Dream journey in the Land of the Pharaohs

Egypt is probably one of those countries which are on the bucket list of all travellers. Some like the hills, others the beaches, a few are crazy for the forest but everyone is intrigued about the mysteries of this great civilization. My first sight of the Sphinx standing tall in front of the Great Pyramid was courtesy of my school history book and I knew instantly that I am destined to travel to this magical land.

I am going to take you all on this magnificent journey across the Lower to Upper Egypt through the Great Nile along with its associated myths and the fables. Inspite of planning a trip being my pastime I faced a herculean task due to conflicting information flooded all over the Internet. Finally, with a lot of reluctance, I was forced to delegate this task to MakeMyTrip because I failed to work out the logistics, as explained subsequently!

I am writing about my first trip to Egypt in 2009. Those were the early days of my Corporate career when Savings was intangible and seeking paid leaves were considered taboo. Whenever it was miserly granted, it was projected as a great favour. I am sure many of you would be able to visualise this plight as this culture was industry-agnostic at that point in time in India. Therefore, I had to immaculately manage both my expenses and the days I can spend on vacation.

I knew that my maiden trip to Egypt will probably be the only trip I am able to make in my lifetime. Thus, I was extremely conscious of covering all the critical attractions and that list seemed to be endless! The more I read and research, the longer the list became and the frustration mounted due to communication failure with local tour agents due to the language barrier.

Today, after travelling for 25 years I have built enough contact to plan a trip on my own. Additionally, to assist in this endeavour we have Social Media and effective language translating apps bringing the world closer to our drawing-room. I could have written this blog differently with the current affairs in mind, but I wanted to live the nostalgia of the tour and thus narrating my experience of that dream vacation.

The dates were finally set to 31st October to 7th November 2009, after a lot of deliberations and discussions. Obviously, I had to forego a few of the atractions, like Alexandria a coastal town on the Mediterranean to name one. Also, to manage our budget and also to accommodate the tie-up of MMT we had to agree to 1 Stop flight to Cairo. Unfortunately, we repented to that decision for a long time!

We started packing our bags meticulously and get ready for the trip. But, then a 5 of days before our departure something pleasantly unexpected happened. We learnt that we are pregnant and our doctor requested to reconsider calling off the trip as a safety measure during the first trimester. We just didn’t know how to react to this good news! In the first 24 hours, we discussed and debated profusely and it felt that time has stopped. Finally, we unanimously decided we will go ahead with the trip without throwing caution to the wind.

We decided to take measured steps at all points, throughout the journey and disclosed our decision to our doctor. Thankfully, she realised the calling of the Pharaoh was too strong and did not create any further doubt. Instead, she prescribed an injection to increase the fluid level inside the womb to keep the child safe in case there are excessive vibrations and movements.

Thus on 29th October  2009, we set off from Bengaluru to Mumbai, instead of 30th. This was the solitary improvisation we did to get a day rest before the holiday. Unfortunately, fate had other plans and all other improvisations we planned ran out of options. On 31st October 2009 at 130 AM IST, we boarded the Turkish Airline’s flight to Istanbul

The journey did not start as per plan but I did not realise that because the cabin felt magical. We were provided headphones to watch movies, the cabin temperature was comfortable and the air hostesses were too stunning. I was shamelessly staring at one of them till my eyes met my wife’s and we together started chuckling. The flight took off 3 hrs behind scheduled departure due to incessant Air traffic at Mumbai. To add insult to injury it reached 4 hrs after the scheduled arrival time, resulting in missing our connecting flight to Cairo!

Turkey is 2 hrs 30 mins behind IST. We reached Istanbul at 11 AM local time and were informed that our next flight is expected to depart at 145 PM local time. The airlines provided us with lunch coupons as a service gesture for the inconvenience. We appreciated that and headed towards the food court after freshening up at the airport.

Seldom do an Omnivore like me think twice to try out local cuisines and this time was no different. But my wife felt nausea by the sight of animals and reptiles on display and hardly found anything to eat. I was wondering what would an Indian vegan have done in this scenario as I was demanded to find Indian veg food.

