El Tur... Take Two!

17/8/09

747 (local time)

Ouch!, I'm absolutely aching! 3 MASSIVE days sailing in conditions ranging from waves to flat water, with winds from 20 knots to 30 knots, my hands are absolutely buggered!

Well, myself Lionel, Lizzy and James all headed off to El Tur for a few reasons.

1. So I could get my extended visa

2. So we could windsurf somewhere different

3. So we could windsurf in some waves!

Right, so similar to last time I went to El Tur, we had to be down at the beach so we could leave at around 6am. So I woke up at 5.20 had my breakfast packed a small backpack of clothes and headed off down.

We had the van packed and we were all ready to go by 6.15 so we headed off.

Luckily it was a Friday, because in Egypt (and most Muslim countries) Friday is their day off, which meant there was minimal checkpoints because all the guards had their day off, so if you wanted to bomb a Muslim country do it on Friday because everyone will be sleeping! (I don't endorse bombing of another country)

Anyway, we were at El Tur by 8.30ish and I was out on the water by 9. We sailed around for 1.5 hours and were then called in, because 2 Utes had rocked up and we were loading them full of windsurf kit so we could be taken down to the local wave spot!

So we loaded one ute with 6 boards and about 12 sails, and sent that down the highway, and on the other ute we put a few boards, all the booms and 8 blokes sitting in the tray... there was a definite health and safety issue.

So we made it too the wave beach, it was cross-on so good fun for jumping and backside wave riding! Of course, I was first out there. It was great fun reminded me of back home sailing with all the boys, lots and lots of fun! We sailed non-stop for 2 hours, then packed up the utes again and went back to the lagoon. I did a bit of freestyle until I could sail no more, my hands were a mess! So red and bruised!

We had dinner and because we had no accommodation, we slept under the stars that night. We woke to the sunrise and had an early swim then got stuck into some breakfast, it was a buffet so I went ALL OUT!

Today was going to be awesome, because we had Danielle the resident photographer coming down to the wave beach to get some awesome shots of us windsurfing! And she did, they looked awesome!

Same again, we had some beers and dinner, and because once again we didn’t have any accommodation so we slept under the stars... again, I saw a shooting star! IT WAS COOL!

We woke again... to the sunrise, I had to get up a bit earlier because I had to organise my visa. I thought it was going to be a massive ball ache, but luckily I was one of the first there so it only took about 15 minutes to get it sorted... This visa allows me to stay in Egypt for another 4 months, which takes me up to December, I doubt ill be staying here until then...

Anyway, the plan of attack today was to sail until around 2ish, because at 2.30 the van was coming to take us all back to Dahab.

So in the small session of sailing that we had the group of us focused on trying forward loops! Lets just say, I didn’t last until 2 o clock... my body was bruised and broken by 1 o clock... I had to rest. Some sick photos will be up to show the carnage!

The bus arrived, we packed all our kit into it, and we were on our way back to Dahab. I don't remember much of the trip, I was asleep!

I do remember the MASSIVE argument between the taxi driver, his boss, Us and the Tour Company we hired the bus through. Something about wanting more money... it was pretty intense a lot of yelling at one another, because he wanted a ridiculous amount of money from us, which we flatly denied. Anyway we got it all sorted, unpacked the stuff and I headed back home for an early night.

A massive 3 days but defiantly worth it!

The End, Steve

PS: I have been playing around with Google Earth! And, I have realised that I am 13,592.54 Kilometres from home! Pretty cool stuff! I'm making spaghetti bol tonight, so ill let you know how that goes!

PPS: This is my 50^th post! Woo Hoo!

The Start of the Epic Adventure to El Tur!
James, Me, Lizzie and Lionel

One of the many checkpoints!!!

Arriving, and stacking the utes full of sails and kit to head to the wave beach!

I dont think we could have fit many more people in here!

It was an Epic Day at the wave beach... Everyone Shread!

This was going to be painful!

My poor attempt at a forward loop... we had forward loop club this day!

Flying all the way to the beach!

Super Vert! going into a backloop!

A nice Duck Gybe on flat water!

Our Trip To El Tur

7/8/09

1732 (local time)

Yesterday was cool fun! We... when I say we! Myself and Denise and like 16 others, jumped on a bus at 6pm in the morning and headed off over to El Tur in Egypt. El Tur is a super secluded place where there is another groovy cool windsurf place.

The reason why we headed over there as such a massive group, is because there was a freestyle windsurf event on! And, it was just another reason to explore the wonderful country... I mean desert!

