11th June 2010 Leaving Harghada behind we set off for Cairo. We checked into the Pharoahs hotel and a few of us went to the Sound and Light show at Giza. It was amazing, what a way to finish the trip. There was music, lights and dramatic storytelling bringing the Pyramids of Giza to life in this unique memorable evening. The mystical sphinx takes you on a narrated journey through Egypt's history with an inspiring backdrop of the illuminated sphinx and pyrami...

9th June 2010 Up at 9am, lots of sore heads from the night before. We went to Karnak and Luxor Temples. Karnak is an outstanding temple, with huge columns, walls covered with hieroglyphics, and The Avenue of Sphinxes which is 2.5 kilometres long. The Avenue of Sphinxes at the Luxor Temple was a double line of human-headed sphinxes that once connected the Temple of Khonsu at Karnak with the Luxor Temple. It was built for processions in which priests and ...

8th June 2010 Mary and My Birthday I went on an early morning Hot Air Balloon over the Nile and the Valley of the Kings with Margaret and Jules. It was wonderful floating over the Nile with magnificent views of Karnak and Luxor Temples as well as the Valley of the Queens. Back to camp and had breakfast we the group and then had a bus tour of the Valley of the Kings. I went into three tombs. Ramsis 3, 4 and 9. We saw the entrance of Tutanhkamouns' tomb. In mode...

7th June 2010 Early morning we sailed to Kom Ombo which is build on a sand dune overlooking the Nile and watched the sun rise above the site. We were met by our guide and began a walking tour. The Temple of Kom Ombo is an unusual double temple built during the Ptolemaic dynasty in the Egyptian town of Kom Ombo. The building is unique because its 'double' design meant that there were courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated for two sets of gods. Th...

5th June 2010 Had a lazy morning watching a Chinese movie with Katie interpreting, funniest thing ever. We are leaving the motel at 2pm for 2 nights on a felucca which is a traditional Egyptian sailboat of the type that has plied the Nile for centuries. Our first stop was to Kitcheners Island - this is a botanical garden and it was very pleasant to stroll between the trees after spending 3 days in the desert. The felucca was a unique and cultural expe...