I CAN STILL FEEL THE GRIT ON MY TEETH. I just hope my facemask is more effective with Covid bugs than with Sahara dust. We are at Siwa Shali Resort after a long, long drive from Giza with our driver Ragab and Mohassen, the guide. By unspoken agreement we are all wearing masks until we feel more comfortable together, although with this wind and the blowing desert dust, full face coverings might be more appropriate.
Sand gets in your eyes
John booked the five-day tour online based on availability and scanty reviews. We didn’t have the time or the permits to visit the Berbers at Siwa Oasis in 2006 but we did enjoy our time in the desert and at the oases in El Kargha and Dakhla. Now with the Nile and the pyramids behind us, it’s time for Siwa. Nile Dream Tours had a package that covered what we wanted—and a few things we would have skipped. It’s pricey but it includes a driver (essential), guide/translator (nice-to-have), lodging with half-board, admission and most important, military permits. Siwa is only 40 km from the Libyan border where smuggling of drugs and arms is a national industry and tourist kidnappings—even murder—have occurred.
The Desert Fox ... and Monty
Egypt, for some strange reason, is immensely proud of its role in World War II, not so much as a participant but as a venue for the action. The famous battle of El Alamein, featuring Germany’s Irwin Rommel against the Commonwealth forces under Bernard Law Montgomery with Italian forces playing a supporting role, took place not far from Alexandria. Our first stop was at the El Alamein Military Museum to see artifacts and photos from the battle where both the Desert Fox and Monty made their bones. The desert preserves things very well, those that it doesn’t bury forever, including tanks, weapons, rations and even entire airplanes. The memory of those who died on both sides is preserved by the monuments and cemeteries, still tended by the combatant countries.
Camels and flies were our only companions
The rest of the 750 kilometer drive was punctuated by missed turns, poor roads, flies, military checkpoints complete with baggage inspection, document checks, flies, poor visibility, blowing sand, fuel stops and calls-of-nature and flies. The only sights of interest until we reached Siwa were herds of roaming dromedaries.
Mohassen and Ragab
Both Mohassen and Ragad are guides—Mohassen speaks English and Ragad Spanish. Both claim to have guided in Siwa before. Neither knew that Siwa Shali Resort was about 3Ks outside of town. Actually, it’s a pretty OK for the area with dim lighting and a wanky bathroom and spotty internet. But the water is hot, we have a fridge and an air-con/heat unit, both appreciated. The restaurant isn’t bad, especially if you like chicken and Connie sweet-talked one of the guys into giving us an electric kettle so we can have coffee (Nescafe, of course) first thing in the morning.
