30th May 2010

We met the new travellers (Debbie, Nathan and Jasmine Holloway, Deidre Tarrant, Sharon and her daughter Tenille, Ross Effler from Canada, Anna and Beckie, Fleur and her Mum) Packed and loaded the truck heading for the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza. Absolutely breathtaking. The Pyramids of Giza consist of the Great Pyramid of Giza (known as the Great Pyramid and the Pyramid of Cheops or Khufu), the somewhat smaller Pyramid of Khafre (or Chephren) a few hundred meters to the south-west, and the relatively modest-sized Pyramid of Menkaure (or Mykerinos) a few hundred meters further south-west. The Great Sphinx lies on the east side of the complex. Current consensus among Egyptologists is that the head of the Great Sphinx is that of Khafre. Along with these major monuments are a number of smaller satellite edifices, known as "queens" pyramids, causeways and valley pyramids.We also went inside Cheops via a steep dimly lit passageway. It was very claustrophic. From here we visited a perfume factory, had lunch and continued our 1300 km journey into the White and Black Deserts. Camped out under the stars in the Black Desert.

The Black Desert is located in the Western Desert in Egypt. The mountains have eroded to coat the desert with a layer of black powder and rocks giving it its name. Towards the end of the Black Desert are black volcanic hills that ages ago erupted a dark volcanic material called dolerite, which is what the black rocks are made of.