Sharm El Sheik

The post that was never written:

Sharm El Sheik Vacation:

See eventually I do get back around to all the things I say I am going to tell you about. So here goes. Over Labor Day weekend we went to Egypt. It was a trip planned by the embassy so there were a bunch of people going and lucky for us we even had a few friends go on the trip. Though we made some new friends while we were there and that is great too! So I must admit that while we were in Egypt we did nothing that you would think of when you think Egypt. No Pyrimids (though some made the trek), No sphinx, and no Cairo. So if you were hoping for those pictures you will be disappointed. Maybe in the future but Cairo wasn't high on our list of places to be that weekend (think back and I believe it was the next weekend or so that was when the Embassy was attacked) and lugging a baby and all her needs around for a day plane trip just wasn't happening. On that note here is what we did!

We met at the embassy early in the morning and got in the vans. We headed to the airport waited outside and eventually they let us in. Now this was my first time going to the airport here since we arrived and for those that do not know. Women are screened seperately from the men. So off I go with the baby to a little curtain area while S walks through a metal dectore and is done. I was not sure what to expect going through the curtain but all it was was a women in there that patted me down. We get past security (still carrying our luggage) and go over to the ticket counters. Somehow the staff and our trip coordinator and resident local Annie managed to get 50 people checked in and luggage checked. We then head over to another security area and show our tickets and residency cards. They  let us through and screen us again. Only this time the lady screener was so preoccupied by our Little Lady that she never checked me and let another women just walk through. I would worry about this if it wasn't the 3rd time someone was checking us. We eventually board a bus and drive to the plane. Climb the stairs. Try to get settled with the baby and eventually the plane takes off. Little Lady briefly fusses but we start feeding her puffs and we are all set. We arrive in Egypt. It was hot and humid from the moment we set foot on the bus off the plane. Then we check in and show our visas (which the embassy took care of!!) and we are off to the hotel.

We arrive at the Marriot Golden Renaissance Hotel. Now it says Marriot in the title however I am fairly certain Marriot knows nothing about this place. There is not a Marriot sign anywhere and there was not anything that seemed to affliate it with Marriot including the service. We all check in which means leaving your bags outside so they can be screened and brought to your room for you. So here is where it goes downhill...

I understand that there are a million (50) people checking in at once however you knew we were coming and knew there were kids coming. Somehow the people with kids were the last to get their rooms. S was one of the first at the counter but was told they were upgrading our room so we had to wait and wait we did. Everyone else recieved their key, went to their room, and returned for the buffet while we continued to sit in the lobby with a cranky, hungry, dirty diapered, beyond nap time 9 month old. Eventually I found a bathroom (well asked the other moms in our group who were in the same
 position) and took Little Lady for her change. Then just sat feeding her puffs. Then the hotel staff told us and another couple to just go eat at the buffet and when we were done our room would be ready... Ok...why didn't they say that 45 minutes ago??? who knows. We are starving and that is the only option so we go. We get food, drinks, and then they make us sign for it, except we do not have room numbers. We try to explain to the wait staff that they didn't give them to us. At this point everyone else has cleared out and is on the way to the pool. S goes
and checks and find out what the number of our room is and signs for the food. Then we get the key, take a golf cart ride to our room and try to relax. We decided to put LL down for a nap and then when she woke up we went to the pool. The room was nice. It was a suite with a kitchennet and sagging furniture (though can't complain the furniture wasn't wet at this place) and the bed did not squeak. More about the room later. So we wander around the place and climb down a million (not exaggerating) stairs until we find the pool that the most people are hanging around at. The water is warm and it is perfect weather. The pool had a swim up bar (which is why everyone was at this pool) so Little Lady sat on the bar stools and played while we all hung out. We then decide to go the Mexican place for dinner. We arrived got a table and the food was actually pretty good. I should mention we had an all inclusive meal plan though it didn't cover this place and really it was kinda restricting. But it gave us a discount for dinner there and it was much better than the buffet. We had dinner with Mike and Emily and Little Lady fell asleep while we ate and it was a lovely evening to enjoy the sounds of the Red Sea on the shore and eat dinner under the stars. We return to our room and complaint # 2: The toilet is leaking... Oh I forgot to mention I guess the real problem # 2 in between the pool and dinner returned to the room for showers we found out the shower doesn't seal so pours water on the floor. ok so back to complaint # 2/3 the leaking toilet. It is drip drip driping on the floor and at the current time is a small puddle at the back of the toilet. Well it is after 10 pm and we do not want to have to deal with switching rooms or having them come fix it that late. So we figured we would wait till morning. In the morning (well sometime in the night since LL did not want to sleep) I walk into the bathroom and the toilet has leaked into the middle of the bathroom. I just love a cold puddle in the middle of the night so exhilarating! So I dry my foot, put the baby in our bed and try to sleep. We wake up go to breakfast and return to find it fixed... Little Lady has a nap and we prepare for another day of buffets and pool time. More stairs but lots of fun later we are climbing back up for nap and to get ready for dinner. We ate dinner at the buffet and had a relaxing evening. We come back to the room and then try to get some sleep. By the next morning the water is actually merged from the toilet with the shower water from morning showers and is heading for the door. We call room service they come fix it and mop the floor but never replaced the towels that we put down to stop the water and make it so we could get into the bathroom. We get dressed to go to breakfast and then get ready for our submarine trip to see the coral! After some complications with our ticket (S never was given one though he paid for the group) the bus gets going and we arrive. The submarine is really a open deck boat with a glass windowed hull that has stools lining it. But it was awesome.

