Tuesday 31 March 2009

Luxor, again, 31Mar2009

Subject: greetings from Luxor, again
Date: Tuesday, 31 March 2009 6:53 PM

Sava-hererer ("good morning" in Arabic)

Thought I'd just duck over the road from our floating hotel to the internet shop as it's unlikely that we'll get another opportunity to do this before we reach Aswan in several days' time.

Thanks for emails, everyone. The balloon flight this morning was spectacular and undertaken in perfect conditions. I shot lots of video, as did Jaro, so look out when we get home. The early morning call came at 0415, for assembly in the reception area at 0445 -- not much different from our kayak fishing trips, at least in timings. Mary enjoyed the flight immensely, drifting a couple of hundred feet over tiny rural villages consisting of mainly mudbrick dwellings, watching the inhabitants gradually start their work day. Donkey carts and accompanying workers were scattered widely around the fileds, as the sugar cane harvest is underway. It's all done by hand, except that the final process apparently employs sugar cane trams to get the cane to the mill.

We sail for Aswan at 1230. The ladies are taking a last look at a very special, difficult to find, shop before 1100, when we're meeting our guide for a lecture on the surrounding history and geographic features we'll encounter on our afternoon's travels.

I've attached a couple of pics...

Mary and I in our hansom cab at sunset yesterday in the streets of Luxor. Photo by Ali, our driver, using my camera -- and yes, I've still got it!!.

Part way through our hansom cab drive last night we pulled in to a cafe where we were offered a smoke on a bubbler pipe, very popular hereabouts. This pic shows Jim having a go.

Anyway, must go.

Regards
Kev & Mary Long

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