1. Seite:
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
Posted on

Farida Studio Pyramids view – Pyramids of Giza

We were served an Arabic breakfast on the roof terrace. It consists of pita bread, chickpea puree, boiled egg, tomato salad and eggplant. Then we visited the pyramids. On foot, the entrance to the Sphinx is only a few hundred meters from our apartment. Outside the compound was the ticket office, 160 EGP pp….

Already before the gate, every few meters coachmen, horsemen and camel drivers approached us whether we would like to ride or drive. ” No, Thank You!” we said today probably a few hundred times. The animals work under the most difficult conditions. 37 degrees, hardly any shade, slopes on smooth asphalt and deep sand passages. They are sometimes driven through the streets at a hunting gallop. Even little boys race the carriages or ride on horseback. The camels are usually allowed to pace leisurely.

But we were eager to walk, which the shopkeepers didn’t quite believe. Anyway, the Sphinx and the pyramids are impressive even up close.

They served as tombs for the pharaohs Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinos. Incredibly, how approx. 2.5 – 3 million gigantic stone blocks (on the average 2.5 tons heavy) could be moved and stacked before approx. 4500 years at all. The construction time per pyramid was about 20 years. The Cheobs pyramid had an original height of 146 m. (If there one was not nevertheless Asterix and Obelix and the “magic potion” at work). Unfortunately there are no signposts and information boards or any information at all. If you want to visit the Cheobs Pyramid from the inside, you have to buy an extra ticket for 360 EGP pP at the main cash desk. Also the museum with the boat of the Pharaoh and the smaller Mykerios pyramid are with Zusatztickes of 100 EGP pP. viewable. We wanted to, but we didn’t have that much cash left and credit cards are not accepted. We could have gone to a hotel in town and used the ATM there, but decided to leave it at the outside viewing. However, a couple of people told us that there wasn’t quite as much to see inside either. A few corridors over stairs and the almost empty burial chamber. Well, maybe next time. So we walked a good 10 km on the grounds around the Sphinx and pyramids and then towards our vacation home.

In the evening we watched the lightshow again from our terrace. It was in English and Chinese today.

Silke

Posted on

Addis Ababa – Cairo – Flight Upgrade – Le Passage Cairo – Farida Studio Pyramids View

Since my seat was double occupancy, and the gentleman in question was insisting on “his” seat, I agreed to sit somewhere else. Since the plane was really full, I was kindly moved to first class. I had never flown so luxuriously before. The seat could be extended all the way to reclining. The meal was a fresh four course meal, Served on china with a white tablecloth.

The entertainment was also higher quality and there was a quilt! You could get used to that. Unfortunately, the flight only lasted four hours and fifteen minutes. Once we arrived in Cairo, we bought a new SIM card for our cell phone and then took a shuttle bus to our hotel. After a short night we had a wonderful breakfast, with all kinds of delicious things. After checking out, we took a cab ( Uber didn’t work, or didn’t find a ride) to our quaint little apartment across from the pyramids of Giza. We did some quick shopping and watched the lightshow from our terrace in the evening.

Silke

Ps.: At first again it takes some getting used to, when horse-drawn vehicles and camels come towards you on the road !

Posted on

19-06-21 – Windhoek – Namibia – Addis Ababa – Cairo – Egypt

Our travel day started with pancakes and coffee at the campsite. Since the Vineyard also offers conference rooms, we watched a group play break-up games while we were there. Or they watched us eat breakfast, as you ‘d take it. We stopped at a souvenir store on the way to the airport. It offered not only “normal” things, but also hunting trophies. There were many antlers and taxidermied animals, even lions and leopards.

The demand seems to be great. You can also buy oryx or springbok skins at street stalls. However, I would not have expected that rare animals are so easy to buy. We drove again to the “Puma” gas station and then to the Rental Station. Altogether we drove 7009,8 km in our 28 days roundtrip Namibia-Botswana-Zimbabwe. Unfortunately we could not return the car and the camping equipment undamaged. We only found out there that the floor plate of the second tent is broken and the bumper hangs down on the right side. The elephants were a bit stronger than we thought. Our cover is still missing and the rear one has two big cracks. Not to forget the dents left by the stone throw in the Caprivi peak. A few scratches on the roof and the body the employee did not even put on record. The car is fully insured through the comprehensive insurance. With the camping equipment we must probably make the own contribution of 10,000 NAD. At least we got off lightly ourselves and remained uninjured. Probably more people die by elephants and hippos than by lions!

