Hotel Kelany Siwa

... 8 (they accepted the glued together 20!) we managed to get quite a bit of food including Mambas which we had been missing since we left the US.<br><br>Back at the airport Lindsey ran into some trouble with security guards trying to make us move. She refused. We were approached every couple hours by people trying to get us to move. We had lots of nice activities planned, and we manage to follow the schedule pretty well. Unfortunately, while taking a sip of her drink, Lindsey ...

... escorted us home that night since we were a little afraid to walk home at night. The next morning, Lindsey and Brittany had breakfast at Abdu. At this point, we were still a little apprehensive about Siwa, and if Sarah wasn't on the next bus, we were going back to Dahab. We looked around the restaraunt for some comfort and found two Canadians a table over. We asked them what their plans were for the day, and they invited us with them for the day. They told us they were ...

... but again I was disappointed as I was the only foreigner on a packed bus. And my Arabic and Berber isn't up to scratch which meant no chance of speaking to anyone.<br><br>Got into Siwa around 6:15am - not a great journey. Continually stopping and starting for toilet breaks, police checks and drop-offs. Must have slept for quite a bit of it, squeezed up next to a tough looking built guy. Police boarded the bus but he didn't take my passport off me like he did ...

... was that I had a really bad night. But given that looking back, I can still appreciate how nice this place was says a lot about how amazingly unique this area was. The next day we traveled to Bahariya Oasis. On the way we visited an incredible valley in the White Desert and drove through the Black Desert, which was as it sounds, covered in black rocks. I was still a bit sick this day so I wasn't able to appreciate ...

... that was good. After the beach we drove a small distance to Rommel's Cave which has been turned into a small museum. Rommel's Cave is where the German WWII commander would retreat to at the end of each day to draw up his plans. The museum now contains his famous coat, his original maps of the area as well as field files. It was a strange experience for me as the day befor I had visited my deceased Great Uncle and now I was looking at the ...

... was with us. The stores themselves were colourful and exotic selling everything from huge pomegranates to guavas and dates. There were also butchers stalls which meant (due to legal reasons) the heads of the animals which the meat came from were on display! We stocked up for the day and had a quick stop at the cafe from last night whilst Mohammed and the drivers went to pray. More lemon juice was top of everyone's list. Calvin also received some local treatment for his head ...

... say, "it's only a problem for Egyptians." I always notice that they're Egyptian, but don't think bringing that up would get me anywhere. Hung out parts of both days at Cleopatra's Pool, a spring a little outside town. Had a smoothie at the bar (no alcohol in Siwa), and watched some local kids flip over and over into the spring. Unfortunately, as there are few independent travelers here currently, though ...

The Siwa Oasis is truly the paradise of Egypt. It was a 9 hour bus ride from Cairo (not direct) through the western desert. It was very strange, we're in the middle of the desert, there's nothing for as far as the eye can see, and the bus kept stopping to let people off. All I could see was desert for miles in every direction and then suddenly I could see us approaching something black. And just that quickly, we were surrounded by palm trees. The Oasis is huge and ...

... his palm and dealing out tarot cards. "So I told him, I said, Al, save your money. You're travelling to foreign lands with a massive army intent on pillage and plunder. I think I'm going to go out on a limb and predict conflict in your future. What do you think?" We've also learned a few things about oases. I've always pictured these verdant valleys full of green palm trees and lots of water in the midst of the dry, brown desert. Which they are, to some extent. What we ...

... along the way even when the seats in the bus are full...standing or sometimes sitting in the aisles. Improvisation as necessary. The hotel we stayed at was owned by the local sheik...very cool. So the town is in an actual oasis which means getting there...lots of desert nothingness then suddenly lush palms, water and a town. Donkey carts the predominate local transport. Those poor ...