Very busy day today. After an early start we left our hotel to catch the 8.00 am train to Alexandria – Egypt’s’ ‘second capital.’ We travelled first class, very clean and comfortable. The journey north took two and a half hours.

Arriving in Alexandria we transferred to our coach.

Our tour of Alexandria began with a visit to the Roman amphitheatre which was discovered under a pile of rubble.

Back on the coach our journey took us to the catacombs through back roads reminiscent of India.

The catacombs were discovered when a donkey fell down one of the hidden shafts.

There followed a visit to the impressive monolith, Pompey’s Pillar.

Getting hungry now, we had one more visit to make – to the Library of Alexandria, the world’s most famous library of classical antiquity.

Finally, at 4.30pm we went to the restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean for lunch.

After a very welcome ‘lunch’ we were taken to the Hilton Hotel. Our room had a view over the sea.

After a five hour flight from Heathrow we landed in Cairo.

By the time we left the airport it was gettimg dark.

We drove on our coach through the traffic chaos to the Sheraton Hotel, overlooking the Nile.

We have a beautiful room with amazing views.

We had a buffet dinner with our travelling companions – a Great Rail group of 40 like minded people.

Time for bed.