Made it through Egypt alive and pretty much unscathed! We had lots of trouble with our travel agent - dodgy sleazy guides that wanted us to be "in love with them", a totally stuffed itinarary meaning that we didn't get to see anything in Luxor, not giving us back our voucher...the list goes on. We are working ourselves up to go and take on the agent in Athens and tell him what for. This aside I had a great time and next time I know how to do it (preferably with a man - Egypt is not a place for two women!) Egyption men do not know how to handle western women, they constantly ask stupid questions like are you married, do you have a boyfriend, and take any oppurtunity to touch you - very yucky and stressfull. They are also very insistant and always after tips - you have to tip EVERYONE in egypt from your driver to a policeman that gives you directions.

I have changed my mind again about Athens, it is clean and friendly and the traffic is wonderfull - compared to Cairo anyway! Cairo is totally CRAZY! Cars and horse drawn carts and buses and mini vans weave amongst each other on the laneless roads, beeping constantly and testing their brakes to the limit (best just to close your eyes and pray!) People everywhere in all manner of clothing from elegant saries to long white gowns with turbans and arab men in bad suits. They say that breathing for one day in Cairo is equivilant to smoking one packet of cigarrettes!

The pyramids were amazing, have to be seen to be believed! Cairo stops and the great pyramid starts litteraly right next to apartment blocks. We went for a camel ride and had our pictures taken on them - very cool. The camel owner thought it was very funny that my name is Ali as that is his name too - he then said I had "Lovely Jubblies" (!!??) The Cairo museum was fantasting too, with heaps of stuff from all over the country (made up for the bits we missed!)

We hopped on a plane for Aswan the next day and got on the cruise boat. Couldn't believe how luxurious it was, 5+ stars. We were waited on hand and foot for the three nights. Stuffed ourselves silly with 4 course meals and tidied up my tan by the pool on the sundeck. They even turned down our beds while we were at dinner - I am not used to this style of living! While at Aswan we went on a Felluca ride, saw a Nubian village (actually we were ripped off by the dodgy guide and saw one shop in the Nubian village!!) and went to the Sound and Light show at Phillea temple where the heiroglypics are lit up and the story of the temple is told - Very interesting.

Set sail for Luxor the next day after seeing Phillea temple in the daylight (this time in a group, not one on one like off the boat - much better!) Over the next 2 days we also saw Komombo and Edfu temple. All the temples have the same design but each has its own god and different incriptions and statues. The guide was really good and expained the incriptions too us. Took so many pictures of temple that I don't think I will be able to tell which is which! The temperatures on these days reached up to 45 degrees and really dry.

One night on the boat there was an Egyption party (quite tacky - yes) and everyone had to dress up Egyption - Sue and I went a little cloth buying crazy and I now own a few more shawls. The highlight was when all the waiters from the dining room got together and sang with drums - amazing!

Back in Athens now and quite tired of travelling. I am really looking forward to getting to Dublin now.