The tale of Cleo and Marc A begins.

Yesterday was foreboding. Marc A comes down with anticipatory head cold and is not worth a plug nickel. My hard drive starts to get whacky. This morning, my sent mail folder contents had blasted itself into cyberspace. Unfortunately, I am my own help desk .. NOT. But .. I am persistent. Yea! Finally got the e-mail straightened out.

Marc A awakes at 6:59 since the cleaning crew is coming at 7. Much noise & fuss; he decides we are only taking carry-on luggage. I finally go through my stuff one last time at noon, and he agrees to cross-pack in case we have to check stuff in Rome. I leave him to it. He is not-so-secretly convinced I cannot pack. I am not-so-secretly convinced it's in my best interest if he thinks it.

Suitcases come out. Much muttering and fluttering from the resident pet population. Mix food for next 14 days, and give them fresh food. My~no muss, no fuss. I must remember that strategy next time we go.

We rolled at 3:30 pm. Rain, two traffic lanes out of commission on the Garden State Parkway and a great limo driver means we arrive right on time. My laptop is quietly residing in a drawer at home, along with my cell phone, wedding rings (I wear a fake away from home) and my purse. I start to shake violently.

We fly Alitalia via Rome to Cairo. We step up to check in. The agent expects paper tickets ????. Fortunately, the agent summons the maestro of the reservation system immediately. Maestro coaxes our boarding passes out of the machine AND our Continental mileage numbers into the machine lickety-split. Bravo!

The big bonus? Virgin Club lounge access. Champagne. Computer terminal calling to me. Oh yea, baby.

I amuse myself by looking at the hotels' websites. My god! The first one, Mena House, has a stellar view of the Pyramids. It's part of the Oberoi group, whose hotels in India and Bali were simply fantastic. Cleo will have the option of riding sidesaddle on a horse or majestically sauntering in by camel. After Cleo's public appearance, she can stop by the spa for a rejuvenating treatment. I am liking this trip already.

The Old Cataract House in Aswan is where Agatha Christie penned "Death on the Nile". It's part of the Sofitel chain, so food will be sublime.

Boarding is in twenty minutes. Looking forward to lots of sleep, Marc A's cold subsiding and a magical visit to the land of Cleo and Marc A. Now where do I get a litter to carry me around?

Cheers, Cleo

Take me along Queenie :banana: Waiting for the next chapter!

Oh, how I love your reports, Cleo! There's no
De-nying you are Da Queen! Safe travels and incredible times, Cleo and MA!

Anne, it never ceases to amaze me that you and Gary can go for 14 days with just carry-on luggage! A safe landing to you both!

:nw: :nw: :nw: Queen of De Nile, you rule :nw: :nw: :nw:

Oh royal Queen....your lowly subjects await word of your next adventure! Is there a barge involved?????

Oh the b-ball you're missing! Florida won but oh what a nail-biter! ....keep the party goin'! <img border="0" alt="[vhappy]" title="" src="graemlins/icon_vhappy.gif" /> editing to add: and now Georgetown pulled out a 66-65 win over heartbroken Vanderbilt. Hope you're able to plug in, connecting in Roma!

OHHHH YES Michele- Anne you would have loved it!!!

Can't wait to hear to hear your new adventures, Cleo! Hope Marc A continues to feel better!

Yes, we are about to start a new and thrilling chapter in the life of Cleo and Marc A. We will be waiting with bated breath for the next installment.

I thought I misunderstood the carry-on part, lol. 14 days and no luggage is just a mystery to me but I gotta give you props!

I am looking forward to the next chapter!!

Carry on...all I would wear is shoes!

And poor Mark and Doug would have to go barefoot!

Filed from DeNile

We launch ourselves out of the Virgin Club, only to learn the crew is missing for the flight to Rome. No problem .. as all 13 of them trickle in over the next 45 minutes, they get a round of applause. They take it in stride, waving to their fans. The last one to arrive got a staning ovation. Of course, this meant time in the penalty box since we'd lost our take=off slot. Arrived Rome about 2 hours late.

Marc A says "leave this to me" and proceeds to put two 22" suitcases & an overstuffed backpack through security. No one bats an eye. Carry on to Cairo!

Pass out on flight to Cairo; wake up as we are hurtling into a very hazy sky. Evidently there was a good sized sandstorm early in the day. OK .. get off plane, find Nasr our logistics guy. He hands us our Egyptian visa stamps and proceeds to tell us where to pick up our luggage. Marc A points to carry on. Nasr didn't argue, just pointed us to an open line to exit the airport. President Mubarek's motorcade was coming the opposite direction as we were pulling out of the airport. Here I was thinking Ker & Downey really pulls out all the stops. In reality, he'd come to welcome Condaleeze Rice.

Mena House is at least 1 hour 15 minutes from the airport and it is drop-dead gorgeous. It's a royal hunting lodge from 1860. It's got strong Ottoman influence in the building and antiques, since Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire at the time the building was constructed. We've got one of the palace rooms; most of the resort is an add-on from the 1970s. The room is fine but could use a facelift. Gorgeous scented and unscented flowers are in abundance everyone, exceeded only by the amount of gold leaf and stenciled metal light fixtures. They have a spray of anthuriums that must each be 10" across.

They have a golf course across the street, so you can play under the pyramids. Now THAT's a golf course with a view. Even the club dog is extremely friendly. The pool area is inviting and, hee hee, the belly dancer performance starts at 1:30 am. For reasons we do not fully understand, we are to be out of the hotel by 3:30 pm for a 6 am flight to Aswan. No other activities are planned for Tuesday. So ... we're napping after Monster Cairo Museum day tomorrow, setting the alarm for 1 am and catching the belly dancer show with our breakfast.

Egypt is well staffed with tourism police, and we feel every bit as safe here as we do in America. Our guide, Meged, is not only taking us around Cairo, but is flying around to the rest of Egypt with us. As it turns out, no one else signed up for this tour's departure date. Can you imagine K&D will fly your guide around with just two guests at a group tour rate? Unbelievable. Meged is a wizard at Egyptian history. His special interest is building construction, so he and Marc A are having scintillating conversations about proper foundation support and pyramid/burial chamber design. Marc A, thankfully, is feeling way better today.

Last night we went to the Sound & Light show at the Pyramids. It was lovely to see everything lit up. Afterwards, it was a quick dinner at the main restaurant (open 24/7) and then bedtime. The internet room is also open 24/7. Connection is about US$25 for 2 hours.

