How I survived 12 days without internet – holidays in Egypt
I try to go to Slovakia every summer (July – August) because the weather is kind of ok to be outdoors or even to go to a pool and then my mom is on vacations so we can do some stuff together.
In summer of 2012, after I came back from New York City and spent just a few days in my home town Snina, I was looking for holidays to Sharm el Sheikh as I haven’t visited it yet (shame on me!)
But unfortunately, all the good deals from Slovakia were not from the closest airport Košice but from Bratislava and the deals I found were or shorter or longer than my mom wanted.
I don’t know why but all the all inclusive holidays you can take from Slovakia are more expensive than from any other European country which I don’t find fair because of the shitty salaries we have home.
Anyway, after 3 days of tough searching, I found a good deal in Egypt:
5 star all inclusive Tia Heights hotel in Makadi Bay close to Hurghada.
We visited Hurghada with my mom back in 2007 already but when I saw the Tia Heights hotel had the biggest swimming pool in Egypt, I was sold. I just wanted to swim without no one in my way. Or just cool down in the pool having my own space as I cannot stand sunbathing for longer than a few minutes (as I mentioned in the post about different tanning habits around the world).
So I said goodbye to my Australian friend Matt who I spent time speaking about benefits of traveling to Australia, packed, scheduled some posts and flew to Hurghada with my mom.
I knew I was not going to be online for those 12 days there.
21st century and no wifi, you asking?
I know, I was terrified to death! The longest time ever for me without internet for the last approx. 4 years was 3 – 4 days (for example when I went to Uyuni Salt flat in Bolivia or Pampas Tour where in the Amazon jungle there was no internet of course).
But 12?
And at a 5 star hotel???
There was actually wifi but only at the reception and it was 5 euro per 24 hours. Way too expensive in my opinion, and if I paid for it, I would force myself to be online for all the 24 hours which obviously would not be good :)
So I made a hard decision. No internet for 12 days, just proper vacations and relax.
Are you asking me how I survived for so long?
What did I do on holidays in Egypt?
Let me be honest with you. It was tough on like 4th day and then again my last day in Egypt. In between I was actually happy I couldn’t go online so I had time to do nothing.
We did not take any tours. It was too hot for both me and mom to spend time on a bus or outside during the biggest midday heat.
We saw the Giza pyramids back in 2007 and went snorkeling to Giftun island, too. I just wanted to visit Luxor but then I changed my mind and decided to take it easy. And it was too hot to travel around, anyway.
with mom at Giza pyramids in 2007
I spent days:
– eating (5 or 6 times a day as usual),
– swimming when I was not too lazy,
– cooling down in the pool or at the beach
with mom at the Makadi Bay beach
cooling down in the pool in Tia Heights in Egypt
– putting the sunscreen lotion on and on and on,
– sunbathing a little bit (most of the time in the water),
– walking around the hotel complex,
– drinking like crazy (I mean water with lemon and hot chocolate),
– writing down what I had to do after I got back home,
– complaining about the things that could be better (with a family with 2 cute girls we met there),
– making some videos when it was too hot or boring (I had my laptop with me),
– enjoying the beach and people watching,
– taking photos,
– shopping (bought a belt, a handbag, a silver butterfly-shaped ring, postcards and some presents),
– learning some Russian (the hotel was full of Russian tourists),
– putting the aloe vera gel on after sunbathing,
– having fun with hotel animators (Mido, Shika),
– meeting new interesting people (such as Adnan and Adi from Bosnia and Herzegovina)
with Adnan – we look tired huh? at 1.30 am :)
– making fish faces with my favorite bartender Amr,
– and every night after a good hot chocolate we were watching the night show (dancing, acrobatic and comedy shows etc.).
I will miss all the people I met there (including a Dutch tall guy drinking tons of beer every night and staring at me with his mouth open).
I can say it was a lot of fun … with even more sun. And a lot of doing nothing.
It did feel like holidays.
And holidays in Egypt were a perfect fit for what I needed!
Lashay
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Egypt is a wonderful place! Looks like you had fun there, even without internet :)
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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Thanks Lashay :) Yeah, I had many things to do there, mostly relax.
David
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Nice Video :)
David
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Perfect Holiday :)
David Rainey
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And you deserved a holiday in such a lovely place. Thanks for sharing.
Jatin Sharma via Facebook
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Wish your mum happy b’day from my side… :)
Mohammed Fathe via Facebook
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r u still in cairo ??? i am from giza hope you still there ! realy i hope ( i leave in pyramids st beside king marriott area in fysal street :D
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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Comment@ Mark Benson:
I agree, it was so painful :D
Mark Benson
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You sure are a survivor!
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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Comment@ Lyndsay/ Discount Travel Blogger:
My mom was paranoid about it too but we didn’t go yo Cairo just in case :)
Lyndsay/ Discount Travel Blogger
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Awesome holiday you two have there, a mom and daughter bonding! I wanna visit Egypt too.My bf is just a bit paranoid from the media hype of what’s happening there so I guess I’ll let it cool down a bit, but nice video there.
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler
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Comment@ sanjana nuwan:
You see! I did survive :)
sanjana nuwan
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12 days without internet?????
cant believe it…
Crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ Agness:
It’s never boring if you have things to do :) But I take all inclusive usually once a year only to switch off.
Agness
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I don’t like all inclusive holidays. In my opinion there are so boring and make people lazy, but it looked like you have a great time :). I know the feeling when you get frustrated without the internet :)
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ NomadTravels:
Right, it is not easy, especially if you work online :D
crazy sexy fun traveler
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Comment@ NomadTravels:
I know, it is not difficult especially if you work online :D
NomadTravels
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It’s hard to even think of 12 days without internet, at first thought at least. Then I think about it a little and think it actually would be enjoyable. If only I could curb my insatiable curiosity which always has me running to my nearest connected device to look up random facts.
Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler via Facebook
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aj ja pozdravujem zo Spanielska :)