Advertisement
Published: March 19th 2007
Edit Blog Post
Cairo-Pyramids, Pyramids-Cairo, the two words are inevitably linked although there are pyramids to be found elsewhere. For me it is particularly fitting that the Pyramids are our last stop on this trip. The Pyramids have been the top of my ‘must see’ list for many years. Together with a Nile trip, and we are about to achieve both during this flying visit.
The flight from Cape Town crossed the African continent, for 9 hours glimpses of Africa were visible through the cloud cover. Little detail from 38000 feet but one can get a feel for the sheer scale of the landmass below. For the first time we neither gain nor lose time, Cape Town and Cairo are both GMT+2. We arrive at 7pm, it is dusk and since we were up at 5am, sleep sounds attractive, more so because the air of expectation is now tinged with the pending ‘end of this adventure’, two conflicting emotions, finely balanced.
(In passing, leaving South Africa, keep your purchase receipts and get your VAT refunds at the airport; you will be expected to show the items to the VAT office so keep them as hand baggage, not so easy!)
The transfer from the
nearly there
first glimpse from the tour coach airport meets heavy traffic; usual chaos in the city, our hotel is overlooking the Nile, which we cross twice since the river divides here. The hotel is modern but the plumbing less so! Nevertheless, after a good meal, it is bedtime and the excitement of satisfying a long held ambition on the morrow leads to a good nights sleep.
After breakfast, first stop, the Museum, a must for aspiring Egyptologists, usual crowds and multiple groups with guides competing for space and commentaries! After lunch the long awaited visit to Giza, to the west of the old city. From the coach, the first glimpse of the familiar pyramidal shape rises above the skyline. First one then two, larger than expected and more steeply sloped. Soon we arrive at the tourist viewpoint. It is bright, sunny, hot and sun glasses necessary. A short walk to the base of Khufu, the first of the three at this location. The ground level blocks are huge and the stepped side of the pyramid mean a scramble to climb up the side. Tickets to the site are limited, to prevent overcrowding and security is unobtrusive but obvious. Mounted (on camels) armed police patrol the area but
you are advised to stay on guard when making purchases and to play safe if invited to hand your camera to a camel driver for a self-portrait, (you may not get your camera back without a debate!) It is time to reflect on the scene, Cairo in the distance, 5000 years of history to hand, the scale of the structure immense, questions, why, how?
Then to the other pyramids nearby, almost standing isolated, solitary in the desert. From this second viewpoint tourists attempt to snap the amusing photo of the Pyramid of Khafre being ‘held in the hand’. All about perspective but nevertheless a good talking point for later. (If you get it wrong, you can cheat using any pc photo software!)
Then to the enigma of the Sphinx, an enclosed structure, in many ways mysterious, suffering from the corrosive elements. Also defaced by flocks of birds, (crows?) sitting on its eroding face.
Lastly, to purchase some souvenirs, always barter but plenty of choice and most items not at all ‘cheesy’.
To complete the tour we visit a ‘papyrus factory’. Again, good choice of quality products, mass-produced for the tourist market. Close up of life in down town Cairo proves
Trick Photo
almost in the hand, easily modified by S/W interesting, especially the local taxi system, multi occupancy, multi pickup ‘bus’ like travel, none of the vehicles stand any prospect of passing an MOT! Mostly VW transporters, rear engine covers open to assist in cooling, old Westphalians! Is this where they go to die?
Back to hotel to prepare for the evenings entertainment. An evening Nile cruise and dinner aboard a Nile paddle steamer. This is planned as the Grand Finale to the Round the World tour with the entire flight and cabin crew, tour reps et al. Should be a great night and a fitting end to this great adventure as indeed it was.
Next and last stop, Manchester and a return to 'normal life' never to be quite the same.
Twenty three days, 37500 miles, 81 hours inflight, (using 1500 gallons of fuel per hour, some carbon footprint!), 4 equator crossings, a full circumnavigation, we return with $50 not spent and some 2000 photos to sort!
In the meantime Mytravel has been bought by Thomas Cook and the subsequent 'rationalisation' of the two organisations started. Will this tour ever be repeated?
If it is, get yourself aboard; it was as advertised, 'The Trip of a Lifetime'.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.13s; Tpl: 0.021s; cc: 11; qc: 50; dbt: 0.0846s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb