The harsh everyday life of an all-inclusive - 3
To be continued. Start here:
We left the canyon. The guide gave us half an hour to wander around the site with a camera. They captured the treasury from all angles, and at the same time all the living creatures that were found there, including the guard of the object and the cats grazing on the tables near the cafe. Where does this guide go?
He has arrived! Led us further. There was an amphitheater, with columns, benches and holes in the back wall. The guide said it was for better acoustics. And these holes reminded me of a movie theater where a man sits with a projector.
This concludes our tour. We were ordered to report to the bus at twenty to three. There was an hour and a half left. It takes about fifty minutes to get back to the bus. We decided to use the reserve of time to run upstairs, where, according to the guide, the altar is located, and from where a stunning view opens. We did not flatter ourselves with the hope that we would make it in time. Well, at least a little! Having sent our friend back, we rushed up the steps carved into the rock. Sometimes we met people going down. I asked them, is it still far? But they were all non-Russians, and I did not understand them. Sometimes we were overtaken by horses or donkeys carrying lazy (or wealthy) sightseers. It has already become clear that we will not have time to get to the top, well, a little more! And then more. It was interesting in its own way, but the panorama below was covered by rocks. Eh! But we found a small spot on a cliff with flowers growing on it, I would call them crocuses, and tulip leaves sticking out nearby. Crocuses bloom before tulips, it turns out that the latter should bloom soon.
Having realized that we had no time left, we ran downstairs. A man was climbing up, who, like us before, asked in English, is it still far? And he added in Russian - far? We said - far, we did not reach. I don't know if he understood me. We didn't have time to stop. At the bottom, we were given several offers "Taxi? ". Are they really taking us for suckers? Can't we tell a donkey from a taxi? It seems that the Bedouins paint their eyes! Or maybe they are part-time miners? One of them - an exact copy of Jack Sparrow, descended on a donkey from the mountain and blew a tune. So cool! The acoustics there are just amazing!
Pressed by time, we walked very quickly through the deserted canyon. I could not resist and photographed everything in the second circle. This took some time. As a result, in the end we just ran. So what? We are not the last to arrive. The English-speaking group was absent almost completely! Fifteen minutes later, the Chinese-Japanese-Koreans showed up and at least apologized. And there is no pot-bellied Englishman with two girlfriends! As a result, their guide stayed to wait, and we were taken to lunch.
Dinner was a buffet. I like it. There were a lot of delicious eggplant and zucchini salads, some meat and a few desserts. Drinks for an additional fee. I got the impression that the Jordanians cook tastier than the Egyptians. As for drinks, we took care of ourselves in advance. Yesterday at the hotel they caroled half a liter of whiskey from under the water, which we consumed at dinner. When we were already finishing our meal, lathered girls and a puffing puzator literally ran into the hall. We got a snack, ordered drinks, saying that here “Vary expensive! ”, And settled down for a long time! Our guide said something to his English-speaking colleague, to which he just shrugged. Damn it! If we had not huddled for half an hour at the treasury, if we had been given these fifteen minutes of waiting, we would have had time to get to the top! Oh if only, oh if only! It would not be life, but a song!
We returned back to Aqaba already in the dark. The ferry was at half past six. We still had half an hour and, of course, we were taken to a shop where, as the guide said, they accept absolutely everything, even rubles and hryvnias. Nearby was a liquor store, from which it was very difficult to get a loved one out. But I have money! The only thing I still regret not buying in Aqaba is coffee. The guys who bought it, when they got on the bus, brought with them just a divine aroma.
Back to the ferry, we were already going much faster than we had unloaded in the morning. But still had to stand in line. But I got into a conversation with a man from Kyiv, who bought this tour from a hotel guide. For some reason, he refused to name the price. Probably completely absurd. So, he went further on donkeys for 30 bucks. There, according to him, there were many more interesting things - a couple of temples and something else, and all this was located literally around the corner from the place where we ended the tour. (Damn! It would be better if we ran forward, and not up the mountain! ). And the jeeps did not wait for them at all. We arrived in 15-20 minutes after repeated calls from the donkey driver.
We boarded the ferry. Before that, we were again given a ticket, on which, again, the price was $ 79. If so, out of two hundred and five dollars, one hundred and fifty-eight is worth just the ferry? Yes, minus lunch, minus the entrance to Petra. And what then remains to the tour operator? Maybe $79 is a two-way price? Then why two tickets? In any case, we, as I understand it, paid the minimum price, thanks to Larisa!
