Luxor

 In the morning, I decided to explore a while. I went to the town centre to check out the stores and markets. Within 2 minutes, I ended up having a man follow me around and had to tell him 4 times not to follow me or walk with me. He kept saying he was walking home, that he lived this way, not trying to bother me. But, then he kept trying to ask me questions. I kept a weary eye on him at all times and was glad to not have anything on me but one bill of 20 EGP tucked in my bra. Nothing to steal. As soon as I ducked into a store, he'd be right there beside me. *Sigh* I wasn't sure what he wanted, but the fourth time I was getting angry and told him if he didn't want any trouble, he'd better leave now. That finally got through his think skull and he wandered off. Great start to the day, ha!
I bought some snacks of nuts, fruit and biscuits and them headed to the Nile to see the bazaar down there and fancy hotels. Busy place. So many horse carriage rides around. I found one street just lined with carriages... wow, I mean, wow, there was a lot. I was able to see Luxor temple while walking along the street. It had a fence around it but I didn't want to spoil the surprise for later so I turned around and head back towards my hotel, going into more stores to window shop and drink tea (as tradition, most stores offer guests welcome tea).
After my snack lunch, I was picked up by my tour. A minivan with about 6 other tourists and our guide. Our first stop was Karnak Temple. It was huge! On the way to the entrance, there was a row of ram headed sphynxes, that looked incredible (and this wasn't the only row, there were a couple going to the sections of the complex as well as leading to Luxor temple). The deity Amun was identified with the ram and goose so that was why these sphynxes had the head of a ram.
Once inside the pylon entrance, there were huge pillars covered in hieroglyphics. The parts of it in constant shade still had it's original colouring. This was called the Great Hypostyle Hall and is the Precinct of Amun-Re. There are 4 main parts to this great complex, making it the largest ancient site in the world. However, only the Precinct of Amun-Re is open to the public. The others, Precinct of Mut, Precinct of Montu and Temple of Amenhotep IV, haven't been restored and some were used for buildings elsewhere from back then. There are even other smaller temples and sanctuaries outside the enclosing wall of the main city. Big place. Seeing how around 30 pharaohs have contributed to building it since the time of the Middle Kingdom (2055-1650 BC), I can see why.
There were a total of 134 columns placed in 16 rows. 122 were 10 metres high were the other 12 were 21 metres tall with a diameter over 3 metres. It was first built by Seti I and then completed by his son Ramesses II.  The outer walls have scenes of battles of both the pharaohs, though on opposite sides of the Hall.
Off to the right side of the Hypostyle Hall was the Temple of Ramesses III. There were large statues of the pharaoh and inscriptions of him slaying his enemies. Then it opens up into a court that has many doorways to walk through. Most of the areas were closed or partially closed off due to excavation, but I walked through the left side and came out to where the narrow court with the obelisks were. One was 21 metres high  and the other 30 metres. Up close they looked the same height, but as you moved father away you could see the difference. Neat trick of the eye.
I walked back and made my way to the Sacred Lake. This was where the priests bathed themselves before doing any rituals within the temple. Nearby was a huge stone scarab beetle. Rumour had it that if you made a wish and walked around it 3 times, your wish would come true. Lol, of course many tourists were walking in circles.
From there I walked back to the middle and went into the Festival Hall of Thutmose III. Many colourful inscriptions here. Amazing how long the original colouring from mineral paint lasts. Thutmose III collected all kinds of different plants and animals and the royal artists engraved the beauty of such things in the sanctuary. It was lovely.
There were many more temples, sanctuaries, chapels, pylons and statues. All walls were covered in hieroglyphics or scenes of offerings, battles or love stories. This great temple of Thebes was phenomenal. My favourite of the temples I've seen so far.

Our next stop was Luxor Temple. This one isn't as large as Karnak, but still nice. Sphynx Avenue was the ancient road between Luxor and Karnak temple and the way is still lined with the statues of sphynxes. What remains of this pathway is incredible. What a sight it must have been back in the time of the Middle Kingdom.
Before passing through the grand pylon entrance, a tall obelisk stood before it along with sitting statues of Ramesses II. Once through, more colossal statues of the pharaoh were throughout the temple, including his wife by his side and inscriptions. Below one of his seated statues in the central corridor, was a drawing of his battle victory with his prisoners bound by the arms. After passing that, a small modern Islamic mosque was built over a part of the temple that is currently used today by the locals.
The complex opened up to the large peristyle court of Amenhotep III where a colonnade led to the inner chambers. Many inscriptions and carvings of offerings and deities. And one of the walls of the inner chambers had a Roman mural that had covered part of the hieroglyphics. I reminder that in older days, kingdoms were conquered and old kings erased to show the valour of the new rulers.
As the sun set and we saw the lights shine upon the temple, our tour was concluded and was time to head back to the hotel. I stopped over at the market for some cool water and fresh fruit and then a good nights rest for the next day.

In the morning, I headed in my mini van tour to the West Bank. On our way to our first destination, we stopped at an alabaster factory to learn how alabaster sculptures and bowls were made. We even got to take a try at an old-fashioned grinder to hollow out a bowl. Many souvenirs with such beautiful work. Even had sculptures made of phosphorus that glowed in the dark.

Our first stop was where the massacre in 1997 occurred where 62 people, mostly tourists, died by the hands of Islamic extremists. Deir El-Bahari, the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, the first female pharaoh from the 18th Dynasty in 1479 -1458 BC.
Her temple was built in a valley basin at the base of surrounding steep cliffs. It was a beautiful view. There were two staircases, one for each level of the temple that lead to colonnaded terraces. On the first level to the left was a complex that was attributed to Hatshepsut. Her face was carved in many pillars along with inscriptions and scenes decrypted to Amun-Ra. Many falcon drawings as well to honour the deity. A pictorial of her famous expedition to the Red Sea Coast "Land of Punt" was also etched. Showed her people out in boats to trade, bringing wealth to her kingdom. Plants were a big thing she received from her trades and many pictures of that was on the walls as well. Supposedly, she was the first to have recorded planting of foreign Myrrh trees by bundling the roots in baskets during the voyage. On the right side of the staircase were many colourful scenes of offerings (as in the shade, the sun hasn't diluted the colours).

