CAIRO, EGYPT

WE DOCKED IN PORT SAID, EGYPT AND PICKED UP OUR PRIVATE TWO-DAY TOUR TO CAIRO AND ALEXANDRIA. WE HAVE AN ARMED GUARD PACKING A HUGH WEAPON WHICH IS LOCKED AND LOADED. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO FEEL SAFE OR SCARED OUT OF MY MIND. ANYWAY, HE STICKS TO US LIKE GLUE. WE DROVE ABOUT TWO HOURS TO CAIRO, PASSING THE SUEZ CANAL. CAIRO IS A HUGE METROPOLIS WITH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AND LOTS OF POLLUTION FROM ALL THE OUTDOOR COOKING FIRES AND MILLIONS OF CARS WITHOUT SMOG PROTECTION. IT IS STRANGE PLACE WITH WAGONS PULLED BY DONKEYS IN THE TRAFFIC LANES NEXT TO LUXURY TOUR BUSES. I STICK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB BECAUSE I AM NOT WEARING A BURKA AND HAVE NOTHING ON MY BLONDE HEAD. THIS EVENING A KID LOOKED AT ME AND HIS EXPRESSION WAS PRICELESS...OH, SOMEONE FROM MARS!

WE HAD A GREAT DAY. FIRST, THE PYRAMIDS WHICH WERE MAGNIFICENT, THEN THE SPHINX WHICH WAS UNBELIEVABLE AND THEN SAKARA, AND MEMPHIS. I GOT TO GO DOWN INTO A REAL EGYPTIAN TOMB AND THOUGHT I WOULD DIE OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL! I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE ALL THESE SIGHTS. I AM ON SENSORY OVERLOAD! WE HAD A REAL EGYPTIAN LUNCH, WENT TO SEE A HUGE STATUE OF RAMSES II, WHO MAYBE WAS THE PHAROAH OF THE EXODUS. HE WAS MAGNIFICENT.

IT IS VERY HOT HERE AND WE FINALLY GOT TO CHECK INTO THE HOTEL. IT'S A RITZ CARLTON, SO NO COMPLAINTS HERE. I HAVE A 180 DEGREE VIEW OF THE NILE RIVER AND THE WHOLE CITY OF CAIRO. THE POLICE PRESENCE IS QUITE LARGE SO WE TOOK AN EVENING STROLL ALONG THE CORNICHE, NEXT TO THE NILE. I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM DOING THIS. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED WITH ANCIENT EGYPT AND HERE I AM RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. THE PYRAMIDS ARE LOCATED RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF CAIRO AND NOT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT AS ONE WOULD THINK. JERRY BOUGHT AN ARAB HEAD DRESS AND WAS WEARING IT ALL DAY. I PRETENDED I DIDN'T KNOW HIM.

TOMORROW IS ANOTHER FULL DAY OF TOURING. WE ARE GOING TO THE CITY OF CLEOPATRA, ALEXANDRIA. IT WAS FOUNDED BY ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND WILL TOUR THAT CITY BEFORE PICKING UP THE SHIP. BUT BEFORE WE LEAVE I WILL DO SOMETHING I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO AND THAT IS VISIT THE EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES MUSEUM IN CAIRO WHICH IS LESS THAN ONE BLOCK FROM OUR HOTEL. I GET TO VISIT MY FRIEND, KING TUT, AND ALL HIS ANCESTORS. I CAN'T WAIT.