Komombo Temple:








Crocodile Museum at Komombo Temple.


Crocodile Mummies.


Jack looks like an Arab Sheikh.


Henry & Laura having fun.


Egyptian night on the Star Goddess.

We Sailed to Aswan:




A boat ride to If finished it would have measured around 42 m (approximately 137 feet) and would have weighed nearly 1,200 tons..


Nubian homes.


Philae Temple is on an island.








The Unfinished Obelisk in a quarry in Aswan.


The large crack is the reason for not finishing the Obelisk. If finished it would have measured
approximately 137 feet and would have weighed nearly 1,200 tons.

We left the boat at 8.30 am and went to the Aswan Airport to fly to Abu Simbel. It is a short flight of 45 minutes. There is some good shopping at Aswan Airport but we did not have much time. We arrived at Abu Simbel and for the first time the weather gods let us down. We have had perfect weather so far but today was very hot. Fortunately they are offering a new service, golf carts to take you from the front entrance to the temple. That really saved us if we had walked up we would have been so hot on arrival. The tough guys walked and the ladies all took the golf cart, smart move on our part.

Once inside the temple it was so nice. Not hot at all. The temple here is built into the mountain so it is cool inside. The temples were going to be covered by the lake once the high dam was completed. So it was moved up the mountain and reassembled. An amazing feat. Ramses II built this temple and then an additional temple close by for his wife Nefertari. Ramses ll temple is truly amazing. Still a lot of color and incredibly well preserved as it was not outside and as exposed to the elements. It is a big temple with lots of rooms going out off the main entrance. Just really fascinating. Unfortunately no pictures inside. By now we are able to identify some of the different gods and some of the meaning of the inscriptions.
Next door is Nefertari’s temple. Much smaller and very feminine with the women shown with the typical shoulder length hair with a flip at the end, as we wore in the seventies. I like this smaller temple the only one so dedicated to women.
At the end of our time we all met Henry under a tree. This time we ALL rode down the hill, except for John who started to walk down. But when our golf cart passed him he hitch hiked down with us. Henry walked down and he said even he felt hot. It was truly a hot day.

We raced to the bus and back to the airport we all got cold drinks and some of us (including me) indulged in an ice cream and it REALLY hit the spot.
Back to the ship where lunch was waiting for us which we devoured quickly as by now it was 2.00 pm and we were very hungry. On that note I must say the food has been far superior to past trips. With the lack of tourists I was concerned that the standards might have slipped. This is not the case. The fish, chicken, selection of vegetables and salads along with one Egyptian dish each meal has kept us very happy. Even the steaks have been okay, not Prime 7 quality but tasty and not overcooked. We had veal one night and today a veal roast for lunch that was fantastic. I had three servings. No one has become ill with the “mummy tummy” we are all in great shape. Breakfast could be a bit better with some more options but no one is complaining. They do have eggs to order so we all survived just fine.

Last night we also did the Nubian Museum. I wimped out (ate onions the day before, stupid me) and I decided to skip the museum. Everyone enjoyed it and also dinner last night where I had a super pasta.
Today was a “day off”. We had no tours we played cards in the morning and Henry gave us a talk on the situation in Egypt from the first protest to the present day. It was extremely interesting and gave a different perspective on the issues. He is very happy with the current President Sisi and we have been hearing all over the place that he is the savior of Egypt. Things really have settled down and I think will continue to improve.

Tonight a barbeque on deck and tomorrow the BIG EVENT – a visit to Nefertari’s tomb. This tomb has been closed to the public for years with only top VIP’s being allowed to enter. Cost was $10,000 for 10 minutes if you had connections. Every trip I do I ask about this tomb hoping there will be a change in policy. This time when we asked the rules had changed to encourage tourist select groups could gain access and the priced dropped as well. Once tourism picks up I am sure this will be closed again. I have dreamed about seeing this tomb so I am past the state of ecstatic excitement. This tomb was refurbished over a long period of time to the original glory with painstaking attention to detail. It is supposed to be breathtaking and I cannot wait to enter this tomb.

FINALLY tomorrow I get to see something I have always wanted to see and never thought would be possible. Be back with details after that event.

An evening boat ride and the and then we flew to Abu Simbil the next morning.






The Old Catarcat Hotel in Aswan. Agatha Christie, set portions of her novel "Death on the Nile" at the hotel.
The 1978 film of the novel was shot at the hotel.


A ride down to Abu Simbil.


No photos allowed on the inside.

Such wonderful memories being brought back! Fingers crossed that each day continues to meet / exceed expectations!
------------------------
Helen

So great to hear all these details and bring back memories of our recent adventures in Egypt with Uniworld. Nice to hear about the golf carts at Abu Simbel--it was really hot when we were there too.

And waiting to hear about Nefertari's tomb--our guide went on and on about her!

