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NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229238 03/08/12 08:08 PM
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Leslie B Offline OP
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We have arrived, so I am starting a new topic.

Travel went very smoothly, even though for us it was something like 30 hours door to door. Upon arrival in Cairo we were literally whisked away in a golf cart, escorted to a lounge, served tea and five minutes later we were ready to go, all the formalities and visas being taken care of for us. Traffic was a nightmare, but we finally arrived at the Four Seasons a bit after 7 PM, unpacked and split a burger in the Library Bar. On the way back to our room we ran into Kathy and Al who were just arriving and had a brief introduction to diixiechick and msunderstood who were on the same flight.

This morning I can see the pyramids in the hazy distance out our balcony!


Leslie

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229239 03/08/12 08:36 PM
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jhp Offline
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Leslie, I'm an extreme night owl. Welcome to Egypt, and glad you all (Kathy and Al, dixiechick, and msunderstood) made it safely. You will be more rested than the rest to start the journey, maybe!

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229240 03/09/12 12:52 AM
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Leslie B Offline OP
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First look - from our balcony:

[Linked Image]


Leslie

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229241 03/09/12 01:34 AM
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sedona Offline
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Welcome to Egypt! You really got through much faster than we did. Already a great start. I think we waited for about 30 minutes. Did you wait alone or with the others in the lounge?

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229242 03/09/12 02:44 AM
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cruisinfanatic Offline
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Thanks for the picture Leslie, I can see them too. LOL. Probably the only way we ever will is thru the eyes of you NILE'ers. Would love to have done this with you, but just out of budget, so looking forward to everyone's posts.


JoAnn
Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229243 03/09/12 02:58 AM
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Ngaire Online
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it's Helen, LCT will not let me log in?? We got off the plane on the tarmac and were picked up planeside by a fleet of sedans, Now THAT is the way to do it! We are all here and now waiting for our guide to head off to our private light show at the pyramids! How cool is that?
-----------
Helen

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229244 03/09/12 02:58 AM
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Ngaire Online
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it's Helen, LCT will not let me log in?? We got off the plane on the tarmac and were picked up planeside by a fleet of sedans, Now THAT is the way to do it! We are all here and now waiting for our guide to head off to our private light show at the pyramids! How cool is that?
-----------
Helen

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229245 03/09/12 03:15 AM
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Beth Offline
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Quote
Originally posted by Leslie B:
This morning I can see the pyramids in the hazy distance out our balcony!
My first sight of the pyramids from my Four Seasons balcony was one of those one of those "always to remember" moments! Thx, Leslie!

Hope you all have the best time!!!

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229246 03/09/12 04:08 AM
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KarenS Offline
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Yay, everyone is arriving! Leslie, what a view!! Helen, I will check into your logging in problem.


Karen

Live long and prosper
Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229247 03/09/12 04:59 AM
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Mrs. Marc Offline
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Leslie that is a great picture Really whets my appetite for more

Glad everyone has arrived safely so far. can't wait for the others to arrive Remember all of you, we need LOTS of sand mail


Arlene
Adventure before Dementia!
Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229248 03/09/12 10:45 AM
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Leslie B Offline OP
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Everyone is here. Sound and Light show at the Pyramids tonight; we will see them during the day tomorrow along with Memphis and Sakarra.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


Leslie

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229249 03/09/12 10:52 AM
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Ngaire Online
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Wow Leslie is FAST. Got a little chilly at the sound and light show tonight and they have added a lot more to the show the last part was all new. Very lazy day today really doing nothing until we left at 5.00 pm for the light show. Tomorrow the touring begins!!

For the orignal NILE people the guys look good, Hossam's smiling face at the airport and Hany and Henry all smiles tonight. So nice to see them all again. Pam I gave Hossam your envelope and he was VERY surprised and could not believe you had kept that for two years.. he said to say "thank you" so here is the official thank you.

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229250 03/09/12 11:56 AM
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KarenS Offline
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Wonderful pictures, especially the group photo with the fantastic scenery behind them!


Karen

Live long and prosper
Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229251 03/09/12 12:24 PM
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sedona Offline
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Please give Hany, Hossam and Henry a big hello from us.

