April 20, 2025

I awoke in my hotel room early Sunday morning because I went to bed early the night before. This was partially due to exhaustion from the previous day’s drama, and partially due to brain still being on Dubai time (two hours ahead).

I had the hotel’s breakfast buffet which was fine went back to my room to once again slather myself in sunscreen, put on my “safari clothes” and headed to the main gate of the hotel.

Let me just digress for a moment to tell you how much I hate sunscreen. I just love it when I am about to go out where it is boiling hot but before I do I have to smear that goop all-over myself clogging every pore along the way. OK, rant over.

The communication from my tour guide was great. She wholly approved in my change of hotel and asked to move the pick-up time up to 7:15am. I agreed as I figured the earlier the cooler it would be… or at least not quite so hot.

Just Me!

I had booked my tour for the day through Viator. Typically, these tours are at least a vanload of people. That was the case when Jessica and I took our tour from London to Stonehenge, Bath, and Windsor Castle last month. This one however, was JUST M That’s right, me, the guide, and a driver. So off we went. Driving along my guide, Fatma, explained the Egyptian mythology behind the Pyramids and the pharaohs for whom they were built.

The Pyramids of Giza

We arrived at the new (only a week old) visitors center. As we walked right in Fatma explained “in two hours the queue will go all the way out of the building” so I was glad to get there early.

There are three activities there: Camel ride, approach the Great Pyramid of Kofu itself, and go to the far said to see the Sphynx. We did it in reverse order, again on Fatma’s recommendation to avoid the crowds. This really is a place that everyone should see for themselves. There are times in your life when you have to put down the camera and just look the Giza plateau is one of those places.

As I travel and do certain activities there are times I think “I’m getting too old for this sh*t” and camel riding is one of them. The camel guy Fatma took me to has according to her, been working there since he was six. He helped me get up on the danged thing and coached me hanging on while it stood up, and again when it was time for it to lay-down so I could get off. I’m glad I did it and he took some good pictures of me, on a camel, at the Pyramids. Bucket list event indeed.

When we were leaving the site, I saw the lines at the entrance were as predicted, very long. Fatma has very good time management. I’m glad we got there when we did.

We then went to a essential oils shop and a papyrus shop. I bought a couple small things using the “I am traveling far” excuse to not buy more. LOL.

I then had Egyptian Lunch

Anyone who knows me well will tell you I have a lot of food aversions.  That being said, the lunch was very good and I went away no hungry.

For some reason I assumed we would be going to the new Grand Egyptian Museum. While having that thought, I was bummed to learn the King Tut area of that museum wouldn’t be ready for a couple months. That, however, is exactly why Fatma didn’t take me there. She instead took me to the (old) Cairo Museum where she studied for years to be licensed as a tour guide. We walked around and she explained a lot of the items that are still to be moved to the new museum. The main event, however, was the Boy King himself…

King Tut!

There is a side wing of the museum that is still displaying the treasures of his tomb as they have been displayed for nearly a hundred years. I saw the famous gold mask, his gold sarcophagus, and numerous other items. Photos in that area are NOT allowed. Personally, I think that’s a good thing. Viewing those items in person is another one of those times you need to put the camera down and just look. Another major bucket list moment.

And then we were done!

The tour was advertised as eight hours and we did it in about seven (again thanks to Fatma’s wise time management). I was back in my hotel room by 2:30pm which of course means we got all of that done before the heat of the day.

It was truly as great day!

Until we meet again, May You Have Fair Winds and Following Seas.

Eric Cable

April 22, 2025