This was it the day I had been waiting my whole life. The day I would finally go and see the great pyramids. I was so excited. After informing the Taxi I was only going to pay 30 not 60 pounds for the taxi we arrived, being greeted by a million people all trying to sell us guides, camels and horses. Seeing as it was the Pyramids we agreed on one man who could speak English to sort us out. We got 2 camels and 2 guides, something I didn’t want but I had no choice because they changed all the rules while we were up on the camels, took our money and refusing to let us down. It wasn’t too bad though or else I would have rioted but I didn’t want to spoil the day. The two guides shared our camels which was making me absolutely furious. I was at the back behind some greasy man and the saddle was sticking into my spine. I was also on a very sick camel. So I was in a really fowl mood when we got to the pyramids and I couldn’t enjoy it at all. Something I regret now. I would do things so much differently now.
We got to the 4th largest pyramid and there was a guy, “DO you want to climb the Pyramid?”
“Yes I would love to” I said starting on my way.
“US$100.”
“WHAT!?”
“Ok 95.”
“No thanks we will give it a miss.”
“Ok what do you want to pay?”
“Nothing.”
“Not nothing, how much?”
“We will give it a miss thanks”, I said walking away.
He started getting real desperate and I am sure he would have taken hardly any money at all but I couldn’t believe how cheeky he had tried to be and the guide was being annoying and looking at his watch.
On the way back I told the guy I wanted to walk instead of being on this stupid sick camel which was giving me a sore back.
We were coming back with horses at Sunset anyway so I knew I could enjoy the time then.
He then took us to a Papyrus making shop and we watched how they make papyrus. None of them were very good and they were mostly of various Egyptians gods so we couldn’t really buy any for our families so we asked to go somewhere else. He took us somewhere else but it was also not so good. Terry had shown us some he had purchased and they were really quite good and the ones we were shown were really dodgy.
Hannah finally found one she liked.
“How much?”
“600 pounds”
“That’s way too much, how about 150?” He laughed hysterically.
“No chance do you know this lasts for 4000 years?”
“No, but can I have it for 150 still?”
“No 550 at the least.” He counter offered.
After much haggling she finally agreed on 250 pounds. I pulled her aside before she could shake on it. He started rolling it up and packing it anyway.
“Do you know its AUS$65?” for something you are not toally happy with. That’s more than our daily budget.” I said to her quietly out of hearing.
“What? I thought it was AUS$6.50! Wait I don’t what it anymore.”
“Well he is going to go crazy if we don’t buy it, so we kind of have to now, but don’t pay more than 200 for it”
So in the end we got it for 200 and even then the man was furious at us. I do wish though that I had bought one but we didn’t have time to go to more and the guide was getting angry because if the first shop realized he had taken us somewhere else he would have gotten in big trouble.
Later that afternoon the guide took us to his house and cooked us a nice falafel and then at sunset he arranged some horses. It was getting way too late and we were going to miss the sunset so we couldn’t haggle as much about the price, something he no doubt did on purpose. Also for another reason I will explain later. So we got 3 horses. The guide had brought his friend and I had assumed he was just going to wait for us. I jumped on my horse and the guide on his and Hannah on hers.
I looked at the sun which had already nearly set and we were nowhere near the pyramids so I said can we hurry so he grabbed my reigns and we galloped. Mean while back with Hannah I couldn’t do all that much when the friend jumped up on Hannah’s horse and rode it with her, copping numerous feels the whole time. I didn’t know this though because I was far ahead trying to get the sunset.
When they finally arrived well after the sun had set I tried to extricate her from the situation but he was behaving when I was around and didn’t know till later the whole story so didn’t try all that forcefully.So in the end for the day which was supposed to be really good I was left feeling cheated and a little disappointed a the whole thing. I just wanted to explore at my own pace and get real close to the Pyramids and touch the big ones and all but I never had the chance because the guide was quite annoying.