Intrepid Journeys

Day 2: Cairo
My first brush with one of the seven wonders of the ancient world -- the pyramids. To be perfectly frank, I never even realized that they were in Cairo. Unfortunately the weather was really shit. The worst sand storms for 12 years and, as a result, it wasn't ideal pyramid viewing conditions. It was also frustrating that tickets had to be purchased earlier to get into the big one. Probably worth checking this out before you go. But they were big and impressive and one pondered how on earth they were built, or whether aliens put them there. I mean, it's hard enough to get a plumber to make a home call these days with the aid of phones and computers and global positioning ,so how they managed to do the pyramids is a mystery to me. Apparently they kept the workers happy with beer. Like an early version of a happy hour. Half price Cleopatra ale between twelve and two. The whole experience made me want to watch Murder on the Nile again for that scene where Peter Ustinov climbs the pyramid before breakfast.  The Rubbish City: Well, this had to be good because everyone refused to take us there, which always makes a destination seem more attractive. It smelt like the Waiheke dump -- in the days before the trendy dumped there rubbish there. What it seemed to be was a part of town which most cities would call the tip. But in Cairo people lived there and recycled the rubbish. Probably a good place to send Nandor when we get sick of him.

Day Three: Aswan
The train to Aswan. Being a rail enthusiast, the train trip was a major highlight. The gauge was much wider than we use in New Zealand and the rolling stock tremendous. The locals seemed to be proud of this legacy of British colonialism. Armed guards rode on the train as well, which added a touch of excitement. The real treat though was sunrise, when the Nile was revealed in all her splendour and the geography of the region was exposed -- desert with very fertile irrigated areas using water from the Nile. Spectacular. Smoked chicken rolls were available on the train as well. But, just quietly, they looked a bit campylabactery.

Day Four: Aswan and Nubian village
Nice town on the river, but I got a funny feeling about this town. The words "tourist trap" sprung to mind. It is where Agatha Christie stayed and wrote Death on the Huatoki (just making sure you are still paying attention). Talking to the traders, it seemed that tourist numbers were way down and business was suffering. They all seemed to have been hit with the miserable stick. It didn't really help that the stuff they were selling was what you used to see in your Nana's house twenty years ago (the knick-knacks Granddad bought home from Cairo after pushing back the Gerries). It seems labour is cheap -- why doesn't someone tell them what things people atually want to buy? Tried the sheesha -- a high-risk activity. It was. Wasn't too keen to share the other guy's mouthpiece. Hep A is not my idea of adventure tourism. It was kind of enjoyable, but didn't really pack enough punch for me. He also seemed reluctant to bring out the hard stuff. Across the river was a chance to try camel riding. I have to admit I was a bit of a nancy when it came to the ships of the desert. If it weren't for the cameras I would have been a no-show. But it was bloody brilliant. I am an animal person after all. After ten minutes I was all ready to book a ten-day desert camel trek. Bring it on. Let's face it, the camel is a great animal. Oh yes, the desert scenery was spectacular too.  The Nubians are pretty cool. They seem to be gifted interior decorators. The architecture and the simplicity of the design of their kitchens was refreshing. I guess Briscoes would be the ruin of them. Their lives seemed to be stripped of the crap that people in the Western world surround themselves with. And this simplicity seems to be connected to the contentedness they seem to have. Beautiful people, beautiful houses. Bit too pushy with the knick-knacks, but you get that.

Day Five and Six: Felucca on the Nile
Ah, the felucca -- these are great boats. A bit like the old coastal scows that used to ply their trade around the coast of NZ. They have centerboards, so are ideal for getting on and off the riverbank. The only drawback was that we were constantly heading into a head wind so the whole journey was a tacking duel. It felt fantastic to be sailing on the world's biggest river, on water that had already flown halfway through Africa, using a mode of transport that hadn't changed for donkey's years. And actually to be stuck on the boats with others was not really a major because there was so much to look at and it was such a mellow form of transport. The whole sleeping thing was good too -- a bit like a night on the marae really. The highlight had to be waking up and seeing the stars -- always good to be in a new hemisphere. I guess it was a shame we all got so crook, but in a funny sort of a way this is one of the bonding experiences that makes travel so memorable. You know the Dunkirk spirit and all that. I guess I can't wait to take the Nubians sailing when they come to New Zealand.

Day Seven: Darrow and Kom Ombo
It was interesting to see that the Egyptians still take their camels seriously, that they are a big part of the economy and culture. Not just a tourist thing. Mohammed at Darrow's camel market was entertaining. Probably the oldest Egyptian I met. Seventy-eight or something. I didn't think they lived that long. The trouble with Mohammed was his patter was a bit too well oiled. I guess tourism does that to people. It changes them.  As for Kom Ombo Temple -- don't remember it, was too crook.

Day Eight: Edfu Temple and Luxor
Edfu temple was extraordinary because it was so damn big. What caused a race of people to become so grandiose? I guess that is the trouble with slavery. If it's not you doing the hard work then anything is possible. Everywhere we went in Egypt we had to travel in convoy. For me, this just added to the drama of every situation and made the whole travel experience more exciting. I also had the song Convoy running through my head the whole time... "I think we got us a convoy..." It also amazed me that every 17-year-old cop in Egypt has a Kalishnakov. I always thought Luxor was a casino in Vegas, but there you go. Luxor seemed very much like Aswan -- a tourist town down on its luck. A bit like Paihia in August. It had the first McDonalds I had seen in Egypt as well. Horse and traps seemed to be a big feature here -- and not just for the tourists. I thought it would be a good town to bike around, but the bikes were beyond their best.

