Wales and London

A huge day of travelling today, 7am we need to leave for a 8:30 ferry. Funny with Elouise being 20 minutes late after staying out dancing with a couple of Spanish boys. She is a nice girl, absolutely loves gossip girl so I got up a bit early to access the wireless downstairs and gain access to the series finale of gossip girl for her. It put a smile back on her face so that's all that matters.

The ferry was 3 hours, with what was meant to be free wireless, I was keen to come on and talk to Bronnie but for some reason the wireless only worked on apple devices, macs and iphones, Go figure??? 8 hours more driving with a couple of small stops and at last we are in London.

A surprise was the awards, 3 awards were given, one for complaining about the boys available, Amity was keen for a hot muscular black dude and was keen for chico babies as she called them, she was awarded with ratings cards to rate guys she sees. Second went to he survivor, Heather with her stopping thieves from getting on the bus, being a trooper by continuing after dislocating her knee on the second day and getting an sms breakup from her boy friend, pretty lame, she received a big set of keys. Last award I received for being the additional tour manager, daily jokes, doing karaoke on the bus, etc.. Just being me, I get a lovely bottle of Jamesons :-) Dee thinks I am wasted by being in IT, oh well, I guess geeks can have fun.

A postcard was read out to everyone, which was addressed to me. It was written by Jackie from America, I found out today. She meant it as a bit of a joke I guess, all good, put a smile on everyones face.

That night we all met up at the London Hotel for a few drinks and everyone slow left, saying there goodbye's. Canadian Jackie, Barb and Aaron joined me for a few extra drinks at a bowling place before it was time to say good night. Thanks heaps to Jackie and Barb for the birthday drinks they bought me, certainly know how to make me happy.

Back in Dublin

Back into Dublin today and first stop for everyone is the Guinness factory. I had done this previously so I went for something new, the Dublin Gaol. It was in fantastic condition after being restored by 400 volunteers over a 27 year period. The cells of many famous Irish people were on display, for helping make Ireland a republic.

I get back on the bus as everyone finishes the Guinness tour, hoping to send off a heap of stuff back home. I waste more than an hour only to find that I can't send any liquids. So jam's and all my whiskeys will have to wait till London, hopefully I have time there.

Next stop was to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells. Over 1000 years old, it contains a lavishly decorated copy in Latin of the four gospels. The long room which is an old library built in 1712 was very fancy to see, a large collection of old books that had no order other then to have all the big books down the bottom and small books up the top.

Beer time, the closest pub, the Blarney Inn, but no Blarney Blond in this joint, a Swithwick will have to do. I moved onto to a few local museums before the 5pm pickup, finding both the Natural and Historic museums very interesting.

That night was with the Marry Ploughboys Irish singing and dancing. The 3 course meal was very tasty and the entertainment was worth the money. Plenty of local singing that got the crowd involved and historic Irish dancing which was just like river dance.

Finishing off the night in Temple Bar we got a single sinner who chose a great selection. He had already recorded background voices and music turned out great. He finished around 2am and it was time to head to the hotel because of a 6am wakeup.

Jamesons

We start off the day at the usual 8:30 and the first stop is Cobh. It is known for it's big harbor and was the last stop of the Titanic before it hit an Iceberg. More than 1 million people left from here during the big Potato famine which left more than 1 million people in Ireland dead from starvation. We visited a museum dedicated to the harbour and the history of Cobh.

We arrive at the Jameson's factory around 10:30 for a tasting and some lunch, The tour was good value and then I volunteered to compare Jameson to a couple of other whiskeys. The Johnny walker black tasted the worst, then the Jack Daniels, and the Jamesons came up pretty good. We got small shots of each and then a nice serving of Jamisons 5 year in a glass with the option of on the rocks. I some how talked the barman into giving me a taste of 18 year and a special addition 12 year. 18 year was very smooth but I couldn't validate the 110 euro price in store or 300 euro over the bar. A very rewarding experience and I should maybe add to my collection back home with a Jameson's.

A quick stop to get a castle photo before we head into Kilkenny. Most people dropped off their stuff before a walking tour of the city, a few decided to do there own thing. Chris and Myself opted for the second option, walking up to see Kilkenny castle and the Smithwick brewery which is over 300 years old but didn't open to visitors until tomorrow. A couple of pubs were on the menu next, Kytelers Inn, known for a witch burning and Tynans, the oldest pub in town. Something a bit random was meeting Daniel Chicks mum in the pubs, the West coast and Hawthorn player. The Smithwicks and Kilkenny drinks on tap went down a treat, right up there on the list of best drinks in Ireland.

