And so on part II

---

We cruised for 3 days and 4 nights on the Nile.. we visited Edfu - the temple of Komombo - this is a magnificnet temple. Our boat was delayed getting up the river and we did not get there till dusk , but it was much more beautiful with the lighting and the balmy evening after layign beside the pool all day!! This amazing temple is so huge and again the carvings and colours stand out and have been preserved so much.
We spent a few hours there and just adsorbed ourselves!!
That evening we had a Galabera dress up night. So funny !! we all had to dress as Egyptians.. the tour leaders put on a great night. Went to bed about 3.00 then was up by 8 to watch the boat go through the Esna Lock. So skillful!! the men selling souveniers was bargaining with a woman - and it was not me!! by the boat and she said no to everything. We went through one part of the lock and were stationary when we looked out and they were rowing out over teh river to the boat and started re-negotiating through the windo in the dining room! Hilarious - they kept throwing things on the deck and yelling. We kept throwing them back to then and some in teh water but that did not deter them!
We arrived in Luxor last night and went to Karnak temple. So huge this site adn it has an avenue with 12 Sphinxs lining the road up to the Luxor temple. It is so big. It was a very hot day adn people were getting so exhausted we headed back to the boat as most were getting up today to do the Hot Air Balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings.. Yes I did it - a bit scared at first but a huge and fantiastic experience.. wait till you see the photos!! then people I rode a donkey into the Valley of the Kings!! For 45 minutes Annie Oakley had a great time!! Went into Tut ankh amuns tombe and he was there waiting for us! His mummy is so small.. he was only 19 yrs old when he died so his tomb was not as great as Ramese I, II an IV that we saw. But again overwhelming. This trip has been so surreal for me.. this is all and more than I would have hoped for..
Been to Queen Hatshetput temple and Hebu temple. Photos will be boring to you all but you will be seeing them. Back in Luxor now waiting to get the train tonight back to Cairo. 12 hrs!! Hooray NOT!!.
Free day tomorrow when we finally arrive then the next day aff to St Catherines and Mt Sinai, where we will be getting up at 2.30 am to climb 700 stairs for the sunrise....
I will come back when I can. Hope you are all well!!

---