Moores Do Mt. Sinai
We traveled by van six hours to the Sinai peninsular to climb Mt. Sinai (where Moses is believed to have received the 10 commandments) and stay at St Katherine's Monastery. As soon as we arrived we headed up the mountain. Nathan and Madi rode camels and we all walked. Madi rode the camel like a Bedouin princess. Nathan managed to stay on his camel despite another camel biting his camel and them jostling each other. We made it to the top for sunset (a bit later than we planned) and then headed down the stairs mainly before it got completely dark. Nathan showed his amazing hiking skills by climbing up the 750 steep and rocky stairs to the top and then all the way down to the monastery on his own. We walked all the way down in the dark carrying Madi. This photo is when we reached the bottom of the stairs. Only six kilometers to go!!It was a beautiful crystal clear moonlit night and not too cold. We were so exhausted but also exhilerated to have made it...and very hungry. Luckily as we got near the smell of dinner wafted out of the monastery and we rushed into the dining room to be served a delicious and welcome hot diner. Nathan was almost too tired to eat but Madi serenely sucked down her spagetti!

Tuesday morning dawned crystal clear and sunny. We explored the peaceful monastery enclosure which was established in the 300's A.D before heading back to Cairo (not so serene but good to be home).