Wow! I had such a fantastic day here in Dahab, I got to sleep in and after taking a shower I got ready to go out and explore the area on my own. My first time really getting to do this alone since we got to Egypt and needless to say I was quite nervous being a girl walking the streets alone in this foreign place.

I sucked it up however and after Lisa and Matt headed off to go diving I headed out in search of the beach! I found a little shop to get my water from for 2 LE and then headed in a couple different directions taking it all in (I later found out these weren't the right ways to the beach). But it was interesting to observe the Bedouin life of these villagers.

I walked around and saw a lot of goats and camels, SERIOUSLY there were camels ALL OVER THE PLACE walking down the street right next to me, it was AWESOME! I finally found the beach and started walking along it to some shade trees, collecting some shells on my way to give people back home.

When I got to the shade I stripped down to my bathing suit (this being a very touristy area a lot more people dress in less clothing here and the locals are accustomed to it). The Red Sea is soooo blue, and clear, I went in and it just felt great, very cool and refreshing. There was no one on this part of the beach except a few little kids playing around and jumping off the backs of some camels they had taken into the Red Sea with them, such an amazing sight!

So I knew I was not on the part of the beach that is mostly aimed at the tourists so I decided to head back and find the boardwalk and tourist areas. It just so happened that a camel (that was all suited up for someone to ride him) but had escaped his handler was walking down the street. So I figured this camel has got to know where the people and water are I'm gonna follow him, and that's exactly what I did! Imagine, a camel walking down the street and a little white girl following behind him! I'm sure it was an amusing sight! After quite a little walk I started getting into more of the touristy areas and seeing a lot more tourists, casbahs, restaurants, shops, etc. It was very nice and the shop keeps weren't as obnoxious either, which was a welcomed change.

I walked all along the beach and then decided to go back to a place called Food Urge which I had thought looked really peaceful. So I ordered a mango drink and lamb shish ka-bob wrap, both were again quite fulfilling and savory! The food here does not disappoint!

After lounging around at the restaurant for a couple hours I decided to head back to the house. I met up with Lisa and she hadn't eaten so we, along with Matt's roommate Kiki decided to head back to the boardwalk. Kiki had other plans so she left but Lisa and I went to a place called Same Same which was a large, very ornately decorated Bedouin restaurant. We had chicken tagen and rice, hummus, strawberry smoothies and chocolate ice cream. All were of course very delicious but I was SO STUFFED! This was when I would definitely have been in a food coma (a concept that most Egyptians just can't comprehend).

Then we decided to partake in smoking a sheesha (as is customary here in Egypt). It was different, I had never smoked from one before, all it is is flavored tobacco (ours was apple), it's something to do since we are here but I really have no preference for it, I didn't think it tasted like apple that much either. We then headed back to our couch surfers and went to bed!