First Journey to Egypt: Hurghada and a lot more excursions... from 23rd to 30th Juli 1999

Prelude

In Juli 1999 we - Simon and Bianca - searched at the airport of Hannover for a Last-Minute journey and we found a five-star-hotel in Hurghada/Egypt which was very promising and not so expensive. Seven days holidays at the Red Sea side, bathing, swimming... just a dream for tourists wanting to rest! Of course, we were a little bit sad that Hurghada was so far away from the known destinations Luxor and Cairo, from the temples and the pyramids. So this voyage was destined for recreation only!
But all went different! Just when we arrived at the Sheraton-Hotel an Egyptian gave us a handbill - and on it a lot of very nice excursions: Pyramids in Cairo, only 110 DM (ca. 55 Euro or Dollar), a trip to Luxor, a trip into the desert, a visit into different cities and a lot more... We were amazed! And ordered three excursions. Unfortunately, our swimming holidays had reduced much by ordering these trips, because they used to start in the middle of the night and we were back late in the evening. Recreation? Forget about it!! Instead a lot of culture... We have travelled by bus (without toilets in the bus) and that was really hard. And one day, I got really sick (some "nice" kind of diarrhoea)...

1. Day: 23rd Juli 1999

21.50 p. m.: Flight from Hannover to Hurghada, arrival at 3.20 a. m. - we were just so tired!!! In the hotel, we got speedily our room, a very nice suite with a terrace, but actually our luggage wasn't send as speedy... only two hours later - at early daylight - our luggage arrived and we definetely needed some sleep - for being tough for the next days.

2. Day: 24th Juli 1999: At the Hotel-Side and Travel to Hurghada

After a very late breakfast-buffett we explored the hotel area. Lying on nine sandy hills, our hotel was nearby the small city El Gouna, an imitated sandy lagoon at the Red Sea side which was about 30 kilometres away from Hurghada. In the afternoon we went to Hurghada and experienced in fact a little bit of a cultural shock. One couldn't just stroll around and make some easily shopping. Immediately there were the salesmen and dealers who made a lot of promises just because you should buy this and that. There was only one shop where you could look around freely on your own. A lot more problematic was the bus-ride back to El Gouna because they wanted us to pay the 100fold of the normal price. So we decided to get out of this bus. - No, they weren't not so nice, these Egyptians from the tourist town of Hurghada - but one can understand that they try to get money from these rich tourists from the west.

3. Day: 25th Juli 1999: El Gouna

Sunday: We explored El Gouna. Our hotel as well as the city of El Gouna was strickly guarded (unfortunately not by these brave Medjais...) because the Egyptian Government feared some terrorist actions. We purchased a few things and visited the local aquarium where many poor fishes - in bad condition - lived. Furthermore we saw some dead tortoises - that made us very sad. Of course, El Gouna is some kind of water paradise - but I wished humans cared more for the animals (especially for those which were reduced to captivity!).
In the evening we watched a nice show with Egyptian folklore in our hotel. Each evening there was such a programme, but this one on Sunday was the only one on which we could take part.

4. Day: 26th Juli 1999: Journey to Luxor

Today we made our first journey with the bus: the trip to Luxor. In the early morning we parted. We travelled with a bus caravan which was guarded by military men - for our safety. In the late forenoon we arrived and first we visited the temple of Karnak which was indeed very impressionable. A must for all Egypt-visitors!! After lunch in a restaurant we visited the Memnon-colossal statues (see fotos on that statues under Egypt-Journey No. 2) and the Valley of the Kings. Because I had have ice cube in my drink at lunch I now felt so miserable that I only wanted to lay down and rest - and that inmidst of so many tombs! I haven't had a chance to waste away in that famous valley because my friend didn't allow me to rest. We had to go on with the bus-tour. Whereas I remained seated in the bus (with a blastic bag because of vomiting) Simon visited the alabaster-museum. I felt so bad all these hours on this tour back to El Gouna! Never ever I will enjoy drinks with ice cubes in Egypt again!! As late as 23 p. m. we returned to the hotel, but the dinner buffett was still open. So - all of a sudden recovered - I took Simon to that buffett...

