Saturday 10th March 2012

Sunrise.........

The motorboats waiting to take the people doing the balloon flight to the 'take off' site.

Woke early this-morning and saw the sunrise from the balcony, went back to bed for a few hours before breakfast and heading over to the East Bank to change some money.....

We used a motorboat, 5LE per crossing to the east bank, walk up the stairs onto the corniche, along to the Winter Palace, (it's fairly quiet and not a lot of people going about) and into the Thomas Cook branch there to change our Sterling into Egyptian Pounds.  I go first and I'm sorting out the money into different compartments in my purse when I spot 'Mona' 

Mona, for all those who don't know, is a lady who sells scarves near the Winter Palace always using the same tagline 'Women Help Women' 'Help me my sister, I have no Husband, Women help Women' I had thought we had managed to avoid her but she is clever and always manages to appear out of nowhere - she stands and frantically waves at us, a stupid grin on her face, we know as much as she knows, there is no escape.................

We head out of Thomas Cook and she is there waiting, it's only a few pounds and I buy a decent looking scarf, she goes off happy shouting 'thank you my sister, you know women help women'

We take a taxi up to the LB area as we need to discuss the day trips further with the owner of the company, after we had finished since we were near the Sheraton we thought we would just get a motorboat from there.

We agreed the fare with a captain, got on board and set off......... all you regular Luxorities just know what's coming next don't you........

The motorboat got into the middle of the Nile, practically opposite the Sheraton, engine stopped and the price 'upped' 

What the captain didn't expect was an irate ranting Scots-Wummin going daft at him!!!

We got him to drop us at 'new banana island' just opposite the Sheraton (like the old Banana Island, it's not actually an Island), he didn't get the agreed fare (so lost out there) and after mum and I had a juice and ice cream we walked all the way back to the hotel, well not quite all the way, it was mid-day and quite hot (up in the 30's that day) so luckily for mum (I was enjoying the walk) a driver stopped and took us the last few minutes back to the hotel.

I spend the rest of the day reading my kindle with my feet dangling in the pool, I head up to the room around 4-ish and out onto the balcony, one of the red sea coaches is using the car park next to the hotel, I think the people are actually being cheated, they were stuck there in that coach for just over an hour, with so much to see in Luxor it's a shame that they spent their last hour stuck in coach, only a handful getting out for a cigarette and to look around before a quick dart back on board the coach again.  

Later that evening we went up to 'Africa' for dinner, normally very good today it was more 'hit and miss' 

Hit - mine (the chicken) was OK

Miss - mum's fish was a bit greasy

They had also changed the rice to 'curried' (I prefer the Egyptian style) but had a new spinach dish which was delicious (I love spinach) 

The price for the set menu has risen to 60LE per person, not the most expensive and still good value for what you all get but as we found out later in the holiday they have competition (with far better food) a little further up the road!!!!

Wednesday 7th March

I have decided I don't like Gatwick Airport,  it has a fair range of shops (essential), eateries and bars (also essential) but it's just too big and every time I seem to go through security my bra underwire set's off the beepy machines leading to a 5 minute delay - seriously can security not see from looking at me my bra is going to have a larger than normal underwire, yet every time they have a puzzled look about their faces. I get frisked down (again), I have also learnt my lesson about asking for the dishy looking male security attendant to frisk me instead of the lady, no jokes with airline security!!!!  I don't set off the beepy machines at Edinburgh, Manchester and Luxor airports - just Gatwick!!!!

Anyway, as we got our return flights to Luxor with Easyjet for £140.00 per person including luggage, Gatwick it is.

I keep looking at the screens for 'call to gate' - there are a few people crowded round the screens, from their chit chat also heading out to Luxor - the gate no. comes up and everyone breaks into a speedwalk.

There's a woman who sends her son racing ahead at a fast jog.  Unfortunately she hasn't banked on us 'speedy boarders' and people who need 'special assistance' getting onto the plane first - she wasn't even first to gate (despite the sons fast jog to get their first in an attempt to get them on the plane first) but she still thinks they should be on the plane first and an argument erupts as mum, the other speedy boarders and I head down the tunnel onto the plane.  

We sit ourselves near the front (just incase they run out of bacon baguettes and ham and cheese toasties) and make ourselves comfy.

The woman and her son then sit behind us.............. oh the joys!!!!! 5.5 hours worth!!!!  The plane is fairly full and there are only a couple of free seats. 

Luckily things quieten down and we have a fairly uneventful flight, I have a couple of bacardi and ginger beers along with my cheese and ham toastie while flying over the Alps (with it being early March they look stunning with all the snow) and before we know it the coast of Africa, then the Nile and then Luxor comes into view.

On arrival at the terminal building we get our visa's and change some money, we would normally wait till we got to Luxor but as we are staying 'on the side of the dead' this time we know there is no bank there and  decide to change a little to do us a few nights.

We clear security quickly and go to get our luggage, as normal mum's come's off first and she rushes off to get to duty free for cigarettes (much to my disgust) - my case comes off, I go to head out of the building and am stopped by a customs officer who looks down at my small suitcase which is filled with pockets and rather bulging at the seams.

He asks to see my passport and see's all the visa stickers and tells me 'I have been many times 'uuuhhaahh, yep',  then asks what's in my case - I can assure you all it's just 'clothes and shoes' and a few bags of ginger sweeties and jelly babies for our friends Edward and Freda, nothing untowards at all.  

I'm made to open the case to show what's inside, I have to feel sorry for the poor customs man, when I open the case he finds my bras (not the smallest size on the planet) on top and female sanitary items.  The man blushes, to save him any further blushes, I lift a few items and show him that there is nothing more than essentials contained and he tells me all is OK and I can go!!!!

The problem (as discussed recently on Trip Advisor) is that there are some ladies who are married to Egyptians who take rather expensive gifts in for their husbands and customs was checking I wasn't doing that.  (PS - I don't have and have no intention of getting an Egyptian hubby!)

Our transport is waiting for us and we head out of the airport, all set for a new adventure in Luxor.  First thing we notice - queues for Gas (petrol) we hear there are shortages, we see quite a few stations with huge queues and that continues wherever we travel over the next 2 weeks.

For this trip we have decided on a change and have opted to stay 'on the side of the dead' much has been said about 'West being Best' so we thought, why not see.  Mum and I decided on the El Mesala Hotel, 5 mins walk from the ferry (just south of the Nile Valley Hotel) and with direct views over to Luxor Temple and the Winter Palace.

Check in is quick, we literally dump our cases in our room (no. 203) and head upstairs to the roof terrace for a natter with Edward and Freda and another ex-pat lady called Hazel who lives nearby the hotel.

We chat for ages before deciding to order some food.  

The food is good, conversation flows well and I begin to relax.

I also have one of the best nights sleeps I have had in a looooooong time.

The El Mesala Hotel - Home for the next two weeks