A fellow Indian offered some homemade food, which I reluctantly accepted. All my life I have complained of Indian travellers carrying food with them but for the first time, I appreciate it. Life has its unique way to teach a lesson and be grateful. As instructed earlier, we returned to the boarding gate at 115 PM, but the airline staff were not to be seen anywhere.

We looked all around fearing that the gates have changed and might end up missing the flight. But a close inspection of the display board revealed that the flight is delayed further by 30 mins. The game of Patience started from that point and every 30 mins there was a declaration of further delay of 30 mins, citing technical snag.

To make up for the time I bought a can of beer and a pack of juice for my spouse. I also gathered the courage to make an International roaming call to India to my MMT representative, citing my concern that I might lose a day. She managed me like a thorough professional neither promising a solution but keeping my hopes in good spirit. She said she will speak to the local operator and try and ensure that my itinerary gets managed within the available terminal.

My experience of working in a bank has taught me that the word “technical” is used when something is prohibited to reveal. Mostly, it is a signal that something is mysteriously unknown and is prohibited to discover. This cue was good enough for me to know that we are now stuck for a long haul.

I am equally touchy about the phrase “try and ensure” as I have liberally used it during month beginning sales commitment meetings. I bought another can and the alcohol instigated me to explain my analysis to my wife in detail. Our discussion went on till 6 PM when we got too exhausted to talk further. Also, I had a bloated bladder and decided to stop indulging in my liquid diet.

The painstaking wait slowly started to get on our nerve and that is exactly when the announcement rang to board our flight. It was 730 PM and we were overcome with joy once again and like obedient school children queued up to enter the plane. it was announced that we will finally travel at 8 PM. The boarding was smooth and all of us stationed in our seats comfortably and waited for the take-off. But, that never happened!

At 830 Pm we were asked to disembark as the plane had a technical snag. Thus, we will have to wait again till the time Egypt Air is able to arrange for another plane to take us to Cairo. By this time the majority of the passenger’s have lost their cool and I could sense that it is now getting to a boiling point. I knew that whatever is going to happen is beyond my control and thus followed the instructions and just prayed for things to get better.

At 10 PM we were asked to board another plane and finally at 1030 PM the plane took off with relief from everyone on board. At some time the beautiful glittering city of Istanbul passed away under the cloud and I got lost in trepidation as the doctor’s warning reverberated in my ears. I made a silent prayer to comfort myself and snoozed off in sometime

I woke up to the Captain’s announcement that we buckle up for landing. I looked out of the window and found the beautiful city of Cairo glittering with lights as far as the eye could see. I looked long and wide for the Pyramid but could not spot it. In a couple of minutes, I realised the flight was hovering over the skies, probably waiting for a go-ahead from the Air traffic control. My heart leapt with the apprehension of another drama over the skies! But thankfully we finally landed at 1245 AM ( Egypt time) on 1st November 2009.

When I sit back and recollect this tour there are so many instances when things did not go as per plan. The scariest among them was at the Cairo Immigration counter. My wife was ahead of me and she cleared her immigration and moved towards picking up our luggage. I moved in after her and for some reason, the scanner did not read my passport! About 30 mins later she came back looking for me but I was nowhere in sight and she did not have an International call activation on her phone.

Thankfully she was in a state of panic for about 5 minutes when I came arrived beside her completely drenched in sweat and alive to tell a tale. The Immigration officer was sure I was travelling with a fake passport, alerted the security who politely escorted me inside an interrogation room. I tried my best to remain calm and answered all the questions though quite indignant in my heart. I could clearly sense they did not believe me and kept repeating the same question to check if my answer remains the same.

