Pyramids, Camels and Silly Pictures

8:30:00 AM Out And About Global 6 Comments

Nothing is more iconic than the Pyramids at Giza! To say this was a dream come true for Bob and I is a complete understatement. I have wanted to visit Egypt my entire life! After moving to Germany it seemed like our chance had arrived--but then there was all that strife and revolution and we thought we might not be able to make it after all. Then last year, friends of ours went and came back giving it great reviews. Most importantly, they said they felt completely safe. So, with that recommendation we booked a tour with Memphis Tours.

Normally, we aren't "organized tour" users, but for Egypt we felt it was the most efficient way to see the sites, get the information we were looking for and the safest way to travel about the country. I am glad we used them--Our tour manager (Fadi) met us at baggage claim upon arrival and dropped us off at security at the end of the week. We had a car waiting for us at every site, making our travel time efficient and to be honest, I would not want to drive in Cairo--it's semi-organized chaos.

The other nice thing about using a tour company was they kept the itinerary. It was so nice to just sit back and listen to the history unfold before our eyes. In Cairo we had a private car and tour guide, she was fantastic. She is a freelance tour guide who works for Memphis, but is available for private tours not associated with a tour company. She gave us great information about the city and sites and also helped stage all the silly photos below. I can not recommend her enough, she was great and my daughters liked her too.

Shahinaz M. Medany: 01002047440 mobile shahy_0999@yahoo.com

Unfortunately, you are no longer allowed to climb to the top of the pyramids--instead they allow you to go about 10 feet--it's a small consolation prize. I was surprised at how close the city is to the pyramids, the city literally encroaches on the front side. The back however, is closed to development and remains desert.

Another thing you aren't allowed to do is take pictures inside the pyramid which is sort of silly given that there is absolutely nothing inside to damage--and the fact that the guard inside the tomb offers to take your picture with your i-phone, for a tip of course. It was super cool though to walk deep inside through the tunnel to the burial chamber.

Eliza is standing next to a massive stone to provide some scale to the stones the Egyptians used in the construction of this temple. Given the lack of complex equipment, it is truly amazing the ancients were able to build such significant works.

Bob and I took the optional camel ride behind the pyramids so we could get cool desert shots. The only buggy thing about that was the camel guide wanted a tip on top of his fee and then argued with us when we were unwilling to give him more than the agreed upon price. We found tipping to be a standard expectation in Egypt for absolutely every little thing. If you are planning a trip to Egypt, do some research on acceptable tipping practices and to whom you should be doling out extra money too.

6 comments:

likeschocolateApril 24, 2015 at 2:23 PM
I am not an organized tour person either, but I think in the case of places like this they are a necessary evil. So incredible! I also find organized tours can sometimes get you into places that are difficult to get into such as the last super. I had tried for months to see the last supper in Milan checking everyday the website to get tickets. No luck! Finally, I was able to book a tour company and got right in!
KeirApril 25, 2015 at 1:05 PM
So jealous... have yet to visit Egypt. Has to be one place one must visit in life. Terrific pics.
BavarianSojournApril 25, 2015 at 1:47 PM
What an amazing experience B! It looks incredibly organised! I am not an organised tour person a lot of the time (apart from the odd walking tour) but in places like this, they are a necessity I imagine, think of what you would have missed otherwise! :)
AnonymousApril 26, 2015 at 10:08 PM
I totally look forward to your posts popping up in my Bloglovin feed. I do not always comment but I read them all. It's so very fun to go on these trips with your family.
AnonymousApril 26, 2015 at 10:08 PM
I totally look forward to your posts popping up in my Bloglovin feed. I do not always comment but I read them all. It's so very fun to go on these trips with your family.
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