This mornig woke up and went down for us to the loby to go for our carige ride to the most preserved temple in the world. We all got in different cariges and road to the temple. It was a lot of fun!! When arived at the temple there was an area where there are many stores with people out trying to get you to by there goods like a market place. After going throu security we went down a nice road made out of stone to the temple. In the very back was the holy of holys that had a statue located in it.

Folowing leaving the temple we all got back in our cariges and road back to the ship for lunch. On the way back our shipe had to undock to let another ship out. So, apon arival back at the dock we had to wate for a little while for it to get back so we could bord.

After lunch we had a leson on how to wright hiroglifics in short hand. Osman our guid touchg us how and we worked out how to do it on our own peaces of paper. We met up in the sittling loung on the boat. Flolowing the lession several of us went up ondeack and played some card games. Folowing a nape we set out on anothr tou and went to a market to bye things.

After my nap I woke up and met the group in the Loby of the Ship to head out to see the Temple here. Heading out to the temple and during the time that we usualy do. Today was the hotest day that we had four our touring. The sun was blayering down on us with the sand off the mountons blowing in our faces. When we first arived we all went into a small room to see a mumifyed crcidile. Flolowing this we started our tour of the Temple. We wen and saw the water well that alowed the pharo to decide how much to carge on property tax based on the watter level. We all also saw the first calinder that is based on Egyped hiroglifics calender. The last and final thing was to see a hiroglifph in the rear of the temple that dipicts how how about the temple being used for medicen and a place like a hospetal.

Once we had compleated our tour of the temple we went down to the maket below the temple to bey outfits for thoes who had not doe so all read for Egyption night on the ship. I ended up doing some bartering with one of the shop oners along the strip of shopes and was able to percous a stone scolpture for a exslent proce. Once we were done shoping we all headed back to the ship to get ready for tonight.

Once I had gotten ready for the party I had one of the workders in the hall help me make a terban out of the couth I had perchoused befor Hochikesoup temple. I then headed up to the loung in the ship to meet for dinner. Here we took photoes of our dress befor eating. It was great fun waching every one all drest up in there outfits. After dinner we all met down stairs in the loby for a group photo on the ships steps. Then it was off to tack canded photoes and other small gorup sots around in the loby. Then went back up and there was a party going on in the loung. There were few people doing beley danceing to music and other things. We all played on game with others on the ship where you eleiminate one person based on when the music stopes and having to get somany people. in your group. This was fun and one of people wone. She wining was to drink some jouse at the bar there in the sittling lounge.

Folowing our time getting photoes we went up on deck and played some ‘go fish’ with Osman. This was a lot of fun. It had now couled off drimaticly and felt great out. We played cards at one of the tables on deck untill crfue and then called it a night.

To day we woke up on the bot still docked at Luxar. We all departed after our breakfast in the dining hall. I then went up on deck and put sunscreen on and got prepard for our day in the valy of the kings.

First stop was of a temple that is mostly destroyed now. We took a few photes of the two remaing statues that were on ether side of the gate enterence. From here we went to the valy of the kings. One the way we passed some of the few remaining stoe houses that most likly the Iserl lites would have built for storing grain and other goods in.

The first thing that we did when we arived at the valy of the kings was to drive up to the road throu a winding dirt and clay road. It was amazing how arid the desert is and to see the sheir clifs and mounds of sand in this area. It was very dry and hot. We arived early in morning and by afternoon it would be all but unbarible. Once we arived at the valy of the kings our security gard was able to let us bypass the "C" shaped are were all the vindors and haslers are. We were going to try to drive our bus all the way up but would not let us go that far. So we got out here and passed throu the armed security gate and then borded a tram to tack us to the toums. Mr. Myham sed that he has never bean able to bypass like this. It was gereat.

Once on the Tram it took us up a winding paved road in the middle of two large mountons of Samd and rock to the toums. The first stop once at sight of the faros toums was to go finde some shaid. We found this at the area where the arceoligist that discoverd and worked had there restign place and eating area. It looked as if had ben rebuilt for the tououst but this is the place where the workers would try to get a break from what would have ben unbarible heat sand sun. At this place Osman our guide took time to do some teaching about the boums and some history.

Next it was off to visit the Pharos toums. I was able to see 4 tums today. The first one was the tomb of Ramses IX. It was the 6th toum deiscoverd here in the valy of the kings and dates back to the 20th DYN. The decoration that dipicts stories for the book of the dead and others were very intersting. It was amazing how much the paint and the structure is still in taced and not damaged.

