Blogs from Red Sea, Egypt, Africa - page 10

I hate computers!!!!!!!!! After a frustrating hour of trying to get these photos up, Tracy saved the day while I was chatting on the phone...thanks, Tracy! Take a look, we could not have had more fun if we tried. Caroline even got to do archery which she just tried for the first time in PE and is very good at it. Tracy and I both had massages (Thai lady #1) at the spa, doing shiftwork with the kids. After much persuasion, we even did water aerobics where we got into trouble for too much giggling! We thought we were being so creative to sit on chairs in the water...I think Caroline knew that wave was coming when she got out the camera! The little kids were absolute angels, never complaining or asking for anything. Soup and ... read more

Mi und ich waren 2 Wochen in Hamata, im Zabargad Resort. Dieser Resort ist im totalen nowhere lokalisiert. Schon als wir angekommen sind hat man uns erklärt, dass man da genau 2 Sachen zum Zeitvertreib machen kann - tauchen und relaxen. Das haben wir dann auch gemacht - wir lernten tauchen. Den ersten Tag verbrachten wir im sehr warmen Schulzimmer (die Klima anlage liess etwas zu wünschen übrig) der Orca-Tauchbasis und machten Theorie. Wir lernten auch unseren Marco unseren Tauchlehrer kennen mit dem wir den 2. "Schultag" Tag im Pool verbrachten - Theorie in Praxis umsetzen. Das fiel mir teilweise gar nicht soo einfach. Als erstes mussten wir lernen durch den Lungenautomaten zu atmen... ohne Maske. Ich hab mir natürlich zuerst mal eine Nase voll Chlor-Wasser geholt und mich ein das ein oder andere mal verschluckt, ... read more

DAY 37 - Sunday, 17 May 2009 Ring, Ring!?! Oh that's our 5AM wake up call. We leave Cairo early because of a long drive to the Sinai. Our new group comprises of Wendy & Ray from the last trip (NZ), Diana (AUS), Vicky(AUS), Robin(AUS) who is also an Occupational therapist. Angie is wondering if she talks shop can she deduct this trip from her taxes? Daniel and Rachel (AUS), May (Malta) who is a speech therapist and David (IRE), a total of 12. Jess is our energetic NZ leader. She has been doing tours here in the middle east for years and recently bought a house (ruin) in Capadoccia, Turkey. A chimney house which she is going to renovate and set up as a B & B. We get a big surprise when we find ... read more

On the drive to our beach camp, we passed many resorts of beach huts or buildings that have all been deserted as the tourist industry has died in this area. In 2004, there was a bombing attack on the Israeli tourists, who were the main customers of the area. Since then, the Israelis haven't returned, so all of the buildings that were started to be built in the booming times have stopped mid production and the others have closed their doors, with many of thebeach huts falling into disrepair. Now days, Russians are the biggest customers staying in one of the big flash hotels along the water. Intrepid are the only customers of Sawa Camp, although the Shiek who owns the property has ideas to advertise to individuals as well. After a couple of hours in ... read more

Live aboard, Sharm el Sheik 10 to 16 May 2009 Now welcome aboard the Snapdragon, my home for the next week. It is a 30 metre long vessel with 4 decks, 6 crew and can hold 20 guests. My week it had 5 including me. So lots of space. At the end I had done another 19 dives, 4 dives a day, bringing my total for the 17 days up to 32 dives. Doubling my amount of dives I had done in the previous 8 years. Man was I stuffed. The dives included; drift dives, cave dives, night dives, boat dives and wreck dives. The highlight of the diving was the SS Thistlegorm. The SS Thistlegorm was a supply ship of the British Navy, heading to Tobruk, to assist the 8th Army and the Australian army ... read more