Well we left South Africa on a great note our stored luggage arrived at the gate by this great couple. We left it them for all of time. Fantastic service. www.travelwithease.com
Lets start the next adventure we are heading to Cairo, Jordan and Israel. On a tour with Intrepid. So we are flying from Johannesburg to Cairo over night on Egypt Air . Its a dry flight, Bummer. But we had a few drinks in the lounge before we left, win, win I guess. Such an old aircraft and such grumpy air hostesses. Very grotty which is a theme that will occur throughout our whole stay in Egypt. We booked a transfer with a pickup in a Mercedes . We just waltzed through customs with this guy it was so easy. The drive to our hotel was so funny. We booked in at Mena House at the base of the Giza pyramids. Driving through Cairo at 6am in the morning was very subdue and peaceful for Cairo as they are in the Ramadan time they have 8 more days to go before Eid the festival to celebrate. When we first clapped eyes on the pyramids, it was a huge wow moment. We were taken back on how close they are to the city and our hotel was just there.
We have four relaxing days at Mena House situated on 40 hectares of garden. Just a little history about Mena House it was once a holiday home back in 1888 then it was sold a couple of times to become a guest house then a hotel and was used during world war 2 as a hospital. It has the best view from the breakfast restaurant. You could just about reach out and touch it.
The hotel had a great pool area. Which we spend the afternoon hanging and reading and just relaxing in the very hot temperatures. It was great but boy do they slug you for GnT or a Stella beer the local Egyptian beer.
One day we thought we would go and do a guided walk around the Giza pyramids. We had a great guide he was super funny, had us doing all the tourist shots. We had a great couple of hours with him. We went inside the smaller pyramid and the care taker or hustler which ever you may think came in with us. We were the only ones in there going in backwards in a very low tunnel towards the burial chamber. He took our phone, well we gave it to him to take photos. Going through the tunnels I think he has done this a few thousand times. Then when we get the the burial chamber it was large and spacious with the red granite sycofugus . He was taking all these photos It was discovered in 1888 by an Italian Berconloni
But the hustler needed a tip which really is a pain in the ass but we gave him a few pounds. It was all fun. Just he was the winner out of this.
Btw it was really hot and steamy in there.
Walking around the pyramid you are so in ore of these structures, how they build them over 2500 years ago. The blocks of stone are just enormous how they stacked them. The Pyramid of Cheops was the more perfect looking one the son and then the grandson ones weren’t as perfect neither were the the wives they all got smaller. Not as important. Not stacked with such precision. The tombs of the workers are scattered around the pyramids too.
Then we get to have a look at the Sphinxs wow, wow. Just amazing again. Sitting there protecting the pyramids. In this dusty sandy hot desert.
Today we join the rest of the adventurers and meet up at a downtown hotel. OMG…. WTF ,it was horrendous. I don’t think it was a 3 star more like a 1 star it was horrible and we have two nights here. We have a young couple nearly engaged from Sydney. Another young couple so much in love from New Zealand. Wait for it, a family from USA, Mother bear and her cubs with uncle bear. Oh Lordy this will be interesting. Our guide is Sam a very worldly guide. Super nice and considerate and patient. So Sam would call his group Family
So Now Family, was the first thing he would say each day.
Now Family, went back to the Giza site again and had another look around while family took the photos and explored inside the smaller pyramid. Rode camels which we were certainly not doing. While we watched the family go for their little jaunt on the camels a lady from a different group was bitten on her calf buy a camel. It looked so meaty and blood every where poor lady. Dont think this is usual thing. But seriously those poor animals.
Once we were done with out exploration of the pyramids and the sphinx we found a little spot to get a snack as it was Ramadan most of the eat places where closed. It was pretty average falafel salad. Before we headed to the Egyptian museum. It was packed to the rafters with mummies and artifacts. Of huge proportions and sycoficus and King Tut’s stash from his tomb. It was all so fascinating but you would need hours and hours to look at everything. It was all pretty old school style of museum. We did drive past the new museum building being built to house all these artefacts and the ones that they have in storage too. Apparently they want to get back the ones that other museums have from around the world. Good luck with that.
Tonight the family is taking the train down to Aswan a 13 hour trip on a train. I tell ya, it was one very long overnight rocky train ride not much sleep. Pretty grotty again. Same theme here, grotty dirty. The on board loo was bad but have been in to worse toilets it was the smell. Yuk ……
So off to the next hotel in Aswan on the Nile and I think the top temperature was 45 degrees. It was so hot. Tonight we are going across the Nile to a Nubian family home for dinner.The Nubian’s come from Sudan. These moments I love to experience the home cooking of the family and helping them by coming to their house supports them and their family. food was delicious the host JJ was really lovely and told us his story of getting married Nubian way. Were they invite every one I mean every one, he had 2000 people at his wedding that went all day and night. That is just crazy, everyone brings food form live animals to other produce to be prepared to feed the masses. Mind you he hand delivers all the invites. Good job JJ.
