Egypt: 4,500 Years Old and Still Showing Off

A field report, minus the sunburn advice (get a hat)

Let's set expectations. It's hot. It's loud. Someone will try to sell you a camel ride roughly every ninety seconds. And none of that matters, because you are standing at the base of a pyramid that people built by hand before most of recorded history existed, and your brain simply refuses to process it. I stood there doing bad math about how long 4,500 years actually is. I recommend it. Practical truth: hire a guide for the historical sites. I resisted at first (I'm the type who likes to figure things out solo) and I was wrong. Without context, the Valley stuff is impressive rock. With context, it's a murder mystery, an engineering marvel, and a religion all stacked together. Worth every pound. The rest earned its keep too. A felucca down the Nile at sunset with zero agenda. Getting cheerfully fleeced over mint tea in Khan el-Khalili. Tut's gold mask, which shuts you up instantly. I came skeptical of the hype. I'm leaving already planning Luxor. Bring a hat. I mean it.