Returning to Riyadh...

I am back safe and sound form my Egyptian adventure. Things went really well. I did not intend to do any diving when I first decided to go on this trip, however, as most divers know, old habits die hard, and I ended up doing four dives in the Red Sea. I guess I took it for granted how close I was to the Red Sea and how desirable of a dive location that was for many divers. I never went below 25 meters on any of the dives, but the wildlife was just amazing! I could go on all day about, but suffice it to say, I am very pleased that I decided to go.

I hit up a little bit of the nightlife in Naama Bay. There were plenty of shops there, with no shortage of locals looking to make a dollar or two off of an unsuspecting tourist. I managed to get through all of the shops with my wallet still intact, however the real scam turned out to be how much they charge for drinks at the local bars! There was nothing to drink for less than 10 USD! I suppose I am lucky the drinks were so unreasonably priced, as it was a real deterrent from over indulgence, just for the simple fact you would go broke before you had time to drink enough to cause any trouble!

I also hit one of the casinos while I was there. All of the casinos are very small and only have the basic games. Blackjack, roulette, slots, and poker is all they had to offer. Again, I think I am lucky, as I could have spent a substantial amount had they had a craps table!

I think I was one of the only Americans in Sharm el Sheik, as the reaction I got when people needed to see my passport was one of surprise. They did not act like they saw American passports often. Add this to the fact that I checked in with a bunch of people from the UK, and they were extremely confused. Also, throw in the fact that I was using what little Arabic I know (surprisingly, I did well, even with just a few phrases under my belt) and they were completely lost, and they did not have any idea what to do with me. All in all, just like everywhere I have been so far, the people were friendly and accommodating.

Believe it or not, I was actually longing for Riyadh a little bit by the time my short trip was over. I am very excited to be back in the country and to get back to work. I am chomping at the bit to get back on the streets and get to work!

So, for all of those concerned, I am back, safe and sound! I am happy to see all of my Saudi friends again and I look forward to getting back into the action! I will post the few pics I have as soon as I download them!