Hot Desert

Second trip to Egypt. We left from Verona with Mistral Air, part of Poste Italiane (I didn't even know it existed), perfectly on time; a somewhat dated plane with narrow seats, but still a good flight. When we got off the plane we were enveloped by a scorching heat, followed by wind that was hot too; we were coming from bad weather, rain and hail, weather for wolves for the season; a lovely sensation. The Eden Viaggi staff were ready with the coaches and off to the village. I'Hbiba Beach is a mega resort right on the shores of the Red Sea, a bit old but well kept, clean, with fine green gardens, plants and tidy little paths; a few bits of paper or a paper cup stayed in the same spot for the whole time we were there. The rooms are enormous, with television, and the bathroom is big too.

All good, you'll say, but we haven't yet mentioned the restaurant, a very sore point that perhaps is better to pass over. As for the surroundings, we took an excursion to Sharm el Luli, a Caribbean-like spot, a beach with white sand, beautiful colours of the sea and a seabed with a coral reef to feast your eyes on. The reef is much more beautiful than the Maldives because there it is grey and dead, whereas here it is brightly coloured and alive, with fish of every colour and shape. We saw two turtles at ten centimetres that calmly carried on eating, stingrays, a sea eagle, rays, a myriad of fish swimming around you, a spectacle. Then another very beautiful place near the village (free shuttle at any time), Abu Dabbab; ordinary beach but the reef starts right from the beach and is wonderful. As soon as you enter the water the fish surround you.

The village beach is nothing special, so much so that to see nature's spectacle there is the jetty, usable only when the sea is calm and there is no wind, so much so that in a week we went once. But even beautiful things come to an end, and after a week of filling our eyes with such beauty we set off again. Bye and bon voyage to whoever is setting off.