Advertisement
Published: March 15th 2010
Edit Blog Post
Newieba
Soft Sands Beach Resort Dahab, Sinai, Egypt - Dec. 8, 2009 - Feb. 13, 2010 When we started our journey we had never even heard of a tiny place called Dahab in the Sinai peninsula. During our travels in Jordan we met many travelers that told us that under no circumstances should we miss the Sinai in Egypt. Our original plan was to take the ferry from Aquaba, Jordan and head directly to Cairo. As usual our plans changed at the last minute and we decided to go to Newieba instead of Cairo. As soon as we got off the ferry we realized Egypt would be unique. This was evident by the chaos that ensued at the Newieba port. Luggage and shipments were haphazardly discarded for sorting on the shipping docks and people were transported like cattle from the ferry to the immigration terminal. Well over its capacity a bus with passengers still hanging off decided to drive away nearly injuring a man clinging to the closing door. We opted to walk the 100 meters! Soon after arrival we found ourselves in a quaint beach camp with modest huts, great beer and wonderful food. We liked the relaxed feel of the Sinai already. The
following day we wanted to explore our new surroundings but quickly discovered that Newieba was a ghost town. Only a handful of tourists occupied the countless hotels, beach huts and restaurants. None the less we spent 4 days relaxing, eating, drinking and playing cards to the sounds of the waves.
Our next destination was Dahab for what was supposed to be another 4 days... a week max. The Lonely Planet book warned us that people tend to get stuck here, but we did not heed the warning. Dahab was like the black hole of the Sinai. Many travelers intend on staying for a few days and somehow wind up staying for months. We became one of those that fell into the Dahab hole. Upon arrival we knew that Dahab was unique with its beautiful main strip lined with budget hotels, countless restaurants and dive shops every few steps.
Never in our wildest dreams had Dan and I wanted to become divers. John on the other hand wanted to complete the Open Water Course. Dan's and my curious nature got the best of us and we decided to join John and complete our OW as well. Unfortunately our diving
Dahab - Blue Hole
One of the best diving and snorkeling sites in the Sinai adventures were postponed for a few days because Dan ended up at the clinic with a case of food poisoning. Several days and numerous IVs later we started our OW Course. I always had a bit of a fear of water so I am still amazed at how comfortable I ended up feeling at 30 meters deep. After 4 days the three of us were PADI Certified Open Water Divers! Naturally we were hooked and quickly signed up for the Advanced course! Diving has a way of sucking you in, just like Dahab. We quickly moved into the Seven Heaven bungalows and made many new friends. Our days in Dahab were filled with diving, endless parties at Yalla Bar, bonfires, lazy days on the beach and snorkeling in some of the most beautiful reefs in the world. Dahab caters to the budget backpackers by offering rooms as low as $6, fantastic sea food dishes in restaurants for $5 and most eateries even allow you to bring your own booze. Who could ask for anything more!
Not wanting to spend our Holidays in the craziness of Cairo we opted to stay in Dahab just one more week. Christmas away from home
for the first time would have been very difficult for us if it weren’t for the kindness of some friends who invited us for a home cooked meal.
New Years was again spent with friends at Yalla Bar beach party dancing into the wee hours of the morning. On January 2nd after a much needed recuperation from the NYE party we were off to Cairo and to explore the rest of Egypt. We had every intention of returning to Dahab to kill some time before heading to Nairobi for my best friend’s wedding.
When we left Dahab I didn’t realize I would miss it so much. It was such a relief to be back after three crazy weeks (see previous blog). The welcome we received was incredible and the party and boozing lasted for 3 days. Luckily during these days we managed to find the most amazing accommodations in Asala (one of three areas in Dahab). We quickly moved into a two bedroom compound equipped with our own kitchen, living room, roof top terrace and porch! It was beautiful and definitely the first time we felt like we had a home on this trip! The next three weeks
were spent doing much of the same partying, diving and relaxing on the beach.
We did however find the time to finally venture to Abu Gallum. Abu Gallum is a small Bedouin town two hours walk from Dahab. The town is only accessible by camel, boat or on foot. To our disappointment Abu Gallum did not live up to the hype, most of the shacks were abandoned, and the walk was somewhat uneventful, but it was a nice day of snorkeling none the less.
We also drove the 2 hours to St. Catherine's to climb Mount Sinai. After securing a ride for a reasonable price we were settled in for the long ride when all of a sudden the car started swerving and we all held on for dear life! Hamdulillah the driver kept the car on the road instead of skidding into a ditch that surrounded the long winding dessert road. When we finally came to a stop we discovered that the axel split and the rear right wheel was sticking out a foot past the door. We realized how quickly this journey could have ended. Within 20 minutes another car came and took us the rest
of the way. Climbing Mount Sinai was no easy feat as it consisted of 3700 steps, which are known as the steps of repentance. By making it to the top we were rewarded by a magnificent sunset which looked like it was painted with deep reds, purples and pink watercolors. On the way down we opted for the easier camel trail. The following day we decided to give our aching muscles a rest and not climb the tallest peak in Egypt, Mount Saint Catherine's (saving that for next time). We headed back to Dahab to celebrate John's 29th Birthday! The Birthday party started off calmly with 20 of our closest friends at Seven Heaven, continued at Yalla where everyone started to get rowdy and finally ended at Mojito with endless dancing, three Gin & Tonic fishbowls and a much needed nap on the sofas for the birthday boy! Definitely the best party in Dahab!
As we know, all good things come to an end. On January 13th it was time to leave Dahab for good. This tiny town in the Sinai along the coast of the Red Sea will forever hold a special place in all our hearts.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.073s; Tpl: 0.021s; cc: 10; qc: 26; dbt: 0.0336s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb