Dahab Plaza Hotel

... commercial hub.<br><br>An aural interlude interjects, intimating we are no longer in the &#8216;axis of evil&#8217;. A Yankee twang whines through the minibus, as a tourist haggles a price with a less-than-amused driver.<br><br>"Where you from?" New York City. After grumbling about paying the meagre amount, the couple sits and speak uncharacteristically quietly, understanding their accent carries more than a nominal degree of unformfortability.<br><br>The Arabian desert begins to ...

... top of their voices, at no one in particular for what seemed no reason at random times. By three a.m. I was like crazed with lack of sleep, I had no room, was developing a phobia of upper lip hair and had a two Valium failure to contend with. I was inches away from screaming "You wanna shut the f@&amp;k up you nutters" however the little brain function I had surmised that English translation of what they were actually saying in Arabic could be "Kill the ...

... sunrise (I was sitting on a cliff that dropped off about 100 feet), religious groups from all over the world sang songs of praise. There were Jews and Christians alike giving praise and sharing tears and hugs and shouts of joy. The sheer physical beauty of the sunrise &#8211; it lit up the entire sky &#8211; was overwhelming. The fact that I had not slept did not really affect me at all.<br><br>We came back down the camel path and made our way to St ...

... br> &#8220;The fast ferry is $70.&#8221; <br> &#8220;Yes but how much is the slow?&#8221; <br> &#8220;The fast ferry leaves at 1pm.&#8221; <br> &#8220;But how much for the slow?&#8221; He gave us some tickets. &#8220;You pay over there, come back with receipt.&#8221; <br> &#8220;Is this for the slow or fast?&#8221; &#8220;Fast.&#8221; <br> &#8220;Whatever.&#8221;<br> With the bloody tickets in hand we were soon taken from our air conditioned seating area ...

... CHECKED OUT THE GROUNDS, FOUND THE ICE MACHINE. THEN WE LEFT AND WENT TO RYAN'S TO EAT DINNER. THEN OFF WE WENT TO SEE THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. IT WAS PRETTY COLD AND I WAS DRESSED FOR IT. WE RODE THE TRAIN FIRST. WE WERE REALLY SURPRISED THAT THEY GAVE US A BLANKET TO COVER UP WITH. BOY, WE GLADLY ACCEPTED THE BLANKET AND WAS VERY GRATEFUL FOR IT. THE TRAIN RIDE WAS A FUN ...

... TUB OR JACUZZI! I GUESS, THE REASON IS THAT WE TALK AND LAUGH MORE AT THIS TIME. YES, WE PLAYED GIN RUMMY! I BEAT THE SOCKS OFF OF HIM THIS TIME. YES, THE CHOCOLATE WAS SO VERY GOOD AND YES EVEN THOUGH IT IS BAD FOR MY FIGURE...WHAT FIGURE? I DID EAT THE WHOLE BIG BLOCK, ANYWAY! HOPEFULLY, WE WILL GO BACK SOMETIME. THANK YOU, LORD FOR I KNOW YOU ARE THE GIVER OF GOOD GIFTS!

We rode through a couple of very difficult mountain passes today. I did alright- I think I may have impressed some of my co-riders. We are at 700 miles down- 1300 to go. I am so grateful for this incredibly enjoyable trip- I think my years of being a fisherman has paid off since every time I stop I talk to the fisherman and give them literature... I am the only person who can do this I ...

(44)TRIP TAKEN 12-19-08 FRIDAY WE LOADED UP WITH OUR GRAND-BABY,OUR DAUGHTER-IN-LAW TO MEET OUR SON AT HIS WORK PLACE. THEN WE ALL LEFT OUT FOR THE CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS IN GADSDEN, ALABAMA. CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCKS IS OPEN EACH YEAR AT THE NOCCOLULA FALLS PARK. IT WAS ALL DECORATED UP BUT NOT QUITE AS MUCH AS THE LAST TIME WE WENT. THE FALLS WERE BREATH TAKING THIS TIME. THERE WAS A LOT ...

... AND CABINS. WE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO SCOUT THEM OUT BUT IF THEY ARE ANYTHING LIKE THE LODGE...YOUR SURE TO HAVE A GREAT TIME. THE FOOD WAS VERY GOOD. YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT YOU WERE ONE OF THE JUDGES ON THE IRON CHEF, FOOD NETWORK AND BOBBY FLAY (NOT QUITE) COOKED!<br>WE ATE AN EARLY DINNER. YOU KNOW WHY???????? I GOT TO PLAY CARDS. BOY, <br>DID I GET THE SOCKS BEAT OFF ...

... actually enjoyed just doing nothing for a change. <br><br>Not EVERY day did I do absolutely nothing; there was one day where I did actually do something constructive. Near Dahab, about 5km away, there is a very well known diving and snorkeling spot called the Blue Hole. So I hired some snorkeling gear for the day and organised transport there and back and spent the day snorkeling. It was my first time ...