5. Walking like Egyptians

We woke up the first morning (Thursday 27 Mar) to the change of rhythm that we would soon recognize as an indication that we were close to port and it would not be long before we were to dock.

A slowing down, as the pilot climbed up a rope ladder from his little boat, then the steady and stately pace that we assume to enter the port and approach our designated berthing spot.

Captain Pontillo seems to like to berth positioned for a quick getaway, so, if necessary, he swings around to face the direction we will take on leaving, and, scorning the tugs waiting their chance to nudge us into position, he edges us gently and precisely up to the dock, and the sounds of the various engines needed to achieve this die away to silence.

By eight we had docked in Fujairah (another of the United Arab Emirates), and, as it was our first stop, we took the shuttle bus into town to see what was available. We were dropped of in front of Lulu’s Hypermarket, an unpromising looking, smallish, rather tatty suburban shopping centre – but once again, the old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover” was proven true. It was our first experience on this trip of a “fixed price” shopping centre, and a welcome relief from bartering.

Prices were all lower than we had seen anywhere in Dubai (perhaps with a bit more concerted effort, we could have beaten them down to these levels), but it was a pleasure to just pay the money and go. Some examples – a Maglite torch – SA price R 230, Dubai, R 140, Fujairah R 80; and a particular Seiko Kinetic watch – SA price R 5,700, Dubai, R4,200, Fujairah R 3,400 – unfortunately I had already bought the watch in Dubai. I really find bartering unpleasant and stressful, and I never push it to the limit, I just couldn’t be bothered.

By the time we arrived at Salalah (on the West side of Oman), on Saturday morning, we had decided to relax and not to go ashore, we lazed around the pool, had coffee in the lounge, and just chilled.

But if I find bartering unpleasant, it’s nothing compared to just walking down a shopping street in Egypt – you are accosted from all sides by cocky 22 year old, western dressed young men, pressuring you into having a look at their shop. All the old tricks are played: “Where are you from?” “South Africa.” “Bafana Bafana !” Ho hum.

But let’s not dwell on the negative – the night away in Egypt was magic for us, any unpleasantness far outweighed.

The highlight (and we must thank Janet of Sure Voyager Travel for inserting this diversion) was the visit to the Tombs of the Artisans. Visiting Luxor and the Valley of the Kings in 24 hours is a little like doing a wine tasting – all you can take away is a small taste of many beautiful experiences. The number of tourists is more than astounding – busloads and busloads filing through the turnstiles, trooping down the long passages into the Kings tombs with glazed eyes and empty heads, touching 3,000 year old carvings when they have been told not to …

I am fascinated with antiquity (see my profile) and I lagged behind studying the immense detail on the walls and ceilings, imagining what went into the planning and execution and soaking in the experience. Unfortunately, the time was just not available, so I satisfied myself with taking time on sections and glossing over the rest, in each of the three tombs we visited Rameses II, Rameses III and Rameses IV - not my ancestors, and in fact, Rameses III and Rameses II were separated by 300 years.

The tombs were big and impressive, but had been exploited, robbed and whatever was left moved to museums in Cairo or all over the world, but they were still amazing. The tombs of the artisans though, were much more intact, less affected by time, thieves or tourism, and by visiting them, you were able to recreate in your mind, what the kings tombs must have looked like, in their original state.

The reason they are left out by big tour buses is that they are small – too small to be entered by more than eight or so at a time – compare this to the eighty or so in any of the king’s tombs. They are also considered by many tourists as being unimportant – being only the tombs of the workers on the other, more noble, tombs.

The thing is, as much care was taken on these as the others, and they are incredibly well preserved. Full wall and ceiling art in all chambers are intact, untouched, and still have full vivid colouring – and by looking at them, you can reconstruct, in your mind, what the main tombs (and temples) must have looked like.

The more commonly visited sites still retain the intricate carving and immense scale, but it is only in the artisans tombs where you can experience the original vivid colours together. To see them you have to visit in a small group, with a private guide. There is another bonus here – the remains of the village where they lived can be seen as well, giving a really good idea of their living quarters.

While we were there we were also treated with guided visits to the Luxor and Karnak temples (you think St Peter’s in Rome is big?), as well as the Disneyland experience of overtaking on blind corners and blind rises, on a single lane each way highway, and pulling out to overtake articulated trucks, over solid white lines, into the face of another articulated truck heading towards you. Somehow it all seems to work, heaven knows how, the traffic seems to part like the Red Sea did for Moses. I spent a fair amount of the trip to and from Luxor with my eyes closed.

Luxor is a must-do, I will be back, and I will couple this with a visit to the museums in Cairo. (I will fly in, though – my nerves will not stand another drive in.)

As a standard, tick the box, tourist destination, don’t bother, you will get better value in many other places. But if you want a spiritual experience, and are prepared to brave the flies, the touts, the dust and heat and the potential tummy upsets, you will be very hard pressed to find a more intense experience anywhere else. This was a highlight.