Shortly after Laura left, it was time for a much needed Spring Break!!! Several of us decided to pack up and go to Dahab for the week, a little spot over on the Red Sea. We took the train down to Cairo and spent a night in Cairo and then hopped a mini bus over to Dahab because the public bus was sold out. We arrived in Dahab early in the morning and lounged until we could check into our hotel.
The week was spent lounging on the beach and eating good food and hanging out with friends. I completed my open water Scuba course! I'll paste a copy of part of an email I sent my parents about my course:
At first it was really scary. It took a bit of time to get used to breathing through the regulator. The first time I went down (we were in super shallow water) I came back up after only 30 seconds because I wa
s scared. But after that, it got easier and easier. We practiced skills like clearing your mask and your regulator, retreiving your regulator if it falls out of your mouth, breathing from a friend's extra regulator, and breathing w/o your mask on.
At first it was really scary. It took a bit of time to get used to breathing through the regulator. The first time I went down (we were in super shallow water) I came back up after only 30 seconds because I wa
s scared. But after that, it got easier and easier. We practiced skills like clearing your mask and your regulator, retreiving your regulator if it falls out of your mouth, breathing from a friend's extra regulator, and breathing w/o your mask on. (pic- My Diving Buddy during my course- Lizzy)
The last one is a little difficult for me because I have contacts, so I have to keep my eyes closed, which is a little scary. Then we did our first open water dive where we just swam around a coral reef. Today we did some harder skills, like taking off and putting back on our weights under and above water and removing and putting back on our BCD (the vest thingy that our tank is attached to) under and above water. We also did an emergency ascent (simulating that you are out of air a
nd have to ascend slowly to the surface) and swimming without our mask on. Everything went well though! The hardest are the drills where you are simulating that you are out of air, and they want you to know what it really feels like, so the instructor turns your tank off (and then right back on). Like I said, it's a little scary at first, but it is getting easier and easier. I love it! I think I'm addicted!!
I completed the course the next day and passed my written exam only missing one question. The course was really great except for my instruc
tor, who was super nice, but Egyptian and was trying to date/marry me on the first day. Brent was also visiting from the States and he went to Dahab to do his open water and advanced SCUBA course, so it was nice to have another visitor from home to hang out with. He even came up to Alexandria to visit for
a few days at the end of his trip.
At the end of the week a group of us took a trip out into the desert and hiked through the white canyon, which involved a little more climbing than I expected. I wished I was wearing something other than flip flops! After the white canyon Robert and hopped a ride with a few bedoiuns to Nuweiba and spent the night there. We stayed at a small camp on the beach. At night we had quite the mix of people: Beduins from Sinai, Israelis on holiday, a cook from Sudan, a musician from Saudi Arabia, and of course, us, the 2 Americans. We had everything but an Egyptian! After dinner there was a little party where the musician from Saudi Ar
abia played some stringed instrument and the beduins sang and danced. It was strange and wonderful. It's hard to explain, but its the kind of experience you only get backpacking around the Middle East.
nd have to ascend slowly to the surface) and swimming without our mask on. Everything went well though! The hardest are the drills where you are simulating that you are out of air, and they want you to know what it really feels like, so the instructor turns your tank off (and then right back on). Like I said, it's a little scary at first, but it is getting easier and easier. I love it! I think I'm addicted!!I completed the course the next day and passed my written exam only missing one question. The course was really great except for my instruc
tor, who was super nice, but Egyptian and was trying to date/marry me on the first day. Brent was also visiting from the States and he went to Dahab to do his open water and advanced SCUBA course, so it was nice to have another visitor from home to hang out with. He even came up to Alexandria to visit for
a few days at the end of his trip.At the end of the week a group of us took a trip out into the desert and hiked through the white canyon, which involved a little more climbing than I expected. I wished I was wearing something other than flip flops! After the white canyon Robert and hopped a ride with a few bedoiuns to Nuweiba and spent the night there. We stayed at a small camp on the beach. At night we had quite the mix of people: Beduins from Sinai, Israelis on holiday, a cook from Sudan, a musician from Saudi Arabia, and of course, us, the 2 Americans. We had everything but an Egyptian! After dinner there was a little party where the musician from Saudi Ar
abia played some stringed instrument and the beduins sang and danced. It was strange and wonderful. It's hard to explain, but its the kind of experience you only get backpacking around the Middle East. The next day (my Birthday!) we hopped a bus back to Cairo and then the train from Cairo to Alexandria ending a wonderful spring break!
2 weeks after spring break a few of us went back to Dahab for a long weekend and I completed my advanced SCUBA course, so I am now a certified advanced diver! That weekend was one of the most spectacular weekends I've had in Egypt. I did three dives for my advanced course,
including a night dive. I was really worried about the night dive at first, after all, who really wants to be underwater in the dark? But it was surprising how much you could see! It was really relaxing and I enjoyed seeing all the different aquatic life that's out at night! The only bummer was I got nose bleed on the night dive. I thought my mask was filling up with water, but when I lifted my hand holding my flashlight to clear my mask, I could see that it was blood. Luckily it stopped after a few minutes. Other activities included jumping in pool completely clothed. Yes I was in a bar but I was s
ober! And sang karoake with my friend Sara. For those of you who know me, this is a rare phenomenon. It was a super fun weekend and I was sad to return to Alexandria, but we are actually making another trip to Dahab this weekend for a birthday/engagement party and Melissa's (girl in my program) 21st birthday. It's a long bus ride (around 10 hours) but it's worth. Night bus to Dahab, here we come! Again!
including a night dive. I was really worried about the night dive at first, after all, who really wants to be underwater in the dark? But it was surprising how much you could see! It was really relaxing and I enjoyed seeing all the different aquatic life that's out at night! The only bummer was I got nose bleed on the night dive. I thought my mask was filling up with water, but when I lifted my hand holding my flashlight to clear my mask, I could see that it was blood. Luckily it stopped after a few minutes. Other activities included jumping in pool completely clothed. Yes I was in a bar but I was s
ober! And sang karoake with my friend Sara. For those of you who know me, this is a rare phenomenon. It was a super fun weekend and I was sad to return to Alexandria, but we are actually making another trip to Dahab this weekend for a birthday/engagement party and Melissa's (girl in my program) 21st birthday. It's a long bus ride (around 10 hours) but it's worth. Night bus to Dahab, here we come! Again! 
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