On the second level were numerous standing statues of Osiris in front of the pillars with his arms crossed over one another. And off to the side was the chapel. Unfortunately, like many places, the temple has been vandalized. Many sculptures, statues, the sphynx avenue and portraits were destroyed by her successor, Thutmose III, after her death. I did see 2 sphynxes in an enclosed space outside the tourist area though. I wondered if they were ones discovered belonging to Hatshepsut's temple.
Next stop was the Valley of the Kings. This area consists of 63 tombs of the male pharaohs and nobles from  around 1539-1075 BC. Including the famous Tutankhamun. Long tunnels link many tombs together including the numerous chambers where riches, personal belongings, offerings and food were left for them to use in the afterlife. Of course, it's all been looted, but one can use their imagination.
Heavy security here forbidding any photography. And they mean it, if you sneak a camera in and take a picture, they'll take away either your camera, memory card or phone (if you used that). The reason behind it is that the tombs are only exposed to low light in order to preserve the natural colours of the inscriptions. And after going inside the tombs, I appreciated their effort in preservation. The colours were magnificent. We were permitted to see 3 tombs. There was the option to see 3 more but it cost extra, Tutankhamun being the most expensive (100 EGP). I didn't bother as I heard there wasn't much to see in Tut's tomb as it's all in the Cairo museum. But, I was very happy with the 3 I saw.
There were many pictures of the deities, Egyptian mythology, funerary rituals, the judgement in the afterlife and offerings. I now know where all the pictures on the souvenir papyrus came from. All those beautiful images are found here, in these tombs. I was so glad to have been able to see these images. I was in absolute awe.
After, we headed to the Valley of the Queens. Same idea as the Valley of the Kings, only here is were the wives of the pharaohs and their children lie. One of the tombs even had a fetus in a transparent box that was found herein. Again, we were permitted to see 3 tombs. I have to say, my favourite was still the Valley of the Kings.
On our way back to Luxor, we made a quick pit stop at 2 colossal pharaohs in the midst of being restored. Neat to see the process on how it was done. Sure is a lot of work.
I got dropped off at Sun Set Hotel were I quickly gathered up my belongings and met up with my agent so he could take me to my bus. Another long overnight journey. Heading to the Sinai Peninsula to Dehab for some sea air.
The bus was alright. I was the only tourist in amongst the Egyptian people but I was looked after. The assigned seat I had was broken and didn't recline, so the man sitting next to me switched seats so I could rest. When he noticed no one sat behind us, he moved back there to let me have the two seats to myself. I was the only female on the bus, and I had 3 passengers around me that appointed themselves as my protectors. They made sure no one bothered me. When we had a pit stop, they let me know so I could have a bathroom break. Very nice of them. Wasn't until we were at the Sinai border and had our police checkpoint (we all got sniffed by a police dog) that one other lone female got on the bus, and of course, sat with me. Yay, another female!
I was the last person on the bus when we arrived at Sharm-El-Sheikh. So, I moved up front to chat with the bus driver as he drove me the rest of the way to Dehab. My new agent picked me up at the depot and drove me to Bishbishi Garden Village hostel. It was nice outside with a covered comfy cushion square to eat, relax or play games as well as some table settings. After meeting the friendly staff, I put my belongings in my room and was so happy to see the bed. I was ready for a nice 4 hour nap. Figured, that would tie me through the rest of the day and then I'd just go to bed early. And, my lovely friend Ehab (from Brother's Hostel) managed to rummage through my large backpack back in Cairo, found my dive licence, arranged for the private mini bus driver of Bishbishi hostel to bring it all the way back to Dehab and personally place it in my hand, as I forgot to bring it. What service! I couldn't believe how wonderful they were to do that!
I talked with Jimmy here, and he told me he'd take me to the dive shop after my nap so I can arrange my day tomorrow. Yes, now for some much needed sleep!

