DAY 99 - SAFARA, EGYPT - MAY 6, 2010

TODAY HAD JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU LEARNED IN HISTORY AND YOU NEVER, EVERY EXPECTED TO SEE IN YOUR WHOLE LIFE. THE BUS RIDE WAS THREE AND HALF HOURS LONG...ONE WAY. OUR DESTINATION WAS LUXOR. OUR TOUR TODAY, THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS AND KARNAK TEMPLE.

A THREE PLUS HOUR BUS RIDE IS AS EXCITING AS WATCHING RAIN ROLL DOWN A ROPE, EXCEPT WHEN IN EGYPT. WE MADE IT OUT OF THE PORT EASILY ENOUGH. ALL FOURTEEN BUSES TRAVELING IN AN ARMED ESCORTED CONVOY. NOW DOESN’T THAT MAKE YOU FEEL REAL SECURE!

WE WERE IN BUS THREE AND WE HAD A GOOD VIEW OF THE BUSES BEHIND AND THE TWO IN FRONT OF US AS WE ENTERED THE CURVES. THE HIGHWAY WAS NOT FAR FROM THE PORT ENTRANCE AND ALL SEEM WELL UNTIL WE PULLED OFF AT THE FIRST EXIT. WE TRAVELLED ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE EXIT RAMP WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN BUS ONE BEGAN TO MAKE A “U” TURN AROUND THE MEDIAL STRIP. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THEY DIDN’T KNOW WHERE WE WERE GOING, BUT AS WE MOVE UNDER THE HIGHWAY WE HAD JUST COME FROM I REALIZED EGYPT MUST NOT BE BIG INTO CLOVERLEAFS. THE HIGHWAY HAD ONE EXIT IN EACH DIRECTION AND THE RAMP LED YOU STRAIGHT ON TO THE NEW ROAD. THERE WERE NO TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT THE END OF THE RAMP, NO OPTIONS TO TURN LEFT OF RIGHT, AND YOU WENT WHERE THE ROAD LED, EVEN IF THAT WASN’T THE DIRECTION IN WHICH YOU WERE HEADED.

LESS THAN A MILE LATER WE STOP AGAIN...A TOLL ROAD PERHAPS AND THEN AGAIN, MAYBE NOT. THERE WAS A SMALL SHED, SEVERAL BUILDINGS, AND MORE THAN ENOUGH SOLDIERS TO HOLD OFF A BAND OF THIEVES. THE ROADWAY WAS FILLED WITH THE BARRICADES SO OFTEN SEEN ENTERING MOST AIRPORTS. THE BARRICADES WERE ONLY MADE OF METAL TUBING, WERE LESS OFFENSIVE AND WERE A NUISANCE FOR THE BUS DRIVERS AS HE WEAVED AROUND THEM.

IT WAS NOT MORE THAN FIVE MILES LATER WHEN THE BUS BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. IT WAS ANOTHER CHECKPOINT, MORE BARRICADES, MORE SOLDIERS BUT A MUCH LARGER BUILDING WITH A HIGH STONE WALL PROVIDING ADDITIONAL PROTECTION. EACH SIDE OF THE ROAD HAD SMALL ONE PERSON OBSERVATION POST WITH ARMED SOLDIERS. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT, NOTHING BUT SAND, MOUNTAINS AND AND OCCASIONAL GREEN BUSH FOR MILES ON EITHER SIDE. I KNOW WHAT I AM ABOUT TO EXPRESS MIGHT SOUND LIKE A SLIGHT FABRICATION, BUT THIS HAPPENED EVERY FIVE TO EIGHT MILES FOR THE FIRST HOUR AND A HALF. I WONDER WHO THEY WERE EXPECTING?

NINETY MINUTES INTO THE TRIP AND THE SANDY SURROUNDINGS BEGAN SHOWING SIGNS OF LIFE. GREEN BUSHES AND HUTS AND IN THE WINK OF AN EYE, A CITY CALLED KENAR. PAVED STREETS FILLED, AUTOS, TRUCKS, DONKEY CARTS AND MOTORBIKES, ALL CREATING NEW CHALLENGES FOR OUR DRIVERS. AN IRRIGATION CHANNEL, FED BY THE NILE, SEPARATED THE HIGHWAY AND THE COMMUNITIES AND LARGE GREEN FERTILE FIELDS SEPARATED THE COMMUNITIES. A SMALL OVERCROWDED BRIDGE CONNECTED THE HIGHWAY AND THE COMMUNITIES. AS WE APPROACHED EACH OF THE ENTRANCES THE MAIN HIGHWAY WAS FILLED WITH BARRICADES. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO CHECKPOINTS TO NAVIGATE BUT EACH HAD ARMED PATROLS.

