Amanda Hotel Dahab

... the western occupied territories as well as down the Jordan flank.<br><br>Flash a passport to have a dunk? <br><br>Helicopters buzz, and the odd machine gun flourishes from below hessian sacked observation posts.<br><br>The lake is a little commercial dream machine. For unlike any other river or sea, it is near impossible just to stop the taxi, have a dip, dry off and go home.<br><br>Nobody ever mentions the pain.<br><br>The salt encases one's body, finds the slightest cracks in the ...

... 5 Egyptian Pounds to use a WC)<br>6) Thou shalt never travel without ciprofloxacin (the travelers anti-biotic panacea).<br>7) Thou shalt always buy local food, drink local beer, buy in local markets, and mix with local people.<br>8) Thou shalt always travel with a back-up IPod.<br>9) Thou shalt not mix too much wine, beer, Jagermeister and Captain morgan's spisec rum in one night before a long travel day whn you are over 30 (so make the most of your 20's!!).<br>10) Thou ...

... Maggie, Vic, Romani, and I, hopped on ATVs and ripped out into the desert. The two-hour-plus ride cost us less than 20 US dollars and included opening up to full speed on desert paths, visiting a small Bedouin compound, and riding around on an ATV course along the Red Sea. I felt like I was in a videogame. All that was missing were power-ups and a turbo button.<br><br>The next day, we woke up and went SCUBA diving. Although I am not certified, TIE. This ...

... beside me dropped his camera lens cover into a small crack in the rock? He swore so loudly everyone looked around and when his friend asked him what happened and he explained, everyone with a dSLR winced sympathetically.<br><br>Anyway, I could attempt to describe the sunrise, but seeing as I'm hardly a genius with words and it would end up sounding like extremely bad poetry (assuming it can even be called poetry) I shall settle for saying that it's ...

... Peninsula, in Egypt. The place is cheap and relaxing although slightly hot. <br><br>We have revisited some of the sights Shona saw five years ago when she was last here. Her word of advice, if you loved something once, keep it as a memory as nothing stays the same. <br><br>We have spent most of our time snorkeling along the reefs, but with a glorious memory of the Blue hole, one of the best dive sights in the world apparently, Shona couldn't leave without revisiting it ...

... Dahab untill more of the nitrogen is out of our systems. Sharm is a rip off and the hastle there was horrible. It was a great trip but the last 3 hours really were not.<br><br>I got back to Dahab and then was invited to a club - no chance - I went to bed.<br><br>I had another day in Dahab where I read, met an English couple I met last time I was here and hung out with them, I also met up with Nathan again (from Luxor). I feel it is time to move on so me and Nathan are off to Jordan - tomorrow!

... corner from where all the tourists stay and hang out. We are staying in one of those casuals places , right on the boardwalk on the water, staying in one of the best rooms in the place with a huge wooden balcony with a ocean view....and our price is $35 a night. Our hotel is called The Penguin Village....I have no idea why...there isn't a penguin in site. We have been spending the last couple days lounging on the upper deck of the Penguin ...

... those with the proper spiritual preparation and endurance for this steep but direct climb up the Stairway of Repentance. Bedouin call this route "the Path of our Lord Moses" (Sikkat Sayyidna Musa). We wanted to go up the steps (we have alot to repent!) and down the camel path (bad knees!). The rest of the group wanted the camel path both ways, so our family went off on our own to do the stairs. (note that the guide was not going to offer this choice until we asked for it). It was a ...

... into the accommodation that I would be spending the next six nights in. This place was booked by the company that I would be diving with. I told them I didn't care where I stayed as long as it was cheap. What I got was a little hut on the roof of a building, and the only other people that seemed to be staying there were middle aged German tourists. But right then, I didn't care. I had a bed to sleep in and thats where I spent the rest of the day.

So, I made it to Dahab the day before yesterday evening! I will hang out here on the beach for some days, than move on. The place seems perfect for this. I am staying with a Kiwi-girl and her friends, who all work as dive instructors here. Sometimes there are about 8 or 9 people (plus 2 cats) sleeping in the 3-room apartment. A very relaxed crowd, they bought a huge bag (like they use on camels to carry stuff) full of "special tobacco" a couple of days before I ...