We pulled back the curtains this morning at 5.30am to see hot air balloons floating by - so Leader Linda and I went up on to the deck to take photos. It was rather chilly up there - and because our room is air-conditioned I was expecting it to be warm outside and had just thrown my gelabaya on over top of my nightie- aha big mistake .

The balloon ride had been an optional extra, but at $125 US we gave it a miss. I wasn't too worried as I did a balloon ride with Narms in Dubai, but if Linda had wanted to go I would have gone with her.

We met up with Mervat at breakfast and she outlined our day - it was going to be a big day.

We met our driver at 8.30am and were driven over to the West Bank to visit the Valley of the Kings - the tombs for the rulers. It was very hot, very dry and lots of walking and steps - OMG steps - it was only 230 to get down the tomb, but by the time I got back up again it seemed like 2030. But it was worth every step - I stood in front of every one of these monuments in absolute awe. There are 63 tombs at the Valley of the Kings - and we visited just three of them, but we were not allowed to take photos at all.

Leaving here we had the usual gauntlet to run - shawls, scarves, scarabs, pyjamas, gelabaya, camels etc etc to buy. You have to walk in through all of this and if you even so much as smile or glance sideways an item, the shopkeepers remember you on the way out and you are surrounded and promised very good prices.

One young man was throwing shawls over my shoulders and doing his best to sell to me, and I was doing my best to resist - he took hold of my hand and admired my henna tattoo. He asked if I was married and I showed him both wedding rings and said "I have two husbands" to which he replied 'Okay I will be number three.' The girls took a photo and with that we were married. Very simple here. I asked him if I get a scarf for a wedding present, but am quickly told that I have to buy a scarf to support my husband. What a giggle. So now I am the proud owner of another purple scarf.

From here we went to Hatchepsut's Temple. Another OMG moment, and another 200 stairs to climb, and by now it was getting really hot. But what an amazing temple built for a pretty amazing sounding woman.

On the way back to the boat for lunch we had a photo stop at a couple of statues where I sneaked a photo of the police supposedly guarding the place, but unfortunately it is not a very good photo and snapped through the van window as we were driving by. They are quite heavily armed and today we even noticed local guys in brown gelabaya armed and sitting under the trees along the route - not a lot of them, but enough to make you notice and realise that the locals are obvioiusy becoming concerned witht he current situation.

We haven't had a lot of news of what's going on at Sharm el Sheikh other than flights in and out for British and Russians are cancelled still and there is no indication as to when that might change. I am just keeping all fingers and toes crossed that all is okay in Cairo when we get back there.

Talking with Mervat last night was interesting. Because Leader Linda has lived in Egypt for 8 years she has quite an insight into what is happening, but she has quite a different view to Mervat. Linda wasn't with us last night when we were talking quite openly with Mervat who told us that she feels that very soon Egypt will erupt into a hot spot. Something has to give and it is coming soon and she is worried. She said outsiders don't understand the situation like the locals do.

We had a couple of hours rest and met up with Mervat and the driver at 3.30pm to go to Karnak Temple. It was cooler now and the light was fantastic for photos. This place is huge and right at the end Mervat told us that they have discovered another site below this one. The stories just keep coming and the we just keep saying "OMG" The size of these structures just blows me away.

There weren't a lot of people here, and we had a tourist policeman following us around, and eventually he came up to Leader Linda and asked if she had been here before because he remembered her. Of course this is her third trip but she was sure he wouldn't remember her. Linda and I were posing beside a statue and I encouraged him to come and stand with us. He was hesitant, but then said 'promise not internet' and came and stood with us. Linda stepped out of the photo and the girls took a photo of me telling him I work in a police station and he was saying 'please no internet. promise no internet' so sorry girls I can't show you that photo until I get home. But what a cutie.