The debriefing would have lasted for at least half an hour before they left me alone inside the room and left. Bring an ardent fan of spy movies I at least knew I am being watched and kept on contemplating in mind how to conduct myself. The 10 minutes I was alone felt like ages. Eventually, I realised that I need not act as I was quite tensed and anxious with the way the event unfolded. I kept on wondering if she is also detained and under interrogation

I was slowly getting a taste of the bitter feeling of pessimism all over my mind. My mind drifted to a lock-up filled with bulky Arab criminals and I crouched on one corner looking out for an attack. Suddenly, there was the noise of the door opening and I came back to my senses. I looked up fearing the worst, believing that I am clairvoyant and have just witnessed my future. Miraculously, the tall interrogator had a smile and handed back my passport. He said, “You are free to go”!

When I finished narrating this to my wife we hugged each other instinctively, but within a couple of seconds pushed each other back. We looked around in a chary as if we might have disobeyed an interdict of public affection, quite possible in an Islamic country. Without a second glance, we almost ran out of the airport as furtively as possible, still horrified and imagining of new dangers that can befall upon us

We came out of the airport and started looking for the taxi stand when my eye fell on a placard with our name written on it. This was completely unexpected and brought a sense of gratitude and joy back after a harrowing 24 hours. Ahmed who came to pick us remarked that our flight was delayed due to diplomatic tension between the two nations but he was tracking our flight so that we do not face any inconvenience in his land!

This simple act of his made me feel so grateful and I could feel a lump on my throat. We profusely thanked him and looked around for the midnight view of Cairo. After 30 mins drive we reached our hotel- Ramses Hilton, beside the beautiful River Nile. The hotel upgraded us to a deluxe room on the 22nd floor with a hanging balcony, probably taking pity on our condition. This was the first time we experienced the luxury of a 5 Star stay and was overwhelmed by the pomp and the view from the top. The great Nile was flowing just metres away and in the distance was the Pyramids. Our dream has come true!

• Cairo Museum- Entry 200 Egyptian Pound per Adult, Children below 6 years are free
• Train to Aswan

We woke up to a bright and sunny morning with a cerulean sky. The dark clouds of despondency have completely disappeared after a good night sleep. We walked hand in hand to the balcony and looked towards the Pyramid. We adored it for some time before I brought out my camera and kept clicking. But then I was interrupted by a call from the restaurant informing us that the breakfast would be closed in 30 mins and thus we better hurry.

At 11 AM, Ahmed picked us up for the Cairo museum. It was a 5 mins drive during which he informed me that they have chalked out a new itinerary due to our delayed arrival. Thus the Pyramid which we were supposed to see the previous day will be shown on the last day. He mentioned that for the day we will only see the Cairo museum and in the evening will catch a train to Aswan. He explained our new itinerary and we were overjoyed to learn that all attractions are covered.

A museum of this gigantic proportion will probably take a week to complete, while we had just about 4 hours. Everything was interesting across all nooks and corners. It was impossible to decide what is worth seeing or skipping. Thus we went about like a train journey surveying everything by the window but remembering whatever caught our attention.

After the tour of the museum, we were brought back to our hotel for an Indian lunch. We vehemently protested but Ahmed advised us to make the best of it because we would not get a taste of India even if we desire, during the remaining days of the tour. The taste of the food was a cut above and we felt at home. We were glad we listened to Ahmed

After a heavy lunch, we retreated to our room with slumber sitting over our eyes. Thus, we decided to lie down for a while and then stroll around the bank of the Nile, in the evening. But within minutes we disappeared into oblivion Thankfully, I didn’t forget to set the alarm which rang loud and clear at 1800 hrs, bringing both of us back to Mother Earth

Ahmed was punctual as ever and he picked us up at 630 PM as promised earlier. The drive to Giza lasted for almost 1 hour. But, 20 minutes into the ride we left the beautifully landscaped city behind and enter the rugged part of the countryside. The glittering towers gave way to unpainted houses amid the rugged terrain. The transformation was stark but this ruggedness also had a beauty of its own. We passed by numerous cafes where men were smoking the Hookah and I was tempted to try but Ahmed declined the offer, stating we will be late for the station.

