I have never really used buses to travel before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Overall the experience wasn't too bad. The bus was far from squeaky clean—the windows were specked with black paint and had developed a fine patina of grime that nobody ever bothered to clean off. The upholstery was a dingy gray relic from decades past, which was kind of a relief because I couldn't see too many stains. The A/C was weak, but this problem was easily solved by opening the windows. During the entire ride Arabic prayer music wheezed from the bus intercoms. There was no instrumentation, just a lonely voice competing with the roar of the engine and the air rushing through cracked windows. It faded in and out, just like all the dozing passengers.
I was surprisingly comfortable the whole time. There were few enough people on board to allow us all to recline in our seats, and there was also plenty of leg room. There were lots of stops along the way, which usually turned out to be either pit stops or passport checks. The one bathroom I used was so nasty that I decided I would rather use the squat toilet than sit down on anything, but that isn't any different from half of the American gas stations I've stopped at. Where's a good sand dune when you need one? By the way, when using public bathrooms in Egypt, you need to bring your own supplies. I always stash a purse-sized packet of tissues in my backpack for such occasions.
I am currently lounging around outside at a Bedouin guest house run by the very personable Sheik Mousa, who also owns the camp next door. Wireless internet and unlimited mint tea make for a very nice evening. This place is friendly and comfortable, and I am very glad we decided to stay here. Immediately after the bus dropped us off at Al-Milga (the tiny town near St. Catherine's), we were swamped by cab drivers who wanted to bring us to their favorite hotels—i.e. the ones that would pay them commissions for bringing in new guests. These guys are actually really nice, just poor. Tourists are their only hope for business. We viewed rooms at one camp but were unimpressed, so we migrated over to Sheik Mousa's. Check out the view from our porch!
The room itself is simple but comfortable. I can already tell I'll be grateful for the mosquito net!
I won't be sleeping much tonight, though—in a couple of hours Dan and I will head out for a hike up Mt. Sinai so we can watch the sun rise. After that, we'll wander down to visit St. Catherine's.
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