From Paolo Coehlo to The Pyramids at Giza

.I've wanted to see Egypt for most of my life, I'm not sure when
this started but I have a fascination with ancient history particularly
the Egyptians, Incas and the Aztecs. A couple of years ago finding
myself single with money to spend on myself and in need of a holiday I
began to think about fulfilling my dream and visiting the Pyramids.
However, being a single woman, travelling to Egypt without a companion
did not seem sensible and as most of my friends have young children
finding a travel companion seemed unlikely so I began to dismiss the
idea. Then a friend lent me "The Alchemist" by Paolo Coelho, a modern
fable about following your dreams (I intend writing about the book in
an article soon) and it inspired me to find a way. Then a work
colleague, also a single woman who loves to travel to out of the way
places, introduced me to a travel company called Explore (see my
article Lone Traveller - you can see the world) and on 20 November 1999
I was on the plane to Cairo. Arriving in Cairo at midnight and being
driven straight to the hotel, my first real sight of the city was early
the next morning when we set out through Cairo to visit the pyramids.
Driving through the morning rush hour and looking out at the city I
realised I wasn't just in another country but another continent. I was
in Africa. Cairo is one of the world's most populous cities and looking
out at the busy streets it was easy to believe. The roads teemed with
traffic cars &; motorbikes next to donkey carts and camels and
people, thousands of people. The contrast of the city is what hits you
most you travel along the Avenue of the pyramids through skyscrapers
and traffic and suddenly there they are. The Pyramids. The city ends at
the base of the sphinx and the pyramids themselves are on higher ground
at the edge of the desert a mere few hundred yards from a KFC and a
neon sign advertising Coca Cola. This somehow doesn't detract from them
but adds to the impact of first seeing them. You don't get to watch
them growing bigger across miles of desert you simply come upon them
above the skyline of the city and you are there. At the only remaining
wonder of the ancient world. I'd spent so much of my life dreaming
about seeing the pyramids that my greatest fear had been that I would
be disappointed but I needn't have worried. As I first saw them I was
struck speechless and slightly choked up. The sheer size is awe
inspiring and then you remember how old they are and how long they have
stood there and it makes you feel even smaller. You find yourself
questioning the sheer determination it must have taken to build such
imposing and longlasting monuments to human endeavour. The Sphinx is
below the pyramids within a temple complexa nd simply exudes beauty.
It's serene expression acquires new meaning when you realize it stares
out across the modern city of Cairo, with the bustle of 20th Century
humans and it's permanent cloak of smog. The expression seems like that
of an elderly relative looking on indulgently at the antics of the
younger generation. You look at it and wonder what of the 20th Century
will still be here in 5 thousand years time. The pyramids had always
held a fascination for me and now that I've seen them that fascination
is even greater and I can't wait to visit them again. Although I saw
many other amazing monuments whilst I was in Egypt (which I will write
about soon) I didn't see anything that compared to that first sight of
the pyramids, and I don't know if I ever will.

If you want to hear more about my adventures in Egypt keep looking as
I intend to post more articles recounting the whole amazing
experience.