AMAZING EGYPT!

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So it's been a VERY long time since I have updated my travel blog - didn't get a chance much last year on the road but trying to make an effort this year!! In between I also went to Greece & the Islands & have some amazing photos I will eventually post on blog - but for now... I,m walking like the Egyptians!

So clearly as i,m writing this I am safe & I am well!! Gee wiz life is hard, as I sit here & eat my breakfast with my coffee & crepe next to one of the 3 pools here at dahab 'Friendly Village' resort, a fridge full of beer that cost about 50pence a bottle, having seen the pyramids, karnak temple & lots more & now have the Red Sea at my disposal - 'I think to myself.... what a wonderful world!'. LOL.

I,m also less bothered by the fact I have no $ & I own virtually nothing ( ha ha).... sure Egypt can be dirty, dry, full of rubbish, can't brush my teeth without bottled water, nor pooh normally but I have to say it is absolutley amazing!!! So different to all of the Western countries & ofcourse being 3rd world and all.

You don't go anywhere here in Egypt without being absolutley hounded by guys trying to sell you shit & telling you you look like a spice girl & or that you are beautiful... they are only human after all!! LOL. It has been surreal - Pyramids & Karnak temple my highlight so far (& many other places I either can't remeber names of nor can spell without pulling out info right now) - our itinerary ended up changing - we got upgraded to a 4 star cruise for 4 days which was a good thing. Went though Aswan down to Abu Simbel, didnt have to go back to Cairo went from Luxor to Hurghada & from there to Dahab.

We are on a 5 star resort (the beds here are like concrete slabs) - seriously in the middle of no where but its only a 10min shuttle into town & we have are own private beach & reef, 3 pools, restaurants & bars at resort - going quad biking this arvo in desert & snorkelling tomorrow in what is top 3 dive spots in the world - can't wait!!

Apart from all the amazing stuff - Egypt itself is VERY dirty - lots of rubbish - sewerage system doesn't really exist, hounding, etc - Cairo is not a nice place to be - the traffic here is a major issue & the constant sound of car & truck horns is not music to my ears (it would probably help if the government painted some lines on the road)! Done camel ride up the nile (which i,m bruised from) - tattoo'd (not permanent) in a Nubian village.... arabic woman walk around at rest stops with a donkey & a baby lamb & goats made to stand & balance on top of the donkey for long time (poor buggers - wanted to steal one and take on bus but was afraid of getting shot! We ended up not getting the overnight train & did by convoy on bus instead as the governemnt changed the rules about foreigners getting trains on the day we were suppose to head to Aswan! It was a very good thing as i,ve been told the train is possibly one of the worst things one can do in their life!

Another highlight has been a certain someone I know blocking a toilet & then having to ring to get someone to unblock it... when not being hounded here the locals are very friendly & happy to see you... its a shame that one becomes so skeptical of someone approaching you & not knowing what they want when half the time it is actually genuine.

Well I feel I have now rambled enough.. I do have a cocktail by the pool bar waiting for me & do need to go in search of a scarf so I don't eat too much dirt on the quads this arvo, may be pulling sand out of my ears fro the next week!!

Lots & lots of love to all - Jode xoxoxox

P.S. Gobble, gobble - Turkey next week!!

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