February 08, 2006
Unforgettable
(Day 327) February 2005. It all began with a humble domestic flight across the country from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. By the time I returned home in January 2006, I had set foot on five continents and about two dozen countries. A trip of a lifetime, well worth the time and effort, eye-opening, rewarding, and a bunch of other things as well, but most of all, unforgettable.
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Posted by markyiin at 02:14 PM | Comments (20)
January 28, 2006
The City of the Dead
(Day 326) If, for the sum of Eฃ10, I can move from a hotel with stained walls and low water pressure to something a bit more luxurious, I think it's worth the upgrade. After all, it was my last day in Egypt, and essentially my last day of travel.
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Posted by markyiin at 12:41 AM | Comments (12)
January 18, 2006
Pyramid Schemes
(Day 325) It totally goes against my character, but I don't trust anyone in Egypt, particularly in Cairo. Tourists are the target of so many scams that I question the motive of anyone who approaches me. In a perfect world, everyone would be well off and visitors here wouldn't be seen as money growing trees ripe for the picking. And even though the price of being scammed isn't all that high, it still does leave a sour taste in your mouth.
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Posted by markyiin at 07:26 AM | Comments (10)
January 16, 2006
Incomplete obelisks and burgers
(Day 324) The early morning commotion from new arrivals preparing to visit Abu Simbel woke me, but after the noise died down, I had no problems falling back asleep. My day wouldn't begin until they got back - at nearly noon - because of trouble finding the dude who had our train tickets.
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Posted by markyiin at 08:17 AM | Comments (6)
January 15, 2006
Abu Simbel
(Day 323) It's easy to see where Ramses II gets his megalomaniacal reputation. The warrior pharaoh raised monuments to the ultimate glory of himself everywhere. English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley tried cutting the presumptious ruler down to size, mocking the 'shattered visage' that lies next to 'two vast and trunkless legs of stone' at his funerary temple. (Sadly, I wouldn't get the chance to visit the Ramesseum.) If Ramses II mummy were ever animated though, I can just imagine his response: No doubt, he'd point at his works at Abu Simbel and say, "Well? What do you think of that?"
Posted by markyiin at 04:22 AM | Comments (3)
All about money
(Day 322) Cruise management went around telling guests how much tip was expected from everyone. In my opinion, service hadn't warranted one, plus I was quite confident food on board had made me ill. Therefore, I thought I was being pretty generous when I left something anyways.
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Posted by markyiin at 04:15 AM | Comments (1)
January 07, 2006
The curse of the pharaohs
(Day 321) I think I had a slight fever, my stomach hurt, and the night before, I threw up in the toilet. Immediately after waking up, I had take a shit, and the rest of last night's dinner came out in a torrent of loose stool. Yes, I was afflicted with the curse of the pharaohs, which had unleashed its fury in the worst of ways.
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Posted by markyiin at 04:39 AM | Comments (10)