Winter sun is a valuable commodity – but travel involves other passions

Simon Calder’s Travel Week [SUBSCRIBE]( [SUBSCRIBE: £1 FOR 3 MONTHS]( January 13, 2023 [View in browser](   [The Independent]( [The Independent]( Where am I? At dawn last Friday, a pulse of sunlight ended its 93-million-mile journey by infiltrating gaps in the curtains of room 851 at the Stella Gardens resort – a reminder of the joy of January sunshine, and that I was no longer in northern Europe. They sphinx it’s all over: souvenirs on sale at Makadi Bay, Egypt I was lucky enough to wake on the edge of Makadi Bay, on the eastern shore of Egypt, a cradle of civilisation. Room 851 was certainly civilised, with a comfortable bed, a veranda and a full-sized bath. My neighbours in the hundreds of other rooms in this sprawling, eight-pool resort complex, were civilised company too – and had worked out that they could invest in some winter sunshine and actually return with a profit. Brenda and John had snapped up one of half-a-dozen loss-leader Egypt holidays for two, price £609 each (I spent more than that on flights and a five-day stay, largely due to a complete absence of planning). [The couple calculates they will end January financially ahead]( of where they would have been had they stayed at home in Kent, once utility bills, diesel and takeaways were taken into account. Similarly, publicans Ian and Sam Smith had locked up the Maypole Inn at Yapton in West Sussex for a fortnight, forecasting that keeping it open during the slowest month of the year would be certain to lose them cash. They had even persuaded some of their regulars to join them beneath that Red Sea sun. The right wrist of each guest sported a band of gold: a plastic bracelet that conferred all the riches of Egypt. Within the gilded hectares of the Stella Gardens they are enjoying unlimited food, drink, a shuttle bus to the beach every 10 minutes and entertainment of the “Egypt’s Got Talent” variety. You don’t get that at the Maypole Inn (yet). But to venture away from here in search of markets, museums and more requires time, money and energy. The nearest proper town, Hurghada, is 20 miles (and one very serious police checkpoint) north. The nearest sphinx is 300 miles away. Most of my fellow holidaymakers say they are happy to stay within the confines of the resort for the rest of the month. Personally, I would be hard-pressed to make it to the end of the week without making a break for the border of the Stella Gardens. But for the vast majority of guests the resort delivers, very professionally, a much sought-after commodity: indulgent winter sun. On the other side of the equation, they are creating jobs. The transfer of wealth from richer countries to poorer nations is a virtue of tourism, and Egypt has much ground to make up. Just weeks after the UK’s [four-year ban on flights to Egypt]( ended, the Covid pandemic began and destroyed millions of livelihoods. I hope Brenda, John, Ian, Sam and all the others enjoy their place in the sun right through to the end of January. (Interestingly, a good few people I spoke to actually own property in Spain but [are not allowed to spend all winter there due to Brexit](). Yet perhaps one morning they will wake with the urge to explore the wonders that await elsewhere in Egypt. Escaping bleak midwinter is a good reason to travel. But the best journeys deliver experiences and enlightenment, too. [Read the top 2023 destinations chosen by The Independent's travel desk](   [Get inspired...]( [Winter sun winners]( Last minute trip? The travel team picks their favourite winter sun escapes [I'm an image]( [Peak fitness]( A guide to the popular long-distance Alpine walk, the Tour de Mont Blanc [I'm an image]( [Seoul mate]( Your guide to culture, food and hangouts in the K-culture capital   Enjoying this newsletter? Unlock unlimited, ad-free reading on the website and in The Independent app when you subscribe – plus, benefit from our [welcome offer when you join today](.   Tip of the week: No trains at Manchester Piccadilly on Sunday One of Britain’s 10 busiest stations will close to all trains on Sunday 15 January. Manchester Piccadilly is shut for "engineering works on the train shed roof”. Trains to and from the south will start and end at Stockport or Crewe, while many services from the north terminate at Preston. Bus replacements will run. [Rail strikes over (for now): what happens next?]( PICK OF THE WEEK: MALAYSIA AIRLINES [With fares from £615 to Phuket, get a great deal on flights to the Far East and beyond with the Malaysia Airlines New Year Sale!]( [Travel period: 17 April – 30 November 2023 Book by 23 January 2023 T&Cs apply.]