Living on a Narrowboat
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No rocks for me.
After some credit card overheating problems, I’ve decided to cut my loses and move on to the site of Petra, which is one of the main sites and named one of the 7 wonders of the world.
Currently stationed at the Marriott, Petra after a 3-4 hour dolmus trip costing 5JD Jordanian Dinars.
1JD = 0.75GBP So that works out pretty cheap, about £4.
Tomorrow I’ll be exploring one of the most exciting sites in the middle east.
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Am now in Aquaba Jordan after a slightly prolonged stay in Israel.
Border Problems
Got delayed which led to a late arrival at the Jordanian border, which is pretty close about 8KM from Egypt.
I was delayed and the border closed @ 8pm.
I had to wait till 6am the next morning on the benches outside the border crossing.
The border crossing itself was like something from the iron curtain; all landmine strips, watchtowers and dogs.
Made for a memorable crossing, got to wonder through Elat prime Israel resort, visit Herod’s or the King’s Resort a cultural head ducking for a Christian. The fact that the Jews celebrate this King who almost destroyed our King and Saviour as well as murdering a load of his own, innocent people in the process seems slightly alien, to say the least.
I’m sure many Christians would be outraged by the existence of a Herod’s, and is really not something to celebrate. Still, we’ll be back in Israel and we can delve into that deeper later.
Monkeys bar
Took this picture from outside the Monkeys bar Elat, on the promenade you can find top hotels, eateries, stalls with candy floss, designer goods, bits and pieces and lots of Jewish youths wandering around.
Aquaba
Have eventually reached Aquaba.
Have to arrange a tour for tomorrow, to a site know as Wadi-rum, a geo-wonderland explored by camel incorporating some spectacular rock formations in desert climate which should be fun. I’m into my rocks.
Have spent the best part of today driving. Hurghada to Sharm el Sheik.
Gave some policemen a lift, thought they where flagging me down and they just jumped in.
Bye Bye Egypt
So that’s my journey’s over, pretty much.
Tomorrow I take a taxi to Taba to prepare for a crossing into pastures new!
Tune in for the next edition.
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To re-enforce my recently bourne skills, I’ve taken time out to come here to Hurghada Egypt’s second resort after Sharm-el-Sheik.
I’ve paid €47 for a full days diving with equipment and £2.70 for lunch.
We dive two reefs, Moon Reef then Umm Gammar reef.
I witness some stunning fish and coral, but only manage one picture, of my dive buddy Iressa from Lebanon.
If you wish to check out diving at Hurghada, I can recommend the company, it’s located at the Marriott Red Sea resort, which is a good resort.
So called because, surprisingly, all the statues are located in a valley.
It looks like the valley was created through a mixture of basalt/limestone erosion. The tour guide said it rains once every five years for about 20minutes, so any erosion here taking place because of the Nile or it’s flood activities.
For either reason, limestone hilletts have formed in a way you might imagine of hobbiton (the Shire) except in rock. In these little hobbit holes are tombs of dead Kings and Queens from many centuries ago.
Cameras are not allowed.
Hatsheput – Valley of the Queens
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Dressed as a man for purposes of retaining the throne in co-horts with political powers in Egypt at the time who suggested that this would prolong her stay in power.
She took advise, and stayed on the throne for 22 years. Eventually her son Tut-Moses the third destroyed most of her temples and murdered her and ditched her body in the desert, although she does have one of the most impressive tombs on the East bank pictured below.
Valley of the Kings
62 separate tomb discoveries where made here over time.
The ticket permits me to just 4. Rameses the II Rameses the IV and Tut-ankamun.
The tombs tunnel deep into the ground, those of Rameses the IV going down to 30 metres. It’s hot down there!
As I say, no pictures allowed.
This picture below gives some illustration to the colours/styles used in the tombs.
Wall painting – temple Hatsheput
Valley of the Nobles
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The valley of the Nobles is slightly separated from the valley of the Kings amidst the carved Quartz workshops that litter the area.
The nobles are slightly different in that they explain how the nobles aspired to a life of plenty, represented by field of crops, fruit and animals, plenty of water, papyrus and other symbols which might make a Egyptian happy.
The tombs are smaller, as might befit a noble. Not as large as a high priest like the one used to bury Tut-ankamun.
Again, no photos. But the guys at the gate try to scam money out of you for extra photos, on the sly.
I tipped one guy for a wafter, but when people ask you to break the rules, things have a tendency of coming back to you.
If you’re going to break the rules, you should do so on your on steam, not because someone invites you to, so I always leave ‘secret’ or ‘special’ deals for some other mug.
