Egypt, part 2!

..... The morning I awoke groggy and tired but feeling quite well given the night.

The new 5 people we had were still in a foul mood as they woke up, but we knew they would soon depart. The big upside is that the one fellow knew Arabic and when they left the boat, they left their Chocolate! Hurrah!

But before they left, one of the girls found her bag wet and complained and then told the crew member to "carry that bag because its wet!". Safe to say, we were glad to see that they went off.

So it was down to, Me, Bill, Mel in our gang, Then Dan and Claire an English and Kiwi Couple. Then 2 girls that are friends, Zara and Lucia. What a great group of people! They really made the trip. How crew was 2 guys named Ramadan and Allah, both nick or middle names. Course the amount of dope they smoked seemed more like a steam ship then a sail boat! I gave them the name Cheec and Chong. That name seemed to have stuck by the end of the trip!

Anyway after sailing a bit we landed at a place quickly and I got a few neat photos, saw an old watch tower then we headed quickly to a small town. We decided once again to go ashore together, "That is Me, Bill and Mel" with Zara tagging along too. With our captain, leading us to a shop we seemed to have all the kids of the village coming out to greet us. Me and Bill then started playing with the kids by kicking a soccer ball about, trying to ride there kid sized bikes and teaching them the great American "High-five". The kids were so excited and yelling and saying hello. Very few were asking for anything and just seemed plain excited that tourists would come to their village. Not a usual thing it seems!

After that we went across the other side of the Nile and made camp on an island. And make camp I really mean we sleep on the boat and have a fire on the land. The boat is much nicer to sleep on then the sandy ground.

So after getting some firewood I talked William into walking around the island a bit before night, which was soon coming. So we walked around, seeing the amazing trees and farming that is pretty much unchanged in thousands of years. Course right as we might have turned around, there was a man with a donkey and cow, who then insisted that we join him by his fire with his buddies. It seemed only rude not to accept, so we did. Sadly we couldn't talk to each other well, but it seems one was a taxi driver from Dubai who was in Egypt on holiday. That was about as much as we could talk about. After being given a cigarette which I then tried to smoke out of good faith and trying talk more, William then decided it was a good idea to head back to the boat, least they think we were lost or whatever.

Though instead of walking we were then offered donkey taxis. Yes, you heard me right! The hospitality of these guys were amazing, and never really wanting any "Backsheesh" either. In so many of the tourist areas the people are ruined like over feed pigeons in a city square! They are god awful annoying there and always looking for hand outs. But the Egyptians off the main drag are great.

Lets see, oh yes! So after the Egyptian guys talked us into a donkey ride back to the boat we were off. Interesting to be on a donkey at night going back to a boat. The rest of our boat mates were a bit surprised to see 2 donkeys come out of the dark with us riding AND while whistling the "Lawrence of Arabia" tune.

The rest of the night then passed with singing songs that we knew only a few words too, charades and trying to tell a pass it around story involving Flesh eating vampire donkeys and no we were only a little drunk that night!

However in the morning that was the end of our 3 day 2 night boat trip. We were landed and our lazy crew then took us quickly to the landing point. They were alright guys, but they drank our beer, lied to us AND used NILE WATER to clean our dishes. Thankfully none of us got sick.

I guess they could have been worse. Maybe. Then sticking there hands out into our faces for tips was off putting, BUT overall the trip along the Nile was AMAZING! Great times!

We then boarded a mini bus to see some temples before we got to Luxor. Amazing temples and a nice drive, course we were all pretty exhausted.

Getting to Luxor we were accosted by touts saying "Oh that hotel is closed! Come stay at ours!". An old trick. LIARS! we said, and we went to our hotel of choice.......... which we then found out was indeed shut...... So we walked to the next place Lonely planet guide said was good........

"Dear Lonely Planet...

