Egypt

With about 10 days before we needed to be in India, we headed to Egypt to check out its ancient civilization. No volunteer work… just a whirlwind tour of pyramids, temples, and tombs.We spent our first couple days in Cairo. First stop: the famous Egyptian Museum where the contents of King Tutankhamun’s tomb are displayed. The museum is daunting due to the sheer number of statues, tomb artifacts, and mummies on display. But the treasure of King Tut’s tomb lived up to its fame. The glittering gold, intricate metal carving, and shimmering gem stones are stunning. Around every corner I was tempted to break the “no photos” rule to capture the beauty and mystique of ancient Egypt.

Second stop: the Great Pyramids of Giza, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, and the only one still in existence. Seeing the pyramids and camel drivers in the foreground with the city of Cairo in the background is a jarring contrast. And despite seeing countless photos over the years, the pyramids are still astonishing to see in person. It’s incredible to imagine how the workers got the multi-ton stones to the site at all, much less to the top of an enormous pyramid. I guess it was the Pharaoh’s economic stimulus package that kept the workers employed for 20 years.

Since some of the stones have fallen down, David did his part to help rebuild these colossal wonders.

Third stop: We spent a couple days on a Nile River cruise from Aswan to Luxor to see several of the most famous temples along the Nile. We got a crash course in Egyptian history and religious beliefs. Just ask us if you want to learn about Isis, Osiris, or the after-death journey to the underworld where a pharaoh’s heart is weighed against a feather to judge if he was good or evil. Or if you’re into mummification techniques, ask us how they got the brain out.

Once the pharaohs decided that pyramids made it too easy for grave robbers to find their treasure, they started digging tombs with secret tunnels deep into a mountain outside Luxor in a place known as the Valley of the Kings. Sixty-two tombs have been discovered so far with many archaeologists still digging. Most tombs were robbed of their treasure long ago despite efforts to keep them secret. King Tut’s tomb remained hidden because a later pharaoh dug his tomb above Tut’s on the mountain and the resulting rock debris kept the boy-king’s tomb hidden until Howard Carter discovered it in 1922.

We were dazzled by the scale of the pyramids, temples and monuments and impressed by the detailed work of the ancient artisans. We found modern-day Egyptians to be very friendly but also the most persistent in pursuing us as we walked the streets or in the markets. A couple of our favorite lines:

- “Let me help you find ways to spend your money.”
- “I don’t know what you’re looking for, but I have it.”

Now we head to India where three of our favorite people will join us for volunteer work in Calcutta: David’s 12 year-old brother Jeffrey, Charley Scandlyn, and his 15 year-old son Jordan. We look forward to seeing friends and family half-way around the world. They are the first brave souls to meet us on our travels. We hope more will follow!

- Steve