Travel and tourism – Kevin Blyth

New York, New York

December 23, 2025 by Kevin Blyth, posted in New York, Travel, Travel and tourism

As October was my wife Josanne’s birthday, I’d been looking for something to do for it that was a little less “normal”. New York (and particularly Manhattan) has been on both of our Bucket Lists for some time, but the distance from NZ had always been a challenge. That is until direct flights from Auckland to JFK came along. I managed to score a fantastic deal on return flights, which set the wheels in motion for adding a tick to that particular bucket list item. Despite the hotel costs and the feeble Kiwi dollar erasing any savings from the flights, the allure of New York was irresistible. Thanks to the direct flights (via both Qantas and Air New Zealand), the once-daunting distance is no longer a barrier, as long as you’re willing to endure over 16 hours in the air there and over 15 on the way back. We were more than ready to embrace the journey for a whirlwind six-night stay on East 32nd Street, a prime spot for lovers of Korean and Japanese cuisine.

Our choice of airline was Qantas, and while the prospect of spending over 16 hours in economy didn’t exactly thrill me, we were prepared to make the best of it. Opting for the middle three seats on the Boeing 787-9, configured in a 3-3-3 layout, seemed a wise decision as this would ensure no climbing over strangers to reach the aisle. Fortune smiled upon us, as we ended up with all three seats to ourselves on both legs. Surprisingly, the flight had no notable turbulence disrupting our journey in either direction. The seatbelt sign was only on for take-off and landing across the entire 32 hours’ worth of flying. This felt like a real rarity.

Upon landing at JFK airport, we faced the choice of navigating public transport or indulging in a traditional yellow cab ride (though they don’t look like they used to on the TV when I was much younger any more, mainly being replaced with hybrid Japanese variants. After 17 hours in the air, we opted for the cab’s set fare as it felt like a small price for a hassle-free ride to our hotel. We checked into the HGU Hotel at 34 East 32nd Street, quickly changed, and set off to explore. Sleep was not on the agenda; instead, we wandered the streets, soaking in the vibrant energy of New York. Our hotel’s location proved ideal, as it was a short stroll from the Empire State Building, Koreatown, and 5th Avenue. That evening, we meandered up 5th Avenue, taking the opportunity to get some photos of the Empire State Building, the Rockefeller Centre, the Chrysler Building as well as perusing the shops on 5th Avenue (many of which were closed as it was Sunday evening). Having eaten plenty on the plane, we didn’t feel the urge to eat anything but stopped at a 7/11 to grab some supplies for the room, before retreating to our hotel, where (not for the only night), it turned out that my jetlag would ensure that I was like New York and would never sleep!

Before our departure, we had planned our itinerary, ensuring we wouldn’t miss out on the city’s iconic sights that we both wanted to see:

The Gilded Age Mansions Tour (Josanne’s pick, not mine),
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island,
The 9/11 Memorial Museum,
The Brooklyn Bridge (including a photo of the Manhattan Bridge from Dumbo),
The Intrepid Museum (my choice, balancing the scales),
Times Square and Broadway,
A sky-high view from SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, and
The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I enlisted AI to craft an optimal schedule, factoring in walking distances and dining options near each landmark. Claude AI delivered admirably, and our plans unfolded seamlessly. Both avid walkers, we clocked 16-20km on our first two days, immersing ourselves in the city’s vibrant tapestry. I’d hoped that this would see me suitably tired to sleep well, but that was not to be. Subsequent days involved less walking but were equally filled with exploration, with our hotel serving merely as a pit stop (although the room was small, it was clean and tidy with a lovely king size bed and a good shower).

I’d deliberately left the morning of the first full day free so that we could have a slow and steady start. As we were both jetlagged, we were up nice and early so went exploring straight away in any case. We’d slightly misjudged the cold wind, so while we’d taken our puffer jackets, we hadn’t worn them on day 1. When you got out of the sunshine (which is pretty easy when surrounded by so many skyscrapers), the wind was cutting through our lack of layers. There was a good lesson learned that day that stood us in good stead for the remainder of our stay however!

We headed out for a spot of breakfast (a NY bagel, what else are you going to eat for your first breakfast in NY?) and then headed West across to the Hudson Yards. We popped into a mall (which was still in the process of opening), but it was nice and warm compared to the chilling wind outside.

We then headed northwards and swung through Times Square which was pretty busy, including with buskers trying to get their photos taken (for money of course) but none of them bothered us and we managed a few photos as well as popping into a couple of the shops.

We kept heading north as our tour was starting up at East 78th Street. We decided it was a good opportunity to visit Central Park given that we had to pass the start of it to get there. Don’t let the photos fool you though, that wind was getting right into your bones! We took a few photos and sat down on a bench to watch the world pass by, given that we were still slightly early for our 1.30pm tour.

The Gilded Age Mansions tour took us around several of the famous mansions in what’s probably the boundary between Midtown and Upper Manhattan. You did get to go inside some of them while being told of their history and previous owners. I clearly wasn’t as enthused about it as Josanne was as I don’t have too many photos from them, at least none that are any good! It was an enjoyable and informative tour though, and definitely aided in getting some of those early day kilometres in!

On the way back, we meandered down 5th Avenue, stopping to look at shops and buildings. While we didn’t go into the Guggenheim Museum, I did get one of my favourite photos of my trip from outside it. A couple of gents were playing chess and for some reason I thought it would be a great photo in black and white. I’d taken a couple and then the gent on the left crossed his legs and I thought “bingo”, that’s the shot I was looking for. I’ll let you decide, but I thought it was a good photo for me.

From here, we headed back to the hotel, stopping at Trump Tower for a photo and then had a shower before heading out to one of the restaurants in Koreatown for dinner. Though it wasn’t a late night, I did my best to stay awake till after 11pm, thinking this would surely let me sleep through the night. I was wrong, and was wide awake again at 2.30am.

Day 2 was the one day that we had two main activities planned. In the morning, we had to make our way to Battery Park, where we would pick up the tour for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We had to be there for 9am.

While it again looked like the weather was OK, it was an even colder wind than the day before but we’d learnt our lesson and went out with puffer jackets on. We made our way down to the start point and had a coffee and muffin at the Starbucks close to the subway station.

The tour started at Castle Clinton National Monument at Battery Park, where a brief overview of the history of the area was shared, before jumping on the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. If you’ve never done this before, make sure that you are on the right-hand side of the boat as the best views are from there.

Once on the Island, our tour guide gave us a run-through of the history, took some individual and group photos for us and then let us explore the area for a while before getting back on the boat and heading to Ellis Island.

Once there, we were given an overview of what those arriving into the United States went through before having the rest of the time to ourselves to explore. Josanne and I spent a couple of hours here before jumping back on the boat as we had a tour of the 9/11 Museum that started at 3pm. We stopped in the Financial District for lunch, where we just grabbed some sushi from a food hall.

We arrived a little bit early at the 9/11 Memorial Museum, so spent some time walking around outside and taking in the enormity of what took place on that fateful day. We also popped into the World Trade Centre Shopping Mall, about a third of which survived the collapse of the Twin Towers.

Even outside, it is a moving experience and I have to say that those in the area seemed to be very respectful. We took some photos of the new World Trade Centre, along with the Remembrance Ponds. The names of all those who perished are emblazoned around the side of these, and there were white roses on some. Josanne tells me that is usually to signify that it is someone’s birthday.

As with many exhibits, there is airport-style security to get inside the 9/11 Memorial Museum, so it pays to give yourself plenty of time if there is a set start time for your tour.

We’d decided that as we were in this part of Manhattan that we would also visit the Brooklyn Bridge. Despite the cold it was very busy, so unobstructed photos aren’t a happening thing.

We headed from Manhattan to Brooklyn while it was still light. I wanted to get the photo of the Manhattan Bridge that you get between the two buildings in the Dumbo region. It was easy to find, though I did check on Google maps to ensure we were headed in the right direction.

We took some photos (again, you have to be adaptable to try to get one without lots of people in), before heading to a local Dumbo Italian restaurant for the traditional slice (or two if you are me) of pizza and a beer! This meant that it was dark for the return leg of the trip over the Brooklyn Bridge, enabling a different perspective.

On getting back to the Manhattan side of the bridge, there was a sign for Chinatown, so we thought that we may as well walk there for a look around. We inadvertently found Little Italy and made the decision to head back there for dinner the following night.

This was a fairly full-on day and still I didn’t get a good night’s sleep due to the jetlag, and even the melatonin that I was taking seemed to do nothing. While I got to sleep easily, I woke up really early. I decided that I may as well use that time of being awake to lie in bed and catch up with some podcasts that I listen to, so it wasn’t wasted.

Day 3 saw us heading to Pier 86 to visit the Intrepid Air and Space Museum. This started with a visit to the Submarine USS Growler (I’m assuming that name isn’t as amusing in US English as it is in British English) before heading to the USS Intrepid Aircraft Carrier. The Space Shuttle Enterprise is also housed at the back of the Carrier, and there is even a Concord alongside it on the dock. It’s a strange set-up but it sort of works.

I’d been in touch with the Big Apple Bears Rangers Supporters Club and they were showing the live game of Hibernian vs Rangers, so once we’d finished looking around, we headed along to that via some stores where Josanne did some shopping. Unusually, Rangers won. We had a couple of beers and then headed back to the hotel.

We knew that Day 4 was scheduled to be the one rainy day of the trip and it delivered in the proverbial cats and dogs. It rained very heavily for most of the day. We used the opportunity to go shopping at Macy’s in the morning (it was only around a 10-minute walk from the hotel). We had a good few hours in the dry (all 11 floors of the dry) before having to head back to the hotel with our shopping. We were drenched but we kept the shopping fairly dry. It was brollies and raincoats over the shower in a half-hearted attempt to get them to dry out before our second excursion of the day; a trip up SUMMIT One Vanderbilt.

Our tour was scheduled to start at 3pm. We headed up there getting soaked (again) and we were unsure whether or not we’d actually get a view of anything from the top. On checking in, we were advised that the visibility at the top was negligible, but as it was already paid for, we decided that we’d give it a go in any case. When we first got to the top (and that elevator moves at some speed by the way), we couldn’t see anything, but it gradually cleared sufficiently to get a view. Josanne reckoned that she could feel the building swaying, but I certainly didn’t feel anything. We did manage to get some photos, even though the view wasn’t the best. I can imagine that it is stunning on a clear day.

There were multiple different levels to pass through and I thought the one with the bouncing helium balloons was very cool, as was the one with all the mirrors. There were definitely some up there who were struggling with a fear of heights, but most seemed to be enjoying themselves. Due to the weather, no-one was allowed in the outside section, so when we got to the very top, it was off to the elevator to head back down again. While it would have been fantastic to have been up there on a clear day, we both still had a great time and were glad that we didn’t call it off when shown the view from the top.

As we were very close to Grand Central Station, we took the opportunity to pop in there and have a look. While there were plenty of people there to use the transport, there were also a large number of tourists in there and it’s definitely an impressive station to visit. Plus, it kept us out of the rain for a further 25 minutes or so.

On the way back to the hotel, we also popped into the library. Josanne spent around 15 minutes in the shop there looking around, though I was more interested in the architecture.

It was another long day, but as the rain had stopped by the evening, we decided that we would still catch the subway down to Little Italy. We checked Google for recommendations and opted for one of the more popular restaurants. We decided to share a seafood pasta dish, which was delicious but would have cost about half the amount had we eaten it back in Auckland (definitely don’t be comparing prices though, or you’ll be too afraid to eat or buy anything).

I think I actually slept through till around 3.30am on Day 5, which was a good result as far as I was concerned. By now I’d given up on getting over the jetlag before heading back, so it was more nighttime podcasts for me! We only had one thing planned for today, which was a guided tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We walked up there again (which was up at 82nd street, so another decent walk to get there). The tour was scheduled to start at 10.30 and our guide took us through some of the main points at breakneck speed. We weren’t worried as it gave us some ideas of where to go back to at the end of the tour, given that you could stay in the museum after it. We probably spent most of our time in the Egyptian section, given that it was something that Josanne studied at University and is a time and place that I also find utterly fascinating.

We spent a good few hours here before taking a leisurely stroll back to the hotel, stopping to view the patrons at a couple of open-air ice rinks before stopping at a small market for a very tasty hot chocolate. We had planned on heading to the Halloween Parade on 6th Avenue but figured we’d walked far enough that day, so headed off to another restaurant in Koreatown for a bite to eat instead.

As we didn’t leave until late in the day on day 6, we had breakfast and headed back up to Macy’s for some last-minute shopping. I bought a pair of Ted Baker shoes (with Josanne trying to talk me into buying two pairs) and a pair of trainers. From there, it was off to lunch at a traditional delicatessen for a Reuben’s sandwich for lunch. We knew that, like a slice of pizza, we had to try this here and this was our last opportunity. We had, however, seen how large they were so opted to share one. The waitress didn’t seem surprised, so it’s maybe not that unusual.

Then it was a case of booking out of the hotel and heading to the airport. We flew out of Terminal 8, which isn’t a particularly great terminal, but it was time to sit and relax after what was a whistlestop tour where we got through so much. Was it tiring? Sure it was. Probably not helped by jetlag, but it was fine and it ticked off a bucket list activity for both of us. Six days was probably a perfect duration for us. It enabled us to get around and see what we’d had on our itinerary. We did use the subway occasionally, but preferred to walk to make sure we weren’t missing out on the sights and sounds. It’s a very easy city to get around both walking (you just need to know the avenue and the street and whether it’s east or west and you will never be able to get lost). Similarly, the subway is very easy to follow and Google will even tell you which entrance you need for where you are heading.

Will we go back? I genuinely don’t know. I think that if New York was a stop-off for a flight back to Europe, we possibly would. But I don’t think I’d need to go and do it all again. It was a bucket list destination and there are plenty of other ones on the list still. But it was an incredibly worthwhile trip. I’m glad we did it in October and not the height of summer though, as the temperature, whilst a bit on the chilly side at times, was excellent for exploring.

One of the most surprising pieces for me was the incessant smell of people smoking marijuana on the streets. We noticed that on the first night and all the way through you could smell it everywhere you went. It is legal in New York, so maybe the surprise was that I was surprised!

Useful Tips for Travelling to New York:

Pack Smart: The weather in October can be quite chilly, especially with the wind, so make sure to pack warm clothes, including a good puffer jacket. Layers are your friend!
Plan Your Itinerary: With so much to see, planning ahead is key. Use tools like Google Maps to plan walking routes and check out dining options near your destinations. I used Claude AI to help me plan an itinerary.
Use Public Transport: The subway is efficient and easy to navigate. Google Maps can help you find the right entrances and exits. It’s cheap and easy.
Be Prepared for Security: Many attractions, especially museums, have airport-style security checks. Allow extra time for these.
Try Local Delicacies: Don’t miss out on iconic New York foods like bagels, pizza, and Reuben sandwiches. Sharing is a good option if portions seem large.
Embrace the Walk: Walking is one of the best ways to soak in the city’s atmosphere. Just remember to wear comfortable shoes and clothes!
Expect the Unexpected: From street performers to the aroma of marijuana, New York is full of surprises. Keep an open mind and enjoy the experience!
Jetlag Strategies: If jetlag hits, use the time to catch up on podcasts or relax. Sometimes, it’s best to go with the flow. Don’t use it as an excuse to spend more time in bed in the morning, especially if you are only there for a short time.
Capture the Moments: Whether it’s the iconic skyline or a candid street scene, keep your camera ready to capture those unforgettable memories.
Travel Insurance: Don’t, under any circumstances, go to the US without travel insurance. It’s genuinely not worth the risk if something should happen to you while you are there.

Rome 3-Day Itinerary: Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Colosseum and much more!

July 20, 2024July 20, 2024 by Kevin Blyth, posted in Travel, Travel and tourism

Day 1, The Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain

I was in Europe for a business trip and we decided that it was time for us both to see Rome. We’d been to Italy several times, but never actually made it to Rome. Josanne wanted to see the Sistine Chapel, and I’d always wanted to see the Colosseum, so both of those were on our “must do” list.

I’m not sure on exactly what needs to be done to be like a Roman in Rome (per the “When in Rome, do as the Romans do“), but as we only had 3 days to spend there, we ate, we drank, we walked (and then walked some more) and we took in the sights. That felt sufficiently Roman to me!

We had pre-booked 3 excursions before arriving via Tripadvisor / Viator:

Skip the queue for the Vatican and Sistine Chapel,
The Colosseum and Roman Forum, and
a Walking Food Tour.

We flew into Rome Fiumicino airport from Paris Orly and then jumped on the train into the city. This was quick, easy and efficient. We’d booked into The Hive hotel, which was only a 5-minute walk from the Termini railway station. We put our bags in the room, put on our walking shoes and set out straight away to explore.

One thing that we always do when overseas is walk wherever possible. You get to see so much by not jumping in a cab or on a train / metro.

Due to it being a short visit, we wanted to maximise our time, so on day 1, the challenge was to get to the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain and to grab a bite to eat.

Now the first thing to be clear on is that getting photos with no-one in is always a significant challenge in large cities. Sure, you get the photos that look like no-one is there, but if you pull the camera back……

Rome is no different and as you can see with the photos below, you can “sort of” create the illusion that you are there on your own. But zoom out just a little bit and the truth becomes very apparent!

They always tell you to be very careful of pickpockets in Rome. I bought myself a bag that you wear across your chest. I could fit cash, credit cards and a phone into it easily and it kept it all in front of me and out of my pockets. We had no issues at all with people trying to pickpocket us, but anywhere there was a crowd, we were always wary.

We managed to spend several hours looking around Rome in the area between our hotel and the Trevi Fountain, before heading back to shower and get ready for dinner as Day 2 was a big (and busy) one for us. At this stage, we didn’t know that Viator were about to let us down in a big way!

That evening, we decided to eat at the hotel. It was the first night of Euro 2024, Scotland were playing Germany and after the first 45 minutes, I knew it was going to be yet another disappointing tournament for Scotland. There, got that off my chest and I don’t have to mention it again!

The plan for Day 2 was to do the Vatican and Sistine Chapel followed by the Colosseum. It was a warm day, close to 30 degrees.

Day 2 – The Vatican, Sistine Chapel and Colosseum

We were up nice and early and headed off for the meeting point for the 7.30am tour. I’d deliberately booked both of today’s tours as “skip the queue” ones through Viator as we only had limited time to get around. We arrived around 30 minutes before it began. Unfortunately, while Viator had taken our money, they hadn’t actually booked us on the tour.

We eventually managed to speak to someone from the tour company who basically said “Sorry, we can’t do anything for you. We suggest you find another tour“. I asked if they could get us on one the following day, but they said no. We were both disappointed but with no other choice, we set about doing what we didn’t want to do – stood in queues to get in. I was kept amused with some conversations with friends back in New Zealand, both of whom are journalists and were making up spoof headlines for my predicament!

Josanne somehow guided us to a relatively short queue to get into the actual Vatican. For 10 Euros, we got right to the top for some stunning views down to St Peters Square as well as seeing inside of the Vatican. Although I’m a Rangers supporter, I’m happy to say that I didn’t burst into flames!

It was an interesting climb getting up to the top and there were parts where it felt that they were out to get those who were both claustrophobic and scared of heights!

We were fortunate that this was only a 30-minute queue to wait in, as we had a longer 3 hour wait in the queue for the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. Josanne really enjoyed seeing Michaelangelo’s work though, especially the fresco of The Creation of Adam. That said, we couldn’t hang about, as thanks to Viator, we only had a short period of time now to get across the city for our tour of the Colosseum.

Some views of inside the Vatican:

Once we made it to the roof, the views were stunning:

There were also, of course, the colourful Swiss guards on show. Given that there are only 135 of them in total, there are 1.48% of them on show in the photos below!

Once finished in the Sistine Chapel (no photos are allowed in there), we had to grab a taxi to the Colosseum as we didn’t have the time to walk or take the underground. Be aware that in Rome, taxi drivers will frequently want cash. As we had none on us, it took us a while to find one who would take us. Once we did though, he got us there pretty swiftly.

The Colosseum was everything that I hoped it would be. However, our tour guide kept us in suspense, as we were first taken around the Roman Forum. This was also very worthwhile from our perspective, as it gave you a great insight into the history of the area. It’s definitely worth spending some time looking around the Forum, especially with a guide. It was hot, and there isn’t much shade around, so a hat and water were essential.

And then it was onto my undoubted highlight of our time in Rome; the Colosseum. It’s something I’ve always wanted to see. When you take the modern-day arena or stadium, no matter the sport that you are watching, this was its predecessor. Built between 72 and 80 AD, it is just over 1,950 years old.

That it is still standing is fortuitous if you believe the folklore that says,

“As long as the Colosseum stands, Rome shall stand; when the Colosseum falls, Rome will fall; when Rome falls, the whole world will fall“.

It’s probably as well that it was built on such solid foundations!

The Colosseum didn’t disappoint. It was all I’d hoped it would be and more. Majestic in appearance, I stood in awe looking at it from the outside but was much more in awe on stepping inside and looking down at the floor then up at the stands. I took the time to stop, to listen, to imagine the cheering crowds who will have witnessed sights that, fortunately, I never will. It’s as stunning a monument as I’ve ever seen.

After only a brief wait in the queue, and the obligatory bag x-ray, we were inside. The tour guide spent around 25 minutes giving us an overview of the history, after which we handed back our headphones and were left to continue exploring on our own. I could have spent the whole day there!

