The Red Sea Trip

Sharm el Sheikh to Eilat

Sharm El Sheikh has come and gone and we are now in Jordan. There is not much to say about Sharm El Sheikh except that I have never seem so many dive boats. It is totally dive tourist oriented. The hotels stretch for several kilometres and are all lit up so it looks like a mini Las Vegas.

The trip up from Sharm El Sheikh to Jordan was very rough with the wind dead ahead and blowing at up to 34 knots with waves of3-4 meters. One stop on the way at El Kura & Dahab. Again we could stay at anchor but not go ashore. I

We have been welcomed to the Tala Bay marina in Jordan. It is a brand new marina and we are the first foreign boats to come here. So new that the water and electric meters are still at zero. It is a village complex with marina. There are three swimming pools, Jacuzzi and sauna all free for us to use. Yesterday was the grand opening of the complex with dignitaries from Aqaba to officiate. The most superb food for lunch and a party on a gullet while it cruised around the bay in the evening. It is from here that we go on a 4 day trip to Petra, Shoubak castle, Karak castle and the Dead Sea.

One gets an impression of these countries mainly from television which is totally different to the impression when you get here. They are welcoming and friendly, except the Egyptian officials, and not the war like image one has. They have an interest in improving their countries and making them attractive to live in.

Aqaba is one of the cleanest cities I have seen and has green parks and trees everywhere. Friendly and non threatening. The old town is as an old town should be with lovely bakeries and butchers etc. and all close together.

I have just returned from a 4 day trip to Wadi Rum, the dead sea and Petra. Wadi Rum is a spectacular area of desert with the most unusual rock formations I have seen anywhere. The trip involves a jeep ride out into the desert and was the area that Lawrence of Arabia was active. His house can still be seen and the spring where he is supposed to have washed. It is surprising to see water coming out of the hills when it has not rained since January.

The trip to the Dead Sea was done on the Jordan side and was not a success. The Israeli side is said to be better. It did, however,  introduce us to the very unpleasant experience of having flies by the million all around us. Flies are a problem with a few always around which we complain about, but after this experience I will never complain again.

Two days were spent looking around Petra. It remarkable with the stone facades cut out of the solid rock and the 1.5 kilometre walk into the city through a very high and narrow gorge and opening out to the Treasurary. One of the French group I am with has a bad knee so this gave he and I the excuse to go up the 650 steps to some of the areas on a donkey. Something I have always wanted to do. The second day involved more steps and a long trek so we again used donkeys. getting quite good at riding them now. The rock is streaked with the most wonderful colours and this has been made use of where the caves have been cut. The roman Soldiers Tomb has a large cave opposite which was used for the funeral meal and has pillars and notches for statues carved from the rock which is superbly multi coloured.

The canyon entrance to Petra and the treasury facade was used in the Indiana Jones film 'The Last Crusader'. Unfortunately there is only a large chamber behind the facade and we could not find the Holy Grail to give us everlasting life. Not sure I would want that anyway.