THE HOMES ALONG THE CHANNEL WERE MADE OF CONCRETE BLOCK, EXTREMELY UNCLEAN AND ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAD DONKEYS AND OR WATER BUFFALO MILLING ABOUT. VERY FEW DID NOT, I REPEAT, DID NOT HAVE AT LEAST ONE SATELLITE ON THE ROOF.

ADDITIONALLY, EVERY HOME IS IN SOME FORM OF UNFINISHED CONSTRUCTION. ALL LOOK AS THOUGH THEY WILL HAVE MORE FLOORS ADDED AS PILLARS EXTEND ABOVE THE CURRENT LIVING QUARTERS. AS IT TURNS OUT THIS IS DONE AS A MEANS IN AVOIDING TAXES ON THE PROPERTY. THE GOVERNMENT, FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL, DOES NOT COLLECT PROPERTY TAXES UNTIL THE STRUCTURE IS COMPLETE...NOBODY EVER FINISHES THE BUILDING OF THEIR HOMES.

THE VIEW OF GREEN FIELDS AND VILLAGES SEEMED TO PASS QUICKLY BUT IN FACT ANOTHER NINETY MINUTES OF DRIVING HAD TAKEN PLACE. THOSE FIELDS TURNED TO A SMALL SEMI-MODERN CITY. AS WE NAVIGATED THE NARROW STREETS WE PASSED SEVERAL ANCIENT STATUES AND COLUMNS. THE PARKING LOT TO THE KARNAK TEMPLE WAS BIG AND FORTUNATELY OUR BUS DRIVER LET US OFF CLOSE TO THE DOOR. THE THREE PLUS HOURS OF DRIVING DID NOTHING BUT FILL THE KIDNEYS. MOST OF THE GROUP MADE A BEELINE TO THE TOILETS, AKA THE W-C, OR WATER CLOSET.

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER OUR GUIDE HAD HIS GROUP REASSEMBLED AND GAVE US SOME HISTORY AS WE STOOD IN THE VISITOR CENTER. LIKE GOOD LITTLE SOLDIERS WE FOLLOWED HIM TO THE ENTRANCE TO THE RUINS FOR ANOTHER BRIEF LECTURE BEFORE HEADING INTO THE SITE ON OUR OWN. IN A WORD, FABULOUS. THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE, AVENUE OF THE SPHINXES, BEGAN WITH THE SCULPTURES OF SEVERAL DOZEN LIONS AND RAMS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CORRIDOR. THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 134 LARGE CIRCULAR STONE PILLARS IN THE HYPOSTYLE HALL, AT LEAST SIXTY FEET HIGH, ON EACH SIDE AND ALL HAVE CARVINGS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. THEY EACH TELL STORIES OF THE TIMES, SOME VERY ELABORATE OTHER SIMPLE IN NATURE, BUT NONE LACK FOR DETAIL. IT IS AMAZING HOW WELL PRESERVED THESE ANCIENT RELICS ARE.

AT THE TOP LARGE MASSIVE STONES ARE USED TO CONNECT PILLARS. EACH OF THE UNDER SIDES OF THE CONNECTING STONES HAVE CARVINGS AND EACH HAS AN ADDED DIMENSION AS THEY ARE PAINTED. AGAIN, ONE WONDERS HOW THEY STAYED SO WELL PRESERVED. GEORGIA AND I BRANCHED OFF THROUGH ONE OF THE ARCHWAYS AND FOUND MORE GLORIOUS ARTIFACTS IN VARIOUS COURTYARD ENVIRONMENTS. EACH COURTYARD HAD A NAME ASSOCIATED WITH IT AND A INFORMATIVE SIGN DETAILING THE WHYS AND WHEREFORES OF ITS HISTORY.