We stayed inside until closing time and I lost track of the number of photos I took. I only had my iPhone with me and not my actual camera, but the photos with just a phone were impressive enough.

We managed to lose each other inside, but as there was only one way out, I hung about and waited for Josanne. The Colosseum closing coincided with Rome’s very large Pride Parade, so it took us quite a long time amidst a plethora of colourful characters in various states of (un)dress, to get back home.

One of the things that I loved about the underground in Rome is that you can just use your credit card to tap on. You did this and it gave you 90 minutes access to it. This was eminently more sensible than queuing to buy tickets, although sadly, I only found this out on the last day!

On finishing our walk home, we were so tired that we just stopped off for a McDonalds, had a shower and an early night to be ready for the next day.

Day 3 – Exploring the lesser-known sights with a Roman Historian

On our last day, we were very fortunate that one of Josanne’s friends, a Roman Historian from Auckland University had said that he’d give us a tour around the city looking at some of the “less famous” but equally interesting sights.

Jeremy met us just after breakfast at the Pantheon and we walked around the city for 3 or 4 hours before stopping for lunch (and a couple of drinks). I only had one Negroni as it was so strong and settled for an Aperol Spritz as my second one.

The queue for the Pantheon was already very long so we didn’t go in. Jeremy noted that one of the best things inside was the floor which gave a great indication of floors from that period.

We next went into the Sant Ignazio of Loyola Church. There were lots of people taking pictures of the frescoes via a mirror in the middle of the church, but that wasn’t why Jeremy had taken us in there.

On walking up to the end of the church and looking up, it appears that you are looking up at the inside of a Dome. But look closer (and you have to look very carefully and get right up underneath it) and you can see that it is actually a fake dome. The artist, Andrea Pozzo, has actually painted it on a flat surface to make it appear as a dome after a fire destroyed the original one.

The other frescoes in the church are also fascinating and give a 3D impression of characters floating upwards.

Next, we headed to the Piazza Colonna, where there is a marble column of Marcus Aurelias (think Russell Crowe in Gladiator and it’s that Marcus Aurelius). The column tells the story of his battles, so provides a very good overview of life in those Roman days.

The Piazza Navoni was next, although we couldn’t really get good photos here as all the fountains were covered up and being worked on. Jeremy noted that you’d get very expensive but poor-quality food here, so we didn’t stop for lunch.

In quick succession, we then took in a quaint old bridge into a newer part of the city (which turned out to be handy as it’s where we picked up our walking food tour later that evening) a couple of temples (one of Portunus, the other of Hercules Victor), the Santa Maria in Cosmedin Church (famous for the Mouth of Truth – I didn’t get a photograph of this – but the floors in the church were also worth seeing as they were typical for that period).

Jeremy then showed us the first known solid building in Rome, as this was one of the digs that he had been on.

The next area we passed was one that I found particularly fascinating, as it was an old Roman theatre, upon which some apartments had been built. They are still inhabited, apparently by a very wealthy (and one assumes powerful) Roman family. We walked past this area a couple of times during our stay, so I’ve attached the various photos I took from both;

By now, we knew we had to start heading back to the hotel to freshen up for our walking dinner that evening, but Jeremy still had time to whisk us past the Victor Emmanuel II Monument (referred to as the wedding cake), the Forum of Caesar, the Santi Luca e Martina church, Trajan’s Market, Trajan’s Column, the Spanish Steps (from a different viewpoint this time), the Piazza del Popolo with its two matching churches (Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto), the Flaminio Obelisk and the Piazza del Campidoglio.

We’d bought Jeremy lunch part way through to thank him for showing us round and I must say, we saw and appreciated so much more from having been shown around by a Historian. He kept apologizing for going into teaching mode, but we loved every minute of it, and it certainly added to our enjoyment of the visit.

Our Walking Food Tour

And so, after yet another quick shower and change of clothes, we were back out for our last outing in Rome – our Walking Food Tour. I can’t remember every course that we had, but we started in a restaurant that had over 2,000 wines on their wine list, had an absolutely delicious cheese board, pizza and limoncello tasting to name but a few.

And with the end of the food tour, our 3 days in Rome was at an end. All we had to do was get back to the hotel, get packed up, have one final sleep and then it was off to Venice for the next three days.

But as I said at the start, we love to walk wherever we are and that brought us the last, pleasant surprise of our trip. Getting to see some of the landmarks in the dark was equally as impressive as during the daylight.

We could easily have spent another couple of days in Rome and kept exploring. But we were on a tight schedule and 3 days was what we could manage with everything else we had to fit in. It was a great adventure. Rome is a very walkable city and we managed to get in the main things that we both wanted to see. Having a tour with a genuine archeologist was a fantastic bonus.

Would I go back?

Absolutely.

And given that we both threw a coin over or shoulder into the Trevi Fountain, I believe that means it’s inevitable!

Useful tips for the traveller

Light comfortable clothes are best in summer, when it is hot and humid.
Don’t be a target for pickpockets – it’s easy to get a bag that you can have in front of you and close to your chest
Try to walk as much as you can – you’ll be amazed and how much more you see. We occasionally used the underground, but only when we had to.
Carry a water bottle with you. There are plenty of refilling points around the city with fresh water from wells.
Expect taxi drivers to ask for cash. They almost seemed upset that we didn’t have any on us.
The skip the queue tours are really worthwhile – especially if you are on a limited amount of time. They aren’t cheap, but it’s better than standing in a queue for 3 hours. If you don’t want to pay extra, be wherever you want to be early as that will limit your waiting time.

Tahitian Adventures on the Paul Gauguin

February 24, 2017 by Kevin Blyth, posted in cruise, Travel and tourism

I’ve been meaning to write this review for quite some time now and upon being presented my gold medal for procrastination, I thought I’d best pull my finger out!

A couple of years ago Josanne threw out a line that it might be nice to spend her next birthday in Bora Bora. It was a significant birthday (ie ending in a zero) and I thought that this would be a great opportunity to tick off one of our joint bucket list locations. As such, I set about working out what the options were.

After considerable research, I settled on a 7 night cruise aboard the Paul Gauguin. I wasn’t entirely convinced that we were of a sufficient age to do a cruise, but everything I read suggested that this one would suit people of all ages and that the ship was small enough to remain personal, unlike some of the larger 2-3,000 passenger ships that I regularly see docking in Auckland.

The Paul Gaugin, named after the famed French artist who spent a considerable time in French Polynesia, is small (catering for a mere 332 passengers). This results in a personal, somewhat intimate experience where the crew even learn your name. They can’t do enough to ensure that you get total value for money on board this floating 5 star hotel / restaurant.

The package included accommodation, food and alcohol (and to be perfectly honest, when you look at what it would cost to stay in a hotel on Bora Bora, it works out to be very cost effective by comparison). We booked a basic cabin (portholes and no balcony), but as you can see, it was perfectly acceptable. We didn’t spend much time in it anyway! The beer and soft drinks in the fridge were topped up daily.

To ensure we were there for departure, we arrived the day before, spending the night in Central Papeete (we wanted to eat at the waterfront food trucks that we’d heard so much about) and at the Intercontinental close to the airport on the final day. This worked really well for us.

