Walk like an Egyptian

Salam Everyone!  I just got back from Egypt, and it is SO good to be back in western europe.  Internet connection, clean water, non-creepy men, suitable accomadations, no mosquitos...the list goes on and on.  Not saying that Egypt wasn't amazing.  It was one of the most incredible trips i've ever been on.  I went with a tour company called Topdeck, which is designed for 18-30 somethings, and I met SO many cool people.  I was the only american, and everyone else was from...England, Wales, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Spain...and more.  But everyone was lovely, and I had such a good time with them.  It's nice to hook up with a group after traveling by myself for awhile (although now it's equally as nice to have a little alone time now i'm away from Egypt.  Why can't i find a happy medium?).  Anyways, I did so many amazing things in Egypt, although my trip started pretty horribly.  My flight to Cairo was cancelled, so I arrived a whole day late for my tour and I got to the group a half an hour before we were scheduled to board an overnight train to Aswan!  So I was very, very close to not being able to go on the tour at all.  Oh yeah.  And the airline lost my baggage.  Awesome.  I had to wear people's generous loaners till my bag arrived: about 6 days into our tour.  I had to buy egyptian underwear!  From a market!  Off a man!  It was really uncomfortable, and he was hella creepy.  He kept suggesting skimpier styles...C-R-E-E-P-E-R.  That spells Egyptian men.  You cannot go ANYWHERE in Egypt without getting hardcore hassled because you're a woman, and not covered head to toe in fabric.  It got so tiring at the end.  I just kept my head down and ignored them all, but it was so frustrating!  I don't know if anyone's been to mexico, but it was like mexico x 1000.  Like, every car honked at you while it passed you.  ok.  Enough rant about the men.  How about a little rant about the little muslim girls laughing in your face, and talking to their friends in arabic, pointing at you and taking a picture of you on their camera phone?  Yes.  That happened multiple times.  Ok.  Beyond all of that stuff, I really did have the most amazing time.  A list of things I did:

camel ride

swam in nile

sailed down nile on a 2 day felucca ride

climbed mt.sinai and saw the sunrise

saw the "original" burning bush

smoked hooka at almost every dinner

snorkeling at a place called "the blue hole"

saw like, 30 lion fish!

scuba dive

hot air balloon over the valley of the kings

saw too many temples to name (more than I needed to see)

quad biking in the desert

held a crocodile!

horse riding on the beach at sunset

saw the pyramids, and went into one

kissed the sphinx

It was so much fun.  Every day there was something new to do.  I had an amazing time.  But it is nice to be back.  I'm now in Amsterdam...heeheehee.  I'll let you know how that goes.  

p.s. I like how in all of the photos i'm wearing the exact same dress.  I swear I changed clothes during the trip!  It's just a coincidence!