Second time is a Sharm - Nov 5-12, 2023

[deep bubbles]

I'm planning on going to Mt Sinai and spend the night there. Then off to Petra and maybe do some glamping in Wadi Rum preserve or a hotel in Aquaba or Taba. Then off to see the Dead Sea and Jerusalem...may fly from Tel Aviv...

 

[deep bubbles]

I'm planning on going to Mt Sinai and spend the night there. Then off to Petra and maybe do some glamping in Wadi Rum preserve or a hotel in Aquaba or Taba. Then off to see the Dead Sea and Jerusalem...may fly from Tel Aviv...

Also I might go from Tel Aviv to the mainland and fly home from Alexandria or Cairo....just have to see how many weeks I can stay gone.

 

[VikingDiver]

Still waiting to see what I can do. I wish I had miles to cash in…..

 

[deep bubbles]

Still waiting to see what I can do. I wish I had miles to cash in…..

Same. The Bedouin camps at St. Catherine and Wadi Rum are very affordable. There are tour bus companies that run daily from Aquaba to Wadi Rum and Petra. They also go to the Dead Sea and up that way of Isreal but I haven't begun yet to look at motels around Jerusalem.

 

[ReefHound]

I could spend a month there.

 

[AdamBOM]

I am currently looking at going via London (Heathrow) and stopping there overnight on the way there and the way back as that looks easier than via IST. I’m also too lazy to self organize any tourist visits in Egypt either so I’ll just be in and out.

So - current favorite travel plan looks to get me in to to SSH from London (Gatwick) at 6:30pm Monday 6th, heading out of SSH 7pm Sunday November 12. Currently looks to be around $1100 for flights.

 

[Sushi Boy]

Glad to see plans coming together.

If anyone wants to do some touristy stuff, either in Egypt or in Istanbul, for a couple of days after the diving, let me know. Otherwise, I'll book my flights early next week, likely with a stop in Istanbul on the way back.

 

[Lakediver]

Anybody know about luggage storage options in Istanbul?

Looks like they do have lockers at the airport that you can store your stuff in. There's also a free tour of Istanbul that you may be able to take, depending on your layover. There's also a spa, where you can get a massage, take a shower, or take a nap in one of their resting rooms.

 

[Sushi Boy]

Ok, my flights are booked on Turkish Airlines.

I opted for the 17 hour layover in IST on the way there & 2 1/2 day stopover in IST on the way back.

It ended up only costing $50 more to do the stopover on the way back.

Anybody is welcome to join on the same flights either direction.

 

[VikingDiver]

Still not sure what I want to do on this…….
Damn

 

[ReefHound]

Still not sure what I want to do on this…….
Damn

You're welcome to join us for a few days in Israel.

 

[Lakediver]

I think I may change my incoming flight to be one day earlier, so that I land in Istanbul a day earlier, so I get an extra day there. I haven't done it yet, because I'm 9k miles short. But I should have those soon enough, especially after all the money I spent in Curacao.

 

[Lakediver]

I just changed my flights! @Sushi Boy I think we'll be in Istanbul at about the same time on the way in. Here's my new itinerary:

IAH to IST - depart 11/3 @ 9:35 pm, arrive 11/4 @ 5:20 pm
IST to SSH - depart 11/6 @ 1:10 am, arrive 11/6 @ 2:45 am

SSH to IST - depart 11/13 @ 3:35 am, arrive 11/13 @ 7:30 am
IST to IAH - depart 11/13 @ 2:30 pm, arrive 11/13 @ 6:55 pm

So that gives me about a 32 hour layover in Istanbul on the way to Egypt. If you or anyone else wants to hang out in Istanbul with me, you're more than welcome!

 

[deep bubbles]

Here is mine and Peter's schedule so far. Several sites we are planning on visiting in Istanbul stay open late to the public. On the way home we may change our flight if there is anymore of Istanbul we didn't get a chance to take in. We will get into Sharm mid day which will give a little time to get in some extra shore dives on Sunday and Monday should we decide to.

 

[AdamBOM]

Okidoki all I've grabbed some flights too. I am going to go to London first, arriving in the morning of Thursday 2nd where I'll spend a few days with family (and adjusting to the time difference!)

I'll catch a five-hour flight from London to Sharm on Monday November 6th, getting in @ 6:30pm local time.

I head back to London from Sharm on Sunday November 12th leaving at 7:55pm, getting in to London at 11pm. I will stay the night somewhere comfy and close to the airport and then catch the 11 hour return flight to Houston from London the next morning on Monday the 13th, getting back home at 2:30pm local time.

 

[Lakediver]

Has anyone else with an overnight layover in Istanbul started looking at hotels there? I decided to book a room at the Dersaadet Hotel. The rates are reasonable, the reviews are really good, and it's super close to the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. I found them on hotels.com, but if you book through them directly, there's a promo code to get 10%.

 

[AdamBOM]

Today I was able to successfully apply and pay for my Egypt eVisa: https://visa2egypt.gov.eg/

 

[Lakediver]

Just a reminder that final payments are due by Thursday. Post #2 has been updated with everyone's current payment status. If you haven't made your last payment yet, please do so ASAP.

 

[Lakediver]

Reminder: final payments are due today! Don't make me start breaking knee caps.

 

[Heidi Ho]

gotta love Titus Andromedon