2. Heading for the Horizon

Egypt 2

While at the beach yesterday, we chatted to a Dutch woman who has lived in Hurghada for the past 20th years. She doesn’t really do anything here except make the most of a small inheritance, have two dogs and live what seems a very leisurely, inexpensive life. although she’s not too keen on the Egyptians in general - I suspect because culturally, they seem to have very little respect for each other, particularly women. They also don’t like dogs and the lady’s dog, which was actually a really beautifully well trained, tame and gentle dog, which didn’t approach people or bark or do anything except what she told it to. The dog liked a swim and went in and out of the sea a bit as well as wondering nearby the shore. The Egyptians really don’t like dogs and tend not to have them or domesticate them at all, which is fair enough. However, they didn’t like the lady’s dog, which was nowhere near them, to the point that one of the younger children, who was potentially quite fearful too, screamed when the dog was nearby (but not near and not approaching) and proceeded to pick up large rocks and stones and throw them directly and hard at the dog, while the adults watched on without reaction.

The Egyptians ladies are obviously fully covered with full hijab and scarf head to ankles. Some go into the sea and swim in that, other have swim suits which also cover them head to toe. They shelter, presumably trying to avoid heatstroke, under umbrellas on the beach. The men are ok though as they’re generally in their shorts and t-shirts and in and out of the sea. It’s all about respect for the women ….. apparently. One of the more elderly ladies, who I think was the grandma, spent hours in the sea with the children. She was in full hijab and was sat on a chair in the sea, where she remained, shoulders deep for a couple of hours. Occasionally the children she was playing with and laughing with tipped her out and moved her chair slightly shallower as the tide encroached. When it seemed she’d had enough and wanted to get out of the water, she struggled up and staggered out the water and very slowly and unsteadily made her way up the beach and sand hill and ledges. The rest of the family all just watched her. No one helped. I considered going to help but I think it would have been very badly received as I am white and have far too much skin on show. It’s not a level of cultural or religious ‘respect’ that I would ever entertain or agree with.

Anyway, the nice Dutch lady recommended a great place for our dinner so off we tripped in the evening and it was a lovely bar right out on the water in part of a fancy hotel. Pricey but worth it … 4 cocktails and 2 big dinners totalled a full £30- my lunch and drink earlier was £2.50! It was relatively wheelchair accessible with ramps although some were dangerously steep. The toilets, they said, were accessible too …. ‘yes, yes, accessible, only two steps but we’ll help you’. This is as good as it gets for accessibility. However we had cocktails and a lovely dinner by the sea. On a table nearby there were some youth taking excellent pouty selfies so we had a go at that too! A walk / roll back to our hotel via a shop for milk for delicious tea and a very relaxed morning today. We’re off out for brunch later then awaiting collection early afternoon for transfer to our boat. It’s a 4ish hour transfer to the port in the South and presumably unpacking and dinner on the boat before an early night, setting sail and diving to commence tomorrow (Tuesday!).

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After a long drive on the bus (the street lights in Egypt are disappointingly mundane but I do appreciate that they've made their phone masts and towers into metal palm trees), we have arrived in Port Ghalib. We’ve arrived safely to our boat (Motor Yacht Blue Horizon), unpacked and set up all the dive gear and cabins and just waiting for the bell to ring to indicate dinner time. Back to the bell signifying all keys events; alternate eating and diving. Shoes have been handed in and are stored safely to for the week so it’s bare foot or fins and sea temps warm enough to just dive in a rush vest and leggings. Absolute bliss!

There will be WiFi only while we’re in port (until some time very early tomorrow morning when we set sail) then none for the week as our itinerary (simply called ‘Simply the Best’, focused in the South Red Sea) is quite far out to sea … so I’ll be back in a week with many fabulous fishy photos and reports on the week!