We were awoken at 1.15am to start our trek up Mt Sinai, although we didn't begin walking from the monastery until about 2.15. The moon was still very bright so torches were unnecessary apart from when entering occasional patches of deep shadow. The walk was not strenuous, although the elderly members of the group had difficulty keeping up. We had got to within a short distance of the top by 4.30am, which seemed remarkably quick, and we waited in one of five tea houses with some hot chocolate. It was chilly, but not especially cold for the top of a mountain in mid-winter possibly because there was very little wind. Around 5.30am the other group rolled up, having had a much more leisurely start, being awoken at the same time we'd set off. We weren't sure
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