Welcome meeting and hotel visits!
Välkomstmöte & hotellbesök
After rain comes sunshine!
January 25, it's crazy how the time is running away, and I know that I'm terrible bad at updating my dear diary! Now it's 20 days since I last did it, shame on me, I know! Today I almost haveing a dayoff, as I was driving my lovely Norrlanders to the airport this night, and waved them goodbye around 03.00 in the morning, so I am free today, until the next flight is arriving tonight. The flights from Skelleftea hopefully arrives in Hurghada around 19:35 which means that I have to be at the office at: 18.00, have to prepare a bit before we head out towards the airport. Then it hopefully will be a relatively quick transfer, to the 3 large hotels located some kilometers away from the center. But for sure I will do my very best to get home in time, and to wish Emily good luck and nice trip to Cairo this night.
Today the sun shining again, about a 23 degrees hot, the wind is chilly but you should not complain, cuz I know i'm living in the paradise .... As you all know, tend to the climate and weather down here in Africa, Egypt fine almost all year round. But you should never be to sure about everything... some thing are meant to be surprises.
January 17th the day, when the rain blowed over Hurghada, and large parts of the whole Egyptian territory. For the first time in years, more specifically, since 1993, the first real rain was falling over the Egyptian country.
It started with some small showers, thunderstorms and flashes. Me, Julia and my uncle and my cousins were going to get us something to eat out in the new marina, in shade. When we were sitting there, you felt that something was not as it used to be. You could feel directly that it was something unusual going on. The air was damp, The clothes felt like adhesive close to the body, the staff on all of the restaurantes were running everywhere to bring all the furniture inside.
Just a few minutes later it took off, and we could now see tiny black, wet spots take shape on the ground. It rained! unbelievable! We eat our food, and then we went off, and leave the family and go home. Warnings about the storm spread rapidly all over. The road to Cairo was closed, so our poor guests who was supposed to go to the pyramid city had to stay home instead. It took a few hours and the rain had not taken off yet.
Still the rain was very local, only rained in some parts of the town.The power went on and off all the time around in different hotels. But still you could hear the thunder and see the lightning. But still the we all was waiting for the "real" rain to come. Indeed, Me, Julia and Emily will encircle to assist in receiving guests from Sweden who was supposed to land in Sharm El Sheik. We didn't know for sure if they had to make a stop in Hurghada or not, cuz the airport in Sharm was an incredible loss out of the rain.
Me and Emily went out to meet up with Julia in the taxi and head off towards the office. And then..., the sky opens up and it starts to pour. Well at office, we got the call that the plan to Sharm managed to get past the weather, and landed without any problems. We were disappointed that we are now sitting in the office without anything to do =) went down some stairs, and took a nightcoffee at Costa Coffee with, Endisa, Nagy, and our beloved local guides.
Then it was time to go home and try to get some sleep. Both me and Emily fall asleep directly, but around. 4:00 something slammed so loudly and we both woke up! Opened the door to the balcony, It's just one word for what we were seeing..... FLOODING! It was crazy, it looked like the hotel was swimming! incredibly fascinating to stand and feel the warm raindrops agains your face, to see those gigantic flashes beat themselves against the black sky.! But in the middle of the beautiful moment, we heard something that could be closed to the sound of a waterfall! We ran into the bathroom and check the shower! It was turned off and everything was in order. But then we could hear this strange sound again. We're opens the door which leads to the corridor where all the other rooms are located.
And in the opposite our room,we could see some guests trying to pouring water from the room. It was or sure more then 30cm of water on the floor, and right there, we saw it, in the ceiling it was a huge hole, from which it's was flooding water .... the beds, the bags and million of other things was now floating around in the room. I looked out over the streets and the hotel areas, it felt like most of it was swamming in the water.
I called Sandra, who were at the airport, and waited for the flight, to sweden. And for sure she had to wait, cuz the whole airport were filled with water , and all the electricy was totaly blacked out!! Which resulting in a very wet and dark waiting for the flight, which ended up to be more then two hours late. They left Hurghada somewhere and took off somewbere around .8.00 in the morning. I took place in my warm, soft bed around 7.00 and woke up 15.00, now it was time to get to the office again, to later go and pick up the new guests at the airport. I went out on Sheraton road tried to get a cab, unbelieveable it was water everywhere! the cars was almos not moving. it was water all the way, through all parts of the town.