Aswan

Surprisingly, I wasn't as tired as I'd thought I'd be, getting up at 2:30 am for the 3 hour drive to Abu Simbel. The plan was to arrive for sunrise, but I think they get used to starting out a certain time and not really checking the sunrise times. After spending 45 mins waiting for the convoy our buses needed, the sunrise occurred while we were driving along the highway in the desert. So, that was moot.
Abu Simbel was great though. It has been relocated from the original site in the mountain side due to the Aswan High Dam being built. The dam was built to create Lake Nasser, a water reservoir and it would have submerged the Nubian monuments. So, they created an artificial hill and moved it there in the late 1960's.
Ramesses II built it to impress (or intimidate) his southern neighbours back around 1264 BC. It was constructed to honour the gods, Amun, Ptah and Ra. The 4 colossal statues are of the pharaoh himself and by the legs there's a few statues of his wife (Nefertari), mother, first daughter and first 2 sons. Hieroglyphics surround the monument as well as falcon statues at the base. The falcons symbolize the sky god Horus, thus also the sun and moon. The deity Ra is carved right above the temples entrance.
Once inside, there were two main chambers. The main hall had hieroglyphs of battles with prisoners captured and 8 large statues depicting Osiris, the god of the afterlife. The second chamber had beautiful scenes of offerings to the gods on the four tall pillars. Three hallways stretched out through the temple, each with walls lined with more scenes and written language of offerings. It was an impressive temple. Shame pictures aren't allowed. Guards patrol both in and outside the temples, making sure no damage or photos are taken. Outside photos are ok though.
The second smaller temple was dedicated to Ramesses II wife, Nefertari and the goddess Hathor, goddess of motherhood, love, beauty and music. The statues on the wall were about 10 feet high of both the pharaoh and his wife. Inside, the main hall had 6 pillars decorated with Nefertari playing an instrument with the gods. The vestibule had engravings of the pharaoh and his queen giving offerings, like the papyrus flower to Hathor. Many show the goddess as a cow. A few smaller chambers branched off the vestibule with more drawings of Hathor, Nefertari and Ramesses II. Remarkable temples the two of them. It was nice to see a temple dedicated to a queen.
After enjoying the view of Lake Nassier, I headed back to the van to meet up with the other tourists. There was a foyer that had all the information of the temples relocation. Following that was the bazaar. With tourism being slow in Egypt, the salespeople were very persistent. I would have liked to take my time looking at things, but with their harassment and a tight time schedule, I speed walked through.
On our way back to Aswan, our driver stopped so we could look at a mirage. Really neat. Sure does look like water due to the refection of the hills.
Once I was back at the hotel I went up to my room to take a nap before dinner. Only, I realized my belongings had all been moved around. At first, I thought maybe just housekeeping but decided to check some of the hiding spots I hid some extra cash. I was nervous about taking it all on my person while out at the tourist sites and some of the security boxes at reception looked shabby and broken so I thought since I didn't have too much with me, I'd hide it in multiple spots. And every single place was looted. Only money taken, nothing else at least. I could always get more out and make more money working, but it would have been very inconvenient for any of my travel necessities to go missing.
So, I ended up spending the rest of the afternoon reporting the theft to the managers and them going through their staff. My room had a double lock, and with no forced entry and the second deadbolt not relocked, I knew it was someone with a key to my room. My suspicion was either someone in reception or one of the managers, seeing how it was someone who knew my schedule, but they blamed in on housekeeping. Claiming they're the only ones with access to room keys (what a load of crock!). I really didn't think it was housekeeping. Those woman were extremely distraught and I believed their story. Something about the manager though... he was slimy. He bribed me for my silence to not go to the police by giving me half the money I lost and buying my dinner. I thought, well, seeing how the police here are useless and they wouldn't get me any money back, I might as well take what the manager was offering. Of course, I told the staff at Brothers Hostel who arranged my stay there as well as their local agent Yassen so they wouldn't recommend the Nubian Hotel again. Yassen told me he had someone else robbed there too. Shame that. At least there was no violence. And, it was my first time having a theft like that. Have to experience that at some point travelling I suppose.
I ended up having my dinner in a new room (why I was moved... I don't know. I was already robbed so whoever did it took what they wanted) with a tv where I watched a movie and went to bed early.
The next morning, Yassen picked me up and brought me to Hammada, my Nubian captain of my felucca ride. Hammada was a tall, thin young man with a wife and 2 children. He took over his grandfather's boat, the Mona Lisa, and now has his own business giving tourists rides up and down the Nile. I had 2 nights sleeping on the felucca and 2.5 days sailing. I wished I wasn't alone, it would have been more fun with a group of people, but Hammada was great company. He spoke english quite well and taught me how to count to 10 in Arabic. He made wonderful food on the boat and gave me 2 cushions with blankets to sit and sleep on. It was surprisingly comfortable. Many bugs along the water. Good thing I brought my deet. Unfortunately, I can't reapply while sleeping so each morning I woke up with new bites. They were more itchy than mosquito bites back at home, but not even remotely as itchy as the mango rash. They were easy enough to ignore.
