Martin F. Gardiner
Dear Hamdy,
Thanks for your inquiry. We were very pleased with our tour. The pieces all fit together very well, we saw everything that had been agreed on, and received a great deal of individual attention - much more than we noticed for other tour groups. The accommodations and transportation were always very comfortable and the tour guides eager and well informed. I will certainly recommend your tours to others.
I think, though, that we, and especially me were a bit of a challenge to the tour guides. We both have a great and somewhat specialized interest in the art. Partly this is for professional reasons (I write about art), and partly we just have always loved art. This meant often me in particular wanting to spend time quietly looking at things rather than have them explained to me. The guides at first found this different from what they were used to, but as the tour progressed they began more and more to make initial comments and then leave us to explore on our own, or ask questions, which I liked very much. I am sure many tourists prefer the running explanations, but perhaps there will also be others like us who prefer more silent time.
We also found as we were traveling that we preferred to avoid some of the usual tour destinations, substituting instead further opportunities to look at art in places less frequently visited. I traveled with several guide books that were very helpful. The tour usually accommodated these wishes, though I realize sometimes it was difficult. We are very grateful for these modifications. They included some of the most memorable experiences. Here again, others with a special interest in art might profit from seeing these things. We are very grateful that our visit to the tombs in Saccara was on the agenda, that we visited the Artisan tombs in Luxor, had ample time for the Nubian Museum, and that we had ample time for the two special museums at the Alexandria Library.
Thank you and Memphis tours for a great experience.
Best,
Martin F. Gardiner, Ph.D.
Thanks for your inquiry. We were very pleased with our tour. The pieces all fit together very well, we saw everything that had been agreed on, and received a great deal of individual attention - much more than we noticed for other tour groups. The accommodations and transportation were always very comfortable and the tour guides eager and well informed. I will certainly recommend your tours to others.
I think, though, that we, and especially me were a bit of a challenge to the tour guides. We both have a great and somewhat specialized interest in the art. Partly this is for professional reasons (I write about art), and partly we just have always loved art. This meant often me in particular wanting to spend time quietly looking at things rather than have them explained to me. The guides at first found this different from what they were used to, but as the tour progressed they began more and more to make initial comments and then leave us to explore on our own, or ask questions, which I liked very much. I am sure many tourists prefer the running explanations, but perhaps there will also be others like us who prefer more silent time.
We also found as we were traveling that we preferred to avoid some of the usual tour destinations, substituting instead further opportunities to look at art in places less frequently visited. I traveled with several guide books that were very helpful. The tour usually accommodated these wishes, though I realize sometimes it was difficult. We are very grateful for these modifications. They included some of the most memorable experiences. Here again, others with a special interest in art might profit from seeing these things. We are very grateful that our visit to the tombs in Saccara was on the agenda, that we visited the Artisan tombs in Luxor, had ample time for the Nubian Museum, and that we had ample time for the two special museums at the Alexandria Library.
Thank you and Memphis tours for a great experience.
Best,
Martin F. Gardiner, Ph.D.