So, it is the end of Ramadan. The weekend of the "small feast," or Eid el-fitr. It marks the end of a month of fasting. Everything shuts down until Wednesday. That means I will have 5 days of nothing to do and I can't let that go to waste. I was here in Egypt 3 years ago during the same holiday. Ramadan is sort of like Easter in that it takes place based on the Lunar Calendar or something, so it changes every year. Last time I was here it was in late October and fell during my birthday. I took the bus from Cairo, a miserable 9 1/2 hours to Dahab, but it didn't cost much (probably about 25 US dollars) and was worth every penny. I had no problem finding a place to stay likely due to a bomb that had killed 22 people 6 months prior in 2006. so, although it was already Friday evening, I decided I wanted to get out of Dodge and head to the beach.
Little did I know...moosh keela (problem). First of all, getting the bus from Alexandria this time instead of Cairo will tack on probably 3 extra hours on the bus and I think the only available bus leaves at 9pm. Brutal. But hey, I'm a working woman now! I'm an esteemed professor at a university! Why not fly? Again, since I am based in Alexandria, need to fly to Cairo first and catch a connecting flight to Sharm el Sheikh (the nearest airport to Dahab) and then get a bus for 1 1/2 hrs. Still better than taking the bus for about 12 hours. last minute, not many flights available. I did find one at 6:30am but the connecting flights in Cairo were booked until noon, so I would have a 4 1/2 hour layover. Still sounding better than 12 hours on a bus. I booked it. $266.00US roundtrip. I figured I could get a bus from the airport to Dahab for about 10 US dollars no problem (mish moosh keela). Uhhh not quite. The flights from Alex to Cairo were great. No problems.
When I arrived in Sharm, I finally figured out that I would have to take a taxi from the airport to the bus station and a bus was leaving in about 1/2 hour. Ok. According to my Lonely Planet guide book (which hasn't failed me yet) a taxi ride from the airport to town should cost 20 - 25EGP (Egyptian pounds). So, I got in a cab and offered the guy 20EGP. He got mad and GOT OUT OF THE CAB! He said "No, 50 pounds!" I said, "No way!" Got out, got my suitcase and headed back into the airport. Someone stopped me and asked if there was a problem and I went off. Now, to understand why I was so mad, I'll have to give you an anecdote about my first day in Egypt in 2006.
This is the abridged version: I really wanted to go on a camel ride my first day. I was told that this ride would cost me about the equivalent of 20 US dollars. Ok fine. I did the camel ride, yadda, yadda, yadda, it was time to pay. But you can't simply pay and go. Oh no. First, you have to have your welcome drink of karkadeah tea. Fine. Then they put you through this whole perfume shpeal. Ok fine. I bought a tiny bottle of it. I asked how much I owed him. $120 US dollars! No way! I put my negotiating skills to use (of which I have none) and offered him $70.00 He wanted 100. I countered again with 80 (knowing this was still WAY more than fair) and he YELLED at me, "THIS IS FAIR PRICE!" I was so upset and scared that I freakin' paid it. Everyone I told that story to laughed at me and said I could have bought the whole camel for that price. I swore that wouldn't happen to me twice.
So, with that memory fresh in my mind, I marched back into the airport to figure out a new plan. By now I knew I was going to miss the bus and have to wait 2 more hours (possibly) for the next one. There were private taxis for hire for 120 US dollars which was posted. A guy offered to take me for 300EGP (Egyptian Pounds) instead, which is about the equivalwnt of 55 US dollars. "Buddy, you have a deal." Now, I know I paid 6 times more to get to Dahab than if I would have paid the cab driver what he wanted, but so what? In my mind I'd rather do that than get ripped off.
The driver and I were on our way. I kept hearing this ear-piercing long-beep tone. It was killing my ears. What the hell was it? Where was it coming from? The driver didn't seem to notice. I finally realized that it was because we were doing over 100km/hr. At one point we were doing 160km/hr. I must say, it took us only 45 minutes to get there instead of 90...so not bad. Total time from Alexandria to Dahab 10 hours (almost the same as if I would have taken the bus. Total cost: 300 US dollars (as opposed to 20 if I'd have taken the bus). I don't care it was worth it! But, the problems weren't quite done. I realized on the plane I forgot my dive license (oops, you kind of need that to dive), and finding hotels this time around is a big problem! But I got a room for tonight at least! That's the cost of traveling by the seat of your pants! Tomorrow, snorkeling at The Blue Hole and a trip to Mt. Sinai and St. Catherine's Monastery. You guessed it! Another UNESCO World Heritage Site!