The wind on our first day was almost nonexistent, so we just followed the current till we found a nice spot to port for the night. He had a narrow plank of wood he used to cross from the boat to the shore of Elephantine Island so we could stretch our legs and have bathroom breaks. It was really peaceful. I spent a lot of time reading this amazing book called 'Tears of the Desert' by Halima Bashir. It was a true story about this young black tribal woman who wanted to be a doctor living in Darfur, Sudan and having to survive through the genocide. It was heartbreaking and inspiring. One of my favourite books I've ever read so far. I cried a few times, so I had to fill Hammada in on what was happening in the book so he knew why it made me sad. He couldn't read english yet, so it was easier for me to just share the story with him.
On the second day, the wind was gusty so we travelled back down and made a stop on the Nubian island across from the Aswan port. Hammada's family lived here on Elephantine, and he invited me to their house for tea and lunch.
There, I met both his parents, his bother and his sister. We all had tea and his mom made us some lunch of bread, fish, rice, chicken and seasoned mixed vegetables. They were very kind. Hammada showed me his old room which is now a lounge room. The house was nice and cool, made of concrete to keep the sun's heat out. Some decorative rugs were on the concrete flooring to liven the place up. Cozy.
After, we walked around his village, saying hi to people (they're all so friendly here), seeing the gardens and farming as well as the area the men build and repair feluccas. Two were in the process of being built when we were there. Then we passed an archaeological dig site some of the German archaeologists were working on. One of the temples of Khum, the god of waters and creation. He filled me in on the history of the island and of his Nubian people. Elephantine was once the border between Egypt and Nubia so there was a large fort here that could be seen on the nearby mountain.
He was proud to be Nubian and I was sad to see how little they fare to the Egyptians. He was telling me how he never ports his felucca across the Nile at Aswan, only here on the island. When I asked why, he said the people of the village are peaceful and honest. All family. No harm would come to his boat where as in Aswan, the Egyptians were "always causing trouble." I could understand that. He knows the families on the island so it was safe, where Aswan is a much bigger town, full of strangers and some corrupt people (like at my hotel...*wink*).
While Hammada went to pick up a few more food items and cast off the boat to roam again, I watched some woman do their laundry in the Nile and a really big man shovelling dirt into sacks on his donkey, whom he then rode to his dumping site. Oh, did I ever feel sorry for that over worked donkey. The dirt was fine, it was the man riding him! I was surprised the donkey didn't collapse! Stoic creatures.
Amazing how many temples were once on this small island. While we coasted upriver, he showed me one of the nilometers (to measure the water level of the Nile. Interesting that the Nile level is higher in the South than it is in the North). There was a stone staircase that led down to the river from a corridor and the rocks down to the waters edge had inscriptions. I believe he said it was the temple of Satis, the protector of southern Egypt. I wasn't expecting that so it was a nice surprise to see floating along.
Children were swimming along the shores as well as paddling along on styrofoam boards. Three kids grabbed on to our felucca to go against the current so they could float back. Fun to watch them. Hammada also let me steer the boat. He gave me some mini lessons and I was in charge of getting us back to our port site for the evening.
Such nice sunny days, but hot. Glad we had a covered area to have shade on the boat. Hammada sang some songs for me in the evening and we talked about our lives. He told me some of the harder times he had, with the police and how he was glad they weren't patrolling anymore. One police officer would come to him while he was sailing and ask to see his papers. Once he showed him, he'd want a bribe otherwise would fine him or arrest him saying he either didn't have papers or that they were false. He had no choice but to give him some of his money as the police were so corrupt there wasn't anything he could do to fight them. Then, father down the Nile, another police officer would come and do the same. He said he was lucky if he had a 1/3 of the money he was paid to do his tours. So sad. I'm happy things are better for him now. He can provide for his family. Just another story of the reasons to the people's rebellion.
Such a nice night with the stars and watching the lights of the city and cruise liners. Couldn't believe how many cruise ships their were! Dozens in such a small area with little tourists. Don't know how they afford it.
I was very glad to have my ear plugs with me. One thing about sleeping on the water, all the noise bounces and travels quite a distance. And early in the morning, with the multiple mosques starting up their prayers at 5:00 am, I was so thankful for the ear plugs.
After breakfast, Hammada let me sail the boat back to his port at Elephantine Island and we caught the water taxi back to Aswan. Yassen met me there. Hammada and I said our goodbyes, and Yassen took me to his office until my train departure. His "office" was a desk inside his shop of playstations. Kids (who should have been in school) were sitting playing video games while we discussed my last couple days and what was to come. His associates were there as well and were very hospitable. They bought me lunch with a soda and played some local music for me. A nice way to wait for the train. Yassen walked me right to my seat on the train for my next destination, Luxor. Another man would meet me there and escort me to my new hotel and give me my itinerary.
The train ride wasn't too long. Two-three hours. It was nice travelling in the afternoon so I could see the view. See the Nile and villages along the way.
Once I arrived in Luxor, Mohammad (yes, very common name, lol) met me at the station with a taxi and took me to Sun Set Hotel. This hotel was very nice, clean and had good security. A metal detector at the doorway with 2 relaxed guards. I liked it right away. I think I needed a place like that after my experience at the last hotel. My room was lovely as well. I really was surprised at how nice it was for my budget. After dropping my bags in my room, Mohammad and I went over my plans. I had the rest of the day to myself and would see the East Bank tomorrow.
So after having a small walk around and getting some dinner from the market across the street, I'm going to relax the rest of the evening with a shower and a movie.

