Lying on the top bunk of berth 5/6 carriage 2 of the 20.20 hr sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan, my mind is buzzing my body is aching my legs are bruised and my eyelids are heavy.

After three full days in Cairo /Giza we are travelling almost the full length of Egypt to start the second leg of our adventure. Fourteen hours should give us enough time to reflect on the sights and sounds that have bombarded us from the moment we landed 3 nights ago. Egypt is a land of ancient time , four thousand years of history is still prevalent today. I feel I've been in some kind of time warp considering our journey so far.

After a day enjoying the hotels facilities, we braved the chaotic traffic into Cairo City.

The roads are lawless; I couldn't quite work out if the constant blaring of horns was to clear a way through, or a permanent state of road rage. Either way, with air conditioning provided by open windows and where seat belts aren't even an option you just have to sit back and enjoy the ride!

The Citadel with the Mosque Muhammad Ali Pasha towering high above the city was peaceful and beautiful. The now deserted medieval walled city gave no insight of its former life save for its cobbled streets. The Mosque built mid 1800's is the most visible in Cairo. The high temperatures demanded few clothes as possible, but respect dictate the covering of arms and legs. Wearing a borrowed Abaya and bare feet we stepped over the threshold. The cloisters offered shade from the unrelenting heat, but the gleaming white marble floor betrayed the fact that they had been absorbing the heat of the sun and left me hopping from foot to foot as I attempted to cross the inner courtyard.

Entering the cool and calm of the prayer hall was a welcome relief. Our eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness of the room, at the same time revealing the beauty of the vast hall. Families, groups and individuals milled around. Gentle chatter and laughter of children filled the air and I felt a real sense of community.

The Egyptian museum is an impressive building from the outside, complete with manicured gardens. Rejecting numerous offers of a guide ... (we have an Ed) we started to explore. With 120,000 items on display and further 150,000 stored in the basement it's no wonder there seemed to be little evidence of organised displays. Still we walked around in wonder heading for the Royal Mummy Rooms and the prized Tutankhamun Galleries. Nothing can quite prepare you for the dazzling life sized gold death mask and the pristine condition of paraphernalia he took with him to the afterlife.

Finishing the day at Khan Al-Khalili one of the biggest bazaars in the Middle East. Mooching past the glittering goods in cave -like interiors exotic spices fill the air it all sounds rather romantic. We were prepared with a well practiced line "laa shokran" holding off the constant barrage of classic sales techniques... "I give you good price".." how can I take your money from you". " I have what you need ..and my particular favourite upon discovering we were from England .."lovely jubly".

After the whole bazaar experience we rewarded ourselves with mint tea and a sheesha at Fishawi's ; Cairos's oldest coffee house open day and night for the last 200 years.

Talking of shopping... my kind of shopping experience is far more civilised. The boys took us back to a perfume shop they had discovered the night before whilst exploring the local area around the hotel. Tucked away down a rubbish strewn poorly lit street we stepped though a door to be warmly welcomed by the lovely Mohamed ( a popular name in these parts).

Seated comfortably on ornate sofas surrounded by glistening bottles and jars perched on mirrored shelves against mirrored walls, our sense of smell was overwhelmed by a heady mixture of Lotus Flower, Rose and Orange Blossom to name a few. Pure flower essence and familiar combinations were tried and tested on every inch of hands and arms. Needless to say he did a roaring trade that evening.

Our final day in Cairo started early. At the time seemed a wonderful idea to ride horses out into the desert for several hours to see the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Step Pyramids at Saqqara. Heading out on our trusty steeds, baring in mind three of us had never ridden before it took a while to get the hang of it. And hang on we did when they have a mind of their own ( hence the bruised legs ).

Watching Sam ride off into the distance bouncing erratically was an awful moment, no matter what I did my horse would take any notice of me. Rescued by our guide Sam returned with a beaming smile and thought it all rather fun! Oh to be an eight year old.

Finally stopping for lunch at the stables 22km later, the soaring temperatures and relentless sun beat us and we continued our day driven by alternative horsepower with the added bonus of air conditioning!

The strange thing about visiting the Pyramids and the Sphinx is that they seem so familiar. They are incredible, as they are enormous and mind blowing in their construction. To actually see them in context puts history into perspective.

So that was Cairo and I am exhausted already and it's only day 3! I think I will sleep well tonight.