Culture Shock!!

So I made it to Amsterdam safely....I can seriously say that I now fully understand what culture shock is. Everything felt very different as I got off the plane. Suddenly people are dressed fashionably, high heeled shoes, bikes everywhere, clouds in the sky, beautiful buildings, a currency that is expensive, no one wearing head scarves or gallebaya´s, traffic that obeys the laws and drives in lanes.....the list goes on. It is crazy but I really have never felt like this before. Life seems so different on this side of the world...
Spent a few days in Amsterdam with one of my Dutch friends, and now heading to Czech Republic and Poland for my last few weeks. I will actually be home on the 24th of Sept, sorry for the mistake!




My friend Lotte and I in Amsterdam




Riding side saddle on the back of Lotte´s bike..one of the best ways to get around the city. We have only had 2 accidents so far...



Some of the buildings in Amsterdam. I forgot how really beautiful this city is!



The bikes in Amsterdam. They are everywhere!



Buildings and the canals in Amsterdam

Hiking in the heat

Here are a few pictures of the rest of my time in Egypt. I am on my way to Europe tonight...Bit nervous to get back to developed countries...



Our group eating in the Bedoin camp just before the desert hike...There were a lot of jokes about how we may not make it out alive...I was a bit worried as the temps were around 50 degrees or so.




Hiking in the desert. Fricken hot and hard to walk on the sand. The scenery was quite beautiful though.



Our Bedoin guide through the desert.



A camel..isn't it so cute??? I just love these animals!



The Oasis, where we spent our fist night in the desert. Was pretty nice actually but the temperature did not drop as much as I would have hoped..
The second night we spent under the stars on the sand...very cool! Despite all the sand blowing around throughout the night!




Climbing through the Enclosed Canyon. This was actually wuite difficult..had to rock climb a bit...very nice scenery though and alot of laughs!



The 6 survivers of the desert hike...we made it out alive!!



Tracy and I on top of Mount St. Kathrines at sunrise. This is where Moses recived the 10 Commandments. We had to get up at 1:30 am to climb..it was exhausting but well worth the effort for the view as the sun came out. Though, I think I have never seen so many tourists on one mountain before! It was hectic! And..it was actually a bit cold at the top of the mountain..I had to wear my hat...sweet relief from the heat!!!



Camels being transported...I thought this was kinda funny!



Marsa Alam, a beach on the East coast of Egypt just south of Hurgada. Beautiful here with crystal clear water and loads of coral reef!

Egypt continues

Here are a few more pictures from Upper Egypt in the south. This is where most of the major temples are. I've now made it to Dahab and planning to do some dives tommarrow. Than off to trek in the desert for 2 days...I think this might be crazy considering it is between 40 and 50 degree's...I may not make it out alive...:)




The Tombs of Nobles in Aswan...We walked through 3 tombs that were all well preserved with carvings and painting all over the walls...really cool!




Abu Simbel just south of Aswan. This is a very famous Temple built for Ramses II. It was also moved when the Aswan dam was built becuse it was going to be underwater. This temple is massive..they moved the whole thing peice by peice and re-assembled the whole thing. It was quite impressive to look at because it is so big and well preserved.




Mummies in the Aswan Nubian Museum. They are somewhere between 2000 and 4000 years old.



Spent 2 days on the felucca cruising down the nile...well not so much cruising as floating and sailing if there was enough wind. It was brilliant actually...the funnest part of the trip so far. We had a great crew and did a lot of relaxing and swimming in the Nile!




Temple in Kom Ombo




One of the many Egyptian men that follow you around. He posed in my picture thn asked me for money...what else...everyone wants your money!


A donkey cart loaded with sugar cane..seen very frequently around Edfu.



Tracy and I buying Egyptian cotton scarves...



Me riding a donkey to the Valley of the Kings. Actually this was really fun!

Cairo continues...

The citadel in Cairo, the Mohammed Ali Mosque



A truck full of eggs..what else?



The great Pyramid





The Giza pyramids



The pyramids



The Sphinx




Riding a camel in front of sphinx and the pyramids. I've always wanted to do that!!



Robyn and I ready for her Egyptian wedding...I did my hair for the first time in 7 months!! And I was wearing a dress...thanks to Robyn!




Robyn and Moutaz...so cute!

A few more pictures of Cairo and the Pyramids...so Amazing! Had a great time at Robyns wedding...really great music and nice people...and the food...so so so good!