Hey there, Steemit Community! This is my very first post here. I am digital marketer from India who loves to travel. The digital lifestyle has given me lot of freedom to travel and go places. Here's my story from Egypt trip in December 2016.

EGYPT – The name by itself is sure to ring a bell on every traveler’s head. Mostly found on every travel enthusiast’s bucket list, Egypt is a transcontinental Country that links Africa with the Middle East. Undeniably, the Egyptian civilization is one of the oldest in the world. I am glad to share my story and the spell Egypt had on me.

How Egypt Happened To Be On My Bucket List?

Well, I am an avid traveler and Egypt had been on my bucket list for a long time. Like everyone else, "The Mummy" and the Pyramids fascinated me since very early age and I had decided to experience those Pyramids and visit the civilization which is believed to be older than the history itself.

I had a really great experience at Egypt, I just can keep writing, however I have tried to cover most important things from my journey.

Roads Of Cairo

What went through my head immediately after I came out of the airport was “oh my god! This looks nowhere close to what I saw in ' The Mummy!' ” I know, that’s very silly of me. I was expecting it to look very ancient and different but it turned out to be a normal city. So, once you are on the main roads of Cairo, You will see why I call it contemporary yet ancient. From certain parts, one could spot pyramids and the buildings look really old and out fashioned in a lot of places. Amidst all this, Cairo is bustling with traffic and tourists. I was definitely not expecting anything like that. I reached Move n Pick hotel, which is very close to the pyramids of Giza. I freshened up very quickly and left to experience the majestic pyramids.

Pyramids Of Giza

I just could not wait to see the pyramids. Once they came into the picture, it was a sight that I wanted to behold forever. Absolutely breathtaking! You could easily spot three big Pyramids and three smaller ones. Entry into the “Great pyramid “was permitted. Every damn thing about the Pyramids left me startled. You enter through the middle. After a lot of crawling (yes, crawling!! That’s how the structure is), and walking, one finally reaches the point where the king and queen were mummified. This is the exact center of the Pyramid. To my horror, I didn’t find any mummy there, instead, we were asked to jump into the spot which is empty now and click pictures. It is only later that I got to know that all the mummies that were found throughout Egypt are now secured in the Cairo museum. Seated comfortably on a camel each, I moved around the pyramids. In some time, I spotted the Sphinx. My day was made. I had seen most of what I was hoping to see.

After that, I went to a shop (run by the government), where the process of making papyrus was explained. They also let me try a few steps in the making. A lot of paintings were displayed for sale. I was very excited because papyrus is not something that you will find everywhere. After a lot of bargaining, I managed to buy a big painting at a reasonable price. Once it was dark, the light and music show began, for which I had pre-booked the tickets. The story behind the Pyramids and Sphinx is artistically re-told using images and music.

When in Egypt, you will have to give tips at a lot of places. Right from the tour guide to the person who lets you inside the Pyramids, everyone expected some tips. Initially, I tipped them in Euros which I realized was a lot of loss for us. Changing to the local currency and then tipping was much beneficial. I would suggest you to be pretty watchful with these tips and do not repeat my blunders. So that’s how I wrapped day 1 of my marvelous journey.

Day 2: My First Cruise Experience

I had taken an early flight to Luxor from where I had to board the Nile cruise for the next 3 days. On reaching Luxor, a local guide picked me up, helped me check in and stayed in the cruise with me and guided me during all our trips. If you look at the map, all the important places are on the banks of the Nile river, starting from Cairo on the top and ending at Aswan in the bottom. Another interesting fact about the Nile is that this is some of the few rivers that flow from south to north. The main reason behind our Egypt trip was the Nile cruise. I had booked a luxury suite in the upper deck to witness the scenic landscape and the lifeline of Egypt. The cruise is planned in such a way that tourists can stay in the cruise and visit the places while the cruise halts nearby.

After boarding the cruise and having settled comfortably, I left to see the Luxor museum. This is a typical museum with statues and artifacts from the past. After the museum, I visited the Majestic Karnak temple. With huge pillars, a big hall, unfinished ceiling and mysterious statues, the site draws you to the past. The guide explained the construction, usage and the gods to which the temple is dedicated. The word “temple” makes you expect something different before you reach the place. Once I reached the place, the vastness and pompous structures left me startled. After a lot of walking and infinite pictures, I started back to the cruise.

Now exploring Egypt means a lot of walking, differentiated weather, and yummy food. By differentiated weather I mean, it was extremely cold in the mornings and as time progresses, it was sunny with poky cold winds. Afternoons were hot and sultry. Fortunately, I had planned my visits correctly.

Evenings in cruise was relaxed and laid back. I got to interact with a lot of locals and people from other countries as well. I had enough time to relish all the food in peace. A lot of parties were thrown in the evenings. Keeping myself entertained was easy.

Day 3: Hot Air Balloons Give You The Movie Vibes!

