Cairo

Well after two nights of middle of the night at the airport, we were shattered when we landed in Cairo Sunday morning at 3am. However to come to our lovely 5 star hotel and be staying in an amazing executive suite is making up for it a little bit :0)
We slept most of yesterday and lazed around - unpacked and repacked our bags (due to having room to do it), got laundry done and had an amazing meal in one of the 8 hotel restaurants.
Today we had a personal tour of the Pyramids etc. Much nice to get in a car with a driver and your own guide than a bus load and plan out your day based on what you want to see. We started at the Giza Pyramids which were cool but my highlight was the Sphinx. We then moved on to some earlier pyramids a bit further out, had a nice lunch and visited a papryus place where we learnt how ti's made and brought some.
Our tour guide wanted to show us so much more - such a cool guy - but we were so tired and came back to the hotel early. However we'd seen enough for this trip and we can return anytime.
Tomorrow we're going to catch the hotel shuttle to the centre of the city and check out the bazaars.
Impressions of Cairo? Hot (I'm so gonna die back in UAE), brown (EVERYTHING is) and dirty - rubbish everywhere. Shame really coz it could be so much better. Who knows, I might change my tune tomorrow :0)

Never ever, I repeat, NEVER EVER fly Olympic!

OMG - I have had the worst customer service experience ever - with Olympic Airways (Greece). The first flight from Istanbult to Athens was ok. The second flight from Athens to Satnorini was 3 hours late - with no explanations, with one hour of sitting on the place waiting to take off and with a crew changeover once we were all on the plane! Thought that was a once off.
We then waited six hours at Santorini Airport (with NO explnations) to return to Athens, which meant we missed our connection flight to Cairo - they couldn't get us on another one for 24 hours so we had an awful day (after checking in at 4am) in a crap hotel in Athens (not a place we wanted to spend more time in!) and if you wnated to eat coz the airline was paying for your meals - you had to be in the dining room at 8am til 8.30 am, 12.30-1pm and 8-8.30 pm. Otherwise too bad. Felt so sorry for a couple who were with us and were finshing their honeymoon - due to flights to Beiruit timings, they had two nights.
When we got back to the airport we complained (along with another couple) about the bad service but no one listened or cared. Then we finally got on the plane to Cairo and it was 40 mins late! Our baggage wasn't nicely treated then but we were so over it all.
So word of warning to the wise, the fact that 75% of our flights were bad is a sign - do NOT fly olympic airlines.

Santorini...where I will leave my heart

Love this place - have never been anywhere as nice or relaxing. We just looked through our photos and laughed - we have so mnay the same but things look different every day.
We have an amazing apartment with verandah overlooking several islands and the Aegean sea - several cruise ships every day,
We have a rental car and have been to the top and the bottom of the island, plus a few stops along the way like Kamari Beach - so relaxing.
Rode a donkey up 566 steps today - an experience all of it's own - I had no control of it - it's only mission was to get to the top and get me off!
Thoroughly recommend this place to all -we will be back and for longer!

Moving On

So we're now halfway through the holiday and ready to move on. Athens was nice but a place we could have done in a few days. Anyway we've seen things we didn't think we would - such as the Acropolis, tasted new flavours such as Frappes and tried to read signs in a language that doens't use all the same symbols as English - the reasons we travel - to open our minds!
The cruise was ok - lot of time on the boat and not enough on the islands. We went swimming at Aegina and it was amazing - we are so looking forward to swimming in the sea every day while in Santorini.
So we fly to Santorini tomorrow lunchtime for three complusory days of rest and relaxation - we will do a bit of exploring as we have a rental car but mostly want to swim in the sea, photograph the white and blue around us and watch beautiful sunsets.
We fly out Friday night to Egypt so wil update the blog then probably.

Delphi

Have been away in Delphi for a night - was nice to see a bit more of Greece and some more of the history. Not really into musuems etc but was amazing to walk among the ruins and think of the many, many, many people who had been there before. And seeing artefacts from 7th century BC was just incredible.
Dephi is a very slow relaxing place so we did a lot of sleeping and relaing - nice to have those little pit stops along the way!
Tomorrow we're doing a day's sailing - going to three islands - Hydros, Poros and Agina - swimming and wandering the towns - should be good!

Hot Hot Hot

Ok so we thought we were leaving the heat - damn fools we are! It was 36 degrees today - prob too hot for what we did but when in Athens, gotta see it!
We did a hop on, hop off bus tour today - enjoyed the one in Istanbul lots and it was by the same compnay - really well done. We saw all the important sites including Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where the first modern Olympics were held, Hadrian's Arch and of course the Acropolis. So after riding around once we went back to the Acropolis. The people! There were so many but we still got to be close to the attractions and have a good look - the view was amazing too. Where we are you woulnd't know the sea was that close but when up high, you can see it wonderfully.
It is soooo illegal to take anything from the sites - even a little rock - pretty obvious why. At all the historic attractions we went to today there were watch people everywhere to make sure you don't try. They sit or stand all day and watch all the tourists - not a job I envy.
We walked down from the Acropolis past other attractions and through Plaka - I was so hot and seemed to put sunblock on every hour or so but am still a little red on the shoulders tonight. Trying not to look like a typical tourist - you can spot them a mile off with their red arms and faces!
When we finally got back we just relaxed. Exploring in the heat really takes it out of you!