( Deal of the week: 40% off US rail pass Sterling has lost one-eighth of its value against the US dollar in the past year. Fortunately, seeing America by train is much more affordable if you buy a 30-day USA Rail Pass within the next week. Amtrak, which runs longer-distance trains, is cutting the price of a one-month pass by 40 per cent to just $299 (£250) until 20 January. [You can buy online](, and must start using it within 120 days. Unlike Interrail, this is not an unlimited travel pass. It allows a maximum of 10 “segments” – individual journeys – in a month. Effectively, each trip costs £25, making it of most value on longer trips. A segment can cover more than a single day, for example on the two- or three-day services between Chicago and the West Coast. The fastest trains linking Washington DC, New York City and Boston – branded Acela – are not covered by the pass, but you can use it on Northeast Regional services on the same lines. [Read more about the Amtrak deal here](   Question of the week: Exploring North Macedonia? Q You mentioned North Macedonia as a possible package holiday location this summer. Is it also a good place to travel to independently and explore? A Yes. The former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia is fascinating, friendly and beautiful, with the added benefit of being extremely good value. Fly with Tui from Manchester and Gatwick to Ohrid from May, or from Luton on Wizz Air from 28 March. The lakeside town of Ohrid combines ornate and ancient monasteries (Unesco World Heritage listed) with being a fun resort beside the deepest lake in the Balkans. Accommodation is easy: I just turned up and found an excellent apartment for €45 a night. For carnivores at least, the local Balkan cuisine is excellent. In terms of exploring: Lake Ohrid is roughly the size of Rutland though rather more scenic, with a shoreline road beneath soaring mountains. One third of the circumference is in Albanian territory; border formalities are brisk. Make an international circuit then head for the capital, Skopje; minibuses charging around £2 for the 90-minute trip. A devastating earthquake in 1963 wiped out a large amount of more traditional architecture, though the Turkish quarter north of the river is in good shape. [New year thoughts on travel prospects for North Macedonia and beyond]( STAT OF THE WEEK 0 Degree of optimism (out of a possible 10) on [progress in rail negotiations](, according to Mick Whelan – leader of the train drivers' union, Aslef – addressing MPs on the Transport Select Committee. What you might have missed... - Ground stop: [FAA outage delays and cancels thousands of flights]( - Hunger games: [Japan Airlines invites passengers to skip inflight meals]( - Travel inflation: [Passport fees to rise by nearly 10 per cent next month]( SIMON'S DIARY       Every day from Monday to Friday I tackle a top travel story, or explore a topic in more detail than usual in ‘Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast’ – available free on [Spotify](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Pocket Casts]( or [Acast](.         Every day from Monday to Friday I tackle a top travel story, or explore a topic in more detail than usual in ‘Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast’ – available free on [Spotify](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Pocket Casts]( or [Acast](.         I find the easiest way to rush out stories is to tweet them. It’s also an easy way to contact me. My direct messages are open and I read all DMs, though regrettably I can’t respond to every one. Let me know your thoughts [@SimonCalder](         I find the easiest way to rush out stories is to tweet them. It’s also an easy way to contact me. My direct messages are open and I read all DMs, though regrettably I can’t respond to every one. Let me know your thoughts [@SimonCalder](         Each Saturday and Sunday I take questions live at 5.30pm British time on Instagram Live – from wherever I happen to be in the world – so please do come and say hello. Follow me on [@Simon_Calder](         Each Saturday and Sunday I take questions live at 5.30pm British time on Instagram Live – from wherever I happen to be in the world – so please do come and say hello. Follow me on [@Simon_Calder](         Or you can find me on TikTok. Come and have a look at what I have been up to as I bring you top travel topics and report on the latest changes in a minute or less via [@caldertravel](         Or you can find me on TikTok. Come and have a look at what I have been up to as I bring you top travel topics and report on the latest changes in a minute or less via [@caldertravel](   INDYBEST / [TRAVEL BEST BUY]( [8 best travel cookbooks to inspire your next adventure]( Discover new dishes and destinations from the heights of the Himalayas to the Caspian Sea. [See the full list](       Essential reading [I thought wifi on planes was bad – now I’m dreading phone calls being allowed in the sky](   Articles available exclusively to subscribers [From street food to Michelin stars: How to enjoy Istanbul's high/low food scene](   OTHER NEWSLETTERS YOU MIGHT LIKE [Climate News] Climate News Every Friday, 12pm (UK time) Written by Louise Boyle [Join now]( [IndyEats] IndyEats Every Saturday, 7am (UK time) Written by Hannah Twiggs [Join now]( If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Travel newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent's Travel newsletter, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Travel_Newsletter_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.