7 Nights in Egypt

One of the best places I’ve been to so far would have to be Egypt. It’s a place I’d definitely go each year as a getaway break, to the same place, in the same hotel and with the same person. My fiancé and I spent 7 nights at the Sultan Gardens in Sharm el Sheikh, it was perfect. The weather was amazing, the people and staff were so friendly and respectful, the choice in food and the number of things to do and places to go were not limited at all. It was an active, fun holiday as well as a relaxing break.

We did many excursions during our stay including snorkelling, speed boat touring, sunrise quad biking, stargazing and parasailing despite the other half being afraid of heights. With neither of us being able to swim, the water based excursions were still so amazing although sound of hearing myself breathe under water whilst snorkelling was absolutely terrifying so I spent the rest of the time by the shore. It was an amazing experience even if I did only manage 3 seconds doing it.

Stargazing was nice too, it’s not something I’d do again but some of it was good. We left the hotel in the late afternoon where we were taken down to the desert area which took about 30 minutes maybe more. We then jumped onto camels to continue the rest of the journey deeper into the dessert. 20 minutes of pain during the camel ride and we were finally at the small huts where we were welcomed by Bedwin people (the people who live out in the desserts). They gave us a sweet brown shot of tea, which they called Bedwin tea. I did take time then, to give my thanks Starbucks. We also had a chance to make our own naan breads like the Bedwin people, and that was what we ate for our dinner. ..

Once we’d had dinner (or didn’t), they started with the entertainment to keep us going until it was dark enough to see the stars. We watched bellydancers do their thing on the stage wearing shiny bits of material. They involved the group as they called up a few tourists to join them. There was some other man who wore a long layered dress and stood in the same spot just twirling around for ages doing something with some round tray like things. It was entertaining, especially when his dress lit up. But the best part was when it was over. We were lead out in small groups to gaze at the stars. It was pitch black. Our group wasn’t as small as the others, and there were some annoying and chatty people so we couldn’t hear the tour guide clearly so had no idea what we were staring at. Anyway after 20 minutes it was all over. Thank God.

The best excursion would have to be the sunrise quadbiking. We had to leave the hotel at 3am. It was still pitch black once we got to the dessert and we had a private session with just me, the fiancé and the guide. He led the way and I followed behind. It was amazing, full speed across the desert in the middle of nowhere, pitch black. Dangerous. Incredible. Probably one of the best things I’ve ever done. We did this for about an hour maybe less, until the sun was about to rise. We stopped and climbed a mountain of rocks and sat down to see the sunrise over the dessert. So amazing, I’d do this again and again even if it meant 7 sleepless nights.

There was so much more, the shopping, the evening entertainment at the shisha bars, the mornings by the pool and afternoon naps on the beach.

Knowing that we would be coming back home was the only thing that ruined the holiday. Next time, because there will definitely be a next time, we will go back to Sharm for much longer than a week and just soak it all up.