Today was the tour of Memphis. We saw the other king of Memphis, Ramses II, minus one leg. I swore the spirit of Elvis was floating around the place. Next was Sakkara, with the first pyramid and a bunch of interesting ruins. Lunch was at a lovely open-air zoo come restaurant. A guy, no kidding, was sitting with a lion cub who he'd let you pet & take a picture for a negotiated fee. After lunch, it was back to the Pyramids to see the Solar Boat & the structures up close. We then headed to the Sphinx, where we nearly had a head-on collision with a camel. We were tossed right out of our seats. No damage. We are clear on the fact camels have the right-of-way. We got to a major pedestrian jam at the entryway to the Sphinx. Promptly at 4 pm, the tourist police started herding everyone out of area.

Traffic here is not quite as crazy as India but close. At the pyramids, a guy on a donkey trots up and smiles, saying "TAXI!!". It's camels, donkeys, car horns and a bit of prayer.

Tomorrow is a very full day. I've already begged off three straight hours of the museum. Meged said I could look at the jewely from the Tut exhibit and then be excused. I like this guy already. Marc A, though, may get more time on building design and engineering aspects. I may go shopping. I did spy a store where I can get the Cleo clothes ...

Until next time

Cleo

Love the report, Cleo. K&D are really doing right by you. Looking forward to reading more about your adventures.

Cleo, thanks for the great reports and welcome to Egypt!!!

Nancy

Here ya go, Cleo!
I am so enjoying your reports!!! Glad to hear that Marc A is feeling better!
Can't wait for your next post!!!!

LOL Betty, what a cute Cleo!!

Hi Cleo,

You are not only Da Queen of De Nile, you are Da Queen of colorful reporting, too! K&D are a first-class act, so it's only fitting that a first-class guide tour with first-class couple such as you and MA!

Waiting for your next installment of "MA & Cleo's Cairo Capers!"

You are a wonderful reporter!!!! Really enjoying tagging along with you two!!

Thanks for the report...another place I need to go....keep having a wonderful time and bring us along with you ... figuratively, of course...

Loving your updates...keep 'em coming Cleo! :app:

Anne you are the BEST writer. You reports are so wonderful I am laughing and reading bits to Ken as he checks our spam for the day. I am also SO happy to know you were met with no problems and now in the good hands of your guide. No matter how long I do this job I always worry. I wish I could accompany everyone and hand them over personally so I know all is well. I have been on that treadmill there is SO MUCH to see in Cairo and you still have the best to come!

Looking forward to your next installment.

Cleo & Marc A. Ever since Tush, I've always wanted to go to D-Nile. I'm glad your sharing your trip with us.

Dave

Gazing from Giza

It’s 1:48 am and the belly dancer DID NOT SHOW for Da Show. Dang! The “breakfast bagel with belly dancing” idea will have to be saved for another time.

Today was a constitutional referendum day in Egypt. The thrust of the change is to affirm the priority of the country to freedom of religion from politics, and vice versa. It got a mixed review from our guide and, from what I see in the paper, also from the populace. There were lots of banners all over Cairo and carts full of people heading to the voting places. The order of the sights to see was changed, as the guide and driver were concerned about demonstrations regarding the vote. We started at the Coptic Church and museum. Coptic is the old word for Egyptian; and the Coptic church is 98% similar to the Greek Orthodox church. Coptics are around 12 million of the 75 million Egyptians. Meged says K&D is the only company that includes this particular sight in their packages.

The church was interesting; the museum spectacular. Several painted niches from the 7th century bore a striking resemblance to those we saw from the 9th or 10th century in Cappadocia, Turkey. After that, a Greek Orthodox church and a Jewish Synagogue tour. Cleo, at this point, is remembering her good friend Jerold from ROAR. “If Jerold were here, do you suppose we’d be on the Bataan church march?” she whispers to Marc A.

Next up was the Citadel and the Muhammad Ali mosque with the alabaster portico. A couple of visitors make the cardinal mistake of putting their shoes on the carpet, soles down, and start to pray. The tourist police let them finish their prayers, then descend on them because their shoes have defiled the prayer space. Kids, do not try this other than at home. As if on cue, the muzzelin starts calling the noontime prayers through the Arabic PA system – an open grate with an air shaft behind it. The errant visitors get a reprieve. Next up is the papyrus factory, complete with the hibiscus tea (very good) and the demonstration as to why the stuff for sale outside the factory for 10% of the factory price is just plain junk. We got a couple pieces with the personalized cartouches for friends at home.

Finally, Cleo and Marc A get on a Nile river boat. Lunch was at the Pasha Nileside riverboat restaurant. Good Italian food (yes!) and a lovely setting.

Off to the Mother of all Museums, the home of Tuthankhamun’s tomb treasures. Cleo is buoyed up at the thought of the “straight to the jewelry” agreement. I failed to realize that was after we looked at a number of other sights. I go into museum overload after about 45 minutes. Kids, they’ve got mummies of everything in this museum – pharaohs, queens, kids, high nobles, beetles, cats, crocodiles, ravens and … ta daa …someone’s pet mare. The King Tut display is breathtaking. The genuine pharaoh’s throne (gold, lapis lazuli, silver, cerulean, but no diamonds), the chariots, the pure gold embellished coffin, the necklaces, and the jars holding Tut’s innards. No photos permitted of any of this. Boo hiss. Cleo is happy to see it but is oh so done with sightseeing. Marc A spots a blow-up King Tut sarcophagus punching back he’s just got to have. Now everyone’s happy. We crashed about 15 minutes after we got back to Mena House. I have to head up & awaken Marc A for our day in Aswan. We’re at Old Cataract House, where Agatha Christie purportedly penned “Death on the Nile”. I’m looking forward to a free day. Cheers, Cleo

Miss you Cleo!!!!! :hug: :hug: :hug:

Lovin' every minute of your report, Cleo! "Museum overload - yes!" But sounds like a great day over all!

THANKS SO Much!

Good hearing from you Cleo! (wasn't your name Rose last year?) Overdosed on churches and museums...thats my girl! Would you bring me back one of those blow-up sarcophagus? gotta have one ;)
To De Nile

Thanks for letting us join in on the fun, Cleo! Glad to hear that Marc A is feeling better.

Great - a morning fix from Cleo. Woke this morning and got my hot tea and straight to Sea Mail to check out LCT's own Reality show, Cleo and Marcie.

Loved reading Cleos post and reliving my own similiar experiences in Cairo although there is NO way that I could ever have described these sites like OUR Cleo does. The King Tut area of the museum is truly spectactular. The Cairo Museum is SO SO big it is exhausting but what you see really does stay in your memory.

She is now headed to the area of Egypt that I think is the BEST. Cairo is interesting, the Pyramids are a wonder to behold BUT Luxor, Karnak and Abu Simbal -- stayed tuned for Cleo's take on these experiences.

Your reports are THE BEST, oh Great Queen! Keep 'em coming! I can only imagine how awesome a trip this is for you and MA!

