European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 5, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Massive columns at the Temple of Karnak shelter three tourists from the hot  tips it is possible to Quot do Quot Luxor in a Day if that is All the Lime at hand. But be warned that such a visit will barely skim Luxor s highlights. Tourists and american sailors operating with the Navy in the red sea often take one Day Tours to Luxor from the red sea resort and support base at Hur Ghada Egypt. If the urge to see Luxor and say tutankhamen s Tomb in the Valley of the Kings becomes irresistible it is even possible to take Daylong excursions to Luxor from Cairo. That involves i lying South Early in the morning and returning the same night. A less exhausting and far More enjoyable trip involves taking a Railroad Sleeper overnight to Luxor not quite the Orient express but romantic enough with meal service and swivel seated Barca. You Wake refreshed to enjoy the Day in Luxor flying Back to Cairo at night. The one Way Price by rail including berth dinner and breakfast is $79. The air fare is a bit higher. I Hose with time and sufficiently deep pockets May want to see Egypt s grandeur by luxury cruise boat. As virtually All of Egypt s sights Are concentrated along the Nile cruising by boat although More expensive has marked advantages notably eliminating tedious packing and repacking. In the Early 70s, there were about a dozen ships operating on the Nile now there Are 150 or More. Among the Best of the big boats a taking As Many As 150 passengers a Are those operated by some of the International hotel chains. An alternative Way to travel is by Felucca the traditional Nile sailing Craft. You either sail South carried by the prevailing wind or North downstream carried by the current. Either Way the 135-mile journey Between Aswan and Luxor takes about five Days. The voyage is not for the fastidious since passengers sleep out at night food is Basic and there Are no toilet facilities but for adventure and Economy they can t be beaten. Felucca can be chartered on the spot either at Luxor or Aswan and Cost roughly $1,000 per trip including food for up to eight people. A j. King Cruger Luxor s monuments continued from Page 3 nightly shows at Karnak begin with a 45-minute, four Stop walk through the Chambers. The shows finish with a half hour finale viewed from stands overlooking the Temple and its reflection in the sacred Lake. It was to the West where the Sun god at the end of each Day began his nocturnal journey through the underworld that Man Aiso gained Entrance to the hereafter. And fittingly it was in the West across the Nile where Thebes buried its dead. The Best tip for the trip to the West Bank s attractions is to Start Early. Temperatures in the Valley of the Kings and Queens escalate rapidly and accordingly excursions begin As Early As 5 . In summer and 6 . In Winter to beat the heat. Incidentally in Luxor from october to March the weather is warm with Chilly evenings. From april Onward temperatures soar above the 90s. Tickets for All the sights on the West Bank Are Only sold at one Kiosk located by the group tour Landing along the Nile. Tickets Are Good Only for the Day of Purchase so be sure to buy tickets Only for places you re certain to visit. The Valley of the Kings is located in a Rock landscape devoid of vegetation. At first glance there seems to be nothing in the Valley for All its treasures lie hidden in underground tombs Cut out of the Rock. There Are More than 60 tombs in the Valley and not All of them belonged to pharaohs. Favored subjects and relatives were occasionally granted permission to be buried there. Most of the tombs were looted of their treasures Ages ago except for the Tomb of the boy King tutankhamen whose Tomb remained undisturbed until 1922 when the archaeologist Howard Carter dug his Way in. Quot what do you see Carter Quot his Patron lord Caernarvon is said to have asked him As Carter peered through the Tomb door sealed off since the 14th Century . Quot i see wonderful things Quot said Carter. Although those wonderful things now lie in state in the museum of egyptian antiquities in Cairo King Tut remains in the Tomb. And wonderful things can be seen in other tombs in the Valley. The tombs reached by descending narrow Wood ramped corridors Are richly decorated with breathtaking paintings and reliefs showing the dead Kings voyages through the afterlife plus countless pictures of animal headed gods smiting their foes. Many of paintings Are amazingly Well preserved. While cameras Are not officially allowed in the tombs a Little Baks Heesh tip will cause the guards to ignore your picture taking. Baks Heesh the curse of the pharaohs is in High demand in Egypt and for All manner of services rendered or otherwise. Not far from the Valley of the Kings is the Multi colonnaded funeral Temple of Queen Hatshepsut the first important woman Pharoah plus clusters of other important tombs. A flashlight is a must for exploring tombs and temples. There will be times when the flashlight s beam will be the Only Light to see by although some tombs Are attended by men who make their living by reflecting the Sun s rays into dark places with homemade mirrors. Visitors to Luxor should leave some time to ramble through its modern shopping arcades. There Are great buys on reproductions of pharaonic Art caftan with colourful Cross stitch embroidery distinctive jewelry brass and Copper rough Hen leather plus Alabaster and ceramics