The next toum was Merenptah toum which was the 8th discoverd toum and was from the 19th DYN. This toum had a large room at the botum with pilers and a large baral bolted celing. The cercoficous was in the middle. During the time that I was down in the bottom of the toum the electrisody went out for about 3 min. It was compleatly dark and people were runing in to coums and other people. I went throu my bag and got out my flashlight and saved the day. It was great and scary to. It gave a good idea tho of what would have bean like macking the toums in the deark. Osman sed that they would mix solfer in wax to help prevent smok stain on the walls and cellings.

The next to last toum was Rameses I wich was the 16th toum discoverd here and was from the 19th DYN. This toum was the steepest of the ones that we saw. At the botom was a sercofigous in the middle. This toum did not have any colums and was wide open at the bottom. It also had a bar volted celing at the bottom.

The last toum was King TUT wich is from 18th dynesty and is well preserved. Had a glass cover over the crcofigous. You could see in and see the gold covering that the momey would be wraped in. It was a short way down. The cercofogous was lower and off to the right side when you wolcked in.

Folowing seeing the toums we went back to where we started and were able to have more watter and learn more about what all we have bean seeing. Then was off to the tram to ride back down the road to the bus. When we arived back down at the security gate we all ran throu so that others would not go thru from other groups. Then borded the bus and then on our way to the onix factory.

Then we went to a onix factory where we could perchous carved stone itmes made localy out of the stone found here. We saw people out side macking and carving out on the entery area. Then we went up stairs where we Osman would tell ous about the difernt types of stone and how they looked under light. They gave us a free Coak of Cola in glas bottle wich tased difernt and may be more like the older mixture of Coak. I then looked around the store and and found something that I wanted. Then we started the bartering to get the best price.

Then we went and saw the wokders temple bareal grounds, Quen Hotship temple, and finly a temple for Ramsies II. Here we joust poled up the bus and than backed out so we would not have to pay to park the bus. This quean is most likly the quean that took Moses out of the nile river. Later in the afternoon I edeted a photo of here temple to make it look more natureal.

After that it was back to the boad for deparcher and for lunch. This afternoon we sailed up the nile and I went up on deck to wach as we sailed. When we got to the lock and dam we barterd with locals in boats where they would throu up mercondice and you woul look over and then throw down money in another sack. I perchoused 2 tows. On for 5 Ero and on for 6 USD. When I went to cheach one of the items for some one elce I had forgot I had put my sune glases back on my shirt and they went over bord into the Nile River. I will be looking for a new par soon. Oh, well. It all was great fun.

After supper went up on deck joust in time four us to see the ship go throu from the lock. One of the gyes in our grup jumped up and grabed the bottom of the brige and held onf for a few seconds and then droped donw on a differnt place in the ship. Took about 30 min to pul in and go back out and we rased about 15 feet.

Tonight we has supper and then wached the boat go throu the Lock and dam. Then it was down below deck in the parler for a party with the McLartys. Today is there 25 weding aniversy. It was a party biger than the one they had at there weding they sed. We had cakc, local people on the boat with drums, and claping, dancing to disco music, YMCA, etc, all under strobe lights.

Then folowing the party I went up and swam the sat around tocking on deck for a whill. The watter was wonderful and was nice to see the stares. The temp was perfect and would bean neet to stay out all night.

This morning I woke up in Egypt for the first time. The Hotell we were at last night was wonderful and I had a exselent nights rest. As I sead befor we were up bright and early this morning. I woke up at 4:00 am and got all packed up and redady for the day befor puting our lugage out side the room for the Buttlor to come and pick it up. Folowing that Pary and I went down to the loby of the Hotell were there was box breakfast wating for us. Most of wich was farly good. We all borded our bus with our armed gards and military escort and headed off to Ciro’s Air Port.

We arived at the air port and went throu the first step of securtity as a group checking our bages. Once our checked lugage had bean checked we took it to the next stop were we had the lugage cheked and taged to go on the plain. The it was off to the air port terminal. We went throu another sed of security scanners for our cary on bages and then we wated for a few minust befor they let up board the bus to the plain. The terminal was jamed packed and only a few seast were left. We all boarded the buss that drove us all the way acrossed the airport to our plain sitting out ont eh tarmack. Then we bored the plain like the ones you see in the movies using the out side stair cases taht are driven up to the plain.

