Day 5: The Red Sea

After traveling all night, we arrived late and spent the night at the Nessima Hotel, right by the Red Sea. I wanted to spend my day outdoors, enjoying the beautiful natural sites. I spent most of my day at the Coral Reefs, one of the richest ecosystems on earth. The waters are so clear; it is easy to see the life forms.
First, I went scuba diving. The scuba instructors told us that the reef is very fragile and endangered. You can look at it but not touch it. As I started to swim down, I saw the reef wall, which plunges 260 feet. The wall is home to corals, fish, crustaceans, sponges and other marine life. After marveling at the reef wall, I swam a bit and saw a large jewel grouper, a red fish with black dots and a big mouth, chasing a school of spotted sweetlips, which are small fish with blue lips that make a grunting sound that divers can actually hear. I was shocked to see the humphead wrasses, which are huge unappealing puke-green fish. Not only did I see fish, but I also saw other marine life: sea turtle, manta rays and even a shark. That is when I left the water.
I finished my day at the Nabq National Park. We enjoyed a small picnic of figs and cheese and bread. The adults drank local wine. I sited beautiful birds near the water: storks, heron and large birds of prey. After that, I took a train back to the airport and prepared for my final country: India.