Issue 36: Dipping Into Dahab

Sinai here we come

Late Wednesday night, I boarded a bus to one of the few remaining parts of Egypt I haven’t visited: the Sinai Peninsula!

My friends and I embarked on a lovely long weekend in Dahab, soaking in the sun alongside a healthy dose of adventure. Like any good trip, I’ve arrived home feeling exhausted and like I did everything I wanted to do! Below are some of the highlights :)

Hiking Mt. Sinai

Moses did NOT have it easy, and neither did Olatunji and I, as we left Dahab at 10 pm for an overnight hike of arguably the world’s most famous peak. After winding through mountain passages and passport checks, we put boots to the ground a little past midnight and started our great climb upwards.

I won’t sugarcoat it— this was the hardest hike I’ve ever done. The combination of it being the middle of the night, the length of time it took, and the incline all made it a delirious, exhausting experience. We made it to the last 750 stairs around 4 am, and from there it was all mental. I got a cup of noodles and a blanket from a cafe 200 stairs from the top (yes, the owner lives at the top of the Mountain), and arrived at the peak by 5, just in time for a rainstorm and the eventual sunrise.

At the top, there was a church and a mosque, but no synagogue (which wasn’t that surprising…. Egypt), as well as some graffiti from the 1860s. Relatively recent! It was very strange being in a spot that one thinks of as mythic. All I can say is, the scenery looked biblical. Hiking back down in the daylight, I was finally able to appreciate the cliff faces and rolling mountain range I’d missed in the dark. We made it back to the parking lot by 9 am, and was in my bed by noon for a much-needed nap :)

Blue Hole, Abu Galem, and Blue Lagoon

Dahab isn’t just known for its proximity to Mt. Sinai; it’s also home to the Blue Hole and some other famous reefs! We chartered a boat north of the city to snorkel at these storied reefs. Abu Galem had lots of beautiful fish, and the Blue Lagoon was incredibly picturesque. But the Blue Hole really took the cake for me: this famous free diving spot was wild to see in person. The coral reef is stunning and then quickly drops into an abyss so deep it made me dizzy (no one knows the true depth- supposed to be between 300-500 feet). Amazing to snorkel in, but glad I wasn’t doing any diving!

The actual dipping into Dahab:

And of course, most of our time was spent chilling at beachside cafes. Dahab was unlike any other city I’ve visited in Egypt— chill, Bohemian, and gorgeous. I said to my friends, “it’s like if Portland was in California” because it truly was a collection of oddballs, but with stunning weather. I wish I had more time!

Song of the Week:

1. Kokomo by the Beach Boys (for beach vibes)

2. Deliver Us from the Prince of Egypt (for Mt. Sinai vibes)

Read of the Week:

1. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez (4 stars)

2. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (4.75 stars- this one was especially fun to read because I’ve been to every location in the book! Andalusia, Tarifa, Tangier, Feyoum, and the pyramids are all places I’ve spent ample time in !!!)

Food of the Week:

We had SO MUCH good food in Dahab, but I think my favorite was this giant fish we got to pick out of an ice box and then have cooked for us:

Animal of the Week:

MARMALADE! This was the cat staying at the Airbnb, and she is my baby. I love Marmalade. There were also lots of goats, but they weren’t as cool as Marmalade.

Professional News Corner:

I had two stories published this week in News@AUC: one on new renovations at the library, one on a new play coming to AUC.

Friend Shout-out:

Friend shout-out goes to the amazing Dahab crew: Celeste, Olatunji, Paul, and Omar!!! This travel squad initially met when we all went to the Black and White Desert back in October and I was so happy to run it back :)