Dahab

Late that night, leaving Cairo and going to Dahab, another 10 hours journey on bus, passing through the Suez Canal, before moving on a long and endless sand desert road straight to Dahab, getting thru some military checkpoints continuously asking for your passport, since Dahab is situated in Sinai peninsular, a region just next to the Israel border, the immigration procedures were a bit strict and made me felt like an illegal Indonesian immigrant (even though they always confusedly thought me as a Chinese, seriously I’m not lying)

Our arrival in Dahab warmly welcomed by Arabians taxi drivers competing against each others to offer their services, met a Russian traveler calling himself a Londoners which really can’t find the connection, offered to help us in getting a cheap taxi and end up squeezing 7 peoples (including the driver plus the Russian) in a taxi, went straightly to the Seven Heaven Hotel, much more a motel to me, surrounded by brick house huts in an area looks like gulf war refugee’s camp, but nothing much to complaint, the cheapest available motel in Dahab, what else to expect?

Dahab, at a glance, was just a tiny and dull town on the coast of the red sea, the streets were lined with seafood restaurants and souvenirs shops. There wasn’t much to do in Dahab except for sea diving and snorkeling, and as for us, at this period of time in winter, with this Malaysian pampered skin on our body, seeing other tourists with their scuba accessories; goggles, swim suits and what-not, were just enough. It’s not that we’re afraid of the cold water, but we’re just taking a precaution action preventing from unnecessary melting nose afterward

The whole evening we went on a camel trip, walking trough the desert, climbing up the canyon, before enjoying the sunset with a cup of tea, prepared on an open fire, the Bedouin style. Then, had our seafood dinner by the seaside, and it was really nice to be treated like some kind of millionaire in a restaurant similar to a café in a five star hotel by the red sea, even though it was dark and nothing much to see except for the food and some hungry Malaysian in front of you. Later, went back to the hotel and had some rest...Still had a mountain to climb

Dahab dari atas bukit

pak arab tekun memanaskan air teh

At 1 o’clock early in the morning, arrived at St Catherine National Park, going to climb the Mount Moses (Jabal Musa), a place where Moses meet the God. With the guide from a bidouin, we did the 3 hour hike up to the summit. Among the earliest to reach the summit, no one to welcome us except some bidouins selling blankets and mattress. The condition up there was dark and cold, cold until my hands were freezing and begun to numb. What really amazed me is that there were a small mosque, a church and a 5 pounds toilet up there on the summit. How on earth they’re able to build such structures on top of a 2300m mountain? I’m totally amazed. At 5.30 in the morning, no matter how bad a night we had spent up there, the sunrise just about made up for it, a pure natural beauty.

Saat matahari terbit di puncak Jabal Musa


tandas 5 pounds per entry

Hiking the Mount Moses was really exhausting and sleeping for the whole day was a good revenge I guess…

To be continued