Bahariya and Farafra Oasis

Tamer picked me up early in the morning and we caught the metro to just outside the city centre, where his assistant Iman met us in his jeep. Then we got some yummy falafels for breakfast and started the long drive to the Bahariya Oasis. Tamer has his own company called Black Tiger Safari and he was from Bahariya so it was great to have a local Bedouin guide. He didn't speak a lot of english, but Ehab said if I had any questions that I could call him anytime to answer or translate. But, Tamer was pretty good at explaining what he needed to say, so it worked out just fine.With him being a local, he knew how to drive in the sand properly and all the nice spots to go explore.
When we reached Bahariya, we went to his place for some lunch. He had a nice large room with a low coffee table and cushions all along the floor surrounding it. It was comfortable. Also had power points to charge up the batteries for the camera before heading out to our first destination... The Black Desert.
The Black Desert was amazing. Soft golden sand covered small mountains topped with basalt rock. To remind you all of geology, basalt is black volcanic rock formed from lava. This land of ancient volcanoes looked like black dusting on the hills. We stopped at The Rock Noss and I hiked up to the top to get a nice view of the land.
After that, we drove to the Bedouin village to see the hot spring and cold spring. We were able to have a dip in the cold spring pool, but seeing how it was not too hot, I wanted to keep exploring rather than swim. He showed me how the village used the spring with a pumping system to water the farming fields for vegetation. Lots of date trees out here.
Next, we drove out to Crystal Mountain in the Old White Desert. Crystal Mountain is a subvolcanic vault that erupted around 30 million years ago when the earth was having climatic changes. The hydrovolcanic solutions filled any cavities within the rock and once cooled, formed the calcite crystals. There was even a neat archway that was speculated as a cave that the roof caved in and eroded over time, leaving behind the arch. Crystals were embedded throughout the arch and all over the ridge. Sparkling in the sunlight. Nature sure is beautiful.
We jumped back into our jeep and continued to drive out in the White Desert. And was it ever white. The limestone and chalk formations were all unique. I felt like I was on the moon. We drove through the Garaway region to Agaload area to see a great panoramic view of the white rocks. The sun was getting low in the sky and shone golden on the limestone. We rested from all the bumpy jarring of off roading in the jeep and enjoyed the silence of the desert.
On our way to our campsite,we drove through Wadie which had many sporadic trees. We stopped at Garaween Oasis. It was a small waterhole (like a well) with trees in a circle. Would have been nice to camp here, but there were mosquitoes. So, we just looked around, saw the lone acacia tree with its tangled roots and watched the sunset.
We drove just a little further toward the New White desert and set up camp. I popped up my tent while the boys made on outdoor dining room. They put a large canvass along the jeep and then at a 90 degree angle out to the side to make a V shape. Then they placed a rug on the ground, brought out a coffee table and 2 long cushions to sit on around it. Nice set up. These Bedouin guys know how to camp in the desert! Tamer had 2 propane cans and started making dinner, while Iman made a fire to cook the chicken and tea.
It was a clear night with a full moon. No flashlight needed. We ate our delicious dinner, watched a small fox come by to scavenge chicken leftovers and then the boys taught me some arabic. I tell you, not such an easy language to learn! Then they sang me a couple songs and off to bed. I left my tent door open so I could pop my head out and look up at the stars while I fell asleep. So peaceful.
I got up early to watch the sunrise and let the boys sleep in.
Our campsite was surrounded by limestone formations and soft yellow sand. Not a footprint in sight (apart from the ones we made, and our fox visitor). It was neat seeing the ripples on the sand from the wind. The landscape was so different than anything I've ever seen before. Absolutely breathtaking.
After an hour or so, I could hear Tamer calling me for breakfast. We had fruit, bread, cake and spreadable cheese. It was filling.
After we packed up (looked like we were never there. They're good at keeping the area unsoiled) we headed back to the highway for Farafra Oasis making scenic pit stops along the way. One of those being a drop off for Iman. He was going to wait along the highway for Tamer's brother to pick him up as he had 2 tourists, while Tamer had just me. Made sense to help the brother out.
Farafra was a very small village. Many mud made houses with wooden doors. Even had big medieval locks on them. And so many motorbikes! That was their main transportation. And the decorations! All the bikes had a carpet cover on the seat and tank with either tassells, bells or ornaments of some kind attached to it. It was great!
There was a small lake, hot spring and palm trees (which I think were more dates). We stopped at a local's studio/museum that exhibited all his sand art. There were sand paintings, sculptures, ceramics and even a yard full of bizarre sculptures made from objects found in the desert. The walls of the building was sandstone that he carved many pictures into. It looked wonderful. Badr took much pride in his work, and gave everyone a personal tour. He was a very nice man, well spoken, and mingled just enough to make you feel welcome but not harassed. I enjoyed it.
Then, I popped across the street into a hotel for a much needed shower and then we hopped back into the jeep to see the Western desert, the sea of sand.
Golden sand dunes cut from the wind and giant monoliths of sandstone all throughout the drive. To think that all this land was once an ocean. Hard to believe. We drove to Aboo viewpoint to rest for a spell. Tamer pointed out the directions of Sudan and Libya, the 2 other countries that the desert is a part of. Can only imagine how far away they are from that point. He said there are tours to take you there, but it's a long tour. And the heat can be challenging. Hmmm, maybe next time.
We found a nice spot with some shade (which is hard to find at mid-day) and had our lunch of pita with egg, tomato mixed with feta and plain yogurt mixed with diced cucumber, salt and pepper. Simple, but delicious. I walked around a while and after finding a boulder to have a bathroom break, found shells. Many, many fossilized shells. So cool!
After, we headed back across to the other side of the highway to the White Desert. As we drove further into the New White desert, the landscape changed. Now it appeared as the moon. There was a flat of limestone covering the ground that looked like a wind chaffed ocean surface, rippled with frozen waves. Incredible. And the white chalk formations that were made by wind erosion from the reoccurring and frequent sandstorms, created interesting shapes such as a dog, sphynx, camel, rabbit, table, and the famous mushroom and chicken. There were many more too. Actually, if you spend enough time, you could make out the rocks into almost anything. They all had a unique shape. It was fun looking at them. The only one Tamer and I couldn't agree on was the snake. I couldn't see it, all I could see was an owl with a squished head, not a snake. Funny.
We set up camp here among the formations and Tamer got started on dinner, pasta. As we started dinner, his brother drove by with Iman to say a quick hello and let us know they were setting up camp nearby. Tamer and I decided that instead of making our own fire, we should go socialize with his brother's guests if they'll have us. So, we popped over and I met Kiran and her husband Kam. They were from England and on their holiday. They were a lovely couple and the boys all started singing and playing the drums around the fire. We had a fox come by who was braver than the one from the night before. He came fairly close, even with our Bedouin entertainment. Tamer and I danced together and we all had a wonderful time.
The next morning, I popped over to exchange emails with Kiran. Then Tamer and I headed off to see the extraordinary mushroom I somehow missed the day before and head back to Bahariya Oasis. This mushroom looked like a sliver of a neck was holding up the top. Of course, you have to find the right angle to see that. We made more pit stops along the way. One to visit camels, wash our dishes at a small spring and to look at all the different flower stones. The flower stones are fossilized plant material that have various shapes and sizes from coils, petals, spikes to shell looking designs. They also had a nice sound when long tube ones clanged together. I think wind chimes or a xylophone could be made out of them. One interesting thing about them is that they were always on the surface of the sand, rather than buried. I suppose, with their composition, they were lighter than the sand so they blew around easy.
Once we got back to Bahariya, Tamer took me to the Garden. It was more a farmland of dates and palm trees, but it's what they call the Garden. It was pretty. Mangoes, olives and guava were also harvested at the oasis. Donkeys carried big loads of produce, grass or a Bedouin man. From most of what I saw, they looked well cared for. That made me happy to see. Looks like they rely on their donkeys enough to keep them well. Motorcycles were also commonly used to get around in the narrow alleys of town. The houses were a mix of mud made houses and cement made. Iron ore mining was a major agricultural industry providing many jobs for the locals as well.
Then we went to the salt sea. A good sized lake that has a high salinity content. Next, was the Pyramid, a large rock formation in the desert that looked like a pyramid, and then his uncle's house. There, I met his uncle and horse. We had some giant green beans to snack on (I shared mine with the horse). I like that the Egyptians make houses for their farm animals. At first, I thought they were peoples houses, but Tamer explained that the rock and pebble walls with thatched roofing are the cattle quarters. I was impressed.
Lastly, we went to English Mountain were a ruin of an old fort was situated on a hill. Lovely view up there.
It was time to head back to town for lunch. When we got to his house, Kiran and Kam were there. We had lunch together while Tamer got our bus tickets back to Cairo. I was sad to leave Tamer, even though it was a short time, we had a lot of fun and bonded. He was my brother now. He gave me his email and I promised to email him some pictures so that he could use it for his new website and the 3 of us got on our bus for the long journey back to the city.
Kiran and I talked almost the entire way. I really like them and she invited me to visit them whenever I made it to London. Very kind couple.
Once back in the city, I was picked up by one of the staff at Brothers Hostel and brought back home. Mohammed even made sure Kam and Kiran got back to their hostel ok. Really nice staff.
I had 20 minutes to repack my small backpack and add a few extra items for the next part of my tour before heading off to the night train to Aswan. It was a long journey. About 14 hours long. I tried to sleep, but I was nervous about dreaming while my camera was unguarded. So I just rested.
It was a safe train. There is a tourist section where guards keep an eye on us. I needn't have worried.
Once I arrived in Aswan, I was picked up by Yassen and he brought me to my hotel (the Nubian Hotel. Not actually run by Nubian people though) and gave me a rundown of my itinerary. I wasn't going to Abu Simbil until 3 am and seeing how it was 11 am, I had a free day. I was too tired for anything else to do, so I checked into my room and passed out.
 Now that I'm up, I'm going to stretch my legs a bit and get some dinner. Then, have an early sleep because I have to get up early.

