Want a great way to celebrate the New Year? Why not take a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings.
Having never been on a hot air balloon before, I figured it would be an exciting way to end 2006. The ride was surprisingly smooth, with an easy lift off and a soft landing. Really nothing to complain about. Our cute “pilot/navigator” (?) was as entertaining as he was experienced. Plus he winked eye at me (so charming!) which made the ride even better.
The views were amazing! The Colossi of Memnon and the Ramesseum were definite highlights. BUT, I have
to admit that the best part came after the landing. As a part of the day’s activities, we were scheduled to take a donkey ride to Hatshepsut’s temple.
Traveling by donkey was another first for me that day. My long legs dangled dangerously close to the floor during the slow and wobbly ride, but I really feel that me and donkey shared a deep connection. Although not as charming as the hot air balloon captain, my donkey was adorable.
The temples in Luxor blew my mind. Still gorgeous to this day. The colour remaining on some of the hieroglyphic text is impressive. The group that I was traveling with took an amazing bike ride to get to Karnak. Although we did get terribly lost, we were guided to the right path by the extremely friendly locals. The giant statues of Ramses and his favorite wife Nefertari still stand as tall today as they did thousands of years ago. I could have spent an entire day in Karnak alone.
OH! I almost forgot! I also was followed around by a group of fans… who I must admit I was terrified would 
end up robbing me. When I politely said “I have no money, I’m sorry”, one of the boys ran off and came back with $5 to help me out with my admission fare to the temple. That definitely won me over. We took pictures together, and smiled a lot… obviously suffering from a serious communication barrier. This group of eleven eleven year olds followed me the entire way around the temples. They too were adorable. I felt like the Luxor version of a Hollywood celebrity.
Maybe I should consider a move…
Ten years ago I set a goal to visit 30 countries by my 30th birthday. With no plan or country list to fulfill this goal, I decided to let life take me where it wished.
“See Simi Travel Blog | Adventures of a travel snob“, is just that. The account of an ex-20-something year old exploring the world, usually solo, and on a very limited budget.
Every other week I try to tell you a story about the friends, food, fun and fails I’ve had along the way.
[...] For all of those 5”8 or taller, get ready for an awkward ride. These animals were not tall enough to accommodate my long legs, and left my feet nearly dragging across the floor. They are also VERY disobedient. If you’re looking for a unique way to explore the Valley of the Queens in Egypt, you can opt to ride a donkey taxi up the mountain to the Temple of Hatshepsut. I personally won’t choose this ever again as the donkey was as slow as he was uncooperative. More about hanging out with the Kings and Queens of ancient Egypt here. [...]