Cliffs of Moher

Off in the morning at 8:30 for another big day of travel. A quick stop along the scenic ocean side gave us the opportunity for a group picture. We arrive at the Cliffs of Moher at 10:30 for a look at one of what could be an ancient wonder. The view was fantastic and there was a cool little tower at the top.

Onto Blarney for a quick sandwich break before heading on towards blarney castles which hosts the blarney stone. I decide not to venture into the castle or kiss the stone as I did that the last time I was in Ireland, so happy to have a look around. Found a beer at the local called the Blarney Blond, a fantastic drop, best I have had in Ireland so far.

We are stopping in Cork for the night, the home of Murphy's beer. After a pretty tasty meal, we head to what was meant to be traditional music in a local pub. Couldn't understand the guy and it didn't sound traditional at all to me. I tried the Beamish, I heard it was the best beer in Ireland, I would have to say it was the worst beer I have every tried. I also tried the Murphy's, that wasn't to bad, just like Guiness but a little more creamy. The night ended in another bar down the road with the guy singing some quality, the locals didn't seem to like large groups of tourist as we didn't get a warm welcome.

Aran Island

Today we head off to Aran Island for the day to explore at our own pace. 8:30 to the bus for a 10:30 cruise over to the island. Arriving around lunch time, there was allot to see and I decided to rent a bike to work off a few beers.

A small group of us headed towards the black fort for a look. Totally missing the turn off, not realising until we get to the end of the island. A second attempt and we found the right road, a steep rock rock, which made bike riding not to enjoyable.

Get to the end of the road, I am ready for a beer so I pulled out a cold hieniken I picked up a little earlier. A 15 minute walk got us to the fort, an impressive cliff side ruin on the southern side of the island. The huge cliffs were went inward and would certainly cause a mess if the edge was to give way. Walking back to the bikes turned out to be a task, Andrew and myself got lost, wandering aimlessly for at least half an hour, we head back and was luck to get saved by a couple of girls on our tour.

I rush off because it is 2pm and I have only 2 and half hours to see allot more. Straight to a Oun Araan lighthouse and signal tower which was about 4 km's away, with a quick divert to change my bike with a ridiculously hard plastic seat. I made quick time of it and got to see the impressive views

Quickly onto the next fort which is the highlight of the island, I arrive with about 30 minutes to check it out. Oum Aonghasa still had its walls in a very good condition. A few pictures and a look over another cliff left me ready to get back around a 6 km ride.

Back onto the cruise at 5pm, a 8pm dinner and a balcony party all planned for the night. Everyone was pretty tired so it ended with Shaun, Aaron and myself sharing a little keg and having a quiet one.

Londonderry

Off at 8:30am for a walking tour of Londonderry and to learn more about the conflicts. Catholics want to move the whole of Ireland to be a republic and Protestation want the north of Ireland to stay in British hands. Allot of hatred and their loyalty is bred into them through family.

We end at a shopping centre and I would have been the first person to miss the bus after getting lost. Oh well, running around the outside of the shopping centre, I got lucky and spotted the bus.

Lunch time we stopped at a small town called Sligo. A good time to check out another pub, a guiness and chicken wrap went down well but we turned up 5 minutes late to the bus afterwards. Had to dance to the Teapot song and do the booth of truth again as punishment.

Arrived in Galway around 4pm to have a look around and do a walking tour. Had a beer and a bit of food before going back to the hotel to get ready for a night out. Back into town about 7:30 and found a pub that we could serve our own beer, it was fantastic with great prices. Carlsberg and Guiness on tap with the kegs below the table.

Around 9pm we head to a bar to hear traditional music, it turned out to be a band who played a few local songs. I request Galway Girl for a bit of fun and to my surprise, he didn't know the words so I got up and sang it for them, very good fun. I can't say I am any Gerard Butler from PS I love you but I gave it a good crack.

Onto a club called CP's, it was absolutely packed, you wouldn't think it was a monday. Got back to the hotel around 2:30 after the club closed at 2.

Northern Ireland

Start off in the morning at 8:30 towards Belfast.

