Soarin' in Luxor

DAVE FULLER, QMI Agency

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/10/26/soarin-in-luxor

LUXOR, Egypt -- If, in my next life I'm allowed only one hot-air balloon ride -- assuming Egypt's pharaohs were correct about this after-life business -- make it this one.

Another 4 a.m. wake-up call? No problem. Just get us to the balloon on time. I witnessed several spectacular sunrises over the Nile during our visit but only one while soaring 500 metres above Egypt's Valley of the Tombs in a six-passenger, hydrogen fed, hot-air balloon.

Sure, it set me back $100 or so, but the adventure included: Mini-bus from hotel/cruise ship to Nile River crossing; small ferry boat ride (with coffee and Hostess Twinkie) to the Egyptian west bank; another mini-bus ride to the balloon compound; one quick lesson on the do's and don'ts of ballooning. And then one extraordinary thrill: A breath-stealing, 45-minute flight over 4,000-year-old temples, tombs and monuments carved into the limestone hills of the Sahara desert by those filthy rich pharaohs.

Ours is one of nine hot-air balloons lifting off this early morning. A sign, says our pilot/captain Tarek Mohamed Khilil, that tourism has rebounded following the spring ouster of Egypt's president, Hosni Mubarek.

Khilil has been piloting balloons for eight years and is clearly a master of the soft landing -- though it's the wind, he says, that determines the aircraft's direction.

On this day, the wind seems determined to push us into the side of a tourist police station as we brace for landing. But, with one quick thrust of the craft's hydrogen-induced flame, we glide over police headquarters and settle down a few feet away from the highway, where a standby-crew gathers up our now deflated balloon.

Back on our tour bus, we head to the Valley of the Kings, where King Tut, Ramses I-through-VI and about 55 other mummified Pharaohs were buried in their gold-encrusted coffins, along with their thrones, jewels, perfumes and other earthly possessions in preparation for an after-life which, who knows, might include one out-of-this world balloon ride.

Cross Egypt Challenge ends 1,700km later in Abu SimbelScooter riders complete 9-day cross-country trip aimed at showing the world Egypt is still safe for tourism

Scooter riders complete 9-day cross-country trip aimed at showing the world Egypt is still safe for tourism.

The Cross Egypt Challenge, a 1,700 kilometre journey by scooter undertaken by 16 international travellers, has reached its conclusion at Abu Simbel Temple near Egypt's southern border.

The nine-day trip took scooter riders through Alexandria, Cairo, Suez, Taba, Sharm El-Sheikh, Hugharda, Luxor and Aswan, ending in Abu Simbel in the extreme south of the country.

Christine Edward, Cross Egypt's media spokesperson, said the journey was organised to help boost Egyptian tourism and show the world the country is still safe despite ongoing political turbulence

Edward said that five countries had riders participating in the event -- Egypt, the US, Mexico, Lebanon and Greece.

1,200 tourists gather to watch sun light temple

By SHAWKY ABD EL KADER - Translated by HEBA HABIB

Coming from different countries, 1,200 tourists were able to see the sun illuminate the inner sanctuary of the Abu Simbel temple Saturday, amidst an expansion of facilities used by tourists to the southern Egyptian archeological site.

Archaeologist Ahmed Saleh, the Director General of Abu Simbel, said that the sun’s passage started promptly at 5:42 am, and lasted for 22 minutes. The illumination announced the beginning of the harvest season for the ancient Egyptians.

Saleh said the phenomenon has nothing to do with what is rumored about the Pharaoh’s birth or his coronation. The phenomenon is repeated twice each year, on Feb. 22 and Oct. 22.

Ahmed Saleh stressed the necessity of promoting this phenomenon all over the over by broadcasting the phenomenon on international channels.

Asad Abdul Majeed, the director of Abu Simbel, said that the city had prepared to receive the tourists. It undertook landscaping and an upgrade in lighting and waste disposal.

The first stage of an expansion of the 125 km (78 mile) Aswan-Abu Simbel road was completed, costing 125 million EGP (U.S. $21 million). The road was doubled in width, and added signage, stations, and car parks.

Work on the international airport of Abu Simbel also continued, with the addition of a car park. This is parallel effort with the creation of a parking area by the Abu Simbel Temple.

Most tourists come to Abu Simbel from Aswan, although some fly to the site or arrived on cruises and floating hotels.