Egypt Highlights Photo Gallery

1. It was sunny as expected as the plane descended into Cairo from the east. The Suez Canal is in full view, emptying into the Red Sea.

2. Egyptair's planes are not always so easy to spot in my travels.

3. I don't come across desert scenes often, so the sandy, rolling hills are very fresh to me. So are the odd palm trees in the parched landscape.

4. Unfortunately, sandstorm weather greeted us upon landing, and visibility was reduced so much the pyramids were barely visible.

5. Riding a camel is not that easy. Starting the ride was the most difficult part, since the camel only reacts 2 legs at a time, so the passenger would get thrown around a bit from the quick-shifting forces.

6. The Sphinx looked so much smaller than I had expected.

7. The Eastern Desert is barren and empty except the 4WDs that plough through randomly with curious tourists.

8. The Bedouins living in the desert are making good money catering to the tourists though.

9. The sun sets earlier here than in other places, as if it didn't set early enough in December already.

10. Cruising is a relaxing and worthwhile way to sightsee along the Nile.

11. Only four thousand years old, like many other sites throughout the trip that date from a very distant past.

12. Karnak Temple's hypostyle hall no longer has a roof, but there are 134 tall columns that still amaze the visitor.

13. Where are these people going?

14. The locals are hard at work trying to lure tourists to see their wares, and rip-off those who don't intend to shop. One even tried to extort money for photographing on a public street. But then, they're too lazy to follow-up on a determined photographer's non-response and continued photo-taking.

15. My biggest regret was skipping the hot air ballon ride over Luxor. I didn't anticipate I could survive a 4:30am morning call, but jet lag and a better sleeping schedule helped me achieve it with no problems. I wished I had planned it so well in advance.

16. Small boats make the crossing to the West Bank. The Nile is a very calm river, and there were barely any waves to remind the passenger he's actually on water.

17. Clearance to land in Luxor?

18. Arms crossed to make a point.

19. The Nile River valley is quite fertile in many areas, with green dominating over the sandy yellow that I expected was everywhere.

20. This is not a hijacking. Entrepreneurs surrounded the cruise boats hoping to sell something.

21-24. Edfu showed the signs that Egypt's high season for tourism has begun. Nevertheless, I tried to edge between people and around them to get some close-ups of the carvings.

25. This felucca was cheating. It's supposed to sail on its own, and not with the tugboat's help.

26. Kids would chase the boats from shore and yell English greetings. They're an enthusiastic bunch.

27. It was amazing to see carvings of medical utensils that don't look too different from what modern medicine uses today.

28. Faceless people who built ancient Egypt.

29. I watched too many sunrises on this trip. The morning call for Abu Simbel was an even more insane 2:30am. To make things worse, the police delayed our convoy departure an hour late to 4:30am.

30. Nevertheless, Abu Simbel was worth it, even though it is not the original site.

31-32. The ancient Egyptians distinguished Asian and African slaves. Can you tell the difference?

33. The Aswan High Dam created a huge lake that stretches into Sudan.

34. This photo was not particularly edited or enhanced, but it clearly shows just how blue the Nile is, contrasting against the fertile and barren landscapes.

35-37. Aswan is a busy place with plenty of boat activity.

38. Egyptian trains aren't known for their timeliness or luxury. These first-class sleeper cabins are quite old. But considering it's a locked room with foldable bed, I shouldn't be too picky. I did sleep quite well as the train rocked and rolled to Cairo.

39. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo is a glimpse back in time, although it was shocking to see coffins baking in glass cases under direct sunlight.

40-41. The Citadel is an amazing site, with a huge mosque perched high above the hills overlooking Cairo.

42. As an added bonus, there wasn't too much smog over the city that day.

43-45. Perhaps I missed a few streets, but Khalili Market wasn't too interesting. It has been flooded with all sorts of tourist junk, and I didn't see the chaotic bazaar I expected.

46. Not a single drop of rain for my entire 10-day visit. Can't complain at all! Egypt is definitely a place to visit at least once in your life.