December 26, 2008 We checked out of the Four Seasons First Residence early to catch our 7am flight to Aswan where we boarded Sonesta’s St. George ship for our three night cruise. Since Friday is the “Islamic” holiday and we left at 5:00am, traffic to the airport was light. When we arrived at Terminal 1 of 3 at Cairo International Airport, one of the Middle East’s largest airports, there was a long lineup outside of the terminal to go through initial security screening. Our bags were promptly placed on a cart after screened by an airport worker, who escor [View Full Entry]

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On the Road to Cairo December 23, 2008 Our drive to Cairo followed the same route we travelled to Siwa from Alexandria, except that we veered onto the desert route to Cairo about 100km west of Alexandria. After enduring a non-stop 8.5 hour long drive across the barren desert, we arrived on the outskirts of Cairo at 5:30pm after leaving Siwa Oasis at 9am, to find ourselves in gridlock for almost 2 hours. The traffic in Cairo lived up to its reputation as there are over 2 million cars that drive around the city with few rules and restrictions. Traffic jams [View Full Entry]

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On the Long Road to Siwa Oasis Our prearranged transport arrived at our hotel while we were at Starbucks picking up our venti lattes, muffins and croissants for our long journey. Our bags were already loaded in the back of the van, which permitted us room to stretch and move around during our 9 hour journey with four stops along the way! First stop: Commonwealth Cemetery at El Alamein. It was a serene, somber place to acknowledge the sacrifices of the fallen soldiers at the famous battle that marked a shift in the fortunes of the Allied Forces in World War [View Full Entry]

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Last Day in Alexandria Friday, December 19th Still battling jetlag, we took a taxi to Montazah Palace, the former summer residence of the deposed Egyptian royal family, which was restored by President Sadat to a presidential residence. Royal palaces and assets, as well as property held in private hands were expropriated for the people during the Egyptian Revolution in 1952. We have spoken to many Egyptians who quietly express their disappointment with the promise that the Revolutionaries have not realized. Although the palace is not accessible to the public [View Full Entry]

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Alexandria, A Melding of Cultures Over Time Despite planning to tour Alexandria independently, we broke down yesterday and booked a private guide and driver for a half day tour of Graeco Roman Alexandria through the “wise” hotel concierge. We had a very early start to the day after only getting about three hours sleep! So when Mama Canuck can’t sleep, she blogs! Because we had napped earlier in the evening and missed dinner, we were starving as we watched the hours tick away until the breakfast restaurant opened at 6:30am. With no hesitation despite the b [View Full Entry]

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Alexandria Here We Are! We arrived at Alexandria's Borg El Arab Airport at 2:00am on December 17th faced with an unbelievable scene of confused tourists and confusing airport staff who acted like it was their first day on the job. It was street theatre at its best with bumbling officials providing the comic relief. After waiting at least an hour and half in 3 lines, one for buying our visas, one for passport stamps and one for clearing customs with baggage in hand, we were hoping the prearranged driver had not deserted us in the desert. Before exciting the terminal with [View Full Entry]

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Forgettable Frankfurt Flying direct from Vancouver to Frankfurt on Lufthansa was a long, but enjoyable flight despite none of the Travelling Canucks being able to sleep; although, Mama Canuck did doze off a couple of times. With a 10 hour stopover, we planned on sleeping a few hours while staying at the Frankfurt Airport Sheraton before our 3.5 hour Lufthansa flight to Alexandria. With constant knocks on the door by hotel staff, a phone call from housekeeping at 3:30pm asking when we were checking out, it ended up being a very expensive place to shower. Despite not being able [View Full Entry]

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YVR at Last! Today is the day the Travelling Canucks escape snowy and cold Vancouver for sunny and warm Egypt! We had an early snowfall on Saturday evening and cold temperatures are expected to continue with more snow in the forecast. The local mountains are looking good for skiers who have been waiting for the white stuff, but for us city dwellers, who are not experienced at driving in the snow and sliding on the ice, it’s a hassle. So we booked a taxi to pick us up because of the high demand for taxis. Fortunately, the taxi arrived on [View Full Entry]

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Today was our last day of school and work for a whole month. Only three more days before the Travelling Canucks escape rainy Vancouver for sunny Egypt! Our plans are set and our bags are packed. While you never know what surprises await us in Egypt, that's what makes travelling so exhilarating! Life happens and it's those unexpected moments that are sometimes the most memorable. For those surprises that are not so memorable, here are some of the precautions we have taken: Planned our itinerary and budget Booked hotels, transportation and Nile cruise in advance [View Full Entry]

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As the junior member of the Travelling Canucks, it's high time that I provided a teenager's perspective on the Egyptian adventure we will be embarking on over Christmas break! Spending Christmas in Cairo just won't be the same as spending Christmas with our friends and family here in Vancouver. I will miss trimming the tree, setting up the Dickens village and all our family Christmas traditions! Don't get me wrong. I am very excited about touring around Egypt, visiting ancient ruins, and experiencing Egyptian culture. Hanging out with the Senior Canucks 24/7? That's another matter! Fr [View Full Entry]

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