We had to laugh at ourselves on the first night on board. Being novices, although we knew the package included alcohol, we weren’t sure if it was all alcohol or just the cheaper brands. To determine which of the two it was (without having to look stupid by asking) I ordered us two Bombay Sapphires (they also had Gordon’s on the shelf). The barman cheerily made these, handed them over and didn’t ask for our room number!

Result! We now knew that all alcohol was included in the cost.

Finding this out was really useful and we instigated cocktail hour every night before dinner. The downside of cocktail hour is that I now know that I’d make a rubbish James Bond. The only martini that I didn’t like was the vodka martini (ordered shaken not stirred of course)! The chocolate martini or apple martini on the other hand……

We’d initially worried that (relatively speaking) we could be the only “youngsters” on board. We needn’t have worried. There was an eclectic mix of ages and nationalities. Yes, there were some older people (who knew full well that they could order anything from the bar), but there were also honeymooners and other younger couples celebrating special occasions. We still keep in touch with a great couple we met from Sydney (Hi John and Priscilla Gregory if you’re reading this!).

At the end of our week, I discovered the only downside of cruising was weight gain! The food on board was exquisite, rich and decadent (unfortunately there’s a 4th adjective directly related to the previous three – calorific). At home, we never eat three large meals a day. On board I felt obliged to. And afternoon teas. And beer. And cocktails. And….. well, you get the picture.

There is a gym on board. I know this because I made a point of finding it on our first day. And then walked past it every single day without actually going in!

You had to book for dinner in two of the three restaurants. The third was where we ate most nights (because I kept forgetting to book!). You can also choose whether to eat on your own (i.e. a table for two) or with a larger group. I recommend the latter, as we met loads of great people that way. One of the restaurants did a beautiful degustation menu. It was heavenly. Looking back at my weight gain though, I’m very glad we only did it once (surprisingly, I remembered to book for it!).

At mealtime, there were a couple of choices of red and white French wines included in the price. If you wanted, you could choose wine from the menu. This was the only time that you needed to pay for alcohol. The wines supplied as part of the package were perfect though.

After dinner entertainment consisted of a small casino, a theatre that put on shows, karaoke in one of the bars (which I stayed well clear of), and themed evenings. We’d generally meet up with friends and just have a drink in one of the bars. I’m fairly certain that I’ve tried just about every cocktail known to mankind as a result!

Each night when you left port, most passengers made their way up to the main deck where cocktails were served. Not only was this great for catching up with people, but you got some great photos. It was also how we tended to meet up with whomever we were going to have dinner with (necessitated by yours truly not booking. I’m sure you’re getting the picture by now).

So I’ve talked about the cabins, the food, the alcohol, the outstanding staff.

What about the location? Was it worth it? Would I recommend it to anyone else?

I can only answer with an emphatic Yes, Yes and Yes.

Our itinerary took in the islands below (I’ve taken this directly from Paul Gauguin’s website). The order in which we visited them changed slightly as the captain moved one destination as there was a large cruise ship that would have been in port at the same time as us.

We started in Papeete, moved to Taha’a, followed by Huahine, Bora Bora and Moorea. We did excursions in each port (you do have to pay for these, but you choose what – if any – you are going to do).

Our first stop was to the Paul Gauguin owned island of Motu Mahana off Taha’a. We spent the day, or as much time as you wanted to, there. Lunch was an extensive barbecue with plenty of cold beers and cocktails to get us through. After the exhaustion of lounging about, we deserved a cold beer if nothing else!

tahaa-from-the-tender — The view approaching Motu Mahana from the tender.

Lots of the passengers tended to congregate on the main beach area on the island, but if you walked around to the other side, you had the place almost entirely to yourself:

motu-mahana-panorama — A panorama from the other side of Motu Mahana.

tahaa-beach-chair — Clearly no need to fight for this deckchair!

tahaa-palm-tree — Sorry about the third person in the ocean here. We arrived at rush hour.

After spending the day on Taha’a, it was back to the ship to head off to our next destination – Huahine.

One thing to be remembered is that you are in the Pacific. You don’t get the greenery of the islands without rain. So while you can have glorious days of hot, humid sunshine, you can also get some impressive bursts of rain. The panorama below shows one of these downpours as we left Taha’a. As we were back on the ship, it didn’t affect us at all – other than having to have our cocktails indoors (such hardship)!

Another of the benefits of this cruise is that most of the sailing is done at night, meaning that you have access to the islands for most of the day when you’re in port.

On Huahine we did a trip out to see one of the Tahitian black pearl farms. While Josanne didn’t buy a pearl there, she did get round to buying one in Bora Bora. It was supposed to be made into a ring. Supposed to being the operative word. I’m sure she’ll get round to it at some point (a bit like me getting round to writing this review).

We also went inland and fed some blue eyed eels. The guide used a tin of tuna and this got them right up out of the water eating it.

As is the way, cocktails on leaving Huahine enabled us to get some nice photos. It had started to cloud over, so we missed the sunset.

huahine-leaving — People actually lived on this tiny island!

Our next stop was what the trip was all about – Josanne spending her birthday on Bora Bora!

It has to be said that if you don’t have Bora Bora on your bucket list, you need to move something off of it and put it on. I’ve been to a number of the Pacific Islands and Bora Bora easily surpasses all of them for beauty, cleanliness and for what I can only describe as pristine turquoise waters. And believe me, my description does nothing to describe the genuine beauty of those waters. It really needs to be seen to be believed.

As we spent a couple of days in Bora Bora, we did three excursions; two of which involved feeding sharks and stingrays, the other dolphin and whale watching (we got lucky with the latter as it was the end of the season and most of the whales had already headed back south with their calves).

bora-bora-sea — Have I mentioned the clear, turquoise waters at Bora Bora yet?

The first experience of feeding sharks and stingrays ended up with me getting into trouble (without even trying). I apparently got too close to the sharks when they were being fed. As my head was under the water, I was oblivious to my telling off. That said, given how the sharks were fed the next day at the Lagoonarium, I suspect that the guide was taking Health and Safety way too seriously for a Tahitian!

I’d bought a cheap underwater camera off Trade Me (big mistake – it stopped working on day 1!), but thanks to John Gregory with his GoPro, we managed to get some underwater shots of the sharks and rays:

bora-bora-sharks-and-rays — The sharks are more wary than the rays, which will crawl all over you to get fed. Photo thanks to John Gregory.

bora-bora-swimming-with-sharks — Photo thanks to John Gregory

feeding-stingrays — I managed to get this photo from above the water

black-tipped-reef-shark — As soon as the boat got close, sharks started coming in. They clearly knew they were going to be fed.

Later that day we went dolphin and whale-spotting. It didn’t look like we were going to see any whales when suddenly a shout went up that a mother, her calf and another male were in the area. In the end, they came up right next to our boat.

moorea-whale-watching-2 — The weather had started to turn for the day and most of the way back we were in the rain (warm rain though) and getting over the reef was like a big aquatic roller coaster!

moorea-whale-watching — With a wave of the tale, these whales were off to join the others, heading South.

On day 2 in Bora Bora, we decided to visit the Lagoonarium. This has a number of sharks in a more enclosed area. You get in at one end and snorkel up to the other while one of the guides throws great chunks of fish in. The sharks are swimming around and under you (the water is deeper here) and if I’d had an underwater camera, I’d have got some great photos. Next time!

bora-bora-lagoonarium-2 — That’s me in the blue shorts, sending out vibes about how bad I’d taste. Just in case.

