Last Days Under African Sky and Wonders of the World Aug 6

First class cabin on the extremely crowded ferry meant bunks with bugs. Cahit convinced the captain to deviate route towards Abu Simbel because he pretended honeymooning after he paid 20 camels for his newly wedded wife. In fact he was protecting young Julia. We got a glimpse of the statues in front of the temple just after nightfall.

After a crowded pushy disembarkation the pool in the hotel in Aswan felt like paradise and the campari orange like nectar after 2 weeks of forced abstinence! Took a whole day baksheesh to get bikes out of Egyptian customs plus local number plates and Arab drivers license. Petrol shortages everywhere, but good black market available for more baksheesh.

Proud of the Egyptian number plate!

Then onto Luxor over 300 speed humps with punctured tyre. Mesmerizing Karnack and Luxor temples, tombs of Valley of the Kings and Hatchesput temple. All some 3,000 years old with amazingly well preserved hieroglyphic carvings and paintings.

Hatchesput temple where massacre happened

Temple of Karnack, Luxor 

Just off the road

Temple of Karnack

Then hot ride to Red Sea coast and spent free time at Aldiana resort at Makadi Bay thanks to the generosity of Fusun and Cahit our Turkish friends. Further north towards Suez and onto dirty 20 million Cairo and Giza. Rewarded ourselves with the historic Mena House Oberoi hotel right next to pyramids and sphinx.

Pyramids over Cairo

Johannes doing a little shopping

View from our hotel, Giza!

Camel ride

Touts and hasslers trying to push their goods upon you due to Egypt’s run down economy and sparse tourism. Winding down at the end of our amazing journey through Africa. Looking forward to the next leg through Europe. We will take a ferry from Port Said to Turkey this week.