Back from Dahab

[Marek K]

We just got back from two weeks in Dahab.

Yay!!! No significant stomach problems for me this time!!!

Better than I can say for my wife. But Imodium is a very, very good thing. (Sorry Mania, we didn't have any good Polish vodka along.)

They still miss us Yanks in Egypt. When we were in line getting our visas from the very bored-looking Egyptian official at the Sharm airport, he asked very perfunctorily, "Where from?"

But upon seeing the "United States of America" on our passports that I was pointing at, he sat bolt upright, smiled widely, shook my hand, and and exclaimed "Welcome! Welcome!!"

We ran into that a couple of times over there. Kind of nice...

--Marek

 

[MarkUK]

Too right, mate. I have kind of made it my mission to get more Americans out to Egypt, as the Red Sea diving is so good, and took out eight North Americans on a northern wreck safari last year, and am planning a similar trip for 2008.

Sharm, Dahab, Taba, Hurghada, Marsa Alam, they are all tourist towns, and they like tourists from anywhere. Never had any of my friends have any hassles, in fact, they were all treated much like you were – very friendly, lots of smiles and handshakes, etc, etc.

And booking with a specialist tour operator in the UK or in mainland Europe for the return flights and diving/accom, meaning it is just a flight across the Pond needed extra, really keeps the prices reasonable.

Mark

 

[mania]

Marek
Not having Polish vodka was a major mistake...


Glad you finaly went there and had a good time. And where is diving report?
I want to know everything - where you dived, how did you liked it...everything...
If you are not going to write a report then you will have to have a lunch with me.
Your choice


Mania

 

[Marek K]

Marek
Not having Polish vodka was a major mistake...


Glad you finaly went there and had a good time. And where is diving report?
I want to know everything - where you dived, how did you liked it...everything...
If you are not going to write a report then you will have to have a lunch with me.
Your choice


Mania

Yeah, finally got there.

Wife did have some ear-related problems... couldn't clear properly on the first dive... the (excellent) doctor found barotrauma, and told her to sit out three days... Then it happened with the other ear... another three days...

But our son got his AOWD. Was freaked out about going deep (dark?), but got over it. Took him on the Thistlegorm. He was very impressed.

Um, can I write a diving report and have lunch with you? I've never written a dive report, because I don't consider myself well-traveled enough to be able to compare dive operations that well. But OK...

--Marek

 

[mania]

You can have lunch with me but you have to write a dive report


I'll be back in Warsaw next week - I'm in Wroclaw right now.

Mania

 

[drbill]

Glad to hear you had a great trip. I hope to go there over the coming winter, possibly with my nephew who is a diver and will be in Europe for school. I have instructor friends in Hurghada and Sharm el Sheik. Wish I had gone back in 2001 when the bug first struck me (travel bug that is).