Egypt – Sharm el Sheikh

Egypt, alongside Seychelles has a special place in our hearts for two reasons – it was the first country we visited together, as well as the one we got engaged in.

We went there in October, staying for two weeks in Sharm el Sheikh. We intermingled time on the beach with long walks. We set off for Kair to see the most famous sign of the land – pyramids.

We have been fascinated by ancient Egypt since forever, which is why seeing this incredible place was a dream come true. Before we had the opportunity to see them though, we had called at perfumery and other similar shops that are inevitable during such trips, and when we finally arrived, it turned out they were closing in 40 minutes.

We had to hurry to see most of the attractions, because – as it’s usually the case with organised excursions – there was very little time left. Pyramids, however, were truly breathtaking.

They consist of three massive structures standing on a sandy plateau – pyramid Cheopsa (so called Great Pyramid), Chefrena (so called Great Kefren) and Mykerinos – followed by Sphinx.

The whole object was slightly disturbed by multitude of conmen and trash, but it’s nevertheless something that everybody has to see while in Egypt.

Another place we visited was Ras Muhammad National Park, where you can spend time whether diving or snorkelling.

We were really impressed by it, mostly because it was the first time we saw coral reef. Snorkelling, admiring beautiful coral gardens as well as consorting with many kinds of fishes was an incredible experience that gave rise to our new passion – diving.

During our time in Egypt, we also went for a camel ride and desert rally on quads. Unfortunately, we could not roister, as it’s a group activity and we had to ride in a row. Still, it’s an interesting and fun attraction.

On the next-to-last day of our excursion we had planned a trip to Mount Sinai, but sadly, Damian got sick and had a very high fever. I wanted to cancel it, because climbing a mountain for five hours in almost complete darkness with a torch that keeps on going out as the only source of light is tiresome even for a healthy person, but he nonetheless insisted on going. Okay, if that’s what he wanted to do…

It was only later when I found out why it mattered so much. 🙂 Our very long, running across backcountry road to St. Catherine’s Monastery made me worry that we might have been kidnapped, but we finally arrived on place. Everyone got a torch and we began trekking. I’m not gonna lie…

Mouintaineering was extremely difficult. The cold, the darkness and steepness exacerbated our fatigue more and more with each passing hour, and on top of that Damian had to struggle with high fever. When we reached the peak, there was only an hour left until sunrise.

Dying out of tiredness and cold, we found shelter in random mud hut, where we borrowed some blankets and tried to make it through the final hours of night. As the sun began to rise, we went back on track.

On the top of the mountain, Damian knelt down and asked for my hand. I was speechless. Maybe not entirely though, because I managed to say yes 🙂 Having suspected nothing, I was astonished and impressed, finally realising why was it so important for him to participate in that trip. As soon as the surrounding area illuminated, we caught a glimpse of stunning view and temperature started to rise.

Egypt is a very interesting country and I recommend visiting it. If you like diving or snoreklling, it’s a must. We will always look back at that trip with fondness, since it was the first one we embarked upon together and we’re surely gonna do it again, sacrificing a little more time for diving and exploring amazing underwater world of Egypt this time.

Practical information:

– Currency: Egyptian pound (EGP)

– Vaccination: not required

– Electricity: 220 V/ 50 Hz, power sockets of C and E type

– If you plan on climbing Mount Sinai, especially during spring/autumn, stock up on warm clothes, as the temperatures tend to get very low. Take comfortable shoes, because climbing it isn’t easy.

– Take a mask for snorkelling to fully appreciate underwater wonders. Egypt is notorious for having one of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world and t’s worhtwile to see it while it still exists.