I had a reasonably early start this morning and Dad and I went to visit the Luxor museum. We paid the extortionate 80 EGP to get in and were directed around the rather small museum by the guards, which was annoying, because I had only gone there to see one thing and was forced to see everything.

Compared to the Cairo museum, this place was virtually empty, I did manage to see the Talatat blocks, which once formed Amenhotep IV's Gem-pa-Aten temple at Karnak which was built before he became Akhenaten and revolutionized Egyptian religion. That was what I had come to see so I was happy with that. I did manage to buy two books in the gift shop which were very cheap, considering in Australia they would be worth in excess of $200 each!

After the museum, Dad and I attempted to suss out where the cruise ship was parked. We asked the guys on the M/S Crocodilo if our ship was behind there and they said it was. We walked back to the hotel and organised a car to take us down to the ship. Our ship was not behind the Crocodilo, which we only found out after walking all the way through the other five ships parked alongside it. What a pain, we had to call the guide on the ship and ask where the ship was, yet again.

We finally managed to find the ship and were given a welcome drink, ahh civilisation how I have missed thee. I was shown to my room, which compared to what I am used to is sheer opulence. It is really nice compared to just about anything actually. We had a bit of a drink at the bar and then went out to our excursion to Karnak and Luxor temples.

Having already undergone two guided tours of Karnak temple, one being with Ramez, who is an excellent guide and really knows his stuff and one with Toni, when I was on the truck, I wasn't really looking forward to another guided tour or Karnak. Our guide was not very good, he spoke in a complete monotone and I nearly laughed when he said the Egyptians didn't build pyramids in the New Kingdom because they had run out of wealth. The New Kingdom was Egypt's golden age. He didn't really show us much of the temple, and seemed to completely ignore my mother when she asked questions. I told her just to ask me, when she asked about the sacred lake and instead got pointed to the coffee shop.

We went to Luxor temple and had a guided tour of that, the temple was unforgivably crowded and the guide insisted on giving his speeches in all the most crowded areas. I just wandered off by myself. I have only been to Luxor temple once before and I wanted to enjoy it the second time around, as much as I had enjoyed it the first time, with Ramez on the last Nile cruise. We were at Luxor temple for about half an hour, before being taken back to our ship, the M/Y Mirage.

I had a shower and went down to dinner, which was amazing. It is so nice just to be able to go downstairs, fill up your plate and know it is going to be good without any of the hassle of going out on the street and finding somewhere to eat. After dinner, Mum, Dad and I had a drink at the bar, before going to bed for our 6am start at the West Bank tomorrow. Valley of the Kings: TAKE THREE!