January 29 2008 Cairo, Egypt |
| We have spent the past week admiring the reliefs, temples, paintings, statues and other amazing monuments left behind by the ancient Egyptians. We flew to Abu Simbel where through a worldwide effort two temples created by Ramses II over 3000 years ago were relocated in order to prevent them from being submerged by Lake Nasser after the building of the Aswan dam. We cruised the Nile from Aswan to Luxor, stopping at Kom Ombo, Edfo and Esna along the way. The landscape is stark in the distance in contrast to the lushness along the river bank. We visited the Valley of the Kings and entered several tombs. When you're inside one of these tombs you can feel a tiny bit of the excitement that the archaeologist who discovered them must have felt. Sharm El Sheikh the resort destination of the Middle East is a diver's paradise. The Red Sea is rich with plant and animal life. We are back in Cairo, just about ready to leave Egypt and continue our journey. |  |
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January 21 2008 Cairo, Egypt |
| We have seen the pyramids of Egypt in pictures and on the Discovery Channel, but not until we stood at their base did we truly realize the immensity of this architectural undertaking. But many things that we see surprise or astound, and you need to continually convince yourself that the history of ancient Egypt is true. These people had indoor toilets, a calendar, cloth, paper, clocks, baking ovens, wine, law, order, and justice over four thousand years ago! When you think about the fact that many places in the world even today do not have these facets of what we consider modern civilization, you start to wonder about what we still need to learn from these people that lived here in 2500 B.C. We visited the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and once again were amazed how artifacts so old can be so well preserved and finely crafted. I could accurately guess the age of the mummies at the time of their death by looking at their facial features. The jewelery and furniture is finely detailed and appears to be perfectly serviceable, like it was made by modern artisans. You honestly need to think over and over again "Four Thousand Years Ago!!". We would like to express our gratitude to our tour guide Mariann who somehow managed to give us a solid background in Egypt's ancient, religious and political history in just two days, and our driver Adel for treating us to Turkish Coffees and Shee-Shaw. |  |
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January 17 2008. Cape Town South Africa |
| We have spent the last week enjoying road trips and picnics in the Southern and Western Capes of South Africa. The coastal scenery is breathtaking and creatures are often seen from the highways and roads. The beaches are wide, white and windy and the oceans refreshing. The Dutch influence on this area has resulted in expert production of wines and cheeses and every community encouraged us to sample - lots. Delicious!!! For those travelling between July and November, Hermanus, one of the towns we visited, is the Whale Watching Capital of the world based on sightings from shore. It was interesting to experience firsthand the atmosphere of this country that has so recently gone through major political and social change. |  |
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January 09 2008. On Safari in Africa ( R.S.A / Botswana Border ) |
| There are three sections to this update so make sure you scroll down. We knew we were in for some amazing sights when we left Nairobi for Johannesburg and saw Mount Kilimanjaro stretch far above the clouds. Our first Game Drive made it obvious that we were about to experience something very special. A pride of lions are relaxing at a water hole. The youngest one is playing with a large rock, winning a game of "protect my food" with his cousins and siblings. Little do they know that a solitary Elephant is thirsty and approaches the water from behind an embankment. His bellow is enormous as he sees the Lions and charges the pride. They scatter into the shrubbery like insects. We watch in wonder as he slurps loudly, then saunters away. Upon his departure, the largest lion returns to the watering hole. The smaller ones slowly return. As they get close they decide to practice their stalking skills and playfully attack their big brother/cousin. A true free for all ensues. The stories go on and on...... The first group of pictures show Mount Kilimanjaro, our guide and spotter on the Game Drive, a sunrise, expert tracker at work, a kill that never happened (although we did witness one but I would not do it justice by writing about it here), a lot of game on the savannah, the preparation for a "sundowner", and me behind the villa "spotting". Sit in the Land Rover by clicking here. |  |
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| We went on two Game Drives each day of our stay in this area. The morning drive started at 5:30. The afternoon drive went from 16:00 until after dark. Every drive was filled with new adventure. Each of these pictures has a story attached to it. The sounds and smells of the bushveld unfortunately cannot be simulated here (yet). Pictured here are: Karen and Zebra, Red Hartebeest, Southern Yellow-Billed Hornbill, Blue Wildebeest, Cheetah, White Rhino, Buffalo, Kudu, Hyena, The playing Lions, the thirsty Elephant, Impala and Giraffe. To see the others you will need to wait until our return. Experience some Safari by clicking here. |  |
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| So now you know the names of the animals that are in these pictures. Test your spotting skills by listing them and sending your list to us. Use the email address at the top of the page or use kdyne@look.ca This is the interactive part of the website. Click on all of the pictures including the main picture to make them bigger. Please only send us a mail if you find all 8. |  |
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January 02 2008. Colva, India |
| Our time in India is almost over and every day has been a new adventure. The beaches of Goa are the most exotic we have ever seen. The water of the Arabian Sea is warm and calm and the sand stretches to the horizon. Every day on the beach provides sights that you would definitely see nowhere else but India. The people we meet are very eager to trade information and love to socialize with us. Everybody wants to share with us their hometown, their church, and their social functions. We have attended an Indian wedding, a Christmas concert, and have experienced the many holiday and New Years traditions here. One day, a simple request about the location of a river resulted in a scooter convoy to "a secret location" under a bridge and a five man fishing competition between "teams" India and Canada. Those who heard about it later wished they were there. We enjoy travelling on our scooter as it allows us to feel part of this area. Although traffic seems chaotic, people are not in a rush and parking your vehicle in the middle of a busy intersection in order to stop and talk to a friend is not out of the norm. You can see some ScooterCam by clicking here.(2.5 meg). We would like to wish you all a Happy New Year. |  |
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