Egyptian Moonscape in Egypt

 

Landing in Egypt, the total tourist destination that was Sharm El Sheikh did not evoke a sense of bravery or boldness. In fact driving through Sharm El Sheikh was like an American dream of hotels and swimming parks. The sense that we were just passing through, this is what evoked that thing deeper inside of me. I had completely placed my trust in total strangers, knowing that I would have to rely on myself if things went disastrously wrong. I would need to find the resilience to cope and get myself home again. This is what made me stand up and pay attention, that and the curiosity of what was lying ahead.

I was part of a group of girl kite surfers heading a couple of hours away from the airport and out to a lagoon next to dessert where we would spend some epic quality time perfecting our up-winders and down-winders.  The only thing was, I did not actually know any of the girls. In fact, there was only one other girl on my flight, the others were meeting us at the airport in Egypt. And despite every instinct screaming at me that this was probably a con, after all it was just an advert in a magazine that I had replied to, and from that I’d handed these strangers a stack of cash based on a promise.  There was no point worrying though, best to just get stuck in; expect the best but plan for the worst, this kind of mentality often serves me well. But just as planned everyone gathered together and headed to the lagoon. Stopping on route only to stock up on water and snacks. Having no idea what was going to be at the lagoon other than a place to sleep, I grabbed a crate of water and for some reason a huge packet of nuts. (My nearest and dearest would probably say it was because I am nuts!)

The drive was sparse, the landscape so moon like with sand blown into wall shapes everywhere I looked. I’d never seen anything like it and I was magnetised to the window of these death trap vans that could have been driving us anywhere. But again the trust was placed and we arrived a couple of hours later. Arrived that is at a place in the middle of nowhere, the sort of place where no one would hear your screams! And nobody did hear my screams when I saw the brown water tumbling out of the shower onto my head. Well, the only person to hear my screams was the total stranger I was sharing a room with.

This I was dreading, the thought of being holed up with some crazy murderer, or someone who felt the need to get wasted every night and bring other strangers back for the night. Some on the trip were like this, heading off into the night with complete strangers who promised them a wild night. I was all about hours on the water, and that was one trust too far! Sharing the room proved to be a breeze, we were both like-minded and all about the kite surfing.

Minutes, hours and days were wasted on the water; kites flapping, boards skimming the lagoon. I was going right to the edge of the lagoon to see where the water turned from an azure blue to a more threatening dark blue that clearly drew a battle line between the shallow water and the depth of the sea.  Coming in from the water was a joyous mixture of pleasure and pain. I was stoked from the adrenaline of pushing my riding, and pain from the sand temperature having risen over 40 degrees over the course of each day. I was usually so focused on getting on the water I would forget my shoes, going au naturel, which was always to my regret later in the day when I had to endure the top layer of skin being burnt off.

The end of the trip fast approached, no more watching million dollar tankers going right to left on the horizon, no more military men patrolling the area on their camels, smiling at the pretty ladies in their bikinis.  (I thought this would be more frowned on, but they seemed quite happy to watch!)It was then time to pile back into the death trap vans and return to the airport. The defining moment being the sheer numbers who had managed to pick up Montezuma’s belly; and where shrieking out every so often to “stop the van”. Thankfully I managed to dodge that curve ball. Of all things to fear, it was clearly swallowing the water!

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