The Unplanned Adventure Continues…
So after the long camel ride from the Blue Hole to Ras Abu Gallum we were eager to unpack our gear, have my new favourite drink Bedouin tea and then jump into the water.
On the surface Ras Abu Gallum is beautiful but under the water, well it is a dive paradise! Literally just meters from the shoreline is a vast, complex and incredible underwater coral reef. There was huge amounts of fire, mosaic to salad coral. Incredible vibrant coral. Schools of colourful fish swam in and out of the coral. From the moon grouper, napolean fish, bi-colour parrot fish to the odd looking humphead parrot fish each time you turn around a new fish is strolling over to you. My heart skipped a beat when a school of barracudas swam by.
Ras Abu Gallum has been a protected national park since 1993. Not only are the fauna and flora protected here, but also the habitat of the Bedouin, who still live a life relatively free from the influence of tourism. Besides our small group of people swimming in the water and two divers from Holland the only other people we saw were two Bedouins fishing, they have the right to fish in this protected area, to all others fishing is prohibited.
Getting tired we finally forced ourselves out of the underwater wonder, relaxed in the sun and then enjoyed some lunched cooked by the Bedouins. After lunch we went for a walk. As I looked across the water I saw another large mountain coastline. Just then my phone beeped to tell me I had a text message. It read, ” Wataniya (my Kuwait phone provider) Welcomes you to Saudi-Arabia! Dial 112 in case of emergency Kuwait Dipolmatic mission is 0096614883500/4883401. Call for assistance if needed.” We were so close to Saudi-Arabia that my phone actually though I was in Saudi!
We continued to walk until we came to some rocks placed in a giant circle and a line of rocks. Thinking this was some Bedouin art or symbol with historic meaning I asked, “what we were looking at?’ The answer was sometimes people get bored here.” I couldn’t help but laugh because that in a nutshell sums up the Bedouin life. Unaffected, simple and practical. They deal with the tourist but don’t let the tourist shape them. After seeing several cultures, from the people of Honduras to the Nubians, change or bend to go after the tourist dollars it was refreshing to see a people who could take or leave the almighty dollar.
Before diner we went snorkeling in search of more fish and giant turtles! Such wonderful creatures to be seen. As the sunset we prepared camp for the evening. I am not a big camping fan. Most of the time my idea of camping includes a Marriott Hotel however when pulled out the candles, unpacked giant blankets and started dinner I knew that the night sky here was worth all the hassle of camping. So far from any type of power or street lights each star in the sky sparkled the way it was created to do. It was like a black canvas filled with little bursts of pure white light.
With a backdrop like that we had no choice to head to the beach and dance under the stars! The waves rolled in and the stars sparkled down and my heart was smiling. Sometimes days blur together, you get caught up with work, routine and the ho hum of daily living. It is moments like dancing under the stars in Ras Abu Gallum that remind you that each day is truly a gift. A precious gift to be made the most of!
“Hurry. You don’t want to keep your camel waiting!“
The Unplanned Adventure
The official tour description: Camel Safari to Ras Abu Gallum At 8:00 a.m. you will leave. You reach the Blue Hole by jeep. There you spend 2 hours snorkeling. Then you take the camel until you arrive in Ras Abu Gallum, where you can go snorkeling. You will have a Bedouin meal and tea in at tent. At about 3:00 p.m. you will leave Ras Abu Gallum by camel back to the Blue Hole. From there you will take a jeep back to Dahab. What actually happened: The tour guide and driver had partied in the mountains the night before. They arrived at 9:00 a.m. looking a little worse for wear. We stopped at the store to get water and snacks. We arrived at the Blue Hole and after a little work convinced the guide that we could snorkel at the Blue Hole for an hour before getting on the camels. There was some camel riding and some walking with camel for about and hour and a half, over crazy terrain with an incredible view. “Hello Saudi Arabia” Ras Abu Gallum was a breath taking underwater experience. The idea of riding a camel for three hours in one day was too much for any western women to handle so we spent the night eating food cooked by the Bedouins and dancing under the stars. We woke up in the morning we went snorkeling again at Ras Abu Gallum, walked the camel back to the Blue Hole, snorkeled some more. The tour ended when we drove the jeep home. I took a long afternoon nap! Sometimes the unplanned is way better then the plan! Even if I tried I don’t think I could adequately explain the sense of pure joy on this adventure. Many times I have wondered if there still exists simple peaceful non-tourist places. Today it took one heck of a camel ride over rocky terrain and mountains but I found such a place in Ras Abu Gallum; clear water, sand for miles, larger than life mountains and only a handful of people. A few Bedouin wooded houses close the shore line faces the mountains of Saudi Arabia that was across the body of water. It was perfect! 
Alright let’s talk about the camels! For those of you who have not ridden a camel, and let me tell you I was not eager to be one of those camel riding people, it can be an effective means of transportations over big and little rocks, over boulders and up and down steep hills. A camel, who has walked a path many times, sort of puts himself on auto camel and seems to just know how to find the quickest and best way to walk to any destination. Camel take off and landing taking a little getting used to but once you know what to expect it really isn’t that different from climbing on and off a horse. So having ridden three different camels from Ras Abu Gallum I am by no means any type of camel expert but I feel comfortable saying that the key to a successful camel ride is how the seat or saddle is packed. Lots of cushions and a strong saddle handles to hold on to and you are good to enjoy you ride for at least the first hour. Stay turned for more on the adventure to Ras Abu Gallum…
Kuwait City, KUWAIT