12 April 2011

12 April 2011

We had a very pleasant wedding anniversary, celebrated it in Luxor.  Rode the 230 km to Luxor, then we spend the afternoon wondering around the Karnak Temple, this was really interesting with constant work still on going connecting the Karnak Temple to the Luxor Temple.  Had dinner at a nice Italian place, with the two swiss guys,  then took a horse carriage home!   The city of Luxor is very tourist orientated and the locals pester you all the time and they are really feeling the pinch at the moment with the political unrest the bulk of the tour companies have stopped booking Egypt. 

The next morning we were up very early, 4am and we were collected at 4.20 for our balloon trip, this was an extremely well run professional operation.  The balloons were just starting to rise into the early morning light as we arrived there.  There were seven balloons in all and we were the first ones to become air bourne and we drifted over the valley of the Kings and the temples in the valley.  The tombs were very clear from the air.   This was our first time in a balloon, and it was great to be in the air again, even if a lot slower than we normally fly!!!

We then got chatting to a British couple, who are heading South, on bicycles!!

11 April.  We set of South down the Nile again, so that we could take the lowest route to the Red sea, from the town of Idfu.   A huge contrast, riding down the lush, fertile, green Nile, for 110 km, then Eastwards into the rock desert for 220 km!!!  Very dry, hostile, and not somewhere to live!!!  Arrived at Marsa Alum on the coast at about mid-day, and rode around looking for somewhere to stay.  There is a nice guest house and dive centre, called Villa Riff, run be a German woman. Very friendly, with lots of advice and info – but unfortunately full – with a group of tourists’ expected.  It seems all the business here is sold as packages in Europe, by the various tour companies.  She showed us to a hotel, very nice, with a big room, and a stove!!  So, first thing was to cook ourselves some home cooked food, so set off into the village, and stocked up!!  Back at the hotel, all ready to cook, turned the stove on, wouldn’t work???  Huh??  No sorry, we only turn the stove on if you stay for more than 10 days!!!! So, back to restaurant food!!!   Very frustrating.

This morning we hired some snorkeling equipment, and took Ring ting about 5 km down the coast, to a little bay.  The snorkeling is fantastic, with really good reef and coral structure, and amazing fish life, even a turtle, and some potato bass!  It seems that we will enjoy our 10 days on the red sea!!!  There is a huge contrast between the ugly coast line and the unbelievable scenery under the water.