We left Cairo at about 8:30 AM on a bus bound for Baharia in the western part of Egypt where we would start our journey into the desert. The bus ride lasted around 4 hours and was one of the most uncomfortable experiences of my life...sweaty and sticky seats with a plethora of flies buzzing around is not fun, trust me. We finally arrived at Baharia where we met our guide for the evening Samy Kotary. Sammy, a portly gentleman with a Santa Clause smile (and belly to match) asked us if we wanted to bring some beers into the desert for a little partying. Of course we obliged, being 3 recent college grads who would rather drink beer than water. We told Samy 3 beers a person would do just fine and he insisted on having more. "I have at least 6 beers a day" he told us in his broken English. Probably why he had that massive belly.
Along for the 2 hour ride into the desert was another driver/cook Mohammad and a local police officer who acts as private security for tourists during the camping excursion. He had a sub-machine gun so we felt pretty safe that if anything came at us at night we would be fine. Samy assured us this was just a precaution and that nothing bad happens out in the desert. People mind their own business and the only animals you encounter are beetles and small foxes. Well Im not scared of foxes so lets saddle up and do this!
We drove for about an hour when the convoy of two 4x4's (there was a Canadian couple that came with us) stopped by a local eatery to have lunch. On the menu was flat bread, babaganouj, chips, and tuna fish. I know, where in the world do Bedouin people get tuna fish in the middle of the desert? They probably bought the cans at the local market so of course we knew it was the freshest (sarcasm in my voice and in my writing). Surprisingly the food was pretty good and after loading up on our lunch feast we headed out further into the desert in search of our camping spot.
Where we ate lunch.
On the way the scenery was absolutely amazing and you cant help but wonder if you somehow left planet earth and are now on an alien planet. Black rocks and sand along with jagged mountains stretch as far as the eye can see. This is a harsh and unforgiving place where only the strong survive and where Samy and his bedouin family apparently reside and make a living. Dont be fooled ladies and gentleman, beneath that soft facade is a tough desert man who could put Bear Grylls to shame.
After some time our convoy stopped at Black Mountain which is a popular spot with the many tourists who come through the area. Samy told us we could climb it so Colin, Chris, and I took off up the mountain's narrow winding path. It looked to be a fairly easy climb but believe me it wasn't. By the time we reached the top we were sweaty and tired with our lungs and legs burning. But the view from the top was worth the exhausting climb. We could see for literally miles and miles over the barren landscape. Wow!
Cautiously we descended from the heavens and climbed back into our 4x4's and headed off into the unknown. The sun was setting fast so we hurried to our campsite which was still about 45 minutes away. Along the way we spotted a flashing red light off into the distance and when we approached it we saw a backpacker. Apparently he was part of a larger group that backpacks through the entire desert, walking around 30 km a day. And its not like Egypt is hot or anything! How they do this I have no idea but we left him and found our campsite. It was set in the middle of salt deposits that just from the ground to form what looks like mushrooms. This particular one is called Mushroom Chicken...see picture below. Kind of makes your hungry, lol.
The guides then set up camp by positioning the cars in an L shape and covering the side with a giant canvas to block the wind. While they were doing this and also cooking our meal for the evening I walked out away from the camp and just admired the scenery. It was absolutely breathtaking to see the landscape and to think that right now we are in a desert in Africa! I returned to the campsite after my revelation and after using the bathroom facilities....which meant under the stars. This was my first time "going" outside (i dont think my neighbors would approve) so it felt very liberating. So after that experience I rejoined the camp and we ate a delicious dinner made up of rice, potatoes, vegetables and beef, all cooked to perfection. It was finger-licking good and filled us up very nicely.
By the time dinner was done with it was around 830 ish and we spent the next hour next to the campfire smoking hookah, drinking beers and singing with Samy. Well Samy was singing we were just keeping the beat by clapping our hands. Then at 9:30-10ish we all got ready for bed. Our sleeping arrangements consisted of single sized mattresses and a very heavy and warm blanket to shield us from the cold night. I lay awake for about an hour just looking up at the stars and wishing I could share this moment and this view with people back home. What a sight to see. With no light pollution from nearby cities and no smog from cars the sky was crystal clear to see the stars. It was truly magnificent. I actually woke up late into the night, around 3 am when the moon had gone down and without the light from the moon there were even more stars. Im talking about thousands upon thousands of stars just littering the night sky. It almost didnt look real.
Samy and Mohammoud singing by the fire
I awoke at sunrise which was around 6 am and slowly crawled out of my warm and comfortable bed. While the guides packed up camp Colin, Chris, and I watched the sunrise atop a rock formation and then we headed out back to Baharia.
Sunrise in the desert
The long ride back had me replaying that memorable night in my head and my one regret was not having a camera powerful enough to photograph the sky at night. That was my favorite part of the trip. Seeing all those stars makes you truly feel small in this giant universe. It was definitely something I will never forget.
Well my posts for Egypt are done and now I will move onto my travels in India. New post coming within a day or two so stay tuned!
Well my posts for Egypt are done and now I will move onto my travels in India. New post coming within a day or two so stay tuned!
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