We arrive at Belfast around lunch time for a guided bus tour. We see the different industries that Belfast is known for. The big ship yards that was where the Titanic was built those many years ago. A statue that was dedicated to C.S Lewis was pretty cool where he is walking into a wardrobe like in his book, the lion, the witch and the wardrobe.

We went for a 1 hour lunch and were meant to leave Belfast at 2pm but got delay waiting for police to arrive to make a report. A couple of young fellas decided to throw rocks at the bus to try and break in. They attacked the wrong window, a small window to the left of the bus driver, being the only double glazed window on the bus. Heather was the hero as she was lucky to be nearby and chased them off.

We eventual leave, the report was written and Howie had to remove the one layer of broken glass allowing him to see through it. The Giants Causeway was the next stop and it all of sudden got very foggy. Legend has it that the Irish warrior giant Fionn mac Cumhaill built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight his Scottish counterpart Benandonner.

We stay at Londonderry tonight, not much here so I talk to a couple of locals who play local cricket and one was a selector for the Ireland national team, while having a few Hoegardens.

Welcome To Ireland

We leave at 8am for the 10am ferry over to Ireland, a 2 hour trip on a P&O vessel. We arrive at 12am and are straight onto the bus for a 3 hour bus ride to Dublin.

We arrive at Dublin at about 3pm and have a few hours to look around the city before our dinner at 5:30. I attached myself to a few girls thinking I would see a few shops for a change from the pubs. I didn't see anything special so happy leave a few euros for the pubs that night.

We head out at 8pm, just as the European Champions League final is starting, so happy that this is only going to take 20 minutes, should be able to watch the second half. Congratulations to Inter Milan for a dominate win and Jose Mourinho is a genious.

We ended the night at a pub called the stags head, real nice little pub with live music down in the basement. It was 3 Irish guys who kept the crowd entertained and drinking a few guiness's didn't hurt.

Glasgow

Another large day of travelling is setup ahead of us today. We got to spend a few hours in Stirling to see Stirling Castle and from the distance have a look at the William Wallace Monument. The castle was in real good condition, the main hall was painted back in the day so it was restored. It looked modern but it is over 700 years old.

Another few hours of travelling before we arrived at Glasgow. It is very different to Edinburgh not having the history yet it makes up for it with party scene and the 2 major football teams here. With the football finished for the season, the night life was the only option and Friday is a great night to experience it.

We went to a pub for dinner and got the cheapest ever good lasagne. 3 pound, I could eat there every day. Beers were also good value, so it was thumbs up all round. At 8:15 pm, everyone met at Georges Square to head out and it was a huge, 2 pound yaga bombs and discounted drinks all night at a heap of different places, took over the dance floor at the Walkabout. We left Frankenstein at around 2am for another early morning tomorrow.

Loch Ness Monster

The morning started off around 7:45am and we head straight to the Loch ness for an early cruise around the lake. I told a couple of jokes over the microphone which now seems to be a daily event. The view was stunning, I couldn't help myself when I went down to the bar and noticed a Nessy Beer from the region. It was a stout and rather strong, so happy to only have one pint of that.

A quick stop around midday let us take a few pictures at the beautiful castle Eilean Donan, which at the edge of 3 different Loch's.

Lunch was at a small town, bangers, mash and a beer was the meal of choice. Made it back to the bus late after getting some chewing gum meant I faced the booth of truth for the second time. 3 questions on whatever the bus wanted, it is all in good fun.

We travelled for most of the day, stopped for a few pictures of castles and had dinner in a small little town which surprised me with a mcdonalds in the centre of it. I settled for chips and gravy at the local shop before finding the local pub.

We stayed at a place in the middle of no where that night, had a few drinks in the hotel pub and allot of people got involved in a Pub Quiz. A game or 2 of eight ball and off to bed.

Whisky Tasting

A long day of driving is ahead of us today, ending right up in the mountains somewhere. During the day we drove past the queens holiday retreat which was well hidden by trees and got to see some great scenery.

We had a stop at around 11am to see the ruins of St Andrews and the home of golf. The fair ways were huge and it was so green. We hung around for around an hour to walk along the coast before heading on our way.

Arrived at a whisky tasting place at around 2:30pm which was a lovely little place in the mountains who create single malt whiskies. The power went out for the whole area so we did an outside tour of the exterior. They are only allowed to use 3 ingredients and allot of the taste and colour is from the 12 years in an oak barrel that had once previously had sherry or wine in it.

