Valentine Inn had arranged a bus pick up for me at the hostel at around 7.30am. From Petra to Aqaba the bus journey (5JOD=Rm34) took 2 hours. On arrival at the Aqaba bus terminal, I walked towards the city area and also along the cornice. With the help of local residents, I was directed to a bus stop, where I would take a microbus (1JOD=6.80) to the Aqaba ferry terminal, 10 km away.
At the ferry ticketing and the Jordanian Immigration counter, I paid US75=Rm262 for a slow ferry ticket (Aqaba > Nuweiba) and 5JOD=Rm34 for the departure tax. I then walked to the Ferry Terminal and after a luggage screening check, I boarded a shuttle bus to a large ferry berthed at the portside. On board the ferry, all the upper and lower decks were full of people and there were hardly any seats left for late comers. I had to rough it out on the upper deck, its roof covered with green acrylic sheets. During the midday, I observed that a group of local Muslims were doing their afternoon prayers on the upper deck. I should have opted for a fast ferry by paying an additional US10 more which come with an aircon seat. However, it was a great experience for me taking a slow ferry to Egypt. Inside the ferry, I queued up to have my passport stamped at the Egyptian Immigration counter.
In the ferry, I met a group of 10 Malaysian students who were returning to Cairo to continue their study.
After a 4-5 hours wait, the ferry finally left Aqaba at around 4.00pm and after passing the Gulf of Aqaba, I arrived in Nuweiba around 7.00pm. It took one hour for passengers to disembark from the boat.
All luggage had to be screened in an old shabby building before walking out of the Nuweiba port.
Two of the Malaysian students joined me and we took a service van, packed with 14 passengers and paid 50EP=Rm34 each for our bus journey to Cairo.
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