Amateur Adventures #28: A Trip to The Valley of the Kings Part 2: Important Tips for Donkey Riding

Hello lovely Steemians,

It's time for Part 2 of our trip to see the Valley of The Kings. I hope you enjoy our adventure.

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In all honesty I could probably write a book on the dos and don'ts of animal transport in third world countries. But the least favourite of all the animals I've had the pleasure of being transported by during my travels is - without a doubt - THE DONKEY.

So you remember that movie with the big green ogre who went off to save his big green ogre princess? You remember that comedic side-kick the really (and I mean REALLY) annoying Donkey.

Well donkeys ARE that annoying - and not so comedic!

Donkeys are rude, do not obey commands, have no social etiquette, and are as stubborn as... well... as a mule!

If life was a Star Wars movie, donkeys would be JaJa Binks.

So there are a few tips that are handy to know when you are going to travel any distance on a donkey

• They rarely standstill when you are trying to hop on board.
• They go at what ever speed they feel is appropriate - several speeds in the space of a minute from breakneck through to a total failure to start the engine.
• They can turn on a dime... so hold on.. if they see that specific blade of grass they want, they are single minded about it.
• When they get a bit "amorous" with another donkey.. they really don't care if they have people on board. WARNING: Squealing seems to encourage them
• Appropriate clothing is recommended... girls.. wear a sports bra! Donkeys have very bad suspension
• When a donkey takes off like it is in the Melbourne Cup no amount of shouting at me to make it stop is going to work. Plus I'm too busy holding on for dear life.

The Donkey Ride

We were still on a high from our Hot Air Ballooning experience and I was still on a high because we landed safely! In retrospect the ballooning was possible safer than donkeying!

It took us a while to get ourselves settled on our donkeys... with much chasing, falling off, avoiding bites and kicks and romantic advances - this was going to be a long morning! Eventually though, we were on our way. Locals sat along the street smoking and drinking tea - watching with great amusement. I suspect that was their regular morning routine. This ladies, is where a sports bra comes in handy..otherwise it really is quite a spectacle!

About half an hour into our ride Scott's donkey saw his turn-off for home. He made a beeline like homing pigeon - at h top speed. My donkey - not to be out done decided that must have been the short cut and went straight after.. with everyone shouting at me not to follow I was going the wrong way. Like I had a say in it.

After that, a guide led my donkey while I sat atop like a reprimanded kindergarten child - the shame. I'm pretty sure donkey was grinning.

Riding donkeys along the road out to the Valley is also a great way to star in the holiday pics of others, as bus after bus of tourists slowed down to take photos of us bouncing along the road! We were quickly becoming a small tourist attraction ourselves!

The Valley of the Kings

Disclaimer: Those who have followed my previous posts know that in general I try to use my own travel photos. When we went to the Valley of the Kings, cameras were not only banned inside the temples to preserve the frescos but completely banned from the complex so we had to leave them at security. The upcoming photos therefore are not mine but provided under common license for editorial purpose.

I feel like I am getting monotonous in saying the Valley of the Kings was a highlight. Egypt really is just one of those countries. We all tend to learn so much about it at school and when we get there, its all even better than the pictures and the expectations.

The valley stands on the west bank of the Nile River and for almost 500 years tombs were cut into rocks to bury Pharaohs and important nobles. The tombs are brightly decorated with painted frescos and carvings, well preserved in many cases, aided by the banning of flash photography. It is most famous because of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun.

While 63 tombs have been discovered they are not all open to the public at the same time. Only a total of 18 can be opened but never all at once - so it is a bit of a lottery as to which ones you may see on any given day.

Of course the tombs have all been long since looted - by those brave enough to risk the rumoured Pharaohs Curse.

It's often believed that the Valley of the Kings was built by slaves - a theory popularised by Hollywood movies, however it has since been discovered that the workers and their families were free citizens, who lived in the village of Deir el-Medina, and would in fact have been considered middle-class. Never let a good movie interfere with the truth!

Exploring the tombs took the best part of a day - and in April the heat can still be quite stifling so take plenty of water with you as well as a hat and good walking shoes.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of the Valley of the Kings.

I truly hope some of my adventures inspire you to get out of your comfort zone and see the world, experience different and amazing things.

Til the next adventure,

Steem on with Love and Light

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Source:

1. Photos have been taken by the Author except those of the Valley of The Kings which have been sourced from DepositPhotos as cameras are banned withing the valley complex at the time of visiting
2. Content is original, however it may appear at a later date on my TravelBLog http://theamateuradventurer.com
3. You can check out some of my other adventures here:
   a: Amateur Adventures #23: Far from the "Maddening" Crowd - Following the Nile
   b: Amateur Adventures #24: Size Does Matter - Egyptian Temples and the Male Ego
   c: Amateur Adventures #25: Petra - The Road to the Holy Grail
   d: Fitness Fanatic #2: Hiking for fitness and pics of my favourite hikes
   e: Amateur Adventures #26: Amazing Karnak - Monument to the Pharaohs
   f: Amateur Adventures #27: A Trip to The Valley of the Kings Part 1: Hot Air Ballooning