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Exchange
Experiences about Sinai
This site is dedicated to friends
of the Sinai.
Read from others about their experiences in Sinai, concerning
the desert, nice spots, new tracks, diving, hotels and other experiences
etc.
If you like to share an experince,
please write us, we will
publish it.
| Author |
Comment |
| Abercron |
As a tourist you should have
an international driving licence. The police is checking all
cars from time to time on the way from Naama Bay to Sharm
El Sheikh and it happends that they are not accepting a national
driving licence from other countries. Also, make sure that
you do not have to hand the car licence to the police officer
for any reason - if they take it away, it becomes really expensive
(about 300 USD) to get it back. It might be a good idea to
"not find it...", perhaps they give up searching
for it. Sometimes is working out. Also, it might be helpful
- in case they stop you for some reason - not to understand
any language. Be aware that you have a language in your passport...;)
|
| Brian
Lord |
Recent visit to Hilton Waterfalls
Sharm El Sheikh was great, good food, good service, try the
overnight visit to the desert with camel ride with the real
Beduines |
| Jan
|
Car-driving is in generall no
problem. Only make sure, that you have some change ready.
You might need it for tolls, tips, getting rid of kids...
It's a good idea to keep some money besides your major money
depot, nobody needs to see how much money you have! |
| Michael
|
Sinai is really nice. I stayed
in the Hilton Waterfalls Hotel (it should be mentioned on
this site) which is really nice and not too pricy. Within
the hotel area is the GO-DIVE diveshop which offers courses
and diving trips. The base is owned by German and they have
an office in Germany (details: www.go-dive.de) where you can
book packages in advance for a lower rate. Diving in the Sinai
area is great. You can see all colourfull reefs and fish and
even big fish (sharks, manta, etc.) can be seen. The highest
possibility for big fish is in the Street of Tiran. One of
the most famous wrecks is also located in the sinai area.
The Thistlegorm was sunk in world-war II and the store rooms
are still packed with trucks, rifles, motorbikes and even
a locomotive. Very impressive although one of the strongest
currents I have experienced in the red sea. Altogether I can
strongly recommend sinai to divers. Choose a good base, there
are some rip-offs around. You should have a look at www.taucher.net
to find comments on most places and most of the reefs you
can dive. Have fun!! |
| Noha
El Shoky |
Sitting there at the quiet resort
by the sea after a hectic, physically, mentally and emotionally
consuming yet sensually, spiritually and mind enriching three-day
hike in the extended virgin valleys of Sinai. Wearing my comfortable
top and wide colorful pants I contemplate in God?s expansive
kingdom. The vastness of the sea in front of me encompasses
my soul, drafting my entire essence away into nothingness,
into a sweet dizziness, a trance that lasts for no more than
a fraction of a second. As I take in my next breath and slowly
shift my head my eyes hit the horizon and another wave of
emotions engulfs me.. I realize how big this world is and
can visualize this line of the horizon extending into infinity.
An amazing feeling of serenity takes over my soul as the tides
of fatigue, strain and worry gradually retreat. The warm sunrays
penetrate my skin reaching deep into my muscles causing them
to loosen up completely until the first drops of perspiration
emerge from under the pores only to be instantly hit by the
refreshing salty sea breeze. The tranquility and complete
peacefulness that conquer accumulated stress of city life,
the total loss of inhibition that comes with the entire expereince
make my mind wonder and explore areas never explored before.
My horizon broadens and the mental limitations and cobwebs
imposed by oneself and by city life and civilization slowly
dissolve.. And I realize that there are many many alternatives
to the way one currently lives, and the life style one willingly
adopts. The light comes in as those imaginative walls in one?s
head collapse? I feel deeply shaken by the truth that there?s
definitly a lot about one?s life that one can in fact change
|
| Noha
El Shoky |
Ali Baba, Sindbad, Alaa El Deen,
and Kahramana started their journey to the valleys around
St, Catherine almost at 1:00 at night. Watching the curves
of the hills on both sides of the road lit by the soft moonlight
was one more factor that made Kahramana not able to sleep.
The stops at Manta Rest House for hot tea and coffee and of
course the luxury of tab water, decent bathrooms and the miraculous
invention called “soap” were not to be missed along the way.
Arriving at St. Catherine’s Town early in the morning yearning
for a couple of hours of sleep, the 4 Safarists took out their
sleeping bags and grabbed as much sleep as they could preparing
for the hectic day ahead. At 9:00 in the morning waking up
facing the already sharp sunrays in their eyes they headed
to St. Catherine’s Town to meet the famous Sheikh Moussa,
provider of local guides. (wondering all the time whether
their guide is going to be Hussein, Selim or someone else
this time) Al El Sheikh Moussa they meet their Guide Farah
and their 2 camels, Abdu and Sabhan.and the mystical journey
in the outstretched vallies begins. Climbing up the somehow
steep Abu Geefa Mountain was a strong start, passing by the
rock where newly weds draw their feet next to each other made
Kahramana think jokingly…”Oh those Bedouins…. aren’t they
ashamed to draw the bride’s feet for the public like this:)”.
