Nature Reserve Coral Beach Eilat

Right, this has to be quick.  I only have 20 minutes in a shopping mall.   These are the only two public computers in the whole of Eilat.   Everyone uses their smart phones or brings a laptop on holiday!   It's swanky and tacky in the central of Eilat and if that was all there was, I'd be out of here like a shot.   But I took the local bus to the Nature Reserve Coral Beach.. Paid 5 quid to get in.   Rented a snorkel and had a FABULOUS day.  Hardly anyone there.   Perfect weather (about 26) and amazing tropical fish on the reserve coral.  I got a Ukrainian lady to slap sun factor on my back (because I can't reach it alone!) and off I went for an hour or so, right along the reef.  It was beautiful.  All kinds of fish  of a thousand bright colours. You walk over a pier to get to the edge of the coral, so as not to affect it. and then jump off into deeper sea on the other side.  This is perfect too because I don't have any shoes to wear in the sea to protect my feet from coral. There are then ropes with buoys on them to guide you along the far edge of the coral.  ANd you have an underwater extravaganza!!  The fish love the buoys and congregate round them for a feeding frenzy  because the food sticks to them.  As for the steps there are just fish crawling around underneath!   No need to swim far , most of the fish were directly under the steps having a feast   If today were my birthday I would be happy with what I did today!   So I have decided to stay another day, I never thought I would stay in Eilat for three nights.  This is just because I know from asking and reading that Aqaba in Jordan just doesn't have the protected coral like here and it just won't be as relaxed to swim.  I just have to do it all again while I can!!   Plus my little hostel is great.  It's right up off the strip and much quieter than down here on the sea front.  It is so TACKY here and there are high street shops everywhere.  It's tax free shopping .  It sure is rich chav paradise!!  But I have found my own perfect paradise about 5 miles down the road on the way to the  Egyptian border!

I didn't take much money or my camera with me today because I didn't know what I would find.  But tomorrow I will and hopefully I will soon be able to post some pics.  It's ironic that here I could post pictures but today I don't have my camera because I have come straight from the beach.

The weather here is perfect for me but so dry. You just don't sweat at all and this is really strange for me .  There is no humidity and my skin feels amazing. (but aging by the day in this  heat )but...  No lumps and bumps from heat rash!! I just will need to slather on the body lotion later.

On the coral beach you go down a pier and then swim off the end, so you are walking over the coral first and end up swimming in the deeper ocean at the far end of the coral.  There are buoys and markers to take you along the route and I love it.   Snorkelling to me is the best way to relax and with these lovely little  and big colourful fish around me it's perfect.

This shopping mall though is pretty hellish. The florescent lights are almost making my eyes bleed.  One thing to comment on is the security coming into any supermarket or complex like this.  The guy opens your bag and checks everything.  he got a load of wet bikini and nut shells from me!  Poor guy!   haha!   Bet he hates his job.  They all look so bored.

Right time to go.  I'm losing my spirit down here in the basement of the mall.   Off back up to my hostel now to see how the guy is getting on with his eagle creation!   Bye