Our 12th Day of Holiday
Under Water in the Yellow Submarine
Already again slept long and had wonderful breakfast. The taxi ordered in the evening before is also really punctual. Letīs go to the "Palm Beach", from where a minibus brings us to the submarine base. Sindbad starts from a basis south of Hurghada.
At the station we already see a small yellow submarine arrived. We receive our tickets and a seat number, similar to a flight, and wait for the things, which will come.
Our travel starts at 12:00 o'clock. Thus we look into the fish restaurant at the quay. 10 % Discount for Sindbad passengers. The offered fish looks also very good. 
Unfortunately there is no time. The feeder boat to the submarine arrives rather punctually.
Since it comes from sea, I have the assumption that there is more than only one submarine in Egypt. At least still another second Sindbad.
After approximately 15 minutes of travel we reach the basis station of Sindbad, anchored at a reef. Inside all kinds of stuffed sea animals are exposed.
Short after our arrival at the station, the submarine emerges. Here the "timetable" works. Thus entering the "Sardinenbuechse" and sit down on the assigned place. Everyone has his own window of approximately 60 cm diameters. This Plexiglas disk is about 12 cm thickly. Letīs see whether photos are possible there.
The boat casts off and it dives slowly to the depth. The electric drive is to be heard only by quiet humming. Since we sit rather far in the back of the ship, we can also look at the screws.
We dive down there up to 22 meters of depth. Driving past by corral reefs and also a "wreck", which was placed here obviously for the Sindbad passengers.
To the submarine there belongs also an external team of 2 divers. Their task is to feed the fishes, in order to present the underwater world to the submarine passengers.
Unfortunately the submarine did not switch on the external headlights. Thus unfortunately too much of the color splendour of the fishes is not to be seen on the photos. The pictures show however at least a small impression of that, what we saw 2,200 centimetres under the sea level.
After scarcely 45 minutes we are again at the basestation and step out. Back to land again with the ship which brought us.
Each participant receives also an Certificate about the successful submarine tour.
All in all each minute costs us one Euro, but in my opinion it was worth it.
Back we drive again with the minibus. In Hurghada we decide to saunter little by the city. I ask the driver to set us off in the centre.
Hurghada is full, loud and hectic. In a small "Italian restaurant" we decide to have lunch. The prices are completely standard, compared with the ones in Germany.
After the meal we continue to saunter by Hurghada, until the noise of the traffic and the building sites disappointed us and naturally also the midday heat. We want back to the calm El Gouna.
So in order to have at least one little "adventure", we decide to drive to El Gouna not with the taxi but with public transport, named bus.
Since the Yellow Line commutes every 15 minutes to El Gouna, we need not to wait for a long time for the bus. The ticket, which is then also still another week ticket, costs us 5 LE per person.
Bus-drivers have apparently the same training as the taxi-drivers. Arranged according to importance they need the following controls in the bus:
1. Horn
2. Accelerator
3. Steering wheel
4. bis 10. I didnīt recognise what it is and
11. Breaks.
After five or six stops the driver turns off the bus and seems to make a break. This seems to surprise not the three other passengers, obviously Egyptians, so we do so. We watch the driver, as he drinks comfortably his tea.
Hardly further ten minutes passed, there we were already requested to change the bus and enter a minibus. Well, well, we follow the other "travelers" .
At a stop behind Hurghada, quasi in the middle of the desert, a ticket controller enters. "You have ticket?" Sure. I hand him our tickets, he writes something in Arab on them and returns them. So one can save also for the automates for stamping the tickets and has also a few unemployed citizens less. I think, that is no model for the German labour market, or Mr. Clement
?
To El Gouna the minibus drives not by the main entrance but by the "supplier entrance". At control at the entrance we are examined with interest. Probably it is already rather rare that Tourists come with the bus.
We had not to show a document of identification, but with the ID card of one of the passengers something does not seem to be all right. He must step out and we drive away. In El Gouna Downtown, a rather sophisticated name for the small dozily village, we transfer then by the shuttle bus and are at the Sheraton 5 minutes later.
Showers, redressed and little rest and already it is again time for the dinner.
After dinner we still sit on the Hotel-terrace and enjoy the folk event, including also belly dance.
Starting tomorrow with only rest and relaxing.
September 12, 2002 - Flying to Luxor, our Boat and und Trip by Curricle Through Luxor
September 13, 2002 - Stones, Sand and Grafitti
September 14, 2002 - Karnak und Luxor
September 15, 2002 - Edfu, Kom Ombo, Scenery at Nile and Galabeiaparty
September 16, 2002 - Our fifth day - Philae, Assuan, Obelisk, Souk and Nubian Village
September 17, 2002 - Tanjas Birthday, Abu Simbel, Kitchenerīs Island
September 18, 2002 - Our seventh day - Traveling back to Luxor
September 19, 2002 - From Luxor to El Gouna
September 20, 2002 - Relaxing in the Hotel
September 21, 2002 - Snorkeling in the Red Sea
September 22, 2002 - Deserttour
September 24 and 25, 2002 - Our last two days in Egypt
September 26, 2002 - Return journey with obstacles
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