April 6th
We flew into Luxor on Monday afternoon and found the heat just bearable!
I am not used at all to temperatures over 23 degrees except very occasionally in Italy, and my fair skin is not at all suited. By the end of the week my fingers and ankles had swollen-back to normal now though. I have been sorting through my photos; MrH's are still to be uploaded and as he had the good camera, you will have to settle for the moment for my inferior ones! The boat was called MS DaVinci and was very smart and spotlessly clean. The meals were superb-catering mainly for the British tourist but using local ingredients. I particularly enjoyed the chance to have fresh dates which were on offer at all meals-oh and feta cheese and the best olives I have ever tasted.
Our cabin was on the lower deck-not the best position but we did get good views of the water and river bank from it. It was a reasonable size for the three of us. I had originally booked and paid for an upper deck cabin but was later told by the company (African Safari-I recommend them) that the only cabin left up there was near the engines and would be noisy. We got our extra money back but had to make do with this, the only other cabin left. I guess that's what happens when you book so late. Most people had booked way before Christmas-I booked at end of February. We were seated for all meals with another couple and their 15 year old son. She was a teacher too so we got on very well as a group and did not talk about work very often. They were celebrating her 50th and their wedding anniversary was 2 days after ours! Coincidence! (We were celebrating Mr H's 50th and our wedding anniversary).
After the expected introductory meeting outlining safety, tour itinerary and various boat like matters we were left to finish packing and enjoy the boat which had a huge lounge, sun deck, and lovely large swimming pool as well as a small shop. Mr H went to the shop to look at the galabaya's for the fancy dress party later in the week. We ended up each buying a costume of national dress. I was intrigued to see that many of the men were dresed in long dresses with head dresses in Luxor. Also most of the women were veiled-the married ones totally in black.
There were no women working on the boat at all. The boats there dock in an amusing way-side by side so if your boat isn't against the shore you have to walk through other boats offering you chance to compare!
We saw a lovely sunset that evening - sunset same time every day which again was odd for me to see.
My impressions of Egypt were that it's hot, dry, dusty and full of street noise. There are lots of vans and trucks and buses and taxis but not so many individually owned cars. Lots of people travel on motorbikes without helmets and I have never seen so many donkeys!
We were told under no circumstances to swim in the river, nor should we drink any water that isn't in a sealed bottle. All food was washed on the boat in mineral water.
Some scenes from along the river as we sailed south
People loved to wave as we passed by. The river is very peaceful yet full of industrious locals who fish and use the plants to make a living.
The river bank got rockier as we approached Aswan.
The landscape and the people were starting to look more familiar and the air conditioned coach was a welcome relief from the heat which was already building up. Someone mentioned that Luxor was having a heatwave that week. Our guide was a Coptic Christian from Alexandria called Marian, who was an extremely keen and knowledgeable Egyptologist and who was studying at Alexandria University. Our first stop after going through numerous guarded checkpoints was to see the Colossi of Memnon which are two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III.
They were erected 1350 BC- amazing aren't they?
proving I was there- it was incredibly busy everywhere we went as you can see.
We drove past the Ramesseum (the ruined "temple of a million years" ) but did not visit it and also we drove past the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut - she was the female pharoah wife of Tutmose 11 who took over after his death.
The Valley of the Kings is purported to be one of the hottest places on earth. It felt it too!
Our guide was very good, seeking shade for us all the time and reminding us to drink water. I don't think I have ever drunk so much water. I felt like a camel. We were advised to buy only sealed bottled water to avoid bad stomachs and fortunately the coach drivers did a better deal on the water than the bar on the boat did. Mind you, sometimes it was that disgusting coke dasani water that's been banned in the UK.
The tombs are from 16th to 11th century BC.
The Valley of the Kings looks initially like a grouping of pyramid shaped sandy hills in the middle of a desert. No wonder it too the excavation teams so long to uncover the tombs. They are well hidden and camoflaged.
Here is Howard Carter's house.
I was surprised to find it was undeveloped, almost derelict.
There is still some excavation work going on.
We looked round three tombs which all had the most amazingly preserved wall and ceiling paintings. We decided not to go round Tutankhamun's tomb as Marian said the others were more interesting.
We didn't really have time anyway as we were on to the Valley of the Queens next and had to be back on board for lunch
