Jeep safari in Siwa
Trip Start
Jun 04, 2006
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39
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Trip End
Sep 04, 2007
Siwa, Egypt
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
We got in our jeep, were introduced to Khaled and Asman. Khaled is one of the sons of Ahmed, whom we met the night before at the salt lake and had tea with him. Ahmed has 11 children, not all from one wife, 9 of them are boys. Khaled was 18 and he was our designated chef, and he was a great chef, I tell you!
Our journey began from the Oasis and before I knew where we were and where we were heading, I found myself in the middle of the desert surrounded by the most amazing sand dunes I have ever seen in my life. They are beautiful and hard to describe their beauty without seeing them. The sand is creamish white. It looks very soft, but actually it was harder than it looked. Of course going up the dunes was another story. Several times we got stuck in the sand and Asman had to reverse the vehicle and try again. It was like a roller coaster ride. Very exciting! At least for me. Jan and Astride, my travel companions are not too keen on those rides and heights! :)
Asman was a great driver, and most impressive of all, I have no idea how he could find our way around the desert. Everywhere you looked, it looked the same. Sand dunes after sand dunes and a few rocks and then more sand dunes!
We had lunch at one of the natural fresh water springs, where we went for a quick dip. I got thrown in the water about 5 times, once by Jan and Ahmed contributed once and completed the job another 4 times. I decided it was just easier for me to stay in the water and forget about getting dry! But I got my revenge. Khalid told me that after lunch he can help me and Astrid to throw Ahmed in. At that point I realized, Khalid and I are going to get along just fine!
Lunch was chicken with lentils and rice and lots and lots of vegetables, not to forget the wonderful soup. He did an ace job! once lunch was over, Khalid signaled to me and we grabbed hold of Ahmed and before he knew it, he was in the water! Of course this meant war! and we were visiting 2 more natural springs, one hot one!
We went for a longer ride in the desert. We came across a really high sand dune and I decided to test my fitness and climb it! It was slightly bigger than the one in Wadi Rum in Jordan, but the sand was a lot harder, until you almost reached the top, where you started sinking! I am telling you, people here don't need treadmills, and Khalid got up there in a blink of an eye. I had to take at least 3 rests! :( I did what I have always wanted to do. And that was to walk on the edge of a sand dune. I had to pinch myself to make sure I was really here and doing it!
After that we got to the next two springs. I didn't go in the hot one, as I am not too keen on hot water and instead went in the relatively colder one. It was a very beautiful place. This place which you will see in the photo, used to be the Garden of Ahemd and his family for 25 years. 2 years ago the army confiscated his land and threw him out. Not he lives in a tent near the salt lake. He is hoping to get his land back, and I truelly hope he will. He and his boys are extremely intelligent, fluent in English by self taught and his eldest is off to University this year. A lot of communities and friends from all over the Europe are helping him to get his land back. Keep fingers crossed it will happen.
We stayed on the desert to watch the sun set. I thought to myself, how many people would ever get the chance to see something like this. It was wonderful. After the sun set we headed back to the salt lake and had dinner in the desert and headed back to our hotel, as we had a very early start (4:30).
My second night at the hotel was a little bit better. Only because I realized I was suppose to open the shutters and close the window with the mesh. DOH! So the room cooled down a little bit. Unfortunately I think mosquitos also liked my room very much last night! I woke up this morning with the right side of my face swollen from a mosquito bite! How attractive I thought to myself!
This morning we travelled to Alexandria, where I am right now. We left at 5 and arrived here at 5 in the afternoon. We travelled through Marsa Matrouh and Wadi Matrouh. The same way we went to the Oasis.
Alexandria is considered to be the pearl of meditearania. It was built by the orders of Alexander the great, when he was going to visit the oracle. He asked the city to built in the form of a chess board with 6 zones, so to speak. Each zone was named after the first 6 letters of the Greek alphabet and the first one belonged to the posh and significant Greeks and last belonged to ordinary Egyptians.
At first glance, Alexandria looks more Mediterranean and you can see some style of Greek houses. I will be able to tell you more about that tomorrow.
I am going to stuff myself tonight, as I am very hungry.
:)
Comments
Wish I was there
Dessert is absolutely beautiful. Hope you enjoyed it.
trip to Marsa Metrouh
Hello,
MY husband and I are traveling this August. Can you tell give information on the tour guide you use, and the cost approximately? And what month and year were you there. We greatly appreciated it.
Leila