On this flite I had a window seat. That was nice. I injoyed looking out at the gournd belown. Once we arived at Lusar airport we borded anonther bus in the same way and from there they took us to the Terminal where our guide was waiting for us and stamped our pass port and let us thru security on out the the air port.

We then made a quick stop by our curse boate wich is one of then icest ones out of 300 active ships on the Nile River. We all then headed off to see a temple. Here there was an Oblisk, a wonderful internce with Liones going down the path way to the enterence of the toum. There were several places for flages poles to be put up in little niches in the walles.

Our next stop was the perumery. Here we had the oporutnity to smell several photes, and to percous vases and other related goods. There all were very butiful. Good price for them to.

From here it was back to the boat for lunch at 1:00 pm. Folowing lunch I took a nap for abotu 3 howers befor departing this evning to a julers shop and a place where we can get cotton T-sherts with our name inscribed in hylerglifs. Then we went to Luxar temple to see it as the sun set and there lights came on. It has ben an amazing day to get to see so much and learn about the many of the faros and there history.

Latter tonight we went to supper folowing our return to the boat. Supper is at 8:00 pm here. At supper the water was playing several games with us using toth pickes and making shapes. It was a lot of un. Folowing supper I went up on deck and wached the stares and lett the worm breas off the desder come over me.

Tomaor will be a wonderful day when I get to see the Tumes of the faros. I am realy looking fowar to that.

This morning I woke up about 8:30 am and went down for breakfast. Folowing breakfast I finished getting ready for the day and compleating my packing for our trip to Egypt. We then all met down in the family room area for church service at 10:00.

Our church service today started out with spontanous singing for first 15 min and then we protake of the Lords Supper. Dr. Baird sed a few words about Jesus life. He looked in to some scripture about the last things that Jesus sed on the cross and thoes that were with him as he dided. The idea that Jesus is 100% human and 100% Devine Sperit. We then had some more singing lead by Bruce McLarty of some last verces of comunion songs.

After worship service we had Ice Creem cake for Brad and his Wife Kate. Today is there first weding anivercery and is also Kate’s Birthday. After celeberating with them for a breaf period it was back to doing final packing and shuting down of computers in lab befor departing to the Athans Air Port for Egypt. I went to the Hambeger joint next store and had a berger and frise befor departing. We left our home in Port Rafti at 12:00 pm for the air port.

Everthing went extermly smooth going throu security etc. We went throu as a group and was like clock work. Aristotal Travel, wich does all of our arangments for our travles wacked us throu, and also provided our bus to the air port. We had a short wate after going throu securty and then our plain departed at 2:35 for Egypt.

Our flight was a littler more turbulence than the others and when ariving in Ciro, Egypt we had to delay our landing dew to hevey air trafic. During this time we had a few climes and quick dropes in altitude that causd some stumicks to drop like on a rolocoster. I had the Beef and role on the plain for lunch / early dinner.

Once ariving in Ciro, Egypt we went right throu customes dew to our wonderful frends here that will be our tour guide and driver during the trip. Osman met us at the air port terminal. Sence it was such a late arival we took a little time to do some touring of the city befor heading to our Hotell. We had armed gard on the bus with us wich will be the case as long as we are here in Ciro, and we also had a military escort in the car. There is much greater security here than any other place that I have bean but this is probly a good thing. Every where we go the area is secured and we have people guiding the way to ensure our safty.

Once we arived at the Hotell we went in and got our room keys. Folowing that we taged our luge for the butlers to bring up to our room. We then had about 1 and 1/2 howers befor supper at 7:30 pm. I took some time and went exploring of the hotell. There are plagrounds, out side restronts, tince clay tence courts and much much more here. It is porbly one of the nices Hotells that I have stayed at.

We have a guest that is going to be travling with us this week. He is from the US and also attneded harding a few years ago. He played on the Harding Basket Ball team. He is visting this area and was able to meet up with the group to explor Egypt with us.

Back to the Hotell now. Tonight we had an exclent dinner. There was a bufay that we at at wich was loaded with wonderful pictued displays of food, bread, etc. It was wonderful. Folowing dinner I went up and wached 2 epesodes on DVD of Star Trec the Next Generation from season 6. Then it is off to bead at 10:30. Wake up call tomaor is at 4:00 am and we depart at 5:00 am. It is going to be an early morning but Osmen sead that usualy have to get up at 2:00 so we are blessed. Tomaro we will fly to sothern Egypt where we will start our touing and ceach the Cruse boat that will bring us down the Nile River. Shoud be great fun!! Can’t Wate!