egypt

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4-12-7 gave reggae 100 and flag. flew to cairo. got long bus ride which went under canal (didn't see it), past red sea resorts all the way to sharm el sheik. seven hour trip took eleven, ten security checks en route. arrived dahab midnight, owner saying he had only sand beach in town and i'm thinking we're aussies, he's selling ice cubes to eskimos and i find myself dreaming of mollymook, mooloolaba and scotts head. we've certainly damaged the land in 200 years. these peopole have been at it for millenia and it shows, not a level spot that hasn't been crushed, dug, scraped, piled up, torn down or pissed on. that's why the mountains are so appealing. their gnarled and eroded flanks defying us.
5-12-7 resort breakfast. kate slept and i sat immobile for hours relishing the quiet. later went snorkeling to see reef and some of its inhabitants. good, good.
7-12-7 bus through endless resorts all empty!! til we got to border. young and beautiful israelis processing us an extraordinary contrast to old egyptians with heavy uniforms, enter first world. clean. no hassle. attitude more like 'i'm willing to bother'. found hotel. walked to beach to see four countries at once. it is shabat (sabbath) and channukah. all quiet. can now mention that we survived what i dubbed the 'death zone'. there was a bomber in dahab last year. then again there was a killer in omaha yesterday. hebrew and russian text on tv.
8-12-7 early walk toward border with jordan. thru in to CLEAN country!!! met peruvian, deleo, and taxi to pretty new city of wide clean streets. joy. no hassle. wonderful. got bus for five dollars, two hours, thru clean dessert on four and even six lanes divided to petra perched high in mountains. buffet late lunch excellent for six doillars. chilly at this altitude even in day. this large town back of beyond thriving with tourism. brochure indicates many marvels at hand.
9-12-7 early rise and rug up down to petra ruins. all day with eroded ancients. hike high nabetean temple or tomb and view wadi araba and beyond palestine/israel depending on who you're talking to. great effort. evening again at william's hotel for tea and conversation. top bloke. jordanian flag has a seven pointed star! map shows we are in highest ergo coldest place in jordan.

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