The next four days were spent at sea, as we returned to The Arabian Sea and to the Gulf of Aden and through the straits of Bab El Mandeb into the Red Sea and to our next port, Safaga, Egypt. This is a commercial port but is the tourist port for day-trippers to Luxor and Karnak. As we had been there on a Nile cruise two years ago we opted for a jeep ride into the eastern desert to a Bedouin settlement. After a bumpy ride across moon-like landscape we had a warm welcome from the Bedouins and a folkloric show. Our guide explained their way of life, their camels and goats etc. Later we watched a beautiful sunset panorama as the suns's rays faded behind the surrounding mountains. Then another bumpy, but amazingly exciting ride back to the ship. None of the men seemed game to sit in the front, or they were just being polite, so I did, and it was fantastic.

We returned to the ship covered in a thin layer of sand, but very happy and content.

Tomorrow will be a quiet day at sea to the Gulf of Aquaba through the straits of Tiran, a narrow channel between coral seas, to arrive at Aquaba, Jordan's only seaport. Here we are taking a tour to visit the Rose Red city of Petra, a UNESCO world heritage site, which we are really looking forward to.