Friday:

After a long flight I arrived at Cairo International airport in the small hours of the morning and took a limo to the New Star Hotel in Zamalek in advance of my study group who arrive tomorrow night.

Saturday: SAQQARA:

Up early as always in Egypt and with my driver Ibrahim we set off for Saqqara, my 24th visit to this most ancient necropolis. First stop the Antiquities Office to see the Site Director with my letter of introduction from Dr.Yvonne Harpur, Director of the Oxford Expedition. I visited all the obvious Old Kingdom tombs first, the old favourites Kagemni and Mereruka, both 'Chief Justice & Vizier' under Teti, Irukaptah, 'Master Bucher of the Craft House', Neferherenptah, 'Overseer of Hairdressers', Niankhkhnum & Khnumhotep, 'Overseers of Manicurists' and Priests of the Sun Temple of Niusserre, Mereri, 'Count & Overseer of Tenants', Ptahshepses, 'Count & Overseer of the Prophets of the Pyramids', Ka-aper, 'Overseer of the Great Court' and the later Middle Kingdom tombs of Hetep and Ihy, both 'Inspector of Pyramids' of Teti & Amenemhet I.

When I asked about new discoveries the inspector took me to see an Archaic tomb from the Ist dynasty that he had helped discover earlier in the year, and just past the pyramid of Queen Iput, over the soil heaps there it was, a large mudbrick mastaba set back from the escarpment out of sight - I was delighted! I also noted that two of my favourite tombs are slowly sanding up: the tomb of Kaemsenu, Prophet of Ra in the Sun Temple of Neferirkare (most of the finds from here now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York) and just off Unas' causeway the rock cut tomb of Niankhpepi, 'Overseer of the Commisions of Tenants of the Pyramid of Pepi I'; you can only see about a third of their inscriptions now as they gradually disappear under wind-blown sand, but perhaps for the better. That evening my group arrived in Cairo.

Sunday: CAIRO MUSEUM:

An easy day today in the Museum with the group, remembering to change the speed on my trusty camera (which I only ever use in Egypt); I am pleased I have had some success with slides taken in the murky, poorly-lit rooms of the Old Kingdom section! I always enjoy the Raneferef collection discovered by Dr. Miroslav Verner and the Czech Expedition at Abusir, my particular favourite the Princess Hedjetnebu, a wood and stucco polychrome statue of the Vth dynasty. I listen for a moment to the famous story told by one of the museum guides of the discovery of the statues of Rahotep and Nofret, have a little chuckle to myself, and then onwards, with lots to see. Saw for the first time a New Kingdom statue of a Royal Nurse with three small children on her lap, discovered last year in the Delta, then upstairs to look at the Archaic stelae and later New Kingdom material and ending with a close inspection of the wonderful pyramidions on the ground floor.

Crossed over to the Nile Hilton for lunch and a Stella beer in the gardens - just perfect. After a free afternoon catching up with my reading, spent the evening at the British Council listening to an Egypt Exploration Society lecture at the end of another great day.

Monday: GIZA:

Up early and looking forward to today; there is something rather compelling about the Giza Plateau, especially early in the morning. Began at the Valley Temple of Khafre, walked south around the temple towards the west and to the tomb of Khamerernebty II, wife of Menkaure, 'King's eldest daughter of his body, King's wife, the Seer of Horus and Seth', then off to visit an old friend, Kaemnefert of the mid-Vth dynasty. Actually this is a complex of tombs belonging to two men called Kaemnefert, the father, 'Sole Companion and Director of the Palace', the son, the 'Royal Chamberlain', and other members of this powerful family. Their tomb was excavated in the 1930's by Selim Hassan and has stood open to the ravages of time ever since. I've been coming here for 15 years and have noticed the deterioration in the stonework together with modern graffiti.

I also noticed the three Queens' Pyramids to the east of Khufu, which have recently been allocated to Henutsen, Meretites and Hetepheres, and finished the day with my customary visit to the basalt pavement of Khufu's mortuary temple, just looking skywards in wonderment. I never tire of this ageless place.

