Africa
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Egypt – Saudi Arabia – Jordan Itinerary
Here’s the itinerary for our air-trip at the end of the year. Our schedule is a bit light for Egypt because we’ve already visited the country. The stop in Cairo is a surprise because we have a layover to go to Saudi Arabia anyway, so we might as well take advantage of it and stay a few days in Cairo. Egypt Day 1 Day 2 Check out the corresponding travel diary here Day 3 Check out the corresponding travel diary here , and and there Day 4 Check out the corresponding travel diary here Day 5 Check out the corresponding travel diary here Saudi Arabia Day 6 Day 7 Check…
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Cairo #4 (Egypt): The New Egyptian Museum & the Sphinx
Last time, I loved my hotel in front of the Sphinx so much that this time, JB found another hotel even closer to the Sphinx for me. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Day 3 (continued) I know everyone is impressed by the pyramids, but I find them lacking in special energy. On the other hand, the Sphinx impressed me a whole lot, and it has such a presence, such a special energy that I want to get as close to it as possible. Last time, we stayed at the Egypt Pyramids Inn guest house (Booking link), which I highly recommend because it looks the…
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Cairo #3 (Egypt): Visiting the Pyramids of Giza
After dropping off our luggage at Mena House, we grab our smartphones, cameras, and water bottles and walk to the pyramids. The taxis in front of the hotel offer to take us to the entrance for $10, but that’s way too much for just a 7-minute walk. We bought our entry tickets in advance on the official website, which saves us from waiting in line at the ticket office. In addition to the Giza Plateau entry, we also opt for the entry inside the two pyramids of Khufu and Menkaure (a surcharge that must be decided when buying tickets, not in front of the pyramid). Last time, we went inside…
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Cairo #2 (Egypt): Our Pyramid-View Room at the Marriott Mena House
In Egypt, there are three historic hotels that really appeal to me: Winter Palace, Old Cataract, and Mena House. Last time, we stayed at the legendary Winter Palace in Luxor. This time, we’re thrilled to spend a night at the legendary Mena House, at the gates of the pyramids. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Mena House Hotel (Booking link), located at the foot of the majestic Giza Pyramids in Cairo, is one of Egypt’s most iconic establishments. Built in 1869, originally as a hunting lodge for King Ismail Pasha, who wanted to host foreign dignitaries during the inauguration of the Suez Canal. Built in…
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Cairo #1 (Egypt): Visiting the Old Egyptian Museum
Welcome to this new road trip in Egypt and beyond. We weren’t able to properly celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary because of Covid, so we’re taking advantage of a slightly more relaxed time at work this year to celebrate our 10th anniversary a few years late. Let’s take the opportunity to celebrate anything and everything because there’s always an excuse to treat ourselves, right? Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Day 1: Chaotic Arrival in Cairo We weren’t originally supposed to go to Egypt, but to get to Saudi Arabia from Athens, we have to make a stop in Cairo. We’ve been there before, but…
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Egypt: How to get the visa on arrival at the airport
It’s very simple. Before passing through immigration, you’ll see a small arrow pointing to “visa on arrival.” It points to two counters that look like currency exchange / bank counters. The visa costs 25 dollars per person, and you need to pay in foreign currency. If you don’t have dollars, you’ll have to pay 25 euros. The exchange rate, as you can see, isn’t great. So if you have US dollars, pay in dollars. We didn’t have exact change but giving a 100-dollar bill, we got change in dollars, no worries! If you only have euros, that’s fine too, but note that paying in US dollars costs the equivalent of…
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2 weeks of Road Trip in Madagascar – Travel Diary
We take advantage of the (de)confinement to continue our stories of past trips with this travel diary to Madagascar (2015). This trip is important for us because not only did we go there to attend the wedding of our friends V. and H. but it was also the first time that we traveled in a minimalist way, a small year before leaving on a world tour. Practical advice is, as usual, available at the end of the article. Note: this article has been proofread and completed by V. and H. Everything they have completed, will be written in italics for ease of reading. Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical…
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How to get to Abu Simbel from Aswan? Practical guide Egypt
By bus There are 2 buses leaving Aswan for Abu Simbel: around 4am and around 7am. Contact your hotel directly. I have been given a rate around 250-300 pounds per person for the round trip . The 4h bus is taken by tourists. The 7h bus is taken by the locals (there are some who smoke inside) and our guide does not recommend it. The return is a few hours later, in the same day (in this case at 9 am for the bus which leaves at 4 am). It is possible, for those who want to sleep in Abu Simbel, to book a bus for the outward journey (around…
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My first session with a Chiropractor: Tamalou in Essaouira (Morocco)
This article isn’t NOT sponsored I have told you here and here that I had pain in my shoulders and neck because of the bedding not adapted to Morocco and my habit of blogging from my couch. It became so unpleasant that I couldn’t lower my neck completely. That’s when I wanted to look for an osteopath (one and not one) – because male osteopaths tend to crack a bit more than female osteopaths (in my experience). I couldn’t find one in Essaouira, there were some in Casablanca (7 hours drive) and in Marrakech (I don’t like this city). I gave myself a few days to think about it, to…
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Digital Nomad: Assessment after 2.5 months in Morocco (Marrakech, Essaouira, Sahara Desert)
We just spent 2.5 months in Morocco! It’s the first time we’ve stayed so long in one country (since our departure around the world in June 2016). A small assessment is necessary. Why Morocco? Digital nomads often choose to flee the winter, because they can choose their destination and few people like the greyness and cold There aren’t many destinations where you can spend the winter in warmth, without breaking the bank. Between Asia and North Africa, the choice was very easy for me. I can no longer stand pollution in Asia, my skin suffers from it, and to find a more or less human face, I have to go…
