Alexandria to Dahab
I will refrain from any more comments on the longest trip as I learned that everything is possible in relation to slow travel since initial trip from Luxor to Siwa was 24 hours but this time from Siwa to Dahab supposed be 26 hours but it was 34 hours. Thankfully this time I decided to spend a bit of money and bought myself a little pre-Christmas present in away of first class ticket on Blue Bus from Alexandria to Sharm El-Sheik as I could not spend another night in regular seat on regular bus during the night. The 9 hours from Siwa to Alexandria was enough but during the day is o.k but night time is different since sleeping is really difficult on regular seat.
Quick stop at Alexandria was just about what I needed to stretch my legs and breath some fresh air with some food would be nice too. As the Alexandria is another big city I was not in the mood to spend too much time in it, just enough to get a new data on the SIM card from Vodafone and food. Start walking from the bus station to the city train station, on the dusty road at some industrial part of Alexandria “many car body painting shops” on the way form the bus station ignoring the local taxi drivers honking and shouting “taxi sir, where you going “. Eventually reached the road under the over pass, which was in true sense dusty road as surface was dust only as well as everything around was covered in dust. Around a building site of new wider road and new bridge so crossing this muddy / dusty roads is fun but I made it to the main street with tram line, passing some nice local shops full of people. Well not that I’m paranoid but as I walked down the street
I passed school as lots of teenage girls and boys on the street in school uniforms, plus the sign that it was multilingual school said to too, clearly and unmistakably. Well those two girls were walking behind me all the time and some midway through the walk I heard “photo” and then giggle but no one approach me so just for fun of it I change the side of the street and they changed it too, than I stop randomly in the street and they nearly run me over so I start laughed to myself and they did walk with me all the way to train station and then I lost them but not without facing them as I turned suddenly on my heal and they in the shock lowered faces and run around me with blushing cheeks. So my 5 minutes of fame as celebrity is over now, no more teenage girls following me asking for photo. Train station itself a big building but the access to it was like on obstacle course run course, all pipes, holes, trenches as part of presumably upgrade of the main square or like after bombing. People in hurry to enter train station after the working day since I had arrived to city at 17:00 so the main people movement started including post work eating, shopping and catching the tram, bus, taxi what were all around the main square. Nice green middle part of square as oasis in the dusty noisy town, where people sat and rest as well as some had blankets on the ground and on them lots of various things for sale. Tried to take a evening photo of the square but the light was bad as well as the army soldier across the street shouted on me, no photo, no photo…. Strange but it is Egypt and I have no desire to explore local holding cell at police station so moving on. As the stomach started grumbling I look around for source of food and there it was…. Koshari fast food on the corner full of local people , horaaay I’m saved. I joined the que and got a large portion of Koshari for 15 pounds, I thought initially that pasta, rice how difficult it could be but now I know that there is difference as some were yummy and some less yummy, but this one was good and with the tomatoes and chili sauce on the top hmm nice warm feeling in tummy. Ate whole thing with people beside me out on the street at the side of the shop, having the food placed on the high shelf fixed to the wall like some book shelf but in this case it was food shelf 😊 People were nice and looking at me as at some celebrity and two asked where I am from, possibly because rest of them did not speak English but since the food unite everyone we all used hand gesture language, such as good “thumb up” and when I tried to clean up my plate I have received gesture to just leave it there and few sec after I saw man who constantly swept part of the street where the food was served and clear any waste left anywhere. With smile and thanks to the chef and staff I went through this nice street with various stools of street vendors, close to tram tracks leading more inwards to the city as I wanted to see the market and also find a Vodafone shop. Btw. the trams are something to see as they are looking like from thirties not just the style but they were beaten up over the years and no one cared to repair them or make too much of effort doing so.
Beautiful in their own way, they are still operating as people are riding them, not as much as I would expect since they were half empty but mostly women as far as I could see. As I was walked the market through and entered the residential area by my judgment, no shops just few tea shops and less light I saw, just by corner of the eye Vodafone shop and went there. Three local men in it and one security person as each shop has security person who is handing you a ticket number in case if the shop is too busy. When my turn came I asked assistant if he speak English so I would know if the google translate is needed or not, thankfully he did and he offered me various data package from which I choose 8 Gb for €7.5 and therefore I could keep uploading my blog and checking all the necessary things that traveler needs but cannot ask for as I do not speak Arabic. All sorted and I start walking towards the sea and promenade as if in Alexandria for few hours I want to see where is the night life and I was not disappointed with it. Nice and wide with lots of posh hotels with lots of security / police presence but also with nicely repaired buildings, park, clean street and then the promenade in crescent shape from one side to another.
Lots of people around just sitting and pier wall and talking or watching the waves crushing against the stone wall, few street vendors selling the sweets and lights across where the cafés, restaurants , hotels were and of course never ending traffic of cars in three / four lines. I have deliberated if I will walk to citadel or not but since I was already a bit tired and needed to walk back to bus station I turned this option down and thinking should I get taxi maybe since the LADA 2107
is some sight as every taxi in Alexandria is LADA 2107 as if the Russia just off loaded few boats or maybe they got one with each falafel they purchased in past as part of deal 2 fir 1 😊 As much as I was tired I had plenty of time so I decided to walk back to the bus terminal but by different road.
I left promenade beside the posh hotel and as I ventured deeper into the streets I came across the Tram station with newer models of trams even double decker one…. Tried took some photos but the Double decker started departing so catch a glimpse of it on the photo.
