EGYPT

HURGHADA, on the RED SEA, was four hours to the east by bus, and was famous for its beaches and marine life. Snorkeling in the Red Sea was an option on my list.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t fit in both—traveling from Aswan to Hurghada was logistically difficult. So, I made a choice: stay one more night at the Luxor Hilton, take a sunrise hot air balloon ride the next morning, and then catch the 5:00 PM VIP bus to Hurghada later that day.

There was a Hilton in Hurghada, but it was fully booked that night—and it required 50,000 points per night. This was a beach town and this kind of weather was appealing to tourists. I decided to wing it and find lodging once I arrived.   

That morning, I waited in the lobby for my shuttle to the balloon launch, which arrived promptly at 5:00 AM. I climbed aboard and found it already filled with 11 Australian women. For the first time since leaving New York, I was surrounded by English-speaking people—and it felt great.

I took a seat next to Sunny, a strikingly tall and beautiful woman whose height was noticeable even while seated. Turns out they had arrived from Hurghada the previous evening. We hit it off, and she shared her WhatsApp info with me, along with the website for the Airbnb her group had just checked out of. Considering the source reliable, I now felt ready to execute the next step of my plan.

Our balloon guide asked if anyone had been in a hot air balloon before. Thanks to the annual balloon festival in my hometown, I was the only one who had—and I knew the drill. Still, this flight was a bit different: the basket held 24 people!

The conditions were perfect. A slight breeze and the cool early morning temperature made for an ideal launch. It was a magical experience, especially for the others who were riding a balloon for the very first time.

We took off from the West Bank, just a short distance from the Valley of the Kings, and as we slowly gained altitude, the sun began rising over Luxor. I became the official photographer for my new Australian friends, and they reciprocated by taking a picture of me on the balloon.

I swam in the reflecting pools and had a few cold beers—the first on the trip. That night, I felt off—maybe the beer or tap water. To be safe, I decided to stick to bottled water and skip alcohol until I got home. Getting sick alone on the road, especially in Egypt, could be a disaster.

My room had a private balcony where I dried sweaty clothes in the 100° heat. With no firm plans, I weighed my next move: Aswan, three hours south and historic but hotter with no Hiltons; or Hurghada on the Red Sea, four hours east, famous for beaches and snorkeling. Traveling between them was tough, so I chose to stay one more night in Luxor, take a sunrise hot air balloon ride, then catch a 5 PM VIP bus to Hurghada.

The Hilton in Hurghada was fully booked and pricey, so I planned to find lodging on arrival.

At 5 AM, I joined the balloon shuttle filled with 11 Australian women and sat next to Sunny, a tall, friendly woman from Hurghada who shared her contacts and Airbnb info. I felt ready for the next step.

Our balloon held 24 people—much bigger than the small ones I’d seen. Conditions were perfect for takeoff near the Valley of the Kings. As we rose with the sunrise over Luxor, I became the group photographer, enjoying a magical start to the day.

Pleased with how the morning was going, I returned to the hotel around 8:00 AM. After relaxing for a bit, I called the front desk to request a late checkout—usually at 11:00 AM. One of the perks of being a Hilton Diamond Member they granted me a 3:00 PM checkout. with temperatures well over 100° this was Perfect!

I sent a message to Abduel, the owner of the Airbnb, on WhatsApp, letting him know I got his contact info from the Aussies. He responded about half an hour later.

I explained my situation and told him I wanted to rent snorkel gear—being among the marine life was my top priority. I also asked if I could pay in cash and bypass Airbnb. He said he could pick me up at the bus station at 8:00 and would follow up around 3:00 p.m. with more details as he was heading out to take a group diving.

Just as promised, he followed through—offering a three-bedroom place for $60 USD in cash and located at the marina, the only option available for that Friday night. He mentioned a smaller room would be available the following night for $45, though it wasn’t at the marina. That worked out perfectly. I could stay at the marina the first night, then decide whether to move to the smaller room or maybe, find the Hilton available. 

We agreed and he also sent me a photo of his pickup truck and confirmed he’d meet me at the bus station at 8:00 a.m.

My bus arrived at the bus station on time, and boarding I was impressed—clean, comfortable, and more like a proper motor coach than a typical local bus, and only about 25% full.  But it arrived over 1 hour late. I kept communicating with Abdul who was waiting there at eight. Unfortunately, he had to go back and then scoop me up later.

Pleased with the morning, I got back to the hotel around 8:00 AM and requested a late checkout—usually 11:00 AM—but as a Hilton Diamond Member, they kindly extended it to 3:00 PM. With the heat soaring past 100°, this was perfect.

I messaged Abdul, the Airbnb owner, through WhatsApp—the Aussies had shared his contact. He replied within 30 minutes. I told him I wanted to rent snorkel gear since snorkeling was my top priority, and asked if I could pay cash and skip Airbnb. He said he’d pick me up at the bus station at 8:00 AM and would follow up around 3:00 PM after diving with a group.