Today was a day of fun in the sun. And the water. And more sun.
We got up relatively late, since we didn’t have to be at the bus until ten. I didn’t actually end up getting up and going swimming. I was sleepy, despite going to bed kind of early.
The bus, after breakfast, took us to the ocean where we got on two different boats and rode for an hour. Most of us stripped down to our bathing suits early to lie out in the sun. The boat I was on had a lovely padded deck just for sunning, and I figured I should get as much sun as possible on psoriasis before I aggravated it with salt water.
After an hour we got to the first reef. We all rented super expensive snorkels and super expensive fins and those among us who couldn’t swim rented super expensive life jackets. And we all jumped in. Well, most of us. There were a couple people who were paying even higher prices to go diving instead and were waiting for their instructor. And a few people who waited for the second reef because they were scared (veiled girls don’t get in large bodies of water very often). And one girl who got seasick and didn’t do either. But I was going snorkeling, and don’t know details about their trips, so I’m going to pretend everyone had the same experience I did.
The red sea is by far the saltiest sea I have ever been in. A drop of water in my mouth tasted like I’d poured a salt shaker in there. I think the added salt content does something to the water pressure, because we couldn’t dive more than a few feet without our ears popping, and floating was easier than in any other water I’ve ever been in. But it was gorgeous. Clear and blue and perfect.
Our guide was a little bossy. He insisted we all stay together, which is dangerous when you’re all wearing flippers. I have gashes and bruises in a number of places from people kicking me, but it was that or get yelled at every thirty seconds for wandering away from the group. It was worth it though, because the sea life was exquisite. There weren’t as many colors as I remember in the Philippines, mostly browns and yellows and a pink or two, but it was hilarious to chase after schools of fish, trying to catch them and failing ever time. And there was one breed of fish that had about eight different colors in it.
After we’d swam for a while, we headed back to the boat, all tired and thirsty and ready for a break. My lips were killing me, but after a few glasses of water I was fine again. I’m not sure why we stayed docked at that particular place for so long, but we spent a few hours jumping off the upper decks of the boat, swimming around by the boat, and then eating a delicious lunch of fish and pasta and pita chips and cold slaw on the boat. Okay, so I don’t like fish, but the pasta and pita chips were amazing.
Finally, we cast off for another reef, and I sunned myself again because my psoriasis was starting to burn from the salt and there wasn’t anything to wash off with. The second reef wasn’t as pretty, it was mostly coast, but I did see an eel when I accidentally wandered away from the group once, and in one of the reef alcoves there were two fish as big as my arm.
About halfway through this particular excursion, a couple people started having technical difficulties, so we ended early. But we still hung around the reef for a while, just chilling on the boat and what not. About the time we started moving again I fell asleep on one of the benches. Luckily it was in the shade, because as much as I’d been wanting to get sun, I really didn’t need a naps worth.
As it is, I’m a little burned, but only on my back, and it’s not bad at all. I expect it will pale up nicely in a few days, hopefully without peeling.
When the boat docked again, we all got off and onto the bus. I over paid for a Mars Ice Cream Bar, just because Mars bars are the best and I’d never seen it in ice cream form before. For the record, non-ice cream Mars Bars are better.
On the actual bus, we had a bit of a health scare. One of the Egyptian girls on the trip with us, Riwan, has been having some issues since yesterday at the desert. We figured after the long walk and all that dust she was just having an allergic reaction, and after we got some water in her she was fine. Today, however, she started having a full out asthma attack or something. We’re still not sure, but whatever it was she couldn’t breath, at all. Someone gave her an inhaler, and that seemed to help, but by the time we got back to the hotel she was almost non-responsive. They took her to the hospital where they gave her an IV, and according to her roommate she’s back and okay and resting, but all of our thoughts at with her.
The rest of us, all crusty from the sea, jumped in the pool when we got back. It was only open for another forty five minutes or so, but that was all we needed. Some people played chicken, others had hand stand competitions; all your usual pool games. Around that time, a bunch of the girls started planning a shopping trip. There’s a white party (meaning white clothes only) tonight at the biggest club in Sharm Al-Sheikh, and they all want to go. Of course, this being a very sports oriented trip, none of them have many club clothes with them, and especially nothing all white.
Having done so many physical things in the last few days, I’m not exactly in the big party mood. And even if I was, I don’t think I’d be willing to spend that kind of money. On top of the new clothes, it’s a one-hundred and fifty pound cover charge to get in with drinks on top of that. I know the dollar’s five times stronger than the guinea, but that’s ridiculous.
So, right now everyone else is out shopping, and I’m in Meghan’s room, typing. She’s letting me use five minutes of her fifteen pound per hour internet to post this, as well as yesterday’s post. The plan is that after the internet, we’re going to head down to a café on the beach. It looks like Silsila from the outside, even if it is twice as expensive. I’ll try to let you know how that goes tomorrow when I get back to Alex. We’ve got one long bus ride ahead of us, but hopefully it will be bearable. Ustaaza Esma’ has some Dramamine, so I’m hoping that will help me out.
I hope you’re all having a good Saturday back in America!
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