In the Beginning!!!

On February 6, 2006, Les started his job as a Safety Manager with SNC Lavalin International Inc. at TAKREER - BeAAT Project - a Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility - near Al Ruwais, United Arab Emirates. Al Ruwais is 250 kilometres west of Abu Dhabi on the Persian Gulf.

On February 7, 2007, I am going to go to live with Les in the desert!!! We'll see how we manage that!! He has a cute, little bachelor apartment in the Seaman's Camp about 15 minutes away from his job site.

He's a bit apprehensive about how I will fill my days as he works 10 hours a day, 5 1/2 days a week. I'm not in the least bit worried - I'm looking forward to days of "guilt free lazing"! I'm going prepared with books, embroidery, portable DVD player and movies, and lots of lazy bones!! I gave Les a lap top computer for Christmas (ulterior motive???) and he has wireless internet in his apartment so...I'll be able check e-mail and stay in touch with all our family and friends. (Be sure to e-mail us at: lesandkarin@hotmail.com ) We are going to be exploring the Emirates a bit. There are a few small towns close to Al Ruwais that Les has told me about and I'm anxious to see them for myself. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are not too far away and we can spend some weekend time there as well. I'm also looking forward to meeting the people he's worked with this past year and to see how he lives when he's not here with us.

AND then...on February 20th we are "flying to Cairo"! We have booked a 12 day tour/cruise of Cairo and many historically filled places along the Nile River. We are both very excited about this trip and really can't believe it will be a reality. I have a feeling we will be overwhelmed with all we will see. But, we'll do our best to take it ALL in. Please check out our itinerary. We return to the Emirates on March 3rd and we'll have lots of pictures and many fabulous stories to add to this site.

From March 3rd to mid-April Les will be back slaving away while I laze and live the good life. Les' job at the BeAAT Project is slated to be finished in mid-April and I will (hopefully) stay until then and return to Canada with him. If the job isn't finished it will be time for his 2 weeks off anyway and we will still return at that time.

So, watch this site for more "Exciting Adventures With Les and Karin". We hope to keep you informed and entertained!

And, as I do everyday...I thank God and Les for my retirement and the opportunity to experience a totally different culture!

Our Egypt Itinerary... As found in the Insight Travel - "Splendours of Egypt" brochure - the 13 day (12 for us as we are not travelling from Canada) Egyptian Tour.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007 (Day 1): Abu Dhabi/Cairo: We fly to Egypt from Abu Dhabi via Etihad Air, arriving in Cairo (ooohhh I get shivers just saying that!!) at 3:25 p.m. and proceed to the Hotel Marriott.

Wednesday, 21st (Day 2): Cairo Sightseeing: We visit the Citadel of Salah El Din, with its panoramic view of the city and then visit Mohammed Ali's great alabaster Mosque. Continue to the famous Egyptian Museum to see the amazing treasure recovered from the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Later, drive to the Pyramids for the magical Sound and Light Show which literally illuminates the ancient history of Giza!

Thursday, 22nd (Day 3): Cairo/Luxor/Dendara - cruising: Fly to Luxor, on the banks of the Nile, to tour the Temple complex of Karnak with its avenues of sphinxes and halls of gigantic columns. After boarding our cruise boat we set sail for Dendara.

Friday, 23rd (Day 4): Dendara/Luxor - cruising: Visit the Temple of Hathor in Dendara, one of the best preserved temples in Egypt and containing a rare depiction of Cleopatra and her son Caesarian, whose father was Julius Caesar. The cruise returns to Luxor. In the early evening we will enjoy a horse and carriage ride to visit the ancient Temple of Luxor.

Saturday, 24th (Day 5): West Bank of Nile/Edfu - cruising: Travel by coach to the West Bank of the Nile to see the Colossi of Memnon, and visit both the Temple of Hatshepsut and Valley of the Kings, where many illustrious Pharoahs were buried. Return to the cruise boat and set sail via the Esna Lock to Edfu. In the evening we will don our traditional Egyptian attire - galabeas - for a fun-filled Egyptian Dinner and Galabea Party.

Sunday, 25th (Day 6): Edfu/Aswan - cruising: Visit the well-preserved Temple of Horus at Edfu, dedicated to the Falcon God. After exploring this fascinating site, our cruise continues to Aswan.

Monday, 26th (Day 7): Aswan - cruising: A full day of sightseeing includes a visit to the Aswan High Dam and Granite Quarries to see the enormous unfinished obelisk. Travel by motorboat to the Temple of Isis, rising from the waters of the Nile on the Island of Philae. Later, return to Aswan to sail in a traditional Nile felucca (traditional canvas-sailed boats of the Nile) around Aswan's Botanical Gardens.

Tuesday, 27th (Day 8): Aswan/Abu Simbel/Kom Ombo - cruising: In the morning, we will be flying to Abu Simbel, visiting the awe-inspiring Temples of Rameses II at Abu Simbel. Abu Simbel is the most beautiful and imaginative construction of the great and whimsical Pharoaoh - Rameses II. The facade consists of four colossal statues of the Pharaoh seated on his throne. Each statue is 20 metres high, measuring four metres from ear to ear and one metre along the line of the lips. To the Pharaoh's architects, the temple represented a tremendous challenge which , two thousand years later, was to be taken up again by the engineers of the world in order to save it from the waters of the Nile. Afternoon, we sail to Kom Ombo to visit the Temple dedicated to the Crocodile God, Sobek.

Wednesday, 28th (Day 9): Aswan/Luxor - cruising: We cruise back to Luxor and spend the evening at port in Luxor.

Thursday, March 1st (Day 10): Luxor/Cairo: Disembark from the cruise ship and return by air to Cairo. The evening will be spent enjoying Cairo!

Friday, 2nd (Day 11): Cairo - sightseeing: The day will be spent sightseeing in and around Cairo. We drive to Memphis, the famous capital of the ancient world. Admire the colossol statue of Rameses II and the great alabaster sphinx. Continue to Sakkara to see the Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the oldest pyramid in the world, dating back from 27oo B.C. In the afternoon we will enjoy a guided tour of Giza where we will see the Sphinx and magnificent Pyramids with a visit inside on of these extraordinary creations!

Saturday, 3rd (Day 12): Cairo/Abu Dhabi: We fly to Abu Dhabi and the present century!!!