I bussed out to the Bahariya Oasis on a 7AM bus we just barely caught (we being Jen and I, another guest at the Australian Hostel in Cairo). Our first experience was that the ticket man demanded tickets from us - which we did not have, having the entire tour booked through the hostel (not the best way but I was being lazy). When we could not produce a ticket, he asked for money. I was a bit suspicious at this point, as I was pretty sure our hostel guy had handed him our tickets as we got on. Sure enough, he had two tickets in his hand. I called him some choice language, loudly, and stewed for about an hour. We arrived at the oasis at 1230 and were driven to 'camp' where we had a meal and then set out on a three hour truck ride to thee white desert, stopping at the black desert along the way. I took loads of photos, as the white desert was nothing like anything I've ever seen. There were giant chaulky outcroppings, which in the nighttime had a 'Where the Wild Things Are' kind of feel - a foreboding driven by a kind of aggressive loneliness. We had a small camp there, beds on mats with lots of blankets, and enjoyed a simple dinner and a night under the stars. We arrived as the sun was going down and left shortly after it came up. Loads of photos. Here are a few:
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The photos might have to wait, but they will be worth it, I promise!
Back in Cairo I made a mad dash to get home and gone again in about two hours. I stopped by the Kidney Clinic one last time and gave Mona a chocolate bar I brought from home, picked up some labs and got back to the bus station in time for another cross country trek. I was spared ticket snafus, and with the company of a like minded traveler, felt pretty comfortable for the overnight bus trip (25 hours of bus in 48 hours! yikes!). We were stopped numerous times by police, and at one point some fellows were taken off the bus, certainly through no fault of theirs. The man next to me would not actually hand over his ID card, he held it tight while the guy had a look. That spoke volumes. We pulled into Dahab at around 10, found a spot Stephanie had picked out and settled in a bit. I'm in a room off of a courtyard, but I can still see the Red Sea a bit. There are persistent black flies, but the breeze keeps them away most of the time. It is really lovely here, but I am also feeling a bit lonely, particularly for a certain lady I have the pleasure of seeing in about ten days. This is quite a place, and your company, you reading this, would make it sparkle all the more. It always takes a day or two to settle in, so I'm feeling fine, just a little tired from so much travel, and so much more in the next week or so.
Here's the revised plan - skipping Sinai, heading to Nuweiba day after tomorrow and then onto Jordan and Petra for a day or two and several hundred dollars - both for the ferry and the site itself. I'm hoping to pass through Jordan like a hot chili as the country is expensive, but not sure about Syria or Israel or a plan or what. But it will happen, and I will keep you posted. Up next, cooling it in Dahab, try to upload some photos for all of you, and maybe or maybe not take in the underwater wonders of the Red Sea. I'm excited about it, but also a little leery - lots of sketchy outfits here and I won't be able to see the cool stuff as it requires an advanced diving certificate.
Well folks, time for some sleepy time for this guy. I'll work on getting some photos up later tonight or tomorrow - the internet here is a bit spotty and loading photos takes time. Thanks for reading! Be well!
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