So, just over one night, Hurghada inc. El Gouna were covered with water, but three days later everything's dry again! But it is quite crazy, how a country's not prepared on this situatiion, normal rain. After all I've been writing here, all of you probably think that this must have been a monsoon rain, which pulled 'across the country. But I would actually like to compare it with, a very rainy autumn day in Sweden. Much more dangerous than that, it wasn't. But as wells, drains, houses, hotels, roads, etc. are not equipped with the necessary parts which you need when this much water comes, the afterwork is worse than you could ever imagine.
We were lucky in Hurghada, poor those who were stucked in Sharm, and all the way down to Aswan area, which had got much more rain, and of course a lot more to stand in. But now it's a little more then a week ago since the rain, and everything is back to normal again. Hurghada is still hanging,my job is going on as usual, the sun is shining, happy holiday hungry tourists are walking on the streets again.... what can I say, we're back in pardise!
AFTER RAIN COMES SUNSHINE-AFTER RAIN COMES SUNSHINE
Efter regn kommer solsken!
Julia, Johan, Karolina, Nathalie
25.12.09
Yesterday we alla was celebrated with Swedish Christmas buffet at Café del Mar, then we continued over to the Seagull Hotel, where we continued to celebrate Christmas in our own way. We did this with a wonderful Christmas party with all of the team both Detur and Atlantis, games, music, laughter and a lot of good things to munch on .... Was after all a pretty good Christmas, although it was not at home in Sweden and celebrated with my mom, dad and little brother .....
Right now I am sitting in the office, just a few minutes until it I'll go to the airport, and get new people to celebrate the new year down here in Egypt, Hurghada. After that I'll visit me at home, and get some överrasknignar to my dear grandmother who now fills 70år. =)
But more about that later, now call the airport!
have the nice everyone!
XOXO
25 december 2009
Gårdagen firades med svenskt julbord på Café del mar, sedan fortsatte vi bort till Seagull hotel, där vi
fortsatte att fira julen. Detta gjorde vi med en härlig julfest tillsammans med alla i teamet, lekar, musik, skratt och en massa gott att smaska på.... Blev trots allt en ganska bra julafton, fast man inte var hemma i Sverige och firade med mamma, pappa och lillebror.....
Just nu sitter jag på kontoret, bara några minuter tills det att jag ska åka till flygplatsen, och hämta nya gäster som ska fira det nya året här nere i Egypten, hurghada. Efter det ska jag bege mig hemmåt, och fixa lite överrasknignar till min kära farmor som idag fyller 70år. =)
Men mer om detta senare, nu kallar flygplatsen!
ha det fint allihopa!
Pusspuss
Merry Christmas!
Today the day which all have been waiting for, finally arrived. Must say that it felt a little weird but at the same time good to wake up in a hotelbed, in a completely different country. In addition to sun and heat, this day
it really should be cold winter and white outside the window.
Woke up of the sound of my lovely alarm on my mobile, time to get up and work.
Not bad to work on Christmas Eve! Was joined this morning of my little sweethearts
Julia and Emily. Could not be much better, it 's almost like my family!
Jumped in my uniform and went to my hotelvisit, but it did not last too long
so now I'm sit here in the office, and compose a few lines so those at home will be happy!
This afternoon will be the Christmas present delivery of Jasmin, should be fun to see what you get.
are quite a few pats under the tree already =) After that, we will take us to the famous
Café del Mar, which organizes Swedish Christmas buffet for all guides=) it will be nice! If we're lucky we'll even see Donald Duck's Christmas! Not bad there!
Then before we wedges further into our company Christmas party, I'll pop in
grandparents and wish them a Merry Christmas! Ritka nice to have them on
visits. Must see if I have time to fix a small juleklapp to them, too!
No, now competing stomach, time to eat breakfast / lunch!
l!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
BIG hugs from me!
God Jul!
