Basata, day 1: Big Thoughts in a Little Tent

I am in my tiny tent. At first I zipped myself in it quickly, excited to spend my first night in a tent all by myself.
Then I stood silent for a second, in the dark. No way I will zip that magnificent view outside! So now here I am, sitting on the plastic floor but with the entrance fully opened, with this oval shaped view on the sky, a reddish moon surrounded by a gazillion stars, and the sea just in front of me.

The view from my little tent at night - can you spot the Milky Way?

I hear the delicate sound of the sea on the shore and the breeze shaking the sides of the tent every now and then.
Oh Cairo, I love you so much. But why do you keep the view on the stars all for yourself?
I’m now in Nuweyba, in the Sinai peninsula. On the other side of the sea I can see the lights of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel. I’m not sure they can see us though. There is no light here.
We chose to stay in an eco lodge named Basata, some 50 km north of the center of Nuweyba.
“Everything you see here is made in Egypt: the bricks of the small houses on the back, the wood of the huts, the food. Everything” says Sherif, the owner of the place.
“We want to be as little damaging for the environment as possible. We purify the water of the sea and we use it for the camp. There’s no thing like “environment friendly”. We all damage the environment. But we try to do it as little as possible“.
We are surrounded by mountains in a small bay that feels exclusive as well as perfect in its being so simple.
No wi fi. I felt kind of relieved when I left my Macbook on my bed this morning, leaving my apartment in Cairo. Sorry, I’m out of town. Sorry, I’m not available. Oh well, not too bad.
It took us a 9 hours journey by the most uncomfortable, noisy and freezing (I hate you a/c!!!) bus I ever rode to reach this piece of heaven. But the time and effort give extra value to the beauty of being here.
As an orchestra director I turn my ear to the sea first, to enjoy its rumble; to the breeze then, to listen to its whisper.
And now I’m sorry, but I just want to enjoy this moment. Good night everyone, I don’t know where you are but I am SO here. : )
Basata, April 22nd, 2011. 23.30 pm