You suck. You lazy bastards don't bother mentioning prices hikes, slimly hotel manager an that the FREAKING mosque BLASTS the call to prayer literally in front of our room.... at 5:30 in the morning. You guys have bad info and just get drunk"

So next day all of us had moved. Luxor is kinda shit, but great things to see around. The temples and tombs are amazing! Seeing the Pharaohs tombs in the valley of the kings was awesome. Just amazing. But the city and people weren't that wonderful.

Most the stuff I saw was well known, and won't bore with details.

Now I'm on the red sea coast, enjoying a great place, great weather. Feasting on fresh Red sea Lobster and Shark. Dahab really is great and relaxing, though the 19 hour bus ride from Luxor sucked. ALL by land too! Oh boy! But relaxed now and I plan to do very little, until PETRA JORDAN! WOOOO!

Kinda sad now though....... on the last 3-4 weeks of the trip. Well on the most exciting stuff now! Hurrah!

Amazing Egypt... Part 1

Wow! I'm gonna say, Egypt is the highlight of the trip I think, as I thought it would be. Might be loud and gross at times, but it really is a rather amazing place to see.


Where was I last? Ah yes, just leaving Aswan....

Anyway, after walking around Aswan, Me and Bill managed to find food and even so far as going to a goverment bakery that was hot and running! For a little "Backsheesh" a word we now love to joke about, we got some more bread. After a couple hours we met our hostel friend Mel at her hotel and waited around to be picked up. Took awhile, but got on the Felluca sail boat. Not a huge boat, but nice and cozy. But seeing as everything is set on Egyptian Standard time, it was around 3:30 before we set off. Sailing around for a couple hours we then picked up more people. Course at 7 people, and 2 crew we couldn't fit much more, but we then picked up 5 more people! Everyone on the boat already just accepted that they were getting on, but those new 5 people were rather pissed off! Anyway, after they accepted their fate they boarded.

We then sailed till about 9 or so, an hour after we should have, we got to a landing spot and moored that night. One of our crew was going on shore to get more supplies and some of us asked to come along. Although he looked somewhat confused by this, he let us come along anyway. Walking to the local town by Full moonlight was very fun. With all the sand and palm trees about and quant farms. Our captian then went and knocked on the door of a house which would fit better in a historic movie about Romans than the 21st century.

An old woman then answered the door dressed in black and invited us in. We were then lead to what I think was the bedroom and sat down. Tea was brought out. Our Captian asked us what we wanted from the store and left us. Forantly for us, someone in our shore party knew Arabic well enough to talk to the Mother, daughter and Son. We asked some questions and generally relaxed. It was just so neat to see such a setup.

All of us spent I'd say almost an hour on shore and I loved it the whole time. Everyone else seemed to feel the same. Later that night we had a nice camp fire party till into the wee morning..........

Stay tunned for part 2!

Amazing to see, impossible to tell well!

Wow! What a trip here! Egypt is amazing! Just amazing...



Where was I last post? Ahh yes, Cairo,the smoggy city, the honking horns and other lovely city things. Well after the Egyptian museum and the next day it was decided as the last day in Cairo should be spent around the city. So the citidel was decided as the first place that day. It is pretty much a walled compound and Mosques inside. There is a Military museum in there, whichis...interesting. Lets stay at "The creative team from North Korea in 1990's helped design this". No joke...



Anyway, after poking about there for a couple hours, me, William, and this strange burned out cranky hippy dude who invited himself along from the hostel, went to Islamic Cairo. Wow! Such a cool place! Muddy streets, people and cars everywhere, not a word in anything other than Arabic. It was like a National Geoghapic TV show or Magazine. The few photos I got can't get the smell, sounds, people and feel of it in. All I can tell you is I've never seen a place like it.



The people were very nice and the food and drink different. We got a drink first at a place, which was sugar cane put into a machine then pulped up quick. Tasted creamy AND great! Next we walked ansWilliam got hungary, but the live Catfish and dead Nile perch didn't look all that tasty. Banannas were all over, but even though we had the numbers down, we didn't know what weight it was at that price. So walking along saw a little hole in the wall place and ordered a meal, which later found was Liver, Tripe and god knows what else. Not great when while looking about you see dead parts of animals being sold outside in the sun without cooling.

