Enjoying Egypt 233Touring Egypt
I suppose if there is any place on earth where going to
tourist sites is one of the most exhilarating experiences you
can have, it must be Egypt. I try to think of something that
competes with it, but sheer size and number of meaningful
sites in Egypt boggles the mind. On the down side, it can be
very hot, sticky and dirty. Blowing sand and sweaty tourists
crammed together at almost all of the sights continues to
detract from the sheer magnitude of the antiquities. I have
yet to find a good time to visit the Egyptian Museum. There
is no traffic pattern and too many people at any given
time, but, you absolutely must see Tut’s mask and funerary
objects. Fortunately, a new museum is being constructed
though I don’t anticipate seeing it for at least ten more years.
Hopefully, I am pessimistic in this estimate. Of course, if you
are not interested in antiquities and the growth of human
civilisation, you should probably go somewhere else instead
of Egypt. If it is your first time to travel around the country,
you might as well start with doing the classical tours. Go to
Jackie, the author’s sister, getting a henna design painted onto her hands by
a Nubian lady when she visited Egypt for the fi rst time.