George and I recently ventured to Egypt. I have been fascinated with Egypt since my Grade 7 History class and knew I would have to go someday.

Our itinerary was all pre-planned with guides and meet and greet transportation at all points, arranged ahead of time. It all worked out extremely well. The guides were great – spoke very good English and had a thorough knowledge of the history and the monuments.

It was everything I imagined and more! Gazing upon the Pyramids, Temples and Tombs seemed surreal at times. How could any civilization have created these masterpieces so many thousands of years ago and how is it that they still exist today?

We began our exploration in Cairo – what a city! It can be a shock to the senses but is fascinating to experience for a few days. The population is approximately 17 million and the city is in no way equipped to handle the number of inhabitants let alone the thousands of tourists. The traffic is incredible – 5 lanes of traffic squeezing into 3 and add that to the mix with the horses and donkey carts. The Khan el-Khalili Bazaar is an experience just to see – numerous alleyways teeming with shoppers and vendors shouting out for your business. The Egyptian museum is tremendous, as are the numerous monuments throughout and around the city. The highlight has to be the Pyramids of Giza. They are really there!

We moved on to Aswan, south of Cairo on the Nile River. We saw many amazing sites here as well, including the High Dam. We loved a sailing trip we took on a small Felucca boat. It was a very serene experience – lovely warm, sunny weather and spectacular scenery.

Next we boarded a cruise boat for 3 days to head up the Nile to Luxor. We stopped to see incredible temples along the way and the cruising itself was just beautiful! Luxor and its surrounding sites were amazing. The Valley of the Kings contains numerous tombs of Kings. We were inside 3 of them. The carving and painting of the interiors is something to behold – simply indescribable.

After all this sightseeing, we decided a few days on the Red Sea were in order. We enjoyed the Sun and Sea and a little rest and relaxation in Hurghada – took in some snorkelling and a great desert safari tour, which included a camel trek.

In no time at all we were back in Cairo to catch our flight back home.

Egypt is simply a fascinating destination! – like no other we have been to.