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Published: August 6th 2005
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Sahara
Me attempting to climb one of the massive hot dunes in the Sahara Ok, getting back to the story!!
So I arrived in one peice to Aswan, 800 miles south of north Cairo. it's very hot, about 39 degrees at 9.30am. However they tell me during July and August it can get up to 50 degrees in the shade!! thank god my tour got put back to now instead of next month! don't think I would have made it! There is no humidity here. Our guide said that it rained for about 10-15 minutes just once this year.
Aswan is surounded by the Sahara Desert and is a prodominately African city. Most of the buildings are made of stone and cement. Aswan has the biggest granet quarry in Africa. It has been running for 5,000 years so far and they say that is it an endless quarry as they don't think it will ever run out. We went and visited the quarry which has an unfinished obelisk in it still attached to the quarry. They split just before it was finished so it has been there ever since. The Egyptians were smart people, they built a canal in the quarry and placed the quarried stones in it on wooden rafts so that
Overnight Sleeper Train
This is the train we went on overnight when the Nile flooded they could move the stones downstream. There are buildings and even the city side walks are made out of Granet which shows the endless supply they have - although the sidewalk granate isn't polished.
There are alot of the African houses here which they call Nubian (not sure of the spelling!!) houses. They have domes on the roof which are for circulation. They keep the house cool in the day and warm at night (not sure why they would need that though!!). They have open yards in the middle of the houses where the women sleep, the men sleep outside (gotta like that!!) Nubians speak Noubian - their own language which is without an alphabet and has been used for around 5,000 years.
We visited the new dam that they call 'Pyramid of the River Nile' as they built a massive pyramid about 17 times the size of the pyramid that we have already visited to block off the Nile and take control of the river. They say they did this to save water and for irrigation and to generate power. Where they blocked the Nile they made it into one of the
In front of the Dam
Rose and I infront of the Dam biggest man made lakes in the world. There are crocodiles in it as they can't get back through the turbines into the river!! staying out of there, so the Nile crocodile isn't a myth! As a result of the damn they are now able to irrigate 12 months a year as opposed to the once a year which was only when the Nile flooded.
When we were driving back across the dam wall they opened 4 of the 20 gates and let water back into the Nile. It created such a current that it would be worthy of white water rafting!!!
We went back and boarded our boat, Miriam, which has 120 rooms and a big chandaler at the enterance, it's 5 star the whole way and I'm telling you I could very well get used to being on this boat. We've got a pool upstairs with banana chairs surrounding it! however, after my travelling, I'm not sure it would be fair put my bikinis on!!!
Had lunch aboard the boat, for the next couple of days we will be having three meals a day buffet style (like I'd need extra feeding!!) Today I ate pigeon (sorry
The Boat
Our boat that we spent 3 nights crusing the Nile on dad!!) and it actually wasn't too bad, like everything else it pretty much tastes just like chicken!! maybe a little stronger.
One of the girls went outside the boat to go and use the internet and two 4 guys stopped and tried to pull her into the horse and cart... luckily the police saw and came and stopped them... not sure they were going to do anything to her, just they wouldn't take no for an answer that she didn't want to take a horse and cart ride... a bit scary...
We are taking a felucca today on the river and then going back to the bizzare to get traditional Eygptian clothes for our party. Not really looking forward to the Bizzare to be honest, it will be just like Thailand, with the bartering and continual harrassment. I'm already borrowing a husband for the night... the men can have up to 4 wives (not sure why a man would wont more than one, am sure that he would get enough dramas out of one!) and it was really easy, just said 'hey wanna be my husband?' and he said yes!! why isn't it that easy at home?!?!? apparently we will be less harrassed if we are 'married' so time will tell I guess...
Anyways, will send you all another update when I get to Luxor if I am able!!!
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mamma
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thank you so very much
Dear Lisa, we do appreciate all your emails Dad and I read them every night they are so interesting we get so excited when we get something from you keep them coming Love you Mum and Dadxxxxxxxxx