Outside of one of the three internationally bookable all-inclusive hotels, Dahab is as colourful as it was last year at the Tropitel Dahab Oasis. in 2015, the Islamic State province of Sinai claimed responsibility for the bomb attack on the Russian Metrojet 9628 aircraft that took off from Sharm El Sheikh, as a result of which Russia suspended all air traffic to the Sinai Peninsula for several years. Dahab asked the rest of Egypt for help, as Russians made up a large proportion of the visitors up until then. The call for help was answered. It was only then that Egypt learnt of Dahab’s existence.
Today, most visitors to Dahab come from Cairo. This is also the case at my hostel Rafiki Oasis. Within my first three days, I learnt more about the Egyptian soul, the country and its politics from many good people than during my 25 years of numerous visits to the slave-driver tourism in the Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh area. I always had the vague feeling that I wasn’t learning anything at all about the country I was travelling through. Only Dahab changed that. Here in Dahab, hardly any of the stories I hear today make any sense. Some stories are very frustrating. But all of them are interesting.
Dahab 24/25
After travelling for almost 22 hours, I arrive in Dahab in the middle of the night. I wanna wake up in a city that never sleeps. Even at four in the morning, there is a lot of life on the edge of the Sinai desert. According to the last official census from 2023, Dahab has just 3,200 inhabitants. But like so many official figures in Egypt, this number is an absolute joke. My rough guess is at least double that number of permanent residents. Maybe it’s even three times that. In addition to the inhabitants, there are easily the same number of visitors, some of whom live here longer after the hot summer lull of up to 50 degrees.
Dahab has quite an active community of digital nomads. I lived as one of “them” long before anyone invented the term “digital nomad” – or I could or wanted to give my life any kind of name. For the most part, I can only smile at the values and attitudes of digital nomads: Spiritual gatherings. Yoga on the beach. Meditation in the desert. The absolute highlight? Masculine practices: Step into the circle. My translation? Jerk off! There are 100,000 more important things we should be taking care of on this planet. But “closing your eyes” and dreaming of a better world is definitely much more influential than actively creating a better world.
What am I doing to create a better world? My family is at home. My father admonished me to “take responsibility”. Now I’m here. Without my family. By aeroplane. Worse still. I’m still writing about it. As few people may read my reports, I still contribute to the concentration of tourism and more travelling. So: what am I doing better in any way?
I concentrate on the essentials. What I really need and nothing more. My luggage for a month is as minimal as possible. One bar. Two kites. One splitboard. A few clothes. Two musical instruments. Everything fits into regular 20 8 kg luggage. That’s enough for a hell of a lot of fun in the Dahab Baby Bay, a small kite puddle at the beginning of my trip due to the new moon. I hire a Chinese mountain bike for very little money. Every morning after breakfast, I ride a good three and a half kilometres along the beach promenade with the wind at my back down to the lagoon and the lovely people at Soul Kiters. In the early afternoon, after my work against the strong wind, it’s back to the hostel and web design work.
Out onto the water. Rushing. Wind. Salt water. As tight as it may be on a new moon tide, everyone gives each other as much of the little space available as possible. With just 12 kiters, there’s a feeling of Manila at rush hour. But without the aggression. I don’t do anything big for a few days. 6.2 metres of jumping height as the “champion” of the surf app doesn’t put a hole in my bum knee. I just make the best of what I can at the age of 52 – and I’m happy with everything I still achieve.
The Rafiki Hostel is a hive of activity with different events every day and evening. I need some rest and a good night’s sleep in the quiet dorm. Wander alone through the Lighthouse Area. Even in the front row on the beach you can enjoy a good multi-course dinner for well under 10 euros. A hairdresser gives me an hour of wellness to the sound of Arabic suras. Cutting, laying, combing, massaging. Then comb six more times. He points to my forehead. Unknowingly, I say yes. A serious mistake. But at least I get to “enjoy” my first Arab facial hair thread epilation. I had no idea that I had so much facial hair – which was apparently directly attached to my skull bone. Despite the mask and eau de ouch, the sunscreen application was still stinging days later…
Frank Woelky, born in 1973. Kitesurfer since 1998. Since 2006, I have been combining kitesurfing and web design on trips lasting several months off the beaten track.