Då har dagen alla väntat på äntligen kommit. Måste säga att det kändes galet konstigt
att vakna upp i en hotellsäng, i ett helt annat land. Dessutom med sol och värme,dagen då
det egentligen ska vara kallt och vitt utanför fönstret.
Blev väckt utav mitt trogna alarm på min mobil, dags att stiga upp och jobba.
Inte illa att jobba på julafton inte! Fick sällskap i morse utav mina små hjärtegull,
Julia och Emily. Kunde inte bli mycket bättre, dem är ju nästintill som min familj!
Hoppade i uniformen och begav mej mot mina hotellbesök, men dem varade inte allt för länge
så nu sitter jag här på kontoret, och knåpar ihop några rader så att dem där hemma blir glada!
i eftermiddag blir det julklappsutdelning hos Jasmin, ska bli kul att se vad man får för något fiint.
är ganska många klappar under granen redan =) Efter utdelningen av klapparna, ska vi bege oss mot
Café del mar, som arrangerar svensktjulbord för alla guiderna =) ska blir trevligt! Om vi har tur så får vi tom, se Kalle Ankas jul ! Inte illa det inte!
Sen innan vi kilar vidare till vår företags julfest, så ska jag kila inom
farmor och farfar och önska dem en god jul! Ritkigt mysigt att ha dem på
besök. Ska se om jag hinner fixa en liten juleklapp till dem också!
Nej nu kurrar magen, dags att äta frukost/lunch!
tjingeling på er alla!
GOD JUL!!!!
stora julkramar från mig!
A regular Friday in Egypt
En vanlig fredag...
My only wish this year...
And all I want is one thing
Tell me my true love is near
He's all I want just for me Underneath my christmas tree
I'll be waiting here, santa thats my only wish this year
I hope my letter reaches you in time
Bring me love can call all mine
Cause I have been so good this year.
Can't be alone under the mistletoe
He's all want and a big red bow
Santa can you hear me? I have been so good this year
And all i want is one thing
Tell me my true love is near
He's all I want. just for me Underneath my christmas tree
I'll be waiting here, santa thats my only wish this year
Santa can u hear me?
Well he's all I want just for me underneath my Christmas tree
I'll be waiting here Santa thats my only wish this year
Last day...
sista dagen!
A short update
You thought that the travel management profession was a bed of roses, which only consisted of sun, beach and party. You are wrong! I work just as much as everyone else, if not more in certain situations. Therefore, I have not had so much time to sit at the computer and write pointless posts =)
But today I sit in the office, and right now I have little time left before I'm going to take me out in the sun and eat lunch. Waiting for julia to get from the G5, so I have someone to associate with.
Last Friday, I had nice visit, by none other than my dear brother with his girlfriend. A much-awaited visit, I must say. it was really fun to seeing them both, especially my dear brother.
Oh and thank you mom for everything nice you send them,to bring for me down here, hoping for even more fun now, next week when grandmother and grandfather visiting during Christmas ! =)
As yet little brother came down here, I thought, it is high time that he may see one of the world 7 wonders, the famous Pyramids in Giza. Said and Done .... Yester day in a very early morning almost nighttime we went to Cairo. Guided them through both the Egyptian Museum but also at the pyramids and sphinx. After a great day ful of new exploring, in the amazing metropolis and history-rich city, took us back to the bus for a long-awaited Hurghada. I can certainly say that all fall asleep directly when we added our head on the pillow.
Promise to post some pictures in the coming days as I don't have my camera here at the moment. But there will be pictures soon, I promise.
Otherwise everything is as normal, and I'm working like alwayas, and still I love my work. On Friday morning, Christoffer and Mariella are going home to a white and cold Sweden again. But as I mentioned before, I not without family for long, my grandparents ar coming on Tuesday to stay during the Christmas! =)
feels like the time is runnign aways, soon it is Christmas Eve and soon after New Year's Eve, and 2010 =)
I wonder what 2010 has to offer! Once I know for sure, the summer will be spend in Turkey!
No now I have to stop, but promises that it will be an update again soon! Good huh, Mom!?
Åhh btw tomorrow I'm having a DAYOFF!!! =) and I will for sure spend it with my brother and Mariella!
Take care of you!
Xoxo