Capt Suresh Sharma

My Egypt Tour

Sunday, October 5th, 2008

My Egypt Tour with My Family

One day in the summer of 2006, Ms Bharti Sharma, our family friend, who is a graphic designer, came to visit us. She had just returned from Egypt, after spending about a year on her professional assignment. Rajbir and me were glued to our chairs, with all ears to her travelogue narration. We got so engrossed listening to Bharti, we even forgot to offer any customary drink or something to eat to her. While listening to her, my wife and me realised that a visit to Egypt was our common dream, which remained only in our subconscious minds. Somehow, we never got around to ponder over the subject together. May be considering it a bit far fetched in our minds, or simply it just never came up for discussion. I think, most of us do drift into dreamy wishes occassionaly while chatting, but even that never happened over the numerous cups of tea, which we both love sharing to discuss life and its goodies, twice a day. We both were quite amazed over the mystery of our hidden common desire for a visit to Egypt. We discovered our intense love for Egypt only through Bharti, when we both poured our hearts to her about Egypt. Moreover, I think, we are so used to travelling in total comfort, onboard our Kingcobra (motorhome) that we never put our minds together to plan any trip to Egypt. Also, the most tricky thing is the process of choosing a tour operator, who can either shatter your dreams and make it as the most bitter travel of lifetime, or make it wonderfully memorable trip of life time. Probably, did not have the courage to go through that.

I was quite amazed when Rajbir was expressing her wish to visit Egypt repeatedly, like a child does, to Bharti. And we pulled our chairs closer to Bharti to hear her with curiosity, like babies hear interesting story of fairies, and it gave us a feeling as if we were inching towards Egypt. I looked at Rajbir in amazement that how come I never knew about her this dream and wish for a visit to Egypt. As we had set out on a journey through Egypt, day dreaming, with lively narration by Bharti, we often interrupted her with volley of questions. I am sure, many times Bharti must have had headaches with us, as our questions and curiosity were that of kids. Now, I did not want to have a rush trip to Egypt, which is usually organised by a tour operator, you miss so much in that regimented group tour. So, I was trying to discover if there were other options like that of staying with one of Bharti’s friends in Egypt, who could accept us as `paying guests’ for two to three months. Bharti also gave us a brilliant idea of hiring an apartment in Cairo and stay there for three to four months and capture Egypt in our minds and with cameras as much as we wanted and at our own pace. This plan swept me off my feet and I was already soaring high in that dreamy world, day dreaming like I never did before in my life. I was gasping in awe and dream, I was getting restless and wanted to fly to Egypt anytime. All of sudden, Bharti got a call from her mother and she left for home, abruptly. We could not conclude anything concrete about our plans for Egypt, as we wanted some more info from Bharti. And thereafter, we could not meet Bharti till she got married. Should I say `Bharti left us in doldrums about Egypt’. That night, I could not sleep as I only dreamt about Egypt the whole night. But it seems, when you are passionate and madly in love for something, God gets on your side. Exactly, at this point a miracle took place. One day, I got a mail from Mr Sushil Gaur, whom I had met briefly at Haldwani (now in Uttrakhand state of India) at my cousin’s place, while travelling in our Kingcobra. After few months or a year, Sushil wrote me a mail that  eversince he saw me at Haldwani, he has been wanting to communicate with me. He said that he envys our life style, as he sees us swaying with the wind of life and enjoyed every whiff that came our way. Sometimes, even we wonder and enjoy about the will of God, that how exhilarating life we have been blessed with, so far, indeed.

Finally, Sushil fixed up a photography assignment for me with Eastmar Tours. The notice was too short to organise myself and my family for the Egypt tour. I realised that our small kids did not have passports and my own passport had expired. As I mentioned, when God is happy with your work, if passionately done, He decides to be on your side always. I wanted passports in four days and I could not dream of getting our passports before two weeks at least, by any means. As I was wondering how I will get all the passports, I got a phone call from Mr Ashwani Attri, a good photographer friend, who was the Accountant General of Haryana at that time, to meet him for something. On meeting, I asked if he could help me in getting the passports and he did, as he helped me in a proper legal way through proper channel and got me passports within four days, in `urgent category’. As it had happened too soon and too quick, Rajbir often said that she will believe about it only when our aircraft for Egypt will take off from Delhi. And one day soon, we were airborne for Egypt!

We, as a family, did a great memorable trip to Egypt, stayed in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, the best was Nile Cruise. It was organised by Eastmar Tours. They have superb Nile cruise ships named as RA-I and RA-II. On our arrival on-board RA-II, we were pleasantly surprised, we had not expected it to be so mesmerising atmosphere on the ship. We had great views of the River Nile, right from our cabin itself. I must say Nile cruise is really an experience which one should never miss in life. I met many wetsern tourists on the same ship, who told me that its `dream come true’ tour for them. They all had heard a lot about Egypt and dreamt about the River Nile all their life.

I must appreciate that Eastmar has a great Chef and his team in the kitchen on board RA-II; food is superb and very hygienic (in fact certified). And that is what one wants on a tour, good safe food, good comfortable room!

I am told Eastmar Tours is the oldest tour operator company in Egypt, since 1939.

I am planning to organise photo tours to Egypt, soon, alongwith Eastmar. I have proposed Eastmar Tours to make all the arrangements for a good photo tours. If anyone desires, please contact via email wildhiss@gmail.com

In the photo galleries below, you will see all the photos of Egypt by me. I must say, its a highly recommended tour for anyone, even a 90 years old can do these tours.

Dervish Dance/ Sufi Dance Video

MORE ABOUT EGYPT

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