Today I would travel from the Sinai to Cairo, up along the Red Sea coast, take the tunnel road under the Suez Canal, and head for the pyramids at Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo. All along the coast there are hundreds of resorts. Some closed down, many in ruins, others half finished, standing like ghosts resorts. The few that are still functioning, are dilapidated and in dire need of repair and maintenance. The whole area has an air of desperation about it, and it is a surreal feeling driving past all these abandoned projects. Rubbish, plastic bottles and bags everywhere. Will it ever return to life again, and is it even possible to put all this back on it’s feet again?

Visiting the pyramids of Giza can - apparently - be quite an ordeal. Insistent and aggressive Egyptians trying to get you to hire their horses or camels or a donkey cart. Sellers pushing fake artifacts in your face. So-called tour guides offering their service. Certainly not my scene! 

I found the perfect solution. Hotels are desperate for business. Furthermore, it’s low season in Egypt (only crazy Danes visit at the hottest time of year), so even top class hotels offer bargain deals. I booked a room at the Hayat Pyramids View Hotel, right on the edge to the site where the pyramids and Sphinx is located.

Having negotiated the Cairo traffic unscathed, I arrived at the Hayat early afternoon (clever ploy with the spelling Hayat - wonder what the real Hyatt thinks of that) and was met by the hotel manager, Mr. Gamal. What a gem he turned out to be. Spoke perfect English, a real gentleman, informative and helpful in every possible way. He quickly had a garage cleared, so I could park my bike in a safe place. The two of us hit it off immediately, and had many good talks about Egypt over the two days I stayed at the Hayat. He took me to the room, and on the way up in the elevator he said that he had upgraded me to a double room on the top floor, with the best view to the pyramids. When he pulled the curtains aside in the room, i just stood in amazement, staring at 4 pyramids and the Sphinx right before me. And at eight tonight there is a light show which you can watch and listen to from the rooftop restaurant, or from your room, he added.

Just a few years back tourists would start arriving early, well before opening time at eight o’clock, and queue for tickets, sometimes for hours. Those days are gone. I walked down to the entrance at eight, and was the only person there! Later in the morning a few tour buses with Chinese tourists arrived. I spent a pleasant couple of hours checking out the sphinx, pyramids and temple. I was constantly approached by touts wanting to sell me something or offering horse or camel transport. Clearly desperate for business.

The pyramids were built some 4.500 years ago, and there are still different opinions as to how this could be achieved. The Cheops pyramid, which is the largest, is almost 150 meters tall, and walking around it would be almost one kilometer. One thing is for sure, it was awesome to be up close and personal with these monsters!

Tomorrow I will be travelling south, along the Nile river.