The stop for the night is just past Inverness, a very small and isolated community. A 3 course meal including a roast lamb was finished of by a walk down the road to a lovely little beer garden and pub which had a heap of character. The rest of the crew watched Braveheart to get in the scotish feel of it.

Edinburgh Castle

Started off the morning and I was still drunk when I got up to get to the bus around 9am.

First stop for the day was Edinburgh Castle, it was huge structure that took up allot of the skyline. It is full of museums, memorials and the Scottish crown jewels. The view was fantastic and there was just so much history and information to learn. The church which is a memorial to World War 1 and 2 was stunning, bummer I couldn't take a picture in there.

Didn't leave the castle till around 1pm which meant lunch time at the World End pub. The naming of the pub was ironic because people in the old side of Edinburgh didn't travel outside the walls of the city, so this pub was the end of the road for them. Mel and Simon joined me as we left the castle and offered great company for the day. The steak and ale pie went down a treat with a nice pint of Tenants.

Have to make myself leave, the Palace was the next destination. We arrive to find that it was closed with the Royal representative arriving tomorrow, so they needed to get the place ready. We were very lucky to be let just inside the grounds to see the guards doing a welcoming parade. It was very similar to the changing of the guards in England.

The real Mary King's Close was next on the list, it gives you an idea of how the streets in Edinburgh were hundreds of years ago. Another building was put on top of them so they are still in perfect condition, hiding under the city.

We ventured to a local pub that night with about 7 of us, about a 10 minute walk. Stayed till they closed at 11pm and that was it for a night.

Welcome To Scotland

Off at 8:30am, and I didn't think I would need to set my alarm. Waking up 10 minutes before the bus was leaving, a quick shower and out the door but it was great to have a good 7-8 hours sleep. The first stop was Gretna Green, it is famous for weddings like Las Vegas but it is allot older. The group picture was taken and we had a mock wedding between Peter from Canada and Jackie from America. They made many promises while trying to keep a straight face, I certainly liked the Idea of 10 litres of Whisky being purchased each week as one promise.

Next stop was a Fort with a fantastic view and backs onto a wall that goes from one side of England to the other side. It was created to keep the Scottish out during some pretty nasty wars.

We have a free day tomorrow, which means a big night out tonight. Start off at contiki organised option dinner, some traditional Scottish tucker and a guy on the bag pipes. At 2 pound a pint, I didn't want to leave, yet dragged myself away to the see next pub down on the grass mile.

A decent sized pub with a guy playing live music. A few pints to get to know some new people and reunite with Rory before moving onto a club of 5 levels. It started off quiet, then around 1pm a couple of pub crawls ended at our destination, it livened right up and filled up a couple of floors. The night ended with 6 of us leaving last to arrive at the hotel around 4am.

Lake District

Up at a more time at 7:30 for a 8:45 leaving time. We arrive to our first destination around 11:30 to either see some random rocks placed just like the Stonehenge, just heaps smaller and to have a go on some ropes in the trees. It was very cold, the rope challenges were very simple, the flying fox was slow and not long so I was left a little disappointed.

A quick lunch and we left around 2pm for a 1 hour drive to Windermere, the home of Beatrix Potter. A 45 minute cruise and we were on perfect time for the start of the T20 final between Australia and England. I couldn't care about the author of Peter Rabbit so off to the pub I went with about 8 people straight behind me.

A couple of beers and an ordinary innings by Australia gave us just enough time for dinner before heading for the final stop of the day, Carlisle.

The evening ended with one complimentary drink from the hotel and a few drinks at the walkabout. We ventured next door to a pub which we couldn't work out if it was a gay bar or not. The guys and girls were hugging, dancing a little close and grabbing each other a little more than normal guys do but it could just be that they were drunk English men. The dance floor was like a checker board which lite up all the boxes in different colours, alternating.

Liverpool and York

I woke up this morning to find out that I missed out on one of the most memorable T20 games in the history of the sport, great to see Australia come through.

After leaving at around 7:30, we arrive in Liverpool close to 11:30am. I organise along side, Peter, Adrian and Tai to go to Anfield to check out the Museum and Stadium tour instead of doing a Beetles bus tour. We have enough time to see the place where the Beetles first played and to get a picture next to John Lennon before rushing off in a Taxi to the stadium.

At the stadium, to our surprise, the next tour was at 1:15pm which allowed us to see 10 minutes at most. After talking to the manager, she helped us our and got us put onto a tour at 1pm.

