Back from the Nile

We're back!

Congratulations to Hela for winning the Fleur dress give away. I do hope you love it Hela and please send us pictures of you wearing it!

Thank you to everyone who blogged, tweeted and yelped about it - it was so much fun to see all the comments and it would have been lovely to have given each and every one of you a dress, as everyone was so enthusiastic!  Nothing like something going free to get us all excited!

Speaking of the Fleur dress... look, check out the name of the French restaurant at the hotel in Egypt!

Yes, sadly enough we are home and starting to recover from our Nile adventures. The trip was A M A Z I N G.  The monuments, like the heat, were overwhelming. Even though I have seen these massive tombs and pyramids, there is a part of me that still doesn't believe they are real.

Funnily, the pyramids looked smaller to me close up. From a distance you have the perspective against a tour bus and then you really get to see the scale.

I have to say, while the kings are more famous and more powerful, some ladies of ancient Egypt were impressive for their ingenuity and shear determination. This is the temple of Hatsheput, who was an amazing lady. Quick history lesson as we were told it by our guide: Her father, the King, died. She marries her half brother to keep the throne secured (they did a lot of that), half brother/husband dies, she marries his son by a mistress (her nephew and step-son) to maintain the throne. Puts child husband in prison while she rules - as a KING (now that is cool), travelled and set up trading expeditions. Then convinces the Egyptians that she is actually the daughter of a GOD. 

Now that is some hefty PR work!

Her tomb backs on to the valley of the Kings in such a way that by the time you have reached her actual resting place, you are on the other side of the hill, effectively placing her securely in the area reserved for the Kings...Wow that's clever.

It wasn't all just sight-seeing. Evening entertainment included a Egyptian evening (above) and a "treasure hunt" which did involve me ruining my knees doing an Elvis impersonation and Wolfie wearing a dress. 

Of our trip I enjoyed cruising the Nile the best. It is very much a working river, and it was so amazing to see how the desert was visable just past the thin stretch of green land that the river kept fertile. The scenery was fascinating from the boat: Water Buffalo, cows, donkeys, goats all grazed at the waters edge, a woman hanging her washing in the bushes to dry, the entrances of tombs in the desert hillside, a busy riverside port, Trucks on a busy road, a school with rather rude little boys (whats new?), and then back to the cows taking a dip. Why I have no decent photos of that I do not know.

While I didn't get to see many Crocodiles (just one from a distance), I did get to see lots of Camels. They really are graceful creatures, (even when they have their heads through a hole in the fence and scratching their necks!). Except when they are in a hurry...  I saw one running, and would have laughed if his rider were not an armed guard.  Camels run like tipsy teenage girls, all limbs flailing around in limited efficiency and control despite their speed.

You can see what I mean here, in slow motion!

Now I am in a bit of a hurry to finish this off, why?  Well I am about to catch another plane to head home to New Zealand to visit family.  I KNOW! It is jet-setting month here!  I didn't really plan for it to happen that way, it just did.  Anyway I can be in touch from NZ and will send you some spring sunshine from there. 

Toodles

Shona x