Day 8: Valley of the Kings

No trip to Egypt would be complete without visiting the final resting place of the Pharaohs of the New Kingdom. Hidden in the secluded valley in the Theban Hills, the Valley of the Kings was chosen as the final desitination for over 60 royal leaders. We left the bus disappointed with the restriction on photography but ready to enter tomb after tomb. Our ticket included entrance into 3 tombs, one from the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties, demonstrating the varying approach to tomb building. Unfortunately, almost all tombs succombed to graverobbers, leaving very little if anything (some mummys were even stolen) inside. This is why King Tut's discovery was so important, it gave a glimmer of what was housed inside more powerful leaders tombs. Egytians did everything in their power to prevent grave robberies. The mountain, made up of limestone, served at an obstacle to robbers. The funeral procession climbed (sarchofocus included) from Luxor directly over the mountain to the tomb. Again I would have made a terrible Egyptain, its not exactly an easy climb. Tunnels and rooms were carved out of the stone sometimes as far as 130 meters in the moutain. Our first tomb of Thutmose II, of the 18th dynasty, was a quite a hike up stairs before climbing straight back down inside the mountain. Like in the pyramids, it was a matter of minutes before we were soaked with sweat. The tomb had two chambers, we stopped in chamber one to view the story of the Pharoahs descent into the underworld. Another steap, bent at the waist climb, before we reached the second chamber. Despite the thousands of years that passed, the blues and reds are still vivid on the walls. Uncomfortable with the heat, we started our ascent to fresh air. Even with the humidity, the air was refreshing and sun bright. Tomb 2 was carved straight back into the mountain, making it cooler than the first. With an unexpected death, the tomb is only partially complete. There are 70 days between death and the time of burial, during these 70 days any final or rushed changes to the tomb are made. The first half of the tomb is carved heiroglyphics, the second is painted. The accuracy and conformity of the symbols are amazing. I can barely write my name the same way twice, let alone re-create a lion over and over again in the same dimensions. Teams of artists, painters, and carvers work the span of their lives on a rulers tomb. It's amazing how much work and wealth is put into each tomb, especially with the idea that it was never to be seen again once the ruler died.


Our final time of Ramsesses II was the most intricately decorated. Vibrant colors and carvings covered the walls and ceilings leading to the burial chamber. Unfortunately flooding has damaged deeper chambers preventing us from walking all the way through.

On Egyptologist is beyond knowledgable so much so that he barely stops to breath, I question his use of gills. His knowledge is helpful but his voice sounds strangely as if someone has a constant vice grip around his balls. After a while it is nothing but nails on a chalkboard with facts thrown in. Nontheless, he shows us some amazing things.

On our drive out of the valley we passed temple and temple, mostly in ruins, just laying in fields along side the road. We stopped twice more before heading back to Luxor. First jumping off the bus briefly for tourist pictures of the Colossi of Memnon, two massive 3,000 year old statues. Pictures snapped and back on the bus for another sales pitch, this time for Alabaster trinkets, vases, bowls, statues, and anything else you can possibly make from the stone. Fun fact: Alabaster vases and jars used to hold (and keep) the organs of those mummified. Nothing like your heart in a jar....

Tired of being pitched to, I boarded the bus early....looking forward to some down time. We never sleep more than a few hours on a bus or half a night in hotel. I am beyond exhausted....

so I used our free time in Luxor for a shower and nap. Tonight we are in for a long bus ride...9 hours back to Cairo. Our is splitting up, 9 return to Cairo and the remaining 26 begin a week of diving, relaxation, and resort living in Dahab a resort town along the red sea.

4 hours into the ride we said goodbye to our new friends, seeing a resort town (where drinking and cleavage are accepted) makes it hard to not regret staying on for that extra week, afterall it would have only been another £100 pounds....

But back to Cairo it is....