(^18) Roadside camp – Safaga – 84 km
The next day was another 84 kilometres to Safaga through what was known as the
Eastern Desert or the Arabian Desert. The area is a mountain desert and features
astonishing and dramatic scenery and colours. The day started promising but the
wind picked up, and by the time the port town of Safaga came into view, the wind
was close to gale force. Being a windy area, both Safaga and the coast were
popular destinations amongst kite- and windsurfers. We hunkered down in the
nearest hotel, hoping the weather would improve by morning.
Safaga – Hurghada – 64 km
Sadly, the weather didn’t improve and biking out of Safaga, the wind virtually blew
me off the bike. On such days, there wasn’t a great deal one could do but battle
onward. In the process, I lost my sense of humour somewhere between Safaga
and Hurghada. I didn’t regain it until turning in a westerly direction a few days
later. The Red Sea coast was unforgivingly arid and windswept. The two “desert
rats” were travelling into the prevailing wind, a constant and intense wind, judging
by the wind farms going ten to a dozen.
At times like this all one could do was put your head down and concentrate on one
pedal stroke at a time until arriving at your destination. Hurghada was barely
kilometres away but took practically the entire day to reach.
Hurghada turned out a nightmare, albeit a tiny fishing village until the 1980s. It,
by then, stretched 40 kilometres along the ocean and sported thousands of tourist
resorts. Ramped development by both Egyptians and foreign investors left the
area dominated by a multitude of unsightly structures. A budget room in the old
town was more to our liking. Ernest was definitely better as he finished off a
substantial amount of Stellas.
Hurghada offered little more than scuba diving and, as the weather was cold and
windy, all one could do was eat and drink. Ernest claimed he still wasn’t feeling
well, and we stayed an extra day. Maybe he had a case of the “wine flu”.
Hurghada – Desert Camp – 52 km
The wind wasn’t as ferocious as the previous days and we managed 106
kilometres before setting up camp. But, being winter, it became dark by six
o’clock, making for short cycling days, especially when setting out late.
leana
(Leana)
#1