Jul 31, 2011 - Day 3-Giza to Aswan

The train was over 1.5 hrs late. The car we needed to get to couldn’t be reached by the station. We had to go to 9 or 10 and walk. This was very difficult since the train space was tight and people kept pushing. We finally found our car and cabin. The cabins were not marked with #’s, which caused some confusion. However, we eventually got it all sorted out. Alli and I were next to the twins and on the other side of us were strangers. The cabin was so small! I don’t know how we would have fit two suitcases. Alli and I were crawling over each...

Jul 31, 2011 - Day 3-Giza

After we finally left the shop we continued on to the pyramids. We got to catch glimpses of them as we got closer. I was so excited! We pulled up to them and had to get out of the bus to go through security. Then we re-boarded the bus. Sherif gave us each 20LE to tip our camel drivers. I took my epipen, camera, the tip, extra cash, and a water bottle with me. We got off the bus and were immediately hounded by vendors. I navigated my way through them and went to the camels, while most of the group purchased headdresses for 15LE. The camels...

Oct 16, 2010 - Giza

15th October We have two days in Giza and they have been a mixture of sight seeing and work on the car as well as meeting local people. After breakfast we walked from our hotel to the pyramids which have emerged from the smog so that we now have a pyramid view room. There was a little breeze. We took a horse and trap and had a bumpy but shady ride around. Next job was to service the car - half at a garage over a pit and half in a field found for us by local car enthusiasts. The oil was changed, the hand brake adjusted and the wheel...

Oct 14, 2010 - To Giza

There was time to have a quick swim in the Mediterranean as we didn’t leave until 10am to allow us all to get over the previous day’s stress and strain. We stopped in El Alamein to see the museum and then the huge War Cemetery. The latter was less formal than Knightsbridge with trees planted at seemingly random intervals. The result was very pleasing and the cemetery was beautifully looked after, as was Knightsbridge. There followed a long hot drive into Cairo where we paid for our late start by arriving in the rush hour. The Aston did not...

Mar 4, 2010 - Pyramid Horse Ride

Horse Ride: We hired a cab for the day to drive us to Giza to see the pyramids. We started with an early morning horse ride to the outskirts of the pyramids. We rode through the back streets, passing small huts, camels and trash heaps. This was an amazing ride.

Dec 8, 2009 - Visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza

It is around 9:15 in the evening, and we are sitting in the EgyptAir domestic air terminal in Cairo waiting to catch our 10:15 flight to Aswan. Aswan, home of the Aswan Dam and proximate to some of ancient Egypt’s most renown archeological sights, is our current destination. We’ll be coming back to Cairo before we leave Egypt, but for now, we’re heading a few hundred kilometers south. Today we spent taking in some of Egypt’s best known sights that lie around Cairo, most notably the world’s oldest tourist attraction, the Pyramids of Giza....

Jul 28, 2009 - Giza Pyramids

With our internal clocks still on South American time, at 3:30 a.m in the morning Cory and Elaine were still awake. I was trying to sleep, but it was difficult with the light on. It was a perfect time for Cory and Elaine to make some phone calls back home, but the internet connection was not good, and any attempt at calls kept breaking up. Finally lights were out and we had time for a couple of hours of undisturbed sleep before either our alarm or the call to prayers would wake us up. It seemed a very quick 3 hours before the alarm went,...

Jun 7, 2009 - The Pyramids and Sphinx

I met the rest of my group last night and for the most part they seem like a great bunch. Its so nice to be having someone else organise my accomodation, transport etc for a change. I can finally relax! Although the hotel is revolting and most definitely has not seen a cleaner in many many years. The rooms are filthy and the sheets hadn’t been changed in my room since the last guest as the sheets were filled with chip crumbs, as well as a belt and lip gloss. We headed out to the Giza Pyramids this morning and the first thing I realised is...

Jan 27, 2009 - Giza & Sakara pyramids & sphinx

Well never thought that we would take so many pictures of sand – all in one day! Wow - and if anyone thought that the pyramids were not one of the seven wonders of the world – they are very wrong. Today’s day started with the hotel breakfast – and we “uplifted” a few tangerines, bananas, Cocoa Krispies, dried apricots and bread – for the trips! We then departed for the Giza pyramids at 7:30AM. The bus ride was about “30 minutes-ish” – that means that in Cairo no one can tell how bad the traffic is going to be – so every specific time is...

Dec 23, 2008 - Pyramids of Giza

All I can say about today was… That sums it all! No words can describe the experiences and sights we have seen at the Giza plateau with 3 towering pyramids laid out in a perfect diagonal that their sides align with true north. Khufu (The Great Pyramid) is by far the largest and most famous if not oldest one of 3 greeted us mightily as we entered the site. The Sphinx looked gracefully eastward for almost 5,000 years. My mouth remained agape thorough the day as it was surreal to be actually on site and touching the huge limestone and granite...

Dec 13, 2008 - The Great Pyramids of Giza

Randy On our second day in Egypt we visited the great pyramids of Giza. I’ve been to the pyramids before. I recall being awe-struck by the pyramids and enjoying my time around them. This visit was no different. This time I learned that the three huge pyramids are a part a huge ancient cemetery in the area. Many graves have been excavated, resulting in a labyrinth of trenches, deep holes, and exposed bones. There are even six smaller pyramids. This visit, the overwhelming feeling I had was how fleeting life is, no matter who you are. John...

Aug 1, 2008 - Great Three Pyramids in Giza

Hello everybody I inherited a roommate last night and go all excited because the person's name was Rene. Turns out to be a 30 something Canadian kid who speaks mostly French though he managed to tell everybody on the bus this morning that I snored!!!! As I feared I am the oldest one of the 15. We left the hotel by AC mini bus and rode to the pyramids--very hot. Rode a camel, saw all three from the observation platform and then finished with the Sphnix. Left for lunch and then a breif stop at the "Papyrus factory"--actually a very overpriced...