Can't wait for the next installment of: As Cleo's World Turns.

LOVE your posts....and from one 'carry on only' nut to another......we send big hugs to you and Mark A!! :hug:

Cleo your posts are wonderful! How on earth are you able to purchase "souvenirs" with only carry-on luggage?

Cleo - Your reports are nothing short of brilliant but then after the best non-cruise I've ever been on (TUSH), I'm not surprised! Keep up the good work - see you on FJORDS! Lee

Sailing through Aswan

Thanks, all, for your responses. We are enjoying having you all virtually join us.

Suzie .. We saw one other sarcophagus punching bag this morning. I'll try to grab it for you.

If any of you have any particular questions, let me know. We have, after all, Meged the Master of All Things Egyptian on loan for the next five days.

Sue - I will give K&D a lot of credit for putting together the packing list. I followed it to the letter. It not only fit in the carry-on, it's been just the right clothes for our visit here. How is everything fitting into the bags? Beats the heck out of me. Marc A just takes over packing and voila!

To resume our tale:

Cleo and Marc A get a call at 3:31 am from Mr. Nasr, logistics man for Trans Egypt Tour (K&D's local tour operator) asking us politely to make our way downstairs post-haste. I like Mr. Nasr a lot. He runs a tight ship and takes no guff from anyone. We say goodbye to our driver from Cairo and ask Mr. Nasr to please meet us when we return from Jordan. This guy is simply amazing. He politely replies "That will be an extra USD 20". No problema!

I can't decide which of the three of us is most exhausted crawling on to the plane to Luxor. Meged scares me by asking what time we plan to do the Nubian museum. I pull out my itinerary and meet him with a steely-eyed stare. "NO museums are listed today!" He replies "As you wish. However, the next day will be too full". Aaarrg ... he is correct. By the time we get to Aswan, our local guy is missing. Much arabic flies on the cell phone, and we load into a 1963 esque Fiat station wagon for the hotel. Meged shrugs his shoulder & says we'll get the local version of Mr. Nasr on the way to the hotel .. maybe.

We arrive at the hotel (after meeting our local Mr. Nasr) and I dig for my Sofitel Privileges card. Success! We got an upgraded room overlooking Elephantine Island. This hotel is every bit as remarkable as the Mena House. It is pure old-colonial British but is now run by the French. See .. the EU IS succeeding. We walk by a lovely salon and learn that is where Condeleeza Rice met with Hosni Mubarek the day before we arrived. The flower arrangements are gorgeous yet different.

Before they leave, Meged and the local guy suggest we add the felluca/camel ride to the monastery along with the Nubian museum. The Arabic word for NO is La. I simply said "LA, LA, and DOUBLE LA!" Do not come before 6 pm for us. Eeek! They took off. We went back to sleep for about 3 hours and then lazed at the pool. I actually got in (70 degrees - chilly) and swam some laps.

Meged was prompt and rested, too. Marc A was starting to come down with a persistent cough. The Nubian Museum was terrific. The artifacts there are so complete and detailed. There's a lovely garden, a mock-up of a Nubian house and not nearly as much stuff to see.

Meged then offered to take us to the local market for an hour or so. My God .. Meged made Beijing Jane (our very capable guide in Beijing) look like an amateur. He's a power shopper and managed to keep the whole experience friendly. Some of the sales lines were priceless "I PAY you to shop in my store!", "Hassle Free Here", "Hey! You promised you would come back!!", and so many more that escape me right now. I stopped at one spice merchant and bought some hibiscus for tea for Marc A's cough. They had so much lovely stuff; a visual feast for the eyes! Then a great kid engaged me about his brother in California. His older brother brought out a Nubian nymph dress in .. ta daa .. Blue Demon Blue. He was busy telling me what a great color it would be; I looked quickly and realized it was the only dress in my size. You've got to love the salesmanship. He started at 190 Egyptian pounds. Meged sprang into Arabic and got it for 50. All in all, yesterday was fabulous.

It turns out Meged is staying on the Triton's sister ship, Salacia, which is not operating (I think due to lack of bookings, not a mechanical problem). Triton called him yesterday to check on our status. As of yesterday, we have the Triton to ourselves.

Today we did the unfinished obelisk (yep, it's still there) and the Isle of Philae (wonderful). Two hours free, then it's time for the felluca (small sailboat) over to the camels.

I've been thinking about our Four Corners tour group from ROAR. It turns our Abu Simbel is only about 15 km. from the Sudan border. There's no doubt in my mind the Four Corners group would find a way to get their passports stamped at least once or twice. Alas .. we're stickin' with Meged, who is certainly not going to take time away from ABu Simbel. After that, we board the barge.

Cheers, Cleo

Anne, your itinerary is so fascinating and busy! I am sure I would be totally exhausted by now. I am looking forward to your Jordan reports, I hope you make it to Petra, my #1 must see choice!

Cleo I need a nap after reading all what you did in one day! Hope the cough clears up for Marc A.! :)

Dear Cleo, I was kidding! No sarcophagus punching bag :rolleyes: :p A slow relaxing cruise down the Nile is what you need now. Hope M A is feeling better. Can't wait to tune in on the next chapter. XXX

Wow and double Wow! What a trip you are having, Cleo. Take care of Mark A and his cough. Reclining on your chaise as you glide down the Nile on your barge will be relaxing.

GREAT report. Are you sure your guides name is not Shee-Han. They must be related!!! There is SO MUCH TO SEE here and it really does get tiring.

Any power shopping at Philae? We were on the boat going to the island with one of the local merchants going to set up shop for the day "lucky morning price". This is where Linda and I got into the whole beads for "almost nothing" shopping. This is the picture on the head of the CAMEL page.

So much is still ahead of you!!!. Cannot believe you have the Trition all to yourself. WOW. Will you be spoiled. When we went we were on the Salacia and it was completely full. Our fellow passengers were almost all Germans, luckily there was no boot room as on the Hanseatic. At that time the Trition was chartered.

If I was ever to go back to Egypt with a group I would love to charter the Triton. I think this would be a great fun.

The Salacia was nice and has just been fully refurbished so I am sure she looks good now. Sad to hear there are not enough bookings, Egpyt is certainly hurting for tourism and it is such a fascinating destination.

Poor Gary, give him a big hug from me I hope he starts feeling better soon. Nothing so frustrating as being on a wonderful trip like this and being a bit under the weather. Once you get on the Nile part of the trip he can rest. It is very relaxing sailing down the Nile watching the farmers and seeing all the sights on each side. Always something to look at and wonderful kodak moments. PLUS you can do it all from a relaxing chaise lounge!!! Maybe you can feed MarkA grapes as he lounges, in true Cleo style???