Anfield stadium is very old, the museum was fantastic with Liverpool having won 16 titles and having the European Cup located in one of the glass cabinets is something special. The turf was being ripped up ready to be resewn in preparation for next season. Got into the change rooms, press room and priority seats in the stands before the run back to the taxi. We arrived back to the bus 5 minutes late.

Arrived at York just as the FA cup final finished to do a quick 15 minute walking tour. Got to a bar just as Chelsea got handed the cup, had a beer because it was the right thing to do. Wandered around after that, checking out York, found one pub which had 1 pound shot which could have ended the night very early, I stayed clear of that joint.

A nice 3 course meal of traditional English cooking was followed by a ghost tour of York. A few jumps were entertaining as he had people on edge, I didn't think so many ghosts could live in such a small city centre. One pub had 4 ghosts and it only had 5 rooms to offer to guests.

The hotel was located a little out of town with a few local pubs to offer some good fun, half the group went out and a few locals took a liking to us. Bummer about one girls camera and I felt real bad leaving one girl from the tour behind at her insistence but all good as she was there in the morning.

Stonehenge

Up early for the first day of tour, feeling a little seedy didn't help but I am on holidays, all is good. We start with a bus guided tour around London, I realised I still have a few things to go see, so my last day in London will keep me busy.

At 10:30pm we arrive at Stonehedge, it is a very iconic destination located in Wiltshire. It was created back in the day of the first pyramids and it is only a shadow of the original. It was believed to have taken more than 30 million hours to create and no one seems to the know the purpose of its creation.

We had a late lunch in Bath and got to visit a Roman bath which was still in pretty good condition. Bummer we couldn't get into the water and lay in the natural hot springs. It was seen as a religious site and a church was located right next to the baths. A small walk around Bath took us to Sally Dunns House which is famous for fruit buns. Beer O'clock so Adrian, Andrew and Chris join me for a feed and an ale.

Tonight we stay in Bristol, we arrived at 4:30 pm and I was in a hurry to find a pub which played sky sports to watch Australia vs Pakistan in the T20 semi final. We eventual find one after about 6-7 pubs looking and a couple of beers before we are dragged away only a couple of overs into Australia's innings.

We get ourselves through a 3 course meal and head to the oldest pub in Bristol, Hatchet Inn, a couple of pints in plastic cups got me ready for bed.

Changing of the Guards

I bummed around in the morning with the goal of making the changing of the guards at 11:30am. I almost turned up late, running across a park to make the start to find the place absolutely packed to the brim with people. It lasted around 30 minutes with the band doing most of the work.

Next I travelled over to Madame Tussauds wax museum to get a picture with becks and all the famous people. That was pretty fun making poses and taking heaps of pictures. It was a pain having to ask people to take my picture but I was happy with the results.

At 6pm I got to meet the tour, it looked like everyone was tired so I looked for entertainment elsewhere. Found a nice quick pub to watch the T20 game between England vs Sri Lanka which ended pretty one sided. I ended up talking to a couple of boys from Geelong, showed them a couple of other pubs and ended the night around midnight. The only disappointment was the room kept moving when I went to bed.

Leicester Square and Robin Hood

Today I had to move from my lovely little hotel out in Ilford to the rather large Royal National Hotel which is located in Russell Square consisting of 1630 rooms. I made it there by around 12:30, got access to the room at 2:00pm but it hadn't been cleaned yet so at last I settled into the room at 3pm.

I looked at the attractions in London and wasn't to impressed so I thought I would go to Leicester Square for a look. This place was something different, it was cinema after cinema, all showing different movies. One would show Robin Hood and then you would go to the next where Iron Man would be playing. It took me a while to find the right location for Robin Hood and looking at the price I almost ran away, but I thought it would be an experience and wasn't disappointed.

The Empire theatre was the location for the movie which is famous for a few movie openings. After a few pints the movie is about to start so I enter to my amazement, it was like a huge Theatre where you would normally see musicals or plays. It was huge with 2 levels and it was half full this was an advanced screening.

The movie was great, very original and I enjoyed it. Back to Russell Square for a few pints and another early night, around 11pm. I am really catching up on some serious sleep before Contiki takes it all back out of me.

West End Theatre – Wicked

The last couple of days I have been relaxing, catching up on sleep and organising my stuff. Sent a few parcels back home, did some washing, was on the internet a bit with free wifi and watched Iron Man 2 at the cinema. I was very surprised to see they had a deal that you could watch unlimited movies in a month for 13 Pound, wow, fantastic deal.

