Travel in Egypt 2007 (Part 6)

This trip has been decided in a time of 24 hours: this year it was decided to make New Year in Spain and in January for a ride from Barcelona to Seville with some friends in Turin and in summer the UK, unfortunately after the feast of the end year we had to return home quickly, having been informed by our neighbor, for a gas leak for which they had to step in the Fire Department, after settling back to our failure was impossible to resume the journey home and find friends who had continued travel alone.
Tina by chance, my wife, Plein Air Act on an ad a couple of campers who was organizing a trip to Egypt, once the phone call, just send the program once the affirmative, and immediately the purchase of maps, guides and news searches on the trip, all in 24 hours.
We are ready ... ... ... ... let's go!!

 

El Fayum - Summer military camp - 0/6798 - sunny

Continues from "Travel in Egypt 2007" Part 6

Cairo - MISR Travel parking - 170/6968 - cloudy

All ready to go, the car with the guides comes with 20-minute delay.
Visits planned today in Giza
- Pyramid of Cheops, Khafre and Menkaure
- Solar Boat Museum
- Tomb of Seshemnufer
- The Sphinx
A Dahshur:
- Red Pyramid where we entered a tunnel just over one meter high and 65 meters long downhill all the way to the two rooms where there was the sarcophagus, it was good, hard work and awesome at the same time, those who suffer from claustrophobia as Tina is not coming, you better not come, I had more difficulty than others because my foot has hurt more than usual.
At Saqqara:
- Pyramid
- Resort burial Zhores
To join in Cairo has been a hellish pit, the drivers here have no rules, there is no above, applies the law of the strongest or the most cunning, staying in contact with those above you to not lose sight of it was a race for survival, we risked contact with other media several times, fortunately nothing happened; arrived, finally, to the parking lot of the MISR Travel, our agency, we were ushered into a small courtyard surrounded by colorful curtains, very close l 'one another, one good thing: the water and power, beyond the barrier textiles are seen numerous bus company, as well as travel agency, has buses and petrol stations, we are in an industrial area , shopping nearby seems that there are not, as usual we are relegated to a narrow space, with no possibility of contact with people.
Tension traffic today with the addition of several visits gave me a slight headache, I take an aspirin and put me straight to bed.

St. Catherine - 440/7408 - Monastery parking - cloudy / light rain

Depart 9 am, having to do many miles is a bit late yesterday, the guides being of Cairo went home to find wives and children, so this morning you could not ask him to come first.
Almost quiet exit from Cairo, today is Friday holy day for Muslims.
At Suez we made a tunnel of about 2 km, beautiful, modern and fast.
In the Sinai you are on a beautiful road built by the Israelis during the occupation following the Six Day War, along the way we came across, first to a strong side wind that drove the camper off the road with difficulty kept the steering, then was added to the sand, a real ghibli, certainly we will clean the air filters.
The mountains are a unique spectacle, in miles driven so far are worth it, the colors from yellow to brown, from pink to purple, are fantastic. Over the last few miles it started to drizzle.
Arrived at the parking near the sanctuary, we shall meet to decide what to do tonight, some people decide to go with a local guide for the ascent of Mount Sinai, departure at 1.30 am, course of about 3 hours on a path and a stairway carved into the rock, you could use the camels for the only path, but do not know if they are available, I give up, my foot in recent days makes me a bit 'wrong, however I would not have gone and the sunrise view from the top is risk of bad weather, Tina surrender herself, this path is not for people unprepared for the mountain.
What made me angry, but I had thought for some time, is that tomorrow night we will not be at sea as provided by the program, but half way, so there will be a full day of rest on the beach but only half.
It 'makes sense that those who go on the mountain and can not sleep tonight, tomorrow will not be able to make further 450 km, this Cape Luisa had noted from the outset, in response I was told that was none of those who wanted make the trip.
I'm realizing that maybe Tony has reason to complain: the program is too intense and the changes are not run democratically by the group but a few persons.

St. Catherine - 0/7408 - Monastery parking - cloudy / rainy

Last night the bus parking lot is filled with hundreds of people, all pilgrims who then climbed on Mount Sinai, preceded by 11 of us with a van, were transported in the vicinity of the shrine, from where the path which would brought the top.
At 8:30 am on the same bus has come to withdraw the remaining 7, including myself and Tina, to bring ourselves to the monastery where they were waiting for the others already fallen back, with faces contorted by fatigue, both for the trouble for the multitude of people saliva, someone came to the end and stopped along the trail.
Unfortunately, this effort was in vain because, due to bad weather, have not seen the sun rising, show much vaunted by the guides.
All together we visited the shrine in the midst of a multitude of people from around the world, Koreans, Russians and 800 Nigerians.
Visit the sanctuary with Bedouin guide with translation Aiman, small and crowded, edited by Greek Orthodox monks from Mount Athos, the museum visit was optional, nearly all are returned with the van the other we have reached the parking lot shortly after.
Unable to leave immediately, as planned, because who climbed the mountain could not drive for 450 km without a rest first few hours and because the police did not allow us to stop for the night halfway through, the start was postponed to tomorrow morning at 6 am, unfortunately the much awaited vacation at sea is shrinking.
This afternoon, while the others rested, I placed the locker, Tina did a little 'cleaning inside the camper, I also disassembled and cleaned the air filter which was clogged with sand.
E 'evening and raining.

Ain Sokhna - beach - 429/7837 - sunny / cloudy

Depart at 6, we want to be at sea early, trying to regain lost half a day, you go down and meet again with another light on the mountains by the various colors, is a sight that he sees himself willingly.
It reaches the sea, an absolute disappointment, we were promised a car park in a tourist: we are in a beach full of rocks and dirt with behind houses under construction, is simply a construction site, after our complaints, there is a better Ghead solution in the immediate vicinity, always near the sea behind the houses already built, after a short meeting it was decided to once again tomorrow morning for the time in Cairo.
Albert, suffered the sea, gets in a bathing suit and plunged into the sea, I envy him but the water is too cold and I do not dare to imitate him.
For evening dinner is organized collective, it's dark, it's cold, but fearlessly braving the weather align the tables and placed on the table everything and more.

Read More About "EGYPT 2007" Part Seven