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229252 03/09/12 03:47 PM
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Pam Offline
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Oh, the memories!

Ngaire, thank you for handling that envelope for me.

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229253 03/09/12 04:17 PM
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Betty K Offline
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Thanks Leslie! Wonderful photos!
cheer


Betty

[Linked Image from i4.photobucket.com]
Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229254 03/09/12 04:53 PM
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cruisinfanatic Offline
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WOW!


JoAnn
Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229255 03/09/12 04:54 PM
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Betty Offline
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Agree, Pam. The memories! Even freezing at the pyramid laser light show. Would go again in a heart beat. You all will enjoy it all.


Betty
Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229256 03/10/12 03:30 AM
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Ngaire Online
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It is sad to see how few people are visiting Egypt. On the first Nile tour when we left the private sound and light show there was a LONG line of hundreds of people waiting to go in for the show. Last night a maximum of about 50 people.

Today was our first real touring day and Memphis was also pretty empty about 50 people including our 22 people. The Highlights Group left the Do it All Group in the dust and headed off to the Step Pyramid. We were eating lunch when Hossam arrived and said the other group were still at the Step Pryamid. They must be at least an hour behind. Then we went off to the Giza Pyramids to touch the stones and take pictures, visited the overlook and the Sphinx and now we are back at the hotel at 3.00 pm.

It was a good weather day, NOT hot at all but with a wind keeping it cooler but also kicking up the sand.

Tonight we leave at 6.15pm for our private showing at the Egyptian Museum. I am sure the museum is still busy during the day so looking forward to the opportunity to see the King Tut exhibit with just our group.

On a personal note for the first Nile Group Hany has a brand new baby boy, one month old. Hossam who I believe had no children when we were here now has TWO boys and Henry is holding at two and he said dealing with his teenage daughter he thinks it will stay that way!
The three guys are all asking me about you all and I got them up to date on all the news.

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229257 03/10/12 05:07 AM
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Mark and Cheron Offline
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Please give the guys our best. What a wonderful trip we had in Egypt! It puts a smile on my face knowing they are all doing fine. Enjoy your time in there as it is a trip of a lifetime.

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229258 03/10/12 07:30 AM
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pkd Offline
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Leslie, the pictures are great. What an experience it must have been to get your first view of the pyramids from your hotel. John and I are traveling with you all vicariously, so keep the posts and pictures coming! And have fun (which is a no-brainer with this group)!


Priscilla
Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229259 03/10/12 11:00 AM
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Leslie B Offline OP
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A few iphone shots from today

Step Pyramid

[Linked Image]

Pyramid panorama

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Emerging from the pyramid

[Linked Image]

The Sphinx

[Linked Image]

Camels

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Cairo scene

[Linked Image]


Leslie

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229260 03/10/12 11:24 AM
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Ms Understood Offline
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The museum was amazing! Well really the entire day was. I am so thankful to you Nile 1 guys who made it all sound so great that I just had to see for myself. I am totally exhausted but would not have given up a thing except maybe the assault by the vendors at the pyramids. The guys who are coming out of the pyramid are my sister Barbara's husband with the beard and the other guy is Sally/Dixiechick's brother in law.
Tonite the museum was closed to all but us but there were many young men inside, apparently to make sure none of the B&K people helped themselves to any antiqities. I am pretty sure there were more of them than us.
We saw a group of Army guys in a tank just hsnging under an overpass but no sign of any trouble.
Tomorrow is a mosque,the Bazaar and the party at Antoine Riad's house. Looking forward to another interesting day
Thanks, Karen, whatever my problem was, is remedied.
--------------------
Helen

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229261 03/10/12 11:35 AM
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Ken Offline
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A FEW PHOTOS FROM NILE 2:

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229262 03/10/12 12:09 PM
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sedona Offline
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Wow. all the pics are great. Leslie, you are making the iphone do things I didn't think possible.

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229263 03/10/12 12:43 PM
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Amazing pictures!!!!! Keep the reports and pixs coming - just wonderful!!!


Joanna
Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229264 03/10/12 04:36 PM
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coffeecup Offline
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wow


Diane

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229265 03/10/12 04:49 PM
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Betty Offline
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Leslie, are you using Instagram for your photos? They look like something from a history book. Love it.