One thing that I wanted to see was a musical at West End, one of the oldest theatre areas in the world. I chose Wicked, even though it is still being played in Melbourne. I got very lucky with a last minute ticket getting it front row for around 30 pound, more than half the price of other tickets.

A couple of pints before it started and some chicken curry had me in the mood for a great night. The show was fantastic, a very different view of “The Wizard of OZ” and by the end you wondering if the wicked witch of the west's really is evil? The singing was wonderful and the storyline was easy to follow. I recommend it to anyone wanting to see a good musical.

I got my way back to the hotel at around 11pm, I could have gone for one last pint before bed but I don't get the chose here, bars close and it is a weird feeling

London Premier League Game

I arrived into Heathrow hoping to hurry through to Ilford, drop off my bags and get on my way to Upton Park for the West Ham vs Manchester City soccer match. I got through customs, and got my bags with no trouble, then I decided to take the piccadilly train line into the city instead of the Heathrow express. The express was 18 pounds, the other gave me access to all trains for the day for 7.50 pounds.

I get onto the train, turn on my mobile and realised it was 2:30pm. Wow, only 1:30 to get to the hotel and across to the game, would be pushing it. A couple of changes through planned works and I arrive at the hotel by 4:30, I rush in, drop off the bags, and get a taxi ordered.

Turns out, I was still running on Egypt time, and we go straight into a traffic jam, I realise I didn't have my camera with 1:30 hours before the game. I get him to turn around and take me back to the hotel. I paid him 12 pound, with the promise I might call him again, then head down to the train station which would be heaps easier and less painful.

I arrived at the game with plenty of time, the atmosphere was electric, all the fans sing allot to fill in time and attack the other supporters. West Ham really love the anthem of the club, some thing about being in a bubble. A close contest with the final result, 1-1 draw. The west ham fans were ecstatic after such a bad season. They presented the awards and the players did a lap before heading back to the hotel. A few beers while watching Australia vs Sri Lanka in the 20-20 finished off the day well.

Alexandra

Up early, 5:30 wakeup before a 3 ½ hours bus ride to Alexandra. We arrived at around 9:30am by starting at some catacombs, they were discovered via donkey falling down a shaft in the roof. The Romans both mummified and cremated their dead in this location. It was interesting to see that they had a big room for celebration, near the entry, drink to the dead, a fitting way to be sent off. The art work in the original room was very different, a mixture of both Roman and ancient Egyptian designs. Additional rooms were added for 300 more people but they were rather bland. The mummies found were in bad condition as the Egyptian never passed on the full secrets of the mummification process. The location is struggling with water coming from the soil as the bottom floor is submerged and the water continues to rise. Machinery can't be used to fix it as it will damage the location.

Next stop was Pompey's Pillar, Pompey was believed to be buried on this site after he was murdered in 48 BC and that the capital atop the corner served as a container for his head. The Arabs called it Amoud el-Sawan or Column of the Horseman.

We visited a Roman Theatre which was only found 20 years ago when the local government was going to convert a rubbish tip into park. It was in great condition and would have been a great location for plays and other entertainment.

Off to Citadel of Qait bay on the coast and the views were gold. This is the location of the ancient lighthouse which is one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world. It is most likely either under it or destroyed.

A mosk was next on the list, which brilliant in there design and looks. The tour guide translated the prayer which is yelled out on the microphone 5 times a day. After the prayer, most Muslims head to the mosks to pray in unison.

Lunch was in a location on the coast, not being to hungry I was happy to get something small. A burger, chips and pepsi looked fantastic at $5, I forgot about taxes, sitting down fee, service charge, etc.. Ended up costing $10 which isn't to bad but it certainly was a surprise.

Last stop is of a modern library before the long trip home. I was hoping to send some stuff home today but we couldn't find a post office so It looks like I will have to send it from London. The day wasn't to bad, less than I was expecting though. It was touted as the 2nd biggest city in Egypt and one of the most beautiful, along the coast was nice and it was different from all other cities here with so much Roman history.

Bazaar market and Sakkara

Up at just before 5am, the train left late so the schedule has changed a little. We arrived at the hotel to freshen up before heading to a large mosk to learn about the Muslim religion and traditions in Egypt. It was very interesting and surprised to learn why so many Egyptian's have a bruise on their forehead. During prier, they headbut the ground and the bruise showed that they are devoted to their god.

