Route Map through EGYPT. The red line represents 3000km travelled in 2006 and purple line 3000km in 2007.

April 07, 2006. Birqash Camel Market.

Egypt's largest camel market.

1000's of camels ....

... are brought up from Sudan...

...to this market to be sold.

100 of camels are sold every morning.

Ruby had to hold on to one camel.

Traders haggling over the price of camels.

Abdeen Palace in Cairo.

Bread delivery. Hands free riding. Don't want any sudden stops.

Mosque of al-Ashraf Barsbey.

Looking toward Al-Ghouri Complex.

A Mihrab (prayer niche)

Minbar (Pulpit)

Looking down onto Sharia Al-Muizz Li-Din Allah Street.

In the center of Khan al-Khalili Bazaar.

Mosque of al-Azhar

Mosque of Sayyidna al-Hussein

Bab an-Nasr (Gate of Victory) - square towers

Old northern wall north of Khan al-Khalili.

Mosque of al-Hakim

Bab al-Futuh (Gate of Conquests) - rounded towers.

Mike is getting a haircut in Cairo...

...and a shave.

Koshari - specifically Egyptian dish of pasta, rice, lentils & tomato sauce, toped with crispy fried onions.

April 10 & 12, 2006. Khafre Pyramid.

Second largest Pyriamd in Giza

The Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre in the background.

The Sphinx.

The Sphinx dates back to 2500BC.

View of the Giza Plateau.

Entering from the south.

Camels in the Desert.

Us looking very touristy.

Pyramid of Khafre - just 15m shorter then the Great Pyramid.

The summit remains intact showing the limestone casing.

Pyramid of Menkaure. The smallest of the three main Pyramids.

Top of the Great Pyramid.

Us going for a 3 hr Camel Ride through the Pyramids.

Mike standing at the base of the Khafre Pyramid.

Huge stones that were used to build the Pyramids.

Side view of the Sphinx.

Head of the Sphinx Profile.

Frontal view.

Saqqara. Stepped Pyramid.

Colonnaded corridor of 40 pillars

Burial Site

Pyramid od Djoser, prototype for the pyramids of Giza.

Built for 3rd Dynasty King Djoser

Tomb of Mereruka

In the distance Sneferu's Bent Pyramid at Dahshur

Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

April 12, 2006. The Nile River and the city Cairo in the background

Cairo at Sunrise.

April 13, 2006. The Nile River south of Asyut - East Bank

Donkey's carrying Sugar Cane

Mike trying sugar cane with a local farmer.

New Egyptian Licence Plates Number 14.

Ruby New Licence Plate Lucky 13.

April 14, 2006. Luxor. Avenue of Sphinxes leading from Karnak Temple to Luxor Temple.

Side Entrance Pylon to Karnak Temple.

Avenue of Sphinxes leading from Karnak Temple to the Nile. Main Entrance.

Row of Sphinxes.

Temple of Amun, dedicated to the king of the gods.

Temple of Ramses II.

Great Hypostyle Hall.

This hall was supported by 134 gigantic columns.

Great Festival Temple

Central Hall built by Tuthmosis III.

Granite Obelisk.

Walking toward the 8th Pylon.

Statue at the 8th Pylon.

View of Granite Obelisk

Great Festival Temple

Papyrus Columns.

Overall view of the Karnak Temple

View of the Great Festival Temple

Carvings.

Open Air Museum

Colossus of Ramses II.

Sacred Lake.

Priests purified themselves in the holy water.

Granite Obelisk.

Detailed view of the top of the Hypostyle Hall Columns.

Baboon in the Temple of Khonsu.

Temple of Opet.

Avenue of Sphinxes leading from the Karnak Temple to Precinct of Mut.

Main Entrance coming from Precinct of Mut.

Luxor Temple.

Avenue of Sphinxes leading to the entrance of Luxor Temple.

First Pylon of Luxor Temple.

Ancient discarded stone toes.

Pink granite obelisk.

Statue of Ramses II.

Court of Ramses II.

Abu al-Haggag Mosque built on top of the Luxor Temple.

Colonnade of Amenhotep III.

Papyrus Columns.

View of Luxor Temple and Mosque at sunset.

Papyrus Columns at Luxor Temple.

House Boats lining the Nile River in Luxor.

Mandy Book Shop. She is everywhere in the world.

Sunset over the Nile River.

Luxor West Bank Sunset.

April 15, 2006. Colossi of Memnon.

Colossi of Memnon soaring 18m into the sky.

Enthroned Statue of Amenhotep III.

Inside the Tomb of Roy.

Wall paintings inside the tomb of Shuroy.

Tombs part of the Nobles.

Paintings were in excellent shape.

Another tomb with a skull and mummy.

The Ramesseum.

Mortuary Temple of Ramses II.

Osiride Columns.

Hypostyle Hall.

The hypostyle hall roof is supported by tall columns.

Mudbrick Stores.

Vaulted mudbrick magazines, used for storage, workshops and living quarters.

Head of the Colossus of Ramses.

Temple of Medinat Habu.

Mortuary Temple of Ramses III.

Military campaigns are recorded in the detail on the temple pylon.

Colourful reliefs depicting religious festivals.

Massive columns with deep carvings and colourful reliefs support the temple.

Hanging out with Claude and Natalie. Cyclists from Switzerland.

Traditional Egyptian Food prepared at the camp.

Valley of the Kings.

Tomb of Ramses III.

Entrance to the Tomb. Also known as Tomb of the Harpists.

Tomb of Tuthmes III.

Dug 30m above ground, reached by a metal staircase.

Tomb of Siptah. One of the longest in the valley stretching 106m into the rock.

Tomb of Siptah. Lighly coloured bas-reliefs decorate the walls.

View into the Valley of the Kings.

Tomb of Thutmes IV.

First use of yellow background in Valley of Kings.

Burial Chamber.

Typical ceiling painting in Tombs.

Hatshepsut Temple.

Hatshepsut Temple at the foot of a sheer limestone cliff-face.

Chapel of Anubis.

Limestone Cliff behind the Temple.

Brightly coloured murals, including a relief of Tuthmosis III making offerings to the sun god.

Statues of Hatshepsut.

Upper terrace decorated with Osiride statues of Hatshepsut.

Queen Hatshepsut.

Taamiyya - Delicious deep-fried patties of fava bean paste and herbs.

Egyptian Registration for the Motorcycles.

Egyptian Insurance for the motorcycles. 10 Egyptian Pounds for two (2) months insurance.

Valley of the Queens.

Typcial Tomb paintings in the Valley of the Queens.

Valley of the Queens. 80 tombs have been discovered in this area.

View of Deir al-Medina. Village for the craftsmen, servants and labourers working on the royal tombs.

Climbing the up the mountain range on the West Bank. View of Valley of the Queens.

Steps leading up the mountain.

View of Luxor, the Nile River and adjacent desert.

View from the top of the mountain.

View of the Valley of the Kings.

Descending the mountain.

Remains of an ancient village.

We had climbed along this ridge.

Walking along the ridge.

View of Hatshepsut Temple, Temple of Tuthmosis III and Temple of Montuhotep II.

Hatshepsut Temple and limestone cliff face.

Hatsheput Temple.