We left Bora Bora that night and headed to Moorea – the last stop on the voyage. I had the tick in the box for Josanne being in Bora Bora for her birthday though. I think my brownie points for that will have expired by now.

bora-bora-panorama — A breakfast-time panorama of Bora Bora from the Paul Gauguin.

leaving-bora-bora — Cocktail in hand, taking photos of the sun going down as we headed off from Bora Bora.

leaving-bora-bora-2 — A small spot of sunshine striking the water as we headed for Moorea.

There was some heavy rain during the night after we left Bora Bora. This meant that the planned excursion we had for the next day (4WD driving to some spectacular spots for taking photographs) was cancelled, as it was too muddy for even the 4WDs.

moorea — The view of Moorea as we headed in on the tender.

As the weather had cleared up, we decided to take the tender ashore and walk up what was known as Magic Mountain. How hard could that be in 30C heat and 95% humidity?!

It was very hot and very sticky. Once we’d finished, we decided to head back to the ship for a shower, lunch and a cold beer.

I’d ordered a couple of cold beers from one of the waiters, had grabbed my food and was back eating it at the table. I was busily thinking that Josanne was taking a very long time at the buffet when the waiter came up and quietly said “Mr Kevin, have you fallen out with Miss Josanne?”. “No“, I smiled “what makes you think that?”. He smiled back and pointed to the other side of the dining room “Well she is sat having her lunch over there with two beers“! After joining her, I was forced to drink three of the four beers we’d collected. It was one of the few times I made time for an afternoon nap!

You’ll note that the waiter actually knew our names. The crew, most of whom were from the Philippines, took the time to learn your name and they’d greet you wherever they saw you on the ship. I was Mr Kevin for the duration.

moorea-magic-mountain — *Magic Mountain* – we met some tourists at the top who thought we were mad for having walked up. They may have had a point, but I had plenty of weight to lose!

While it was a hot, sticky walk to get to the top, we did get some great views once we were there, so it was worth it.

moorea-sun-out — Moorea from *Magic Mountain*

moorea-from-magic-mountain — Looking down at the Paul Gauguin from *Magic Mountain*

And that was the last of the excursions. All that was left was one more cocktails hour (or two), one last delicious meal and a night of sailing back to Papeete, where we’d spend a night at the Intercontinental before heading back home.

So what do I think about the experience?

I loved it. I discovered I’m not too old to cruise and neither is anyone else. As with any holiday, you’ll meet some neat people. I’d also do it all again. The crew on the ship really helped make the experience – always smiling, always asking how you’re enjoying it, always representing the Paul Gauguin impeccably.

If you’re thinking of a cruise in the Pacific, you should definitely consider this one.

What were my “must do’s“?

The shark and stingray feeding. It’s an exceptional experience. As they are black tipped reef sharks, you’re fairly safe (I wouldn’t advise doing it with Great Whites though). If you can only do one – do the Lagoonarium. A Tahitian throwing great chunks of fish to the sharks as you snorkel is a fantastic experience.
Whale and Dolphin watching – even the inclement weather couldn’t spoil this day. We were so pleased to have seen dolphins and whales, and the rollercoaster ride over the reef on the way out and back topped it off!
Take an underwater camera. You’ll get some great photos from it.
Take some gym gear. Oh, and use it. I took gym gear and didn’t! The food is too good not to indulge, so if you visit the gym at least you can legitimise it!

The Tongariro Crossing

February 22, 2017February 22, 2017 by Kevin Blyth, posted in Travel and tourism

While there are definitely issues living on an island that’s earned its place on the planet as a direct result of tectonic activity, there are also advantages for those very same reasons.

The Tongariro Crossing, New Zealand’s internationally acclaimed one day walk is one of the advantages. If you’re reasonably fit and want to take in some stunning volcanic vistas, you should take the time to do it. It’s not noted as New Zealand’s best one day walk by accident.

14039991_10154519194758631_6566129348236059803_n — Mount Tongariro from National Park Village. Even in summer it is snow-capped

If you’re reasonably fit and can walk for up to 7.5 hours, you can do this. Without any add-ons (i.e. the summits of Mounts Tongariro or Ngauruhoe), you’ll finish the day having walked around 18km.

It is weather dependent. If the forecast suggests wind speeds in excess of 65kmh, the Department of Conservation recommends that you don’t do it. The top is very exposed with big drops on either side of Red Crater. You also need to be carrying food, water and clothing for all eventualities. It’s an alpine region where the weather changes quickly and with little warning.

The map below provides an overview of the track (marked in red). It’s taken from the www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz website. They also have a good pdf you can download, giving you all the information you’d need for the walk.

Many people do the Crossing from Taupo, itself an impressive caldera from an ancient supervolcano. You can book transport from Taupo (most hotels and motels can help with that), however, it is a longer drive to get there, necessitating setting off very early. There is plenty of accommodation in Taupo.

An alternative is to base yourself in National Park. While there’s less to do here, and accommodation is limited, it’s significantly closer to the walk (only around 20 minutes by bus rather than 1.5 hours).

I’ve done the walk from both locations and think that the more relaxed starting time associated with National Park suits me!

Stages of the walk

You should start at Mangatepopo and finish at the Ketetahi hut end. Firstly, I’d hate to come up the scree slope at the Emerald Lakes and secondly; if you start at Ketetahi Hut, you have an additional 300m to climb due to the difference in height between the two.

For simplicity, I’ve broken the stages of the walk into sections. My advice is not to rush it. Stop often. Enjoy the scenery. Take lots of photos – they’ll give you some stunning memories!

Mangatepopo carpark to Mangatepopo hut

The bus (you can use your own transport, but need a vehicle at the start and finish) drops you off at the Mangatepopo carpark.

This easy section of the track, some of which is over boardwalks, is flat and unlikely to cause you any difficulties. It takes you towards the initial climb, fondly referred to as the Devil’s Staircase.

Mangatepopo hut to Soda Springs

On reaching the Devil’s Staircase (which begins at the Mangatepopo hut), the upwards hike begins, and at this moderate to difficult stage your lungs and legs start working noticeably harder!

Dont forget to keep looking back. On a clear day, you can see Mount Taranaki in the distance – although you’ll need a decent camera to get a photo of it. While the track is much better than it was several years ago, you still need to watch your footing.

Soda Springs to Red Crater

Once at the top of the Devil’s Staircase, there’s a well appreciated flat section. It’s a good time to take a breather, get some water in you and take more photos. You’ll start to appreciate just how many volcanic craters make up this plateau! The last part of the climb to Red Crater is moderate to difficult, but the plateau itself (seen below) is easy.

jo-top-of-devils-staircase — Platuea at the top of the Devil’s Staircase. There are plenty of opportunities for unobstructed photos of Mount Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom, if you’re a Lord of the Rings fan).

You can take a side trip up Mount Ngauruhoe from here. I’ve never done it, but the views from the top would be stunning. Access to Ngauruhoe is via scree slopes, so it’s dangerous and hard work. Allow two hours extra if you’re doing this.

west_from_tongariro — Looking back towards top of the Devil’s Staircase (Mount Taranaki in far distance).

Nearing Red Crater showing how steep the climb is.