Keep the reports coming Anne - so anxious for your next installment!!!

I found this description of the Triton which is 236 ft long:

The Triton has been converted from a vessel for over 100 guests to one that now caters to 40.


The vessel has heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools tiled with handmade glass mosaics. The spa is equipped with sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi. A professional masseur is onboard and fitness equipment is available. The crew of 60 staff serves 40 guests with a ratio of 1.5 staff members per guest.
---------------------

Amazing that you have it to yourselves! Love the reports!

The interior of the Triton looks wonderful! Anne, I'm loving your account of the trip so far, but I'm exhausted!
http://www.capecairo.com/egypt/nile_cruises/triton.html

Cleo,

I am loving every word! So many of us LCTers are with you and marc A in spirit.

Also, two of the "four corners" group appreciated your thinking of us!

Cleo,

Another terrific report!!!!! Keep 'em coming, please. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!!!!!!!

So glad you're able to take it ALL in, Cleo! I am lovin' your trip! Thanks so much for keeping us with you. You're funny...we Four Corners characters would definitely be pushing the envelope towards the Sudanese border! :eek: Sure hope Mark A gets to feelin' better.

Thanks, everyone. I'm trying to upload some pictures in www.kodakgallery.com user id cruise@yahoo.com password cc. I don't have time to put on the captions, but at least it will give you an idea.

Egypt is hurting for tourism from what I can see. In general, the Egyptians have been gracious, deeply interested in seeing we are having a good time, thrilled to even hear us try one or two words in Arabic, and resourceful. I believe the massive use of metal detectors are serving a second purpose as doorbells.

Cheers, Cleo

Sounds absolutely fascinating. Keep the reports coming, they are GREAT.
Lynn

http://www.bkafrica.com/E_Triton_Cruise_Ship.htm

This is a link from my web on the ship Cleo and MarkA are going to be sailing on down the Nile. The list of celebrities that have sailed on this ship is pretty extensive. It really is lovely and the main lobby bar and circular stairway is quite dramatic.

I looked at your pictures Anne, great, love the guy on the donkey!!!

It's gorgeous! Cleopatra's standards are very high :woh: I'm impressed and envious.

:woh: is right! I'm so there!!

Wonderful photos, Cleo! Your reports continue to deepen my color of green!

Wising you and MA more awesome days to come!

Cleo,
I love reading all about your trip! I sure hope Mark A is feeling better. We're not going to be missing each other by much....Keep 'em coming!

Wow, I'm tired just reading about your days! Thanks for the updates! Hope the hibiscus tea helps Marc A's cough.

Da Queen has asked her loyal servant to post the next installment of "Cleo and MA's Capers" for her. Ask and I gladly obey -

Ambling through Abu Simbel

Yesterday's adventures were the best yet. We got up early and checked out of the Old Cataract hotel. I learned cataract is the arabic word for water fall. Off to the airport to see Abu Simbel. Meged the Master forewarns us to step lively so we will have maximum time to see the temples. It is HOT down there. The temples are both an archeological as well as engineering masterpiece. The Egyptians moved the temple, with a lot of financial and engineering help, before they put in the new high dam. What a contrast to what we remember from China's decisions with their ancient sites along the Yangtze. So far, it is clear Meged is grateful the USA has provided so much of the money to preserve Egypt's great treasurers. Abu Simbel is one of many projects he's mentioned where the USA has been very generous with money, time and talent.

I regret I cannot load more photos as the Internet on the Triton is fast but it's US 10 equiv for 30 minutes time. The connection doesn't hold that well and the 8 photos took 40 minutes to load on a fast connection. I'll try when I get to Jordan.

After we return from Abu Simbel, we boarded MS Triton. Sure enough, this is Cleo and Marc A's return barge trip up the Nile. The ship is stunningly beautiful. Ngaire, we must figure out a charter for the LCT and friends crowd. It is a perfect ship. Lunch was delicious and crazy generous. "Help yourself to the salad buffet". Hey .. there are TWO of us on board. No matter .. it's in the program and that's what they will gladly do for us. After lunch, they took our dinner orders. The accountant in me thought that was a good idea.

I have switched to cocktails this trip as the wine is horrendously expensive if it's imported and the Egyptian wine is so-so. Then again, how can one resist Omar Khayyam Cabernet Sauvignon? At the Old Cataract, you get a slight price break if you order from their set cocktail menu. The funny part is they don't necessary know how to make the drinks on the cocktail menu. I opted for a Tom Collins. I got four different versions (only one tasted close to what I remember) and every bartender told Gary they don't make that drink. Well, three out of four were truthful. I began to see this is the perfect "stump the bartender" drink in Egypt.

The staff is all male, and we are definitely in Muslim culture. The men only talk to Gary unless I ask something directly, and that's done out of respect. The bartender, though, figured out in about 30 minutes I am Da Queen. It's good we got that straightened out right away!

I tried the Tom Collins routine again on board. I am five for five now in stumping the bartender. Vodka tonics are easier for all of us, so that will be Cleo's drink the next few days.

We were offered an add-on tour to see a Nubian village. The village visits were some of the high points from ROAR, so we signed on. It was grand! We took a motorboat to the village about 1/2 an hour away, and what a feast for the eyes! The Nubians revel in color, art and all kinds of objects. Not a one of them wore eyeglasses. The men often work away from the families, and the grandmothers keep it all together for the women and children. I got a hand-made woven shawl. Ngaire, I found a Nubian headdress (don't know if it's the same you & Linda have) and got it to go with my Blue Demon Nubian dress.

Dinner was 8 pm and was also very good. Lights out around 10 pm. We set sail this morning at 6 am and had the option of breakfast in our room, on the sun deck or back in the restaurant. The winner is .. the sun deck! After that, two temple visits during the course of the day and lots of time to relax and watch life along the Nile.

Cheers, Cleo

Life doesn't get much better :) So glad you found a proper headdress to compliment the Blue Demon...looking forward to seeing that ensemble formal night on FJORDS.

Carry on O Queenie

Gliding down the Nile, I love that image Cleo. The visit to the Nubian Village sounds fascinating. Hope to see you in formal Egyptian, Queenly dress on FJORDS. You could sing "Walk Like an Egyptian" on kareoke night :app: .

Denise, you make a great loyal servant!

.... :nw: Cleo & Mark A. THIS is quite an image!

So glad to hear from you Cleo. I cannot believe you have that whole ship to yourselves. That will be an unbelievable experience. Yes, I remember the wine, I did warn you about that. Drinks are not where the Egyptians excel, but trying their wild efforts is a hoot. We basically gave up and had beer or sparkling water most of the time. I did not have time to go to a Nubian Village, I am sure that was really interesting.

