English here), we try to explain that we just want to have a nice sleep in our beloved tent at the camping. Oef.
We then leave to Luxor, were we visit all the temples and ruins and finally leave to Aswan. This is where we will get the boat to Sudan. Incha�allah! We are looking forward to it. |