It would be nice and peaceful without all these fellow trampers about! 🙂

You’ll definitely want to stop at the top, not just to recover but for more photographs. Red Crater is an active part of the volcanic system (last erupting in 1850). As you progress over the summit you’ll see evidence of some of its volcanic deposits from eruptions down to the left. Inside the crater you can see an exposed lava tube, formed when cooling lava flowed back into the crater:

Lava tube sticking out to the right of the crater.

Red Crater to Emerald Lakes

This moderate section is one of the most beautiful parts of the walk. Standing at the top of Red Crater, looking down to the Emerald Lakes for the first time is fantastic.

Then comes the scree slope descent! Having good walking boots helps keep you on your feet and off your bum. That said, even with boots I’ve yet to make it down without landing on my bum!

Emerald Lakes from Red Crater. People heading down the scree slope and the track on the left towards Blue Lake.

emerald_lakes_5 — Note the steam coming from the right of the lakes.

We usually stop at the Emerald Lakes to have lunch. It’s an early lunch, but you’ve done enough walking to warrant it! It’s a nice spot and is generally out of the wind.

A popular spot for lunch and getting stones from the scree slope out of your boots!

Looking up the scree slope to Red Crater.

Emerald Lakes to Blue Lake

The Blue Lake – this area was once molten lava, 1km across.

This is another fairly flat section. Once at Blue Lake look behind you. You’ll see the trifecta of Mounts Tongariro, Ngaurahoe and Ruapehu (with snow on it even in summer). Red Crater is also clearly visible. It’s my favourite photograph spot of the entire walk:

From Blue Lake you see Tongariro (and Red Crater), Ngauruhoe and snow-capped Ruapehu in the background. Note the lava field from Red Crater to the right of the photo.

Blue Lake to Ketetahi Hut

The descent starts here as you zizag down the mountain. The toilets at Ketetahi Hut are busy (I often wonder if it’s just an excuse for a quick break!).

taupo_fm_tongariro — Lake Rotoaira (foreground) and Lake Taupo (background).

As you descend, you get great views of Lake Rotoaira and Lake Taupo.

Ketetahi hut to Ketetahi carpark

I’ll not lie – this moderate downhill stretch seems to last forever (it’s around 2 hours but feels longer). There were many times on the descent when I’d have gladly swapped the downhill for more uphill. When you get to the carpark, it’s a great feeling to get your boots off and wiggle your toes in the fresh air!

In Summary

This really is a highly recommended, outstanding one day walk, exposing you to some of the volcanic beauty of the central plateau. It’s not easy – you’ll deserve a beer and feed at the end – but neither does it require superhuman fitness.

The walk itself is free, although you have to pay for transport to get you there. The cost of this depends on where you’re coming from. If you have a car, I’d suggest you stay at National Park for a couple of days.

On both occasions our motel provided packed lunches. We topped it up with snacks that we wanted and 2 litres of water.

On a clear day, the views are spectacular and well worth getting up early for! You’ll struggle to find a better one day walk in the world, never mind New Zealand!

Helpful Hints

Go out of main holiday periods (i.e. Christmas) if possible – The last time we went was just before New Year and it was very busy (albeit not enough to ruin your enjoyment).
Water. Take 2 litres. Don’t skimp on it or you will regret it.
Food. Take a packed lunch. You’ll be doing upwards of 30,000 steps so as well as keeping hydrated, keep yourself fuelled. It’s great to have little snacks that you can have when you stop to enjoy the view.
Altitude. Although you only get up to 2,000m, it’s high enough to make you notice that the air is thinner (harder to get your breath) and it’s cooler than at sea level. Make sure you take waterproofs and warm clothing.
Feet. While I saw people doing this in trainers, I’d suggest strong walking shoes or walking boots. It’s easy to go over on ankles in some places. I wouldn’t do it in trainers.
Sunblock. Even if it’s not hot, apply plenty of sunblock. The UV in New Zealand is lethal and there’s very little shade for you on this walk.

Quick video of my last Tongariro Crossing

The last time I did the Tongariro Crossing, I made a quick video (disclaimer – I’m never going to be in the film industry with my cinematic skills). It gives you an idea of some of the views you’ll get on this walk though. Click here if you’d like to see it.

Egypt – impressive land of contrasts

January 25, 2017February 22, 2017 by Kevin Blyth, posted in Travel and tourism

Egypt is a land of startling contrasts. Isolated, arid deserts and fertile river floodplains. Polluted, congested cities and unspoiled, desolate riverbanks. Illegally constructed buildings, likely to topple at the first suspicion of an earthquake, and Pyramids and temples that have withstood all that nature has thrown at them for over 5,000 years.

Egypt continues to mesmerise travellers, hundreds of years after the first tourists turned up to inspect the centuries old legacy of the Pharaohs.

Our 10-day Egypt tour with Peregrine Adventures took us from Cairo to Aswan and back again, providing an insight into the ancient Egyptian psyche and unravelling the mysteries of this ancient civilisation.

For me, the trip had four highlights;

The Pyramids,
Karnak Temple, a cultic centre of worship of the God “Amun-Re” (built on 2 axes, covering over 100ha),
The Valley of the Kings, where many Pharaohs were buried, and
Abu Simbel, Ramesses II’s rock cut temples on the banks of Lake Nasser.

Arriving in Cairo, you know you’ve stepped into something special. Never before have I experienced a rubbish dump in the middle of a city, surrounded by people’s homes, with pigs used as mobile mulchers. Nor have I seen so many people living in a cemetery, in a suburb known as the City of the Dead. Yet neither have I been in a city where I have felt entirely safe, where the locals are incredibly friendly (if slightly over curious!), where the roads are as busy at midnight as they are during the morning rush-hour, and where you are guaranteed an experience that you can only get rummaging about in the shadows of such an ancient civilisation.

Cairo’s roads cannot be judged by New Zealand norms. One taxi driver took great delight telling us how safe he was and that he had never crashed his car. The rolls of sellotape holding both of his wing mirrors together suggested that he was being at least slightly economical with the truth, but we jumped in anyway. His taxi looked no worse than any other in the vicinity!

Cairo and Giza’s combined population of 22 million put Auckland’s traffic congestion into perspective. They have minimised gridlock by having few lane markings and negligible numbers of traffic lights. These omissions enable seven or eight cars abreast to fit in a space that, in New Zealand, would comfortably hold four.

Egyptians communicate energetically via their horns. A single honk can mean anything from “get out the way” to “if you just squeeze slightly to the left, I can get my car between you and the pavement without having to mount it”. Remarkably, Caireans have an innate understanding of what each honk means and whether or not it is directed at them – particularly impressive when you understand that most drivers are frantically honking most of the time.

Our official tour began with a visit to Memphis and Saqqara near Cairo. Here you start learning the importance of ego to the ancient Pharaohs. The enormous statue of Ramesses II is a great example of how these ancient kings viewed their importance and self-worth:

Memphis Open-Air Museum - 4/7/07 — *Statue of Rameses II at Memphis*

Saqqara boasts Djozer’s Step Pyramid, a predecessor to its more famous neighbours at Giza. Dating to around 2630 BC, it started as a single bench (or mastaba), but grew to a total of six mastabas placed on top of one another by the time he died.

Djoser's Step Pyramid Complex - 4/7/07 — *Djozer’s Step Pyramid (circa 2630 BC)*

If the Pyramid’s size and surroundings are not sufficiently impressive, knowing that it has stood for almost 5,000 years certainly gives you a sense of how well things were built in those days!

