Egypt!!!Sep 3, 2011
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| Hiii from Egypt!!! It has been an interesting 10 days since I left America. My checked luggage was lost and the airlines could not confirm where it was located. I was not expecting to cry on my trip, but I felt so hopeless without a change of clothes for 3 days in 110 degree weather in Egypt. I happened to wear my Ugg boots on the plane and did not have flip flops in my carry-on bag. Walking around Cairo in the heat in Ugg boots was awful to say the least. I finally met some very nice Australians that gave me some of their clothes and the only flip flops I could find to buy were used off a street market. To say I was happy when I finally got my luggage late last Saturday night is an understatement. The great pyramids of Giza were spectacular and going to them via camel ride was simply once in a lifetime. I was able to go inside a pyramid, which was very steep, deep, & hot. The Sphinx was pretty cool too!! Surprisingly the pyramids are only 10 minutes outside Cairo. Cairo is so hot, loud, dirty, smelly, and crazy. It is the city that never sleeps. After Cairo I took an overnight train to Aswan, which was one of the worst places I have ever slept. Aswan is a city in southern Egypt along the Nile River. Here, I went on a 3 day cruise up the Nile. The cruise ship was like a 5-star hotel, so it was quite a nice change from Cairo. After arriving on the cruise ship was when I finally got to change my clothes and get into my own belongings. I was feeling pretty gross since last time I had my own stuff was Thursday in LA. Aswan was a cute river city. I went on a Felucca (sailboat) ride up the Nile to the Aswan market. I was the only person from my group that jumped off the boat and went swimming in the Nile! It was so clean, fresh, and cold. An Egyptian boy on a sort of boogie board handmade wooden paddles dragged me back to the sailboat because I drifted pretty far from the boat and I was drifting with the current in the wrong direction! I have a great picture from that adventure that I will post! It was lovely relaxing on the cruise ship! I have a great tan:) The Contiki travel group I was with were very nice. 17 people total: 4 Americans, 1 South Korean, and the rest Australian. I visited the real city of Luxor- not the Vegas hotel! The temple and history is just breathtaking. After Luxor I got off the cruise ship and drove to a new town- new in the last 20 years called Hurghada which is along the Red Sea. I really liked this Egyptian beach town! It had good nightlife and the Red Sea was so beautiful. I went on a boat ride and snorkeling. I never got out of the water. My group thinks I was a mermaid in my past life! The Red Sea is so salty..You can float without even trying! Lol Then after the Red Sea it was back to Cairo and I flew to Denmark today. All in all I loved Egypt- much more than I thought I would! Cairo was my least favorite place. Despite Egypt not having a government since the revolution on January 25th 2011 and so much chaos everywhere, I felt safe. I was fortunate to be there at the end of Ramadan which is a major Muslim holiday the entire month of August. Then I saw the first 4 days after Ramadan! There is a huge festival 24-7 celebrating the crescent moon and the end of Ramadan. Quite a unique experience!!!! Apparently my pictures are too big to be up loaded. I just posted them on Facebook, so check them out there!!! |
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