21st - 23rd March 2009, Nuweiba, Egypt

After the 2 hour ferry crossing we got off the boat and headed for the infamous Egyptian Border Officials. To cut a VERY long story short the whole border 'thing' went on for over 3 hours with very little to show at the end of it and all the various 'taxes' adding up to about 150 quid!!! It could have been a lot worse if we're to believe all other reports we've read about the crossing, but with the help of the Tourist Police and some very apologetic Officials it was relatively painless. We drove away (with our new Egyptian number plates), and found a beach camp a few miles north of the port, Blue Bus Camp,  30EP for a beach hut (8 Egyptian Pounds = 1 pound).

 At the camp we bumped into a few more brits, a young couple (Mike and Kas) and Keith, an English guy who was cycling from Scotland to Australia on his own!!!!! MENTAL!!!

We decided to spend a couple of days on the beach, relaxing and taking in the view from our beach hut across the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia.

 Although relaxing on the beach sounds idyllic, boredom quickly set in, so we left and drove West across the expanse that is the Sinai Peninsula. After 6 hours, driving through nothing but desert and the occasional wicked sandstorm we reached the outskirts of Cairo. The 3 lane motorway leading into the city quickly became 7 lanes of cars all weaving and honking horns while jostling for position. Driving which really has to be seen to be believed. As stress levels slowly began to rise beyond boiling point we thought it a good idea just to head to the Pyramids (hard to miss on the Cairo skyline) and pay a taxi to lead us to our camp (Salma Camp, 10km south-west of the Pyramids on Sakkara Rd, 50EP per night)

24th - 26th March 2009, Cairo, Egypt

We had 2 objectives in Cairo; see the sights and sort out Visas for Sudan and Ethiopia. So we decided to spend a couple of days on getting the Visas (as Embassies tend to shut about 1pm). Our first mission was to go to the UK embassy to get a letter of Invitation to Give to the Sudanese Embassy as part of the Visa application. 2 hours and 230EP later we had the letter and went over to the nearby Sudan embassy where we completed the relevant forms, only for the embassy to shut JUST as we were about to hand it in, being told to come back early tomorrow. We spent the rest of the afternoon walking the streets of Cairo, visiting the amazing museum and wondering around the Khal-al-Khalili market where we really put our bartering skills to the test!!

    The locals (men) play Backgammon at lightning speed, putting us to shame at our snails pace.

The following morning we returned to the Sudanese Embassy for 9.30am, handed in our forms paid the $100 fee each!!! and were told to return 10.30am the next day. We'd read that the Ethiopian Embassy was a little hard to find. This turned out to be a huge understatement. We found 3 different address' for it aswell as being sent on a wild goose chase by the locals. After 3 hours of searching we found it and felt like we'd found the Lost City of Atlantis!!! currently it can be found on Mosadak, 17 Kambeez st.

 View of the Nile in Central Cairo, and us cooking tea while avoiding the mozzies at Salma Camp.

Third time lucky at the Sudanese Embassy (which really did't feel or look like an embassy, more a dark, dirty room off an unmarked small door on the street) and we left with visas in hand. The previous days prep work paid off and we headed straight over to the Ethiopian Embassy where a very smiley man told us that with $30 each they would be ready by 12pm. Did a bit of shopping that afternoon and generally relaxed, as we were planning a sunrise view of the Pyramids.

27th - 30th March 2009, Cairo to Luxor, Egypt

With an early start we were first inline when we arrived at the Pyramid, and were through the gate by 8am. Although you may see images of the Pyramids, you only get a real grasp on there size as you approach them. Walking around with mouth open like the rest of the tourists, we circled the Great Pyramid and walked down to the Sphinx, all the while telling a thousand hustlers that we didn't want a camel ride/buy a crappy Pyramid statue/give them baksheesh etc........

 After an hour walking the regular tourist route and venturing inside the Khafre Pyramid through the stiflingly small entrance tunnel, we decided to leave all the fat Americans behind and took a walk around the third Pyramid (Menkaure) and off into the desert to find some peace and get a good view of the complex as a whole. 

 

  After doing the customary 'star jump' we strolled back to the Landy, to find it being towed away by the Police!! After a minor heart attack, it was resolved pleasantly with not a penny being exchanged!! 

  They actually did us a favour as they towed it right up to the Pyramids, where we were allowed to go for a drive around, which was an unbelievable experience; driving a Land Rover around the Pyramids of Giza!!

 After saying a sad fairwell to the Pyramids (but not Cairo) we drove south towards Luxor through the hot, sandy desert, until we came across the Nile road which follows the river. Our plan was to get to Luxor, but we found out that due to the distance this was a little ambitious. So as dusk set in we started to get Police escorts from one checkpoint to the next (which along the Nile are every 30km or so). We were soon told that we were not allowed to drive any further so found a Hotel in the town of Asyut. Although the Police were very friendly it did feel as if you were in a bit of a 'Nanny State' being told where and when you could go.

The next day we were not allowed to leave our hotel until our Police escort turned up, then we were 'allowed' to complete the beautiful journey along the Nile to Luxor. We quickly found our campsite (Rezieky Camp 50EP per night) and settled in and did some well needed washing!! 

The following day we decided to attack all that the West Bank had to offer. With a short local ferry from the East bank we made the 3km walk over to Valley of the Queens, and got a taxi over to Valley of the Kings. These are sites where Egyptian Pharoahs were burried, and as no cameras are allowed in the Tombs, the amazing art work will have to be stored in the memory. We met a lovely group of people from Caerphilly, and although it was nice to hear the Welsh accent, we had to laugh when they refered to the site as "Planet of the Kings". Genius! After 'Planet of the Kings' we decided to do the little known walk over the hill to the temple of Hapshepsut. The walk was steep and the sun was hot, but we were richly rewarded at the top of the hill with a manificent view of the Nile Valley, a huge expanse of desert with a thin green strip along it indicating the Nile.

 
 After a long day on the West bank we went for a beer in town and went for a walk through the towns Souqs, trying not to make any sort of eye contact with a stall holder, as the instant you do, they seem to think they have the right to chase you down the street, selling spices at extraordinary prices. No thanks just isn't good enough, and you find yourself getting quite rude after a while. 

 The next morning we went around the ancient temples of Karnak, just North of Luxor.

31st March - 2nd April 2009, Aswan, Egypt 

As beautiful as Luxor is, and there is much to see here, it is a total tourist nightmare. The constant hassle from street vendors and shop owners who promise a 'hassle free lookin their shop' soon becomes unbearable. With this in mind we were glad to leave Luxor and continue south towards Aswan (we were able to travel on our own as all compulsary convoys had stopped a few months previous). The drive took about 4 hours, with the Nile getting more picturesque along the way

After checking out a campsite near the town, we found we could get a room in the centre for cheaper, so we settled into the Nubian Oasis Hotel (30EP for a double). It would be from Aswan that we would get the Ferry into Sudan in 6 days time, so we planned a relaxing week.

As Aswan is one of the most stunning parts of the Nile we decided to take a 2 hour ride in a Felucca, a Nubian sail boat. With some half-arsed bartering on our part we settled on 60EP for a sunset trip along the Nile.