[13/12/16~25 (D+847) Egypt/ to Cairo] Between Red sea and the desert
Trying cycling between Red sea and the desert although it is said there is a bit risky.
Shehzad whom I’ve met while cycling from Aswan to Luxor with GBI team offers to stay at the hotel with him and his mother together. I know some hostels around the town that I can meet him for dinner instead of staying together. But he is really funny guy and his mother is so kind that I could not deny their kind asking.
When I arrive at the hotel they booked in advance, I see it is five starts hotel. It is a twin room, but they put another bed for me. When he visited Egypt ten something years ago, he passed this hotel. He wished he stay at this hotel later when he can make more money. And now he made it and even invited me. Haha.
He is from England, but his parents from Pakistan. She says I should not go to Pakistan alone. I do agree it.
In the night we go out for having pizza. It is really fun to talk to him. I can’t remember exactly why we keep laughing. Anyway I love laughing and funny thing. So I appreciate to be invited.
They ask me to stay one more night. But I don’t want to bother their holiday and the hotel is too expensive. But they keep asking me kindly. So,,, stay one more night X)
He got married a few years ago, but his wife is not much interested about cycling. So, he just brought his mother. It seems he loves to take care of his mother.
At the night we meet another tourist whom we met at the cruise. We hang out together.
The hotel is near, but we take the horse. It is only around one dollar.
He and his mother fly at the afternoon. But I have to leave earlier, so I have to take breakfast separately.
He will join the part of my trip later when he is on a vacation. It means he will appear on my journal again later this year.
I take the bus from Luxor to Hurghada for my safety. There was some arguing, because the driver said I have to pay for my bicycle about the same price as much as I pay for my ticket. ………huh….
When I arrive in Hurghada, I couldn’t find the cheap hotel I researched on online. It happens sometimes. I spent much time to find the cheap hostel on online. But When I arrived in the city, I can’t find it so I stayed just at the other hotel.
I am too lazy to do something. Just sleeping and eating in Hurghada.
In front of hotel there is some restaurant. I don’t smoke, but sometimes I do shisha. Maybe one time per year? haha. But I am not good at smoking, so it is actually waste of money, because I can’t finish it. But here is so cheap, only 70 cents. I heard England is more expensive around 10 to 15 Euros. When I was in Tanzania, it was around 3$
Finally I am cycling at the next to Red sea. But the police stop me on the checkpoint. They say there are mafias that I will be killed by them that I must not cycle.
What??? I’ve met other cyclists who cycled here without problem. I’ve never heard about that thing. The police keeps saying I will be shoot. One of guys who work for tourists says “Let’s go to my home. I live with my mother and sister. It is too dangerous to cycle here.” What? Why should I go to your house???? When I try to hitchhike, he interferes and says to the drive “just go your way”. What? What are you doing?
One of other guys says it is okay to cycle here.
What?
Just too confused
I just ignore all of them. If it is really dangerous, they will catch me to stop. But as I go further, they don’t follow me. And I am getting too scared about being killed. What should I do?
Many cars honk horns at me, and it sounds like shooting. I don’t’ want to hitchhike, but it is too scared now.
When I am being too nervous, I see one guy hiding under small dune. It seems he is checking car’s speeding with speed checking machine. I ask him it is okay to cycle here. He says “What? There is no any problem. It is safe to cycle”
Later I’ve met other local people, but it seems they’ve never heard about Mafia. I don’t know what true thing is. Anyway I feel more calm down now.
There are many small houses. It seems it is army camp.
There is a strong headwind.
When it gets dark, I have the problem about finding the place to sleep. It is too flat that there is no place to hide, and there is no people I can ask.
I love this peaceful road that I don’t want to get a lift. But there is no choice for me who are too afraid of wild camping.
However, it is easy to hitchhike. The driver says he is going to Cairo that if I want, he can drop me at Cairo. But I say I want to get off just at the next city.
I try to set up tent at a gas station, but army says it is not allowed. I can’t understand why there are many soldiers at the gas station. (It is said that Egyptian army runs the gas station that they have so much money.)
But later they say to me, I can pitch my tent at the back of the gas station.
The next day I can keep seeing pipe for oil.
Yes, this is oilfield. I am so interested to see the oilfield at the middle of the desert. The earth is just amazing. The earth gives us so many things. I must find and go to the other planet to check what they usually make.
As I keep going, I close to Red Sea. The color of ocean is so pretty.
When I see at the left, I shout “I love the desert.” When I look at the right, I shout “I love ocean”. When I see at the front, I shout “I love the nature and my life”
Hahahaha…………. Everywhere it is so beautiful.
The sea and the desert
The restaurant is in front of the beach. I feel so peaceful.
It costs just around $3.
I was wondering why it is not allowed to use phone. Is it because of oilfield? Oh.. I guess don’t drive with calling phone.
Tonight again I feel so frustrated, because I have to hitchhike again to the next city. The reason is the same as yesterday.
The driver drops me at a toll gate. There is a big office for a traffic control. They let me set up my tent at one of empty offices that I don’t need to sleep with freezing cold.
At the next day, there is a strong head wind again.
There are many resorts which are under construction. I am wondering they can survive from this worse economy. Is this only for upper class of Egyptians?
One local guy ate the white thing which is on the photo at the right. I was so wondering that I bought for 60 cents. The tasty is so nice. It is like pudding? Yogurt? I could never see it again in Cairo 🙁
At the center of picture, it is the cheese these days I am so enjoying. It costs only one dollar, but there are 8 cheeses. Awesome.
At the afternoon there are more hotels I can see.
This is the only hotel I can see tourists. Other hotels are totally empty or under construction.
I can see often people enjoying fishing.
The water is so clear I could almost see the gravel on the bottom. Today I set up tent at gas station again. It seems a gas station is very safe, because they are soldiers and tank.
The way to Cairo is kind of the uphill. But it is too weird that I can cycle so fast. Why? Mabye I am so excited to finish this long African cycling trip? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
idonotlikecooking.jpg
The sun goes down, and I cycle faster and faster. I’ve enjoyed cycling for four days, because there is no such a village or town. No people, no harassment, and more fun. Hahahaha.
I am so happy that I try to cycle as long as I can do. Always Always Always trying is good thing.
I never want to cycle in Cairo, which is almost suicidal because I am a solo woman. My plan is to stop in front of any gas station before entering city. And tomorrow cycle with the local guy whom I met on GBI team.
But just before entering the city, he catches me and gives me a ride to city. YEAH!!! I think it is much better not to cycle into the city.
I am almost finishing cycling in Africa. Oh.. Just a few days left to Europe.
Yeah! It is time to finish African trip!
