Sharm El Sheikh – Day 1: Scammed Before Sunset
SHARM EL SHEIKH
Day 1: Scammed Before Sunset
Novmeber 12, 2023
Let’s just say our welcome wasn’t the nicest. I wish I had done some research about how things work in Egypt – specifically when it comes to tourists. Hindsight sure is a powerful thing, huh?
As soon as we arrived, an official asked for passport photos. “Why?” I asked, confused, it being 2023 after all. “Because we need one,” came the quick reply, followed by a casual threat: “No photo, no entry. You’ll have to go back to Sicily.” Problem was, there were no photo booths. “But don’t you worry…” went the immigration officer. “…for a measly ten euros we can grant you entry!” And so, like the idiots that we are, we handed over a crisp fifty-euro bill to cover all our entries.
We got to baggage reclaim only to find Akash’s suitcase in pieces. Off we went to make a claim, only to discover that the guy responsible for issuing reports was allegedly off duty. “Don’t you worry…” the other guy at the office assured us. “For a measly ten euros we can print one out right now!” And so, like the fools that we are, we handed over a crisp ten-euro bill.
Then some random kids came and carried our luggage to the exit security check. “Thank you!” said Zara. “Ten euros,” they replied. Welcome to friggin’ Egypt!
Welcome to Sharm!
Having just obtained his Open Water certification, Rohan would join me on a couple of dives off the coast of Sharm.
Whilst the rest headed straight to the hotel, we went directly to a dive shop to get ready for our dives. Mohammed was waiting for us right at the airport, giving us a warm welcome. On our way to the dive shop, he pointed out a couple of places we simply had to visit, like the mosque and the Old Market, as well as a few restaurants serving the best food in town. I, for one, couldn’t have cared less at that point.
I don’t mean to sound jaded or entitled – it’s just that I was this close to diving in the Red Sea, a body of water renowned for its marine life. Whilst flying above it, all I could picture was myself parachuting down to its surface and plunging into its depths to continue the adventure underwater. In fact, it was all I could do not to jump out of the car and run straight into the sea, with only a narrow strip of desert standing between us.
It was a relatively short ride to the dive shop and, after a quick equipment set-up and check, we were shortly on our way to Ras Um Sid. As much as I wanted to dive, the set-up at the beach made me want to just hang out there all day. With thatched umbrellas, lanterns, colourful rugs and bean bags sprawled across the sand, it looked very much like white-girl heaven. That said, we had serious business to attend to.
Diving in the Red Sea
We were met by Ali, a divemaster who would be guiding us throughout both dives. Having put on our equipment and practised a couple of Warrior III poses with our tanks, we made our way to the pier and, with one giant stride, plopped into the water and started our descent.
It didn’t take long for us to be mesmerised by the site’s beauty – the coral bed sitting at around five metres deep with thousands of tiny, colourful fish weaving through every crevice. It brought me right back to all those dives in Raja Ampat and Komodo – specifically Batu Bolong. As much as I love diving in Malta, I have to admit that I missed the vibrant colours and biodiversity characteristic of tropical reefs. From angelfish to parrotfish, from triggerfish to trumpetfish, from lionfish to barberfish – it was everything I had missed. Then there were the giant clams, moray eels, anemones and sea urchins. Oh, and the shoals of anthias and damselfish. And the coral – so, so many different types! It was so good to be back in waters like these.
We did two dives in the same area given our time constraints. Whilst the marine life was dazzling – something that felt surreal considering how close Egypt is to Malta and how accessible these reefs were – the dives themselves weren’t exactly uneventful. For starters, we descended to 26 metres, something that really shouldn’t have happened given that Rohan was only Open Water certified, meaning he was qualified to dive to a maximum depth of 18 metres. Unsurprisingly, he ran low on air much sooner than expected, forcing Ali to share air with him in order to complete the dive.
On the second dive, we encountered a fairly strong current. Again, with Rohan being relatively inexperienced, we should have stayed closer to the reef. Instead, Ali took us straight into the current. As we kicked and kicked, Rohan’s fin came off and, try as we might, we couldn’t find it. This, of course, meant we’d have to pay for a replacement set – never mind that they probably had enough spare fins to equip half the Red Sea.
Conveniently, the replacement came to around €150, as the cheaper models were allegedly out of stock. With the local currency experiencing significant inflation and exchange rates fluctuating heavily, paying by card wasn’t ideal. And so, like the imbeciles that we are, we handed over a crisp €150 note. That brought the grand total spent on absolutely nothing to €210. Gotta love Egypt!
Resort Life
Having finished our dives, Rphan and I made our way to the hotel, where everyone else (and a stuffed pigeon) was waiting for us. By that point, Akash, Joshin and Zara had already acquainted themselves with the all-inclusive resort.
Turns out, Sharm El Sheikh is famous for these kinds of hotels. I can’t say I didn’t get the ick when they first proposed staying there. The photos immediately gave me flashbacks of Cancún. Whilst I like to indulge in luxury every now and then, this was definitely not my style. With such resorts spanning enormous stretches of coastline and boasting every amenity imaginable, I’d much rather stay somewhere smaller and perhaps a little more tasteful – somewhere catering to a particular experience rather than trying to be everything all at once.
But that’s just me. With the rest of the gang being the bougie types, they made it their mission to explore every single nook and cranny and take full advantage of everything on offer. From sunbathing beside the largest swimming pool I had ever seen to playing golf, from getting massages to watching films in the cinema room, they definitely got their money’s worth. I, on the other hand, swore I’d spend as little time there as humanly possible. I did make full use of the buffet, though.
Whilst the food was good – in a buffet sort of way – even that came with a barrage of complaints from my end, specifically the fact that water was served exclusively in plastic bottles. This would prove to be a recurring theme throughout Egypt, where single-use plastic remains widespread. The waste!