Athens Part One

Wow - this city is hot and busy! But amazing even though it's so different from Istanbul
We had a quick one hour flight from Turkey this morning and arrived in quite a different culture. This place is much more western and more what we're used to.
In saying that the history that is evident is amazing. For example we can see the Acropolis quite close up out of our hotel window - after all these years of seeing or reading about it - and it's right there. Just incredible.
We did a wander this afternoon and found the markets - hmmm what a shopping nose I have! However due to bringing too many clothes that I won't wear I have no room for new stuff and it's all in Euro which is not cheap. Some things are ok but other things are over priced - so will be aiming for many photos and amazing memories, not tacky souviners...ok well maybe one or two ;0)
Going to eat on the hotel rootop tonight and enjoy the sunset over the Acropolis - having a relaxing night as tomorrow (and from there on) will be busy!

Istanbul Part Two

Yesterday we enjoyed the new Istanbul - especially the view from the Galata tower which will post on here when have downloaded Brent's pics. The ones on here so far are from my camera.
There's so much going on everywhere you look in this place - and last night we enjoyed a walk along the waterfront before heading up to a place we had found behind the Blue Mosque which had a beautiful rooftop to have dinner - watched the sun set there - amazing.
Today has been a quieter day - but I went and had an authentic Turkish bath! Was unsure what to do- but so were all the tourists! We stripped off to undies, wrapped a cloth around and went into a huge central room where we steamed and were then scrubbed and soaped by middle aged half naked Turkish women. After that a swim in a very warm pool followed by a half hour oil massage. They gave me a wee present when I left - of my own wrap - because I was a Kiwi (big thing here) and was so friendly. So nice! I also got all sorts of free advice - like listening to aunties!
Been out for another yummy dinner - had thought I might lose some weight with all the walking we do but am eating to make up for it. Just LOVE apple tea and Turkish delight (the real stuff!)
Our last full day here tomorrow - not quite sure what we'll do as we've done everything we really want to - so may just ride the tram all the way from one end to the other and get out anywhere that looks interesting for a look around!
Would love to come back with an empty suitcase -could spend hours (and money!) in the shops here - good fun!

Istanbul Rocks!

I am absolutely in love with Istanbul! It is green, sort of clean and the people are very friendly. We flew in Wednesday afternoon, checked in - our hotel is in a great location - and started exploring. We found the Grand Bazaar and just had an amazing time looking around that. There is everything you can imagine for sale and haggling is part of the fun.
Yesterday we did a hop on, hop off bus tour which was great! So much to see and do. We did a circut and then went back to places that were high on our to do list. We saw the Aya Sofiya which is quite cool along with the Blue Mosque but prob would have had more impact if we'd come straight from NZ and not seen so mnay in UAE. However the historical side is great - things are sooooooooooooo old!
Today we did a cruise down the Bosphorus and stopped at the last place you can before you're in the Black Sea. We had lunch and checked out amazing views there before returning and seeing so much more of Istanbul al the way down the river.
15 million people live here and we can see why. There is so much happening - and it's all so much better than we ever imagined. They have a great tram system which costs about $1.50NZ to enter but once in, you can ride as far down the line as you wnat without paying more. We've got this sussed and use it every day.
The only down side is the food- we haven't quite found what we like eating yet but have a few more days to try the places out.
Am loving being on holiday - we're relaing and enjoying exploring. Brent is great to travel with - he's relaxed and thoughtful where as I'm planned and learning to be flexible.
Tomorrow we're off to eh "New" Istanbul and Taskim Square - should be great!
We do have lots of photos but as we haven't downloaded them I can't post them here yet but will when I can! x

Nearly away...

Three more sleeps to go until we get on that plane and head for Istanbul! Suitcase is fairly packed (few bulges to re-place) and passports ready! What else do we need?
So the plan is Istanbul for a week - exploring and sight seeing. Then to Athens for a week, with an overnight trip to Delphi and a day sailing. After this we head to Santorini for three nights - have organised a wee rental car and hope to see some beautiful sunsets! After this we head to Cairo for six days - a pyramid trip is essential and hopefully some Nile cruising.
Will be working hard to relax - it's just been announced here that school will now not start back until Ramadan - nearly 4 weeks after it originally was meant to! However we don't get longer holidays - so will have induction and lots of work meetings. Then we have to try and fit into 9 weeks what we had planned for 12 - not as easy as it sounds when there's end of semester exams! Anyway these things happen and there's nothing we can do about it. However we are hoping to get a week in Nov - when we'll head to Japan to see Liz and the crew, then 2-3 weeks in late Dec - and yes we'll come home to NZ!
So most of the crew here have left! Kalala and family have gone to France and then UK. Most kiwis have gone home. I'm glad I didn't go earlier - I spent all Friday sleeping and then a very lazy day yesterday. today we've been at the National Identitiy office - getting ID cards. I was the first woman (we lined up at 7am) but Brent was the 21st man. So I finished at 8.30 am and he's still in there - 10.14 am! Hopefully he's not far away now. The rest of today and tomorrow will do some work and then relax on Tuesday and make sure we really DO have everything.
The hardest part about this time of the year is saying goodbye to people who are not coming back this year. Kate, an Irish friend, is going home - this has been a hard year for her with a family bereavement - so she's going to spend time with her family and look at options closer to home. Will miss her bubbliness but a good taster of what may happen next year in larger numbers. At this stage will stay for a few more years but some people just want to save a bit of money and head off on their next adventure - which I totally get.
Will try and blog while away - if not will make up for it when we get back in early August.
Take care everyone. :0)