Made it just in time for sunset.
Kitty was so thirsty he drank my whole cup of water!
Little did I know...moosh keela (problem). First of all, getting the bus from Alexandria this time instead of Cairo will tack on probably 3 extra hours on the bus and I think the only available bus leaves at 9pm. Brutal. But hey, I'm a working woman now! I'm an esteemed professor at a university! Why not fly? Again, since I am based in Alexandria, need to fly to Cairo first and catch a connecting flight to Sharm el Sheikh (the nearest airport to Dahab) and then get a bus for 1 1/2 hrs. Still better than taking the bus for about 12 hours. last minute, not many flights available. I did find one at 6:30am but the connecting flights in Cairo were booked until noon, so I would have a 4 1/2 hour layover. Still sounding better than 12 hours on a bus. I booked it. $266.00US roundtrip. I figured I could get a bus from the airport to Dahab for about 10 US dollars no problem (mish moosh keela). Uhhh not quite. The flights from Alex to Cairo were great. No problems.
When I arrived in Sharm, I finally figured out that I would have to take a taxi from the airport to the bus station and a bus was leaving in about 1/2 hour. Ok. According to my Lonely Planet guide book (which hasn't failed me yet) a taxi ride from the airport to town should cost 20 - 25EGP (Egyptian pounds). So, I got in a cab and offered the guy 20EGP. He got mad and GOT OUT OF THE CAB! He said "No, 50 pounds!" I said, "No way!" Got out, got my suitcase and headed back into the airport. Someone stopped me and asked if there was a problem and I went off. Now, to understand why I was so mad, I'll have to give you an anecdote about my first day in Egypt in 2006.
This is the abridged version: I really wanted to go on a camel ride my first day. I was told that this ride would cost me about the equivalent of 20 US dollars. Ok fine. I did the camel ride, yadda, yadda, yadda, it was time to pay. But you can't simply pay and go. Oh no. First, you have to have your welcome drink of karkadeah tea. Fine. Then they put you through this whole perfume shpeal. Ok fine. I bought a tiny bottle of it. I asked how much I owed him. $120 US dollars! No way! I put my negotiating skills to use (of which I have none) and offered him $70.00 He wanted 100. I countered again with 80 (knowing this was still WAY more than fair) and he YELLED at me, "THIS IS FAIR PRICE!" I was so upset and scared that I freakin' paid it. Everyone I told that story to laughed at me and said I could have bought the whole camel for that price. I swore that wouldn't happen to me twice.
So, with that memory fresh in my mind, I marched back into the airport to figure out a new plan. By now I knew I was going to miss the bus and have to wait 2 more hours (possibly) for the next one. There were private taxis for hire for 120 US dollars which was posted. A guy offered to take me for 300EGP (Egyptian Pounds) instead, which is about the equivalwnt of 55 US dollars. "Buddy, you have a deal." Now, I know I paid 6 times more to get to Dahab than if I would have paid the cab driver what he wanted, but so what? In my mind I'd rather do that than get ripped off.
The driver and I were on our way. I kept hearing this ear-piercing long-beep tone. It was killing my ears. What the hell was it? Where was it coming from? The driver didn't seem to notice. I finally realized that it was because we were doing over 100km/hr. At one point we were doing 160km/hr. I must say, it took us only 45 minutes to get there instead of 90...so not bad. Total time from Alexandria to Dahab 10 hours (almost the same as if I would have taken the bus. Total cost: 300 US dollars (as opposed to 20 if I'd have taken the bus). I don't care it was worth it! But, the problems weren't quite done. I realized on the plane I forgot my dive license (oops, you kind of need that to dive), and finding hotels this time around is a big problem! But I got a room for tonight at least! That's the cost of traveling by the seat of your pants! Tomorrow, snorkeling at The Blue Hole and a trip to Mt. Sinai and St. Catherine's Monastery. You guessed it! Another UNESCO World Heritage Site!
Made it just in time for sunset.
Kitty was so thirsty he drank my whole cup of water!
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