Keep walking through residential streets which started looking better and better, cleaner and well up kept until I realized that I’m near medical university and lots of diplomatic mission located there, when passed Russian embassy and some other two but I did not bother to look at their plates at the door. Got to the bus terminal with relieve as I was getting tired walking and being again followed, this time by two teenage boys , who were following me and when I changed side of the road they did too, eventually accidently overtook me and tried to take sneaky photo when I was coming closer to one of them since the other was positioning himself with mobile phone for photo. I sharply crossed the street and they mumbled something in Arabic with a bit a laugh but left me alone since I started crossing this building site under the overpass to get to bus terminal. Got there at 20:00, bit tired and glad to sit down at the table… pulled out laptop, ordered tea and went to upload the articles since I finally have internet connection from mobile hot spot. Just about time as it took me some time and I had finished at 23:00 to have time to pick up my luggage and go to platform as bus was leaving at 23:30. Also the noise around become a huge as the AS Roma played Liverpool and Mo Mo Salah scored goal what equals to national holiday in Egypt 😊 Blue Bus came and it was some nice an comfortable bus I’ve ever been.
Seats at front only as single wide seats and five rows at the back as normal but still better and more comfortable that regular bus. Parked my bony ass to nice and comfy seat, got my portion of food and water and relaxed. Later the group of mature gentleman’s boarded and they were in great mood as the laugh and smile was persistent until wee hours. The first stop was at Suez where we waited for about hour in line to check point, get our passport checked and then after hour drove to the check point where we have to get out and line up with our open luggage for check from army, where the sanitizing wipes were looked at suspiciously until I used the universal hand sign language of cut and clean and the second soldier understood and explained it to his colleague. Luggage back in the storage compartment and we are off. Another slow progress to the tunnel under the Suez canal “so did not see anything” and then another passport check “I have more passport checks in this one trip than possibly in my whole life” and stop for some food or coffee and we were off to Sharm El-Sheik. The entrance to the local area is through another luggage / passport check and then finally on the new dual carriage way. The mountains around amazed me as I did not expect to see mountain range so big in Egypt. The colors of the rocks and the fact that sea was to the right hand side and mountains to the left was some sight… Another passport check and this time two girls were pulled out of the bus and to the police station. Not sure what but I understood from driver hands movement that he was waiting for them to return when the policeman just waved hand fur us to leave and so we did. Girls were local and dressed quite European but who knows what was the issue. Arrived to Sharm El-Sheik better to say at over pass since the buss station is middle of nowhere and Sharm El- Sheik is just seen on horizon. Disembarked the bus and started looking for connection to Dahab what everyone said is gone and no more buses today, which is strange as per schedule on the net there are several buses. Well asked the guy at Go-Bus who said yes there will be bus to dahab shortly I spotted the East Delta Bus station over the wall. Strange that you have main bus terminal and then you have behind the wall another local bus terminal so I need to walk out from bus terminal around the strategically placed taxis to walk around the wall and enter the East Delta bus station, where immediately the guy came with question “going to Dahab” and I saw couple seating under the tree but I said no and continue to the bus station being followed by this taxi driver and constantly offering the best price. At the end I told him quite not really politely, what does he do not understand English NO or Egyptian La Shukran what is no in Egyptian. Really annoying person. The clerk behind window said that another bus is at 16:00 on which I said o.k but something was not right as I mentioned the schedule is for multiple buses to Dahab… Went to another ticket window and same answer no more buses till 16:00 when I questioned the sign at the side of window saying that bus is at 14:30 he just bluntly said new schedule. I had feeling that this is bullshit as with time slowly coming to 14:00 the annoying taxi driver increased the questioning and offering service and this time I told him to feck off, which he understood and left us with some mumbling and arrogant “Welcome in Egypt”. I watched the buses as none were with drivers but the local policeman who kept a huge book front of him recorder every bus so I felt that all the “new Schedule” is just trick of local taxi drivers in line with ticket salesman. I hang around closely to policeman as the new buss arrived to the station and asked him “Dahab” which said yes and ushered me to the ticket window to buy ticket… Such a sham and trick on great level I had not seen yet in Egypt to get foreigners onto taxi. We bundled together with this couple and just for fun we asked one taxi how much and he replied 700 pound what got me laughing out loud. Well the bus was for 40 pounds and were on the way to Dahab. Used the time to look at the mountains and also on my phone trying to book ticket to my next stop at Mauritius. We arrived in Dahab bus station which is again strategically placed outside of the town but we decided to walk as after so many hours on your bum you are happy to walk. I know that local try to make living but I’m not in mood to sit again and also money saving mode is one when you travel for indefinite time. We walked all the way to Dahab town and since I have nothing booked for my accommodation I asked if I could tag along with Daniel and Jess since they had booked something already. Sunset was already in the progress as we walked down.
Found the hotel what looked more like building site from distance but from close look it was just top floor as bottom was completed and we realized that we are first guest in it. Room is clean, tidy and for 200 pound per night not bad deal but I went to look around and realized that 200 pounds is local price as even dorm room was for the same money and no matter if I would stay longer. Well came back settle down and all three of us went for dinner as we were starving and found this CHICKEN KING restaurant in the not so touristic part of Dahab since we walked the promenade and the prices there were ridicules. We got meal for all three of us for 260 and it was plenty so happily fed we went for small walk to digest a bit the food before the bedtime, up and down the street we were at the junction to hotel so Daniel and Jess went to hotel and I went for one more stroll at promenade. Walk the part of promenade until I felt that food is settled and my eye lids slowly falling down I turned back in direction of hotel and then happily fell into bed.
