Egypt: Balloon Ride

The tour company offered a sunrise balloon ride over Luxor and the Valley of the Kings for an eye watering EGP600. So, T & E checked out the tour companies lining one of Luxor's streets and found the same package for only EGP250. I wondered what would be missing but was convinced by those 2 to sign up.

We woke at 4:30am and were waiting in the hotel reception at 5am. There were people from the tour group waiting for the official balloon ride pickup there, also. We were picked up about 15 min later and taken on a 1 min bus ride to the Nile, whereupon we had a coffee and a cake for breakfast. Then we had a 1 min crossing across the Nile and got into another bus to get to the balloon launchsite. We arrived around 6am. We were in a patch of earth, surrounded by about 4 other balloons being lit up by orange glows from the gas burners. Each balloon was tied with a rope to a minivan to stop it taking off prematurely. One of them had members of the official tour company booking.

The 4 balloons took off but we were still waiting. We had to get airborne soon as sunrise was at 6:30am. At 6:20am, we climbed into the basket at the bottom of our balloon and it was then inflated. We took off 5 minutes later.

We ascended to 1600 ft and could see the fields and farms of Luxor. We could also see Hatchepsut's Temple and the Valley of the Kings. In the distance, the rising sun illuminated the mountains with a yellow tinge. There were about 10 other balloons around us, both above & below.

The intense heat over the burners singed a passenger's hairspray and I had to shield my camera to protect it. Someone else's ears popped as we drifted higher.

After 45 min, it was time to land. Our pilot told us we might have a soft landing, which would be an Egyptian one or a rough one, which would be an American one. We got into our brace positions by grabbing onto the internal rope handles and squatting.

As we hit the ground, we were dragged along it for a while but slowed as the ground grew grabbed onto the balloon. We clambered out of the balloon just before new passengers got in. We travelled back to the hotel by minivan and boat and got a t-shirt, as well.

Egypt: felucca cruise

Today, we had a mostly free day in Aswan. In the evening, we went for a 1hr long felucca cruise. The felucca has no engines and no toilets - so I didn't opt for a 2-day cruise on one. It was pleasant for a short time and in the middle, one of the sailors laid out his wares, trying to hawk jewellery, boxes and statues.

The group is made up of mainly Aussies and Kiwis, most of whom are travelling as couples. There are a few Brits and some brother/sister and sisters travelling together. There are a few single people, too.

In the evening, we went to a restaurant and I had a lamb kebab, which was kebab meat, served with French fries - not in a pitta bread. Afterwards, I walked back through the market, amongst stalls with multi-coloured spices, including saffron.

Egypt: Aswan

After a reasonable night's sleep, we arrived in Aswan after 17 hours. This hotel had a pool. We went to the Philae Temple by boat. The Temple was dedicated to the god Iris. This was very impressive as it had walls filled with hieroglyphics. The temple was actually moved block by block in the 1970s otherwise it would have been flooded after the Aswan Dam was built.

We saw the dam but it didn't look too impressive from where we stood. It was paid for by nationalising the Suez Canal.

Then, it was time for another shop visit, where we were showed how papyrus was made and invitied to buy pictures and pieces with our name written in hieroglyphics.

In the evening, we went by boat to a Nubian dinner, held in a community centre. It was cooked by families and comprised fried chicken, a vegatable & potato stew, tahini, beef in pastry and soup. It was pleasant. Then, there was the entertainment. First, there was a band with a tambourine. The dancers were all men and they danced with banners. Then, they danced with sticks. Finally, they grabbed members of the audience to dance with a stick. At the end, a man in a grass skirt shouted at people to get them to join him and he shouted random phrases, which they tried to repeat - they didn't always succed. Then, he got lots of people up to dance a conga-type routine around the room. The enterntainment was a bit cheap and relied on the audience too much but at least it didn't take too long.

Egypt: Pyramids

Today, we went be coach to see the Pyramids. First up was the Saqqara stepped pyramid. Then there was the Titi Pyramid. We could go inside and had to bend double to stagger over to the burial chamber. There was very little to see inside.

Then, we went to the 3 great pyramids of Giza. There were impressive on the outside and we were told that there was little to see on the inside and it was going to cost 50% more again to get inside so I didn't bother.

We were all shocked by the camel drivers coming up to us and asking to take photos / go on a camel ride. It all starts with an innocuous conversation about where you are from etc.

We went to lunch at a buffet restaurant and then went on to a perfume shop, where you could get any big-brand perfume replicated at a discount. The tour company has built in a number of these shop visits. No doubt they get a cut of each sale.

In the evening we went back to the hotel. I thought it would be located in downtown Cairo but was actually in the countryside, somewhere near Giza. I had dinner at the hotel. Our guide, Y, recommened the grilled chicken and the burger but not the lasagne, so I had the former. It came cold and I was told it was the weather. I sent it back and got one that was positively glowing and had a couple of bread rolls thrown in.

We prepared for our 13 hr overnight train journey 1000 km south to Aswan. Or maybe it would take 17 hours. Y said that the food on the train might be dodgy so he would take us to a supermarket to get breakfast. We pitched up at a Shell petrol station shop and we bundled bags of cakes and cookies for for our morning meal.

We waited at the station and had to let 2 trains go by without boarding. I had no idea where they were going. Finally, we got on. I was sharing a compartment with 5 others. The seats reclined a bit but the compartment had no door. No stop the corridor light disturbing us, we pulled on our purloined airline masks. We were interrupted throughout the night by tea & coffee venders zooming throught the corridor.

Egypt Exploration.

I am off to Egypt today. To save on the hassle of organising transport as the sights are spread around, I'm booked on a package tour that will be full of Aussies & Kiwis.

I booked a flight with Egypt Air Lines because it went direct, didn't have too early or late departures or arrivals and was cheaper. And it showed. They had a 777 but with a terrible configuration. There were small flip down TVs and they showed Mamma Mia. Not so bad but it was a Japanese dub with Arabic subs. Fortunately or unfortunately, the songs were left in the original English.

The food was just as bad. I had the choice of squid or beef and chose the latter. The rice was hard and black. It stuck to the train. The beef had dried out and was tasteless. However, the tahini was chilled but tasty.

When I asked for a beer, I was shot a dirty look - they obviously don't carry booze on account of the fact that most Egyptians don't drink.

However, I was impressed with their business class marketing. It's known as Horus class. Nice to be treated as a god rather than a mortal.