Luxor

We have been lucky enough to spend a few days in Luxor, Egypt's biggest collective area of archaeological treasures all within easy access from our small friendly hotel down town. So after winding our way through the bustling streets overflowing with motorbikes and horse drawn carriages we were safely parked up and all looking a tad smarter shaven and freshly dressed.

Staying on the east bank gave people an opportunity to wander round Luxor Temple illuminated at night to marvel at the ancient ruins as the light plays with shadows and colours, plus you get to explore without the hassle of day time crowds. Restaurants and an array of street food made sure no one went hungry.

Night market

With so much to do on both sides of the Nile (and on it too) everyone has opted to do various different tours.  Some of us walked up to Karnak Temple and had a brilliant guided tour with Khaled who brought the inscriptions and hieroglyphics to life hopefully we'll remember even just a bit of what we learnt! You can't describe how massive and extensive the temple complex is having being built and added to for over 2000 years, with pillars and and statues dwarfing you its a great place to spend a few hours wandering around after the tour has finished. You can even imagine James Bond running round the place from "The Spy Who Loved Me".

The group at Karnak Temple

Ramses II at Karnak Temple

Karnak Temple

Incredible colours still remain... imagine what it looked like 2000 years ago?

Some of the group headed out for an early evening felucca cruise on the Nile to enjoy the views and relax from the heat of the day with a cold beer or two (stubbie for our Aussie friends). 

Sunset on a felucca on the Nile

On our last full day in Luxor nine of us braved the early hours and headed off at 4.30 am over the Nile on a boat before blasting our way to 15,000 feet over the east bank taking off from in front of Hatshepsut's (hot chicken soup) temple. A truly brilliant experience to watch the sun come up over Luxor and the Valleys of the Kings and the Queens with numerous temples to gawk at, along with a backdrop of other balloons get the cameras clicking away madly. After a smooth landing (not an English one apparently), everyone celebrated with drums and dancing with the ground crew and the pilot; don't think anyone expected that!

Early start

But stunning views, Hatshepsut Temple in the background

Karnak Temple from above

Balloons are terribly photogenic, aren't they!

Glenn, Rogan & Bruce

Sunrise over Luxor

After the great heights of the early morning activates most of the group spent the day exploring the ancient necropolis of Thebes the resting place of dead Royalty and nobles from Valley of the Kings probably the most well known after the pyramids of Giza is home to 63 tombs discovered to date with predictions of up to double that still waiting to be located. The Pharaohs had the tombs built as their resting place on the way to achieving immortality where their mummified bodies along with their worldly wealth could accompany on their journey on the sun boat. The longer the Pharaoh lived the larger and more impressive his tomb could be built. We had the chance to visit a few choice options early on avoiding the heat and hassle. Another amazing site leaving you walking out in awe that these were built so long ago yet the coloured reliefs on the walls and ceilings remain so vivid and clear today.

A visit to Hatshepsut's temple, who was the longest ruling cross-dressing female Pharaoh of Egypt disguised as a man is a massive site dominating the landscape, it has had a huge makeover by the Polish that has restored it to its former glory almost making you feel that you are walking around a Hollywood set at times. The sheer size of the place once again makes you wonder how they were all built as we'd struggle even today.

Hatshepsut's Temple

Paul and Colleen continued to explore more temples built of the ancient flood plains of the Nile whilst we popped back to Luxor where it felt like time for a beer in the sun but looking at the watch it was only 10.30 am so gave it a miss!

Luxor has been a big hit with everyone and luckily for us, but not for the locals, the revolution at the start of the year has slowed down the influx of tourists meaning that even the biggest sights like Karnak can be viewed practically all on your tod, amazing. There is always something to see and do here whether its just sitting at a cafe with a Shisha and a glass of steaming mint tea or aimlessly ambling the back streets at night and stumbling across a wedding getting into the swing of it.

Night time in the back streets of Luxor

Heading off tomorrow down the snaking road that hugs the banks of the Nile to Aswan where we will collect our visas for Sudan, inshallah and prep ourselves for crossing over Lake Nasser in the coming days.