Yesterday, after a lengthy wait for the ferry in Nuweiba, we arrived in Aqaba, Jordan. Two days prior to our exit we took-on the all-night challenge of climbing Mt. Sinai. Leaving from Dahab by shared taxi at 11:30pm, we arrived at St. Catherine's Monastery a bit after 2:00am. The seven kilometer hike up the mountain, with oxygen slowly decreasing took us about three hours; of course that included stops along the way to rest and snack. Our trip was also a bit slower because one of the ladies decided it would be a grand idea to wear sandals (no she was not a pilgrim, she just didn't research before she made her decision).
It was a bit touch going, even for the both of us who have done a bit of hiking in our times, but the end result was worth it. After an hour of sleep just below the summit, we ascended to take in the incredible sunrise over the Sinai desert. Although a bit chilly, it was well worth it.
The descent was of course much easier and we got to take in the view we missed on our middle-of-the-night trek up. The Monestary, though not fully open to the public, was interesting to peek at. What is believed to be The Burning Bush and all.
Arriving back in Dahab at noon, our final full day in Egypt was spend sleeping. We arose the next morning to a power outage, so no showers after the long hike and before the long boat journey (only about 2 hours, although they quote one, and of course it was also two hours late).
We are not in The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and happy to be here. Although the accommodation is a bit more than we have become accustom to in Egypt(40JD for a mid range hotel, the JD being worth between one pound sterling and one euro), the food, so far, is great and the people friendly. We have already seen the sights of Aqaba and are curious as to what we will do for the next two days. Those sites include a small museum, which houses the result of excavations done by students and staff from my Alma mater The University of Victoria and funded by the Canadian Government. We also walked about the Aqaba Castle, a fortress started by the Crusaders and added on throughout the ages.
I suspect the next couple of days will be spent figuring out how we'll be getting to Wadi Rum and where we'll be staying. Pictures will be up shortly of the previously explained adventures.
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4 comments:
Hey Tom and Katie!
Chris and I are totally jealous of your trek up Mt. Sinai - can't wait to see the pics!
You two have inspired us to pursue our own travel adventures - we're currently planning an RV tour of Arizona this spring. It's no backpacking trip (and certainly not very green!) but the best alternative with bambino in tow!
Keep up the great posts!
Miss you guys!
Nic, Chris and Des
xoxo
Wow, so amazing! You are both on a truly phenomenal journey! Super great! Hope all is well and you are feeling good after the hike.
Enjoy and take care!
Thanks guys :) Glad we can inspire. We're off to Wadi Rum for a day of 4x4ing (not eco at all) in the desert, trekking and another night in a tent, this time with the bedowin. Looking forward to it. Then we are on to Petra, which I am super excited for. Keep me up to date with everything. I like getting wee posts. Katie
Did they film Lawrence of Arabia in Wadi Rum? That place looks far too scenic. You should both get long, white, flowing robes for the occasion. Tell me what the bedouins are wearing. I'll guess I'll content myself with watching reruns of the movie.
You'll never guess. I just googled the film Lawrence of Arabia and it was filmed in Seville, Spain and WADI RUM!!! How good is that?
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