I had tried taking a photo the previous visit inside a small room no luck. Today I asked another guy, he says why dont you take the photo outside where there is more light! It could be because there are amazing reliefs and paintings INSIDE!


The days fun and game started as soon as I got into breakfast room, no butter with breakfast, I ask for it. The waiter wants 2LE for what should be included, he then turns up with some jam instead, they are out of butter. We settle for an extra egg. These guys are amazing.

Sharkeyes - the other day on the barge to the Westbank I noticed the way some of these guys look at tourists with dead eyes, the only interest is how to get money out of people. On average at times I have paid 3-5 times more for things than the locals. In the grounds of Karnak as in other places the attendants call you and show you things or ask you to follow them for something interesting to see or apparently a vantage point to take photos from, all of this means they want a tip. One had the cheek to tell me to sit down on a piece of rock for 5 minutes, as if I needed his permission. At a teashop today another tourist was charged 3LE for tea, mwhen I spoke to them they are not bothered, for them this is 1 Euro and it is ok, it isnt though, it discourages visiting the place because I resent being ripped off. After they leave I hold out 0.75 the waiter wants 3LE, I inform him of the usual price of tea, he takes it reluctantly.

I visit the Luxor museum, small but amazing. There have been new finds as recently as 20 years ago in the grounds of the temple.   I am exhausted and becoming saturated with artifacts, dont think I want to visit the Luxor temple again since the Karnak temple is about ten times bigger, 100 hactares of land.

It has been a pleasure though to find the teashop I have frequented, they go to great pains to give me change and make sure I get exactly what I want. If you find the right places there are nice people and you are treated well but it appears rare.

Almost forgot, on the way to Karnak temple yesterday, the streets were lined with policemen youngsters in ill-fitting one-fit-all uniforms and boots, the king is visiting today, good time to be at the temple. This morning I went to enquire about flights into Cairo at Egyptair next to a plosh hotel, pavements lined by police again, feel as if they are standing to attention for me!

I am seriously considering flying into Cairo, at 36 Pounds sterling, it is twice the price of overnight train and takes 10 hous less.