Luxor (capital of Egypt - formely called Thebes), Egypt, Africa, Earth (you get the message)

Tuesday 19th Sept 2.22pm

Egypt is amazing. Read it like I am saying it. Egypt is AAAAH - MAAAY - ZING!!!!! I am loving it. I am glad I am on a tour for many reasons. (I feel quite safe here - I have been walking around the city by myself) I was picked up from the airport by my tour operator and was, thankfully, guided through customs. What a culture shock heading for the airport. I was in van and the first thing I saw was a bus loaded, I mean LOADED with people, they were even hanging of the sides. There is a lot of men here. I don't mean heaven for a single girl, just hat you don't see many women. Also the traffic is crazy!! (I am glad I am in a tour bus - it is big - and air-condioned - ahh! It had been over 40 degrees) Cairo is the 2nd biggest city in the world so I expected it to be busy (and has 20 million people) but, boy oh boy. In my ignorance I thought the white line in the middle of the road was to define 2 lanes. Silly me - people drive all over the place - usually trying to squeeze 4 rows of cars where 2 should be. And if there is 30cms between you an the car next to you - that's a lane!! People will try and get thru! Dad - they have more scratches down the side than Italy, way more. I got to my hotel at about 5pm and settled in - it felt strange. My roommate for the trip, Terri from England, turned up and we met our tour leader and got some advice on getting hassled. I learnt quickly the arabic word for NO (and thank you because my mama raised me right) and that had equipped me with good skills in avaoiding persistant shop owners. I am getting very flattered here. If ever you want to be told you are beautiful and asked marriage and that you have pretty eyes (even when I have my sunglasses on so I'm not taking it to heart) - then come to Egypt. People on the tour are really friendly. I get along well with my roomate (phew!) and a Canadian couple. After speaking with the tour leader we went out and got bottles of water and snacks. I went to bed early and after breakfast we headed to Cairo museum. It was facinating. They had such cool stuff - even if you don't like history you had to admire things like 4 gold leaf shrines (the largest was the size of a medium room) and each fitted in eachother and were ornately decorated. Or the sheer magnificence of Tutankarmuns Mask. I'm sure you've seen photos of it - its better in real life. Not just being near 13kgs of gold but seeing the effort they went to for their beliefs. The statues were cool and very well done. They carved them of the pharoahs (an queens and high officials) so that there spirit would recognise them in the afterlife. The servants got statues too so they could serve the king forever (bummer!).
We then went to lunch and it was nice. My plate was heavy on the rice but I sampled some nice stuff (had great food on the boat today). Then off to the pyramids. I got to see them as I flew in (a rare treat I'm told) and they looked teensy. Standing underneath them - soooo not! They were magnificent. I even went inside one (very, very small corridor but much bigger burial chamber). I was tempted to jump into the stone crypt in the floor (the two girls I was with wouldn't have been able to move the stone lid on - so I though it safe) but a guide walked in and so did more people, so alas I did not. Haylee, I had my photos that you gave me on my bag (I take them everywhere) and showed you all what it was like inside a pyramid. Did you like it?
It was an awesome experience and like many things, over too soon. We went to a Papyrus factory which showed us how the ancient egyptians made the first paper.
Then we showered, got more water (I drank 3 litres between 9am and 5pm and didn't pee once - I know you probably aren't interested in my bowel movements but I thought this worthy of note - I sweated sooo much), and went to the train station. We caught a train (sleeper car thank goodness - very cool experience) to Luxor and arrived at 6am (but 4am wake up call) and I have been going hard ever since. I have tried to shop but get a little frustrated with trying to politely leave the shop or just look without them taking down everything I glance at (I will have to get used to it - I'm sure China is the same), but still managed to by myself something. The exchange rate is like 10 egyptian pond to 1 UK pound. Ater seeing prices in Europe - I have to stop nyself from thinking - what! I'm not paying 5 pound for that!! (in reality it is aus$1.50). I have seen some lovely things but it isn't as cheap as I thought and plus I have to carry it around the rest of the world.
This afternoon I go to Karnak Temple and then tomorrow morning (4am wake up call again-man I'mgoing to need a holiday after this holiday) we travel on donkeys (eek!) to the Valley of the Kings - which I have a view from my port window. Hopefully I will get a nice donkey, not a stubborn one that starts galloping for the Sahara desert (next to Pyramids in Cairo - North) and won't stop. I'll jump off while its still running and break something. I can just imagine how my answer to the 'reason for accident' question will look.
Tomorrow afternoon we sail down the Nile. The boat our tour has, is cute (not huge - the bathroom is the size of a shower and water from the shower flood the whol;e bathroom) and has very friendly people. I will enjoy the relax for that afteroon and then we dock in the morning and off again.

My farewell to Italy was, I fear, another drama. My flight was 2 hours late which got me to Rome too late to catc the train and buses didn't go to Fiucinino where I had booked to stay. The oly resort was a taxi. The first cab driver said it would be 70euro to take me there (thats about aus$140) I could have cried. I was already paying 85euro because Rome centre was booked ouit at all the hostels I tried. The 'taxi service' guy (Note the use of ' ') found a cab for 50euro bt I had to go via Rome to drop another passenger off. I said yes - I couldn't miss my flight the next day and by this time it was 11pm. The 'service' guy was talking in rapid Italian to the taxi driver and I knew he was telling the driver to rip me off. It has been the first time I felt treated awful for being a tourist. Not a nice moment. It ended up being an expensive night time tour of Rome (which did look pretty) and after modnight I got to my hotel. The gy charged me 40 for which I was grateful. It is nice to be on a tour now and be led like sheep everywhere!!!
Well I must fly - I have a tour soon. Thanks again my reader for, well, reading and for the comments. I will try to address your questions quicklly.
Sonia - I feel safe and please don't worry, I am mainly with people all the tiome - having fun!!
Rochelle - yes a cup! My Italian love affair!! We have been parted for 4 days now and I pine!!! and yes the we was mum and dad who I left in Venice to go to Eghypt - I meet mum on 26th Sept in Greece.
Debbie - sorry no Dogues palace. It was 10 (or 12) euro and we'd seen enough pretty stuff and probably woulodn't have done it justice. Love you!!

To everyone else - thanks and talk to you soon.
Love Kym