Next day the family gets up at 4am to leave at 4.30am to drive the 3 hours to Abu Simbel. Abu Simbel was moved to its present position in the 60’s because a dam was being build and the flooding of the Nile. They pulled it all apart then moved it piece by piece into it present position. It was a sight to see and be inside of just another in ore moment. How they made such monuments to the after life is beyond me. The carvings and the enormity of it all. The stories inside on the walls. One tomb was for Ramesus II and his favourite wife Nefertitti. We stayed there maybe 45 minutes another feriously hot day of 42 degrees just melting out in the sun. Then another 3 hours back. Wow a huge day of driving.
Next day the family is going on a Felucca so the night before we order a few drinks to have on board. We ordered a bottle of Gin and Tonic and water. Always buying water its crazy. We boarded quiet early around 8.30am with drinks we have 3 crew members. A captain a cook and another deck hand, I guess you would call him that. We all climb aboard, it’s extremely hot again. The sails are hoisted and we zip zag down the Nile catching the breeze and floating along with quite a strong current. We sat on mattress covered in rugs and cushions in the shade. Chatted about lots of different topics. It was all very relaxing. So lunch was all prepared on board all vegetarian it was good food. We cracked the gin & tonic it had a very strange smell. We think it was actually arak. So not much alcohol content as Tony and I drank the whole bottle in small tea cups. With no alcohol affect what so ever. Ripped off again. When will we learn. Never, I am thinking, it was cheap as too, local rubbish . We stopped and swam in the Nile jumped off the boat it was quiet cold but a very welcoming dip to cool the body down after another delicious meal. They lit a fire on shore had a local drumming sing along thing going on. All was good fun but very hot. Sleeping, I decided to sleep on the deck on mats it was super hard but there was a warm breeze blowing, downstairs on the mattress most people slept it was boiling down there and stuffy. Tony slept down there. While I was up on the top deck. So many cruise boats going by. Then at 3am the call of pray started omg, please stop, but no, it was going for a good 30 mins. As at 3.30am it is the last time you can drink water or eat food if you are participating in Ramadan until sunset which was usually at 6.50pm. All went quiet. Peace prevails. In the city it seemed fine but out in the county side it seemed so loud.
Now family we are leaving to Luxor another fabulous bus ride of 4 hours…..not. Today is the hottest day I have very experienced. 47 degrees. We arrive at another super average grotty hotel. The sheets are clean its just the rest. Eek………. In the afternoon Sam had us going to Karnack Temple. It was so hot the sun beating down on your skin and the sweating. Another omg wow moment, what a place the columns and the obelisk, what a truly amazing place that was never finished. The obelisk made of red granite how they got them there and erected got me baffled.. I just wish it wasn’t so hot cause you really could stay there a lot longer. Heat stoke was a very possible thing as one of the younger ones experienced.
Next day the family are taken to the Valley of the Kings. To see where they found King Tuts tomb and several hundred others. The ones we went into were so beautifully preserved the colours so bright. Going inside deep down was like going into a sauna. Sweating was definitely a thing in there. We went inside the King Tut’s tomb, you know I wish we didn’t pay the 300 pounds ($25 Aussie dollars) to go in, cause it was a little disappointed. His mummy does remain in there and the stone sarcophagus. There are no paintings on the walls or hieroglyphics, nothing. It was small too. Plus all the gold treasures are in the Museum in Cairo.
After the most fascinating exploration of this area which was great and we loved it . The family are taken to another locals house for lunch and another beautiful family. The food was sensational the best we have had. The rest of the day to relax before family is going back again on the train back to Cairo. Goodbye to the young ones as they depart home or forward on their own adventures. Momma bear and the cubs and uncle bear are coming with us to Jordan. Said goodbye to Sam he was a great guide, we wish him luck on his up and coming proposal to his Aussie girlfriend form Brisbane. If she says yes to the ring she will come and live in Egypt. Good luck with that.
We flew out to Amman, Jordan part 2 of this adventure begins..
Very quick flight to Jordan had a great meeting with an Intrepid guy at the airport that got us through customs very quickly.
We all pilled into a van with mamma bear and the cubs and uncle bear. To stay in the centre of Amman the old cultural section of town.
We all went out for falafel and met the rest of the travellers for this part of the adventure. We have the Germans. The English rose, the Hawaiian and the momma bear and her cubs and uncle bear and us, so a big group
We are heading to Wadi Rum for 2 nights, its about a 3 hour drive to this landscape that can only be described as barren, spectacular sandstone cliffs towering over a red sand oasis. This land is owned by the Bedouin Tribe these people are nomadic people. Some still carry on this lifestyle some have set up permanent homes.
