Conversations with strangers can be difficult, but travel stories can soften the blow. Based on my experience traveling to Egypt, I reflected on the grandeur and mystery of ancient civilization sites like the pyramids, the people I met along the way, and the precious memories I made along the way, reminding me of the inspiration of travel and the meaning of life.
Conversations with strangers are sometimes awkward. We don’t know each other’s interests or tastes, so we don’t know what to talk about, and we worry about what we might say that might offend the other person. This is where talking about your own travels can be a great way to break the ice. This is because traveling takes you away from your daily routine and brings new experiences and emotions, and most people feel excitement and excitement at the word ‘travel’. This is because of the relaxation and excitement that traveling brings.
Sometimes, I’ve found myself wishing that I had the freedom to travel and experience something special that would never happen again. I had many options: read a book, spend time with my family, have some alone time, or go out with friends and enjoy the nightlife, but I chose to travel. Specifically, traveling to Egypt. The reason was simple. It was a country I had never been to before, and at that point in my life, it felt like a necessity, not an option. Of all the destinations I considered, Egypt appealed to me for a number of reasons. It was unfamiliar territory, and it was relatively inexpensive compared to Korea. Arabic and English are the official languages, so communication was not a problem. Most of all, I wanted to see the ruins of Egypt’s ancient civilization and feel the magnificence of the country.
I left Korea and arrived in Cairo, Egypt via Rome, Italy at 1:00 pm. I arrived half a day before my friend. The moment I landed at the airport, I realized that I had arrived in Africa in hot, dry weather. But I didn’t have time to take it all in, I had to get out of the airport and to my booked accommodation. The signposts were all covered in indecipherable symbols, and I managed to find my way to the hostel by looking for signs in English with small print. It was the most giddy moment of my life.
The next day, at dawn, my friend arrived, and my trip to Egypt began in earnest. Our first stop was the Pyramids of Giza, the symbol of Egypt. Giza was a 40-minute bus ride from Cairo. As I rushed to catch the bus early in the morning, I could see the majestic pyramids in the distance. I couldn’t believe my eyes, and the sight of the pyramids was unbelievable. As I paid the entrance fee and got closer, I realized that the stones were arranged in a certain way on each level, and the stones were brought in and stacked in a staircase-like structure. People from different countries were on top of it, taking pictures and enjoying the moment. I laughed when I saw locals approaching vendors offering to take pictures with camel rides and vendors offering to take pictures for money, and I realized that I could see the same thing here.
To get inside the pyramids, you had to pay a separate fee. I felt like I would regret coming all the way to Egypt and not going inside the pyramids, so my friend and I went inside. From the entrance to the center, you have to crawl through a narrow, low passageway, at the end of which is the sarcophagus and the place where King Khufu’s body was laid.
The pyramid has unique features both on the outside and inside. The apex of the pyramid points exactly east-west and north-south, and the lengths of the base and hypotenuse are said to form a golden ratio. The location of the pyramid is also said to match the position of the three stars of the constellation Orion in the sky, leading some to believe that aliens built the pyramid. But how were these gigantic structures built?
Experts have a variety of theories. The most common theory is that the pyramids were built using slopes. Since cranes didn’t exist at the time, they had no choice but to use slopes to make them taller. The slopes would have been wrapped around the pyramid in either a straight line or a spiral. Another theory is that the slopes were built from the inside. The ancient Greek historian Diodorus even suggested this method.
Other experts claim that crane-like equipment existed at the time and that they used it to build the pyramids. Although it’s believed that cranes first appeared in Greece in the late 6th century B.C., it’s also believed that wooden devices existed in Egyptian times. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus testified that they were used to transport stones. Another theory suggests that sleds were used to pull stones up slopes.
Despite these competing theories, everyone agrees that the pyramids took an enormous amount of manpower and resources to build. The scale of the pyramid symbolizes the authority of King Khufu, and the amount of labor and technology that went into its construction is nothing short of astounding. The precise calculations and geometry are difficult to achieve even with today’s technology, which is why the pyramids remain so mysterious.
In addition to the pyramids, Egypt is home to many other structures, including the Temple of Abu Simbel, the Temple of Luxor, and the Aswan Dam. They showcase the skill and creativity of the Egyptians. There is also a resort called Hurghada on the Red Sea coast in southern Egypt that is famous for scuba diving, and we spent a few days there learning to scuba dive and enjoying the beautiful waters and corals of the Red Sea.
Our short but long three-week trip left us with unforgettable memories. On the flight home, I looked through my photos and relived the moments of my trip. I didn’t want to leave because I felt like I would fall back into a routine of freedom once I returned to my daily life. The connections, experiences, and emotions I made will stay with me for a long time to come.
