28th May 2010

Packed up and spent the day at the beach snorkelling and relaxing. We then headed into the Sinai to visit Mt Sinai 7498ft. Mt Sinai is where Moses reputedly saw the 'burning bush', which he considered to be a sign. Prompted by this he climbed the mountain returning at sunrise with the Ten Commandments. We followed in his footsteps - returning at sunrise with my own commandments.

We started our climb at 10pm with our guides. About half way I hopped onto a camel for the rest of the ascent. Harry the camel had a mind of his own. I took the camel as far as I could then was faced with 750 steep steps. These steps were not man made, it was more like on your hands and knees scrambling up boulders in the dark. On reaching the top we camped out under the stars at the back of a Bedouin rest station. We slept on camel blankets and they smelt like camel blankets. There were not toilet facilities on the mountain.

29th May 2010
I was awakened by people singing "Bringing in the Sheaths". There were literally hundreds of people coming up the mountain. We hurriedly packed up our things and started the last 100 steps climb to get a good vantage point to see the sunrise. It was worth all the effort. The sunrise was magnificent over the mountains. After we soaked it all in we began our two and a half hour descent. I spent some time at St Catherines Monastery which has been one of the world's great centers of religious pilgrimage for over fifteen centuries. Within its imposing walls rests a citadel like no other, incredibly rich in important religious and historical structures. Among its' treasures is a library of ancient manuscripts and icons second only to the Vatican's itself, and a 6th century church reputed to lie directly on the site of the Burning Bush. The monastery is a defining feature of the Holy Land. From here we continue across the Sinai Peninsula as we drive to Cairo via the Suez Canal. It is no longer possible to see the actual canal for security purposes, but you can still see ships as if they are cruising through the desert and cross the canal by a short tunnel. We arrived at 5.30pm and stayed at the Pharoahs Hotel. Driving is an experience, as it appears that Egyptian vehicle inspectors are fairly lenient and that the only roadworthy requirement on the cars is a workable horn, which must be continuously tested.

We had a farewell dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe for Karen, Margaret, Geraldine, Nikki and Louise.

We also celebrated Louises' Birthday.................