Salonaz Sami recalls a memorable New Year's Eve with nirvana on Ananda At the beginning of each new year, I spend hours making a list of New Year resolutions to be put into effect over the coming year. But I always end up following only one, if any, of these resolutions. So for a change this year I decided to do rather than to write. Instead of partying New Year's Eve away, I decided to go somewhere I could get an inner cleansing to start the new year afresh. For me, serenity and peacefulness mean one thing -- Ras Shitan, or the Devil's Head, midway between Taba and Nuweiba on the Red Sea coast. I have been going to Nuweiba for years and have stayed in all kinds of different camps, from the cheapest that offers only basic facilities to the most expensive. However, this was my first time at the Ananda camp located around 40 kilometres from the Taba checkpoint. From the minute you set foot in this place, you can't help but feel that life has a different meaning, a more serene one. Although from a distance Ananda might look like an average camp, close up one discovers that it is nothing of the sort. Ananda is a place where nirvana is attainable, the perfect place to kick-start a new year and perhaps a new life. As soon as I had settled into one of the camp's beautiful wooden bungalows, I felt I owned the world. And on some levels I did. I had electricity, a bed with a mattress, a dresser with a mirror, shelves for clothes, a low-seating area with a dining table, a rug, and, above all, a bathroom with a shower and water-heater, all in a simple, wooden bungalow only a few steps from the Red Sea. It was surreal. And that was not all. The windows and door were screened against mosquitoes. There were even ashtrays and a rubbish bin. Considering the fact that what used to be my favourite camp in the area had nothing more glamorous than a rug over the sand and a simple mattress, this was quite a step up. The camp even had beautiful low sofas outside, so that guests could enjoy their meals in the privacy of their own patio overlooking the sea. What more could anyone want? And all this is not to mention the great staff and great food. So, instead of spending the last day of the year getting ready for New Year's Eve, here I was spending it by being one with nature. Although the area is known for its seclusion, there is more to it than meets the eye. Situated in Egypt, it is also close not only to Palestine, but also to Saudi Arabia and Jordan. It is a place that has managed to preserve a simple, nature-friendly environment in which everything is in harmony. On New Year's Eve as the clock approached midnight people started gathering in the camp's main hut, while guest musicians started jamming. My group decided to enjoy things from a distance, and we sat on our patio watching shooting stars racing after each other in the sky. As if this was not enough, there was also a blue moon. Then we heard voices from the neighbouring camp giving the final countdown to midnight: four, three, two, one, and 2010 was finally with us. I felt as if I were starting life again with a clean slate, leaving the frustrations of the past behind and determined to follow positive ways forward in the future. Nothing good can come from clinging to past anger or frustration. These are emotions that can eat away at you, decreasing energy levels and destroying focus, even if knowing that does not necessarily make it any easier to find release or let go. The morning of 1 January didn't offer the usual beach activities, like water- skiing, diving, kite-surfing, swimming and snorkelling. Rather, it was all about enjoying the company of friends. Who needs activities when you can lie down and breathe a different kind of air from that we have all got used to in the polluted capital? At the peak of the holiday season, the whole coastline turns into something like a "refugee camp" from pollution, with guests sleeping in personal tents or just in sleeping bags by the sea. And when you think about it, all this makes sense. Once you set foot in this area, you just can't help forget all about civilisation as you start to get back in touch with Mother Nature. From the time the sun salutes visitors in the morning until it magnificently sets, all one needs is a swimsuit, a pair of sunglasses, hiking shoes and a pair of comfortable trousers. When the sun set on the first day of 2010, it was time to hit the road to Nuweiba for dinner and supplies. After a long and productive day, my group had the most amazing meal of spicy grilled sho'our fish with sayadya rice, tahina and green salad. When we got back to the camp, we took a long walk by the sea accompanied by a new friend, a Great Dane whose name I never did find out. I also visited a dear Sudanese friend, Sherif, manager of what used to be my favourite camp, Mayan. "You should have spent last night with us to celebrate New Year," Sherif said. "But I am glad you are here, anyway," he added. As we walked back to camp, I found myself thinking of my New Year resolutions. This time they are simple and straightforward, and they are just two. I have decided to spend more time with people who make me feel good. Sometimes the best way to start is to cut out the negatives in life. And I have decided never to say that I should have done things differently, but rather to accept whatever has happened and just go on with life. After all, you can't change the past. I arrived back at the bungalow contented and grateful to be alive. I was also determined to live each moment the best I could. When it was finally time to hit the road back to Cairo, I was sad that we were leaving, but also happy that I had had this Red Sea experience and managed to come out of it feeling cleansed and free of last year's frustrations.