The previous bus was waiting for us in Taba. Before we left here, the guide said that unnecessary things can be left here, which some did. We didn't leave anything, but sat down in the same places, but the Poles sat behind us, unceremoniously putting other people's things on the shelf. The owners came - a Russian-speaking young couple and began to resent, but the impudent ones turned on the frost - I don’t understand yours! People had to look elsewhere. And in front of us, instead of the old girl, the body of an Englishman (or who is he there? ) sat down. He lowered both seats and began to bridge, panting noisily. It became completely impossible for Milo to sit. I sent him somewhere back, where he settled down a little more comfortably. And I tried to settle down on two seats and sleep. But they simply didn’t let me lower my seat - the Pole from behind just lifted it back! Well, do not fight with her!
However, the road passed relatively quickly, although I did not manage to sleep. The Englishman snored and muttered something in his sleep in his own English (which means he is still an Englishman). We didn’t stay anywhere and at 11.00 we were at the hotel, even earlier than we were told. We even managed to bang on the coming dream.
We have the last day left - Saturday. Sunday departure at 9.00. We intended to spend this day with maximum benefit, so we told a friend that her task for today was not to lose us, and to make sure that we did not lose anything. But first, swim. Then a tan, otherwise what am I, will I leave untanned? I don't know how people manage to get burned in the water? I, if and darkened, then quite a bit. Under the beach umbrella, although completely loose, under which I spent most of the time, I also failed to tan. Today I will roast in the sun!
We decided to swim in the direction of Savoy, but further, and go around the cape. After swimming over the cape, we swam up to the pontoon with a bored lifeguard. They asked what kind of hotel? He answered "four seasons" (in English, of course). We sailed on, surprised that there were no people at all in the water or on the pontoon, and there were one and a half cripples on the beach. They sleep, right? Having sailed through this bay, we swam over the next cape. There was a huge bay, all studded with hotels. And pretty stormy. We decided to turn back. Yeah, rowing against the waves here was not so easy! It was quieter in the four-season bay.
In one place I saw the outline of a horned shell at the bottom. Showed my dear. He, blind, of course, saw nothing. I told him to dive strictly under me. Look, I swam the wrong way. I started yelling into the phone: “Where are you going? Get right! " But it sounded something like this: "Mumumumu, bul-bul-bul. " The second call - again by. Already she wanted to dive - but where is it! These five meters that separated me from the prey, I would not have been able to overcome in the Black Sea, but even more so here! I am conducting a second briefing - there is a coral, and next to it is a platform on which the sink lies! And he told me - well, not a fig to yourself a landmark! Corals are everywhere! Only the fifth time the sweetheart managed to find a shell. Cool! I said that it should be photographed. And the dear one had to swim for almost an hour with her in his hand. Well, never mind, I got it. It turned out that she was alive. The mollusk sitting there was moving and seemed to be eating something. Having quickly taken a picture, the cute swam away and released our prey.
We sailed for two and a half hours. It was so salty in my mouth, as if I had eaten a dozen rams without beer. And it was only half past ten. And the beer on the beach is poured from eleven. We decided to go for a while to the relaxation pool above the beach, where the bar is open from 10. A friend still remained on the farm. Upstairs was good. While we were taking beer, we saw that the bar has mango and guava juice in packs. Having quickly finished off the beer, they took the juice, first one, then the other. Mango tastes better though. They asked to see the package. It is written that it is nectar. Weird! Very thick juice and very tasty. The bartender said it cost $2 a pack. After drinking another glass, they took both of them for a test, and also rum so that it could be diluted.
Beer was already poured on the beach. We drank beer, sunbathed, played backgammon.
At noon we went for lunch to the usual place - an a la carte restaurant. We drank tequila at dinner. Salt was on the tables, and we got lime from a fish dish. However, salt could not be used, it was enough to lick yourself somewhere in the hand. We were so salted while swimming that the salt appeared on the body as crystals. And we didn’t go to the shower.
After dinner, we got a lost tan on the beach, again we drank beer. In order not to die of hunger between lunch and dinner, oh horror, I ate french fries! And a hot dog too! My God! What have I come to?
In between eating potatoes and drinking beer, I went for a dip, and realized that I didn’t swim at all. Swimming down with a dime, it’s certainly good, but there’s no work! He waved his hands - and you slide yourself. I didn’t even always kick my legs so as not to hit the coral or hit someone. And swimming with your head up is a completely different matter, both arms and legs work. With pleasure I swam from pontoon to pontoon and back.
About four o'clock, the three of us went to the relaxation pool to drink juice and lie there as well. At the bar, I told him to pour me juice with rum and ice. The bartender grunted and did what I asked, and not in a 100-gram glass, like juice, but in a larger one. MMM! What a yummy! And why did I think of this only on the last day! I don't know what it would lead to, but the sun soon set, and we went to get ready for dinner.
