Safaga-Luxor Convoy

Red Sea coastal highway between Hurghada and Safaga	Ferry port of Safaga on the Red Sea	An Al Salam Poeti class ferry at Safaga, possibly the Al Salam Boccaccio 98	Safaga convoy assembly point, a modern day caravanserai
Coffeeshop at Safaga's convoy assembly point	Roy in the coffeeshop	Dawn over Safaga	To catch the 7 am convoy to Luxor we had to leave Marsa Alam at 4 am
Early morning	Busses waiting for the convoy to start	The minibus organized by Red Sea Diving Safari to take us to Luxor	Egyptian license plate - Red Sea governate
The convoy departs on time at 7 am	Qina straight ahead 106 km, Hurghada right 57 km	Passing under the Red Sea coastal highway	Road sign
LuxorJan06 032.JPG	Throughtout the Arab world, religious signs like this line highways	SubHan Allah - Glorification of God	Imaginary Egyptian speed limits
Early morning sun illuminates the coastal mountains	Qina 160 km	Safaga-Qina highway	Early morning light
Early morning in the coastal moutains	Mountain range along the Red Sea coast	Safaga-Qina highway	Desert mountains, Egypt
The convoy was more like a minibus ralley - for some reason every driver thought he had to be in front	Foreigners are required to travel remote routes and through the Nile Valley in convoys	Safaga-Luxor convoy	Safaga-Luxor convoy
Safaga-Luxor convoy	Coastal mountains	Luxor 155 km	After an hour or so, the convoy makes a 20-30 minute stop
Convoy at the rest area	Camel looking for baksheesh	Convoy rest area	Baksheesh
Boy with baby camel	Armed policeman standing in the highway	Mosque at the rest area	Along the Safaga-Qina highway
LuxorJan06 077.JPG	Police escort	LuxorJan06 079.JPG	LuxorJan06 080.JPG
The mountains give way to sandy hills	Qena 80 km - Luxor 140 km	Rocky outcroppings in the desert along the highway	Along the Safaga-Qina highway
Along the Safaga-Qina highway	Along the Safaga-Qina highway	LuxorJan06 091.JPG	Along the Safaga-Qina highway
Along the Safaga-Qina highway	Good bye from the Red Sea Governate	Convoy on the Safaga-Qina highway	Getting closer to the Nile Valley
Desert bluff	New railroad connecting the Nile Valley with the Port of Safaga	Train headed for Safaga	There are only freight trains on the Qina-Safaga route
Egyptian train	Egyptian Locomotives	Caboose at the end of the train	Egyptian railway caboose
Convoy crossing a flat desert plain	LuxorJan06 121.JPG	Safaga-Qina Highway	LuxorJan06 125.JPG
LuxorJan06 127.JPG	The Egyptians drive like maniacs. Accidents are common.	Donkey near the Nile Valley city of Qina	Qina
Qina	Intersection of the Safaga Highway with the main Nile Valley Highway between Luxor and Abydos	Dandara has an ancient temple but our convoy past it by	Beautiful mosque in the Nile Valley south of Qina
Nile Valley	Nile Valley	Fully covered Egyptian women	Nile valley town with minaret
Egypt Post billboard	Small mosque? Nile Valley	Nile Valley	Nile Valley
Almost there...Luxor 2 km	House along a canal	Checkpoint, Stop for Search	Along the canal outside Luxor
Some people have rediscovered paint	Near Luxor	The turnoff for Luxor	Crossing the canal we have been following from Qina
Crossing the canal we have been following from Qina	Edge of Luxor	Donkey cart being passed by bus	Donkey cart, Luxor