We booked are flights thru ba.com (we like ba or egyptair) and chose to fly on the cheaper days, panic what no ticket?! just this a4 sheet of paper and my credit card? yes that's right!

We wanted to stay at the Oasis on desert road Giza ( we had stayed there once before) booking it thru totalstay.com - We were pleased with totalstay - thanks Gary I think you suggested using them. However this time we stayed in the hotel type block there and not the individual rooms in the garden and I had sickness (the first time ever in all my trips to Egypt) which didn't help. So any one booking in ask for the rooms in the garden. The guest relations there was very good and helpful.
Thank goodness I recovered to see the Pyramids again, it was as exciting as our first glimpse of them on the first trip 3 years ago. My friend went on yet another camel ride and wanted to stay on Moses for days and ride well into the desert to Timbuktu! but thankfully she returned after two hours.
We also used the free shuttle bus in to Cairo which was great I think it ran about 4 times aday.

We had planned to then go on the day train down to Luxor - we have already tried the overnight train but as we didn't sleep we thought it best to try the day one so that we could see the countryside. Alas the train was not running and as we had booked a lovely flat(again over the net) we couldn't hang around so we decided to fly. We found the Egyptair office behind the Hilton Hotel in Cairo and booked the flight to Luxor. Although it was more expensive it only took about 40 minutes!

We were greeted by the local taxi driver of the flat we stayed in again booked thru the net Villa Lostrise. It's a newly built property and all the furnishing were lovely and new. The fridge was full of goodies and we sat on the balcony to eat breakfast.So much nicer than an hotel. It's owned by an English lady and her Egyptian husband, they both made us so welcome and best of all they didn't hassle us to do this, buy that etc. It's on the east bank which is the side we like to stay. I love visiting all the Temples but I so enjoy seeing the Egyptians going about their daily work and business. The farmer would bring his cows out every morning, some one else cutting clover and then the call to prayer. What more could we want.
The taxi driver lived next door, he was helpful and I'm pleased to say he didn't hassle us either. So refreshing especially when you are 2 women travelling alone!
The little local transport vans the Egyptians use stopped at the end of the drive. We used it every day and was great fun and only 2 1/2 English pence!
In the mornings we sat on the roof of the flats to sunbathe- it was lovely and private. There was also a pool. We were sad to say good bye.
We called in to see the Sunshine children - they have all grown so much since last year and we couldn't leave Luxor with out visiting our two families. So many changes babies born, jobs changed, marriages etc.

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip, enjoyed reading your post. BUT I am jealous now, I wonder if the Moses your friend rode was MY Moses. He was very tall and very white??

Philand
teresa
Thanks for your reply

i spent an hour last nite telling all about our holiday but when i went to post it it would not let me so decided to hijack yours