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 are the norm! It felt as if we would never set foot in our hotel, one of Cairo’s most beautiful hotels that offers exclusive window shopping at the First Residence Mall. We finally arrived after ... read more

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, the Montazah Gardens surrounding the palace offer 155 hectares (384 acres) of landscaped grounds, with flowers, palm trees, pines and lots of birds. We enjoyed wandering the gardens that overlook the sea and getting some fresh air! As we approached the gate to exit the gardens, ... read more

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 all our baggage having safely followed us, we were asked “what is in our luggage?” Papa Canuck replied “clothing, toiletries, cameras and other tourist stuff. The customs official looked at Papa Canuck in shock and ... read more

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 time and we had one of the nicest drivers. Although the main roads are fine, the side streets are icy since last night's thermometer dipped to -10C. So as to be expected, the taxi slid ... read more

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 ... read more