Egypt

We awoke to another glorious morning in Cairo, with the honking of car horns our new 'normal'. We were on the bus at 8am & headed to one of the seven wonders of the world - the Pyramids of Giza! It didn't take long before we spotted them in all their glory, sitting right alongside the city fringe - you could have Pizza from a Pizza Hutt that was less than 100m from the Sphynx!
We were in complete awe at the magnitude & splendor of them - they were breathtaking! The biggest one, known as the Great Pyramid or Cheops, was the burial site for Khufu who ruled during the Fourth Dynasty in the first half of the Old Kingdom period (26th century BC) - we even got to trek inside & visit his burial chamber located about two thirds of the way up! It took about 15 minutes to walk up via steep passages, some of which were incredibly expansive, & low, close tunnels; completely worth the $12AUD each for the privilage, albeit slightly terrifying & almost overwhelming knowing you were inside one of the most ancient & mystical structures on the planet!
Next, we drove around to the 'Sahara Desert side' of the pyramids, this is where we got the perfect picture opportunities, with all 3 of the major structures visible. It is from this location that we also began our iconic camel ride - a highlight of the trip so far! We were speechless & the view from the Sahara Desert, looking at those ancient marvels & the glistening city beyond, was a memory that will be etched in our memories until the end of our days.
After our ride we boarded our bus & headed back towards the 'city side' of the pyramids where we viewed the mighty Sphynx statue before heading back to the hotel for a restful afternoon; many in the group were coming down with the lurgy and this time allowed us to pack & prepare for the 3.30am wake up tomorrow morning for our flight to Jordan.
After a quick tidy up at the hotel, we ventured out for a walk in the crowded, dusty streets before coming back & preparing for our trip to view a laser light show at the Pyramids, before a formal dinner at the famous Mena House Hotel; another historic site in WWI history, as it was here that our ANZACs were based before moving through to Israel (then Palestine).
Another fantastic day done & dusted; we are ready for Jordan tomorrow!Read more