Then, it was to the train station. Catch the 8 pm train back to Cairo, dinner at 8pm .... Oh, and breakfast this time will also be on the train (assortment of bread again) - but at 4 am!!After we eat our 4am breakfast- we leave the train around 5:30am. (Apparently we did better tipping this time, we were not followed down the sidewalk ...) Here we are loaded into another bus (another new driver and body guard), but this time, we say farwell to Mostafa ... He was an awesome guide and very patient for putting up with all of us! (He got a nice tip!) Our new guide was Mohammed (different from our friend Mohammed earlier in the trip) ... He would make us long for Mostafa and marvel anew at Mostafa's command of the english language ...
So, the drive begins ... We drive from the Cairo train station out to an "Oasis" town of Bahariya. Not what I pictured an oasis to be ... The drive was l-o-n-g and just sand ... The one pit stop was the pits! There was no one at the bathroom to demand tip for 4 squares of toilet paper (we brought our own anyway), but soon we saw why ... There was one toilet for the three stalls. It hadn't functioned for some time ... the other two stalls ... well... there is a hole in the floor for you to hover over, and then a bucket for you to fill and "flush" with ... nasty!! I'll hold it, thanks!
A couple hours later we arrive in Bahariya. I guess it really was an oasis... just not what I imagined... I thought of palm trees, surrounding a pond of clear water, and grass huts here and there ... Instead ... an oasis is literally a town in the middle of a desert. So, we drive for hours through sand, and come to a town. The town is sandy, but there are trees and vegetation... and... a "clean" (it's all relative at this point!) bathroom!! yeah!! A quick potty break, unload the luggage, and we're off!
to see more "temples" ... yeah... see how enthused we are ... We went to a "museum" (not the demonstration type, but more like a warehouse with guards) to see the golden mummies, then to a couple more temple sites... This first one, we had to walk down some stairs ...
Through a cubby hole ...
And once inside ... There were some amazing hyroglyphics! They had beautiful color! Yes, you may take a picture (now, where's my tip?)
After leaving here, we went to the temple of Alexander the great ... It was more of a ruins ... not very exciting after what we have seen the past 8 days ... and we just want to go camp in the desert now ... 
gotta be buried in the sand....
a stop at Crystal mountain before heading to the camping area ... the kids loved all the crystals just literally laying around ...
A view of the four jeeps ... for our group of 15... plus four drivers ... plus our guide ... plus our body gaurd ... we were cozy ...
hanging out in the cyrstal rock ...
ahh... sand ....
Through a cubby hole ...
And once inside ... There were some amazing hyroglyphics! They had beautiful color! Yes, you may take a picture (now, where's my tip?)
After leaving here, we went to the temple of Alexander the great ... It was more of a ruins ... not very exciting after what we have seen the past 8 days ... and we just want to go camp in the desert now ...So, we get into our jeeps and head to the desert ... After driving through the "black" desert (some black bits over regular sand), we come to a little place for our lunch break. Our guide and drivers (and, yes, new body gaurd - this one with an even more impressive gun) fix us lunch of bread, some sort of cheese? and tomato spread, chips, and tuna ... thank goodness our friends had encouraged us to pack lots of snacks!
Then we are off again ... to the "white desert" with it's sand sculptures made from the wind ... The kids are just happy to get out of the jeeps (our drivers are CRAZY!!) and play in the sand ...
gotta be buried in the sand....
a stop at Crystal mountain before heading to the camping area ... the kids loved all the crystals just literally laying around ...
A view of the four jeeps ... for our group of 15... plus four drivers ... plus our guide ... plus our body gaurd ... we were cozy ...
hanging out in the cyrstal rock ...
ahh... sand ....I didn't get the picture of Spencer. I looked out the door of my jeep and saw Spencer making a "sand angel"! Of course, my response was, "Is that Spencer making a sand angel? Tell Darren to take a picture and then yell at him ..." We gave up on the sand issue ... It serves me right. When we were packing for the trip, I told the kids they would only need 3 pairs of pants for the trip ... after all... "it's not like we will be rolling down sand dunes".... silly me ....
I have to admit the sand sculptures were beautiful ....
And, it was an amazing sunset ...
Finally we arrive at camp.... Our own little spot in the desert... And one of the coolest things on our whole trip! They pick a spot by some sculptures, but away from other groups. Then park the jeeps in a U shape. The trucks are used to hang the rugs from... then little tables and mats to sit on... It was neat!
Dinner being prepared ... It was a delious meal!! unfortunately, it was at 9:30 at night ... and since the kids had been awake since our 4am breakfast ... I think they all slept through dinner, and barely made it into a tent!
I have to admit the sand sculptures were beautiful ....
And, it was an amazing sunset ...
Finally we arrive at camp.... Our own little spot in the desert... And one of the coolest things on our whole trip! They pick a spot by some sculptures, but away from other groups. Then park the jeeps in a U shape. The trucks are used to hang the rugs from... then little tables and mats to sit on... It was neat!
Dinner being prepared ... It was a delious meal!! unfortunately, it was at 9:30 at night ... and since the kids had been awake since our 4am breakfast ... I think they all slept through dinner, and barely made it into a tent!
