Another day in Luxor saw us
visiting the Karnak
Temple where we met our
guide, Ahmed, who was to show us around the conglomeration of a temple built by
several Pharaohs, each of whom added their own style over the years.
He was running late so we visited the Animal Care Project
first. This volunteer project run by two British veterinarians was initially
set up to provide health and care advice to local donkey & horse owners,
later expanding to include veterinary care that also extended to dogs and cats.
It turned out to be a pretty good set-up, mainly due to the fact that a donor
had left a large amount of money to the project. Unfortunately the money was to
be spent on the building alone, resulting in a nice building and new stables,
but very little money for medications and staff. Hence the need to bring
visiting tourists to the facility. A British e-vet nurse showed us around, but
accidentally put me off ever wanting to volunteer there by recounting stories
of people being put in hospital by untamed or abused horses. I don’t need that
sort of excitement! I would have liked to chat to the volunteer vet, but Sam
told us later that Intrepid almost pulled out of supporting the place after
several foreign vets bad-mouthed the Egyptian people in regards to how they
treated their animals, which (even though it may be true in some cases) is
pretty insulting when you have a local Egyptian guide! I donated a bag of
vetwrap bandages, and although the nurse didn’t seem to interested in them, I
am sure they will come in handy. Though I have to say the highlight of the
visit was when a crazy young cat that was rolling around on the table climbed
up onto the bench between Shaun & I, pretended to smooch Shaun, and then
bit him on the side! Hilarious.
We then headed over to Karnak
temple to meet Ahmed and wander through the massive pillars and obelisks,
avoiding the hot sun and hundreds of tourists doing the same thing. Shaun
walked around the Scarab statue once (for health), the girls walked around
three times (for money), but no-one could be bothered walking five times (for
marriage) or dared seven times (for children). I was too lazy to do any laps
and enjoyed the shade by a pool that was said to contain the “waters of life”.
Unfortunately too sacred to swim in then.
I joined the Aussie girls in visiting the Luxor Museum,
which I actually preferred to the Cairo
Museum as it had some
beautifully restored statues and was much more ordered with cards actually
explaining what you were looking at. There were some amazingly well preserved
statues that were discovered in a secret underground chamber during excavations
of the Luxor
temple.
We also visited the Mummification museum, which turned out
to be the biggest disappointment of all our optional activities.
TRAVEL TIP – do not waste money on this museum!
I have seen better school projects on mummification, and
most of the tools and mummies you can see in the Cairo museum.
Snacktime provided yet another nutritious lunch, after which
we spent the rest of the afternoon firmly camped by the pool at the hotel
watching a couple of kids ignoring their mother and trying to drown themselves
– funny how kids are the same the world over!
That evening we caught the overnight train back to Cairo, stopping on the
way to the station to pick up some much-needed beer, which Shaun managed to
bargain a good price despite our rush. Whilst waiting at the station a guy came
up to us and rudely interrupted my conversation with Aly to try to sell a pack
of cards. I politely said, “La Shukran” (no, thank you), which of course he
ignored and continued to hassle me, so I then just said, “La”. Then HE had the
cheek to get angry that I was being rude by just saying “La” and not “shukran”!
I was tired and hungry and had had enough of rude Egyptian salesmen (though to
be fair most had been pretty good) so I replied politely but FIRMLY that I WAS
polite and HAD said “no thank you” but that he had chosen to ignore me and continue to interrupt me, so HE was
the one being rude. I then turned my back to him and continued to talking to
Aly, at which he took the hint and left. The others were a bit dumbstruck
before bursting into laughter.
The train ride was much livelier than the first one as we
were by now good friends. We hung out in the Americans’ room drinking beer and
listening to Sam’s stories of difficult groups. Eventually we had to retire to
our clunking rattling beds as we would be arriving in Cairo at 6am and served breakfast at 5am! But
not before Shaun & I short-sheeted Sam’s bed while Carly distracted him in
the corridor.