5. Day: 27th Juli 1999: Trip into the Desert

In the morning we visited a Bedouin village in the desert, but at least we could sleep until 6 a.m. - Somewhere behind Hurghada we left the paved street just for driving into the "nowhere" or better into a huge area of sand and stones alone called desert. After an hour or so there was a big stone which served the driver for orientation. Later we arrived in the village where we fist visited the source in the hills (see foto on the left, the source is between the stones) from which the desert people got all their water. They were indeed very nice. In the village they presented us some drinks, we were allowed to visit the quarters and rode on camels before we drove back. In the afternoon Simon and I just went to El Gouna again and managed to take a foto in a studio: we both in ancient Egyptian dresses (see first foto above on this page).

6. Day: 28th Juli 1999: Cairo

Waking up at 2:30 a. m. Uuuahhh... The bus was there yet. This time we drove to the north: to Cairo - again in caravan. Nine hours we were supposed to sit in the bus with only one rest. Maybe 20 to 30 busses - all stopped at one highway-restaurant with just three toilets for the ladies. In Cairo, we first visited the famous pyramids. For the biggest, the Pyramid of Cheops we got only 20 minutes and couldn't walk in because only 200 visitors per day were allowed to go in - and that was cleary in the early morning, not a noon-time! But we could walk into the third pyramid. A very long and cramped way led us down. It was so hot in there, but we were so happy because we stood in a real pyramid! That was something we both have long dreamed before to do. After that we visited the Sphinx - just nearby the pyramids. You can see the head of the sphinx above my head on the foto on the left. In the background you can see the second pyramid which has got the original marmor on the top. After lunch (without ice cubes!) we visited the Egypt Museum. There was such a lot to see! Impossible to do that in a couple of hours! There was clearly the famous Tut-Ench-Amun-exhibition. I saw an exhibition of a full equipped tomb with all the different sarcophagus. For the exhibition of royal mummies - there was unfortunately no time left. After the museum we went to a gold shop and to the head mosque of Cairo which is called the Sultan-Hassan-Mosque. We all were allowed to go into the mosque - and we women needn't to veil us. A lot of carpets were laid on the floor of the mosque and it was very huge. This mosque is indeed very nice and imposant.

After all these interesting visits we travelled back to El Gouna: first through the desert, then following the Red-Sea-highway. It was a very beautiful journey, but this time Simon felt a little bit sick. He longed after the promised "late night dinner" which we should get instead of the daily dinner buffett because we went back into the hotel too late for getting the buffett. But our famous candle-light-dinner out on the terrace (which we so seldom used) existed only in some biscuits and rolls. Nevertheless, we celebrated our first time being at the pyramids!

7. Day: 29th Juli 1999: Swimming-Pool-Time and Purchases in Hurghada and El Gouna

Recreation!!! And then we had to write cards, these typical tourist cards for letting all people at home know where we are. In fact, these cards we supposed to arrive much later than we in Germany! Later we purchased some very Egyptian souvenirs in Hurghada. For us, we purchased typical Egyptian clothes: a gown which resembled ancient time's women dress and a belly dance costume for me and a typical man's robe for Simon in white which he wore at the Galabea-Party at the second journey to Egypt, just see fotos there!). In the afternoon we took some swimming in the Red Sea and discovered an island lying in front of our nine hotel hills. We swam over there - and just when we reached the island all the crabs crawled away because of us. It was an astonishing view: it looks like as the whole island was moving away, so many crabs were on that island. Later we enjoyed the huge hotel pool.

8. Day: 30th Juli 1999: Returning Home

Last time breakfast buffett, swimming and bathing in the Red Sea. After stowing away all souvenirs and clothes in our luggage begs we went to the airport where at 14:30 p. m. a craft of Lotus Air brought us home to Hannover.
One thing was very clear to us: This voyage was not for recreation (as planned...) but for culture. The programme which we absolved should be better for two weeks - so culture and recreation is combined. And two more tips: Never put ice cubes into drinks and wear always something on your head - especially if you visit temples and the very hot Valley of the Kings.