Egypt

Leaving a 3 week family visit to the UK for Egypt -we were lucky for most of our UK trip with reasonable weather – but the last couple of days were cold and wet so really looking forward to some heat.

Our introduction to Egyptian organisation was interesting.  Our bags went through from UK to Hurghada even though we had 3 hours in Cairo – I would have expected to pick them up and clear customs. 

The scenery flying from Cairo to Hurghada was amazing though with such lovely pattens in the desert.

On arriving in Hurghada while waiting for our bags I asked an official about SIM cards – he then asked where we came from and told me we needed to “wait 5 mins” as our bags are somewhere else.  Many 5 mins later after everyone who could find a big bag had gone he called everyone that was left to go with him. It turns out when you come on a through flight your bags are separated nd sent to the international part.  Finally we have our bags – not a quick process and a not too happy driver after long wait.  The scenery during the long drive down the coast looked amazing – or at least what you could see.  So much wind that the hills were covered in a haze of dust.

We are staying at a beach resort – this place is a mass of resorts and not much else.  Due to that every resort is full board and the amount of food is just crazy.

This is just one of the rooms full of food.

We came here as there are supposedly Dugong that come in every day.  I did not see one but learned later that they were there – under the groups of tour boat clients – awful, apparently they struggle to get up for air as so many people around. There appears to be no control’s here around what the people and boats can do.

No wonder the population has fallen drastically since the 1980’s.  

The snorkelling is pretty good in the way of fish species, but only odd patches of coral – too many boats and people.

After 1 night here we go to join our snorkel tour group at another resort further down the coast – a massive place – not our cup of tea at all. The food here is dreadful – lots of it again but almost all inedible.

The snorkelling here is much better although I had to miss out on one full day due to cut needing to dry out.

We also found these lovely white-eyed gulls playing in the 2nd pool which no-one seemed to use as it cost extra money.

Off to our boat for the next 7 days, lucky we will mostly be in the water as the cabin’s are tiny – no room for bags and barely enough for 2 people.

Over the course of the next 7 days we visited many different snorkel sights.  The coral is very impressive with large areas of “almost” pristine coral, (where the locals still walk on it at low tide), some amazing shapes and really interesting fish and underwater life.

Our favourite parts were finding and swimming with Dugong’s twice, Spinner Dolphins twice and finding a couple of Octopus and Stonefish.  Along with all the other colourful fish it was a good trip, made better by another couple of Aussies on board that we hit it off with due to similar outlooks and lifetyles.

Surprisingly we also managed to find a few birds too, strange what turns up to land on the mooring lines in the middle of the ocean miles from land.

Luxor is much smaller than I expected and by luck more than design we are staying on the West Bank – so much more homely and quiet, with no hassling.  To date all the egyptian people we have met are so friendly and lovely.

Our bnb is great and the owners lovely and helpful. Walking around this side is not at all stressful and the kids all want to be friends, but it certainly changed on the east bank.  Welcome to Cairo with a rip of we fell for, a guy claiming to be our chef in hotel (Steve thought he recognised him) conned us into wasting $20 – not too drastic and we got a ride through some streets which was interesting.

This was the driver but the original con man made us show him our photos to make sure we did not have one of him…

Finally to Luxor temple our destination before the little side hussle.

Luxor temple was quite impressive and so was Sphinx Alley although some of it is currently shut so you can not walk the whole 2.7km. More people here than we saw anywhere in Luxor. I did not realise how much a part of the culture was about birds – bird carvings everywhere.

Our next day was good but long and hot, walking around in 38 degrees in full sun and going into tombs that are even hotter – plus lots of stairs.

We enjoyed the tombs and the impressive carvings and paintings – surprisingly there is still colour left in some.

KV9 above was our favourite – but that maybe as it was the quietest.

Along with 5 tombs we also went to the Colossi of Memmon, Hatchesput Temple and the Temple of Medinet Habu, before giving up over heated and exhausted.

An early wander around the ponds near where we were staying for birds was good while still cool.

Karnak temple and the Luxor museum on the last day – in even hotter conditions

Great snake fossil -Cobra we were told.

Luxor was well worth while, we liked the place and the food was great.

Cairo unfortunately did not appeal so much, firstly the plane was delayed – then the bags were delayed leaving us a very short afternoon for the Pyramids.  The hotel had organised a car and driver to take us – our second rip off and this one a lot more pricey.  As we were short on time before it closed he suggested a horse and cart to go round.  A map was drawn showing were we would go, to each pyramid and some other places – pricey but we agreed due to time.  Then the driver of the cart went so slow we could have walked – all others went past us at a much higher pace.  Secondly he only went to one viewpoint, not to the pyramids and other spots he had agreed to.  NO tip for him despite his arguing for one.

Much more hassle from touts selling wares here too and not in the most pleasant manner.

Our hotel is very tired, in need of TLC and along with staff that do not care, not the best place – apart from the most amazing view of Khufu Pyramid. 

We ordered from their menu only to find it was almost inedible take away from who knows where. Plus we only received 1 of the two dishes ordered after 1 hour and then had to wait another 30 mins for the second.

Our last day here we went off to the Valley of Whales Wadi El Hitan National Park – incredible scenery and amazing rock formations.  And best of all no people at all till near the end of our trip.

Wadi El Hitan is known for it’s well preserved Whale bones from the late Eocene era before Whales became sea creatures.

We were supposed to have a packed breakfast for our day to Hitan but that got forgotten so the whole day was without breakfast or lunch – only a few lollies we took with us.

For future travellers, Luxor and the Red Sea were well worthwhile and thoroughly enjoyable – but I would suggest skipping Cairo.