Thanks for sharing all this great stuff, and continue to have a wonderful time.

Back onboard after our visit to the Valley of the Queens and Nefertari's Tomb.

It was amazing. The work restoring the tomb to its original glory was so well done. It took six years and seven different nations to complete the restoration. The colors and art was very enlightening. We have seen tombs and temples picturing events such as offerings to the gods but never been able to see the details before. Now a lot of what I have seen in the past makes sense to me now. I so wish we could have taken pictures so much beautiful detail. I did not want to leave. You normally only get ten minutes in the tomb and we were fortunate enough to have about twenty minutes. Our guide Henry has not been able to get into this tomb since 1995. He was so excited to see it again.

We then visited two more tombs in the Valley of the Queens for two brothers who died at about nine years of age. These were very well preserved and different to the tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

We then went to HAT - CHEAP - SUIT temple. That is the way to remember it. Of course spelt differently Hatshepsut. I have been here three times before. Such a contemporary design so different from the other temples. So many children there all saying " hello" and waving. They are so cute and so well dressed.

Then to the MIRROR store. I think I mentioned in a past post that earlier in the week we stopped at pharmarcy and I asked Ken to buy me a small mirror. He came back with one that cost about 35 centsnhe found at an adjoining toy store. It has a hologram with a wide eyed girl opening and closing her eyes. Well the girls went crazy over this mirror. The American invasion of this small local toy store took place. I think store owners were shocked to see all these Americans in their store. We bought every mirror they had more than twenty.

Tonight we visit Karnak Temple for the Sound and Light show. Tomorrow we go back to Karnak in the daytime on the way to the airport.

Tomorrow night we go to an Egyptian home for dinner. Always a highlight as past Nile travelers know

Valley of the Queens:


The Valley of the Queens.












I made the mistake of shaking this young man's hand. Everyone in this school
group wanted to shake my hand.


Queen Hatchepsut's Temple.

All these children came to visit as we were leaving the temple.


There young ladies wanted to interview Laura and take a photo with her.

How could you NOT shake that little boy's hand! Too cute.
-----------------
Helen

I forgot to mention it rained on us yesterday at the valley of the queens. Just a few drops enough to feel good. Then last night it really rained a rare occurrence. So we had a really hot day, rain and inbetween really wonderful weather.

Last night just the boys went to the Karnak Sound and Light show. The girls all decided to wimp out.

Then today on the way to the airport we went to Kanark Temple. I always forget how impressive and large Karnak really is in comparison to some other temples. The weather threatened rain but it did not rain just nice and cool. John made a last minute purchase of a granite Statue of the God Horus. Then off to the hotel for our last night in Cairo. Tonight we go to Antoines house for dinner.

Helen I actually loved it, these children were so excited. They made me feel like a celebrity and very welcomed in Egypt.

Last report for me from Nile.

Dinner at Antoine's was great. Super hospitality, good food. It was a little chilly as it got later so we moved inside. Antoines daughter, son and daughter in law, And executives from his company were there. Plus of course Henry and Hossam. I always see the gardens at night would love to see those gardens during the day.

Sitting in the VIP lounge now at Cairo Airport. Wish I could always travel like this. We still have to get to the airport two hours early BUT the service takes our passports and checked luggage and handles everything. They stand in the lines for you. They come me back at boarding time, private security check with no hassle. Then straight onto the plane. No lines or even having to deal with the crowds and hassle of the airport. Like all that mess does not even exist.

If there is a stairway up to the plane and instead of a jet bridge they take you in a private car and you board while everyone waits for the transfer bus door to open.

Been a great trip now the journey home probably going to sleep a lot on these flights.

safe travels home!
---------------------
Helen

It was fun reliving the Egypt trip! No Jordan segment this time?

Welcome home Nile-ies ...loved following you !

Welcome home! Loved following you too! I think this was one of my favorite trips that I wasn't on!

We are home, after a very long travel day/night. Its good to be home, but we are exhausted.....will be an early night for me at least, as I do not sleep on planes well.

However, that said.......it was such a wonderful trip and experience. Everything was just perfect and we felt like kings and queens everywhere we went and the people were so welcoming and made use feel so welcome. The last night dinner at Antoine's house was the perfect ending and we enjoyed his hospitality so much. We loved meeting his family and the dinner was just delicious. The nile cruise was so nice and such a wonderful way to see life along the Nile and to get to Aswan, our rooms were beautiful and so comfortable and the food was really good, not to mention the service and the staff.

I know I missed a couple of things, as I was definitely the wimp, especially walking and standing in the hot sun, even though Henry did everything possible to avoid that, but I feel like I still got the overall experience and enjoyed every bit of it.

We are so glad we did this and I can't imagine doing it any other way that with KLT. Thanks Ngaire for making this a trip we will never forget.

deleted....double post,thats how tired I am LOL