We reached the Giza railway station at 730 pm well ahead of our 8 PM departure. After a glorious day, things again went awry. This time the train arrived at 11 PM, but Ahmed was not perturbed. He remarked a couple of hour delay is quite normal and we should not worry about it. After helping us with our luggage and making us comfortable inside our coach he bid us farewell.

The train reminded me of the Golden Chariot I have seen on TV and probably my Indian readers can be related to what I am mentioning. Additionally, we were lucky to get a 2 berth coup which provided us with the perfect privacy. Both the upper and Lower berth were quite wide and I contended that a night of sound sleep is not far away. But destiny had other plans

As the train started to move we changed to our nightdress and was ready for dinner. It was very late and the fatigue of waiting at the station made us sleepy too. I decided to make the bed and keep it ready so that we can sleep as soon as we finish our meal. We found the pillow, its cover, bed sheet and blanket clean to our satisfaction. I also discovered a mini toilet inside the coup which made us feel merrier.

1. Train journey to Aswan
2. Aswan sight seeing – Unfinished Obelisk and Philae temple
3. Overnight in the Cruise

It was well past midnight now and the entire compartment smelt of food but somehow our food did not arrive. I was lepaking around in anticipation of the food arriving any moment. Just then I noticed a folded ladder beside the berths, but could not unfold it. Trying to solve this jigsaw puzzle kept me busy for another 15 minutes till I succeeded. But the food was still not served. Therefore I decided to look out for the host of the Pantry

It was easy to track him down but instead of helping out, he started complaining about tourists not following rules resulting in staff to work overtime. He was successful in making me defensive resulting in me apologising without knowing why. This seemed to soften him up and thus I requested him to let me know what should I do to get my meal. He declared that we should have been at the banquet hall instead of waiting inside our coup.

I was pondering about the reason for this U-turn while walking back towards my coup. A gentleman approached me introducing himself as a frequent traveller from Italy. He spoke in clear English and started by seeking forgiveness for overhearing my conversation with the host. Then with a hushed tone, he said nothing moves here without a tip and I would be better off I follow this Golden rule of Egypt. I have to agree the tides turned as soon as I implemented this advice.

As I entered my berth empty-handed the expression on my wife’s face changed to despair. Before I had to explain there was a knock on the door. I opened the door to find our host with our dinner. This time not only I thanked him but also handed over a crisp 10 Pound ( Egyptian) note. The fingertip of his index and thumb touched the note and he pulled it gently. But I held it tight and said that we prefer breakfast at 8 AM before I freed the note from my hold. When he left the coup I smiled because I have started playing the game now!

We pounced on the food and finished it swiftly without any discussion. It was a simple meal with a bun, chicken gravy with chicken a salad but it was very satisfying After the meal I looked out of the window to find pitch darkness outside. I deduced we have crossed the city limits and the train was picking up speed. In another 10 mins we retired to our bed and I climbed to the upper berth with the assistance of my newfound ladder. I wished my wife good night and closed my eyes and then something strange happened.

The train came to a jolting halt and literally throwing us both out of our berth. Both of us have travelled extensively on the rail but we have never experienced something like this. The train braked we felt that our bogie hit the compartment in front, such was the impact. Both of us sat wide awake fearing for our safety. But the train did not break and it moved at a slow pace. We concluded it was a solitary incident and went back to bed.

Unfortunately, it was not a solitary incident and this roller coaster ride continued throughout the journey. Fearing that my wife might fall down on the ground in the first trimester I lied down beside her like the Chinese wall. I held the iron bar beside the berth as I tried sleeping. But who can sleep for long with when the train kept braking at regular interval

Not able to bear the torture of an intermittent sleep I went out to investigate the reason for this collision. Between the two-compartment of a train is a vestibule which allows passengers and staff to move from one bogey to the other. When a train brakes one of the gangways moves over the other so that both the bogeys don’t collide with each other.

However, in this case, the gangways were colliding with each other whenever the train braked resulting in this collision. Unfortunately, I identified the root cause I had no solution to this problem. I was further embittered when I discovered that this problem lies only with our bogey and the one ahead of us. Everyone else had no problem and was sleeping peacefully.