Day Nine: Valley of the Kings and Hatchepsut
Well, the donkey is a much underrated animal. As a mode of transport they are the business. Not big enough to intimidate, but not so small that they get stuck down cracks. And the track to the valley was unbelievable -- picturesque, vertiginous, historical, magical -- and the donkeys behaved. No one fell off. Mind you, as soon as we dismounted they started shagging each other, but you get that in the animal kingdom. For me, the Valley of the Kings was the real Egypt. The tombs were extraordinary -- and the history of how they were discovered and the tomb raiding and the booby traps in them all added to their splendour. The fact that there were lots of ongoing archaeological digs added to the wonderment I felt. Kind of impressed by the bags that the slaves used -- and pleased to purchase one later in Luxor. Hatchepsut was cool too, but kind of eerie after the massacre. I don't want to sound callow, but the stuff underground seemed more impressive to me. Or simply put, tombs better than temples. 

Day Ten: Hurghada
What struck me during the bus trip to Hurghada was the level of irrigation that operated in Egypt. We drove past irrigated fields for over an hour, all watered by diesel engines pumping water from canals. I assume all this has become possible since the high damn went in. I imagine it must be one of the most productive, intensely harvested regions in the world. It would have to be to feed 80,000,000 people. Hurghada is a hole - less said the better.

Day Eleven: Ferry to Sinai and Tarabeen
Moses walked across the Red Sea. I caught a ferry. Apparently Moses didn't part the Red Sea, he in fact parted the sea of reeds. It was a typo. But the boat trip was good. Full of Russians on holiday. Apparently Egypt is the only country they can afford to go -- to which begs the question where do Egyptians go on holiday? Tarabeen was bizarre. It was a holiday resort that was completely empty. This was because the Israelis that normally go there were all at home preparing for war. So kind of a weird place to stay really. It was also the first and only place that we had a run-in with a Muslim fundamentalist. He certainly couldn't work out where we were coming from.

Day Twelve: Camel Trek into the desert
Travelling with the Bedouins was an absolute highlight. Although the language barrier was slightly frustrating because I couldn't ask whether the Bedouins' nomadic ways continued, or whether it was just something now to show the tourists. They certainly had the ability to be at home and relaxed in a very hostile environment. In fact, in some ways, they seemed the most chilled out group of people that we encountered. The desert in the Sinai that we experienced with them was magnificent and seemed to be more rock than sand, which challenged my interpretation of the word desert. It was also surprising how much plant life we encountered -- a lot of it edible. The Bedouins certainly came into their own when it came to lighting a fire. They didn't have much wood, but then they didn't really need much. The way they designed the wire utilized what wood they had very well and all the cooking got done. Nothing at all like the great Kiwi barbecue. Oh yes, and they all smoked like trains -- not camels, but Cleopatras. Sleeping under the stars was good -- it reminded me of Sweetwaters. It rained also, but not heavily.

Day Thirteen: Mt Sinai
I wasn't ready to be moved by Mt Sinai but it blew me away. It was bleak and inhospitable and remote, but also ancient and historic. So many contrasts seemed to be in place here. It seemed the middle of nowhere but was such a significant site to so many religions. The climb was a great workout and there was definitely a very spiritual feeling at the summit. It seemed a shame the summit church wasn't open. It was closed due to anti Christian graffiti.Yes, it was truly amazing to visit such a significant religious site and it's a memory that will stay with me. The monastery at the bottom of the hill was significant for the same reasons, although it was crowded. Interestingly enough, it was the only place on the whole trip that I saw Americans -- all GIs on R&R. The burning bush surprised because it was more a creeper than a bush.

Day fourteen: Suez canal
Suez seemed a really interesting port town. Port towns are always fascinating anyway, but the fact that this one had been occupied in recent history made it especially fascinating. The canal is definitely one of the world's great engineering achievements -- in my mind probably more impressive than the pyramids. It was an inspiring sight to see ships sailing through a narrow channel in a vast dessert. Very much like that stunning scene in the movie Lawrence of Arabia . 

Day fifteen: Cairo again
I arrived back in Cairo feeling like I really had a handle on the city. I certainly felt more adventurous. Booked in for a haircut and shave. Wasn't that stoked by the rusty razor -- and that thing with the string -- weird! Especially since it looked like he had flossed his teeth with it. The livestock in the barbers was a new one on me as well. Good haircut though -- 80 cents -- cannot complain about that. Was also exposed to the joys of koshiri and Cleopatra cigarettes. The koshari is what the locals chow down on -- it is mung beans, macaroni, lentils and spaghetti all in together. Doesn't sound much but, trust me, it is a ripper. Spicy and filling and costs about fifty cents. So there you go, that was Egypt. I will be back. Probably will do a bit of reading before I return. I think, to really appreciate the antiquities, a knowledge of the country in the ancient times is an advantage. I also think Cairo would be a great place to live for a couple of years; it wouldn't break the bank either. I guess the thing that makes me so keen to go back though is the people They seemed so civilized. I never saw any fighting, any arguing, anyone yelling at their kids, any kids crying... Everyone just seemed incredibly happy -- and that's got to be good for you.