Scuba diving, temple exploring, sailing, feasting, hitchhking, and hot air ballooning...in Egypt, I seem to have done it all from the prototypical to the extraordinary. Today I would ride in a hot air balloon for the first time. Even at 37, I'm still accomplishing firsts on my travels. Balloon trips over the Valley of the Kings leave just before sunrise. At first I inquired about a sunset flight but going at sunrise meant I got to see all the other balloons. Since I had to be picked up at 3:30 AM and I slept in late yesterday, I pulled an all-nighter. Very often when I'm somewhere for a short period, I'm awake before dawn but in Egypt I've been staying up very late and sleeping in until noon. On a ferry across the Nile I had coffee and biscuit and then myself and the other passengers were off to the balloons. The vans drive in a convoy for security purposes. As it was slowly getting light with a hint of pink, the balloons were being inflated. When I was about seven years old, my grandmother told me she was going to see balloons over Tucson, Arizona. She said "not a balloon that you hold in your hand, but a big balloon that goes high up in the sky." I had seen photos of balloons before that so I knew what she meant. The hot air balloon is the oldest human-carrying flight technology. The airplane was invented in North Carolina in 1903 but the hot air balloon was invented in France in 1783. It is believed the Nazca people used some form of a hot air balloon to view the final drawings of the Nazca Lines.
It's interesting to see how the balloons are inflated.
Kids were hovering around us, asking for baksheesh, and at one point I got angry. There is a videographer on hand, and he made one of the kids apologize to me for making me upset. All of the balloons were inflated and we were one of the last to float into the air. Slowly we went, and then slowly, the Valley of the Kings amazed all of us.
In the distance you see Hatshepsut's Temple. You realize how high up you are when there balloons below you. The flame from the balloon is very hot and you'll certainly feel it, but it only goes for small part of the flight. The view is even better than that of an airplane or helicopter because there is no glass between our eyes and the view, and it's even more peaceful since there is far less noise. As high as 1,300 feet we were in the air. How amazing! How special! Hot air ballooning is one activity that I thought I was just a little too scared to do, but there's no fear at all.
I couldn't bring Juliett into Egypt, but I'm getting the bird's eye view that she gives me elsewhere.
As we slowly descended I was thinking of "Ring of Fire" as we went down, down, down. Nearly an hour after we lifted off, we touched down safely. What a special experience. The balloon bag, called an envelope, weighs two tons and requires several people to fold it.
I still wanted the later part of the day for exploration so after getting my balloon certificate (which probably won't last for very long), all I could think of was a deep slumber. No coffee or biscuits were on offer for the return journey, and then finally back on the felucca I was out like a Chevy Suburban...like a rock!
At 4 PM I was awake and ready to go from the extraordinary to the prototypical and the extraordinary. Luxor Temple screamed out my name as the sun began its dip toward the horizon. Abdallah would first take me on his motorcycle to his uncle's papyrus shop. Everyone in Egypt seems to have a father, sister, uncle, grandparent, cousin, son, partner, former schoolmate, or best friend operating a shop, taxi, or restaurant of some description. Offered a cuppa, I was tempted, and whilst I don't buy a lot of souvenirs when I travel, I got a cartouche each for myself, Dave and Beckie (my brother and sister-in-law), and Nora and her husband, Garrett. I've been mentioning Nora since my first ever travel story, but she's half Egyptian, or "Egypxican" as she calls herself. I've purchased more souvenirs than normal as I got two magnets yesterday at Karnak. Directly in the middle of town, Luxor Temple is quite a sight especially at sunset.
The Avenue of the Sphinxes, which runs for 2.7 kilometres, connects Karnak and Luxor Temples. Whilst not as large as Karnak, Luxor Temple has a huge amount of variety and detail in varying states of deterioration.
Every guide and tout wanted to be my guide (and get my money) but I'm learning to be firm with "I'm fine exploring on my own." The colours of twilight really bring the temple to life.
The statues of the pharaohs, many of which are missing their faces, are beautifully lit in the evening.
I reckon a stroll around Luxor Temple is best at sunset due to lower temperatures. It was getting dark but I enjoyed a couple of hours here. From the air to the ground, this entire area is pretty special. I have to deal with hustlers and heat but I also get to fly in a hot-air balloon, buy cartouches, and unleash my Indiana Jones spirit exploring temples. Mate, that's Egypt for ya.
