After the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s rest, we had to go back to work as usual. You’d think a guy would be used to the holidays ending by now, but the return to the office always comes way too fast. Luckily, WeWork decided to sweeten our return a bit. This time, when we got back to the office after the New Year’s break, WeWork gave us a nice surprise (okay, mostly for Angelika). To celebrate five years of renting the office, we got Prosecco.
Egypt… here we come!
It didn’t take long, though, and instead of spending more weeks sitting in the office, we already had our next trip planned. In the second week of the winter break, Egypt was waiting for us, or more specifically, Marsa Alam.
It was one of those trips you look forward to especially hard when it’s gray and cold outside. You start wondering why on earth we live in a country where winter lasts way too long. So the destination was simple – sun, the Red Sea, a pool, and some peace and quiet.
This time we ended up at the Pickalbatros Sea World Resort Marsa Alam. And I gotta admit, the complex turned out to be a really good choice.
Albatros Sea World Resort Marsa Alam
The resort itself is really big and it’s not the kind of hotel where you know every nook and cranny after two days. The biggest plus during our stay were the heated pools. In Egypt in winter, the air temperature is obviously much nicer than in Poland, but it can get pretty chilly in the evenings.
Plus the bars and pretty decent drinks. Unfortunately, much to the dismay of some, there was no Mojito. An international-scale tragedy. You fly thousands of miles, and suddenly it turns out you can’t get everything.
Restaurants in the hotel
One of the things we liked most was the food. With such a large complex, the choice was really extensive and you definitely couldn’t complain about monotony.
The hotel has several restaurants and food spots, so during the stay you could try different cuisines. There were Egyptian, Oriental, Italian, Asian, and international dishes. So even with a longer stay, it was hard to eat the exact same thing every day.
For breakfast, you could easily find both classic European spreads and something more local. At lunchtime, the selection was even bigger – meats, fish, pasta, rice, veggies, salads, and of course a whole ton of desserts.
In the evening, you could treat yourself to a little culinary journey without leaving the hotel grounds. And that’s exactly one of the perks of big resorts in Egypt. If one day you’re craving pizza, the next something Oriental, and the third a classic barbecue, you don’t have to get in a car and look for a restaurant in town.
Add to that, of course, the bars with beverages and drinks. Like I mentioned – most needs were met. Most. The Mojito remains the unsolved mystery of this trip.
Attractions at Albatros Sea World
The hotel itself provided enough attractions that for a few days we basically didn’t have to go anywhere.
Guests had access to numerous pools, including heated ones, waterslides, and zones for both adults and kids. During the day, they also organized various types of entertainment and activities.
In the evenings, the hotel definitely didn’t go to sleep. There was evening entertainment, shows, and music, so after dinner you could sit down with a drink and just watch the hotel life go by.
Of course, you don’t have to take part in the activities. You can also apply the ‘Egyptian all-inclusive’ method, which means finding a lounge chair, grabbing a cold drink, and spending a few hours doing the very complicated task of staring straight ahead.
And I guess that’s exactly why people go on vacation.
The beach and the Red Sea
A big perk of the resort was also the beach and access to the Red Sea. Marsa Alam is famous for its beautiful coral reefs and great conditions for snorkeling and diving.
Even if you’re not a pro diver, it’s worth bringing a mask and snorkel. The underwater world of the Red Sea can be way more interesting than what’s going on up on the surface. Colorful fish, a coral reef, and the chance to see marine life just a few feet from the shore make it hard to pass up even a short dip in the water.
Marsa Alam is, after all, one of those places in Egypt you visit not just for the sun and the hotel all-inclusive, but also specifically for the coral reefs and snorkeling.
Stay in Marsa Alam
Our stay, however, was mostly focused on relaxing. After a Polish winter, sometimes a guy just needs a few days of sun and a temperature that doesn’t force you to put on three layers of clothes.
And along the way, it turned out that in Marsa Alam, you can earn a pretty interesting nickname.
Thanks to my belly visible from a mile away 😛 and the presence of beautiful women around me, the locals called me the Sultan, or sometimes just Big Boss.
I don’t know if it was a term resulting from my looks, the way I walk, or simply the fact that from a distance I looked like a guy who had just bought the entire hotel. Either way, I decided not to protest.
Since I got promoted to Sultan, I might as well enjoy it.
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