I was picked from the cruise for a hot air balloon tour. I was really excited as this was my first time in a hot air balloon. It was a very beautiful experience right from how the balloon is triggered to how it is pulled down. When you are high up in the air, the tour guide pointed to the west bank. He explained how cultivation happens in Egypt, various burial sites, a lot of temples and deserts. One also gets to witness the flattering sunrise with so many colors on the horizon. The aerial view of one of world’s most famous archeological site is truly exotic.

Later, I was taken to visit the temple of Queen Hatshesput and the colossi of Memnon. By then, I had started feeling an over dose of history. At the end of the day, all stories looked similar. Any place you visit, they talk about god, kings, queens, papyrus, and mummy. Well, that's what Egypt is known for. I drove back to the cruise and all I did after a long day in the sun was sleep like a mummy. (Mummy again!!!). By that night I had reached Edfu and the cruise halted.

Day 4: Back To School With History Class

This day was full of history too. So many temples lay buried in the deserts of Edfu. A few of them have been discovered and few are still hiding. So, this day was all about visiting those discovered temples built of sandstone. Now, what irritated me the most was that the long walk to reach the mummies in all these places. After walking so much, what you get to see is just empty boxes where the mummies were once placed.

These temples were a bit different from the other temples that I had visited in the past couple of days. The way to the mummy was painted with natural tints from flowers and fruits, was just beautiful. I found little too much of history to take in. On getting back to the cruise again, I hit the spa.

Hitting the spa is something that I do on all my trips. A spa in the cruise sounded exciting. The overall spa experience was very satisfying and relaxing. After all, a visit to unknown lands is more about peace time than just too much of rushing here and there.

Day 5: Finding Some Time For Yourself From History

I was really happy and all geared up on day 5 because the history classes were closing soon. I knew this was the last day where I had to listen to stories of kings and queens. The next 4 days was just beach and food. I had taken a flight from Aswan to Abu Simble temples which is one temple that you simply shouldn’t miss. I loved this temple. The scenery was breathtaking with the temple on one side and a beautiful lake on the other side. The history class was also digestible. Not to miss, I was able to capture few flawless pictures in this temple.

Shopping In Egypt

On day 5, the evening was completely free and I had allotted that evening for shopping. I headed to the local Aswan market. After walking around the market quite a few times and bargaining with anonymous people, I managed to buy few souvenirs, Egypt’s hibiscus tea, perfumed oil etc. Egyptian linen and carpets are world famous and thus very expensive. It was fun and different from anything that I had done in the past few days.

After the shopping, I was back in the cruise. I was all set to welcome the New Year. That was a once in a lifetime experience for me.

Day 6

I checked out from the cruise and took the private cab that I had booked to Hurghada. Now, Hurghada is a very uncommon spot to pick, especially for Indian travelers. I was given a choice between Alexandria and Hurghada. I chose Hurghada over Alexandria because I wanted to have a mix of history and thrill. I am an ardent sea lovers and scuba divers. Hence Hurghada seemed to be a perfect choice.

A huge mistake that I did was choosing a cab instead of flight to Hurghada. I started the journey from Aswan in the morning and reached Hurghada only by the evening. I had lost one full day and was indescribably tired.

Hurghada is basically a small fishing village that had gained a lot of momentum in recent days. Reasons being the extravagant resorts, marine-rich Red sea and relaxed setup. Hurghada in short is a haven for holidaymakers and divers alike. It offers marvelous diving sites for divers with all sort of experience. I was extremely happy with our choice because I felt so lively after reaching Hurghada.

Day 7,8 & 9

Hurghada is all about selecting the right resort with all sorts of amenities as you will be spending a lot of time inside. I chose this place called “Albatross Palace” which is a real palace. Once you are in, all three meals of the day are complementary. Plus you get beer and wine for free. Wow, isn’t it? Day 7 was just entirely free. I spent time by exploring every corner, enjoying Jacuzzi, clicking pictures, eating and sipping wine. Best day ever! Some quality time spent with yourself. As I believe in exploring one self more than a strange place and foreign land.

On day 8, I set out for scuba diving. The sea was very ferocious and I couldn’t sustain longer in there. I was accompanied by a certified diver, who had experienced one of the best dives in his life by spotting huge sharks, manta rays and big eels in deeper waters. Just listening to his stories was such a thrill.

On day 9, I left the hotel to explore the desert on a jeep. Bumpy rides, camel and quad bike safari fulfilled the day.

Day 10

I took a flight from Hurghada and reached Cairo by late morning. (I’m so glad I chose to fly and not drive like the other day). I quickly made my way out of the airport and rushed to see the Cairo museum. I had planned it for the last day because the dates for Nile cruise were fixed. Few hours in the Cairo museum was definitely not enough. You need one full day to look at each and everything. I had a flight to catch in the evening. I paid more attention the section of the museum that had all the mummies secured. In various stages of decay, there were so many of them from all over Egypt. I felt satisfied to an extent. That was my last day in timeless Egypt.

On the whole, if you are someone who enjoys History, Egypt is the place for you. You will love every bit of it. With, traditions, culture and its history intact, Egypt has much more to offer you. A lifetime experience may be!

Hope you liked the post and was pretty helpful! I will keep updating here with more travel posts, internet marketing guides and some life stuff!

Cheers!