Egypt

Egypt is a busy and hot place. The driving and traffic is unbelievably crazy. You have to see it to believe it. The cabs are cheap and get you places, but you have to haggle and excuse their driving. The cars don't really follow the lanes and the drivers love to honk. The food here was surprisingly good. It was mostly grilled meats and vegetable casseroles (like Moroccan tangines).

Cairo
We arrived late at night after a full day layover in Dubai. We found a nice hotel in the embassy district of Zamelek. The next day we toured the Egyptian Antiquities Museum and saw the Pyramids at Giza. They were both good to see, but crowded with busloads of tourists. I don't know where they all came from. The best part about the museum was the objects from King Tut's tomb. The pyramids were impressive but overcommercialized. We hung out in Zamelek in the evening. Cilantro and Cafe Tabasco are nice cafes. Then we took the night train south along the Nile River.


Luxor
The night train wasn't too bad. We got some sleep and woke up to the sun shining on the green strip along the Nile River. Luxor is the starting place to see temples and tombs and to board Nile cruises. We walked around town and along the nice riverfront. It is super hot there. In the evening we toured Karnak Temple with a guide. It is huge with many pillars and obelisks and statues. It is not restored at all, but the ruins are neat. We also saw Luxor Temple lit up at night. It is in the center of town. The next day we took a guided tour of the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens and Hatchepsut Temple. It was so hot. The valleys were not very interesting since the tombs were all hidden. We walked down into several tombs. They were empty but the paintings on the walls remain vibrant with color. The temple was impressive because it has been partially restored by a Polish Missionary. That evening we took a mini-bus to the Red Sea. We were in a police-escorted train of over 100 tour buses and mini-buses. It was pretty crazy. They drive really fast too.


Hurghada
This is a newly-built Red Sea resort. We stayed in a hotel across the road from the beach and the Red Sea. I relaxed and sunbathed at the fancy resort next door while Adam and Conor went scuba-diving. It was great. We went out to a local restaurant for lamb kebab and to a pub for Stella and Luxor beers.

The last day we rode the bus back to Cairo and hung out in Zamelek before catching our flight to Bangkok, Thailand. Overall, I'm glad I went, but I don't feel the need to return. I recommend the Red Sea resort towns and the Nile cruises. My boyfriend, Adam, has a much more detailed blog if you want to check it out. www.adambuckfelder.blogspot.com I have been traveling with him since October 3rd.