The Great Sand Sea.

What an amazing place. Total sand which starts at the edge of town. With the 4×4 we went sand dune driving and out this natural hot spring which sprouts out of the desert in the middle of nowhere. Wonderful, relaxing warm water. Of course everyone isn’t nude, although I did not forget my shorts. The place is called Bir Wahed. The solitude of the desert is calling my name. What a wonderful, beautiful atmosphere. There were three others, one couple and a women from Taiwan. The lady from Taiwan and myself spent the night at a camp on the edge of the desert with a hot spring pool right there. Of course there was loud students from Cairo, but it is just the way it goes. This country is loud, that’s life.

Camels don’t travel in the sand because they are so heavy. Basically people don’t cross the great sand sea. Although the edge of it near town I might explore. It is OK to do this, a person just cannot venture into the desert. I would very much like to seek out a camel safari in the white desert or somewhere near the Farafra Oasis. One thing is that Camels are kind of difficult to ride. I would need extra cushion, camel riding has a tendency to bruise the buttocks. I guess we will see what I can find.

Last night we sat around with Siwain Bedouins. They are very nice people, plus they know the desert well. We sat around the fire and they played traditional music. Nice time with the locals except for trying to sleep because of the Cairo group. The problem is whenever there is a group there is noise. The amazing part is that they can have a really good time without alcohol, which in America it seems, (not always) people want to drink to have a good time. To bad the writers of the Koran didn’t write to not smoke.

By the way, three days ago I did go check out the mound of the dead, the temple of the oracle and the ruins of the temple of Auman. I split a donkey cart (taxi) with an older German lady who is traveling alone. We agreed, we both miss good raised bread, it is all flat bread out here. They do have good yogurt which I have been eating in the mornings, the milk is really good. Sure do miss an American breakfast.