Day 2 Tuesday 28 December ’10 Abu Dhabi
Following our transfer to the Intercontinental Hotel, www.InterContinental.com , we will have the pleasure of a half day city tour with our coach and local guide. Abu Dhabi, meaning Father of the Gazelle, due to the large number of gazelles in the vast desert, was a sleepy fishing village until it struck oil in 1958 and then the massive financial and trading boom began. It is the headquarters for the world’s richest oil operating companies and the largest of the seven Emirates, with a population exceeding 945,000, 75% being ex-patriates. The city is almost an island jutting into the Persian Gulf, with land having been reclaimed from the sea to make a massive seafront or Corniche. Interestingly, the $41.6 billion Saadiyat Island, due to open in 2012, will feature outposts of the Louvre and Guggenheim Museums.

Day 3 Wednesday 29 December ’10 Abu Dhabi
With a forthcoming stimulating day of travel, today will be at leisure to perhaps take a taxi ride to experience pure Abu Dhabi splendour and wealth at the Emirates Palace, known locally as the gold plated Versailles. Opened in 2005, it is reputably the most expensive hotel ever built, with a price tag exceeding $3.5 billion. Just for starters it has 70 football pitches and 1,002 chandeliers! For those of us with more modest appetites, perhaps a visit to the Al Meena and Iranian souks.

Day 4 Thursday 30 December ’10 Abu Dhabi - Istanbul
Abu Dhabi – Istanbul Flight TBA Following our flight from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul, a private coach will transport us to the President Hotel, www.thepresidenthotel.com conveniently located 200 metres from the Grand Bazaar. Interestingly, our attendance at this hotel has a fascinating catch, we are required to attend the New Years Eve Ball, inclusive of an authentic Turkish meal, show and unlimited alcohol! – yes, international travel always has surprises. This unique city is the only metropolis in the world situated on two continents.

Day 5 Friday 31 December ’10 Istanbul
This morning we depart with our local guide on a walking tour of the Sultanahmet district, the heart of the historic Old Istanbul. We will visit the Haiga Sophia (Holy Wisdom), the great Christian Basilica built by the Emperor Justinian in 537AD: the supremely elegant imperial Sultanahmet Mosque built between 1609 and 1616 by the architect Mehmet, which is now commonly known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior panelling of blue and white iznik tiles: the ancient Hippodrome arena originally constructed by the Byzantine Emperor Septemius in 200 AD and the underground Yerebatan Cistern containing 336 marble columns and 21 million gallons of water, that was featured in the Bond film, From Russia With Love. Following lunch, a leisurely stroll will take us to the Topkapi Palace, the centre of the Ottoman Empire for nearly four centuries. Of particular interest is the Harem which consisted of over 400 rooms and is situated between the Circumcision Room and the apartments of the Chief Black Eunuch! Adjacent is the Golden Road, which ran the entire length of the Harem and down which Aimee Dubbucq de Rivery fled from the deaf mutes and hired assassins and was only saved when a concubine, Cervi Khalfi, flung a brazier of red-hot coals into the faces of the pursuers. The evening will be an absolute treat as we experience a Gala Turkish New Years Eve Ball at our Hotel – bring it on!

Day 6 Saturday 1 January ‘11 Istanbul
Following a gentle start to the day after our New Years Eve celebrations our guide will take us to the exotic and aromatic Spice Bazaar which has 86 shops and sells many interesting spices, dried fruits, teas, oils and essences and aphrodisiacs. We will also visit the Grand Bazaar which many say resembles a giant labyrinth, as it covers 31,000 square metres, has 61 streets and includes in excess of 3,000 shops. Yes, a morning to stay close to our guide! It has survived many earthquakes and is now made of brick after a major rebuild following a massive fire in the ‘50’s. Following lunch we take the unforgettable ferry up the Bosphorus Strait that separates Europe and Asia and provides a delightful mixture of past and present, grand splendour and simple beauty and cultural diversity. It will be interesting to see the Selimiye Barracks where Florence Nightingale worked.

Day 7 Sunday 2 January ’11 Istanbul – Gallipoli
After an early start our coach and guide will takes us on an emotional and memorable visit to Gallipoli where we pay tribute to the sacrifices of the Anzacs. The Gallipoli campaign resonated profoundly among all nations involved. For Turkey, the battle is perceived as a defining moment in the history of the Turkish people, as the centuries-old Ottoman Empire was crumbling. The struggle laid the grounds for the Turkish War of Independence and the foundation of the Turkish Republic eight years later under Atatürk, himself a commander at Gallipoli. We will spend the night at Hotel Akol, Canakkale. NB - you may prefer to take a smaller bag for the trip to Gallipoli and leave your other belongings at our hotel to be collected upon your return.

