writing on ST7198 from HAM to SSH

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We have arrived in Sharm el Sheikh, having a wonderfully calm flight with Germania – although not being able to reserve seats at all and no possibility to check in online felt like a pain in the a** when you’re so used to it. When bargaining isn’t for you, you should probably arrange a shuttle to take you to your hotel before you even leave your hometown. Probably you have it included in your travel package anyhow. For those of you who don’t it is wise to know that taxis in SSH are blue and white. When you come from a Western country you’ll have to get used to frequent use of the horn and hand signs while being driven around. And you’ll have to get used to bargaining. I have the strong feeling we were being overcharged, especially because I did my research and found that regular (fixed) prices from the airport to Naama Bay are around 50-70 EGP (or “LE”, both for Egyptian Pound), which convert into 2-3 Euros. With a bit of bargaining we paid 10 Euros for two people including luggage (still pricy, I know!) but after a spending have the day on a plane we weren’t ready to fully enter that game of appearing to leave, pretending to be upset about the high prices, then the taxi driver pretending to be insulted by our counter-offer etc. – back and forth for a little while. Prices without the hassle are 30 Euros, taking a quick look into Google’s best ranked private shuttle services. The ride to Marriott Resort only took us about 10 minutes.

As it always appears to me, the route from the airport to the hotel is not fancy at all. The moment you enter the entrance hall this odd feeling vanishes: the all-shiny holiday world opens up in front of you, with the neat gardening, nice swimming pool, fancy bar by the the pool and the ocean directly in front the hotel is just as you imagined it to be. We got upgraded and can even see the Red Sea from our balcony, instead of the mountain side. To reach one of the rooms we originally booked we’d have had to cross the four-lane main street that divides most of the hotels and resorts of Naama Bay in two parts, mountain and sea side. The downside is that now our room is located directly above the great hall, and judging from the sound check they just did for the NYE party this Executive room is all but quiet. So far with the relaxing holiday… Let’s see if tomorrow brings another hotel room. Good night!