Betty
Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229266 03/11/12 04:29 AM
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I finally got to the Four Seasons' business center to login in and say hello from Cairo!! Everything has been so wonderful. It did take me three trips to the balcony of our room the first morning to finally see the pyramids in the hazy horizon off in the distance. Now I can't stop looking at them when we are in our room... which is not very often!! We've been "doing it all" and it's been fabulous. Hany is a wonderful guide and Ken keeps the stragglers from falling too far behind. The museum open only to us last night was like a dream. Actually everthing so far has been like a dream and I keep having to tell myself I'm finally really here and it's all real.
Alice got her camel ride in at the Giza pyramids. I happily served as videographer. We fly to Luxor Monday a.m. and have free wifi on the boat. So I will post more often then.

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229267 03/11/12 05:12 AM
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sedona Offline
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So glad you are having such a marvelous time. We were the guinea pigs and it was great for us. I can only imagine Ngaire improved on perfection. I really wanted to do this again so please keep posting what you are doing and all your pictures. We have no more trips this year and I am in serious withdrawal.

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229268 03/11/12 05:16 AM
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petlover Offline
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Such wonderful reporting and photos. Your trip is amazing...you're going to LOVE Luxor too!
Thanks for taking us along.


Marcie

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229269 03/11/12 05:38 AM
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Ken Offline
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A FEW MORE PHOTOS:

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229270 03/11/12 05:40 AM
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Ken Offline
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A FEW MORE PHOTOS:

[Linked Image]
Henry & Hany our Egyptologists.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229271 03/11/12 05:54 AM
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Beth Offline
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Quote
Originally posted by seadog: We've been "doing it all" and it's been fabulous.
Kim, I expect nothing less from you and Alice!!!

Yes, Luxor is fabulous. If you overnight there, get up early - 6 AM - and enjoy the hot air balloons rising over the Valley of the Kings. It's a marvelous sight! Looking forward to more posts when you all have free internet on the boat. Continue to have a great trip.

Great pix, Ken!! Alice looks so serene on the camel. Was she meditating or praying for dear life??

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229272 03/11/12 02:11 PM
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Mrs. Marc Offline
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Alice looks great on the camel and looks like she is having the time of her life! Keep the sand mail coming everyone, can't wait to see and hear more


Arlene
Adventure before Dementia!
Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229273 03/11/12 02:24 PM
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Lee Offline
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One question: Ngaire, how did you get on to your knees! Obviously, you're much younger than me!!!

Love all the photos - keep up the good work. This trip is now on my 'bucket list'.

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229274 03/11/12 06:35 PM
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Leslie B Offline OP
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Obligatory Cheesy pyramid shot

[Linked Image]

Al hits the wall...

[Linked Image]

Entrance to king Titi's pyramid. Although only two people braved entering the Great Pyramid, most of us in the do it all group went in to this one

[Linked Image]

From Memphis - Ramses II cartouche on a column base

[Linked Image]

Part of the original walls of the Step Pyramid at Sakkara

[Linked Image]

Kids playing soccer at Sakkara

[Linked Image]


Leslie

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229275 03/11/12 06:44 PM
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Leslie B Offline OP
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A day in Old Cairo. Photos from my iPhone. (I am using the Hipstamatic camera app.)

Citadel

[Linked Image]

Alabaster Mosque

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Cairo skyline

[Linked Image]

Delivering pita bread

[Linked Image]

The Bazaar

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


Leslie

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229276 03/11/12 06:57 PM
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Leslie B Offline OP
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Coptic Cairo

The Hanging Church

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


Leslie

Re: NILE2 Land and Sand Mail #229277 03/12/12 02:42 AM
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Anna B. Offline
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I am so sad to say that due to some pressing business issues we are heading home in the morning. Although our time has been way too short we are so happy to have had this experience. Our time here has been amazing and we have been treated like royalty. Last night's dinner at Antoine's was so special....a once in a lifetime treat! We will miss you all. Keep up with the reports and the wonderful photos. Our very special thanks to Ngaire and Ken - you are two in a million!


Kathy
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