Giza

I arrived in Cairo at 8 in the morning. I checked into my hostel at Hola Cairo and after a power nap, talked to the staff over at the sister hotel called Brothers hostel. There, we made up a 12 day itinerary for a tour through all the main stops I wanted to see. They were able to arrange everything for a good price. Also, any place I wanted to go, they offered to escort me. To show me the shops, eateries, museums, the Nile, pharmacies and the smoke... I mean, tea rooms (ha ha ha).
I popped to Gob restaurant just a block away for a chicken shawarma dinner and made a friend at the hostel. I had a room to myself, but the boy's dorm had a nice balcony. So my new friend invited me to hang out and watch the activity. Egyptian people are so incredibly active in the evening. Hard to believe it's the same street. At 8 am, hardly anyone was driving around, the street with a few parked cars, but many empty stalls. No one walking on the streets. It's like that until around 10 am when stores start to open. Then as the day goes on, more people come out, set up tables and floor mats to lay out their merchandise and stay up until 4 am, calling out their products, trying to make a sale. Some even have music or lights and dramatic visual displays to capture attention. Fun to watch. The traffic is slow moving through downtown and horns are constant. The city is so alive, it almost has it's own song with all the commotion.
After watching from the balcony, we decided to venture out together (safety in numbers) and check out the busy streets. Everyone approached us, trying to sell things. Even saw a guy selling tasers. He walked up and down the street briefly turning it on so we can hear the short zap sounds and see the flash of electricity. Of course, I gave in to the food sellers. Tried a few sweets (and boy were they sweet. I thought my teeth would fall out), fruit (the dates were amazing!) and falafel (I fell in love! It's so good here).
The next morning, I checked into the Brothers hostel. It's warmer here. Hola Cairo was more in the shade so with the concrete buildings, it was cooler. Not desirable for me since I'm still used to 30+ C  temperatures. 16 C just felt too cold. I mostly spent the day relaxing and then Ehab, one of the receptionists, offered to take me to a cafe to socialise with some friends. We walked to Tahrir square, which was the focal point of the revolution last year. Many protesters gathered here (est. 300,000 people) to protest against their former president, Mubarak, and fight against corruption, power inheritance, police brutality, low wages and unemployment, increased food inflation, lack of freedom of speech and the emergency law (which is a law to imprison individuals indefinitely and without reason. Most individuals would not even be trailed). I could still see evidence of the emotional displays. Graffiti, army tanks, posters and memorials were still around. After hearing some of the stories the locals shared with me, I could empathise with them an not help but feel afflicted toward the hardships of the Egyptian people.
During the day, it was just like any other intersection. People sitting on the grass in the roundabout, people eating, smoking, socializing and selling their goods. We went to a cafe across from the roundabout, and there I met Tamer, my Bedouin guide for the oasis and deserts. I had a lovely hibiscus tea and Ehab got a shisha so I could try it. Nice bongs. But strong! It tasted terrible to me, but, seeing how I don't smoke... I guess it's an acquired taste. However, Ehab did say he prefers his cigarettes. Which are super cheap to buy. Only a few Egyptian pounds. It seemed like everyone here smoked. They said "it was a cultural thing, going for generations. It was good for you." I think 90% of the population smoked. Sheesh!
After that, we went back to the hostel where I met up with 2 guys from Brazil to accompany me to a dinner on a Nile cruise boat with some belly dancing. My driver, Ahmed, joined us, making sure we had good seats and didn't go hungry. Buffet food, gotta love it. And it was really good!
We watched a band, 1 female dancer and 2 men who were spectacular with the zills. I even got invited to dance with the female dancer... I wondered if Ahmed told her I was taking classes back at home... Meanwhile, during the dinner and show, the boat just cruised slowly along the Nile and we could see the city lights. Which was illuminous. So strange seeing how much electricity ran though this city compared to Tanzania, who had so little. Like two extremes.

The next morning, Ehab took me to Giza. Our first stop was the Red Pyramid (named after it's reddish colour), in Dahshur. It's one of the oldest (2nd oldest), built around 2612-2589 BC and supposedly the worlds first smooth sided pyramid. Unfortunately, most of the limestone on the outside of the pyramid was used for buildings in Cairo during the middle ages. There was only limestone right along the bottom in places not covered in sand.
I was allowed to go inside. Once going up some wooden stairs, there was a tunnel going down with light on throughout. It smelled so strong down there that I didn't stay too long. Just a quick look around, see the architecture and the chambers and out I went. All those years of stale air and ammonia from the limestone. There were pipes installed to make some air ventilation, but the smell was still there. And it was hot and muggy.
While leaving the Red pyramid, we could see the Bent Pyramid. The angle changes from a 54 degree inclination to a 43 degree at the top. Thus, giving it a "bent" look. It's believed that it was built as a step pyramid but with the angle so steep it was unstable and may collapse so the angle was changed. It's quite unique.
Our next stop was Saqqara, the ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. The main pyramid here is the step pyramid of Dosjer built in the 27th century BC (2630-2612 BC) for the burial of the Pharaoh Djoser. It was designed by Imhotep and is the oldest of all the pyramids. Saqqara is a burial ground with many tombs, mastabas, complexes and a roofed colonnade with lovely stone pillars. Many coloured hieroglyphics still in great condition within the tombs. I could see the drawings describing all the offerings for the gods and pharaohs.
Then, we went to the Golden Eagle shops. We started at the crystal shop where they had various oil essences. My favourite was the Papyrus and Lotus Flower scents. Next was the papyrus shop where I learned how papyrus paper was made and to learn to differences between the real and fake papers. For example, real papyrus had brown markings from the natural fibre and it's very flexible. I could fold it and reopen it without a crease. I browsed thoroughly though this place, many beautiful paintings. I would have loved to buy some... but it's pricey for me this time around. Thirdly was the general retail store filled with sculptures, plates, furniture, clothes, jewelry, a few belly dance costumes, and souvenir statues made of granite and alabaster.
After that, we went to the Giza Pyramids and Sphynx. I saw the Pyramid of Khufu first. This is the tallest of all pyramids at 146 metres (480 ft) in height and it's base at 230 metres (756 ft). Very impressive. It's also the only intact seven wonders of the ancient world. I climbed up to the inside entrance and enjoyed the view. Ehab said the inside was pretty much the same as the one at the Red pyramid and since this one had an extra fee to enter, I skipped going inside that one.
Then we checked out the western cemetery and went inside a few tombs to see the hieroglyphics in there. Very similar to the ones at Saqqara. But not as many colours. Probably too many tourists using their flash taking pictures. It strips away the original colouring. That's why most of the sites won't allow photography.
Next, to Pyramid of Khafre. This is the only one that still has the original polished limestone casing. Found right at the top. It's the 2nd tallest at 136 metres (448 ft). It had a temple in front of it (which are now just ruins) and a causeway that leaded to the Great Sphynx. Which was where I went last. It had the face of the Pharaoh Khafre and the body of a lion (representing power and strength). It faces the rising sun, so I learned it's best to see it in the morning. Less shadows. Little tip for you all. Ehab told me there was speculation that there were two Sphynx, but the second had never been found. There were locals there offering to take my picture with the Sphynx in different poses to make a tip. I liked the poses, but they weren't very good at taking the photos. Never centred right. I think they rushed the photos to try to take as many as they could and make more money. Guess they need to make a living somehow. Too bad quality isn't much of a priority. They'd make more.
The last one is the Pyramid of Menkaure. The smallest of the 3 at 65 metres (215 ft). It has the smaller Pyramids of the Queens that can be seen along the south side of it. The 3 big main pyramids is thought to be built in line with the constellation, Orion's belt. Hmmmm, could be. Something to think about anyway.

