2010 Hong Kong to Athens -Luxor Egypt

2010 Hong Kong to Athens

Luxor

Sunday, May 09, 2010

Today was the day of our trek to Luxor. And it was a trek Our port on the Red Sea is not close to Luxor which is on the Nile. We got up at 6:30 am for our 8 am departure. All the busses went together in a convoy, each with an armed guard on board. That is real reassuring! When I was here 15 years ago there were armed guards in public places but now there are manned checkpoints all along this new highway. Everyone has to go through and they are one way. It is like driving around the cones in Driver’s Ed but these are gates. Our line of busses didn’t have to wait too long but at one point I counted 28 buses, cars, trucks, and carts waiting to get through coming the opposite way. These check points have raised guardhouses with rifles pointed out the windows so I guess they mean business. Anyway, it was a 3 ½ hr bus ride one way.

We arrived in Luxor in time for lunch. We ate at the Sheraton Hotel which was the same hotel we stayed at last time. After lunch it was on to the Valley of the Kings on the other side of the Nile. Now there is a nice paved road, a visitor center (unairconditioned) and a tram that takes you about 200 yds up the hill to near the first tomb. The tomb entrances have been improved and there is now two way walking traffic in and out of them. They have added acrylic panels in front of the walls so you can’t touch. The guide are no longer allowed in the tombs so you have to get the info outside before you enter. It was 45 degrees Celsius today. For those who don’t have their calculators on hand- that is 120.2 F. What a day!

We stopped for some photo ops at Queen Hatshepsut’s Tomb and the Colossae then back to Luxor for the temple. At least at the temple the huge statues, columns, and walls create a little shade. After an hour there it was back on the bus for our 3 hr plus ride back to the ship. We finished lunch at 1:45 and got back to the ship at 8:45. I was hungry! We ordered room service and sat on the balcony as we left Safaga, Egypt. Jack was under impressed with the tombs but was impressed with the temple. There were so many people at the tombs you really didn’t have any time to contemplate the age and complexity of the hieroglyphics. And we were so hot you couldn’t concentrate. The interesting thing was I was hardly sweating at 120degrees but my face and skin was red. When you licked your lips they tasted salty but we weren’t drenched in sweat. Do any of my scientific friends have a reason for this? Maybe it’s so dry the moisture just evaporates at that point.

May 11, 2010

Yesterday we were in Sharm El Sheik which is a resort town on the Red Sea in Egypt. There was a trip to Mt. Sinai offered but it was another 3+ hours on the bus for an hour there and we just couldn’t do it. Plus it meant getting up at 5 AM to leave at 6:45 AM- NOT! That means at some point I would like to come back and fly to Mt Sinai. Maybe if the stock market goes up I could bring some grandkids in the cooler weather.

Today we are in transit through the Suez Canal. We had a fun white robe breakfast where we were invited to wear our jammies and Oceania white bathrobes in the Terrace dining room and on deck this morning. I wore mine but Jack did not.

Back to the canal. There are no locks. The day is cooler so I am sitting on the balcony as we pass the anchored ships. We are in a northbound convoy going the required 8 knots. The canal is one way with several lakes used for anchor areas. There are two southbound convoys a day and one northbound convoy. We are now passing through the Great Bitter Lake where all the ships on the early southbound convoy are anchored waiting for our convoy to pass so they can again queue up and continue on their southbound way. These lakes are quite wide. Another interesting fact, the canal flows in one direction in the summer and the opposite direction in the winter. Didn’t go to the lecture so I don’t know the reason for that one.

Tomorrow we have to meet at 4:45 AM, yes, that is not a typographical error, to leave for Cairo from Port Said for another 3 ½ hr bus ride each way. I don’t think it will be over 100 tomorrow, hopefully, just in the 80’s. So tomorrow will be another killer long day. It sure was easier last time I was here when we just flew from Cairo to Luxor and back. And there being only four of us was so wonderful with our own driver and guide. But Jack will get a chance to see the pyramids, sphinx, and Cairo museum.

Then we have one day at sea to pack then it is on to Athens and home. That is if everyone is not on strike in Athens or rioting so we can get to the airport and the flights are on schedule. We managed to avoid the worst of the rioting in Bangkok, it picked up the day after we left. It is hard to believe the 35 days are almost over. An 108 day around the world cruise would not be too long! I don’t think we can afford to do that next year though.

This has been a fantastic trip. We’ve met a lot of great people. Since this is such a long cruise, 90% of the people are retired and have traveled extensively so they are all interesting. We have especially liked the Brits, Aussies, Kiwi’s and, of course, the very friendly Canadians.