A TRIP TO CAIRO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13499, 28 May 1907, Page 6

A TRIP TO CAIRO.

HOW COLONIALS MANAGED IT.

[FROM Otm OWN CO&RXSIfiSBtXT]

I Londox, April 12. Lv a recent letter I mentioned how *, ra , passengers' from Wellington had managed |" on their own,- to carry out a short tour in Egypt, in spite of the fact that the outho. rttfes of the Orient Company declared thai jit would be impossible and yet be in time to join the wme (steamer Again-' at Port Said. One of the New Zealanderr who (formed a member of the patty who success. I fully carried out the enterprise was Mr" James A. Peacock (Auckland), who think* the plan of campaign may be of use Xt) fellow-colonists who may corns to England | via Suez at a, later period. Mr. Peacock's account of what occurred runs a: f o j. jlows: —

i "Our trip Horn? on the Orient Company's steamer Orient was very uneventful and quiet, as there was not a great many passengers on beard. We managed, however, to make a little trip to Cairo, which is not usually made by passengers from Australia going Home. In saying th'ix I mean that we made the trip and yet went oil in the same steamer to Italy. It may interest your readers who Are contemplating a trip* by [way of Australia and Suez to know how it was done.

"We arrived at Suez at four 'p.m., and janchored for medical inspection. 'When/.' this, was over at half-past four we asked [the Agent whether it was possible for us to catch ho train leaving Suez lor Cairo At half-past five p.m. His reply was an emphatic 'No,' as he explained that we would have to pass three examinations before we would be allowed to land, namely—another stiff medical examination, a Customs examination, . and then wo would require to get passports. At a quarter to live we decided to try, and left the ship in the launch, ' cheered by those on board,' who fully expected to see us back again in about an hour. We .reached the landing stage in v ten minutes, and the agent told the party (twelve in allfive ladies and seven gentlemen) to remain on board' while ho went into -' . - the Health Office, and ho returned in two ;:'. minutes with a permit from the doctor, who had never seen us. .."We next proceeded to the Passport' "": Office, where nil we had to do was to sign our names. We then ran off to the railway station, about, a quarter of a mile distant, where we had. to pass the Customs nation, which consisted of opening -■: and shutting our bags. • Wo then found we had twenty minutes to wait for the train, and that* time was partly occupied in despatching a .wire to Cook's office at Cairo. We got away from Suez by the ■' Ihalf-past five train, had dinner on the.train, , and arrived at Cairo at "half-past eleven, '.// where, we were met by Cook's representaLive, who had made all arrangements. We arrived' at the Cairo Hotel about midnight, and we rose again about four a.m. and had < :■ [breakfast. About a quarter to five we I started off in three carriages for the Pyraraids. " - ■. ■' i \ ._" : '.% "It -was just beginning to get light,' 1 continues Mr. Peacock, "and as we left the city we passed a .great many camels and donkeys laden with' greenstuff's and accom- .•-_•- panied by their keepers,, who were dressed in long white robes. It was a moat weird scene, as these animals and figures came up [out of the. darkness and'passed the windows of our carriages without any -noise. 'It was difficult to believe that d?' <F -Ava» riot dreaming. , I think we passed from 1500 to 2000 camels. We arrived at the Pyramids at half-past six a.m., and had the pleasure ol . seeing the sun rise over Cairo, while below in the valley there was a heavy batik of fog, which made Cairo appear like a city in the clouds. We climbed a. little way up the Pyramids, and also went inside to the first chamber. ;. We then yisited the Sphinx, aud got back to our carriages about a quar- . :,=. ter to .eight. ' On ouv way back « met , the camel*' and -■donkeys? rotiirarng without their'doted"*.''.'. Oil cither side we saw the Egyptians tilling the soil -with the' ol<Jfashioned ploughs that were used in IJibi;- ../,, pal times. We also saw tho wateT-wheels, ■' with the oxen blindfolded, going round and round. Wo' reached Coijro at nine o'clock. and after "light; refreshment we -drove all ■•' round the city and! through the native quarters. ■■■[ Next we went to the mosque, where ■ we had to put oh slippers over : our boots before we were allowed to enter. _ The mosque,, is a. very fine / building, with arc enormous solid gold chandelier in the centre with about 150 lights on" it. This, I be- . lieve, was presented by Napoleon I. After that we went hp to the citadel, where we had a splendid view of the whole -city, with - the Pyramids in the' far distance. We got back to the railway station at a!quarter to' eleven, and left for Port . Said at eleven a.m., where we arrived at half-past three, in plenty of time for the steamer, which sailed from Port Said at, six p.m. The total cost to each of us was £2 16s 6d, including train, hotel, carriages, and. guide."