Egypt (part 1)

[Mags]

We left home at 2.00am to catch the 2.55 Airport coach to Gatwick. We didn't bother having any sleep beforehand as we thought we could have a nap during the 3 1/2 hour coach journey. How mistaken we were!! We had a dear old lady sitting in the seat behind us who slept all the way and managed to snore for England!! :lol:

We checked in our luggage promptly, then headed for Passport control where you pass through the Security screening device. I went through with no problem - hubby followed and the alarms beeped. He explained it was probably the knee brace he was wearing as it had steel supports either side. Usually they feel the brace and wave him through but not this time! He was led away by 2 Security officers, had to go behind a blanket covered screen and ......... drop his trousers!!!:-D They then prodded and poked the brace until they were sure he was no threat! We had a good laugh about it after as at least it shows they are taking no risks and doing their job properly.

After a 5 hour flight we landed in Luxor with temperatures in the upper 80's. We were driven to our accommodation on a private island in the Nile where we had to go through further security checks. The hotel is set in 24 acres of lush tropical gardens where they grow their own fruit and salad produce. The accommodation was in bungalows situated around the grounds. The hotel building itself housed the Reception, Bank, Restaurant, Library, Bar and Gift Shop.

Our bungalow faced the West Bank and was just a few minutes walk away from the Nile. It was so peaceful with herons coming in to land in the trees along the Nile and lizards scurrying about our feet around the bushes.

Our Bungalow...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Mags40/Egypt/DSC06488.jpg


The gardens...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Mags40/Egypt/DSC06454.jpg


The view we had of the Nile and the Valley of the Kings...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Mags40/Egypt/view-from-terrace.jpg


Illuminated palms at night...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Mags40/Egypt/DSC06464-1.jpg


The Nile taken from our sunlounger...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Mags40/Egypt/DSC06387.jpg


The 'oven' where a lady bakes bread for the hotel every day...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Mags40/Egypt/DSC06452.jpg


The hotel's Infinity Pool next to the Nile...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Mags40/Egypt/HotelsInfinitypoolnexttotheNile.jpg


Cleo, the resident camel...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Mags40/Egypt/DSC06447.jpg


The gardens...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Mags40/Egypt/DSC06517.jpg

[Moli]

Wow Mags, simply stunning, can see why you enjoyed it so much, what a beautiful place.....
Poor Mr Mags!!!!:lol: :lol:

[Elaine]

Wow, looks absolutely stunning. Never really fancied Egypt but am fast changing my mind.
Very pleased you had such a lovely time.

[Erin]

Lovely pics Mags,looks like such a beautiful place.Really glad you had a great time :D

[candyshandy]

Oh Mags you have just taken me back to my fantastic holiday on the Nile last year. Going to Sharm this year :)

[Annestaff]

Lovely pictures Mags, looks beautiful :D

[angieh]

Lovely pictures Mags - absolutely stunning! Your poor hubby - how embarrassing for him!

[babycakes]

It looks fantastic really dreamy. I love those purple flowers around your bungalow

[Az]

Looks awesome Mags! Glad you had a good time, lol @ Mr Mags security checks :lol:

Look forward to seeing the other photos :D

Love this one in particular:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v205/Mags40/Egypt/view-from-terrace.jpg

[dandysmom]

Oddly enough that was my favorite pic also! The "red lands" to the West and the Valley of the Kings. What beautiful pics. Mags, looks idyllic; glad you had such an enjoyable holiday! But nice that you're back now, and sure Cassie feels the same!

[Fran]

Glad you had a great holiday Mags, photos are super!

[charliebubs]

The photos are lovely Mags - the hotel and gardens look amazing!!! :)

Did you do any scuba diving!?!? I've heard that it's fab in Egypt...........on my list of places to go..........eventually!!! ;)

[angieh]

The picture that Az and Eileen picked out is my favourite too - I just love the colouring and wish I was up in that balloon!!!

[Mags]

Thanks everyone, it truly was a wonderful place ......... so peaceful and away from the hustle bustle that you usually associate with Egypt.

