I have been on many expeditions and adventures, each offering unique experiences, and gifting insights into diverse cultures, landscapes, and ways of life. Travel is ingrained in my soul, (helpful as I establish an adventure company), yet nothing could prepare me for the profound impact created by the Sinai.

The spiritual allure of the Sinai mountains has captivated me for 27 years. There is a timeless stillness, an undefined silence and place of solitude offered by these sacred lands, deeply significant in many religions.

Opening my revered and spiritual home wasn’t easy. Honestly,(and ashamedly) I grappled with conflicting thoughts of selfishly only wanting to share it with friends and those who like me call the Sinai home. An internal conflict brewed, accompanied by a buzzing anticipation in my belly. I knew this expedition would bring an unforgettable, life-changing adventure, a profound transformation that no other experience could offer. Time prevailed and the allure was too strong.

Supported by 13 camels carrying our supplies, we trekked 110km. We drank the equivalent of km’s in Bedouin tea.. (a sweet blend of desert herbs and sage) offered in an ornate, smoke-blackened dallah, reflecting the honoured traditions and hospitality of the Bedouins.

We wild camped in the open wadis. spending the early hours of nightfall seamlessly gazing at the Milky Way before falling asleep under the canopy of stars. Resting bodies dotted the landscape like colourful bumps.

We collected water from wells, buckets hoisted up by the camels. We ate sand-baked breads and simple freshly cooked foods. We spent many lazy hours shade bathing during the midday sun, accompanied by only the hum of Bedouin chatter and the rhythmic music from the drums and sitar mixed with the out-of-time and untuned vocals from the camels!

There was no outside pollution or running water, no additional people, and no phones. No western music and only a rock served as a bathroom! It was pure simplicity, with each day offering a different precious nugget of gold. Sandy plains, twisting wadis, rugged granite, and sandstone mountains mixed with a vast desert expanse.

We marvelled at the view from the summit of Mt Sinai, scrambled, and squeezed up down, and through a maze of slot canyons, trekked up steep trails leading to high plateaus, and followed ridge lines giving us unbroken views across the seamlessly empty plains.

We rode camels for amusement and camped under vast cliffs. We endlessly photographed our camel train and the rusty jagged peaks that pierced the deep blue sky. We moved across golden and black rock broken only by sporadic tufts of hardy desert flora and an occasional twisted acacia tree standing strong and defiant.

We got lost in our heads engaging in deep personal reflection while nurturing a curiosity in an ancient land and Bedouin culture and embracing resilience…

We ran and “skied” down the soft sandy gullies, whooping and laughing. We spent time swapping stories of home life, making friends while experiencing only the sounds of the desert…

We were as close to freedom as life could offer. Free from our minds, free from life constraints, free from chaos. Only a landscape and culture of such simplicity could offer such depth of freedom and inner peace.

After 8 days of trekking, we ventured down what would be our last wadi, tracing climbing routes with our eyes, we turned the final corner. Flanked by the sides of the impressively high-walled wadi was the stunning blue sea. Our first encounter with water awaited.

Stripping down to bikinis and shorts donning masks and fins, we dived into the Red Sea to a kaleidoscope of colour… The 28-degree water revitalizing our sand and sun-drenched skin. I danced with the pure delight of seeing many of the team snorkelling for the very first time, bubbling with excitement at the wonders and otherworldly tranquillity beneath the blue. Another moment of simple and pure magic.

Fuelled by coke, salad, hummus, and chicken, offering a plethora of taste sensations, we said goodbye to our amazing Bedouin team and exchanged our camels for boats that sped along the coast headed to the famous Blue Hole. It is here where the bohemian nature of Dahab begins to unfold.

Four days of diving, snorkelling, breathwork, and boat safaris awaited! And then came the tears — it was homeward bound for the team!