Made it Dahab and what a change from the chaotic Sharm! There were still the touts outside their restraunts and shops begging you to come in, but the crowd was more layed back hippie style and so where the accomandations. Felt more at home here than in Sharm.
There is one street that mirrors the bay which has restraunts over the water where you sit in overstuffed pillows as you look over to Saudi Arabia. Food was good and and service slow, just what one needs in Dahab.
I went diving with the same company that I did in Sharm but it was just myself and the dive master. Access to the reefs was by jeep driven down the beach and then we swam to the reef. Unfortunately it was not as beautiful of a reef and not near as much fun after leaving the others in Sharm.
After one day of diving in Dahab I was through with diving for this trip and that night I made arrangements to climb Mount Sinai and see St. Cathrine's Cathederal. I was picked up from the hostal at 11 pm and driven, with no AC, to Mt. Sinai. The hike started below St. Cathrine's Cathederal with about 700 other tourist and half as many camels. It was a long, dusty and smelly trip up the mountain. After my prior experiences with camels I knew that riding one of those beast wasn't an option (it's why people "walk like an Egyptian").
Finally made it to the point where camels could not go any further for the last 1/4 mile of steps to the top of the mountain to see the sunrise. I made the summit and was soaked in sweat and had another hour to go until the sunrise. It was cold and the wind was blowing. The tourist hundled together in masses awaiting the sun to show over the Sinai desert...it got light...and then a little more light...then we realized that the sun had risen but the dusty haze prevented the climatic experience! Long hike back down the mountain with the heat from the sun able to penetrate the desert haze.
St Catherine's was where Moses supposedly saw the burning bush. Didn't see any burning bushes and the Cathederal was accessed by a one person entry way through which all 700 people where pushing to get in and out of at the same time. Definetly not for the claustraphobic. Took a nap the rest of the day and then just layed around Dahab, getting ready for the ferry crossing into Jordan the next day.
