The Egypt That Time Revealed

by Rockelle Joseph (United Kingdom (Great Britain))

A leap into the unknown Egypt

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Despite the many things you’ve heard about a destination, nothing can prepare you for the reality. Aside from the Great Pyramids, I didn’t have much of an expectation to precede my visit to Egypt, well, the Pyramids and the fact it would be hot! To offset that contrast, we left England on a frosty winters’ day in February. I was travelling with my sister and we were both incredibly excited to be heading to Africa. We entered the plane and settled in for the 6-hour journey, the most memorable part of which was flying over some imperious looking mountains. Upon landing we seamlessly met our tour operator Zizo, he was friendly and chatty and made us feel instantly at ease. As we took in the arid surroundings, we made our way to our hotel, the Falcon Naama Star. It was a nice, small hotel with the usual amenities, a swimming pool and a choice of boarding options. On our first day we journeyed overnight to Cairo, which was 6 hours by bus from Sharm-El-Sheik. We went to the Egyptian Museum with our guide where we looked at ancient Egyptian artefacts. Next was a boat trip on the Nile, a festive boat passed us playing music which added ambience to the beautiful scene. We sailed smoothly with delicious winds whipping around us. All too soon our boat came to a stop for lunch at a riverside restaurant where we were treated to a buffet of aromatic grilled meats, rice, potatoes, salad and an array of desserts! As glorious as the food was, we were soon on our way to take in the majestic and awe-inspiring pyramids. Pictures never seemed to show that the pyramids were near to a city and it was enthralling to see them, relics from the past sandwiched between the desert and bustling Cairo, a fusion of old and new. We even went inside one of the pyramids which was other-worldly and a very tight fit but a most unforgettable experience! I also captured a gorgeous image of the sphynx with the pyramids in the background. Our day ended with a jaunt to a workshop where we learnt how papyrus was made (ancient Egyptian paper) using the stem of a water plant and then purchased some beautiful papyrus art as souvenirs. The following day we went on a desert tour, we clamoured into the awaiting mini bus where there was some cultural music playing. I’d never heard music like this before and with the vast land rolling into the distance I was instantly transported to another world. At the desert we mounted our bikes and the guides tied the scarf we were advised to bring over our heads as the sand could cut your hair like shards of glass. We took off behind our guides and it felt as though we were riding through a gorgeous painting with dunes in the distance, a clear blue sky with only the sun as a glistening ominous orb. We stopped at the echo valley where we all had to say each person’s name at once and listen to the words bounce of the walls into the shadowy mysterious distance. Next up was a camel ride and getting on one is no mean feat! We arrived at our destination and were introduced to a Bedouin tribe. The fact that there was a nomadic tribe in Egypt was completely new to me! They put on a show with belly dancing and the lady got one of us to join her on stage and some men danced in brightly coloured outfits to a thudding beat. After the enthralling show we sat down to some Shisha and even though I don’t smoke I was able to capture some amazing photographs! We then tucked in to a grilled chicken dinner the Bedouins had prepared, propped on some cushions in the striped tent. Afterwards we went on a short hike and took in some breath-taking views before heading back to our hotel. Approaching the country without much expectation (I wasn’t even aware they spoke Arabic and not Egyptian!) I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed my educational trip into the unknown!