From Dirty to Purty: Cairo to Dahab

After spending a week with our friends in Cairo, touring Coptic Cairo and climbing to the top of Bab Zuweila we decided it was time to hit the road and head for the Red Sea. We made our way down to Cairo Gateway (also known as Turgoman Station) in downtown Cairo to pick up our tickets.

Once at Cairo Gateway we booked our one-way overnight bus tickets from Cairo to Dahab for 90 EGP ($15.13 USD).

Later that evening we made our way back to Cairo Gateway to catch our bus. Due to insane amounts of traffic, we made it just in time. When we boarded the bus we were surprised how empty it was. There was a total of about 7 people on board including the two of us. Not only does that make for a more quiet and relaxing bus ride but it also means we can put our seats back as far as we want without bothering the cramped legs of the people behind us.

Through out the ride we made our usual few stops at rest stops along thew way, and also at the military check points. I have to say even though we’ve been through the military check points before, it’s still a little nerve racking to see young men wielding AK-47′s and other automatic weapons as your bus pulls up to the check point. Some get on board and check passports/ID’s. That being said, we have never encountered any bad experiences with the army during any of our check point stops. They seem to be quite polite to tourists, as they should considering tourism is at an all time low.

After a few nasty bathroom breaks and more than a few military checkpoints, exactly 8 hours later we arrive in Dahab. It’s 5:45 AM, the sun is just coming up and taxi’s are no where to be found. Luckily we start to chat with an Egyptian who lives here in Dahab and he waves down a passing vehicle in hopes to have the guy drop us off down in Mashraba. The driver obliges and we all hop into the back of his pick up truck.

We’re dropped out front of our hotel (Sham’s Hotel) and we head down to the restaurant in hopes to find someone who is awake at this time of the morning. Fortunately enough we found a friend of ours who we had met on a previous trip to Dahab was working and he let us come in and crash for a few minutes in the pillows before giving us the keys to our new home for the next few days.

Once we were shown to our new room we immediately threw our bags down and completely passed out on the bed. We were exhausted! Yeah, we slept a little on the bus but you know how it is when it comes to sleeping on buses, trains, planes, etc. There is no such thing as quality sleep on those types of transportation, at least in my opinion. Oh well, we’re here…

Finally…paradise as we remember it…