So after poking about there we took the night train to Aswan, which was plesant enough. Though we found that the windows are very much dirty to the poiunt you can't hardly see out!
Aswan is a wonderful place. More laid back than Cairo of course.

Among the things to see and do down here is the tomb of the nobles, Camel riding which was very fun, local villages, taking a row boat across the Nile, little kids saying hello, meeting great people and eating great food! The amount of ruins and quality is just amazing!


Anyway, one day I'll get photos up again, but right now I need to get ready for a sail boat tour of the Nile tomorrow! Onto Luxor!

Another new day in Egypt

Well, yet another good day in Egypt here. I woke up somewhat late here and only when my Wyoming friend William woke me up once he checked in after finding out his hotel was somewhat over priced. The hostel is a good price then!

So we went over to the National Egyptian Museum and it was AMAZING! Really hard to even describe what was there and how much. Think of anything Egyptian, and it was there and lots of it. Think of all the King Tut stuff you've seen and it was there. Plus many Greek and Roman items were in there which was a pleasant surprise as well. Me and William spent many hours in there, we think 6-7 hours to see everything well. Fun for me trying to guess the era of the items too.
Afterwords we went walking around Cairo trying to find food and quickly we got to areas that had no con men and good honest people selling us tasty filling food! A fine day today it was! Really glad to see the real Cairo, though it is noisy as shit here however!

Anyway, for what happened today, you had to be there for the most part and I need more time in Egypt before writing about the feel of the nation and its people on a whole.

So, I shall talk about now.... Why do I travel and why am I doing a world trip?

********** For quick quick quick answers scroll past all the boring crap details! *************

I've been asked this and I shall explain the best I can.

So the big reason I started traveling is I always had a strong interest in history, but I was very much shy and a total home body. Not much guts for traveling. Never did anything exciting and was quite happy reading about things and seeing thing with family members, not alone.

All that changed in 2006 after securing a job at Fort Bridger Wyoming for 3 months in the summer. I was all alone for the most part and well away from family for the first time.
I clumsily started breaking out of my shell and turned 18 all at the same time. I felt like it was all rather hard and that could have been it, until..... I got back to home and went on a family trip to Virginia I think and flipped through a book about Roman Britain. I saw a neat thing with walk through Roman site around the UK and thought it looked fun.

My Dad then said something so simple when I said I would like to go there "Sure Sean, we can get you there, no problem".

That seemed to open up a whole new way of thinking for me.
Though the traveling started out as a one week trip with my Dad helping me out loads, seeing as him and my Mum went to Ireland and the UK, that same summer. So that helped loads with planning.

Then I thought about seeing more places and even staying for historical reenactment events too. My Dad encouraged me every step of the way as well. After a few months of planning, my trip was now to 5 or 6 months! About 1/3rd of the trip other people helped pay for, most of that my parents, but the other 2/3rds was me working hard and saving every dime.... Plus free food and lodging at home too!
Also some English guys coming over to Tennessee for the big Shiloh event encouraged me even more to stay for any events they had. This is also the reason I've done more American Civil War event in England than the USA since 2007.

Time came around, I did that first 5 month trip in 2007 and my life was changed forever. I felt so independent, full of life, adventuress and just plain bold after. All those new sights and smells and people and things! It was amazing! Nobody that I knew back in the states, except somewhat my parents could understand the feelings. It was amazing! All the new nations too. It truly is addictive to have these adventures. I found I could so much more with life and no longer felt like a complete loser homebody, I was starting to be a somebody I guess.

As soon as I could I got a job for 6 months, worked my butt off again and went traveling in 2008 again in the summer. After many adventures and seeing old friends and meeting great new friends, I ended back home 6 months after I started. The trip involving filming in North Africa, British museum filming, going to fun Reenactments and all the usual fun travel bits.