Of course, can't be at a tourist attraction without the vendors. They were everywhere, following me around and never giving up. Many people on camels and horses to give you a ride. I think the average rate is 150 EGP/hr. Next time I come, maybe I'll be able to afford it. Would be nice to do an hour ride to the south side for the nice view of the pyramids clustered together. Bit far to walk there.
 It was strange to see the Pyramids surrounded by the big city of Cairo. I always imagined it out in the vast desert, with the Nile running nearby. Well, that's what it used to be anyway, nowadays, modern civilization has come in.
We headed back to the hostel so I could pack up and be ready for an early pick up with Tamer for tomorrow, so I can start my 3 days out in the deserts.

Gombe Stream & Mombasa

Grace took me to her coworker after lunch and I boarded the staff boat to Gombe Stream National Park. It took just over an hour to get there and people where curious about my story. so, I shared my adventure getting here. I met the chimp veterinarian, 2 chimp researchers, 3 house keepers (one with her baby) and the park warden. The park warden laughed at my tail and told me when I left I could catch the staff boat back to Kigoma and not to worry about paying any money for it. She also gave me a discount on my meals while staying at the rest house to try to make up for my inconveniences. Of course, she wouldn't let me argue and I didn't want to disrespect her gift, so I thanked her.
The scenery was absolutely stunning. Magnificent jungle over the hills and along the sides of Lake Tanganyika. I couldn't believe how clear the water was. For the world's longest freshwater lake, I was expecting it to be murky, with it bordering 4 different countries and all. But, it was breathtaking. And warm too. Shocking how warm it was.
When I arrived at the park, I got to have a room all too myself... actually, I was the only tourist! I met my guide Iddi, and the first thing he said after our greeting was "what happened to your bag?" I laughed, and told him all about it. I asked if there was a bucket and a brush so I could clean it. He offered to do it for me, but I insisted to do it myself. Wash my hands clean of the whole affair. He brought me a brush, large bucket and detergent and I went to the lake to start my cleaning. I washed all my dirty clothes, camping supplies and backpack. I was impressed with how clean my backpack became. I thought the red soil would stain more then it did.
After I had my dinner, Iddi explained our day for tomorrow about the chimp tracking and then I went for a swim in the lake. Couldn't resist! The evening was so clear and the stars were spectacular!
Baboons were all over the place in the morning. They like to try to get into the resting house because of the smell of the kitchen on the top floor. I met up with Iddi at 8 am and we headed out to find the chimps. It was a pleasant hike and I could see the Democratic Republic of the Congo directly across the lake. Many fisherman were out getting their daily catches further down from the park.
It didn't take long before we could hear the chimps.
When we arrived at the location, we were blessed with 3 different families. Some squabbling between them in the trees. Made for exciting entertainment. We sat down on the ground and watched them. I heard a rustling sound behind me, and Iddi whispered to stay still and to not to make direct eye contact. The next moment, a beautiful male chimpanzee walked past me and started up the tree across from me. So strong and graceful he was.
They didn't mind our presence at all. Just carried on their daily activities with eating, grooming, nursing, mating, talking and the occasional fighting. The researches were there as well, doing the same as us, only recording their observations. They come out every day to monitor them. That's why the chimps weren't bothered by us watching, they were used to it.
Iddi knew most of the names of the chimps and what family they belonged to. Knew their bloodlines as well. I asked how he could do that and he said, "I've been a guide here for years. They all have different features and personalities so I can tell them apart, just like people." He showed me the difference between some of them, told me their life stories, who their parents were, if they had mates and had babies. I was captivated by his knowledge. He spoke of them with love in his voice, like they were his other family.
We moved along here and there and came across 2 more families. Iddi was familiar with their routes so we could walk a ways ahead of them along the trails, sit down and they'd catch up and pass us. They moved nesting sites every day to avoid any predators. So they were very active.
One female named Parks liked people. She'd come quite close to us if we stayed still and liked to be photographed. Others were camera shy. Seemed like they knew what a camera was and would hide their face or turn it away from the camera. Funny.
After a few hours, Iddi took me to the Kakombe waterfall. Butterflies were all over the place and one really liked the salt on my small backpack. Kept landing on it. We also saw red colobus monkies up in a distant tree (keeping away from the chimps) and a giant centipede scurry by our feet along the trail. Their bite is very poisonous. Iddi was nervous about it and kept jumping around. He was amusing to watch.
He showed me the feeding station where Jane Goodall used to feed the chimps and learn their behaviour over the 15 years she was here from the 60's on. She used a metal box that had a cord attached so it could be opened from a distance. When opened, a banana would be waiting to be eaten, and she'd be safe inside the station to watch. Even now, so many years later, the chimps still come here to see if there's any food around.
Once back at the camp, I had another swim, packed up most of my belongings and had dinner. Iddi visited me again after dinner and said he'd take me to Kigoma the next day since he had 2 days off.
I checked into Mwanga hotel the following morning. Comfortable beds and standard hotel with pit latrines. It was close to the bus stand so we went there next to get my bus ticket for the following day. Iddi suggested I take a different route this time. I booked a ticket with Sumry for Kahama. He had a good friend who lived there and asked her to pick me up at the bus stop, take me to my accommodation and help me get a ticket to Arusha from there. His family lives in Moshi, so he's done this route a lot and said it's tarmac most of the way so it'll be faster. Plus, he knew what buses were reliable. Best to go with the luxury buses.
I bought him some lunch and then he was off to get a week's worth of groceries to take back to Gombe. I just relaxed the rest of the day.
In the morning, Iddi met me at the bus stand to say goodbye. He said his friend, Timna, would be waiting for me in Kahama and that she already booked and paid for my hotel room, taxi and bus ticket. I just had to pay her back. Timna didn't speak any english so he said we could call him anytime for translating and that he'd check in later to make sure that everything was ok with me.
