Almost the End

Our last days away from home were spent at the Red Sea. We hired a car to take us from Sharm el Sheikh to the smaller town of Dahab famous for its reef and diving.  The driver picked us up just as the sun was setting, drove us to the edge of town, and shut off the engine at a police check point.  " The convoy leaves in 40 minutes," he said.  It was felt that a police escort through the desert to Dahab 100 km away would be prudent.  Apparently they went every hour on the hour.  So we waited with another van load of tourists, but when 7:00 came, they sent us down that dark road alone.  Why we waited we don't know but were very glad to arrive in Dahab.

This town is much more our style, with more hotels than resorts.  Like Sharm it has been hit hard economically, but it seems worse here somehow.  They had big plans for development and project after project has been abandoned midway.  The main street is torn up, possibly for the installation of brick paving.  Work has been frozen everywhere.  The tourist market street is filled with hopeful merchants that say whatever they need to, to make a sale, many of them having no one enter their store for days.  We so hope that things change for these people and the tourists return soon.  Too many families are suffering.

We went especially to snorkel in their Blue Hole, a sink hole on a beach there and a world renowned dive site.  However the day we went was so windy we didn't feel it would be enjoyable or safe to go out, so we missed the coral and fish of the Blue Hole.

But the wind was perfect for windsurfing and Rob spent 3 days taking lessons in a sheltered bay and we were able to use the best beach there for free.  People who are not guests of the resort typically pay to use this beach. Egyptians must pay to use the best beach in the area. Sigh.

On the Dahab waterfront

We decided to head back to Sharm el Sheikh for the last couple of days before flying home as the water there seemed slightly warmer and we knew we could snorkel just offshore.

But now we head home.  Back to ways that are familiar.  Hopefully we take with us a better understanding of cares that we never know, awareness of our own over consumption, and  a realization of our false sense of superiority.

Air Egypt flight attendants couldn't get enough of Bella.  The bus outside had to wait for us while they had selfies taken with her.