That winter was hard though and I thought that perhaps I could get work and travel AGAIN. But alas, no dice, no job. So I went back to Fort Bridger to work the summer of 2009.
Then I got the stupid idea of trying to get into relationships with some pretty girls and settling down in the states, all the usual stuff, and ect ect. Travel days maybe should be over. HAHAHA! What a stupid idea if I ever had one!

After 2 FAILED relationships in 2009, the last one ending badly in England. I went to a great friend of mines place and one day watched the Telly. Huh, Jeremy Clarkson from TV's Top Gear. Huh, he is flying around the earth. Huh, I have heard of a couple other people doing that. Huh, I'll fly around the earth too. No problem....

Thank you Jeremy Clarkson Top Gear, for doing a TV show on flying around the earth!
So out of the deep depths of being dumped I got back on the horse, worked my ass off big time and saved enough money and put enough on the credit card to do this trip.

Great to get back traveling again. Oh how I missed it!
Now of course this is all generally simplified, but its all pretty much true and skips the boring crap mostly.

**********BUT if you want the SUPER quick answers here they are-

Why I started traveling- My Dad, books and history related media "I.E. TV and movies"

Why I keep traveling- Crazy ass fun and very addictive

Why I'm doing a round the world trip- Jeremy Clarkson and TV


So keep an eye out on here for more random updates of my travels! Keep on reading everyone and passing this around! :) Thanks for all your support too. You know who you ARE and are not. Haha!

What adventures!

Well, I am here in Egypt. I am exhausted, but I've seen some AMAZING things already.

So this part of my trip starts at Oxford. After a nice last night in England, thinking of times gone by and the future travels, for the next 6 weeks and beyond, I tried to sleep. Course had to wake up at half past 4 in the morning.... so very little sleep!

Anyway got everything and was ready to head out to the bus station so early to Heathrow. Said my goodbyes to Philip, got to the station JUST as the bus was pulling away, so I got there within seconds of it leaving. Lucky me!

So apart from seeing a movie on the flight and some TV shows, the traveling from Oxford to Cairo was, uneventful.
Getting into Cairo was basically like everywhere else. The drive to the hostel here was... interesting! These people should be excellent fighter pilots the way they drive here. DAMN!
Crazy driving. Thought I was gonna die that night, but got here okay.
So after the crazy adventure of the day I settled in and found that a guy I know, "William of Wyoming", was just getting into Cairo. So we met up chatted and had the next day planned out. I met a woman called Mel at the hostel here and we decided to split the cost of a Taxi, and William decided to join in too.
All was set for what would then become today...

So at 9 after we all got up, "which almost didn't happen", we were able to start the tour.
First stop was of course the Pyramids of Giza. AMAZING things to look upon. The great wonders of the world! The 3 of us looked around for 3 hours looking about and even going into the one! Really hot inside and plain, but where else can you do something like that?

We were hassled by the sales and camel guys, who as usual, were assholes. But minor issue.
After that we went to the oldest Pyramid in Egypt.... of what its called, I can't remember but will edit in one day.
That was really neat to see and from there you can gaze upon many other pyramids as well, including the Giza ones. The sands must have moved in far more it seems over time. Hmm, the sands of time! Haha! Bout as good as my "Oh DE Nile is awesome".

So after that place we had one more quick stop to MEMPHIS.... egypt. NOT Tennessee.
Did make sure to get a photo of the sign.

So after the long days of adventures I shall now turn in for a great night of sleep I think!

Next post I think will be, "Why do I travel?"

Start of the last leg home...

Well... The European part of my trip is over and what I like to call, phase 4 of my trip will soon start. I will greatly miss Europe. I have always seen great things and met some great people. This has been a really good trip for me. Nice to shake all the rust that has built up over to much work and other personal frustrations with no real break or big change. Travel really is a wonderful thing. I am so glad I have had the chance to get out and about.

Though I miss home and can't wait to get back, I'm looking forward to ANOTHER European trip, with hopefully a swing through Bulgaria. ;) Course that depends on how well I save money this summer at Fort Bridger Wyoming and if I should save up for a trip at a later point or buy other things in general. Who knows! I'll wait and see. Much of my gear is wearing out and I'll need to re-fit at the end of the trip.