Tuesday: SAQQARA:

Today I am taking the group around the highlights of Saqqara, with visits to the tombs of Kagemni, Mereruka and Ptahhotep and the pyramid of Teti. We also spend time in Userkaf's pyramid, a silent place even though it is so very close to the Step Pyramid complex, which we visit next. We walk around the whole complex starting at the serdab, viewing the original entrance to the pyramid at its north west corner and the later XXVIth dynasty entrance. I proudly show everyone the door I entered 3 years ago that leads to the centre of the oldest stone building in the world, a day I will remember as long as I live. Before leaving we look south to see the Pyramids of Dahshur and north to the Pyramids of Abusir which we visit tomorrow.

Wednesday: DAHSHUR & ABUSIR:

What a brilliant day! I have been to Dahshur before when it was part of a restricted military zone but now it is open to tourists. We climbed the new stone stairway to the entrance of the Northern, or 'Red' Pyramid of Snefru, first king of the IVth dynasty, which was then called 'The Shining Pyramid'. Once I had gained my breath, it was best foot forward and down a very long corridor entrance leading to the bedrock, where I view for the first time the breathtaking corbelled roof of the antechamber. Then up the newly-erected wooden stairway to the King's Burial Chamber again with corbelled roof. I take a little time to reflect; it took me 14 years to gain permission to visit Dahshur with security passes and an armed guard, and now it is a tourist attraction...but that's progress. Back outside we walk around the mammoth structure, the wind always blowing around it, and you can still see the corner stones with the master masons marks still lining up the angles.

Then off to Abusir, a site not yet open to tourists. We begin by walking up the causeway to the mortuary temple of King Sahure, second king of the Vth dynasty, the two colossal columns flanking the entrance to the temple only recently re-erected. This is a terrific place to visit, and walking to the east of the crumbling pyramid I see again the blocked entrance to the king's burial chamber, recalling how I crawled on my stomach through the partially blocked entrance in 1986 - now it is completely impassable.

We look across to King Userkaf's Vth dynasty sun temple ('Stronghold of Ra'), now smashed to pieces, and further on the most complete sun temple of King Niuserre ('Delight of Ra'), sixth king of the Vth dynasty over at Abu Ghurob, but decide against the trek today because of the heat (around 30C!).

Instead we head for the nearby Pyramid of King Neferirkare and on to the mound-like burial place of King Raneferef; the burial chamber has just been cleared by the Czech team, and here we see the original red ochre marks measuring cubits and a scribbled cartouche of Raneferef's name. Then out to see the largest of the non-royal tombs, the mastaba of Ptahshepses, 'Chief Justice and Vizier' of King Niuserre. This tomb is an on-going rebuilding project, and is a must on any trip to Abusir, complete with the ascent on the same ricketty ladder I climbed in 1984! We finish another great day with a visit to the tomb of Tepemankh, 'Director of the Palace, Secretary of the Toilet House and Servant of the Throne'.

Thursday: GIZA:

Another excellent day where we revisit the Central Mastaba Field at Giza, starting at the Valley Temple of Khafre, walking south, then west up to the causeway of Menkaure. We visited the tomb of Rawer III, 'Judge and Boundary Official' and the newly opened tombs of Debhen, 'Overlord of Nekheb, Secretary of the Toilet House' and Iunmin, 'King's Eldest Son of his Body' - both interesting tombs to visit, but I wonder if the ordinary tourist will ever get this far into the necropolis? Up by the Valley Temple of Menkaure we were shown the recently discovered dyad statue of Ramses II next to the third Queen's Pyramid. Over to Khufu's pyramid to my favourite basalt pavement, but no peace or solitude today as it is a public holiday, the last day of Eid, with people celebrating everywhere...but then there's always next time.

Friday:

After the rest of the group depart for a further week down in Luxor with Joann, I make one more visit to the Cairo Museum before sadly catching my late flight home, but as Patten said, "I will return!".