I flew Emirates direct to Dubai for 14 hours, and then another five hour flight to Cairo instead of the usual via Singapore route to get to Egypt. The flight was ok, although the seats are not particularly comfortable. Arrival in Cairo was a nightmare, as Peregrine had messed up our booking and didn't come to meet me (even though I had sent through the flight details, and they had confirmed receipt), and then there were all sorts of unpleasant questions raised over why I was born in Kuwait and why my passport had no stamps in it (long story - I had been advised that it was difficult to get into Egypt on a passport with an existing expired Egypt visa in it, so elected to go in on my British passport instead....bad move. It was a brand new passport and had no stamps in it at all - combined with a Middle Eastern place of birth, it looked like a major disaster for a while....)
However, after tears and tantrums had no impact at all, and after two hours of sitting around being asked questions, I got fed up and demanded someone from the embassy immediately. Thank goodness they didn't call my bluff (because I have no idea WHICH embassy I would have called!!) they just handed over the passport with a stamp and I was on my way. Although of course, now I had to try and find my way to the hotel on my own....not the greatest start.
Anyway, obviously it was all ok in the end, and I found a lovely guy who organised a car for me at a pretty reasonable price, and I got there and at least the hotel had a booking for me!. Lets just say I immediately went to the bar....and will never travel again without a visa no matter how many times people promise that it's easy to get one at the airport. Spent the afternoon at the pool and met some of the people on the tour. Tamz arrived later that evening, and we had a few beers by the pool before an early bed.
The next morning, we all met up at breakfast and then had a tour meeting at 9am. This was the first warning sign really - the tour leader kept us there for over two hours, and most of that was taken up with him telling us he was the greatest tour leader in Egypt and his confusion at the fact that Imaginative Traveller hadn't recognised this and had sacked him instead (his words!). Very interesting start. Anyway, he kept us there for so long that by the time we eventually made it to the Pyramids it was really really hot, and so late that there were only five tickets left to go into the Great Pyramid - ok for Tamz and I who didn't want to go into it, but quite frustrating for those who wanted to and now couldn't.
Anyway, we had a great time - went down one of the small Queen's Pyramids and were all alone in there for a while, so it felt quite spooky in a way - and very very hot. In the afternoon we went to the Museum - Layla, our guide, was great, and really made it very interesting.
Back to the Pharaoh's Hotel to the day use rooms and Tamz and I went out to buy some Antinal just in case (a fantastic stomach "anti-septic" that works brilliantly on upset stomachs). I also got some Betnovate for my arms - I had developed a hideous heat rash, but the cream worked like a charm. Egyptian Pharmacies are great - they tend to be run by doctors, and all prescription medicines seem to be only five egyptian pounds. Then we went to the train, and were allocated our cabins in the first class section.