Not long after we go and see some more pyramids, the first attempt and how it developed into what we see today. The pictures in the tombs of a princess were exceptional and so life like I would say they impressed me the most this trip and they are over 4000 years old.. Pictures showed a butcher slaughtering a cows and the full process. A crocodile waiting for a hippo to give berth to eat the baby.

Lunch was the best feed I have had here, entrees were pita bread with a heap of dips, I tried some veggies that were sitting in a bowl, that was the only downfall, only one other person tried them and gave the same opinion. Main meal chips, rice, chicken, beef and lamb all cooked on skewers. It was gold.

Finished off the afternoon at the Bazaar market. We arrived just before the main prayer so we noticed just about everyone either went to the local mosk or dropped on the spot to pray. I looked around for a nice scarf and some souvenirs but lucked out. Getting a few bookmarks and a couple of other things.

That night time our last event was the laser and light show at the Giza temples. We had time to get some food beforehand so I tried KFC here. A spicy twister for $2 AUS, nice. The show was corny and boring so I fought off sleep for the first half before giving in, it turns out that I wasn't the only one. We returned to the hotel for a few beers, before saying goodbyes and for me, 4 hours sleep before I head to Alexandra for the day.

Valley of the Kings

Up early this morning, 5:45 wake up to get out the door by 6:45am. I still have 10 beers left over, so I put them in the fridge on the bus. The bag was hard to pack, so I guess I will be sending some stuff home at the end of the tour.

Seeing a tombs was pretty cool, it is so disappointing that only one of the 62 tombs that have been found still had its treasures, all others were stripped bare. Only got to take a picture from the outside the site, the colours of the pictures was still very vivid. Our ticket allowed us to view 3 tombs, I was happy with that, yet others paid extra to see King Tuts and Ramse the 3rds tombs,

Soon it was time for a feed so we headed into town. I thought it would be worth trying McDonalds over here and it was totally different to back home. A McArabic Chicken involved pita bread, chicken breast, lettece, tomato and dressing. It turned out to be pretty nice, I tried accessing the internet yet it took more time to setup than I got to use it.

Next stop was Karnak temple, it is connected to the temple we viewed yesterday by 2km of sphinx statues along an avenue. This place was huge consisting of the first ever man made pool. It was a scorching 42 degrees so shade was a priority at times.

Tara, Shan, Rory and myself headed back into a cafe in town via a taxi instead of visiting a small village. Taxi decided on our way there that we were to pay in euro and not Egyptian pound with increased our ride by 8 times. I told him to stop the car and was in the process of getting out when he took me back to his boss and he ended up getting a ride for 50 Egyptian pounds return including a 1 ½ hour wait for us which converted to 10 Aus dollars. The cafe called the metropolitan caused endless fun, first we could get internet, then we couldn't. Next we ordered shesha (water pipe), he waiter forgot to order it. Last we arrived our food with 5 minutes before we planned to head back to the boat, so we downed half the pizza in a hurry and took the rest to go.

Luxor

Another early morning, up at 6am to be first at the Temple of Horus for the best photo opportunities. Only need to fight through until 8:30 where I can load up on breakfast and get some more sleep. The temple is in the best condition of all the temples so far, with most of the walls and structure still in place. Sand covered the temple for over 2000 years to preserve all the artefacts. Allot of the faces were scratched out when Catholics stayed in the temple during the Roman control of Egypt.

Arriving back at the boat, I slept until lunchtime before going for a read up on the deck At 5pm, a bus arrived to take us around luxor before seeing the Luxor temple at night. With all the items lit up, the place was full of mystery and wonder. A dodgy tourist police took me to a room to side for a picture and I had to pay him a buck to get my camera back. Seems that this place is always looking for a tip or something extra.

Dinner Back at the boat was good before heading out to a cafe at 10pm. A couple of lazy beers and I tried smoking a water pipe for the first time left me ready for a good sleep.

Abu Simbel

Up at 2:30am for a 3:30 departure, good times. A couple of people slept in so we were a little late but we were a good portion of the people on the plane so they held it up for us. We arrived at sunrise which was magical and I couldn't believe how this whole mountain was moved to avoid losing it to the Nile. Photos were banned inside the temples yet a few people attempted them, but it didn't matter because the best pictures were outside.

