Egypt is always an adventure

So we have spent the last 2 days camping in bamboo huts on the shores of the Red Sea at a place called Basata. Saudi Arabia is quite visible across the sea and Jordan and Israel are just a few more miles up the coast. The place is quiet (with the exception of our 5 kiddos) and serene. The ssnorkeling is minimal but even so we had a close up show with a good size eel. The kids continue to enjoy the freedom and open space and we adults enjoy the freedom of sitting and watching with one eye while reading with the other. We had a couple of tourist spots we wanted to visit and in spite of the ease with which Lonely Planet described them we managed to find an encounter of the " Only in Egypt" kind. Yesterday we wanted to visit Salah El Din's castle which is on an island 5 minutes out to see. After a 30 minute argument at a police check point for not having our passports (which the hotel was keeping for the tourist police who check in there) we finally were allowed through only to arrive at the boat departure point and be told the boat is out of commission for 20 days. So we spent 5 dollars each on a soda and sat and stared at it for a while as Jonathan and GJ attempted to swim to it. We turned around and came home a bit disappointed but nothing that a dip in the sea couldn't resolve.

Today's adventure included driving out into the mountains in search of the colored canyons that I had visited a few years ago and deemed worthy of a hike. So we load up the car early this morning, passports in hand, and head out only to be stopped yet again by tourism police saying we had to have permission from the tourist police in town in order to travel down the necessary road. We turn around and head back to town argue a bit more and get a piece of scrap paper that gives us permission BUT we need to take a Bedouin guide with us to show us the way. Admittedly the guide was most helpful as it was quite the 4 wheel trek to get to the location and good practice for me. We had an awesome hike with minimal whining on the part of the kids and then topped off our great adventure with a Chinese meal in Nuweiba.

Now we are back atteh ea and everyone is cooling down and I am prepping to change a tire ( a close call!)

So we continue to enjoy our time away although home seems to catch up with us where ever we go. Protests continue in Tahrir and news abounds about tourist visas being denied. For me personally I am in a safer position with a work visa but for most of the teachers at Caleb's school and for the Turlan's who work as volunteers for a refugee school this is a critical issue. We all get nervous with the talk, but I am reminded again and again of my study of Ephesians and the reminder that really this is a spiritual battle that is taking place in spite of how it may appear as just a political one. God has called people here and I guess at times he has reasons to call them away. I know more than anything this is a reminder again f how desperately we need to be praying for Egypt. I think, on a positive note, that the Army has decided to postpone the parliamentary elections. I see this as a positive for 2 reasons.

1. it allows for more time for other political parties to organize and participate in a process that up until this point appears headed for a Brotherhood sweep.
2. hopefully in the delays there will be a change in order and we are hoping that the constitution will be written by a selected committee rather than by a Brotherhood led Parliament.

Anyhow the real issue isn't so much to understand all the political ramifications as much as to be prompted to pray. So Pray!!!