We are all allocated jeeps 3 of them. We are in Mohammad’s jeep who happens to own the camp we are about to stay in. He is quite and a handsome man with his red and white head scarf and his grey thobe . We are taken around to different locations to view these incredible views and canyons.. View ancient text and drawings on the walls. Have mint tea. Which we both really love and so simple just spearmint leaves in black tea with a little sugar. Who knew it could be so tasty.
We arrive at the camp site of black camel hair huts. With a common eating area and even bathrooms, luxury. We watched the sun set. The cook had prepared for us dinner which was chicken and vegetables cooked in the ground in a giant camp oven, also the usual fair of hummus, salad, Lentil soup and rice. It was all very tasty. The rooms were basic but comfortable it was a very warm night.
The next night we are up at he crack of dawn to do a 10km hike around with mint tea and biscuits. Prepared by Mohammad or hammad he liked to be called. He was only 31 and had a 25 year old wife and two kids, one was just 4 days old. He said in 5 years time he will be looking to have another wife. Ok,…….that’s intense to have enough money to support all of the wives and children he can have up to 5 wives if he so chooses. Is he a lucky man. Not in my eyes.
So Hutsi our guide was so worried we would be bored in the camp with nothing to do after the hike so he busily organised a trip Aqaba on the Red Sea. To go out snorkelling with a bbq lunch.
So it was about an hours drive to Aqaba. We pull up at the port to this huge boat with an upper story and huge front deck and back. Very spacious.
We snorkelled in the sea which had an amazing coral reef very close to shore. But what was so strange that there was huge amounts of pink jellyfish everywhere . They didn’t sting you at all. You could pick them up. We have never swam in them before it was really weird. Also we went snorkelling over a plane they had sunk and an army tank. That was super interesting. It was a great day out on the red sea where Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan and Egypt meet.
Back to the red sand camp of Wadi Rum for dinner. Quite a few films have been filmed here one being, The Martian, maybe a few Star Wars as well.
Today we are driving to big hi-light of Jordan Petra, we arrive around lunch time after having a fabulously fresh falafel roll for only 1 Jordan Dina which is about $2 aussie dollars very cheap. Everything in Jordan is expensive.
We leave our bags at the hotel an go for an afternoon guided tour with Hutsi. So from the gate to The Treasury building is about an hour walk past tombs through the rocky pass of the La Siq to finally arrive at the entrance of gateway to seeing The Treasury building. OMG…..the tourists the camels the horse carts carrying fat lazy people at a cracking speed through the rocky valley pass of La Siq back to the entrance gate. Hustlers it was chaotic the place we arrived at. Not what I had imagined. But it was totally a wow moment for sure. The colour of the sandstone was beautiful.
Next day we decided with the English rose to get up early and head on down before the crowds decend to get that snap. We did. Tick next was to climb up and up and up to the Monastery we weren’t going to do it but while your there might as well slog it out. It was well worth the sweating and the dodging of the donkey poop and the smell . Tick again. Next on the list was to attempt the path that you can look down on the treasury so its probably around midday, the sun is beating down and a trillion steps to walk up. We did it. Pat on the back for us. Of course when you get to the top Bedouin has built a little hut right in the perfect spot to take the shot. So we enter, buy a drink have a relaxation and breather on the cushions, crawl to the edge to precariously take the shot, no safety here. Its just a cliff face. Great view though it was worth the trillions of steps up and back the sweating and the beating sun on our backs. That day we walked for 8 hours did 20kms . Left at 7am got back to the hotel at 3pm for a quick shower and rest before dinner.
Today is a drive to the dead sea which is 420m below sea level. What a strange feeling floating in this super salty water. Your skin kind of felt oily not sure that the salt was drawing the oil out of your skin who knows. You could spend 3 JDs and put black mud all over yourself. Pass……
Apparently it wonderful for the skin the ones who applied said it made their skin all smooth. There was plenty of places selling this mud. In fancy packages. Another tick off the list.
We also travelled to Jerash a remarkable Roman ruins from 2000 years ago. Being at it pinnacle in 130AD under Hardirans rule. Just needs some government support in preserving these places . Here was amazing mosaics covered in dirt just need a good sweep and Rubish collected. Bit sad really. I really don’t understand when so many tourists come here. Even our guide Hutsi is a guide here when he was not doing Intrepid tours. He grew up with huge fascination for the ruins and was very knowledgable. We stayed in the city of Madaba food was ok but a few of us had a bit tummy trouble. I am sure if it was the food or the water. Soon as we left all felt better.