The photos are lovely Mags - the hotel and gardens look amazing!!! :)

Did you do any scuba diving!?!? I've heard that it's fab in Egypt...........on my list of places to go..........eventually!!! ;)

Thanks Charlie, we loved it there!:D

No, I didn't do any scuba diving....I can't even swim!! :lol:
Quite a few people we met said they had been though ....... I looked at a Red Sea site and it looks fabulous, I hope you manage to make it one day soon.:D

http://www.longwoodholidays.co.uk/diving/welcome/dive.htm?gclid=CI3Sg8LI4pICFRCoQwodZAQK_g#intro

The picture that Az and Eileen picked out is my favourite too - I just love the colouring and wish I was up in that balloon!!!

That was taken in the early evening Angie....most of the balloons go up early in the morning and it's just as spectacular then:D

[alexgirl73]

How absolutely beautiful, and what a view to have from your 'front door'. Poor mr Mags though lol!

[candyshandy]

Did you manage to go to Abu Simbel? It was the highlight of my holiday :)

[Mags]

Did you manage to go to Abu Simbel? It was the highlight of my holiday :)
No we didn't go there, although it was one of the places I would have like to have visited. It would have meant an overnight stay for us though and we didn't want that. Maybe we will go back again one day and visit Abu Simbel..:D

[candyshandy]

It is a bit of a trek! We were on a nile cruise so already in Aswan. We still had to get up at 3.30am though:shock:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v521/candiceh/egypt/DSC00625.jpg

[Mags]

That looks stunning! The people look miniatures, don't they? It makes you wonder how they managed to build everything so big all those years ago..

[candyshandy]

Its even more beautiful inside but you cannot take piccies. Like the tombs the colours are excellent and gives an idea of what it looked like originally.

This temple was built out of the side of a mountain and when the Dam was built in the 60s it was physically removed and taken higher up otherwise it would have been underwater!!

[Kim]

It looks absolutely amazing Mags, you are so lucky. Egypt has always been one of the places I want to visit.

My son, Adam, had a great surprise over Easter; his girlfriend is 21 this year and for her Birthday her parents will pay for her + 1 other to go to Egypt! She has chosen Adam! They said it must be Egypt as they wanted it to fit it with her studies as she is doing an Archaeology degree. They have chosen a 7 night Nile cruise and then 3 days in Cairo. It is all booked and paid for now, they go in December and arrive home on Christmas Day. How fab is that! I will show him your photos Mags. So glad you had such a fantastic time. :)

[Mags]

How wonderful for your son and his girfriend, Kim ....... they will love it I'm sure!

We stayed on Crocodile Island in the Nile....... when they are cruising down the river just past Luxor, they will be able to see where we stayed as the grounds are right on the Nile banks......

http://www.egyptreservation.com/Picture1.jpg

[dandysmom]

Lovely pic; I did not realize the Nile was so blue! Somehow thought of it as sort of brownish like the Mississippi......

Mags, have you read any of Elizabeth Peters archaeological mysteries set in pre-and World War I Egypt?

[Mags]

Lovely pic; I did not realize the Nile was so blue! Somehow thought of it as sort of brownish like the Mississippi......

Mags, have you read any of Elizabeth Peters archaeological mysteries set in pre-and World War I Egypt?

Eileen, I too was very surprised by the colour of the Nile - I had envisaged it as being very murky like many of our rivers here. It was very clear, you could easily see the fish swimming and the stones on the river bed near the banks.

I haven't read any of Elizabeth Peters books, Ive made a note of her name and will keep my eyes open for them .......thanks for the tip :smt023

[dandysmom]

Eileen, I too was very surprised by the colour of the Nile - I had envisaged it as being very murky like many of our rivers here. It was very clear, you could easily see the fish swimming and the stones on the river bed near the banks.

I haven't read any of Elizabeth Peters books, Ive made a note of her name and will keep my eyes open for them .......thanks for the tip :smt023

I think you might enjoy them, she's written a whole series featuring the slightly eccentric Amelia Peabody, her archaeologist husband Emerson, assorted other characters and including several Egyptian cats with attitude! One of the recent ones is "The Last Camel Died at Noon".... which title might give you the idea that they're rather funny!