We are finally back in Cairo. This will be a long day once more since --- we have to cram all the places that we were supposed to see on our first day of the tour. Moheb was there to meet us at the airport and he gave me my visa to Jordan. Finally!!!! I jumped for joy!!!
Yes--- there was a BIG problem before I left on this tour to the Middle East......I left Manila without a Jordanian visa ( I ONLY had an Egyptian visa ).... The processing of my Jordan visa did not finish on time.. and the reason for this delay was---- Manila does not have a Jordan Embassy ( we ONLY have a consulate). All the paper work had to be sent through email to the nearest embassy which is Japan. The processing of the papers takes one month ( I am wondering if all the Middle East tours originating from Manila has this problem too!! ). If my Jordan visa will not be sent to me on time... I was going to be left behind in Cairo.... of course I was not happy to stay behind. According to Tony, my brother who is a honorary consul of Mongolia, there were more delays since we were traveling during a Muslim holiday, therefore the offices will be closed for several days. That only meant MORE DELAYS! I started to panic--- I called Lulu, my friend from the States who I was going to be with me on this tour and told her of my dilemma. Lulu immediately called up Friendly Planet in New York to ask for visa assistance since I was the ONLY one from the Philippines who was joining a tour that originated in the States ( actually-- this is the first time I joined a tour that did not originate from the Philippines). The day I left I received an email saying that my visa will be handed to me AFTER my Nile cruise...When I finally got my visa---- I was so happy ---- I will be going with the group to Petra...
Back to our tour.... Our first stop was the Pyramids of Giza and to see the Sphinx.
( courtesy of Ernie Kamatoy )
