Egypt

The Feccula




The Fecculas on the Nile River





The Nile River





Wow, I cannot believe I am in Egypt.. Boarding Africa and the Middle East.
I have seen so much... where do I start?
I arrived in Cario and got in at 2:35 am in the King Hotel and it was very different than the levels of clear that we expected in Canada. Anyway, after sleeping for a few hours, I got up and went to find an exchange place for Eygtian pounds as noone would convert the money into Egyptian pounds in any other country. After getting losted, I finally found the Sherton Hotel on the Nile and met a guy that studied in Canada and he owns his own store. Here in Egypt, it seems that if you have a store that is based on tourist materials, they are also mini-travel agency too.
Anyway, after getting my money changed. He booked me a private car ride to various places in Cairo. It was amazing that it only cost 20.00 canadian dollars to be driven around for the day. I went to the Pyrus Museum, a jewerelly shop and to the Citedal. The Citedal is the area that has the one of the largest Mossque in it. It was cool to visit because all Muslism are celebrating Ramadam right now.
The next day, we went to the Pyramids of Gizi. It was incrediable to believe that I was actually seeing the Pyramids and the Spinx with my own eyes. One of the 7 wonders of the world.


The Pyramids




The Spinx and one of the Pyramids



That night we boarded a local train to Luxor. The toilets on the train were horrible, smelly and dirty. The trains themselves were not better either. We arrived in Luxor and got to see the Museum of Luxor... Aub... this Museum is so much better then the Luxor in Vegas.
From Luxor we went to Aswan... which is on the Nile.
We booked a feccula - a type of sailboat and cruised the Nile. That night we went to a village and had a traditional Nubian meal. It was amazing to be with the people. See pictures of the feccula and the meal on Facebook.
We spent the night on the feccula and it was amazing.
We then went back to Cairo as the tour ended for some of the participants.
The remaining 5 of us continued onto Dehab - a sea coast resort. It is amazing. I am so relaxed.
The first whole day - we went snorkelling in the Red Sea - I drank to much salt water through. That night I stayed up and left the hotel at 11 in the evening to go to Mount Sinai. It was incredible climbing the Mountain. The view at sunrise was undescribable. I feel like I have touched something in me.


Mount Sinai

Moses' church on Mount Sinai



Tonight I am going to take it easy. Tomorrow we go from this lovely place, when I don't want to leave to go back to Cairo and hopefully get some shopping done before flying onto Europe.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Walleal, myself and Ester




Walleal Ester and Grace


Walleal, and I




Monday, September 15, 2008

Today I walked to the local mall with Ester and Galmal. They are cousins of Victoria and Jean. The weather has been interesting as it has been cold in the morning and warmer in the afternoon but not as hot as I expected it to be. Yesterday we went to the museum, it was very basic – it talked about the history of the country and about the political movements in Zambia. Also, we went to the grave site of the former president of Zambia that passed away. It was amazing how many people were there.
It is very quiet today as both the adults in the house are at work and Maria is in school.

South Africa, Botswana and Zambia!!!

The dinner cruise on the Zambezi River

I have finished my second tour and at my friend’s in Zambia. My flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg was okay however I did not have anyone to pick me up. So thank goodness for the British Airways travel counter person because she was able to call the Backpack Ritz to get someone to pick me up.

I arrive at the Backpacks at 12:00 am and had to be ready by 5:00 am. It was not a place I would want to stay again.

Next morning I met everyone that was on the tour. There were 8 people not including myself and they were older but had a lot of spirit in them. We travel for several days in South Africa and then cross into Botswana.


The border crossing into Botswana



The crossing was easy. We stayed one night in Botswana at a lovely place called Elephant Sands. It was so relaxing. The water hole for the elephants and other animals were within 5 feet of where we sat for eating our dinner. Besides the mos. I could have spent another day there. Then we crossed from Botswana into Zambia. What an interesting experience that was.




People waiting for the ferry at the Botswana/Zambia border.

We arrived in Livingstone Zambia and stayed at a night. We went on a boat cruise down the Zambezi River. Then I took a bus from Livingtone to Lusaka. Let’s just say the roads are not very well maintained. It was a 6 hour trip and it seemed like 9 hours. I got there and it was crazy. I found my friend’s sister and brother and we back to their place. Today, we went to a church service and it was a church service that goes Friday night, Saturday and Sunday. I went to experience it. I am here in Lusaka until the 19^th and will be heading towards Egypt.

Animal Planet - Thursday September 4, 2008

Today, is the second last day of the first tour. I cannot believe it. Today was a busy day in the tour. We drove from Knysna to Oudtshoorn which was about an hour and a half drive going east along the water front. After checking in, we went to a famous place called the Cango Caves which have been viewed on many travel tv shows at home. What it is.. is caves that have been lived in for thousands of years by pre historical man and have million of year old stalagmites and stalactites in them. It was cool how some of the stalagmites have formed different shapes.



The Congo Caves


We then went to an ostrich farm and I was hugged by one. It was really cool.



Me being hugged by the Ostrich named Bettie


We then went to African animal park when I was able to pet in person a baby tiger. It was very cool.



Myself and my new pet

We had ostrich meat for dinner and it was good. Tomorrow is another day in Africa!!!!

Sept 3th - On the water

Today is Sept 3rd - I am in a little town on the South Eastern Coast of South Africa called Knyasa. We stayed in a backpackers place on the ocean last night and was amazing after sleeping in a tent in very cold weather the next before at Addo National Elephant Park. We saw many elephants and took lots of pictures of them and have been on the Indian Ocean or a body of water for most nights at the accommodations.




The Addo National Elephant Park is divided into 4 large parts. This part is one of the four parts of the park.



A family of elephants at the watering hole in Addo.

We have had a variety of weather. We had our one night of camping. The camping was good however Cape Town just had snow the night before and therefore was very cold camping. I am glad that I had a very warm sleeping bag. We are having our first day in a town. It is interesting. We have seen the boat club down here and enjoying visiting a town and doing a bit of shopping. Tonight we are staying in town so it will be good to be about to walk around and see what normal life is like in a coastal town. Tomorrow we are moving onto another place where I hope to get to ride an Ostrich. Hope everyone is well.