To get there, we had to endure a 1.5 hour bus ride back to Sharm El Sheik (where the airport is) then a 2.5 hour bus ride to El Tur. Its a pretty straight forward journey that should really only take 3 hours to do, but because we have to stop at so many check-points so that the custom police can make sure that everything is all good and that we are not a bunch of people wanting to blow up their country.

Anyway, so we eventually made it to El Tur, unpacked the Vans, and rigged up our kit...

Also, today we had to get our extended Visa’s from the visa office, so pretty much as soon as we got there, we headed off into town to get our extended Visas. It wasn’t long, until we got to the office and realised that we needed an extra stamp to get the visa, so we got some food and headed back to the beach.

Joe and I rigged up his kit, and then I got out on the water as quick as I could! It was a fantastic place to sail, nice flat water, really warm water... not more I could have asked for really.

So the rest of the day involved spending a whole bunch of time in really nice water.

On my last run out, I happened to step on, probably the only rock in El Tur, and in doing so, sliced my big toe open... HAPPY DAYS! Not too sure how long ill be off the water... probably not a good idea to go for a risky sail, as it could come infected and gross! So I think ill be taking it easy!

Then at night, we had the BBQ, which was pretty standard really, but got some really cool photos of the moon rising, that I’ll post up.

The trip home was terrible, involved a extremely hot bus with way too many check points. On the way back home, Denise and I had to stop off at the air port to get a Visa stamp which will allow us to stay in Egypt for 1month. So we got all that sorted.

We finally made it home at 1 in the morning, where I just crashed!

In the end it was an awesome day, I had a ball!

Till next time!

Steve aka FIGJAM!

GO THE HAWKS, WE CAN SMASH THE SAINTERS!

The Pommies have nothing on the Aussies!

A competitor of the freestyle comp!

The center at El Tur!

Inside the center at El Tur!

I dared an Egyptian to lift me up... so he did!

Their are weird bugs in Egypt!

The BBQ!

Beautiful Sunset!

Im just holding the moon! How amazing does that look!

Everyone took my idea with the moon!

One too many checkpoints and waiting in a steaming car, so Joe and I had to get out!

I still reckon my photo is still the best!

Egypt... The Sun Is Hotter Here!!!

5/8/09

1848 (local time)

Phew... I made it too Egypt! I got off the plane to catch a bus into the air port, and as I got off the plane, still in my genes and jumpers, the sun hit me... The only way I can really describe how intense the sun is, saying that the sun sees me get off the plane and thinks “you think Aussie sun is hot, check this out” Thats right, the sun said that!

Anyway... its bloody hot here, in the 40’s hot, some may say, that its almost hotter than Jennifer Hawkins! And I walk around holding my condensed bottle of steam, that used to be water... happy days!

BUT! Before I put everyone off this country, you have got to see the water!!! Its actually stunning. Its like turquoise and you sail around looking at the reefs, but don't get too close because the Spiny Normans or sea urchins will get you and they definitely aren't a bag of laughs.

So the plan was to work for Club Vass in Dahab, but it hasn’t really worked out that way, due to Visa’s etc, so I have a couple of decisions I need to make for myself.

The plan of attack at the moment is too stay in Dahab as long as I can, and keep the look out for some work... Before I leave Egypt I'm going to make sure that I book myself into a tour, so I can see all of the pyramids and the sphinx. Then I want to head over to Morocco to check it all out over there, maybe do a little bit of travelling around Africa, not too sure about the Africa bit yet though. After I have done all that, I'm thinking of heading back to the UK and going from there to France, Italy, Germany and doing all the site seeing over there, and by then. That should bring me up to Christmas where it is time for me to go home... maybe!

But that’s just my rough plan at the moment... its actually my first proper plan since being overseas! Woo!

Oh... in Dahab, the windsurfing out here, is amazing! Super flat waters! Slightly gusty winds, and a bit too busy. For example, today Denise (one of the girls I met in Vass) was happily sailing around today, and then she got ran into by a bloke on another windsurfer, the guy hit Denise in the shin and split it open ! Blood and everything! Also, the side of Denise’s board has a nice deep crack in it as well! So it can get pretty hectic out on the water! Its generally the Germans and the Russians that cause all the problems though!

Ahh well, I'm going out for dinner at 8 so I must be off!

Till next time!

Steve

My London Adventures! IN MOVIE!!!

30/7/09
2000 (local time)

Check out my trip in London! But this time, in VIDEO!!!

Feel free to comment!

Love Steve