Day 8 Monday 3 January ’11 Gallipoli - Istanbul
Following our return to Istanbul the remainder of the day is at leisure, to relax or perhaps revisit and explore the narrow streets in the covered bazaars. Yes, this may result in another full-on assault on your senses.

Day 9 Tuesday 4 January ‘11 Istanbul – Cappadocia
Istanbul – Cappadocia Flight TK262 Depart 13.00 Arrive 14.20 Today we say farewell to this city with the juxtaposition of two cultures to fly to Cappadocia, “the land of well bred horses” We are staying in the extraordinary Museum Hotel, www.museum-hotel.com located on the highest peak in the centre of Cappadocia in the village of Uchisar. It is located on a pinnacle overlooking the entire region and is a beautiful and unique blend of history and luxury. You may well want to see out the rest of your days here – it will surely be difficult to leave.

Day 10 Wednesday 5 January ‘11 Cappadocia
Today will be extremely memorable – remember to bring your camera. This morning we depart on our coach with our tour guide to explore the fantastic land forms of the Cappadocian region. Formation of its bizarre fairy chimneys began some 70 million years ago with the interaction of larva from submerged volcanoes in Neogene Lakes with extensive subsequent erosion. There are several types of theses miracles of Mother Nature including conical, pointed, columnar, mushroom-shaped and even a type that looks as if it is wearing a hat. Inhabitants took to living in these land forms, with many having concealed entrances for protection from trouble making outsiders. With time, these troglodytic dwellings became subterranean cities, some accommodating up to 30,000 people.

Day 11 Thursday 6 January ‘11 Cappadocia
Our last day in Turkey will be at leisure to relax and enjoy the charm of this remarkable and mystical region. Or, perhaps a hot air balloon ride for a truly unique and memorable adventure, where you float intimately amongst the fairy chimneys and soar over one of the most fantastic landscapes in the world. Amongst the deep canyons and lush fertile valleys you will fly over ancient caves where the first Christians hid from the Roman persecution and where the Virgin Mary reputedly spent her final days. This trip is available as an optional extra, refer to the Booking form. .

Day 12 Friday 7 January ’11 Cappadocia – Istanbul - Cairo
Cappadocia – Istanbul Flight TBA Istanbul – Cairo Flight TBA
This evening we check-in to the Sheraton Hotel www.sheratoncairo.com/ for a relaxing evening prior to a fascinating day touring. It is interesting to note that this is a country where laughter lubricates the cogs of social change and one of the fascinating aspects of travel in Egypt is just how many things can be negotiated with a smile. Every street is a theatre and every action a drama and humour is the national survival technique. Founded in AD 969, Cairo is often referred to locally as “Al-Qahirah”, meaning “The Victorious” or “The Triumphant”. This is a city where more than 350,000 people are born annually and nearly 50% of the city’s population is under 19 years old.

Day 13 Saturday 8 January ‘11 Cairo
This morning will be an absolute treat when we visit the Egyptian Museum with our guide and the world of the pharaohs will be brought back to life. It is one of the most important museums of ancient history in the world and even though it is virtually bursting at the seams, it will take us on an adventure through time. In the Tutankamun Galleries we will see treasures of the young Pharoah who only ruled for 9 years, from 1336BC – 1327 BC. It is believed that a fracture to his leg caused a fat embolism that eventually killed him. Approximately 1,700 items are displayed on the first floor throughout a series of rooms. In the afternoon we will experience the excitement of the Khan El Khalili Bazaar. Prepare to meet some of the greatest smooth talkers you will ever encounter. Fishawi’s Coffeehouse is a key landmark that claims to have been continuously open for the last 200 years – except, of course, during Ramadan.

Day 14 Sunday 9 January ‘11 Cairo
After having spent our first complete day in Egypt, often referred to as, the gift of the Nile, by the noted Greek historian Herodotus, we commence a new adventure when we have a guided sightseeing tour of Cairo with our guide and coach. We travel out to see the famed Giza Pyramids, built around 2500BC, they are the only one of the original Seven Wonders of the World still standing. Following our tour of this ancient necropolis we visit the enigmatic Great Sphinx, known in Arabic as Abu al-Hol (Father of Terror) and the Step Pyramid of Saquara, the oldest of Egypt’s approximately 90 pyramids, where the graves of three royal dentists, a doctor and Pharaonic butler were discovered in 2006/7. Today would not be complete without an authentic contemporary Egyptian family experience. Our guide will take us to an average Egyptian house to experience conventional family life and culture as it occurs in Cairo today.