By 8:00 we were onto the dams, the new dam which was constructed in the 60s was huge, it blocked up the Nile and created a man made lake of over 300 miles. Turbines generate over 175,000 Kw of power covering a large portion of power used here. Water doesn't flow through gates, it goes through tunnels underneath the dam.

We relaxed a for a few hours then headed to the crocodile temple which showed the influence of Roman design. Cleopatra was on this temple allot and it was weird that they would draw her with only one breast, not sure why yet. Back to the boat for sunset, dinner and time for the Egyptian style party.

I am dressed up in a 2 part dress that Egyptians seem to use. Laying down my head for what I thought a couple of minutes and I fall asleep, so i miss about the first 1 1/2 of the party until someone knocked on the door. Up I get and with renewed life I am up until 2am. Body probably needed it.

Start of the Cruise

The train was entertaining, small rooms and no real common room left everyone either into their room to attempt sleeping or tring to get as many people into a small room as possible. Scott and Barts room seemed to be the centre of attention with it spreading to neighboring rooms. A couple of rum bottles got finished and plenty of beers which were cold at the start of the trip got finished by about 2am when the remaining socialites headed to bed. The sleep was fairly good, I got a good 4-5 hours sleep and I was to keen to waste the scenery so I got up and headed to the restraunt carrage for an orange juice. We get off the train around 12:00 because of delays.

The afternoon were relaxed on at the pool, had a couple of lazy lagers and then went off a boat trip down the nile for a look at the tombs of dead kings. Got a couple of good snaps.

We have belly dancers planned tonight. Should be fun.

Egyptian Museum and the Great Pyramids of Giza.

Up at around 6:30am for the first day of the contiki tour. I couldn't help myself, I signed up for every optional available. Abu Simbel, a Giza sound and light show and a Camel Ride.

First stop was at the Museum, which was full of wonders. Statues and items created more than 5000 years ago. I might have to download a few pictures as we weren't allowed to take any pictures in there. I was suprised that allot of the items were created in wood before getting dipped in gold to give it the final golden look. The sarcophagus of Too-tan Khan was crazy the only known to be made in solid gold consisting of 150kg of Gold. The young fella died at 10 years so he must have had an impact. An extra was to go in and see the mummies of the long dead kings, It was worth seeing how well they were preserved, interesting to see some of the eyes were replaced with white stones and even one with onions. Historians could tell how people died, any health problems and even how well they lived from the preserved bodies.

The 3 temples of Giza were pretty cool to see. It was amazing with the city so close and nothing but desert in the other direction. A dodgy dude decided to give me a present of a cloth and headband (I am sure there is an Egyptian name for it). He took a picture and then the money was asked, he wasn't happy with my money offer but I talked him down and got a couple of pyramid ornaments. I think I still got ripped but the picture looked pretty good. An extra option for 150 people each day is to enter the pyramid and I had to do it. Couldn't take pictures but I got one on the iphone which didn't seem to save, bit disappointed about that. Inside was steep walkways and it was boiling hot with nothing really to see, at least I can say I have been in a pyramid.

The next highlight was the camel ride, the legs are still shaking, like riding a horse for the first time. It was nice and slow with plenty of photo opportunities.

Headed off to sphinx the for a few quick snaps and then off to a all you can eat 3 course meal which left everyone ready for a nap. Then perfume shop was next with original essencesa of a huge number of perfumes and men's cologne. I gave it a pass on buying anything but I smelt real nice at the end. On the roof we got a great sunset with the pyramids to end a great fun filled day. Now onto the overnight train.

Cairo Day 2

Bit disappointing that the Alexandra tour wasn't available so I joined some fellow travellers on a look around Cairo,

We headed down to the metro trains where the first Stop was Sedat Station on the Giza line. Getting out, we kind of wondered in the general direction of the Nile, crossing a couple of bridges and taking random photos. A fellow was rather keen to get us into his store, promising us directions to a popular market nearby, he drove in front of us a couple of times just to try convincing us, eventually he gave up.

Eventually we arrived at the Cairo Tower for a great view and a couple of quiet lagers. The views were gold and it was cool to see how close the pyramids were to the city. Seeing them up close tomorrow should be worthwhile.

A couple of hours later we got back onto the train towards Mary Girgus. It seemed like a district of churches with around 10 churches very close to each other. Viewed about 4 of them, St Georges church, virgin Mary, and the Hanging church were the ones I remember.

Now onto the start of the tour with a 7pm meeting with the group to meet our tour director.