Delhi is really wonderful, I hope I can go back there soon. When I arrived, I wasn’t ready for straight-up misinformation as a negotiating tactic, as in Oh! That hotel just burned down a week ago, let me take you to my brother’s hotel!. I got the hang of it eventually.
I saw the Lotus Temple (above, and below), and the “Baby Taj,” also pictured below. I’m looking forward to going back and getting better photos.
Wikitravel says that Luxor is the ‘hassle capital of the Egypt,’ and I believe it. Touts will follow you down the street, trying to sell calèche rides, or little stone pyramids, or hash. Kids zoom around on motorcycles, honking pretty much the whole time. Even if the street is otherwise empty.
That said, there’s a lot to see there. Phil and I went to Luxor temple, the temple at Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings. I was pleased to see my alma mater leading the archeological restoration effort. I was told they are “good people.”
Pretty much in every temple there’s a guy who has one corner roped off, and for a tip he’ll give you a ‘tour’ which amounts to him telling you the most obvious possible facts about the monument, like counting off for you the things he sees. “One, two, three, four bees.” It’s easy to keep a sense of humor about it though since the money involved is so low and there’s no haggling, they accept anything. The people selling stuff, on the other hand, are more tiresome. With the revolution the tourist traffic has nearly dried up.
Phil and I had a funny moment riding our bikes back after visiting the Valley of the Kings. The place was closing, and all the guys selling bric-a-brac passed us on their motorcycles and waved. It reminded me of something I couldn’t put my finger on, but Phil thought of it: the sheepdog and the wolf clocking out of work in Looney Tunes.
We stayed at the Boomerang Hotel which was wonderful. On our last day I went to the barber across the street for an overdue haircut. I was glad for the experience, but it wasn’t such a good haircut.
Things I should have photographed:
Here are some more pictures of Cairo. Phil Dunn and I came back from Dahab to go on a felucca boat with couchsurfers, but it was rained out. We had some good times though, we went to the Citadel (and the military museum there) and the Egyptian Museum. You’re not allowed to take pictures inside the latter place, which is annoying. There is a midcentury Indiana Jones feel about the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
We stayed at the Australian Hostel mostly, until Phil got sick of the dogs barking upstairs and I got sick of them turning off the internet at 11. Phil moved to the confusingly-named Dahab Hostel, and, since there were no more rooms, I stayed at a place downstairs that was pretty sketchy.
Things I should have photographed:
After Cairo, we took a long bus ride out Dahab on the Red Sea. We hiked Mt. Sinai and went scuba diving and snorkeling. Saudi Arabia was visible across the gulf. I learned that when renting a bicycle, you really want to make sure the tires are already inflated. If they have to inflate them for you, that means they’ll probably deflate before you get there.
Things I should have photographed:
I spent a week or so in Zanzibar, mainly in Stone Town. It’s a beautiful and ancient, but a bit touristy now. Stone Town is characterized by it’s tiny twisty streets that are too small for cars. Also lots of ornately carved doors. I stayed at Warere Town House which made up in friendliness for what it lacked in elegance.
I went on a tour of a spice plantation, which was educational and got me out of the city for a day. If I had been more ambitious, I would have taken a dala-dala bus to see more of the island.
Freddie Mercury is from Zanzibar, which is something they won’t let you forget.
Things I wish I had photographed:
I spent six days in Cape Town, with gracious hosts Ewald and Jenny Wessels. I visited the District Six Museum, the waterfront, Kirstenbosch, Table Mountain, among other places. Die Antwoord was not playing a show, unfortunately. I think the highlight was driving this car around Cape Town and learning my way around.
Things I should have photographed:
On my third day in South Africa, Jane, Lu and I explored the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve. These photos are what it feels like to be in that part of South Africa. Red earth, green vegetation, lots of baboons.
I was in Grand Turk for a week to hang out and get an open water scuba certification. Here are some photos:
Things I wish I had the presence of mind to photograph:
I spent a restful few weeks in Pine Cay in the Turks & Caicos Islands. I caught up on some work and swam in the ocean. Here are some photos:
Things I wish I had photographed:
