Adventures under the Pyramid
DSCN4438
I am an extremely claustrophobic person ,and the idea of going under the long narrow passage gave me the cringe . I was holding the separate entry ticket of the Pyramid , whilst strongly battling my fears to close spaces .Perhaps I could have stayed outside and leave my family to do it ,but I would probably keep thinking and regretting it to much for a long time .I tried to be objective over my fears . As I'm only a visitor of Cairo , chances are I wouldn't be near this monument again , took it as my very last opportunity .
I do hate the idea being down under a dark passage . It gave me the feeling I was almost buried alive ,breathless , suffocating .
As petite as myself , I have to I bend down following the slopping steps going to the interior .It must be a hurdle for anyone over six feet tall unless the body is supple .
Photography isn't allowed and bringing along big bags , perhaps with speculation they contain big camera equipment e.g., DSLR +lenses and what have you . This is when a tiny photo and shoot camera gets so useful when you carry it discreetly ,well anyway , it was only a P&S what I've got at that time .I took few shots ,there was no on looking guard along the passage ,even in the interior but there were what looks like a monitoring camera . I was reassured of the idea photography without a flash wouldn't do technical damage to the interior's surface of this few thousand yrs monument , hence it didn't give me the feeling I am doing it completely wrong not abiding the rules ( and be in jail /penalized ? ) . Not a good behaviour , it was an opportunistic act in such circumstances ,driven by overpowering passion to take photos . I only took few photographs .:)
Actually there were few of us inside taking photos ; some even come with a video camera . It's a lifetime experience to be inside so it's easy to justify why people have to be daring and take the chance . I am not encouraging for people to do the same .Use your judgement and objectivity ,do what is right . If you feel it's totally wrong and will haunt your for a life time ,never do it .
As far as I am concern , I don't regret it ...that will be my first and last seeing the Pyramids and so be it .
They only issue 300 tickets for entry ( inside ) of the Pyramids daily .Let this be clear you have to get a different ticket to get near the Pyramids . For the Pyramid interior tickets ,they issue 150 tickets in the morning and 150 in the afternoon . So with over a thousand visitors of this monument daily and perhaps half of them would like entry inside ,there's a big competition , and it's always a pot luck if you get the interior entry tickets . My best advise come as early as possible and cue up .
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17-11-10
To irradicate or reduced to a minumum level of illegal / oppotunistic photography ,could it not be better if the system relaxed the rules that inhibits taking photos in the interior, rather make it easier for the visitors ,where photography be allowed in exchange for a minimal fee for every camera that gets in and would apply to any historic monuments like tombs. As it is free to photograph outside the monuments ; with people jumping ,climbing ,walking over and around those pyramid stones which can potentially erode the surface, then why can't it be no-flash photography be allowed inside ?
This day and age when air travel is easier and every tourists has access to cameras - everyone loves to take photos ....
A peaceful arrangement of a fee for every camera / photography in the interior will be an added bulk of revenue for the tourism industry , everyone will be happier .
Check out these sites with great photos inside the Pyramid :) you can google for more :
Great photos inside the Pyramid
Nicely standing beside the sarcophagus inside the Great Pyramid
Adventurous flickrite inside the Pyramid
Adventures under the Pyramid
DSCN4438
I am an extremely claustrophobic person ,and the idea of going under the long narrow passage gave me the cringe . I was holding the separate entry ticket of the Pyramid , whilst strongly battling my fears to close spaces .Perhaps I could have stayed outside and leave my family to do it ,but I would probably keep thinking and regretting it to much for a long time .I tried to be objective over my fears . As I'm only a visitor of Cairo , chances are I wouldn't be near this monument again , took it as my very last opportunity .
I do hate the idea being down under a dark passage . It gave me the feeling I was almost buried alive ,breathless , suffocating .
As petite as myself , I have to I bend down following the slopping steps going to the interior .It must be a hurdle for anyone over six feet tall unless the body is supple .
Photography isn't allowed and bringing along big bags , perhaps with speculation they contain big camera equipment e.g., DSLR +lenses and what have you . This is when a tiny photo and shoot camera gets so useful when you carry it discreetly ,well anyway , it was only a P&S what I've got at that time .I took few shots ,there was no on looking guard along the passage ,even in the interior but there were what looks like a monitoring camera . I was reassured of the idea photography without a flash wouldn't do technical damage to the interior's surface of this few thousand yrs monument , hence it didn't give me the feeling I am doing it completely wrong not abiding the rules ( and be in jail /penalized ? ) . Not a good behaviour , it was an opportunistic act in such circumstances ,driven by overpowering passion to take photos . I only took few photographs .:)
Actually there were few of us inside taking photos ; some even come with a video camera . It's a lifetime experience to be inside so it's easy to justify why people have to be daring and take the chance . I am not encouraging for people to do the same .Use your judgement and objectivity ,do what is right . If you feel it's totally wrong and will haunt your for a life time ,never do it .
As far as I am concern , I don't regret it ...that will be my first and last seeing the Pyramids and so be it .
They only issue 300 tickets for entry ( inside ) of the Pyramids daily .Let this be clear you have to get a different ticket to get near the Pyramids . For the Pyramid interior tickets ,they issue 150 tickets in the morning and 150 in the afternoon . So with over a thousand visitors of this monument daily and perhaps half of them would like entry inside ,there's a big competition , and it's always a pot luck if you get the interior entry tickets . My best advise come as early as possible and cue up .
------------------------
17-11-10
To irradicate or reduced to a minumum level of illegal / oppotunistic photography ,could it not be better if the system relaxed the rules that inhibits taking photos in the interior, rather make it easier for the visitors ,where photography be allowed in exchange for a minimal fee for every camera that gets in and would apply to any historic monuments like tombs. As it is free to photograph outside the monuments ; with people jumping ,climbing ,walking over and around those pyramid stones which can potentially erode the surface, then why can't it be no-flash photography be allowed inside ?
This day and age when air travel is easier and every tourists has access to cameras - everyone loves to take photos ....
A peaceful arrangement of a fee for every camera / photography in the interior will be an added bulk of revenue for the tourism industry , everyone will be happier .
Check out these sites with great photos inside the Pyramid :) you can google for more :
Great photos inside the Pyramid
Nicely standing beside the sarcophagus inside the Great Pyramid
Adventurous flickrite inside the Pyramid