Giza’s Plateau (home of the Pyramids and Sphinx) is equally impressive. It is truly fascinating, and somewhat humbling, to examine the Pyramids and to consider the workers who toiled so hard to complete them. It is even more fascinating and equally humbling to think that, had we been about in their heyday, we would never have been allowed in the inner sanctuaries that we were being guided through. It is perhaps most fascinating, though not at all humbling, to walk around the corner from these structures and find a KFC, a Pizza Hut and a fake Hard Rock Café! I guess that’s progress for you!

Khafre’s Pyramid is most impressive, with its limestone cap and Sphinx, although Khufu’s is the oldest of the three on the Plateau. The splendour of the area is tempered by the litter left by tourists; sadly typical of many Egyptian tourist sites.

Giza Pyramids - 5/7/07 — Khafre’s Pyramid, with its limestone cap intact.

Sphinx - 5/7/07 — *The Sphinx with Khafre’s Pyramid in the background.*

Khufu’s Solar Boat museum was also worth a visit. Not only was the air conditioning a welcome relief from the oppressive July heat, but the 3,000 year old boat, believed to have been used to take the dead Pharaoh to his Pyramid, was very impressive in its own right.

Solar Boat Museum - 5/7/07 — *Khufu’s impressive Solar Boat.*

From Cairo, we headed south to Luxor by sleeper train; an experience I’d recommend trying no more than once, if you want a decent night’s sleep!

Once in Southern Egypt, you are coming forward in time and many temples in this area were still being added to in Roman times.

Approaching Karnak Temple by horse and cart at 7.30am, the increase in temperature compared to Cairo was immediately evident. Indeed, it wasn’t unusual for temperatures to reach 48C.

So much is packed into the 3,500 year old sprawling temple complex, including the 134 columned Hypostyle hall. Commenced in 1390BC, the hall was still being decorated some 177 years later. Imagining such sustained construction nowadays is a real challenge.

Western entrance to Karnak Temple through an avenue of ram-headed sphinxes.

Karnak Temple - 6/7/07 — *Karnak’s Hypostyle Hall. The post and lintel hall was originally illuminated by high windows, as seen at the top of the photograph.*

The Hypostyle hall’s 134 columns leave you with a sense of enduring admiration for their craftsmen. The undersides of some lintels still retain much of their original colour; vivid hues of red, yellow and blue.

The temple still retains two of its original six obelisks, one of which was built by Hatshepsut, the first female Pharaoh (who reigned as if she were a male). The other was built by Thutmose III, Hatshepsut’s stepson.

It was disappointing to leave Karnak Temple, as we could have spent several more hours exploring. Our disappointment was soon forgotten on arriving at the Valley of the Kings, however. A huge area on the West Bank of the Nile, this was the burial ground for Pharaohs, Queens and Nobles from around 1500BC.

Our day got underway with a dawn balloon trip, taking in the spectacular vista before the inevitable crowds descended. The peacefulness of sun-rise at 1500ft in near total silence totally justified the US$95 per person cost.

Valley of the Kings (Hot Air Balloon) - 7/7/07 — *Sunrise from a hot air balloon over Luxor.*

Following an inch-perfect landing, we were bussed to the Valley of the Kings, where our entry fee entitled us to explore the resting places of three Pharaohs. Our guide showed us to those of Ramesses IV (a simple, early style tomb with vivid, colourful scenes on the ceiling) and Merneptah (a more intricate tomb with a much steeper entrance). For our third, we walked to the far end of the Valley to the temple of Thutmosis III. This was a fascinating, if somewhat claustrophobic, tomb with simple wall paintings depicting instructions for the Pharaoh’s progression to the afterlife.

Although this tomb did not boast the vivid colours of the other two we visited, it was certainly my favourite. Unfortunately, no photography can be carried out within the tombs, as this can damage the paint.

Valley of the Kings (Sesostris III) - 7/7/07 — The climb leading to the tomb of Thutmosis III

On the opposite side of the hill from the Valley of the Kings lies the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. Designed to legitimise her right to rule, much was made of her feats, including trading voyages that she oversaw to neighbouring countries. Most of Hatshepsut’s images in this temple were destroyed by those who came after her.

Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple - 7/7/07 — Dug from the limestone cliffs, Hatchepsut’s Mortuary Temple is very impressive, although in its heyday, there would have been significantly more greenery around it.

Many Egyptian tours include a trip on the Nile. Not wanting to “rough it” in a felucca (a small sail boat that has been in existence for centuries in Egypt), we opted for a cruise style ship, the Atun, instead. There are many such ships, with varying degrees of luxury. Peregrine’s choice in ship (not to mention their outstanding guide Big Mo) was excellent and made for a very relaxing three day cruise, during which we took in temples at Edfu, Komombo and Philae. The cruise provided an excellent opportunity for relaxing and watching life on the Nile.

Philae Temple was possibly one of the most impressive to approach. Built for the God Isis, it was relocated following the building of the Aswan High Dam. The island on which it was originally located is now underwater.

Philae Temple - 9/7/07 — *Approach to Philae Temple.*

The Romans continued to add to Philae Temple and Trajan’s kiosk, built to embellish existing features of the temple, is a great example of this. It demonstrates that some of these Pagan temples were used until fairly recently.

Our final destination prior to returning to Cairo was Abu Simbel. Here we visited 2 temples; the larger one celebrating the great Pharaoh Ramesses II, the other celebrating his most famous wife, Nefertari. Like Philae Temple, both of these were cut and moved to higher ground due to the Aswan High Dam. Had they not been moved, they would currently be submerged.

Ramesses demonstrates the extent of his ego through his four seated statues (that are as tall as a five to six storey building) and through the depiction of him being an equal with the three Gods with whom he is seated in the inner sanctuary.

Abu Simbel - 10/7/07 — *Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel. A long minibus ride to get here, but well worth the effort.*

Ramesses II had around 110 children and probably lived into his 90s. Given that he spent the first 20 years of his Kingship at war building his empire; it seems surprising that he also had the time to be one of the most prolific builders of all the Pharaohs.

Having finished in Southern Egypt, it was time to return to Cairo for a final couple of days sight-seeing. It didn’t take long to get back into the clamour of Cairo life. After the heat of Southern Egypt, the cool 38C of Cairo almost felt civilised!

As I said at the outset, Egypt is a land of startling contrasts. It is precisely these contrasts that ignite your senses, guiding you back to early Dynastic times, immersing you in a history that is very hard to imagine without being there. I suspect that Egypt will still be mesmerising travellers such as me in another 5 millennia, with the wondrous legacy of the Pharaohs.

Tips.

Haggle for everything including taxi rides. It’s fun, it’s expected, and you’ll get ripped off if you don’t!
Tipping (or “baksheesh”) is a way of life in Egypt. You will be expected to tip everywhere you go. Ensure you accumulate lots of small notes (i.e. EG£1, which is around 25c).
Be prepared for the heat if travelling in July / August. This will result in some very early starts on your excursions.
Don’t eat fruit or salad if you have not washed them yourself with bottled water. This should help you fend off a bad stomach. Even use bottled water for brushing your teeth.
Take Imodium and electrolytes for replenishing your body if you get an upset stomach. It’s better to be safe than sorry!