Serendipity in Hurghada
20:35"We're by the beach at the back of the hotel."
Iswari read the Whatsapp messages left by our group while we went to the front reception to ask about our accommodation. Iswari read the messages again in her loud voice and we looked at each other curiously. Which part of beach? The private beach went on for quite a distance and they only told us that?
Nevermind.
"We can always find them. Besides, I think they were just gonna sit around by the waves."
Iswari nodded, determined to not let the earlier disappointment with the receptionist went on any longer. We placed our bags behind a small counter and marched onto the beach.
We arrived in Hurghada after eight hours on a night bus from Cairo, a decent R&R along the way and after the argument that we just had at the front reception. I suppose every journey needs some kind of turbulence but come on, give me a break. We didn't even start our blissful short vacation, yet.
We were enamored with the picturesque landscape of the hotel and the private beach just behind the building. It was completely different from the view from the front of my tiny apartment in Zagaziq that I accustomed for almost six years now. Instead of dusty brown buildings with mold spreading on it, we were greeted with warm blue sea that swept across the place as long as our eyes could see. The hue brought peace deep within me, my mind became calm and comforting.
I was wide awake, didn't even sleep a wink in almost thirty-six hours before and I was tired. Exhausted. Rather that sprouting the nonsense of not getting enough sleep (just because I'm suffering from
insomnia, doesn't mean I get to lash everything out on my friends) and speaking bullshits, I sat by the beach and wonder.
"Tipah, you should pose like this."
Dinie asked a friend to pose for his camera while he acted the intended pose with some difficult leg-twisting. Even I couldn't comprehend what kind of pose that he wanted.
Dinie asked a friend to pose for his camera while he acted the intended pose with some difficult leg-twisting. Even I couldn't comprehend what kind of pose that he wanted.
"Seriously? Ridiculous."
"Come on. Syalla, Timah, why don't you guys teach her how to do it?"
Syalla and Timah looked at each other before hysterically laughing at Dinie.
"Impossible. Difficult. Next pose, please."
It's a delight of watching your friends laughed and making jokes without an ounce of care on their minds, simply having fun just because they wanted to. Dinie was busy photographing Tipah while asking her to do some ridiculous poses while Timah and Syalla criticizing at the back, Iswari sat at the end of the bench and smiling while watching our small group of fools fooling around and Lil ate her cronut with pure joy.
My mind jumps from the wonder of viewing my friends having their fun to the past memories that I had lived in. I remembered the lingering taste of the Bedouin mint tea on my taste buds in Siwa Desert and stopped to engage with the locals. I recalled telling jokes and exchanged life stories with the same group whom I had been friends with for almost four years now. Amidst all the escapades that we had together, a few of my favourite memories were the simple nights by ourselves, full of unhealthy snacks, horror movies, reading aloud, dancing and singing to bunch of Indonesian songs and playing various games that eventually led us to not sleeping and feeling grumpy the next morning.
My travels revealed just how much truly loving people means learning about, accepting and simply sharing life with them, no matter their lifestyles or backgrounds.
The friendships are what I value the most as it is through people that one reaps various outstanding benefits. I was simply fortunate for the great friends that I have and knew. My introverted mind might wish that they will never instilled a deep meaning of the word friendship in me but what I have gained certainly worth everything.
Oh yeah, the video is here.
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