This bus ride with Sumry was much more comfortable. There were very few extra people we picked up, had a bathroom break, a less bumpy road and was much faster than the others I'd been on. I arrived in Kahama in the early afternoon where Timna was waiting for me. She helped with my bags and took the taxi she had to my hotel. My room had it's own bathroom! Very nice. I reimbursed Timna and took her out to lunch. I had kuku wali (chicken & rice) and talked with the cafe owners and an older man at the table next to me. Learned a few more swahili words too.
After lunch, Timna called a friend of hers to translate for me, and she warned me to not talk to strangers here in town as there are many people who aren't nice and that she'd stop by later on to check up on me. Iddi warned me as well that this could be a dodgy town, so I planned to stay in my room the rest of the day.
However, I wanted to get Timna a gift for helping me. As I was pondering what I could get her and where to go to buy it, the older man from the cafe came into the common room. He was staying at the same hotel. We chatted and when I told him my plan to go shopping he offered to come along. That way, I wouldn't be alone and he could get a few things he needed. Problem solved.
As we were walking, we shared details about ourselves. Turns out he was well travelled himself. He'd been living in Europe for 22 years and travelled a lot of East Africa. When I asked what he did for a living he answered, "I work with powder." I thought, "powder? What kind of powder? Baby powder?" He responded, "No, you know, powder, coke." I kept my poker face on and said "Oh, I see. And you were able to travel with that job." Lol, I made casual conversation and he said he'd be happy to employ me so I could work for him. I laughed and thanked him for the offer and explained that I loved my work at home, working with animals. Keeps me out of trouble (and jail, lol).
I bought my gifts and we headed back to the hotel. I was ready to make tracks, but he still wanted to talk. So, I politely listened to him in the lounge. He still wanted me to work for him, but he made a new offer, I could be his wife. Wow, wife of a drug lord... let me think... ah, no. As soon as he ducked into his room, I took the opportunity to conceal myself in my room.
At 9:30 pm, I heard a knock on my door. I thought, oh no, he figured out what room I'm in, but then I heard a female voice call my name. Timna had come by to check in on me and Iddi was on her phone. She passed her mobile to me and Iddi asked how my day was. I filled him in and he said, "I told you strangers aren't safe there." All the 'I told you so' stuff, lol. He told me Timna's plans for me for the following morning for my bus. Then he said goodbye. I wished Timna "usiku mwema, lala salama" (good night and sleep well).
She came by at 6 am and took me to my bus, Mghamba Express, for Arusha. Another bus like Sumry. Yay! I gave her her ngeni (gift) with a big hug. And off I headed to Arusha. I loved seeing the rift valley again... and eating the yummy nut snacks!
I was stunned by the generosity I'd been given from the locals during my trip. The general population have very big hearts and just want you to be happy. I won't ever forget the people that helped me and gave me support and security.
I spent a couple days in Arusha and found that my friend Ryann was still in Mombasa. So, I took the Tahmeed bus across the border to Kenya. Saw some antelope and 1 giraffe along the way.
 I had a nice school principal named Yeya sit beside me. He told me about the parks, train line, villages, his and his wife's town growing up and the "slums" in Mombasa. It was really interesting. Almost like a guided tour. Once we got off the bus, he bargained a tuk tuk for me (a 3 wheeled motorcycle with a cabin) and I checked into Nirvana Backpackers, across from Nyali International Hotel. Ryann left a note for me that everyone was at a pub. The owner offered to give me a ride there when I was ready because she was going to join them. It was a lot of fun meeting new friends and to see Ryann again. I joined in dinner and had a couple Tusker beers (named after the elephant that killed a man at the brewery). Late at night, half of us went home and the rest went out to a bar, to continue the party.
Over my time there, I went swimming at the beach at Nyali hotel (which was similar to Zanzibar but not as nice), walked around Mombasa town and bought fabric for a dress, went to a tailor who took my measurement to custom make a top, skirt and pants, learnt to cook a nice pesto penne, watched a couple movies and went out bar hopping. The night we went out, everyone at the hostel went out, as we normally do (it's better to go in groups anywhere, plus, more fun!) to a fancy restaurant for dinner and drinks. Then we went to a bar that had dancer's performing. Sorry no photos, didn't want to risk the camera, and we weren't allowed to take photos anyway. The dancer's were doing all sorts of acrobatics and the flash could blind them. But they were amazing! Hip hop dancing with african moves, fantastic! Then, we went to another club known as a ladies bar. Lots of old white men picking up the kenyan prostitutes. But, it was a friendly atmosphere with good music and inexpensive drinks. Just had to watch yourself on the dance floor. The prostitutes will dance with you and may try to steal what's in your pockets. Anytime someone came up to Ryann and I, we'd just go back to our table and sit down with our friends. Unless our one local friend (an off duty prostitute our hostel owner has known for years) joined us. She kept the others away with one look. Since she knew most of them, we were left alone in her presence. Kind of felt like a bodyguard. Ah well, we had fun and I learned some new african moves.
I took the Coast bus to Nairobi and checked into Milimani Backpackers. It was a 20 mins walk into the city from the hostel and in a nice location. Many other hotels were around so I felt safe there.
Most Kenyans speak english, swahili and their tribal language. It was easy to get directions and find anything I needed. They grew up speaking their native tongue, then learned swahili and english in primary and secondary school. So much easier travelling here than Tanzania.
Once settled into my dorm room, I went into the restaurant, had dinner, met some nice girls and lounged around before bed.
This morning, I put my belongings in storage. My flight for Egypt didn't leave till 4 am but I thought I'd  head to the airport around midnight. That way I wouldn't have to pay for another night.
I headed into town to run a few errands and window shop. I had to weave in and out of the traffic to cross the roads. Drivers at each others bumpers, blocking intersections and crosswalks. Pedestrians had to walk in front of the slow moving cars or they wouldn't get anywhere.
I saw some really nice clothes in Nairobi. It's a well developed city with lots of shops. Shame I'm backpacking. I can't carry around any extra weight, otherwise I'd buy a few things. Maybe next time.
When I got back to the hostel, one of my new friends invited me out to dinner. We went back into town, ate at a local cafe, then went to a pub that had a live band. I loved watching the singers dance. The girls sure move their hips! The music was nice, had a reggae feel to it.
 After that, we headed home. Now I'm passing the late evening hours until my taxi comes to take me to the airport. It's going to be a long night, but I'm excited about going to Cairo. The hostel I chose online arrange tours so I feel safer about travelling there. Should be fun!