Abu Simbel was probably the temple that impressed me the most. I loved it. HOT - wait for the Valley of the Kings in the real desert now that is hot. Entering the toombs provides some relief.

Karnak and Luxor await you!! They are stunning also.

I dont want your trip to end it is such fun to read your reports each day!

Just thought I would let you know why we have not heard

Ah I am missing my reports from Cleo and MarkA. Got up this morning and ran to my computer hoping to read another installment.

Cleo called me on Friday and said the internet on the ship was sporadic and kept going in and out so I am sure that is why we have not heard.
She told me some great stories but I wont post here as I am sure she will tell them far better than I can.

Whew! Cleo and Marc A have now arrived in Amman, where all the buildings are made of white stone and, to paraphrase Garrison Keiller, all the children must be above average.

I am deeply indebted to my loyal subject Denise for passing along my last update. I did another update, only to have the internet connection go out approximately 5 seconds before I pressed the "Add Reply" button. Aaarg!

The trip up the Nile was marked by each experience being better than the next. The first temple featured the crocodile god Sobek, who figures in the Egyptian Evil Empire crowd. Sure enough, we had the Guide Gladiator Games break out. There were two river boats overflowing with European guests, and Meged the Master with the two of us in tow. The jousting was fierce around the Egyptian version of the Palm Pilot organizer, and of course Meged was the winner. Then we took on the race to the back of the temple, where the groups were getting first the explanations in Italian and then in German. Each guide tailored their explanations; for the group of 50, much of the time was spent rounding up the guests and little on explaining the key scenes of temple carvings.

Next we went on to Edfu, where we appeared in between the large groups. We had the temple to ourselves, and got a clear picture of the inner sanctum. Meged says that photo op is available about once a year.

Back onboard, we lazed on the sun deck. I found "Death on the Nile" in the bookcase. What a perfect setting for reading the whodunit! Another lovely dinner a deux, a nightcap and on to our next adventure.

We made our way up to Luxor, where the Karnak temple complex simply took our breath away. We went back that evening for another perspective during the sound and light show. A cranky Brit was muttering "why don't they just name it walk amongst illuminated ruins?" so she obviously expected something different. We returned to an Egyptian dinner, so I broke out my Nubian Nymph look. The folks on board were thrilled we were going native in a hurry.

I went looking for the hot tub, only to find a bird trapped in the gym. I tried to set it free, which turned into half the staff helping me corner the bird for release. They could not figure out what I was doing, but we all got a workout. Once the bird was successfully freed, I returned to the sun deck to have a cold drink. One of the deck hands came up to me, with the bird in hand. He was so anxious to please, he thought I wanted to keep it. Too funny!

The last day was the visit to the Valley of the Kings, Queens and the temple of Hapshepsut. This was Gary's most memorable visit. The paintings in the temples are sporadic; the tombs sparkle with complete paintings in fine detail and brillant color. In China, the paint on the terra cotta warriors had faded significantly within about 40 years; it's more than 3,000 years and the colors are still vibrant. Amazing!

We had a gala dinner awaiting us. The chef proudly carved the full tenderloin of beef after we finished our Red Sea lobster first course. He put great care into preparing a memorable meal for us. Finally, the ship actually brought a belly dancer and whirling dervish (Egyptian style, not Sufi style) for our entertainment. They lit up the disco just for that show. We had a blast. I'd post pictures but they are complete fuzz from all the flourishes the performers incorporated into their acts.

We left this morning and spent most the day in transit. Marc A received his keffiah (?) headdress upon arrival in Jordan. We are touring historic sights outside of Amman tomorrow and then arriving at Petra for a two-night stay.

More later (I hope), Cleo

All I can say is WOW!!!!

What an adventure, Cleo! Exciting that you're discovering Amman & its environs.
.... Can't wait for news of Petra!

adding: Chirp! Surfer & Sandy are wondering if you're going to bring THAT Egyptian birdie home with you!!.. :(

Wonderful! Can't wait to see Luxor...my anticipation peaks! I know a 'Whirling Dervish' Her name starts with an "S" :D :app:

So glad to get your report, Cleo. We've been missing you.

You and Marc A are really having quite the adventure, and getting a bit spoiled in the process. You are planning on coming back home, aren't you? lol

Keep exploring and keep reporting, PLEASE!

Spoiled is so right, Betty. We were commenting at dinner tonite that we not only turned our watches forward one hour between Cairo and Amman, but also went through time warp of about one century.

The hotel here is magnificent with a nice view of the al Hussein mosque. The guests and employees are sophisticated and I have yet to see a woman in a veil. I can't quite describe it, but it's also sterile vs. the rhythm of life we experienced in Egypt.

We find ourselves really missing Da Boyz (Meged and the cruise staff) this evening. In Egypt, we committed at least five international faux pas, lacking sufficient understanding of one another's cultural norms. Their cultural norm is to find a way to recover from it quickly, thank goodness.

Marc A was introduced to the phrase "en shel Allah (? sp)" used all the time in Egypt. It means "God Willing". It's the universal response to a direct question about anything to happen in the future. What a useful phrase. Not only does it keep you humble, it's the perfect excuse if stuff gets screwed up. By the time we left the ship, he was a master of "en shel Allah".

In return, Marc A shared some American cultural wisdom with Meged. Meged has a good sense of how to walk the line between caring for clients and respecting his family. Nonetheless, you can appreciate if he's on the Triton for four days and his wife is at home alone, this can create tension. Marc A introduce Meged to the creed of "What happens in Vegas, STAYS in Vegas!" It was a breakthrough moment.

Conclusion: Egypt snuck up on both of us and captured our hearts.

Sandy and Surfer will be pleased to know I liberated the bird a second time and it did reach land safely.

We will resume our scouting assignments for CAMEL at 0800 hours tomorrow. I found a spot on the Dead Sea near one of our stops tomorrow where not only Cleopatra but also the Queen of Sheba were reputed to hang out. That may get negotiated into our tour today. We got a great brochure of stuff to do in Jordan. I'll try to scan it & send it on to those interested as a PDF file.

On Thursday, we'll visit Wadi Rum all day, then start the 0 dark hundred schedule and make the long trek home.

Cheers, Cleo

HI Cleo, just loving all of your reports.

While I haven't travel extensively like you, I have been to Petra! You are in for an amazing treat! Petra is the most incredible place I have visited.

Best, Nancy

Seems like you just left, Anne! Looking forward to the Petra reports!

Long trek home??? Say it isn't so, Cleo!

Hoping that one day we can personally experience this fascinating journey - "en shel Allah."

Can't wait to hear about Petra. Have an amazing time!

