It amazes me

[vicki2]

Thanks for the clarification about Dahar not being the oldest section. But it still sounds very interesting.

I'm an American who lives in Scotland part of the time. You've certainly picked two vastly different climates! LOL.

[cynic]

Yes I dive but to be honest, go off most of the beaches here and just snorkel. It is fabulous. Just waiting for the water to heat up a bit - I have gone soft since coming to live here.

Re the different climates, I will have you know that 2 weeks ago we had thunder and 6 drops of rain!!!!!!! I remember just before Christmas one year we returned from Egytp to Scotland and I had jokingly said we would probably go back to 3' of snow - I was wrong, there had been 16'.

[mamab]

I understand that Egypt gets basically less than 8 inches of rain per year, and that if it weren't for the Nile, the country would basically be barren of plant life. What would happen if there were a freak storm and you got more than that at one time? Would everyone panic like they do around where I live when it snows more than an inch?

[katharina]

Originally Posted by cynic

Yes I dive but to be honest, go off most of the beaches here and just snorkel. It is fabulous. Just waiting for the water to heat up a bit - I have gone soft since coming to live here.

Snorkeling sounds like a lot of fun, too! When should the water be heating
up enough to make those sports more enjoyable? And wow, 6 whole drops
of rain a couple of weeks ago!

[cynic]

Apparently there have been floods here in Hurghada - before my time - where a lot of the Hotel's were quite badly damaged. Anyone who visits Hurghada will notice how high the pavements are. Unlike Europe where there are flood drains which more or less cope with heavy downpours, these don't exist here. I have only seen rain 3 times since coming to live here, once in Luxor which by the time I called out my husband had stopped!!!! Once last year when the other European girl in my office and I dashed outside - threw our arms wide and shouted YES!!!!!!!!!!! and as I said, a few weeks ago which didn't amount to anything really.

Re the water heating up - I was hoping to test it this week-end, but we are moving apartments next week so will be up to my eyes in cardboard boxes. Now again I have gone soft since coming to live here and have become accustomed to really warm water. It is not too cold now though and a 30 minute dip at a time would be quite pleasant. By the end of April it is all systems go.

[mamab]

I really can't imagine living someplace with that little rain. I'm sure if you're a water-baby, living so close to the Red Sea would be great.