Luxor

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Untitled Today was the longest day EVER!!!!! We had to get up at 4:30am so we could leave at 5am for our hot air balloon ride over the West Bank. We took a boat across the Nile and then a bus to the launching area. The process was so much better than in Australia because the balloon was already inflated when we got there and we didn't have to help put it away at the end. We didn't get to be up in the air for sunrise, but it was a very hazy morning so it wouldn't have been that spectacular anyway. We got to see the Vally of the Kings, Hatshepsut's Temple, Deir el-Medina, and the Valley of the Queens in addition to some Temples from the air. We also flew over some houses and could see inside. When we landed the was music and dancing. THen, they took us to the Colossi of Memnon where we waited for Assem and the rest of the group. While we waited some of us fed a stray dog cheese sandwiches from our breakfast boxes. Once Assem arrived, we looked at the Colossi of Memnon for a few minutes and then went on to the Valley of the Kings. We got to go in three tombs: Rameses IV, Tausert/Setnakht, and Ramsses III. The colors inside the tombs were amazing! Next, it was on to Hatshepsut's Temple. Many of the walls still had their colors even though they were much more exposed to the elements than the tombs. Finally, lunch!!! Off to McDonald's. It was weird to sit in a McDonald's and have a view of Luxor Temple!! After lunch, we went to Karnak Temple. It was really hot and several people started feeling sick and went back to the bus early. Then we went to our AWESOME hotel. I finally got to use the internet and then we met at 4:30pm for our camel ride. My camel's name was Bob Marley and my guide's name was Mohammed - he kept trying to have a conversation with me, but his English wasn't great. After the camel ride, we got to see a local house made of mud brick. We got back to the hotel just in time to shower and change for dinner. We met by the fountain at 8pm and crossed the street to Murphy's Irish Pub. Most people din't eat, but Assem, Holly, Laura, Shaz, Kyleah, Graciela, and I sat downstairs and ate. After dinner we went upstairs for a few minutes until the downstairs club opened at 10:30. We danced at the club for a while - they had good music for a change!! Then, we went back to the hotel and went to sleep.

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