Anne, I have loved your reports. Nice reading with my morning cup of coffee. I know Petra will be an awesome experience. After reading your trip reports, I want to go to that part of the world. Have a safe trip home.

I have really enjoyed your trip. What an outstanding destination. Thanks for letting us travel with you.

Dave

Thanks for traveling along with us! It's been most enjoyable.

For my Four Corners friends, if you did this trip right, you'd get Saudi Arabia, Israel, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq stamps in your passport if you started early enough in the day. Denise, we passed by the Crowne Plaza in Amman. It must have at least 25 antennas on its roof. That must be the place to stay!

Our hotel, as I mentioned, is magnificent. Our fellow non-smoking guests, however, were not. 2 am this morning, I hear them yelling in their best American accents "HOW DO YOU SAY HELLO IN ARABIC?" After 10 minutes of "merbuhoo? no, MER-Ha-Ba" I was thoroughly awake. The 7 am wake-up call came much too soon.

I was so frustrated I said something on check-out. Jordan had suffered terrible losses at two hotel weddings a few years ago from humans sporting bomb belts, intent on dispatching themselves and as many others as possible to the pearly gates in one fell swoop. As a result, security at hotels is extremely tight. The front desk indicated security would deal with our boisterous floor mates. I had little doubt they would.

We headed off to Jerash, one of the ten Roman cities between Rome and present day Israel. Way back then, they used size of the columns to indicate importance to the citizens of various locations in the city. The bigger it is, the more important. It is well preserved and the highlight of today's visits.

We moved on to Medaba, where a 6th century mosaic floor is a detailed map of the whole area. The mosaic floor was re-discovered in the 1890's; at that time, a Christian Greek Orthodox church was built over the floor. We finished up at Mt. Nebo, where Moses viewed the Holy Land before he died. Pope John Paul II visited Mt. Nebo in the year 2000, and there's a memorial statue in honor of that visit. More spectacular mosaic floors are in the Franciscan church at the site.

We ate a quick lunch, bought a few mosaics and some Dead Sea beauty products, and proceeded to fall sound asleep for the first half of the three-hour drive to Petra. The Desert Highway is divided two lane and hypnotic as it passes from greenery to desert dunes. We turned off and picked up the lower part of the King's Highway, which is populated with lovely views, steep ascents and descents and a four-lane highway.

Marc A was trying to lobby for a trip to the Dead Sea once he saw it from Mt. Nebo. We'll have to file that idea for a return visit. Distances sounded short to me on this trip; in actuality, they are not. CAMEL participants, Petra is about as far as you want to go. There's only Kerak about 90 minutes north of Petra to add to the visit.

We arrived at the Movenpick in Petra around 5 pm and were given an upgrade to a full suite from a junior suite. It is a lovely property. The ceiling in the main bar is a sight for the eyes. I hope to get a decent picture.

The hotel advertises happy hour but does not seem to understand how to do it for the guests. Oh well ... no big deal.

Tomorrow it's Petra. We can't wait. Dinner at 8, belly dancer at 8:30 and off to bed for an 8 am wake-up call.

Cheers, Anne

Love sharing your journey and anxious for your Petra report.

Another fine report, Cleo! Sorry to hear about your 2:00AM disturbance.

A Crowne Plaza in Amman, you say? Will be looking into my employee rate there ;)

So looking forward to your report on Petra. Have a grand and glorious time!

I am howling!!!

Petra Pilgrimage

Executive Summary:

One of the most spectacular places I've ever been. It's one of those places where the pictures can't do it justice. You've just got to go to experience the whole environment. It's about 3 miles from the entrance to the park to the lunch stop. Once again, my loyal subject Denise successfully installed Crowne Plaza for the lunch and the cleanest toilet stop we've had in Jordan. You can get in & out via walking, horse ride, donkey ride, camel ride or horse carriage. If you have back problems, you must stick to walking as there are no springs on the carriages. You must walk carefully, given all the animals parading along your route. No shortage of natural fertilizer here, so choose clean-up friendly footwear. There are further treks from the lunch stop that are spectacular and physically demanding. Shopping includes handmade Bedouin fabrics (jackets, pillowcases), necklaces and silver bracelets, rugs, and sand art jars that are worth buying. The sellers are largely the Bedouin people. They are not shy in the least about asking for tips or selling you all kinds of stuff. For the best quality stuff, go outside the park past the Movenpick to the "Made in Jordan" shop. Decorated ostrich eggs that rival those in South Africa are available. I did not compare prices

Da Details:

Petra's quick history: The Nabadeans (circa 600 BC) set up their burial grounds in this canyon. They were later conquered by the Romans, who added much of their buildings and culture. Finally, the Druids (still a sect in Syria) came into power through circa 1100. I believe there was an earthquake that pretty much shuttered the role of Petra. It was rediscovered in the early 1800's by Burkhardt. You see ruins from the three primary civilizations whilst here. Bedouins have lived in this area so know it well. The area just behind Petra's canyon was a caravan stopping point.

The area surrounding Petra is quite green. Our hotel is literally 100 feet from the entrance to the park. As such, it caters to large tour groups, all on half-board. The dinner buffet was a real madhouse. We decided to skip it the second night.

Jordan is putting on the full-court press to get Petra voted in as one the of Seven New Wonders of the World. There were no fewer than 12 computers in the visitor's center so you could cast your ballot. There are lots of wonderful choices amongst the 21 finalists. If you care to vote, go to www.visitjordan.com and follow the links. You provide the information, make your choices, and then go to your e-mail. There's a confirmation e-mail with a link to record your vote. The winners will be announced July 7. It reminds me of good ol' Chicago machine voting. Since Jordan is a small country (6 million population vs. 1.1 billion in India to vote for the Taj Mahal), they need to get out the vote.

Lots of the souvenir stalls sell sand art made from the sand in the Petra canyon. They will write your name in the sand if you give them a few hours. We exercised our indulgent grandparent responsibilties, so had bottles made for the grandchildren. Once THAT important familial duty was discharged, we headed into the park.

The whole area is peaceful and awe-inspiring. Think the grand canyon with Pompeii on the floor and sides of the walls to get an idea how remarkable this place is. We rode horses to the gorge entrance. My Bedouin horse walker used the 15 minutes to give me the sales pitch/pick up lines of the century. He carefully described how we were going to run away together to see the dancing horses of Syria, the Wadi Rum, sleep in his family's tent and his sister would cook a chicken on the fire! As our guide said, "He's an experienced tourist worker". I agree with that assessment.

