Wonder of the World: Pyramids!

Today we woke up early to make our first visit to one of the most amazing Wonders of the ancient world: the famous Pyramids. The hostel arranged a driver for us (Sama - and he was a terrific guide for us the whole day) who took us to visit 3 sites: Saqqara, Dahshur, and Giza.

At Saqqara we explored a couple of tombs above ground level, notable for the intricate carvings on virtually every surface inside before heading over to the big step pyramid on the other side of the site.
Our next stop was at Dahshur, where I really tested my claustrophopia. It involved a somewhat steep climb up the side of the pyramid, a crawl through a steep, lengthy little tunnel into the tomb, and what smelled like ammonia fumes in the air. I survived it but I was still quite thrilled to be out. Being tiny was hugely advantageous, as the small spaces were quite uncomfortable for the guys to navigate.


The pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx were delightful - we decided to make the trip along the area by horseback lead by a guide named Isham. There's simply no way to describe what it was like to approach the Pyramids of Cheops over the sandy hills. The sun was fierce, the only sound we could hear was the wind blowing, those awesome pyramids were looming in the distance just past the tombs of the workers who built it. You really need to see it for yourself - it truly is a wonder.

Back in Cairo, Simon and I finally managed to find someone grilling corn on the sidewalks. We had started to think they were mythical until now but we got our cob (innovately wrapped in the husk). We also discovered 2 new Fanta flavours: blackcurrant and apple.

Tomorrow we head off on a long bus ride to Nuweiba on the Red Sea coast and relax at the Petra Camp before the infamous ferry ride into Aqaba, Jordan. We debated our options for hours but concluded that all our options were uncomfortable, expensive and full of hassles. Though at least with the ferry, we know what to expect. Will keep you posted!