Egypte / Egypt 2002

July 11, 2002 – Dahab

As I said it before, I wake up only for the single passport check of the entire trip near Sharm El Sheikh. Finally we arrive in Dahab at 9am after a journey of 16 hours from Luxor. The timing is quite different from one driver with another because on the following day Jack and Cathy will do it in 18 hours.

You don’t have time to get off the bus that a crowd of taxi drivers jumps on you to drive you to the village at 4km. We politely decline their proposition and we prefer walking to the camps.

We have read our guidebooks in the bus and it seems that the Auski Camp was one of the most recommended places to stay in Dahab but work were in progress there we have to follow the recommendation of another traveler given through the Thorn Tree: The El Dorado Camp near Eel Garden between Mirage Hotel and the restaurant Eel Garden. The place is really nice and we have a wonderful view on the sea at 20m from our window and 25 km of the Saudi Arabian coast.

We will spend the day playing backgammon with the boss, relaxing on deckchairs and snorkeling at Eel Garden spot surrounded by many colored fishes. This year I brought my own mask and tuba so it will cost me only 2 EGP per day to rent the flippers. The full equipment can be rent at 5 EGP.

El Dorado Camp

Dahab is a nice seaside resort. Like in Hurghada, you don’t feel like living in Egypt because there are so many divers. Moreover, people dress very lightly here even the locals wear t-shirts and bermuda shorts. The bay is full of restaurants and a lot of them have terraces on the beach. I really would like to spend more time there. There are also many shops to buy some souvenirs, supermarkets are open 24 hours a day and internet cafés are numerous there (7 to 8 EGP per hour.

At noon we try the Bedouin Beach Restaurant near the Friends restaurant and the mixed salad is delicious with hommus, tahina, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers…) and the cats helped me to finis it was too big for me.

The afternoon passes very quickly with some internet surfing and a lot of snorkeling in the Red Sea.

Tonight we go back to the Bedouin Beach restaurant where Jorge meets a French couple that was with him during the trip to Abu Simbel. We will eat all together.

After the dinner we go to the ultimate place in Dahab where all the young people in Dahab gather, the Tota bar designed as a boat on the bay.

Finally at 1am we are back at the camp.

Main expenses of the day :

Night at the El Dorado Camp : 7.5 EGP (Double room : 15 EGP)

Mixed salad : 8 EGP

Drinks (water, soft drinks, tea…) : 10 EGP

Beer : 12 EGP (6 EGP for one 500ml bottle)