Concern about the functioning of the TSA during the Trump shut-down drove me to plan an early arrival at O'hare. The reopening of the government occurred too late to change plans, so my arrival there was a full three-and-a-half hours in advance of my take-off time. It didn't seem worth changing the plan, since I usually require extra time (and human assistance) to navigate the "convenience" kiosks. Turkish Aird does not have kiosks (Praise the Lord!), and newly recompensated TSA agents appeared to be standing around anticipating my arrival. So, I had plenty of time at the departure gate to carefully read through the preparation material from Road Scholar, which I had neglected to do during all the previous months. Boarding proceeded as planned, and after a 45 minute delay on the tarmac, we were off, and ten hours later, arrive in Istanbul. There was nothing unusual about the flight. The weather was not cooperative and so we were kept in seat belts for most of the trip, and wonder of wonders, I finally managed to sleep for about three hours of it, a first in my history of air travel!
The flight from Istanbul to Cairo was even more uneventful. In two hours one can barely take in the crash instructions, fill out entry papers and have a nice meal before preparations for landing have to be made. I think the time waiting for luggage and travel to the first hotel took longer and was definitely more arduous than the flight from Turkey!
This trip is rated at one level higher than any previous trip I've taken. I will probably, occasionally, be reporting as to whether that was a good idea. Besides the TSA, and my impending dotage, three days before departure my front dental bridge fell out, and was declared unrepairable by my local dentist. As a consequence, I will be eating on the trip with the aid of massive applications of Poly Grip and Fasteeth!
Our first day was everything one could reasonably expect from a trip to Egypt. Our hotel is actually in Giza, and a very short distance from the pyramids and the Sphinx. Day 1 included a camel ride and a tour of a museum which houses the Khufu Solar Boat for transportation to the afterlife only discovered in 1952, along with two others at the pyramid complex, and, of course the Great Pyramid and several of the others occupying their own space in the complex. Crowds were enormous, and almost as fascinating as the ancient wonders which have drawn us all to this mystical place. Egypt apparently has a universal allure, as the universe was certainly well represented in the festive throngs, today.
Here are a few pictures that will need no explanation, but, I TOOK THESE (except for the camel one, of course)!
No comments:
Post a Comment