We entered the gorge on foot and were transported to a different world. There are traces of the Roman and Nabadean gutters and rain runoff channels. It's an easy 1 mile walk to the first spectacular sight, The Treasury. All of the Nabadean graves and buildings are carved right into the walls of the rocks. The walls are nearly vertical, and the Treasury must be at least 40 feet high. There's no vegetation to speak of, so we were contemplating how they brought in the scaffolding to complete the carving. The technique was to cover the area with sand and start carving at the top of the building. As they worked their way down, the sand was removed and the carving continued. There's much evidence of shifting ground levels over the 1700 years of history in this canyon.

We turned the corner to see even more crypt entrances at all kinds of levels. As we went deeper into the wider areas of the canyon, the sun lit up the intense colors of the rock. It looks like a flow piece of granite on steroids. Rich burgundies, red clay colors, bright white, gray, stunning yellow .. all flowing like rivers throughout the entire canyon. I've not seen a geological formation like that anywhere else.

At that point, Ruby introduced us to a young Army officer, Zed, who asked to join us for our tour. His duties include English translation, and he wanted to practice. Marc A drew this assignment. Zed stayed with us for about one and a half hours, keeping Marc A entertained. We trekked up the steps to see even more spectacular rock coloration. At that point, it was time for a comfort break. The owner of the tour agency, Guiding Star, called to make sure we were happy and to wish us and our families a happy Easter.

We toured yet another church with drop-dead amazing mosaic floors, and it was time for lunch. We invited Zed to join us but he declined. Off we went for a great lamb stew and a sparkling clean bathroom.

Somehow we talked ourselves into trying the trek to the Monastery (about a 2 hour round-trip that involves nothing but steps) through a back canyon. Ruby said she'd wait at the lunch stop as she couldn't do the climb. I decided to go round trip on a donkey as my knees were already barking from all the stair climbing in the AM. Surprisingly, Marc A said he'd come along, too. We were about 100 meters from the donkey ride place when Marc A's donkey did a full face plant. This was an ominous forewarning of the ride to come.

Cuckoo and I were off in the care of our Bedouin donkey handler. The donkeys just head up the stairs and don't stop. If you are in their way, they butt right into you. On the way up, you must ride as close to the donkey's front legs as possible. I spend the whole ride hanging on for dear life, digging my thighs in to hold the right position and apologizing for squishing fellow pilgrims up against the canyon walls. The stairs have eroded in certain places, so it's slippery to get up. Cuckoo stumbled, and I got quite a jolt up my back. I shuddered when my guide announced we'd hit the halfway point. Up we went on narrower staircases and passed more Bedouin boutiques, all of whom had ladies yelling out we needed to give our guides big tips. Pictures were impossible whilst riding the donkey. We finally reached the plateau below the monastery. The guides were insistent we be back in 5 minutes after pictures. Once again, cultural misunderstandings arose.

We looked up at the monastery, which had the thinnest, steepest steps. I knew I wasn't going to try it. I headed back, and the Bedouin women were outraged. "We take you up to the monastery on the donkey!". Look, the donkey just spent 1/2 an hour heaving us up that far. Give the donkey a rest! There was no way I was going up further on a donkey. Marc A was not getting on the donkey again. I waited a bit then slid back up on Cuckoo. If possible, the ride down was even more jolting than the ride up. In this case, you had to lock your elbows and ride as far back on the donkey as possible, using your arms to keep you in position. We got to the spot where the stairs are eroded. At this point, my handler cheerfully tells me the donkey's leg was injured on the ride up. So why I am on the injured donkey? Well, Marc A's handler was busy soliciting another rider for the way down. Oy! The story about the donkey's injury grew with the passage of time. The call for big tips for my guide were also growing with passage of time. Since none of this seemed to be working, another Bedouin donkey rider came up and started insisting I could not be older than 25. And .. would I like to visit their family? Their sister would cook a lamb on the fire. What a hoot! I finally arrived back down at the lunch stop. The back canyon was so much more dramatic and spectacular than the area with the tombs. I was very glad I did it, but much wiser about the physicality needed to even ride a donkey up into the hills.

Marc A had a fun time heading up to the monastery on foot, buying a few necklaces (the Bedouin happy hour: buy one, get one free) and trekking back to the canyon.

We headed to the entrance around 5 pm. All the Bedouin horsemen were bringing the animals back up from the canyon. It was like the Petra Preakness with lots of thundering hooves, horses rearing up and general chaos. We had thought to wear our "Bucking Horse Sales" t-shirts that day. How fitting!

He then bought a Jordanian rug up at the entrance to the park. As he cleared hotel security, the guard gasped. "My mother makes these rugs! Thank you, sir! I will tell her you are taking this home with you as a memory of Jordan!"

You are never far from someone you know in Jordan. It is a small, close-knit country. It's also like Egypt .. folks stay up late into the night and take the siesta during the day.

We headed for drinks, hamburgers in the bar and then to bed. Two hours later, the phone rings. "Madame, your young man wishes to bid you good-bye. Will you come downstairs?" I am thinking, which of the many young men from today is he talking about? and did the donkey or horse come along? Am I hallucinating? I hand the phone to Marc A. It turns out it's Zed, our English student from the morning. We haul ourselves out of bed. There he is, dressed to the nines, and asking us to please visit his family when we return for CAMEL. We enjoy a cup of coffee with him and learn he's a BASKETBALL fan. We are totally won over. We toast the Gators and the Lady Volunteers, and then head back to bed.

Today starts the long trek home. Pick up at 10, 2 hour drive to Wadi Rum, 2 hour 4X4 jeep tour of the dunes, tea with Bedouins, drive to Amman airport, head for home. If this tour goes the same way the one to Egypt did, the Wadi Rum will be the highlight of our visit.

Thanks for virtually coming along with us. It's been one of our best travel experiences ever. Most special thanks to Ngaire for putting this together. If you get the chance, do visit.
Cheers, Cleo

Ahh I cant wait for CAMEL to visit this place that has been on my list for such a long time. Glad we had the Cleo to blaze a path for us.

I know you need to come home but I will miss these wonderful updates each day.

Oh yeah.

Another great report Marc A and Cleo (or do you go by Liz and Richard outside of Egypt?)

Petra has been hovering around the top of my 'list' for a long time. Glad you validated that idea!

Wow!, Cleo, what a report! I'm exhausted reading it, and needless to say, wouldn't even contemplate the donkey ride up and down. Thanks for the education! (and hope the aches and pains aren't too bad!)

Thanks again for sharing your adventures with us, Cleo! It sounds like you had an amazing time!

Thanks, all. It's been a full, wonderful, exhausting and exhiliarating trip.

I'm adding a few more photos to the album. It's the "While on De Nile" album. Hope you like!

www.kodakgallery.com User ID cruise@yahoo.com password cc

Cheers, Cleo

Cleo,
You and MA have experienced a trip of a lifetime, worthy of your greatness! Sharing your descriptive, incredible reports and photos with your loyal subjects back in the US has been the next best thing to being there! Thank you. Petra must have been an awesome experience!

