* Words we have aquiredYou will notice that some words have been * to note that this an arabic word that we use (some of) on a daily basis! La = No .... sometimes when talking to Mustafa we use Laooohhh instead just to annoy him!Aiwa = yes Salam = peace on you or hello/ greetingShokran = thankyouKola Tamam = really goodMarsalam = goodbye peace go with youMaya Maya = everything is ok Tamam = everything is together/ in order/ in placeMesh Meshi = ok/ very good Humdillyla = very well/ good Shway shway = slowly slow Hoaart = oi, hey you Magnoon = crazy Kharah = shit Muzza = what Ma beak = whats with you Harem alek = shame on you. Davo's favoriteIk teram a knee = respect me Benzona / Hak kear = bastard / bitch Nic nac suck = go f#!&k yourself Zoo bick saghir = you have a very small... do I really have to type it? you understand dont you?!Who makes the best BBQ chicken?
Mustafa, Mustafluffy, Mustacheo, my egyptian brother I never wanted! or just -Pistacheo does! La* oohh! This is the best marinated chicken this side of Texas- with Egyptian herbs lemon pepper salt char grilled to perfection. The salad was fantastic also... Walid! We have been to 2 bedouin dinners in the desert. Lee and Roger -A couple that we had originally met in Istanbul (and happened to bumb into Katy in Dahab that was so cool) were at the first one with us; it was fantastic and glad you were there to experience this with us... see your photo below! Now he Mustafluffy, will be happy!
Diving News
In diving news today an update that Acey has completed her advanced diver certificate, Harry is now a dive master and Katy has completed emergency first response! Hooray for us! Humdillyla*
Gilly- Katy's mum came to stay
There was excitment when we knew that Gilly was coming and Katy did not. It was great, I wish we had the video on to record the look of shock on Katy's little face. It was precious. Then there were tears... and then there was VEGEMITE! Tamam* Thanks Gilly! you also can see your photo below! She was here for a week and it went way too quickly. Of course Gilly brought her motherly instincts with her and we all started to look after the cats even more than before. They have names now- the loudest being- Acey, the runaway/explorer- Harry, the littlest- Katy, Smokey joe, Mumma , Black Mama, Big balls, Gammy legs, Gammy tooth the Bear ( I will but a photo of him on here soon), Mousey mousey (The Aussie will know why, to give you a hint- a certain ad on TV) and Top Mouser!
New friends and yes your photo is below!
We made some new friends as you do who we plan to go and visit in Norway Siv and Marcus. They are fantastic people and we had many a good time and sheesha with them at Jasmines... our outside by the sea lounge room!
And our old friends last hurray!
Was really good to see Kylie and Gareth before they flew out to S.A. - (South Africa not Sth Aust.) Spending some quaility with them and Kylie's first dive you go girl! Sorry to hear about the sheesha we are going shopping for you this arvo!
Thistlegorm, Ras Mohammed and Tieran Islands 2 days
This is a shipwreak off the coast of Sharm el Shak and a great boat dive, very popular maybe even too popular. It was a english boat that was sunk by the germans? During the war? We went on a Monday and the amount of boats grew from 4 to start to about 20 by the time we were leaving. Anyhow it was amazing we did 2 dives to it the first- outside we descended nearest the massive propeller and swam past the machine gun and around it. The 2nd dive we went inside, there are jeeps , motorbikes, boots and batteries and really big fish about! The seas were against us on the way out of both dives and I cant say any of us really enjoyed them completley. Good under the water not sitting on the top of it though. We did an amazing dive at Ras Mohammed where the fish are just huge...
I wanted to see a shark and I did and then I had to wrestle him away to save Davo. Davo was very happy that I did this. Then Davo got kidnapped by a group of masked puffer fish... it was very hard for me to make a positive I.D. being that they had masks n all. But in the end I got my Davo back and its all humdillyla* again... How's that Bendy?! good one hey? Is that what you wanted?
(sorry to freak anyone out) hee hee ha ha
Tieran isalnds was very nice but I definatley enjoyed Ras heaps more. It was just a pity that there was really no organisation on the boat with it being run by some egyptian cowboys... a few minor hiccups and it was about to hit boiling point with all of us with handys threatening from the water to stab one of them and refering to them as a bunch of muppets!... when the Beulga Whales arrived and chilled everyone out... It was as if they knew....
Differences in Egypt.
Dahab and Sharmel shak are really different to the rest of Egypt. Sharm is europe. Fully set up for the English and Italian tourists who have more money than sense.
There are 3 types of menus in Egypt (cheapest to $$$$) the egyptian/ local, the tourist and the italian! The waiters will hear you speak before deciding which menu to give you... of course we always ask for the local no matter where we are in Egypt!
Dahab is a backpacker heaven everything is cheap and you do not get (as much) hassle as anywhere else like Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. There they are intense; and after a long day trekking around seeing the sights our tempers are a little short with some people. This is no exageration -To walk 3 metres and be asked 5 times for a Fellucca ride, taxi, horse carriage, camel ride , donkey, or a horse. We have worked out being nice gets you no where only into more hassle. They just do not take no for an answer unless you are nasty with them. Aggression is a course of action in this strange environment or we just act compleatly freaken Magnoon*. Then you find you are short with one and he gets all offended and says why you speak me like this i just wanna be your friend so you find yourself apolgising and next minute he is trying to get you into his bazaar/shop!!! you just cannot win. Its all a very draining experience. Breathe Acey (or more so Davo) shway shway*.... Dahab is safe.... everything is good... they know us there... everything will be kola tamam*
Hurguada to Luxor
After the boat trip we headed strait to the ferry and overnight in Hurguada, where our taxi driver took us out for dinner... we had to pay for him of course! but it was cheap and good, just like king chicken in Dahab. The next morning we got on a really shitty bus to Luxor. Egyptians believe that air conditioning is opening a window... I shit you not my friends.
