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Egypt - Home of the Pharaohs

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On this trip we have done some adventurous stuff, such as learning to scuba dive and trekking Mountain Gorillas. There comes a time though when prudence needs to take over from the desire for the thrill of adventure. That happened to us when, after speaking to fellow travellers, overland operators and monitoring the news, we decided not to drive through northern Kenya and upwards to Egypt.
One 500km portion of the road takes about four days while another 100km section takes over 4 hours. There are no safe places to stop for the night and there are very few other vehicles on the road. Banditry and clan murders are rife, and road conditions are so bad that a spare set of tyres and springs is recommended. Fellow travellers wishing to follow the road we hoped to go, have all come to the same conclusion; adventure is one thing, being stupid is another!
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So, not to be robbed of seeing Egypt, we visited a travel agent and were soon winging our way to Cairo!
We missed the start of the tourist season; it is still hot and humid, but as we have acclimatised to such conditions in East Africa, it really wasn't a problem. Our first day of sightseeing was to the Plateau of Giza with it's triad of great pyramids and the Sphinx. Of course, there was the obligatory camel ride (it's something to do once in your life - but once is enough - they smell really awful!!)
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We then headed to Luxor on an overnight sleeper train; having spent so much time driving and have flown many times, we chose the train for a change. Dinner was served in our cabin and comfortable pull-down beds ensured we were lulled into a restful sleep to the sway of the carriage. On arrival in Luxor we transferred to one of the many Nile Cruise ships for the journey up the river to Aswan.
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Egypt has lots and lots of temples and we visited a whole bunch of them! From the Valley of the Kings, to the temples dedicated to Ancient Egyptian gods of Aman Ra, Horus, Isis, Orisis and many others, we were in awe of their technical expertise, their construction abilities and their artistic flair; all of which has survived thousands of years of wear and tear.
We had great tour guides who translated the many wall reliefs and explained the symbology and lifestyles of these people who depended on the Nile River.
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The food on board the cruise ship was plentiful and excellent and the friendly and helpful staff were really amazing. They even have a great sense of humour - they created for us an elephant using pillows, towels, tissues, a shoe horn and Alan's sunglasses and hat! We discovered our new "pet" on returning back to our cabin after dinner one evening.
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On our last evening, we enjoyed an Egyptian Banquet around the swimming pool, with everyone joining in the festivities by dressing in traditional Galabas. I thought Alan looked particularly realistic as an Arab Sheik!
Time flew, as it always does when you're having a great time, and the end of our cruise heralded a few more temple visits before returning, again by overnight sleeper train, to Cairo.
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We had a fabulous time in Egypt and are already planning our next visit, which will include the Red Sea for some scuba diving. People were very friendly and helpful with the only irritation being the constant demand for baksheesh (tips); even if you agree a price upfront for a taxi, they will try and double the price and ask for baksheesh at the end of the journey. Even the guy who wraps your takeaway meal has his hand out! That one minor irritation will certainly not deter us from returning to this beautiful, stark and ancient land.

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Alan gets close and personal with two young Egyptian Spitting Cobras

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The sun sets on a temple dedicated to the ancient Egyptian Gods in Aswan

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Highlights:
Best meal: There was lots of great food on the Nile Cruise ship; in fact, far too much great food on the Nile Cruise ship!!
Best moment: When we explored the three pyramids of Giza and the Shinx complex.
Worst moment: When the time came for us to leave Egypt!

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