This was not our first visit to Egypt. Way back in 1984, we toured the country but this time some new things were on the agenda. The tour started in the southern part of Egypt to visit the colossal statues at Abu Simbel. Hubby saw them; I didn’t. That morning two of our tour buddies came down with food poisoning and were taken to the cruise ship we would return to later in the day. I was feeling fine until my stomach asserted itself as our plane to Abu Simbel rose from the tarmac. It is a day etched in my travel memory, but all was not lost. Hubby went on the tour and snapped great photos of Ramses and his giant companions at the Great Temple.

I recovered as we sailed up the Nile on the Oberoi cruise ship. In between sleeps, I laid in bed and watched through the floor-to-ceiling cabin window the scenes on the Nile go by. What a marvelous way to recuperate. And I and six others from our group of eleven did return to good health and the tour.

This trip was more intimate in two ways. One, our group was very small. Two, our local guides were archeologists. The southern Egypt local guide, a retired Egyptologist was extremely knowledgeable, and had worked at some of the tombs we visited. The same can be said for our local guide in Cairo, another Egyptologist who worked in the Egyptian Museum.

Did I notice any differences in the forty year gap? The Egyptian Museum was very crowded with a line waiting to see King Tut. Once in the exhibit enclosure, you had to go with the flow, and couldn’t admire the King’s gold death mask at leisure. It was a slower pace in 1984, but once King Tut is moved to the new GEM (Grand Egyptian Museum), I’m sure the exhibit will be worthy of a king. Please click the above link to find out more about the GEM.

Enjoy this part two PhotoTravel flip book of our time in Egypt. Please share your thoughts or comments. Safe travels to you.