Silke

Posted on

19-06-20 – Bagatelle Game Reserve – Mariental – Kalahari – Windhoek – Vineyard Country

We had a visit this morning from two ponies, two springboks and an ostrich. The ostrich wanted to come with us most of all.

After we were already 1 hour on the way to Windhoek, the reception of Bagatelle Game Reserve contacted us that we haven’t paid the bill completely yet. Since we had booked everything together in advance online, we assumed that everything would be clear. But only the campsite was paid by credit card and the game drive still had to be paid. So we went back and paid our open bill. Thus we lost some time, which we would have needed to sort things. This was done in the dark at our new campsite near Windhoek, in Vineyard Country. For dinner we cooked rice with schakalaka. We used up our supplies +- some small stuff.

Silke

Posted on

19-06-18 – Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – Twee Rivierern – Mata Mata

In the early morning we could see the full moon and the sun in the sky at the same time. Before we could continue our journey, we had to go through the border formalities at the gate with the Botswana border control. Then at the Twee Rivieren gate post we got our permit for today’s park drive and headed west at 9:30 to the Mata Mata Park entrance/exit. We spotted a badger and many birds of prey. Bird ostriches were rubbing their feathers in the sand. Two cheetahs lay under a tree a little further from the road. Giraffes were walking along the (dry) riverbed. Ibex, wildebeest and oryx were walking to the waterhole. A very nice safari.

At the Mata Mata – gate we got the entry stamp for Namibia. Afterwards we drove for about an hour to check in at the Kalahari Farmstall Campsite, which we discovered while driving by. Today we had pasta with arabiata and peaches with vanilla sauce for dinner. Afterwards we did some research. Afterwards we sat down for a while to chat around the campfire with Christel and Helmut from South Africa.

Silke

Posted on

19-06-17 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park – Nossob – Twee Rivieren

We made delicious pancakes for breakfast. Since we are leaving Botswana and entering Namibia through the park, we had to go to the southern gate of the park today, Twee Rivieren/ Two Rivers. The road was narrow but good to drive. We lingered a bit longer at some waterholes as there were many oryx, springbok and ostrich there. In the last section, about 15 km before our campsite, we have then even seen a cheetah lying under a tree..

And 5 km further two female lions in the high grass on a hill. Since in South Africa winter vacations are, the Campsite is well visited. But we got a short term pitch without any problems. For dinner we had vegetable soup with rice and beet salad.

Silke

Posted on

19-06-16 Kaa Gate – Kgalagadi – Nossob Valley

At shortly before seven the sky started to get brighter. Of course we first looked at the footprints of the lions again.

We started for the gate at 7:20am, paid our bill and then drove the 181km to Nossob Valley where we arrived at 4:05pm. On the way we saw again these giant nests in the trees.

Vultures, jackals, eagles, oryx, wildebeest and ibex were at the few waterholes, some of which were dry. At the fenced South African Park – Campsite many ground squirrels welcomed us. We cooked pumpkin vegetables in cheese sauce with rice and stopped by the (lit) waterhole. Jackals and springboks were there drinking. The full moon additionally illuminated everything nicely.

Since it gets to the frost line here at night, with 28 degrees during the day, we slept very well and nice and warm in double sleeping bags. The jackals from the waterhole plundered our garbage can during the night.

Silke

Posted on

19-06-15 Ghanzi – Kaa

A bit late, at 11:10 am we started from Ghanzi. Our destination today was the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Shortly after sunset, we reached Kaa – Gate, where a staff member directed us to the nearby campsite.

We can pay tomorrow morning. Here we sleep in the middle of nature. A plum toilet and a cold shower all to ourselves! For dinner we had a sandwich and then off to the nest!

Silke

Ps.: After we had played a round of Carcassonne, and the daily report was ready, I wanted to go to the toilet again briefly. Just as I opened the entrance to the tent strolled two lions past the toilet. They probably ran to the water hole. I didn’t “have” to spend the night. (Thanks to Alessa for the tip with the bucket! When woman knows that for all cases plan B (bucket) is ready, the psyche plays along (-; ). Just yesterday in Ghanzi the landlady told us: “Africa is not for sissy’s!” .

Silke

  1. Seite:
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5