I took a very memorable trip to Egypt back in March 2009. I woke up one day and decided I wanted to see the Pyramids and the Nile River. So I got on the internet and start doing some research. At this point, I actually didn’t even have a passport yet so that was my first step. I applied for my passport and as I anxiously awaited for it to arrive I started planning the trip. This was actually my first solo international adventure so I was a little bit nervous. As I discussed with family and friends the consensus seemed to be that it was odd to want to go so far away by myself and I was cautioned to be careful as it could be dangerous traveling alone. Well, I didn’t know anybody that could or would drop everything and head over to Egypt for a week so I was on my own. It was a little scary at first but now over ten years later I am able to say that I am an accomplished solo world traveler. I have seen many places and have enjoyed every minute of it. I am now so accustomed to traveling solo that it is my preference.
Since it was my first solo trip I decided I was going to join a tour group (this is always an option but solo travelers typically pay more for the accommodations on group tours). But hey I was ready for the adventure so I settled on a group tour and sent in my payment. Later I found out that no one else had booked the tour during those same dates, so it actually ended up being a private guided solo tour for me. The trip was sold as an eight-day trip. However, when you travel internationally you need to account for your travel time. In some instances, you will spend a day or two in transit. I flew from St. Louis to New York and then on to Egypt. The flight from New York was approximately 12 hours. I flew into Cairo, Egypt. The other major cities included in the tour were Aswan and Luxor. This was an amazing trip that could be documented over several posts, but I will give a brief overview.
So I arrived in Cairo at the airport and somehow made it through customs without getting my Visa stamp (it was to be stamped upon arrival). After a few minutes of confusion and being told that I had entered the country illegally, I was assisted back into the line to get the Visa Stamp. I guess this could have had a dramatic ending but I was lucky it went smoothly. Please check the procedures for obtaining Visas for any country you visit. Some allow purchase upon arrival, others require that you purchase prior to your trip. After getting this matter settled I was picked up at the airport by my English speaking tour guide for Cairo. Cairo was a very welcoming city, everywhere I went I was greeted with “welcome home cousin” and whenever I told someone I was from the United States they would chant, “Obama, Obama”. This was shortly after Obama had first been elected.
While in Cairo I had an awesome time. My tour guide was a young Egyptian guy in his twenties very friendly and informative. The highlights of my time in Cairo include: camel ride through the desert, visiting The Pyramids and actually climbing to the top floor of The Great Pyramid, seeing the Sphinx, visiting the Valley of the Kings and several mosques and temples. I also was able to experience some Egyptian cuisine and shop at the market place. The vendors can be very aggressive even following you around in an attempt to make a sale and they love to barter. It is not uncommon to have young children approach you attempting to sell items. It can be somewhat of a nuisance but you get used to it. I had an interesting experience while shopping in the marketplace. I noticed two African American women looking at me and whispering to themselves. They finally approached me and one of them said, “you are beautiful, you are so exotic looking, what part of Egypt are you from”. This was so hilarious to me😂🤣😂. I told them I am just a plain ole American from St. Louis. Turns out they were from Indiana. I still chuckle to myself when I think about that incident. If you are ever in Cairo make sure to visit the Pyramids, however, I caution against climbing to the top of the Great Pyramid if you are not in good physical shape. The stairway is very steep and its a strenuous climb. If you’re in good shape, then go for it! It’s a great experience.
My next stop was Aswan. I was assigned a different tour guide here that remained with me for the rest of my trip (Aswan and Luxor). He was not as easy going as the first tour guide who let me have time on my own to explore. This was an older guy and he wouldn’t let me out of his sight even when I specifically asked for time on my own, so he and I didn’t vibe too well. I love my Me Time. He was a little overprotective for my taste🙄. But anyway, I managed to enjoy the rest of the trip Aswan and Luxor were beautiful cities. Here I was immersed into more of the Egyptian culture visiting The Old Dam, Valley of the Kings and multiple tombs. The tour guide although very overprotective was well informed on Egyptian history and I feel that I learned a lot. I also took a hot air balloon ride around the city of Luxor. Another highlight on this leg of the tour was taking a cruise down the Nile River and being able to watch the sunset.
Egypt is an amazing treasure and holds a wealth of history and heritage. This was truly a spiritual experience. I learned so much and had a great time. I truly believe that this a trip that everyone should experience in their lifetime. So if you are looking for an international getaway take a look at Egypt.
