Canada Day Treat

Enough was enough. It seems our tent mattress has become the prime nesting spot for hundreds, if not thousands, of fleas.

Last night was hotter than the previous night, and it seems the DOOM spray didn't quite do its job. I now have a few dozen more bites all over my body, and since we were both up all night, me scratching and Matt sweating, we are more sleep-deprived than ever.

So here we are, resigned, albeit not so reluctantly, to Room #319 at the Sea Star Beau Rivage Hotel in resort-studded Hurghada. There are lots of very pink Europeans here!

It was the first place we inquired about (the suggested hotel in our guidebook was fully booked) but we really couldn't be bothered to look anymore, having already driven 5+ hours straight in police convoy from Luxor this morning.

We dropped off our bags, showered and headed to the dining area for the buffet lunch. Spread along multiple tables was an incredible selection of food that could literally feed hundreds - I wondered how much of it went uneaten and was then thrown into the garbage bins.

Unlimited access to rich food and alcoholic drink is not always ideal when your stomach has become accustomed to simple meals like fuul and pita bread and mint tea.

And so, when we were back in our room after having just greedily consumed more calories than necessary, it was no surprise we (unintentionally) fell asleep for 5 hours.

Here in the hotel, there are activities that include water aerobics, disco parties, beach volleyball, and evening entertainment. Watermelons and pineapples are carved into intricate flowers and designs, all simply for viewing pleasure. Managers and waiters call you "Ma'am" and "Sir", and using "May I" and "Please" is considered the norm.

This resort-style vacation is like another world altogether. I don't think I'm quite ready for it yet, but I will take the comfortable flea-free bed and reliable hot water shower.

Before dinner (yet another unbelievable smorgasbord of Egyptian, Italian, Asian and Mexican cuisine), we took a stroll past the hotel's TWO swimming pools (including a pool bar) and to the private beachfront.

One of the main reasons why we chose to come to the Red Sea was to do some scuba diving, rated as one of the best coral diving spots in the world. Based in the hotel was the Twin Divers company and so we booked ourselves a full day's diving excursion with them tomorrow, a generous gift from Sue and Guy - thank you!

* Happy Canada Day everyone!


Start: Rezeiky Camp, Luxor, EGYPT. 08:00
End: Sea Star Beau Rivage, Hurghada, EGYPT. 13:00
Distance Traveled: 292 km
Road Conditions: in convoy on good roads
Average Speed: 67 km/hr
Max Speed: 111 km/hr
Temperature: 39 Celcius, says BBC World Weather, with a relative humidity of 20%