We cross the border in to Israel today. So bye, bye momma bear and the cubs and uncle bear. Nice knowing you but…… To English rose she was such a nice person, bye to you.
The Germans the Hawaiian and us all crossed the border so its 10 JD each to cross. After they take your passport, stamp it, we board a bus but hang on, no passport. Once you are on the bus you’ll get it back, who knows what they were doing with them very strange indeed. We cross the Alenby bridge crossing. We go to a much more ordered and cleaner area. You get a piece of paper in your passport not a stamp as some countries won’t except you if you come knocking at the gate. If you have been to Israel. While we are waiting inline to get all this down a Chinese group are there. The tour leader is just screaming at them grabbing them by their clothes pushing them in the cue treating them like kids. It was to funny. But maybe they are use to such demeaning treatment.
Israel part 3 we are picked up by our driver Henry and taken into Jerusalem to a really nice hotel for 4 nights. Thank goodness. Driving in was such contrast from the dirtiness of Jordan with its rubbish everywhere. Our hotel was modern and so much nicer compared to what we have been staying in. The shower was amazing. Small things. We even got a fruit bowl. Wow, loving it already. Looking at the people on the street women aren’t required to have knees and shoulders covered either as much. I saw girls in shorts and shoe string tops. So different to what I was expecting.
We are joined by a teacher from Toronto, another teacher from Canada and ex Mormon from Idaho plus an Aussie from Melbourne he does the media content for Intrepid. Our new guide is George.
Here we go, 6 more days to go, we are pretty much done with scheduled touring its wearing a little thin now.
Let start with George, mmmmm…….different style of guiding that’s for sure. Casual, not as well informed as our other guides. Certainly is a nice man.
Feeling like we are on a religious pilgrimage now we are in Jerusalem. Seeing were Jesus is supposedly born and arrested. Mary’s immaculate conception when she got the news the spot where she gave birth which is now the a church of Nativity. I can’t really believe that story but going by the people doing many do . Even a path of crucifixion marked on the walls. Really……..
The Wailing wall was very interesting. The Jewish men with these little boxes on their heads and the curls and the black clothing and the moving back and forth reading and wishing. What got me is that they don’t work what so ever. Never ever. The government support them and their families. Another interesting fact is that they only have sex when a child is wanted in the family no sex for pleasure, no, no, no…….
We also went to the Dome of the Rock Mosque. So colourful. I must say mosques are always so colourful with the tiles and the gold dome very interesting. we weren’t allowed inside, did ask but got a firm, No.
We also did a trip to Bethlehem to the Walled Hotel. Right next to the the giant concrete wall between Palestine and Israel. They don’t ask questions going in, just going out. Just in case you might be smuggling out a local.
The Walled Hotel had lots of Banksy art inside very cool. Great graffiti on the wall with some very interesting statements.Graffiti has filled the walls in Bethlehem by many artists over the years, including British Artist; Banksy. We also past the largest refugee camps in the West Bank and previous conflict hot spots.
Back to the Dead Sea again but before we get to have another float we go to Masada. In Masada you take a cable car to the fortress built by King Herod around 35BC very important to the Jewish people, a symbol of their exile from the Holy Land and of bravery and self- sacrifice. The story goes that here a Jewish sect called the Zealots held out against the Roman army in AD66. Rather than surrender, they either fought to the death or committed suicide, every last man, woman and child. Thats a up lifting story isn’t it
We do go the hometown of Jesus too, Nazareth. Nice town had the best food there in a cafe down from our hotel. We are slowly now edging our way towards Tel Aviv thank goodness. I think our guide is pretty much done too he is a little touchy.Like he is hang angry, hahahaaaa…..
While heading to Tel Aviv along the coast we drop by at Caesarea, which served as the capital of Israel during the Roman and Byzantine eras. This was once a great port town built by King Herod around 25BC, complete with a theatre, amphitheatre, hippodrome, palace, Roman temple and an extensive network of aqueducts, along with an artificial harbour. The city was eventually abandoned and lost under the desert sands, but thanks to archaeological excavations since the 1950s, its splendour is on show once again. Pretty good for roman ruins.
Next stop is Jaffa now George is getting seriously more on edge. We have an hour and its seriously hot to have lunch. We found a cool alley with a cool tunes. Had some yummy food and managed to buy some sandals . I can multi task.
We say goodbye to George and we have 2 nights at quiet a nice modern hotel. Searched out a laundry matt. Tony went searching for small Schekels I got accosted by a huge jewish man on roller blades telling me bla, bla..bla got the domestic part done. Went down to the beach which is so busy with super buff males and very sexy ladies. Has great cosmopolitan vibe. Had sunset drinks hunted down some Japo food. Life is good.
Next adventure begins off to Croatia.
tonyandsharon 