Hump on the road
Camel strays onto the road near Nuweiba, a town made of a small beach chalets and a port which offers a grand vista as you descend from the approaching road.
A one-humped version.
Mount Sinai
KML 28.539 33.975
Background
Also known as Mount Horeb. It was here Moses witnessed the burning bush whilst tending Joseph’s flocks. ‘The bush burned but was not consumed’ is the common theme. There are different versions.
Sinai derives from the Semitic, Sin or ‘Sun God’ OR sin-ah, meaning hatred referring to the Jealousy people felt against the Jews. I’ve been to many places where the sun rises, and this isn’t the greatest amongst them.
Definitely a place for reflection.
Moses received the ten commandments here.
Ascent
Mount Sinai is a journey reachable from St. Katherine (town). Where there are a few hotels.
They say that Mount Sinai is best viewed at dawn, when one can wonder at the true spectacle of this desert mountain landscape and the beauty of it all etc. etc.
The truth is, if you attempted in the day, you would suffer heat-stroke, exhaustion or both.
This is a 2 hour, 3 mile jaunt ascent of roughly 1500ft along dusty track followed by steps which last for 700 steps.
Expect to be fit or fast if you want to get there at dawn.
Here are the rewards.
Descent
Took the descent down the 7,000 step route.
This is the original, steep route, and the one we hear so much about. You will know you are on the right track as you pass through 2 arches.
It descends from the mountain taking in 7,000 rock hewn steps, although I didn’t count them so I can’t be sure where this statistic was coming from.
One thing I can be sure of was there were no Camel trip or attractions to plunder your money on.
I enjoyed the silence and was able to reflect on how Moses must have been thinking in order to wonder up to such a wild and desolate place and what inspired people to hate the Jews so much..
The chances of death are high. You’re on your own, in every sense. Perhaps more than anywhere else I’ve ever been. But the silence is great. Shame there are so many tourists around đ
Sinai Desert
KML 28.869, 34.475
Sinai desert
KML 28.845, 34.344
Sinai desert
Stop off in Dahab
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On my way to Mount St. Katherine, Egypt, and possibly the world’s, oldest monastery.
Dahab I was expecting like Sharm, or an old town. Turned out to be an old town.
Here I stopped for some lunch, a haircut and to buy some CD’s for the journey.
Dahab was a pleasant town, less low-key than Sharm. The beach is pebble, so I doubt that it would have attracted the same level of interest as Sharm which has lengthily sandy beaches set against resort after resort.
Dahab is not like that.
I could find more in Dahab and faster, so it made a good stop over point and I got all the things done I wanted to do, here’s some shots of Dahab.
Cheeky cat eats Aroz
Stuffed fox smokes pipe
The restaurant I stopped in was called Mummy Funny, I had a Hallal Kebab, which, I guess is an Egyptian meal.
It was beef in spicy sauces with peppers (capsicum), potatoes fried in cumin, served with rice and salad.
Took me 5 minutes to eat it and it went down a treat.
My new car
Have got this Subaru 4wd. From what I can make out it’s a 1.8 injection with AWD advanced wheel drive although I tested it in the dunes this afternoon It didn’t seem to be going anywhere fast.
Subaru Land Cruiser
Most of the Bedouins drive open-top jeeps like the old US issue short wheel-base jobs.
This Subaru should do fine judging by the level of potholes on the road.
Egyptian road rules
Pick any side of the road.
You needn’t stick to it, if you want to change sides later on, that’s fine too.
When I first got in the car, I noticed a 4000l oil truck careering down the wrong side of a dual carriageway tooting his airhorn.
Discovery
Discovered today that the boot doesn’t lock and the oil light remains permanently on.
I’ll be taking it back tomorrow.