ALTHOUGH WE PROBABLY SAW MOST OF THE TEMPLE TIME PASSED TO QUICKLY AND OUR MEETING TIME WAS BECKONING. AS WE WALKED BACK TO THE VISITOR CENTER, THE LARGE OPEN COURT WAS TEAMING WITH VENDORS TRYING TO HUSTLE YOU FOR A BUCK OR TEN. POSTCARDS, BOOKS, CARVINGS, YOU NAME IT AND FOR THE RIGHT PRICE IT WAS YOURS.

AS WE HEADED TO THE PARKING LOT GEORGIA MADE ONE LAST STOP AT THE W-C. I KNOW THIS FALLS UNDER THE CATEGORY OF “DO WE REALLY HAVE TO KNOW THIS” BUT ITS THE STORY THAT COUNTS. SOMEONE IS ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE A BUCK AND SOME SHYSTER ENTREPRENEUR YOUNG PUNK IS WAITING IN THE LADIES ROOM TRYING TO GET A BUCK FOR USING THE FACILITIES. GEORGIA IGNORED HIM ON THE WAY IN BUT AS SHE WAS EXITING THIS YOUNG JERK WAS STOPPING ANOTHER WOMAN FROM ENTERING BECAUSE SHE WOULDN’R COUGH UP THE NECESSARY MONEY. WHEN GEORGIA DUCKED UNDER HIS ARM AND HEADED TO THE DOOR A FACE TO FACE CONFRONTATION TOOK PLACE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THERE WAS NO MONEY EXCHANGED AND THE JERK IS STILL ALIVE.

EVERYONE MADE IT TO THE BUS AND WE WERE OFF TO THE ST. GEORGE HOTEL FOR SUMPTUOUS LUNCH. THE VARIETY OF ITEMS WAS OVERWHELMING BUT NONE OF THE FOOD WAS HOT. MANY OF THE DISHES COULD OF HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE VERY TASTY, BUT.

AS GEORGIA AND I EXITED THE HOTEL WE TURNED TO THE LEFT AND HEADED FOR OUR BUS, HOWEVER THE BUS MOVED WHILE WE WERE EATING AND INSTEAD OF BEING LAST IN LINE IT WAS NOW FIRST. WE ASKED SOME GUY WHO LOOKED LIKE HE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND HE INFORMED US THEY WERE WAITING FOR US UP FRONT. WE WERE HOLDING UP THE PRECESSION.

COMFORTABLY IN OUR SEATS WE STARTED OUT FOR THE VALLEY OF THE KINGS. SEVERAL BLOCKS FROM THE ST. GEORGE WE PASSED THE LUXOR TEMPLE RUINS, WHICH WAS ANOTHER CHOICE IN THE TOUR LIST, AND WE IMMEDIATELY KNEW THE KARNAK TEMPLE WAS THE BETTER CHOICE OF TOURS.

WITHIN THIRTY MINUTES WE ENTERED TO VALLEY OF THE KINGS PARKING AREA. DOZENS OF BUSES, AND HUNDRED PEOPLE HEADED TOWARD THE VISITOR CENTER. NO CAMERAS WERE PERMITTED BEYOND THE CENTER. HOWEVER THE ENTRANCE AND SURROUNDING HILLSIDES PRESENTED SEVERAL GREAT PHOTO OPTS. OUR GUIDE HAD US GET OFF, TAKE PICTURES AND RETURN OUR CAMERAS TO THE SAFE CONFINES OF THE BUS. ALTHOUGH THE DISTANCE FROM THE BUS TO THE CENTER WAS SHORT WE WERE ABLE TO TELL THE TEMPERATURE HAD RISEN DRAMATICALLY. MY BODY WAS NOT REACTING WELL TO THE HEAT.

ANOTHER SHORT TALK BY THE GUIDE AND WE MADE OUR WAY TO THE WAITING TRAMS THAT WOULD TAKE US TO THE GATED ENTRANCE TO THE TOMB AREA. WE RECEIVED OUR TICKET, MARCHED THROUGH THE GATE AND ONCE REASSEMBLED AS A GROUP WE HEADED UP THE HILL TO THE TOMB OF RAMSES III. OUR GUIDE MADE A FEW STOPS TO FILL US IN ON VARIOUS FACTS BEFORE EVENTUALLY HEADING DOWN THE STEPS AND INTO THE TOMB.

