2007 was my first year of official work – sure, I’ve worked in the summer as a lifeguard and front desk clerk in the States, but this was my first JOB – the one I studied for 6 years (and left me with almost an empty head) and the one where I can learn and use specific skills. To tell you I was excited would be a gross understatement – I LOVED every minute of work, truly enjoying being there, learning, working, and just getting to know the lab personnel. We were supposed to switch departments every month, but I spent 6 months in the biochemistry department (they told me I was trusted and reliable – now who can say no to that). Being an official worker, I was to tell them when I would take my vacation, so after debating with the parental unit, the month of September was declared the lucky winner. Destination – Egypt!
I can’t say it was my lifelong dream to see Egypt, but it was my mom’s so I said let’s go for it.
The road was a bit tricky – we drove to Budapest (a trip I was not very fond of, due to my dad’s “interesting” driving). I almost did that scene from the cartoons where the shipwrecked people reach an island, bend down and kiss it), and from Budapest we flew to Cairo. When we left Hungary it was raining and pretty gloomy, but reaching Cairo, the wet heat hit us in the face! It was a welcomed change. We were left at the hotel for a well deserved rest, and were told to prepare for the next-day trip. We spent 2 days in Cairo, during which time we saw: the pyramids (truly amazing, like you see them on TV, if not even greater), the Sphynx (who had a really bad nose-job), the Perfume museum, the papyrus museum (where you could buy personalized papyrus, which I did), the bazaar (which did not impress me that much, but it was cool), the Egyptian Museum (with its own wing for mummies – and maybe daddies too, I don’t know).
When we left for Aswan, we had to get up at 2.30 am (a crime I say, a CRIME), to catch the flight. Now, if it was even possible, it was hotter in Aswan than in Cairo, but we stood our ground. In Aswan we saw the dam, the Botanical Island and the Island of Elephants (though none of its previous inhabitants), Horus’ temple in Edfu and Sobek’s(the crocodile god) as well. From Aswan we took the boat (an amazing trip) up the Nile towards Luxor.
At some point one day, I got to see my favorite place in Egypt – Abu Simbel. It’s truly magnificent with the temples of Ramses and Nefertari (his favorite wife). The sitting statues are impressive, but what’s more impressive is the location. Initially it was where the lake is today, and back in the day they built is so that when the sun rises on February 20 and October 20, its rays would shine on the sculptures located in the depth of the temple. However, when the dam was built, the temples had to be moved, and in the 60s they were. Truly a marvel of technology. One evening I managed to photograph the sunset on the Nile – beautiful.
Upon reaching Luxor, we visited the temples of Karnak and Luxor (positioned as to represent the journey of Ra), the Valley of the Kings (where I experienced the hottest weather ever), the temple of Hatshepshut (apparently the first female pharaoh, and it’s said she was kind of bitchy but I guess she had to).
Leaving Luxor behind, we set for Hurghada, a resort by the Red Sea, where we were to relax for 6 more days. And relax we did: swimming, eating great food, enjoying some great massages, going on a trip in the desert, snorkling, collecting shells from the bottom of the sea, watching dolphins swim by. It was great. However, all this constant sunshine and non-activity was getting to me, I yearned for rain, big cities and all that comes with it. When we got to the airport in Cairo I spotted it, Starbucks coffee shop *insert angelic choir*. I drank a caramel latte while my parents watched me acting like I was out of my mind (they can’t understand my addiction to Starbucks coffee).
Eventually we reached Budapest where we spent 2 more days, and then I was steeling myself for another 10 hours on the road, with dad behind the wheel. Luckily we made it in one piece, tanned, with a lot of pictures and memories, not to mention a strong desire of not going back to work, which was not an option. Still, the winter holidays were just a mere 2 months away. And, in October of that same year I started teaching. Cool, no?
Next destination – US of A (for the 4th time) – this time no work and all play
