Salonaz Sami escapes the noise of the metropolis to a place where nirvana is readily attainable The Eid holiday has always been an opportunity to spend time bonding with family and friends. This year, however, my friends and I decided to take it to another level, and to bond with nature instead. "Ras Shitan [the Devil's Head] is the place to go," said my 30-year- old friend businessman Namir Nashaat. "Over there, relaxation really is the key word." Excited as I always am about travelling, I started packing days before we were scheduled to leave. "You only need your swimsuit, sunglasses, sun protection, hiking shoes and a pair of comfortable trousers," said Nashaat. But I didn't listen. I have always been a heavy packer and this time was no different. The day of our departure Nashaat was shocked to see the huge bag I was taking when it was finally time to hit the road. "Are you moving out?" he asked sarcastically as he struggled to fit the bag into the boot of his car. Once we'd fit my stuff in, we hit the road. The trip from Cairo to Ras Shitan, which usually takes about four hours by car, instead took us a full seven hours. Relieved as we were once we'd made it there, at around 8am, I realised that my friend was right, and that my bag really was out of context in this primitive place. You see, as soon as you set foot in Ras Shitan, you can't help but forget all about civilisation, and you start to get back in touch with Mother Nature. After we settled in our huts, which were fitted with nothing but clean mattresses and an electric lamp, we decided to kick-start our holiday and go swimming. We were all very excited about the place but the happiest of us all was Meshka, Nashaat's four-month-old white Labrador, who couldn't contain her joy. Running around, she worked hard to discover every inch of the camp and to get to know the other dogs vacationing with their owners. Although Ras Shitan is known for its seclusion from all things mechanised, there is more to it than meets the eye. Situated in Egypt, it is extremely close not only to Palestine but is also within an eye-shot across the sea to Saudi Arabia and Jordan. It is a place that still preserves a simple and nature-friendly environment, where everything is in harmony. My first encounter in the camp was with Nagat, one of several Bedouin women living near by. Covered in black from head to toe, after some bargaining she sold me some beautiful ethnic jewellery and clothes. Just as I started putting my new purchases away I noticed that Meshka had made her way into a neighbouring camp, and decided to hassle a group of people who were obviously struggling to have breakfast. As I got closer I was pleasantly surprised to find that among the group was none other than a very dear friend of mine with whom I lost contact years ago. What a coincidence that Meshka would choose that group from all the people on the beach, I thought to myself. And since our group had two singers and two professional guitar players I decided to invite my friend over, promising them all a night to remember. With none of the usual beach activities like water- skiing, diving or kite-surfing available, swimming, snorkelling and enjoying the company of one's friends are basically the only things to do at Ras Shitan. But who needs activities when you can just lay down and breathe a different kind of oxygen from that we have grown used to in our polluted capital? One thing I couldn't help but notice as soon as I set foot in the area, was that my concept of time changed. I let go of my watch, mobile and everything else that might have kept me tied to civilisation and became a hippie. From the time the sun salutes you in the morning till it magnificently sets, you need nothing but your swimsuit and sunglasses, and the sun becomes your only way of telling time. When the sun set on our first day in heaven, it was time to gather in the camp's main hut for dinner. And although I've disliked seafood for as long as I remember, I heeded the advice of my friend accountant Ahmed Abdel-Rahman. "You must try it here," he said. "What they have here is completely different from Cairo's disfigured fish." And he was right. Although I only managed to eat a few bites of grilled bouri (mullet), I really did enjoy it. Then it was time for our star artists, Dina and Mohamed, to take the floor. For the duration of our stay, the two of them provided entertainment not only for our group but for the entire camp, as well as those surrounding ours. Every night we would all gather in the main hut and listen to them jam in some of the most unique and non-traditional songs. At the peak of the season, Ras Shitan turns into something of a refugee camp with dozens of guests sleeping in their personal tents or just in their sleeping bags by the sea. The area, located about 16 kilometres north of Nuweiba on the Red Sea, is named after a huge rock formation resembling the shape of the devil's head, with two protruding horns. In Ras Shitan, you become one with nature almost instantly. The one thing, however, that needed getting used to was the communal bathrooms. And although our camp's bathrooms had electricity and were relatively cleaner than the rest of the camps in the area, showering with cold and salty water still needed a little time to get used to. The idea of showering beneath the stars, however, is definitely something else. Every other day, two of us would hit the road to Nuweiba for food and supplies -- not just for our group but for the rest of the camp. Because the place is so quite, peaceful and friendly we became friends with the rest of the camp's guests almost instantly. Other than supplies, the only other thing that made us leave the camp at any point was the sea. In Ras Shitan, the water level is very low, so you need to walk about for 100 to 200 metres on sharp rocks before you get to start swimming. So to escape having our feet injured we decided to head for Basata (Simplicity), the first and one of the most famous camps in the area. After swimming our hearts out, we thought we'd do something for good old Mother Nature. What better, we decided, than cleaning the beach a little? "The place inspires creativity," said stylist Jihan Maher. We then played a game. Maher picked up a metal hook from the sand and asked each of us to imagine a use for it. "You can use this to hold down your tent!" said Ali Nassar, operation manager at an advertising agency. "Or you can use it as a weapon for self-defence," said Maher, as we all laughed. After a long and productive day we decided to head back to our camp to rest a little before heading off to explore the small city of Tarabeen, about 10 kilometres from Ras Shitan. Only here, explained Nassar, would you have the energy to do so many exhausting activities in the same day because every minute counts. We spent that night in a beautiful village, owned by one of Maher's husband's friends, right by the seaside. When we arrived back at the camp, Ahmed Bahaa, a businessman, Nassar and I decided to take on a challenge. "Lets see how long we are able to stand on our feet at one stretch," said Bahaa. I laughed assuming he was only joking, but six hours later, still on my feet, I realised he wasn't. "We are crazy," said Nassar and the three of us looked at each other in bewilderment. We had actually spent six hours standing, talking, and, finally, watching the sunrise. And it was worth it. On the last day of our trip, we all gathered by the sea and enjoyed the campfire, while we watched shooting stars race one another in the sky till it was finally time to leave and return to Cairo. As I packed my bag, I smiled as I realised I didn't in fact use any of the things I'd brought along. The idea that I would no longer be walking barefoot in my swimsuit all day long suddenly dawned on me and I felt sad. "I don't want to go back to the madness of Cairo," I thought to myself. But I had to. As I arrived home I couldn't contain my happiness to see my bed and I realised that I have only slept a total of about 12 hours during our four-day stay. Sure, there isn't much to do in Ras Shitan if you're uncreative. But if you're the kind of person who enjoys a little minimalism and relaxation, then this is the place for you. My advice is that you go there, read your favourite book, listen to some relaxing music or simply vegetate as the sun penetrates the pores of your exhausted and polluted skin.
