I love the taxi service in Luxor!!! These caleches are everywhere, and cheap. Very nice way to get around town.
A week in Egypt now, and I have a number of strong impressions. The ancient sites are all that I could wish, and are quite wonderful. The warm weather is great as well, though tempered by the worst air pollution I have ever experienced. Fuel is cheap here, and I think this is a bad thing. Not all traffic is cars, however. Luxor in particular has many horse-drawn carriages, though it is mainly tourists that use these. Still, they are ubiquitous and affordable. You can also rent bikes, though not many do. Yesterday I toured around the temples and tombs of the Valley of the Dead on one, and it was excellent.
Luxor itself has several sides. The Corniche along the Nile would be wonderful except for all the traffic and the endless "hassle" as they call it. You can't walk two feet without being assailed by people who want to sell you things. They are very devious and persistent about it as well. They will follow you across the Nile on a ferry, and around wherever you go. They will give you false directions to try and send you to a shop of theirs, and many other tactics. It never ends, and it definitely sours what would otherwise be a wonderful experience.
Still, I am having a good time, and am staying in a wonderful hotel very cheaply. The campsite I wanted has been taken over by a travelling bazaar for the month, but inexpensive luxury is a reasonable compromise :-)
Off to Aswan tomorrow if I can arrange it. Today: the Valley of Kings.
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