The Stavdals

The operation was being conducted in secrecy. For months our too-good-to-be-true trip to Sharm El Sheik, Egypt, was kept a secret, because my mom wanted to surprise my dad on his 60th anniversary. While dad was aware that he would be travelling with mom and my sister, he hadn't got the faintest idea that the five of us would be joining them! Since my brother and his girlfriend live in Egypt, not only would this trip be an unbelievably swell birthday present, but a family get-together 14.-21. October 2005.

Here the moment of surprise was captured. Dad was actually joking when he remarked: "So, you're going to Egypt too, are you?"

Some memorable moments
Among the most memorable events were undoubtedly meeting my brother Tore and his girlfriend Celine, diving in the Read Sea with highly qualified diving instructor Tore, the experience of a warm climate, all the appetizing breakfasts and evening meals and simply hanging out with the family. And may I add that this was the first time since Anu and I got married in 1992 that we went on such an exotic family journey.

Here we are at Tore and Celin's place after a yummy meal.

Both Tore and Celin are professional diving instructors, and we therefore felt safe when attempting a two to four metre dive in the chrystal clear sea where we swam among colourful schools of fish and enjoyed the glowing chorals. At least the choral reef that weren't covered by a thin layer of sand-dust from the increasing construction activity along the seashore.

Althoug snorkelling and diving in the sea were the tops, cooling down in the pool and sunbathing just by our hotel was most enjoyable. At the pool there was an outdoor bar where we could have tasty sandwiches for lunch. Interestingly, despite the fact that we were there during the Muslim month of Ramadan when Muslims neither eat nor drink from sunrise to sunset, the waiters were not as grumpy as I had expected. Most of them were actually quite polite.

The hotel-site was enormous. Here is my dad and in the background on the ground floor our flats.

Originally a small desert village for Bedouins, Sharm is now a lush and green oasis for tourism. Although located on the south tip of Sinai, deep wells nourish the beautiful flower- and tree gardens with plants we usually find indoors. Here we are on the palm alley on the hotel site.