Saturday, December 12, 2009

In Dahab now!

I got up very early this morning and with my backpack I walked in the dark to the Luxor train station about 8 minutes away to find a taxi. It was so early that I thought it was the one place I would probably find one. No problem! Got to the Luxor airport and the flight to Sharm El-Sheikh with departure and arrival exactly on time!

Outside the Sharm El-Sheikh airport I found a man with a van who lives in Dahab and he offered me a ride there for about the same as a taxi to the bus station + bus ticket to Dahab. It was 1000% better because I didn't have to wait a couple of hours at the bus station and he took me right to the door of the hotel in Dahab instead of ending up at the Dahab bus station and needing another taxi. It was illegal so when we arrived he asked me to slip him the money very discreetly so no policemen would see it. :-)

No room available but they asked me to wait a couple of hours because someone would probably check out by noon -- and someone did. Got a large room with an enormous patio/balcony about 30 meters from the ocean. The ocean and brown desert mountains of Saudi Arabia in plain view across the Gulf of Aqaba (part of Red Sea). Now that I have been here all day I realize I am paying a bit too much for this room but I just told them I would stay 2 nights and then I can move if I want. Can't believe they are screwing me with the US$23 price per night. :-) Probably US$17-18 is more realistic here for this room. Lots of places to eat here and many backpackers. Very comfortable place to hang out for a few days.

Having a beer next to the ocean right now. :-)

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