The trip was doubly important to me. Not only was it my first time to visit Hurghada, but it was also my first summer vacation in more than 18 months.
Weirdly enough, One can hardly find Egyptians in Hurghada -apart from people who operate the city's facilities and resorts-, it's infested with Russians, I think Moscow might have less Russians than Hurghada does.
One thing that I did find annoying is how almost every place you go has signs written in Russian, sometimes English is thrown in too, but Arabic is not put to use. I realize that this might be the smart thing to do if you have a shop or restaurant in Hurghada but it kinda gets on my nerves. We're in Egypt after all, Russians should try and learn some Arabic, or English (as a global standard).
Another thing that you immediately notice is the "touristic" prices you pay for stuff. Mineral water bottles that you get here for 1.5 LE cost you 8 LE over there at the resort. Coming back to Cairo everything suddenly seems so cheap, I went to the supermarket on my way to work and got half a dozen chocolate bars, I'd intended getting one but I just "felt" there were very cheap :)
However, the vacation was so much fun, I think I'd spent more than 16 hours in water in 2 days, when I came back yesterday night I hadn't slept for around 36 hours straight. There was simply no time to sleep.
And the trip was specially fun for me as I had lots of "first timers", it was my first time to visit Hurghada, first time to learn diving, not really diving but rather swimming under water, right over the pool's floor (160 cms), and it was my first time to go on an ATV safari in the desert, which I enjoyed immensely.
I still have lots to say about the trip, but I guess a picture says a thousand words, so I'll continue the photography theme with some photos from the trip, some taken by myself and some of me by my friend Osama.
Sitting on water
Demonstrating my super human powers ;)
Attack of the safarists
During the sunrise ATV safari we made, the best photo I took on this trip in my opinion.
30 Years From Now
Some of ITWorx folks who went on the safari, half way through the journey all the sand and dust in your hair gives a sneak peek at how you could look like 30 years later.
Me on the ATV
If you'll excuse the look on my face, I hadn't slept for 24 hours when this was taken, not that I would have looked any better if I'd slept anyway.
Silhouette of me
A joint effort made by me and Osama :)
8 comments:
Adam's Mom, i met your "wonderful husband" yesterday.. Expect a post about that today :)
Nevine, you're absolutely right. I too see it as selling out.
I think too many years spent as a 3rd world country diminishes people's pride in their culture and roots. It's a common saying around here that a foreigner gets respect as a citizen in his home country _and_ in Egypt, while an Egyptian gets neither.
And let's say we took it to the extreme, made Hurghada a copy of Moscow with everything just like the russians like it. I don't think the russians would still come then. Tourists come expecting to see a different culture, different people, and different ways of doing things. If we copy everything they do, they no longer have a reason to come.
Nevine, I'd seen Dia moving around in the office yesterday, and even though I so much wanted to meet him I couldn't get myself to do it. I was struck by my old shyness and the fear of not knowing what to say. Part of it because I don't know if he knows I exist aslan :)
Dunno what to do about that... :s
lol, yeah that's one of my darkest secrets :) Up till college I was this incredibly shy guy, to an extent you can't imagine. I tried to change starting with college though, thought it would be a good chance being in a totally new environment with totally new people where nobody have preconceptions about who you are.
Operation was a success to a great extent, although shyness does creep back from time to time in certain situations :)
hehehe, wow, these are great suggestions, seriously encouraging.
It's shaping up to be quite an adventure aslan :D I used my connections here to know the whereabouts of his desk, and I dropped by twice but he was not there.
I hope 3rd time is a charm.
I did it! :D
hehe, Dia is a very nice and decent guy ya Nevine :)
He seemed kinda busy so we didn't talk much, but weirdly enough he was not totally lost when I told him I was Chris, he actually had an idea about who I am :)
Good thing I caught him today as it's his last day in the office.
Next time you should be with him we could all go out, would be fun I think. Try to make it here before september :)
hehe, yeah maybe in the US then.
I'm glad you helped me conquer my fear ;)
And I would like to state for the record that I was extremely sun burnt when I met Dia, so when he talks about me please bear in mind that that was not my natural color ;)
lol, possibly :p
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