BTW, As a loyal subject should, I contacted Crowne Plaza and told them of your visit and to ensure that their bathrooms were sparkling clean for you!

Safe travels, Cleo and MA! Sadly, no longer in De Nile and back to Reality Checkque!

Will someone please convince Cleo to get these posts into Conde Nast! :nw:

I agree - it would be such a shame for this to not be enjoyed by many people.

Cleo, thank you for the awesome posts. What a trip!

Oh my, Cleo! I can't stop laughing over that donkey ride! My arm(s) are throbbing imagining hanging on - especially on the way down!! We can get you (& the donkey) a good deal on rotator cuff repair! Mercy!

Thanks for taking us along...we're rarin' to pick up your footsteps on CAMEL now. :)

Eau Wow! Thanks for scouting the way for CAMEL. Applause to you and Gary for braving the donkey ride and your marvelous descriptions of Petra.....it's only a year away for us! I'll ask many questions when I see you two on FJORDS!

Safe trip home

Thanks to all of you for taking the interest and time to come along on this amazing journey.

A short last post

We left at 10 am for Wadi Rum, or Rum Valley. On the way, our guide Ruby stopped to show us a cave hotel in the hills above Petra. It reminded us so much of the hotel we liked in the Cappadocia region of Turkey. One last shopping tip: the Dead Sea beauty products are excellent and inexpensive. My skin is looking better already.

The desert comes alive at Wadi Rum. This experience ran a close second to our day at Petra and is less physically demanding. Ruby, our guide, recommends you come in the afternoon & sleep out in the desert to enjoy the massive view of the stars at night. I would like to do that next time I visit. I didn't understand what they meant by a "sea of sand". It turns out there are broad streams of different color sand; it shifts with the wind and earth. The landscape includes waves of different colors, hence the "sea of sand" description. There are rock formations I've not seen before. They look like a cake with chocolate melting down its sides.

Ruby dutifully pointed out Lawrence of Arabia's Seven Pillars stone. We enjoyed our 4X4 ride with the Bedouin, and drank the most fragrant spice tea, made with fresh herbs and carefully brewed with hot, not boiling, water. Our shoes accumulated some sand dust, just in time for Easter. They are a bright shade of orange. We spent the rest of the time driving back to the airport, discussing recipes. Ruby could not decide if I was making up the idea of a turducken or if it was truly served in America. She then laughed and said the Bedouin version would be a small goat stuffed inside a sheep stuffed inside a camel. Could you imagine THAT served at your wedding reception?

We arrived right on time at the airport and are now waiting for our flight to Cairo. Ah yes .. return to RealityCheckque. It's going to be a full throttle experience, I expect.

Cheers, Anne (once again shedding another great persona for a great trip)

Cleo; you and Marc A have experienced what many people (myself included) will never experience in their lifetime - thanks for taking us with you via the computer! :app:

Anne,
Thanks for posting. It was great fun to read about your adventure. Alan and I are looking forward to meeting you both on Panda.

Merril

Anne....as always, traveling with you is an adventure and a joy! Thanks for sharing all of your experiences.

Margo

Cleo,
I think I found a pic of Cockoo....

Thank you for your wonderful photos and reports. I know that the CAMEL folks appreciate you and Marc A blazing the trail!

Terrific reports Anne! :nw:

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Cuckoo bids Cleo goodbye!

Waaaa, I am sad that the trip has come to an end! What amazes me most is how Anne remembers all those details, I am not even sure what I had for breakfast today!

Anne: I will miss your reports too! They were so enjoyable and very entertaining!!!!

We absolutely loved your reports. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Dave & Christie

Betty and Suzie .. those are striking likenesses to Cuckoo! I wonder where Cuckoo's mouth has been hanging out ..

Gary suggests the Bedouin version of the turducken (camel stuffed with sheep stuffed with small goat) be marketed as a CAMELSHOT.

It was a zoo clearing immigration in Cairo. A group from Kentucky decided on the activist route when the incoming Egyptians were, in their opinion, cutting the line for immigration. The protest paid off .. the official just shut his line down & dispersed everyone to the back of the other lines and an extra hour's wait.

Mr. Nassar met us sporting a Brown and Keene business card, scolded the folks under his breath and then he & a few of his buddies calmed the officer down. He let us slip through with only a 40 minute wait. Then Mr. Nassar dropped us at the Movenpick airport hotel for a few hours. Much better than staying in the Cairo airport.

We continued to prop our eyelids open until we could board at 2:30 am. I don't remember anything until 6:30 am when I felt the flight starting to descend into Milan. We treated ourselves to showers, but unfortunately they were cold water only. As we were settling in to a loong wait (flight was scheduled for a 3 pm departure), I decided to make sure it wasn't cancelled. Imagine my pleasant surprise the departure had just been moved up to 10 am (??). Woo hoo! Home much faster.

Cheers, Anne

Welcome home! See you soon...75 more days!

Anne, I have enjoyed EVERY step of your way on this land/cruise! You really should do this for a living, and at least be able to write off the espenses! Like Suzie, I can wait to wee you in 75 more days, if that's what she says it is til FJORDS!

Lucky Anne - camels spit and you two will be doing what to Anne? Did you mean see her? :app: :rolleyes: :lct: :pass:

Joanna :D I can't wait to wee everybody too! :pass:

I am so excited about seeing you all I am weeing too :3smile: :3smile: :3smile: ;) ;) ;)

OMG! Read the last posts first and thought everyone was "losing it!;" then saw the "seeing?/weeing" you!" Really needed the laughs tonight - thanks!!

Kathy: :D :D :D :D :D great group!!!!

:o W is very close to S on the keyboard, and on a Friday night after a long week, doesn't take much!

We'll ALL be weeing until we get to seeing each other! I'm looking forward to both, now that I'm back in the land of plumbing fixtures. LOL!!

Cheers, Anne

Anne, Michele alerted me to your wonderfully witty travelogue. We are doing Egypt with K&D next January & you paint a complete & very informative picture of what we will see.

We have just returned from a Crystal Serenity cruise very similar to CAMEL, Dubai to Istanbul, and you are giong to love that trip. After the cruise we spent an additional 12 days in Greece.

Both Dubai & Greece have great buys in jewelry. A nice way to start & end any vacation!

Jackie, do you know which of the K&D trips you are doing next January? We did the Elegant Egypt tour.

Cheers, Anne

Anne, I'm just now getting around to reading all the travel reports from Cleo. What a fantastic trip! We're glad you had such a great time, and are looking forward to the same on Camel.