Desert Dreamscapes - January 2020

Hackett of Arabia...
Photo © Jo Hackett

Entering Mortuary Temple of Rameses II...
Photo © Jo Hackett

Colossi of Memnon
Photo © Jo Hackett

For years I dreamed of visiting all those incredible Egyptian sites. Jo and I briefly sped around Cairo and Giza back in 2007, but this time we set out to explore as many as possible of those exceptional temples and tombs, taking us down to the most southerly point of Egypt.

We began with a flight to Cairo. How fantastic to see the spectacular pyramids once again, and to stand in awe once more before the extraordinary Sphinx. You feel suspended in time in the presence of that massive enigmatic ancient creature, sentinel of the land of the dead which stretches out behind.

Beyond the pyramids and smaller tombs lies the great Sahara desert. Taken by the atmosphere of it all, I finally wanted to mount a camel... As the proud beast began to walk, I felt perilously high above the ground, but it was worth the experience!

Following a long road journey through the desert to the south of Egypt, we visited the incredible temple of Rameses II at Abu Simbel. Both the monumental statues outside and the magnificent interior were equally inspiring, as was the smaller temple to wife Nefertari (not to be confused with Akhenaten's wife Nefertiti)...

After boarding the Nile cruise boat, we visited the mystical temple of Philae dedicated to the goddess of love, and also the high dam at Aswan. What a feat of engineering!

Cruising on the Nile is a special experience, watching those feluccas sail by on the deep blue beside palms and reeds in front of the huge sandy expanse, interspersed by barren mountains. The desert is indeed an intriguing, strange place. At one point earlier from the road we were held spellbound by a shimmering mirage. You believe it really is an oasis ahead, but as you approach, it disappears into the dry dust. I can see why the ancient Egyptians linked Set, god of the desert to death, whilst Osiris, god of the Nile was connected to life...

The spirits of those ancient gods still seem to breathe throughout the sun scorched landscape and monuments. Extraordinary to walk between walls adorned with magic symbols, through those towering pylons and pillars of temples like Habu and Karnak... and at Edfu to actually see holy artefacts still held in the inner sanctum of Horus.

Finally, on reaching Luxor we visited the place I've dreamed of and written music for... the Valley of the Kings. It is totally phenomenal and lives up to all expectations. Pharaohs were buried here between the desert mountains in the valley for the dead. What awe inspiring tombs! Each one of them takes you deep into the earth on a tunnel journey lined with spectral hieroglyphics and frescoes down into the tomb chamber itself.

Nearby, in this land of death we visited the gigantic Colossi of Memnon along with the magnificent mortuary temples of Rameses III and female pharaoh Hatshepsut. Built into the mountainside, her temple faced the rising sun in a direct line with the entrance of the temple of Karnak on the other side of the Nile in the palm covered land of the living. Those massive, ornate pillars of Karnak really took our breath away... A truly splendid way to finish our other-worldly sojourn through that exceptionally magical world. The whole place seems to cry music and amplifies inspiration...

Special thanks to all our guides, especially Tariq on the cruise excursions and Marco in Cairo, and also to the Oberoi Philae Cruise company, Cyplon Holidays and Thames Travel. This was a totally life enhancing experience.