Alaa El Deen pointed out leopard traps to Kahramana, explaining
that people used to put a sheep to lure the leopards residing
in the mountains into the hidden traps. The a sip of water
at the top of Abu Geefa came so refreshing and the excitement
and anticipation of what's coming next stirred in Kahramana’s
chest. The walk down Abu Geefa into Zawateen and then eventually
into Wadi Gebal was way easier than the walk up Abu Geefa.
Wadi Gebal was one of those places that simply engulf you..the
scents of habag and za3tar (Sinai mint and oregano) invaded
their noses with every single breeze coming their way. The
colours of the rocks..blue, red, variety of earth tones just
shocked their eyes time after time. At lunch time the 4 Safarists
and Farah sat under a berry (tout) tree and shared tuna in
water, tuna with beans, chips, bread and canned stuffed vine
leaves (ma7shi wara2 3enab), the vine leaves usually aren't
that great but in the desert they miraculously tasted unexpectedly
different. After cleaning up the cans Ali Baba , Sindbad,
Alaa El Deen, and Kahramana and their guide Farah headed to
Farsh El Romana..enjoying a very relaxing yet refreshing walk
down the valley only to stop at a place that looks as if it
had witnessed a great explosion of a massive quartz rock ..time
for a little nap ..at this stunning hill where hundreds of
splinters of varying sizes and shapes are scattered all around…each
Safarist chose a spot and laid his tired body down for a while..
Being there in this magical place surrounded by tall mountains
Kahramana felt so small and fragile like a little butterfly
that lasts for a mere couple of weeks amidst those gigantic
rocks that have been there for millions and millions of years.
Reaching the camp at Frash El Roman , they felt like finally
reaching home..They found Abdu and Sabhan the Camels sitting
comfortably chewing on their food while the 3 Bedouins started
making tee in the dala, basically a used sausage can or something.
Meanwhile, Sindbad tempted Ali Baba and Kahramana to climb
this rock that had been first conquered on a previous trip
by the great Explorer El Sheikh Karim El Khadem. The destination
was the top balcony, where Sindbad easily found his way to
the top..whereas Kahramana as usual tried to squeeze herself
into places she shouldn’t be at and --like every time-- had
to in the end abide by the laws of gravity and nature and
crawl back down only this time to listen to Sindbad her saviour
and leave him lead her to the royal balcony overlooking the
camp. Sindbad, Ali Baba and Kahramana watch Alaa El Deen relax
with the 3 Bedouins watch them make tea. Coming down from
the rock the go to the water basin and there they fund the
famous diving beatles..the joke around about how the beetles
pose with their abdomen up the water…they find out that the
beetles doing that go up to grasp some air before diving back
into the water. Sindbad the Scientist comes up with this crazy
idea and decided to measure how much time a beetle can last
under water without getting air..they follow the beetle swirl
around in the water ..but in the end they lose it..anyway..Sindbad
the Scientists concludes that a diving beetle can stay up
to 2 minutes under water .. Then dinnertime is there, they
gathered around the fire while Awad the older Bedouin guy
takes the flour that Ali Baba was smart enough to bring along
from Cairo. The made some kind of feteer (flat bread) that
tasted just perfect with guess what…tuna, tuna and tuna. The
three Safarists being tired they go to be din their sleeping
bags watching the moon above them covered every now and then
with a soft, semi transparent, stretched cotton-like cloud,
hearing the wind move the leaves of the big tree in front
of them.. Sindbad and Alaa El Deen fall easily asleep, Kahramana
struggled to get some sleep but couldn’t fight the anxiety
of unknown source for more than 2 hours under the tree…eventually
she picked up her torturing sleeping bag and joined Ali Baba
in the camp. She had discovered that sleeping inside as sleeping
bag was not exactly her cup of tea.. At midnight Kahramana
woke up at some noise..Farah had come running with candle
saying it had been raining and of course..rain in the desert
meant scorpions come out of their caves up p the surface….ohhhh
goshhhh.. Kahramana believed this was her worst night ever
to spend, the damn sleeping bag, where she can’t turn as much
as she liked, she prayed for the sun to rise to end her grieving
torture and for another day to begin.. To be continued…..
|
| Tino |
The Hotel Royal Rojana is ok
so far. You get reasonable prices for a 4 Star hotel (25-32
USD per night). Nevertheless, the service in the reception
is sometimes not as friendly as could be. The food is standard
and you shouldn't expect too much. Rooms are nice, actually
everything you need plus nicely choosen colours. Sometimes
functionality of certain stuff is not given, but they fix
it quickly if you tell them. |
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