Lifestyle on Hua Hin Today

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Posted by Waraporn S.  17 April 2008 (0 comments)

Photography and Text by: Ammar Keylani

 

 

Most of tourists visit Egypt in quest after the famous pyramids, the mighty sphinx, the Valley of the Kings in Upper Egypt near the Karnack. Yet few have no more affiliation to such over-popular targets and plunged deep in the mysterious Western desert where the entire Persian Kombis army was swallowed in its belly! In a world that unfortunately became scanned and scrutinized to its last “pixel”, we no longer can relish the thrill and craving to encounter the unknown and make our own private markings.

 

If you would have seen the film called The English Patient, then you might be intrigued as I was to take the initiative and follow the path of the legendry Hungarian Count Almasi who made several discoveries in that region in the beginning of the 20th century, mainly the rock art of the swimmers cave, where we could clearly see the inhabitants of that era plunging delightfully in the vast waters that stretched in that area 10,000 years ago.

 

I started from Cairo with my 1972 Land towards the city of Fayoum 90 km away that had still retained a lot of its country side lure despite the chaotic abuse by the Egyptians of the grand lake which has been the heart of fables especially for the old Black & White Egyptian Cinema during the times of the king.

 

There are not many lodges or hotels in that area but if you would like to spoil yourself for one night and sleep in the same hotel where the king used to stay, then you would like to check in the Oberge Hotel with prices that start from 1500 Bat. Close your eyes and go back in time to catch a glimpse of the spirit of extravagance which dominated that era.

 

 If not within few kilometers you would encounter two or three lodges with prices ranging from 100 Egyptian pounds (600 Bat) and with small Bungalows almost touching the water sleeves. The main point of attraction there is the valley of the Whales and you would need a GPS (global Positioning System) where you would had acquired the right coordinates before hand passing through Wadi Rayan which is a fresh water spring protected by the National Park. Long time ago before the “good” and “educated” Egyptians who first arrived plundered that area, you would be able to encounter a whole whale skeleton emerging from the sand sea and hundreds of shark teeth and arrow heads.

Before you leave town make sure that you had filled your petrol tank/s because you will not find any petrol stations for the next 250 km. I headed towards El Baharia to the town called El-Wahat which means the Oasis. There is absolutely nothing on that road except for an orphaned so called restaurant that serves dark tea and old cheese!

 

I survived the temptation and continued South West until the first police patrol guards, one of four, 35 km from the town. They are very much meticulous about the safety of any foreigner so they have to write down every single detail of your incoming and outgoing, where you lodge for the night and what colour your under ware might be!

 

And this procedure is done 4 times within 35 km only. But if you are fortunate to be an Israeli, then an armed escort is a must and they will follow you and be at your side 24 hours a day. And since I was going to sleep in the White desert on my own, which will not be permitted without a local guide, I had to give false statement.

 

No one will check any of those multitudes of papers I wrote and handed. My GPS was not working and it was getting late. I needed to leave the asphalt road and hit the white desert. It is called as such simply because of all the chalk that covered the entire area, few hundred square kilometers and lavishly covered by all those strange elegant mushroom like projections some of which would rise to 30 meters in height!

 

I road through the town before I hit the desert and bought a camel hair blanket for almost nothing (600 Bat). I changed to low gear 4X4 and the 2.3 liters petrol engine squealed against the soft sand carpet. The sun was about to set and under a huge rock protrusion I camped, made a cop of gorgeous Arabic coffee mixed with cardamom, cloves, pulled out my guitar and opened full volume to my voice!