First up, forgive the lack of updates, we are generally working on dial up internet, haha! Also, we are keeping this as our personal daily diary so it is fairly detailed. TLDR!
Saturday 11th February
Early morning start in the luxurious Premier Inn at Heathrow. Probably the nicest room we’ll have for the next 6 months!
Pretty uneventful 5-hour flight to Cairo… until we flew right past the pyramids!!!
I then had the scariest hour of my life as the self-proclaimed Vin Diesel of Egypt took us back to the hotel. He had this amazing talent of finding a third lane in between two cars taking up the two lanes on the highway.
Sunday 12th February
First day proper on our adventure started with breakfast in front of the pyramids. Not a bad start! We stayed at this place. It was nice, gorgeous terrace with amazing views. We had a room without a window that was a downside, but equally it was a good price.
We headed over to the Egyptian Museum. We only had 1h15m there due to traffic but the whinging was maintained at high levels throughout.
Charlotte now says she can sum up the experience in 6 words: “B”, “O”, “R”, “I”, “N” and “G”. Henry was also able to describe it in 6 words: “S”, “T”, “U”, “P”, “I” and “D”.
To be fair, the museum is a bit dated now and not presented in a particularly engaging way.
So that’s our official review for the Egyptian Museum. *Ali here — actually it had some v cool things — a room of ‘mummies’, Tutankhamen’s gold mask which was VERY impressive.
We did a food tour in the afternoon with Magy from Airbnb. We had to cross a few highways on the way there, which was almost as scary as Vin Diesel’s car journey the day before. All the locals were doing it so we walked next to them and hoped for the best!
Anyways, we met Magi and she took us to a non-touristy neighbourhood. We ate loads of simple, local food and see a bit of the real Cairo.
It was apparently a middle class neighbourhood. I was still taken at how dirty, hectic and manic it was. Lots of rubbish, people, stray dogs and cats, tuk-tuks and cars all competing for space. Definitely interesting to go somewhere non-touristy though.
Monday 13th February
Day 2 was the big trip to the Pyramids of Giza – we went with Doaa who was SO lovely. So thoughtful with the kids, really trying to make it as interesting as possible – the link is here. First up was a climb up inside the main pyramid. We thought we were the first in but there was a big group of tourists who were already in there, hugging the walls, hugging each other — honestly it looked like a cult. At one point they all held hands around the room, with us awkwardly huddling in the corner, haha! The pyramids really are as impressive as they look.
Next highlight was a ride on a camel — the kids loved it — especially being able to ‘point’ to the pyramids. I think the camels were kept in good condition, but tried not to think about it! Our tour guide, Doaa organised it for the kids which was very sweet of her.
We are learning that outdoor sightseeing is better than indoor — the kids get bored v quickly (understandably!).
Tuesday 14th February
Tour of ‘Coptic Cairo’ looking at some really old Christian churches. Great tour guide called Ramadan, kids wriggled and squirmed!
Then Old Cairo which was fabulous — SO busy, loud, grimy, an assault on the senses. The architecture was so beautiful — all looking a bit run down because it’s a working market neighbourhood.
Hit up the market where the kids practiced their haggling skills. Henry bought a Mo Salah Liverpool FC t-shirt which might have made his year! (We are a Watford family). So I know what he’s wearing…for the next 6 months! It’s cute though because all the Egyptians really love chatting to him and everyone shouts out Mo Salah to him!
Finally got on the night train to Aswan (link here) — kids loved sleeping on the train, watching the Nile and Egypt roll by. I was with Henry, he slept like a log (on the hardest bed known to man!). The toilets — good lord!
Team Mossy on the move 