July 5th - 13th

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July 5th-13th
WOW Egypt What a crazy place and really hot too. If I hadn't spent the last several years of my life in very hot climates I would not have been ready for the unbelievable heat. But Here is my trip story. So I start of in greece and I hop the subway to go to the air port. Ahead of schedule good thing too, and about 3 stops, of the train, the train lurches like some one popped the clutch on a car 3 minutes later we arnt moving and I see repair men running to the train. I had to switch lines and I knew where I needed to go, so I got a taxi to the next station and off I went. I had a few other snags getting to the airport but I managed to get there on time. Had a slight hang up with the air line I said I had a ticket and said no. I was the calmer head and I prevailed and I got my ticket. In sted of trying to figure out the problem they just said it was not there fault and wanted to move on to the next person. Crazy Greeks. So Off I go to egypt. I had forgotten how a third world country felt. Hot and dirty and the air is like smoking a pack a day. Fortunately I found my tour guide right away and got my $15 american cash for the visa and off I went. ( at this moment I would like to thank Larry and Kathy for the $20 american they gave me in my very useful note pad as they only took american cash for the visa) I got in my air conditioned bus and off we went to the hotel. And I asked a question that would be the fate of the rest of my trip " so is every one else on the tour here yet?" and my heart sank when he said "your the only one". Yikes! So off I go with guide knowing this may be a long trip. Went to the hotel and got some rest and some food. My room had a great view of the pyramids too! Next morning I was off to see the great pyramids and the step pyramids Got some great shots and learned a lot about the history and how egypt sees there past.. Then later that night I hopped on a train to Aswan 14 hours later in a cabin car filled with muslim women in full burkas WHO DO NOT STOP TALKING THE WHOLE TIME! wow what a long night. So I arrive and I go off to see some temples and the Aswan high dam. (provides power for over 80% of Egypt) From the nile. Then the next day I get up at 3:00 am to go to Abu singla. 300KM south of aswan. close to the border of egypt. Useful fact Upper Egypt is in the south and Lower egypt is in the north because every thing is based on the flow of the nile in to the sea. In Abu single I see the temple of Ramses the 2nd and his queen. Very cool. Then on the long ride back I get a little sleep and I get my stuff from the hotel and get ready to go on my Flucka ride up the nile (flucka small egypan sail boat). The part that really kills me is on the nile there is a McD's and I take off on the Nile of the port of Mc Donald's! ha so me and 3 local sailors start heading up the Nile and we are heading in to the wind so we Have to tack back and forth. Fortunately there were a few stops to go swimming. And now I have been in the largest Ocean, Fresh water lake, and largest river in the world, Pacific ocean Lake Superior and the Nile. Kinda cool... If I could spell it right. So we have a good talk to the people in the other boats (thank god, being on that boat with no one who speaks english is really dry) But I can now say that I have gone swimming in the nile and the food is not bad considering its one step above campfire food. I have 2 nights and the second day there is a big party and camp fire with Nubian music and drum dancing. ITs fun and was interesting to see. 2 days at sea took me back to my navy days But the only work I did was steer for a little while. Sun sets over the nile are amazing.I woke up the second day underway and got my stuff together and off we went to Luxor we stopped at some temples along the way. I meet some nice people and we got done with our trip we meet up after some rest at our hotels and meet up and hung out most of the night. I had an early wake up call so I left around 1 am and went out to see the west and east bank Temple of the Queen and valley of the kings Luxor temple and Karnack temple. Tutoncomos tomb and Ramsis the 2 and 3rd It was hot and I was really sweeting it all out that day. I got a stone carving and a silver key chain with my name in Egyptian writing. Hopped a overnight sleeper train to cairo and got to go to the cairo museum and saw many of the most famous peaces of Egyptian art including King tut's head piece. While its not allowed I took a picture with my I-phone. Did you know that head peace weighs 11 kilograms of gold! thats alot. Saw some famous churches and Muslim churches and I was happy to have the day come to a end around 3 and I got to my hotel and crashed I went for a swim and got a long night of sleep. IT was a great time but I was alone for a lot of it which I don't recommend for any one. Few notes that I would add. Traffic in Cairo is crazy that I would compare it to India! you need to have your head on a swivel. You would like to think that Egypt is cheep but they see your color of your skin and they over charge the hell out of you. And when you barter bellow what they think you should pay but what its really worth, they get very upset and make bartering switch from fun to a very aggressive act. I must admit I not a big fan of confrontation and did not enjoy that part. Im glad I had to only do it occasionally and had almost all things taken care of buy my pre paid tour. So after my time in the navy and Iraq, Dubai, Fujara, and Bahrain I think I will go out of my way to never go to a Muslim country again. The rules and the lack of freedom and the language barrier is just to much for me. I am glad I have gone to see and expand the world I know and understand. I must elaborate my story on the trip from the hotel from Cairo. Long ago my Great aunt Mary wanted to go see my grandfather shortly after his birth She Flew took a train and took a stage coach to cody wyoming. To leave the hotel the street was under such heavy construction I had to take horse and carriage to get to the main street and then car and then plain. and when I travel to Rome from Milan I will take the train. Crazy. I am now on my flight to milan where I will catch a train to Rome. Customs in Greece is just nuts I have learned to play the feild and work the system and get the information you need to get things done fast. I used every trick I have learned and if my flight had not been delayed I would not have made it and I had a 4 hour layover. Here are the tricks that I find useful in a airport. No mater how badly they people at your last line have pissed you off always be as nice as possible. The people behind the counter deal with pissed off people all day long a smile and a joke go a long way. Second If you don't like the answer to your question, ask a different person. most of the time in the second or third try you will get a answer you want. When in crazy shoving matches to get to the front of the line, help the old lady who is alone or even better the person in a wheel chair. Every one usually will make way for them. Not only is it a good thing to do it cuts hours off in a time crunch. For those long flights if you can try to get the young guy (Cause Im a young guy) to issue you your ticket and ask if he can set you next to some good looking women. It makes the trip go faster and if he cant do that he will try not to put you next to the screaming baby or the fat guy who hasn't showered in a week.

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