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Published: December 9th 2008
Egyptologist in Training
With a passion for history, theatre, photography and Karate, Junior Canuck can't wait to travel to Egypt! Here's hoping the trip won't have too much drama or demand Karate skills! Watch for pics and short film!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!
From what I have read, shopping in the Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar in Cairo is about as hassle-free as last minute shopping in the malls on Christmas Eve. Hopefully, we will have enough room for souvenirs in our suitcases since the Travelling Canucks are infamous for travelling light! Although missing 5 days of school is an early Christmas present, I have lots of tests to cram into those last days at school!
Egyptologist in training since I was a pre-schooler, my passion for history and social studies is legendary. So travelling to the country of Pharaohs and Pyramids is a dream come true! I have been brushing up on ancient Egyptian history, and trying to learn a few words in Egyptian Arabic. I will have to compete with licensed guides to educate the Senior Canucks on the finer points of Egyptian history and help out when Mama Canuck stumbles in Egyptian Arabic.
Having studied Greek history, I have to admit to having a fascination with Alexander the Great and Cleopatra. When I was a kid, I even dressed up as Cleopatra for Halloween. I am really excited about visiting Alexandria, the city I am often called! We will be following in the footsteps of Alexander the Great as we journey to Siwa Oasis to visit the Oracle that he consulted before becoming ruler of Egypt and swimming in Cleopatra's Spring. Hopefully, we will not meet the same fate as Alexander's army, most of whom were lost in the desert!
I have to admit that travelling to the outskirts of the Sahara and the prospect of coming across lizards, snakes and scorpions is a bit daunting, if not outright scary! Who knew that so many hazards existed in such a seemingly desolate place! By all reports, the Great Sand Sea is not the place to go searching to add to my rock collection. Travelling over sand dunes in the Sahara, being carted around in donkey carts, riding camels in Aswan, and sailing in a felucca on the Nile are bound to be unique experiences! Those smelly, spitting camels and stubborn donkeys aren't my idea of the 4-star travel style the Travelling Canucks are accustomed to. Nonetheless, sailing the Nile beats sailing in the frigid waters of English Bay, but then again there are no Nile crocodiles in the Pacific! I can't wait to tour the ancient capital of Memphis, pyramid fields in Giza, Dahshur and Saqqara, and the tombs and temples in Luxor's Valley of the Kings and Queens after spending hours reading and imagining what it would be like to be an Ancient Egyptian!
We plan on visiting the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan where Agatha Christie wrote" Death on the Nile". I will definitely be using my "little grey cells" to comb the book in search of hidden references. Of all the hotels we plan on staying in, I can't wait to stay in Siwa Oasis at Shali Lodge and Eskaleh Eco-Lodge in Abu Simbel, a traditional Nubian guesthouse. Although I have to admit that I enjoy watching flat screen TVs and eating in restaurants at the posh hotels, staying in these two hotels should be interesting!
Mama Canuck has already booked an Egyptian Feast at Salahadeen Restaurant at Mara House in Luxor for an authentic dining experience. Have I mentioned I am a carnivore and the thought of vegan dishes doesn't thrill me? Oh well, one of Mama Canuck's goals is to expose the Travelling Canucks to "authentic" cultural experiences, as well as sightsee non-stop! So much for sleeping in and eating sushi and Thai food! Although I have overheard Mama Canuck's whispers that Starbucks can be found in Alexandria and Cairo!
Our motto for this trip: When in Egypt, do as the Egyptians do! As Mama Canuck has reminded me on countless occasions, the more conservatively dressed you are, the less attention you are likely to attract. Mama Canuck has followed this adage to the letter. She has purged my suitcase of snug-fitting clothes, low necklines, cropped sleeves and short pants. She has not only packed scarves, but light-weight, loose fitting pants, long or 3/4 length shirts, and board shorts with long-sleeved top for swimming, much of which are not high on the list of what I plan on wearing this summer in Vancouver!
As we travel around Egypt, I will be in constant competition with Papa Canuck for the best pics, which will hopefully be uploaded onto Travel Blog for all to enjoy. It is going to be a challenge to juggle the task of taking both digital photos and video footage. Hopefully, my filming experience gained this semester in Digital Film class will help to produce a short film about our Egyptian adventures. With any luck, it will be worthy of watching on YouTube! Watch out for its premiere in 2009!I have spent hours on iTunes getting my music library prepped for my listening pleasure since Mama Canuck has us spending three 10 hour days driving in the barren Egyptian desert. I confess long car rides make me feel sick; unfortunately, there is no airport in Siwa Oasis so the only road into Siwa is the only way to get there!
Hey, there is only one week left before we take off to Egypt! With our own laptop to wirelessly connect to cyberspace, I'll be keeping in touch with all my friends via Facebook and MSN if I can find free hotspots! Otherwise, I am "stuck" in another action-packed adventure with the Senior Canucks and our travel mascot, Mukluk the Canuck! Hopefully, the Senior Canucks can" Walk like the Egyptians" since they will be covering a lot of Egyptian territory as they follow in the footsteps of Alexandra the Great!
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The Doctor
non-member comment
Oh la la
Hey 'Junior Canuck' Your trip sounds great, and I'm so excited to keep up with all of it on this clever blog. Good Luck, and be sure to give me a Christmas shout-out from one of those elusive wireless hotspots! Your BFFAE