Day 9 - Cairo and off...

Today started nice and slowly as I checked out of the hotel in Zamalek and went to a cafe to do some morning work. Then I met up with Amy for brunch where we planned out our day. We ran to the American Express office in the Nile Hilton to purchase tickets for the sleeping car train to Luxor. While there, we found out that they offered a 5-star hotel in Luxor for $50 a night. So, we got it. Why not?

Then, as the tickets and itinerary were being put together, Amy and I went by the AUC (American University Cairo) library so that she could get some maps of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings for her research. We did a fair amount of walking today back and forth to several places, but I won't bore you with the details.

We found a late lunch spot and hunkered down for a meal. Panini. Mozarella and tomato. mmmm good. Then back to the hotel in Zamalek to pack up for the Luxor trip.

At 7:30 we arrived at the Ramses Train station and boarded the train. Not to shabby. We had a double sleeping compartment with the fold down beds. They served a full dinner to us that was a mixture of Egyptian foods. Very tasty. Not sure of any of the names, but there was brown stuff, and rice, and fish, and beef, and ....who knows what that green thing was.... The rest of the train ride was good except for the train conductor. It almost felt like a teenage girl was learning to drive a manual transmission car (little jerky). Nearly fell out of bed. :)