SEVENTH EDITION

First Day
I am at the Baharya oasis, while the group is arriving in Egypt. Max has gone to pick them up. Oscar, my husband, is also coming to meet us. We have a full group this week with two men and seven women. I am always very excited to meet the participants. It is hard to imagine how different each group is from one another. They will arrive in Cairo, and will be able to enter into their new setting by visiting the city quickly for any last purchases. The situation in the city has calmed down and you can safely go around without worries. It will be great to hear about their first impressions.

Second Day
I always wait with a little anxiety, even if these two days of rest were really needed. Today is the day of travel for the group to arrive in Baharya, in the Jeeps. They will stop to our shop owner friend with her four children in their little house, which is now fixed on our itinerary. We meet her by chance, just to make a few purchases in her shop, and now we have become real friends, and this time she even offered to cook for us in her house. It is the first time. And I can't express how honored we felt. This is the true Egypt. Before we left she sang and her son played the tambour. The Baharya oasis is a surprise for our guests. I will never get tired of the fixed camp at Sherazad with its beauty and comfort. It completes the pampering with the possibility of massages and a pool of thermal water. A great beginning before our great discovery. Tomorrow we will enter the desert. On foot.

Third Day
In respect to last week the temperature has dropped about 10 degrees. It is better and much easier for walking. Today we walked 11 kilometers to reach Camp 1. The group is very happy and dynamic. This evening was very memorable. We set up 10 tents and our camp seemed like a little village. We joked around with the camel driver Sola and the cook Hassan. I know from experience that both will remain in the hearts of our participants and we will have proof at the end of the trip.

Forth Day
They defined our hotel as a thousand star hotel, for two reasons: there are more than a thousand stars that accompany us inthe night and because of all the pampering of Desert Therapy, from the karkadè and nuts for happy hour, to the mint tea during the break before arriving to the wonderful lunch prepared by Hassan daily. And this is how we have arrived at Camp 2, after walking twelve kilometers. We are not tired also because the weather is wonderful and the terrain is full of fossils that distract us during our walk. I almost forgot to mention that the fox is still following us on this trip as well. And one person's sandal was victim to this sneaky creatures theft at the fixed camp. Last night, however, at Camp 1, while we were singing and playing around the fire a small fox came to remains of our eggs. It was a neat experience as the fox went around between us as if he were our pet. Not happy during the night, he tried to get into Max's sleeping bag. Probably in love with him for his generosity in terms of food!

Fifth Day
The wind has picked up, but it does not bother us and the sand is not rising to hit us. The only consequence is a small drop in the temperature helps us to walk better. Today we reached Camp 3, the most spectacular one. Eight kilometers on the map, but we went more to take deviations to look at the wonderful chalk pinnacles. We found a giant white cake that seems to be made of snow. The die-hard skiers in the group also tried to simulare a decent on skis! Lunch at the camp and then immediately we went to the oasis where we bathed and let the camels drink. We also went to look for the cave of bats. We found it. The entrance is small and tight, but then it opens up and you can even stand straight. The bats hang in the center of the cave. From a safe distance we were even able to photograph them. Speaking of animals, the foxes continues to show up. Last night they even started to fight between each other. We, on the other hand are getting along wonderfully and in the evening we finish off the magic of the day playing games around the fire which Sola our camel driver, shows to have a natural ability.