THE HEAT WAS TAKING ITS TOLL AND GEORGIA AND I FELT THE TOMB WOULD PROVIDE SOME NEEDED SHADE AND COOLER AIR TO REFRESH OUR BODYS. SHADE WE HAD, HEAT BUT NO SUN WAS ALL WE COULD ATTAIN FROM THE UNDERGROUND TOMB.

HEAT ASIDE THE TOMB WAS SOMETHING TO SEE, AND TAKE YOUR MIND OFF THE HEAT. THE WALLS WERE LINED WITH CARVINGS, SOME PAINTED, ALL TELLING A STORY OF THE BELOVED KING. THE TOMB NO LONGER CONTAINS THE SARCOPHAGUS (COFFIN). SARCOPHAGUS OR NOT, THE PLACE WAS EXTREMELY INTERESTING.

AS GEORGIA AND I EXITED THE TOMB SWORMS OF LITTLE KIDS TRYING TO SELL POSTCARDS AND BOOKS APPROACHED US. WE GOT TWENTY CARDS FOR A BUCK. HE STARTED AT FIVE BUCKS. ANOTHER YOUNG BOY PEDDLING BOOKS OF THE TOMBS WANTED FIFTEEN BUCKS FOR THE TWO BOOK SET. WE SAID NO. HE WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE WERE WILLING TO PAY. HE FOLLOWED US DOWN THE HILL. WE DIDN’T BUY ANYTHING.
GEORGIA AND I DETERMINED RETURNING TO THE BUS WAS THE WISEST CHOICE TO MAKE AT THIS POINT. WE STILL HAD OVER FORTY MINUTES BEFORE WE WERE TO MEET. OUR BODIES WERE STARTING TO FADE. AGAIN WE MADE THE CORRECT CHOICE, BY THE TIME EVERYONE ELSE RETURNED, OUR BODIES WERE BEGINNING TO COOL DOWN. OTHERS WISHED THEY HAD RETURNED INSTEAD OF GOING ON TO OTHER TOMBS.

OUR LAST STOP BEFORE HEADING BACK TO THE SHIP WAS THE TOMBS OF THE QUEENS, SPECIFICALLY QUEEN HATSHEPSUT. TIME DIDN’T ALLOW FOR TOURS ETC., BUT WE DID HAVE TIME TO EXIT THE BUS FOR PICTURES. FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER WE WERE ON THE ROAD FOR THE RETURN TRIP TO SAFAGA.

ALTHOUGH TIRED I MANAGED TO STAY AWAKE DURING THE TRAVEL THROUGH THE VILLAGES AND COMMUNITIES ALONG THE IRRIGATION CHANNEL. IT WAS AROUND 6:00 WHEN WE DROVE THROUGH AND THE FIELDS WERE INUNDATED WITH PEOPLE HARVESTING THEIR CROPS. EACH OF THE LARGE FIELDS WERE SUB-DIVIDED INTO SMALLER SECTIONS AND EACH OF THE SMALLER SECTIONS WERE BEING WORKED. PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, DONKEY CARTS COMING AND GOING AND AN OCCASIONAL STRAY DONKEY MUNCHING ON THE ALREADY HARVESTED FIELDS.

WE TRAVELED THROUGH THIS PORTION OF FARM AREA FOR AT LEAST SIXTY MINUTES AND THE SAME PROCESS WAS OCCURRING. NO MECHANICAL TOOLS WERE BEING USED, ONLY MANUAL LABOR. I SUPPOSE MODERN EQUIPMENT WOULD ACTUALLY DEVASTATE THE COUNTRY. THE LACK OF SUCH EQUIPMENT KEEPS TENS OF THOUSANDS WORKING, IF ONLY FOR A MEAGER WAGE.

BEFORE LEAVING THE VALLEY WE ASK THE DRIVER ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF THE TEMPERATURE INDICATOR ON THE BUS. THE GAGE SHOW THE TEMP AT 42 CELSIUS, THAT WOULD BE ROUGHLY 105 FAHRENHEIT. BY THE TIME WE HIT THE DESERT THE INDICATOR WAS AT 15 CELSIUS, OR 65 FAHRENHEIT.

OUR DAY WAS OVER BUT THE MEMORIES WILL LINGER FOREVER. FEW LIGHTS COULD BE SEEN IN THE PORT EXCEPT NEAR OUR SHIP. THE SUN HAD SET BUT AS ALWAYS WE STILL HAD ENOUGH ENERGY TO HIT THE BUFFET.