Surreyman wrote:

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Yep, fair enough. Your thinking is spot on. It's just that isolated beach
resort hotels are the last places we'd choose ourselves, but that's purely
subjective. Must admit we did drop down into them now and then to re-fill
with safe water! :-))

One last thought - it's apparently 'the thing' to overnight at St.
Catherine's (or leave your hotel xxxxxx early a.m.) and to climb Mount
Sinai to see the dawn - not a vicious ascent, I'm told. I haven't done it,
but if it appeals, your local guides will obviously advise.

Whatever, you've a great time ahead.

We'd have to leave from the hotel at 0030 to climb the mount in time- in
the end we opted for a day trip and not climbing the mountain- leaving
at 0700 with a private taxi and back in time for a late lunch. Very
enjoyable visit, and you were right, the scenery on the way was just
unbelievable. When I thought I'd seen the most breathtaking valley
another unfolded. The resort at Taba Heights was wonderful though, you
don't see Eilat or Aqaba, but instead look over to the dramatic scenery
of Saudi Arabia. Fantastic snorkelling, which surprisingly I'd never
done before and got completely hooked on...

Will definitely return to the area. The trip eventually divided itself
like this- 3 nights Tel Aviv, flight to Eilat, border crossing, 4 nights
Taba Heights, two border crossings to Jordan (3 taxis), 3 nights Wadi
Musa (Petra), then Jerusalem via Aqaba crossing (2 taxis, then bus) for
last 4 nights. Israeli Egged buses have free wifi which works very
well... the journey went quicker while listening to R4!

Your advice to spend time at Petra was spot on. We got a 2-day pass, and
could happily have spent another full day there... I like the
government's pricing policy: 50 for a full day, 55 for 2, 60 for 3- but
90 if you aren't spending a night in Jordan.

Didn't go to Wadi Rum, for another time...

D

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"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
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