Luxor, Egypt

Wednesday, 10th March 1999

The call to prayer sat us up in the beds this morning, leaving us wondering if almighty Allah would one day tell them to shut up. The sun had only just begun warming up the earth and the shopkeepers outside at 7:45am were already watering down the dust. We watched them eagerly through large, opened, glass windows, taking in the comparative silence on the streets Before long, on very sordid tablecloths, came our skimpy breakfast consisting of three stale fingers of bread, butter, jam, and a glass of tea. Hardly inviting stuff for an explorative journey through ancient Thebes.

We joined the minibus at 8:30, followed by a handful of Japanese, where we all waited squashed into minute seats for half an hour before leaving. I remember wondering if we'd done the right thing as on our way out we filled the bus from other hotels and there we all sat suckered into a day trip around ancient tombs. The bus took us south along the Nile's east bank, where the farmers had already been in the fields for hours, and new hotels and villages began to pop up on this strip because of a newly built bridge across to the west bank. Barley and wheat were among many crops grown, where through water channelling these simple folk had turned a barren landscape in to one showing more tones of vibrant green than a rainforest. To watch all the crops sway in slow rhythm was very calming and serene. Apparently E£50 million was put into building the bridge, but only half of it reached the authorities in Luxor. Cairo has a very long arm and large pocket.