The next morning at 8 AM our breakfast was served, as expected. But I had no idea of it because I finally climbed to the upper berth around 6 AM as my wife finished her sleep. I was in deep slumber after a horrid night of being restless. Later my wife mentioned that the host frowned on seeing me sleeping, perceiving the housewife will not have money to tip him. Identifying his dilemma she passed another crisp 10 Pound note, which I kept separately for this purpose.

Being an adroit woman she also learnt that the train was running 3 hours behind schedule and have placed an order for lunch. Notwithstanding we reached Aswan 5 hours behind schedule at 5 PM! We were welcomed by a chirpy guide who called himself baffling which baffled me because he was an Arab. But I decided to keep my inquisitiveness under control.

Pedro had the art of breaking bad news in a positive manner. He mentioned that we cannot go to Abu Simbel or Aswan dam but skillfully camouflaged it by educating us on the importance of visiting the Philae temple and the Unfinished Obelisk. I have to agree that he confused and convinced us eloquently!

The Unfinished Obelisk

Pharaoh Hatshepsut ordered its construction to commemorate 16 years of her rule. It is worth mentioning that Hatshepsut ruled for 20 years disguising herself as a male and the same is evident from statues where she is shown having a male body and a beard. Egyptologists believe this Obelisk was constructed to complement the Obelisk at Karnak Temple, which we later visited.

The Obelisk is approximately 37 meters and weighed 1200 tonnes. It remained incomplete owing to a crack that developed during its construction, resulting in the abandonment of the construction. The Great Pharaoh Hatshepsut ruled Egypt during the 2nd century BC and I kept wondering how did we humans managed to move such a ginormous and heavy structure without any mechanical support of the modern world! I looked around to observe other tourists and from their faces deduce that the same thought was dawning in their minds too.

The Philae temple

Philae Temple is located on Lake Naseer in the Aswan reservoir. Pedro informed us that the temple was relocated to its current location during the construction stage of the Aswan dam resulting in multiple floods in 1975 The temple is located in the middle of a lake on Agilkia Island. The short boat ride was quite enjoyable and the blue water cheered us up.

Temple of Philae is a UNESCO World Heritage site that was founded in the 7th Century BC and abandoned in the 6th century AD. Do visit the Temple of Isis the Goddess of Old Egypt. But apart from the outstanding temple complex, the beautiful sunset over the Lake is a memory that has remained etched in my memory to date.

Pedro also educated us on how to identify the Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt basis the crown. Write to me if you really need to know about it as that will take some time to explain.

After watching the beautiful sunset we took a boat bank to the bank and then after a short drive was in front of a beautiful cruise ship. This would be our hotel for the next few days till we reach Luxor. The ship was medium-sized and we had an elegant room resulting in a comfortable stay.

There was onboard entertainment every night, where there was live dance and song shows which we enjoyed thoroughly. On the first night, we had an early dinner and hit the bed early to overcompensate the trauma of sitting like an owl in our train journey. Pedro also acted as a catalyst in this decision making by stating that we will have to leave for a new attraction at 7 AM next morning.

We went to bed only after we experienced an engineering marvel. We were on the side of the river where the water level was high and thus the cruise first went in between the gates and stopped. Water was released till the level was close to the other side of the Nile and the cruised flowed onto the other side. Unfortunately, this happened late in the night and thus visibility was low, but I clicked a picture with the moon witnessing this magic with me

The next morning I woke up with sun rays falling straight on my face. I got up irritated that I did not draw the curtain in spite of my spouse reminding me in the night, I sprinted to the window to quickly draw the curtain and jump back to the bed, but the sight outside kept me mesmerised. The sun was rising over the rugged land but the contrast of the blue Nile was a sight to behold. I woke up my wife and we both enjoyed the view over a cup of piping hot tea. Soon there was an announcement that the cruise will stop over within 15 minutes and tourists are requested to visit the Kom Ombo temple.

Kom Ombo temple

We quickly freshened up to embark on the town of Kom Ombo. On the deck, Pedro was waiting for us and insisted we ride a horse carriage to the Kom Ombo Temple. The Kom Ombo temple is a double temple dedicated to Sobek the Crocodile God as well as Horus. The temple was started by Ptolemy VI ( 180- 145 BC).

Pedro informed us 2 Kms away lies the Sobek Sanctuary wherein even Mummies of Crocodiles are discovered. Unfortunately, I could not persuade him to take us there. If you like it then get it included in your itinerary. The scene of the inner face of the temple is of particular interest and probably represents a surgical instrument. The picture of mine attached below is of significance as well. Get a closer look and uncover it!

Our excursion lasted for 45 minutes including the travel time. After coming back we had breakfast at leisure as the cruise resumed sailing on the great Nile. The views from the upper deck were spectacular and even got better when I sipped in a chilled beer and watched it on the upper deck

The Temple of Horus- Edfu:

Late in the afternoon we reached the beautiful Edfu Temple late in the afternoon. This excellent preserved temple was constructed between 237- 57 BC. There are a lot of stories that are enacted in the walls of the Temple, it depicting the revenge of Horus for the death of his father on the Seths. The height of the temple is around 36 metres and is built of sandstone. The temple was within walking distance from the bank of the Nile and thus no transportations was required to reach the temple. A 1-hour duration is good enough to cover this beautiful temple, but I took almost 1 and a half hour

I would highly recommend to also visit the Esna temple if possible. This temple is dedicated to the Ram headed God Khnum and believed to be completed between 40-250 AD

The remaining day was spent at Leisure inside the ship with good food, wine and making merry as it sailed towards Luxor. We also used the time to warm up with the Captain of the ship and he allowed us to visit the Cabin and take a look of how the operations go about. After the first two gruelling days I started loving the itinerary. It allowed us to see some of the rarest of world architecture but also accommodated enough time to relax and spend some quality time. My dream holiday was getting better now!

• Valley of the King & Queen
• Deir- el- Bahri also commonly known as the Temple of Hatsepsut
• Luxor Temple
• Karnak Temple

The next morning we woke up at Luxor. I went to the upper deck to get a view of this ancient town but was slightly disappointed only to see tarred roads with cars plying on them! I turned round to find Pedro sipping on a cup of tea lounging in the morning sun. He somehow read my mind, smiled and remarked that Valley of King and Queens are far away and we will visit there in a car

Deir- el-Bahiri

Any praise is not enough for this exquisite structure, located exactly opposite to the Luxor temple on the West bank of the River Nile. This is a mortuary temple unique in its architecture and the spectacular spot on the rugged mountains. The beautiful coloured wall paintings took my breath away, though at few places a few patches have vanished due to age. This temple was built by Hatshepsut.

Queen Nefertiri Tomb in the Valley of the Queen: QV66

Queen Nefertiri Tomb in the Valley of the Queen: She was the wife of the Great Pharaoh Ramesses II but in the books of history probably finds her own place over the Pharaoh. The antechamber is decorated with paintings and is worth visiting

Tu-ten Kham tomb

This tomb will attract an additional payment of 100 Egyptian Pound over and above the fees you have already paid. While all the treasures we heard about are not present as they are shifted to the Egyptian antiquities museum but this small tomb has fantastic wall paintings. It was an unbelievable experience for us being inside this time created thousands of years ago

Ramses Tomb in the Valley of the King:

A spectacular tomb is very well maintained and illuminated to provide a sense of the grandeur of the bygone era. A must visit tomb if you are in Valley of the Kings

After our expedition on the West Bank, we were transported back to the East bank to visit Luxor and Karnak Temple. These 2 temples will always be in my memory for the sheer extravaganza and I will probably rank them above the Pyramids of Giza.

Luxor Temple:

Constructed in 1400 BC but when you set your eyes on it you will absolutely not be able to rationalise how did they manage to build a structure of this size at that time period. It is believed a lot of Pharaohs were crowned inside this temple. It is also believed that Alexander was crowned here conceptually though he did not visit this temple personally.