 We saw lots of fish and coral and Little Lady had her face pressed against the glass most of the time. She really loves water.

We took lots of pictures of the fish and it was great getting to go with two other couples that also had kids.

 Once the submarine ride ended we walked back to our ride and headed back to the hotel.

The view from the ride in on the submarine

 It was lunch time (ish) like 12 and the included buffet did not start until 1. We decided to go to one of the "included" snack bars for lunch instead as the kids were hungry and so were the adults. It was a nice lunch sitting outside near the pools. Eventually we went to pay and well we discovered that all the food we ordered and consumed (ok somewhere while we were eating it, they problem was noticed) was not included in our all inclusive package. Something to do with us not having the alcohol option...Well a few phone calls to the rude manager and nothing was solved. A conversation with our trip coordinator Annie and I am sure Karl had a few things he had to do but it seems that the problem was cleared up and we did not have to pay over all. So that is the shortened version of problem/ complaint # 4 all inclusive that was more of a meal plan. We head back to the room. Take naps and then venture down to the pools. They had an awesome kiddie pool that many of the kids were able to use. We put LL in it but she was just a bit too short still so we headed back to the bar pool. One of our friends decided to stay sober for us all day so she could watch LL! She took LL for us for an hour and S and I were able to go snorkeling in the RED SEA!! How cool is that? The coral was amazing. There were fish everywhere and they came very close to us (not to my liking- I am afraid of fish lol) Since the salt content is higher in the Red Sea it was very easy to float and swim along. The water was warm and there were gentleish waves pushing you around. I hope we get to go back again some time. We got out and took LL down to the beach so she too could put her feet in the Red Sea...YEP that went horrible! She screamed every time a wave came near her. This girl is a pool loving girl. We of course have pictures for her memory book but I doubt she will be thrilled with these ones. The next morning it was time to say goodbye. We went to breakfast and put in our request for help with luggage at check out. They said 10:30 no problem. So we went back to the room put LL down for one last nap in Egypt then finished packing. 10:30 came and went...10:45 did too...11??? We gave up. We needed to meet at the bus at 11:15 and we still wanted to hit the souvenir shop in the lobby. S dragged all 3 or 4 bags plus diaper bag down the stairs and to the lobby. We quickly shopped and hopped on the bus.  A short ride later and we were back at the airport. The group of us took a bit to get through ticketing and security. I must admit I have never been anywhere where line cutting is an actual sport. Though it seems all middle easterners are professionals at it. They are professional at the rude glare too when you do not let them get in front of you. Eventually we get to the waiting area. We have a bit of confusion about what time our plane leaves but it was the 2 pm flight not the 1 pm so we did not miss it! Then they call us to board the bus to the plane. We get on...take a few laps...return to the terminal. Yep! it was going to be like that. Lucky for us we were allowed off the bus and back into the terminal. Those people on the 1pm flight...still on the plane outside. Turns out our airport in Jordan was closed temporarily for the arrival of the King and they could not tell us about it so instead kept us guessing. Though it was kinda fun. We hung out in the airport. Found GUMMY BEARS!!! and the kids had a playdate on the floor. LL was the only girl there but she made her presence known. She also was crawling by this point in time so she could try to get around. It was a slow crawl so we never had to worry. lol

Airport playdate

 Eventually we get on the plane and fly back to Jordan. It was a short trip. With a few complaints but it was a great trip. We want to go back just I think we will stay at a different hotel next time!

I should add that LL experienced sand for the first time and decided that it is delicious.

I will come back and add more pictures once I find them...some are missing from the computer