Day 15 Monday 10 January ’11 Cairo – Luxor – Nile Cruise
Cairo – Luxor Flight TBA
After the often frenetic pace of Cairo you can now relax on board the tranquillity of the Nile Premium River Cruiser www.nilepremium.com After settling into your cabin we will visit the Temples of Karnak which contain the Temple of Amun, the largest religious building ever constructed, which was where God lived on earth with his wife Mut and son Khonsu. The Luxor Temple is connected to the Temples of Karnak by the spectacular three kilometre long Avenue of Sphinxes, which is currently being cleared. NB - you may prefer to take a smaller bag for the Nile Cruise and leave your other belongings at our hotel.

Day 16 Tuesday 11 January ’11 Nile Cruise
This morning we explore the Nile’s West Bank , often referred to as the world’s largest open-air museum. The magnificent two faceless Colossi of Memnon soar majestically into the sky (to a height of approximately 18 metres). Each was cut from a single block of stone weighing 1,000 tons and are the first monuments seen by visitors to the west bank. The Valley of the Kings was once called the Great Necropolis of Millions of Years of Pharaoh, or the Place of Truth. It has 63 magnificent royal tombs from the new kingdom period 1550 – 1069 BC. Unfortunately the tombs have suffered from treasure hunters, floods and recently from tourism with the carbon dioxide and humidity produced by the average of 2.8g of sweat left by each visitor. Dehumidifiers and screens have been installed to assist with preservation. The Valley of the Queens contains at least 75 tombs that belonged to queens of the 19th and 20th dynasties. The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, sometimes cheekily referred to as hot-chicken-soup is one of ancient Egypt’s finest monuments, but it must have been even more stunning and spectacular in the days of Hatshepsut, 1473-1458BC, when it was approached by a grand sphinx lined causeway.

Day 17 Wednesday 12 January ’11 Nile Cruise
In Edfu this morning, a horse-drawn carriage (subject to local arrangements) will take us to the Temple of Horus, the Falcon God. This sandstone temple is in an excellent state of preservation. Interestingly, 200 years ago the temple was buried by sand and rubble with excavation commencing in the mid-19th century. Following a return to our boat we cruise to riverside temples of Kom Ombo, where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank.

Day 18 Thursday 13 January ’11 Nile Cruise
This morning we explore Aswan with our guide. Highlights today will include a visit to the High Dam built between 1960 and 1971 which in turn created Lake Nasser and increased cultivable land by at least 30%. We will also visit the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae. After the completion of the High Dam the temple would have disappeared had UNESCO not intervened. Between 1972 and 1980 the massive temple complex was disassembled piece by piece and rebuilt 20 meters higher on the nearby Agilkia Island which was landscaped to resemble its original location. In the afternoon we have an authentic Egyptian experience, we sail on the Nile in a felucca, the traditional, canvas sailed boat.

Day 19 Friday 14 January ’11 Aswan – Abu Simbel – Aswan – Cairo
Aswan – Abu Simbel – Aswan Flight TBA Aswan – Cairo Flight TBA
Travellers taking the optional extra tour to the temple complex at Abu Simbel will have a very early start when we catch our plane to perhaps Egypt’s greatest achievement of preservation, created as a consequence of the construction of the High Dam. At a cost of US$40 million, Egyptian, Italian, Swedish, German and French archaeological teams literally cut the temples up into over 2,000 blocks, weighing up to 40 tonnes each and rebuilt them into an artificially constructed mountain 210 metres from the waters edge and 65 metres higher than the original site. This project took over four years to complete and was officially opened in 1968. Upon our return to Aswan we will catch our flight to return to Cairo. Refer to Booking Form for additional details.

Day 20 Saturday 15 January ’11 Cairo
Our final day in Egypt will be at leisure to relax and prepare for our return flight home or ongoing travels. This evening we share a farewell dinner together prior to our departure tomorrow.

Day 21 Sunday 16 January ’11 Cairo – Abu Dhabi – Melbourne
Cairo – Doha Flight QR515 Depart 1720 Arrive 2120 Doha – Melbourne Flight QR030 Depart 0045 Arrive 2225 + 1

Day 22 Monday 17 January ’11 Melbourne
Arrive Melbourne