Karnak Temple:

This complex was part of the ancient city of Thebes. Do not forget to visit the vast open Air museum and click some pictures. This is the only part open for tourists while the remaining three are not accessible to the public. I wonder someday they will open it up. Needless to say, it is a UNESCO World Heritage site

I will surely recommend visiting the Luxor Museum as it provided insights into Egypt. There is also a mummy kept for public viewing, which is obviously the main attraction of this museum. In the evening do not miss a hot air balloon ride from the West bank. The rides can be negotiated and thus do not feel shy to do it. There is a ferry which can transport you to the West bank with a nominal fee.

A word of caution -Anywhere you have transported the drivers expect a minimum tip of 10 Egyptian Pound. Please carry change

This was our last evening on the ship and we did join for the farewell dinner and interacted with other guests and learnt about their land and their experience in Egypt. It was a wonderful amalgamation of people from all over the world having a great time. Many times I have reminisced that evening and wondered how the geopolitics of the world have divided people though all of us are the same irrespective of colour, creed, religion etc. The common thread between all is our humanity and brotherhood towards each other. I will always remember this night for the rest of my life and at times wish that our path cross at some other part of the world

Our wonderful cruise experience came to an end at 12 noon. We bid farewell to Pedro with a lot of gratitude in our hearts. We thanked him for sharing his knowledge with us and in the process making us wiser than at the time we landed in Egypt. I knew no amount of tip is enough for the services he rendered but I still did that and used it to learn the mystery behind his name. He laughed out loud and said he has a very long name which is impossible for foreigners to pronounce and thus shortened it to suit the tourists.

Our train to Giza was about 2.30 PM and thus we decided to get a taste of the local food in a roadside restaurant. A good meal was followed by some shopping and then we scampered to the railway station to catch our train. Finally, we reached Giza and landed at 11 PM an hour behind schedule. We went straight back to Ramses – Hilton and stayed there overnight.

The expectation of visiting the Pyramid made me wake up quite early in the morning. Had we not lost a day we would have visited the Pyramids on the first day itself. In fact, the last day was kept at leisure for an optional drive to Alexandria, which unfortunately was not feasible anymore. But I think the change of plan was a befitting farewell to this great land. The Pyramid should be kept at last as the mere sight of it make the jaws drop and this memory stays fresh even on landing in your hometown.

The Pyramid at Khufu is the largest Pyramid in the world. The tickets for entry inside the Pyramid is limited and given out at 7 AM in the morning. Thus please do discuss this with your tour operator and do not miss this chance, unless one feels suffocated in closed enclosures. This inexplicable experience is not difficult to navigate and can be taken up irrespective of fitness levels.

There are many Pyramids in Egypt and the first one is located 40 Kms from Giza. There are operators who run tours but the size and the scale will not impress if you have already seen the great Pyramid. Please note that if you want to take a camel ride let your guide negotiate on your behalf and be very clear on the duration and charges. Beware and do not fall for any scam.

Please avoid taking anybody’s picture without permission, even if they insist. If you still want to clock make it very clear that you won’t be paying for it. Finally, listen to your guide and respect the local rules and regulations.

When I finally finished my tour and stood in front of the Great Phinx the entire journey passed in front of my eyes like a flashback. The satisfaction and joy of being able to visit Egypt were overwhelming. Travel has its concomitant challenges as evident in this tour but eventually, the pleasant memories stay back.

I need to finally share my heartfelt thanks to Pedro and Sakhara Travels for their hospitality and flexibility in the face of uncontrollable challenges. They were always there when I needed their support. Let me sign off now as while I visualise myself transported in front of the Great Pyramid with the hot sun of Egypt burning my skin. But I remain undeterred, lost in the magnanimous presence of this miracle on Planet Earth

Thankfully our trip to India the next was uneventful to our satisfaction as we had a direct flight to Mumbai. I hope you enjoyed the journey and wish you take up a trip to this great land sooner than later. Please do comment if you have any queries and do share on social media if you find it interesting. Thank you!