Tuesday 18th March

We were allowed to sleep in for a bit, then went by bus to the Karnak temples complex, which dates from the Middle Kingdom and covers 2 sq kms. Pillars, obelisks, hieroglyphics all huge and amazing.  We came home and were having lunch when the boat started to move.
We sat on deck watching the world go by until a small boat came along side and peddlers started to throw their towels and tablecloths up to us to buy. They got a bit cross when I wouldn't buy and when someone threw stuff back and it landed in the water. These peddlers are extremely persistent and they are at every tourist site. They get right in your face and pester and pester, dropping their prices bit by bit. They really spoil the shopping experience because they won't take NO. Anyway I had to go because it was time for our massages.
We got to Esna lock and peddlers came from everywhere. They yelled and threw things. Some were cross and made rude gestures but others had a bit of fun. Then we stopped for the night. There was a small cocktail party in the bar before tea, and after we had a bit of a disco.

Cairo

We are now back in Cairo,  and have found the free wifi. But the blog has frozen at Monday so I am going to have to rewrite 3 days.  Be patient.

Monday 17 March

Today was the Valley of the Kings. We left the boat at 8:00am and bussed out into the desert. You are not allowed to take photos there, so we will have to Google some later.  We went into King Tutankhamun's tomb and saw his sarcophagus and mummy which is too fragile to move anywhere else.  Went into 3 other tombs then on to Hatshepsut's temple, Deir al-Medina and Medimat Habu. (Look them up.)  All were most interesting with coloured paintings still so bright after 3000 years.   We finally got back for lunch at 3:00pm.
We all loafed around for a while and regrouped at 18:00 to walk across the road to the Luxor temple which is flood lit at night. Again, very spectacular.
Hope to be able to sleep in a bit tomorrow.

Sunday 16 March

After a 6:10 wake up call and a good breakfast we headed through the crazy traffic and out into the countryside, through little villages and past farmland with great commentary from Gigi our guide, M.A. in ancient history and very passionate for her country.  First stop was Dahshur where we actually climbed onto a 5000yr old pyramid  (Bent) and went down inside another (Red).
Then to Memphis the ancient capital and then Saqqara.  Here we went to the museum of Imhotep the architect, saw the oldest stone structure in the world (Step pyramid) and went inside the pyramid of Titi and another tomb, both with lots of hieroglyphics.
Afternoon tea at a carpet weaving school then back to Cairo for buffet dinner with anniversary cake. A 9:00pm flight to Luxor and on to our boat.
A very full and amazing day.

Saturday 15 March

We left Ballarat on the 17:25 bus on Friday afternoon and met 4 others at Tullamarine. We had a good flight in an Emirates A380 - lots of people but still lots of leg room. Dubai for 3 hours and picked up another 6.  Got held up for 2 hours when someone took sick on the plane and had to have them and their luggage removed. Then on to Cairo. We were lucky to have a window seat and took some pictures coming across various deserts and water. 
Cairo is a huge city,  very crowded and chaotic traffic. So here we are paying a fortune for Internet and getting ready for our High Tea.

It was more like a ground level afternoon tea. Then we took our bus through the main city square where the big demonstrations took place to a falafel restaurant where Jimmy Carter once ate and stuffed ourselves. 

Back at the Marriott now to tidy up and get ready for a 6:15am wake up call.

Wednesday 26/2

I'm going to see if I can copy from this blog into a word document.

Did that photo get onto the blog?

It is still there.  But not in the middle of the writing.

Day 2 trial

Here I am again.