Egyptian Adventure!

We are back from our Egyptian adventure and what an adventure it was. I have always wanted to go to Egypt, the pyramids have been calling me for many years. As I had a very large birthday last year, this was Mark's birthday present to me...best present I ever had!!!

So the problems with the website did not go away before we went and I was really good, I think we only discussed it twice whilst we were away, I tired really hard not to think about work things, I really needed to relax and enjoy the trip.....which of course we did but it was quite tiring at times as it was really quite hot at 35 degrees C and we did a lot of trips out to all the best tourist sites....I'm really not one for sitting around a pool for the whole of my holiday, I just have to see everything!!!!

Our first experience in Luxor was a real culture shock. We had been warned about the Egytian way of life by the tour operator but I had not prepared myself for the constant begging for your custom. This is a country that depends heavily on the tourist trade and they all want your business, so basically, they pester the life out of you. So, first day over, I thought I was going to hate it but you just have to harden up, say "no thank you" quite firmly and keep walking. That was really hard for me at first, I'm really not a very forceful person but by the end of the week, I was definitely in the swing of things!!!!

First mishap happened on our first day when, I bent over, glasses fell to the very dilapidated pathway and took a chip out of my varifocals which are only a few months old!!! Not a happy girl, big chip in your line of vision all week is not good!!

Second mishap, although mishap is not the correct word, this was more of a humungous disappointment. We booked a day trip to Cairo to see the pyramids. We got up at 4am, coach to the airport, plane to Cairo, coach to the pyramids. Arrive at the pyramids, it's 35 degrees outside, I'm prepared for that with total sunblock as I know I will fry. Water bottle in one hand and camera in the other and we are very excited. We are taking our first piccies when we notice that it is really quite windy and the hairdo is not going to look great in these snaps!!! But you know what....who cares, I am at the pyramids and nothing is going to spoil it. HOW WRONG CAN YOU BE!!!!! We managed to get some photos of the first pyramid but by the time we got to the third, this is the tourist that spot allows you to get a picture of all three pyramids in a row, the wind has whipped up so much that we are now in the midst of a full blown sand storm!!!! Viability is nearly nil. We arrived at the Sphinx and I don't know why we bothered to get out of the coach, we just couldn't see it. Now remember I said I was covered in sun block? Yep, you guessed it the pebble dashing effect of the sandstorm not only hurt like hell but half of the Sahara dessert was now sticking to my sun block better than it would to Glossy Accents!!!!! I looked and felt like sand man.....not an attractive look at all.

Third disappointment, the sand got inside Mark's very expensive camera and played havoc with the shutter. This drove him crazy all week. He is a keen photographer and not knowing if you camera will work or not is so frustrating. The sand has obviously got inside the camera and if you shake it about, sometimes you can get it to work but more often than not, it didn't work. I did of course have my little camera but it's not quite the same thrill for him without his all flashing, all button box of tricks. The worst part is that Minolta were taken over by Sony and they do not make this camera any more so we are not sure of the outcome of this yet.

Okay, so disasters are over now, the rest of the week was fantastic. We a cruise boat on the Nile to the temple of Denderrah......just amazing. We also did trips to The Valley of the Kings, this was definitely the highlight of the week for me. Karnak and Luxor temple were also just incredible, the detail on the engravings and the colours that they used...wow!!!! I think the next season of classes is going to be heavily influenced by the Egyptians and their amazing talents.

Enough of me rambling, here are a few snaps from my little camera.