And we had dinner today at the a la carte restaurant. There are three of them in the hotel - Arabic, Italian and fish. But you need to register on the day of arrival. We went to record at lunch the next day, and as a result, we could only go to a fish restaurant. Arabic was only on Thursday, on which we had an excursion, and Italian was also on Friday, but we had already signed up for the fish one, and, of course, chose the fish one (maybe in vain? )
Arriving in the room, we found a man lying on the bed! Class! He was a rag (well, from towels). Well done cleaner! Not some banal swans, but a whole man! We were just missing one for the set! : ))) The entertainer-girlfriend took some more and put socks and glasses on him. After laughing, they changed and went to piss.
There were few people in the restaurant. And, it seems, all freeloaders (in the sense of free, by appointment). They brought the menu and immediately opened it on the page where the dishes are for people like us. At first, everyone chose seafood soup. In my opinion, it was without options, there was nothing else on the menu. For the second, everyone chose different things, but brought the same thing to everyone. To be honest, I don’t really remember this moment anymore, the amount of alcohol I drank made itself felt. I remember a stunted crab, and a dish of sole (aka pangasius). The hotel did not know the need for this fish, and it was prepared every day in various variations. In short, we didn't like it. But the soup was delicious.
Let's go to the main restaurant to see what they cook there. Looks like Indian food. But I don't think I've eaten anything. A friend's husband sent an incomprehensible SMS, and I, leaving my comrades to drink on, rode to Soho to chat with a friend via Skype. When she returned, she found them all doing the same thing. And you also need to find out if the flight was postponed? Went to look for the information booth. We found it with great difficulty, in some droplet behind the reception, which we did not even suspect. There were several shops there. I was drawn to the bags like a magnet. One of them was both in color and texture to match my boots. And the seller has already given it away for 20 bucks, and has already hit the sweetheart on the hands. And I say, wait, you! And began to look further. That bag is good for everyone, but it is small, the tablet will not fit. We looked at a few more, one of them interested me, only the leather tag did not hang on it. A meticulous friend just didn’t try it on the tooth and said that it was not leather. How offended the seller! He began to fold back all the offal, which was stuffed with a bag, as many hands were trembling! Not leather? Alright madam!
And we realized that even if we wanted to buy something here, he would not sell us. They turned around and left. We also found a fruit shop. There, mangoes were 3 dollars / kg, and in the supermarket opposite the hotel - 4 dollars! Fine! Bought a few for home. Went outside. There were several bags on a table near the restaurant. One I really liked. The waiters called the seller - it turned out to be the same one, but either he had already forgotten us, or today they didn’t buy anything from him - he ran out so joyful! Traded for $35. Washed. In general, we again did not live up to the evening animation, although we were going to. I have no idea where the amphitheater is in the hotel!
We came to the room. In order not to forget anything, I pulled everything out of the wardrobe and from the nightstands and threw everything on the suitcase and next to it. Darling will fold in the morning, he does it much better than me.
The flight was not rescheduled, it was still at 9.00. We were picked up at ten minutes to six. I didn't even have time to say goodbye to the sea. We arrived at the airport at half past seven. And then a huge . oops was waiting for us! In the form of a crazy queue for inspection. The crowd is huge, and there are only two frames - one for men, the other for women. We stayed for an hour and a half. And people with children in their arms! A pile of water bottles and lunch boxes formed in the middle of the hall. People just threw them on the floor. From time to time, one of the employees of the airport approached her (the pile) and fished out something for themselves. And no one gave us lunch boxes, and we didn’t ask about them.
Closer to the frame, the crowd began to split into men and women. And there are fewer men! For some reason, they never have queues in the toilets. The cunning friend wanted to seep through the man's frame, but the searcher sent her to another queue. Some strange! Baba herself came, and was not at all opposed to being searched! In our queue, a young, beautiful and tall Egyptian woman searched slowly and methodically. They even took off their shoes!
When we finally broke through this cordon, 40 minutes remained before departure. And also baggage, passport control. Despite the fact that the crowd was just huge, there were only two aquariums at passport control! Already started yelling into the microphone - Zaporozhye, where are you? Ay! Your Gate 4, boarding! And we got stuck in another queue. Then, already insolently, they began to bypass everyone. Then there was another search, some kind of nightmare! Two aunts from our plane repeated all the time, like a mantra - well, nothing, but you can live loudly!
We didn't have time to get to the dutik, we ran to the exit exactly at 9.00. True, then they were still waiting for latecomers on the bus. The plane waited for us for 20-25 minutes. This time we got seats in the 3rd row. They flew great. Sat down okay. They gave a ladder. For some reason, a dog came with a border guard, but she didn’t come to us, she probably checked the cockpit.
Someone was greeted with a huge bouquet of roses. We were met by a driver who brought the next tourists, who for 700 hryvnia and in three hours, not sparing the car, rushed us home! All's well that ends well!
