Marsa Alam

Egypt......what a marvel!!!!!!!!!!! I can't say a single negative thing about this holiday; everything was wonderful, including the August mugginess that at times took your breath away! I think August is the least suitable month to set off, because on some days the thermometer hit 50 degrees..... but for the unlucky ones like us who have no winter holidays, you just have to make do. We stayed at the Elphistone village run by Veratour, exceptional! The village is enormous, well equipped, very clean, and the entertainment is the "cherry on the cake" for a holiday all about fun. In fact Elphistone suits people who want to have fun, active people, because there are a thousand activities to do, from sport to games etc...

The special thing about Marsa Alam is that, unlike the other tourist resorts of Egypt, it's still a little wild; although already in 2007 there were many villages under construction, the scenery you can admire even from the plane is: desert and sea! Fantastic. We did few excursions, because we'd set off with the idea of spending a week in the village between sun and sea. Then, being there, we understood that our choice wasn't so bad after all, because outside the tourist villages there's only desert....so it's also very dangerous to go out without guides. All the same we didn't miss a visit to the little town of Marsa Alam and the boat trip to see the wonderful coral reef! As for the so-called "pharaoh's curse" (the classic traveller's diarrhoea), I recommend a good course of probiotics before setting off and taking a few precautions while staying in the village.

With these two simple tips we had no kind of problem, but do equip yourselves, all the same, with antibiotics and intestinal disinfectants. Of Egypt I will never forget the feeling you get when you come out of the airport......the air is dry and scorching and the colours... there are two: the blue of the sky blending with the light blue of the sea and the yellow of the desert...nothing else! It's a place that lets you step out of the usual routine and immerse yourself in the most absolute peace. We had a wonderful holiday and I hope to return one day!!!!