Anywho, where was I, oh yeah! Well might as well cover what I've been doing the past few days in Oxford England.

Me and Philip got back from winter walking rather worn out, and we mostly did nothing most the week. He had to work and no internet at the flat so I've just been typing away at the Madding Crowd Pub here in Oxford. Its worked well enough for me and I've enjoyed having something to do all day at low cost.

Another neat thing was ringing a bell at St. Giles Church. The bell was I think from the 1850's and there was a bell in there from the 1600's as well! Got to go into the Belfry and see them all in there too. It was bat free too. FYI, this is what my friend Philip does with some of his free time so I was a guest for it.

So another day we had a drink with Philips brother David, who is a real hoot. That guy has some pretty great jokes or remarks about everything. Then another mutual friend of me and Phil showed up, Andrew, and I talked to him about his American trip plans.

For the weekend we slept in at the flat then went to David's house to watch the entire HBO series "The Pacific", then after that watched a very unintentionally funny Animal police show in Miami. Its real, and the "police" who are very fat and just really dog catchers are the biggest bunch of idiots. So it's really just like the American show called "Reno 911", but sadly real.... and funny.

What else? Oh yeah, one day I got to the Pitts River museum/Natural History museum. Saw a DoDo skeleton, the first correct and scientifically recorded Dinosaur fossil and other neat things like that. Pitt River museum is hard to describe, but it is just loaded with items of all sorts. Mostly cultural items or historic items. Stand out things was the first Enfield rifle and a Vest used in the American Civil War, except inside the wool it had metal bullet proof plate in there too.

Anyway, that is a general update of what I've been up to. But the laying about and recovering is over. Now for travel, now for adventure, now for new sights and then home to Tennessee in 6 weeks!

Thanks again for reading my blog, and keep an eye out for "hopefully" more regular updates while I'm in Egypt and Thailand!

Another quick update

Okay, not much going on, but figure should post since people are asking.

Christmas was WONDERFUL! Got all sorts of neat gifts like great books, a Cornish Rugby shirt and great history related T-shirts. It was really nice to relax in Cornwall. Philip my friend was really nice showing me around. Wonderful weather and good food, including the famous Cornish Pastie.

Then on Christmas day after presents had a massive fry up, and then went to the beach 7 miles away for sparkling wine and snacks. Fun thing to do on Xmas. Anyway to kill the rest of the day me and Philip TRIED to watch "Gone with the Wind", but were rather but off by Scarlett being nasty and the HUGE amount of racist stuff. Just not a good movie for good pro Federal Union men!

We did last 2 and a half hours though.

After that we had a LOVELY Turkey dinner with ALL the trimmings. Oh it was so good! Was like an American Thanksgiving meal, but with English extras and taste, including the wonderful breadsauce! So we got the crackers out and pulled them. Our gifts and paper crowns fell out and we went eating again.

Very great holiday season. Although it was at Philips parents house, it felt as close to home as I could get. They were really top notch hosts, Philip too.

So after Cornwall we went up to Wales for a hiking trip based at a scout hut, which was like a hostel. Course upon getting there we found the water was off seeing as the freeze was quite bad and shut the pipes off. After 2 days or so it was back on. The showers didn't work.... soooo I was stinky too.

Course the hiking was great, food was well prepared, booze was plenty, games were fun and of course the crowd was a great one!

Great 6 or so days.

Now I'm in Oxford relaxing. Trying to see as much as I can here and hopefully seeing more UK friends. See what the weekend brings. Going to Egypt on the 11th and that will be the last phase of my trip, phase 4. That'll last 5 weeks, then I'm home to Tennessee.

Shocked that the past 14 weeks have flown by. And how the summer season at Fort Bridger has flown by too now that I think on it.... Wow... Great times.

Well, off for now with my next post from EGYPT! Blog will be more busy then I hope!