James from Venus Hotel was a complete annoyance but for some reason we ended up staying there ... perhaps his persisitance payed off or we were too hot to argue anymore. Luxor and Aswan are alot hotter than Dahab. We had to be at least near a pool and we managed to scam that quiet well... They thought that we were staying at that hotel when we were across the road at the venus which was 1 tenth of the price!!!!! one point to us about 75 points to the Egyptians!
Valley of the Kings, Nobles and we can't remember the name of the other one... that's really bad init?!
I think we are offically templed out like we were ruined out in Turkey!This was a big day what saved us from the heat (50 degrees plus) was the driver, he actually knew how to work the aircon!
All hail the bus driver!
There was a welsh couple on the bus with us and their 2 kids- 4year old girl -Teanni and 3 year old boy and then also 2 English blokes. The tombs are somewhat impressive as for how they were built and have stayed entacted over the years. Although we could not help notice how "fresh" the hyroglyphics inside the tombs were. Built so long ago, and thousands of tourists every year yet they are very well preserved..... got us thinking, more on that later. Teanni attached herself to me literally when we got to the valley of the nobles and after 10 steps asked if she could be carried. So pretty quickly she found a new style that she had not heard b4 an old aussie favorite the Piggy back!
Luxor via Edfu and Kom Ombo to Aswan
We took the same mini bus driver down to aswan vis Edfu - the photo with the falcon. Kom Ombo the crocodile temple... What can I say very well maintained for something that is really not looked after that well at all. But it was impressive anyhow.
We found once we arrived in Aswan as we did in Luxor that the only places with pools were REALLY expensive and Aswan was even expensive if they didnt have a pool!
WATER
The shop owner in Aswan who EVERY day tried to charge us 5 e-Pounds when the day b4 we paid 1.50?!!! Harem allek* mr shop owner! I think by the end he was doing it to stir us up but the first couple of times it proves to be quiet annoying. Especially when this happens from every shop you go into. We know that there is only one water in Egypt that is 2 pounds and that is Nestle.. because it is imported, everything else is 1.50. But its all the stoopid tourist that have money to burn that pay 5 pounds for a bottle because to them its only 50 pence. And so the shops try to see if they can stooge you.
FOODEgyptian food is really shitefull/ kharah*... there is just no nice way to say it. Apart from Mustafa's chicken! Most of it is very bland. If it taste Ok- it makes you stink Falafel and Koshary farts are seriously toxic, and can bring a grown man to his knees. The only thing that is good is Tagen a small clay pot casserole; all of them have been great. oh Apart from Katy's in Aswan that had 6 cardamon pods in it... thats way too many.
ABU SIMBEL
We arose around 3am to get on a mini bus at 3.30 to Abu- Ramses the 3rd and Nefartari's temple. There was a convoy leaving at 4 am. The bus arrived at 3.05... of course, so lucky we all had it together for a change, we then drove around Aswan because the bus driver didnt have it together by not know where any of the other hotels were. On the road with several other buses where they all basically played chicken with each other. We assume that they do this drive every day and are very bored of this... never mind about our lives.. no, it really was semi- safe! Trying to sleep was nearly immpossible, so Andrew made himself a head sling with the curtains.... smart man! I may have to put that photo on here Hansy?! We arrived at 8am asking bus driver where our guide was... In there you will find him! Bought our tickets to which the price was 38.50 and of course they did not have change I was not gonna let them take 40 from me on principle; that we were the first group to arrive there and they should have there act together and have change for me. How many years had this place been open to the public for and they still had not gotten it together- I asked out aloud. The man behind the counter was waving me out of the way but I and Davo right at my side... WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED! I told him the only way to get rid of me was to give me my change... it came, thanks very much! another one to us! Then we found our english speaking guide that we had paid for; to discover that the guide is included into the addmission of the ticket... HHHMMM... words were spoken to the tour operator later - Davo and hand were well prepared to jump him if he was to do a runner; like 8 words directly - money back or we call the tourist police. Another win for the famous 4!
Abu is an amazing tomb; so large that they saved it from being lost under the Aswan Dam. put it in a direct replica spot for the sun to shine directly into it 2 days a year The day Ramses was crowned king and the day he died... spooky hey?!
Now I am gonna spoil it all for you...
Nefartari's Tomb is also splendorus, but at this tomb we all really notice just how not aged/ worn at all were the hyroglyphics... And we were not the only ones... In fact you are able to see quiet clearly, fresh new render..... Any renderers want a new job i am sure that you could get one in Egypt as long as you can keep a secret!
The bus ride home was good we made a new friend TIM (yay for you! hope your singing is going real good.) He's a septic tank (but a good one) speaks fluent arabic .. good for us! and he actually has a fair idea about whats really happening in this crazy mixed up world of ours.. He decided to fly back to Dahab with us and hang with us for some days. Which has been much fun and laughter. We are now teaching everyone we met how to play Asshole and hearts - its 2 card games.
Its looking as if we will be leaving Dahab in the near future - August- even though Walid and Mustafa do not want us to go. Its nearly time to move on. Thats all for the moment love to all and why is no-one leaving us comments anymore?
