2006 Egypt

25 December 2006, Monday; Bedouin Camp, El Dakhla Oasis, LE180 (incl)

Merry Xmas!

We awoke early to our white (desert) Xmas. And packed up camp in the cold, cold air. And were driven across the desert sand and stones to the road and on to Farafra to say our goodbyes outside Badr’s Museum.

Badr is a fascinating artist who displays his not-for-sale works in a “museum” – which in itself is a work of art. All plain plaster, carved and decorated. With mud floors and mud and reed ceilings; with palm “driftwood” and pottery breasts; with small rooms and a rooftop view. Badr has several mediums. Water colours, sand “paintings”, sculptures in stone and clay, Owl House-style compilations in the yard. Some light-hearted; some angst-ridden. Charming!

Here we met Slovenian Tania who needed to travel with someone to Luxor and asked if she could join us. The three of us therefore hired a taxi for the three-hour drive to El Dakhla Oasis. A drive through desolate landscape in an old car. With mirages by the dozen. Our driver dropped us at our hotel – so a pain-free day.

Charl and I had a zizz while Tania went into town. She and Charl later took a jeep ride out to the dunes – while I pampered myself a little.

We dined relatively well at the hotel, and then joined our hosts and some other guests in a “boma” – where Charl tried his first (apple-flavoured) sheesha and our host and co-owner explained how a German woman had assisted his family to set up the hotel and had tried to teach the staff Western levels of cleanliness – not entirely successfully he ruefully said. (Though we found the place charming and clean.)

And so to bed.