Hurghada - Jac's Birthday

Arriving at Paradise

Parrot Fish

Several people expressed concern before I moved over here as to whether I would be lonely. I’m actually a pretty self-sufficient person and most of my desired activities are fairly solitary (swimming, writing, shares), so I wasn’t particularly worried as I can occupy myself. However, as it’s turned out, it’s all quite sociable at El Andalous. Our new beach also helps as people often gather there and then start to talk to each other.

Anyway, this is a blog to demonstrate that I do have a social life!

For her birthday, Jac had organised two minibuses to take a group of us into Hurghada for a boat trip. So, hey, that’s already two minibuses full of people that I know here!

It was a fairly early start – 8.15am – which is surprising for Egypt because many shops don’t open until way after 10am and early starts aren’t really in the Egyptian mentality. The minibuses were comfortable and in good condition (by no means a given!), although somehow the drive into Hurghada felt bumpier than usual. Maybe it was just my stomach protesting at having had to eat before 8am!

We were able to collect snorkel gear if we didn’t have our own, although it was a windy day and the sea wasn’t looking so inviting at the time. We were assured that the sea would calm down in two hours’ time. In Egypt, you have to take so much on faith!

I wish my photographs could capture the beautiful blues of the sea and the sky. It is truly stunning. Quite a few people have complimented me on my photographs in my blog, but the colours are something either I or my camera just cannot portray.

We had to “walk the plank” to get onto the boat, which was quite alarming as you had rough waves down below, a pier on one side, a boat on the other, and then you walking over a plank without anyone able to hold you as you went. I felt a right wimp – I was one of the youngest; one person was 80 years old and was sprightlier than I was! I pray that I can retain my health and my fitness (such as it is).

As on the previous snorkelling trip, they didn’t allow us to wear any shoes – including flip-flops or swimming shoes – on the boat, so we all had to remove our footwear after we’d got on. We were then all ushered to the top deck for a Bucks Fizz to toast Jac. Again, getting up the stairs wasn’t so easy when the boat rocked about and I felt I was being a bit pathetic about it compared to everyone else. I need to practice putting on an air of bravado!

I couldn’t stop marvelling at the colours (I did apologise for going on about it endlessly!). After the toast, we went downstairs for Jac to receive (and share!) her surprise birthday cake. The next major event was the snorkelling. 

The guide said we should get in by jumping with one foot in front of the other, but I disobeyed as I didn’t like the idea and just jumped in as normal (I would have preferred to have slid myself off the boat). The guide would shout over to us if he found anything interesting. At one point, I was convinced he was yelling “shark!” and couldn’t work out why he wanted us to approach him (I didn’t particularly want to see a shark), but as I tentatively approached, I realised he was shouting “shoal!”. The water was still very choppy, but not too cold and I did manage to get a good photograph of a parrot fish.

After this, we went to paradise – how about that! Actually, it’s an island that seems to have several names as far as we could make out – Paradise Island, Giftun Island, Malmaya. It was beautiful, but the water was freezing. I still swam as a matter of principle, but it felt more like an endurance test, if I’m honest. If any Danes are reading, you should interpret this as me being a wimp. The water was probably around 20 degrees and I know you Danes like jumping into Lake Zurich even when it’s Winter. You’d have to put a gun to my head to get me to do that! Hats off to the brave, though.

We had lunch on board – a buffet with some marvellous fish (this is from someone who doesn’t even particularly like eating fish!), calamari, kofta, rice, potatoes, salads (the eggplant one was amazing!) and drinks (including beer and wine). Being inside reminded me a bit of the boat part of my party because the seats here were in a similar semi-circular set-up to the boat that I’d hired in Zurich, although the Hurghada one was quite a bit larger than mine.

On the return journey, I decided to lie down on the upper deck, while others sat and chatted and some fished (returning the fish to the sea afterwards). A flock of birds hovered over the boat above my head and I got to see them pretty close up, with their little legs tucked under their bodies, gliding along effortlessly, and their faces looking as if they were holding a concentrated, but happy frown. I wanted to take a photograph, but I was enjoying looking at them so much that I didn’t want to waste time fetching my camera.

So, that was pretty much how the day was. We all had a great time and I’m sure everyone hopes that Jac will continue to have many more birthdays in future!