Simons Travels

(Editors notes are in blue)

Dahab is thankfully a much more wonderful place than Sharm. It's still a resort, but on a much more chilled out scale with Arab quarters and far more independent travellers. However, given that I seem to have ended up sharing a room with my new friend somewhat unintentionally it does kind of feel like I've gone on holiday with someone I barely know, rather than a true travel experience so far. STILL, that's actually a nice thing as it doesn't hurt to ease yourself into it rather than ceratin experiences where I've been dropped off in an ex-soviet republic and had to fend for myself whilst dodging secret 'police'.

In fact, I'm having a great time here, lolling around, reading & swimming. Went snorkelling today and saw an amazing variety of fish - most of which are here I particularly liked the Lion fish, Yellowtail Surgeonfish and the Pennant fish, but it doesn't have my favourite which was a different type of Parrot Fish.

Tomorrow I start my Open Water PADI course so I'll be able to start exploring even more. It's all really nice when you combine it with a beach holiday, the backdrop of which is a dramatic range of mountains. The Red Sea is so blue, and has great visibility, and on the other side you can see the hills of Saudi Arabia melting in the distance.

Thanks for all the concern from people about my new limpit.

He's actually a really nice guy and we've managed to spend some time apart which is cool. He did tell me all his theories about the secret elite who rule the world last night but he is definitely not a paranoid freak who will kill me in my sleep and take my money. NO WAY. Nah, he's actually really quite cool and his iPod & speakers have some good tunes on them, so that's all good.

The hostel he said was the best (read cheapest) is full of Koreans so it's nice to have someone to talk to - it is under 2 quid a night which can't be bad, though maybe I'd pay another pound to get slightly upgraded toilets and abit more conducive atmosphere. Still, I was very happy this morning reading under palm leaves on bedouin pillows whilst kittens frolicked and wrestled amongst the cushions. The cats here are lovely, friendly, and ubiquitous - Sarah be warned.

Better shoot, I need to get some food. Just to let you know the weather's lovely, I'm not sunburned, and I'm a few days off having my beard back (phew).

(Anna packs her bags, gets a ticket and heads for the door, then realises that there is no need to travel so far to meet the best cats in the world. One of them is sitting on her desk, chilling, the other is busy killing bits of carpet on the stairs just outside this room)

Wow.. parents in one bit of the world, Simon in another.. what a busy blog!!