No matter how exhausted I am, I'm always compelled to get up each morning and pull back the curtains and take in the view from the balcony, breathe in the smells and feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. Even more so today as we will return home tomorrow. If I breathe in deep enough I'm sure I can absorb the essence of this place and maybe take a little home with me forever.  

Back to practicalities. We need to get organised with our packing this morning as we will need to ensure our luggage isn't overweight again – not like on the way out when we were charged £120 for excess weight. But first things first – breakfast. We head down to the restaurant and are greeted by Eptisam who shows us to a table. I'm almost on auto pilot when I come down for breakfast now – first a glass of kirkady and some Earl Grey tea. Over to the counter for melon and pomegranate. After the first course I go to the chef and ask him for a vegetable omelette and I then add some veal sausages, tamaya, grilled tomatoes and tahina. Still a little room for something sweet so I opt for pancakes with chocolate syrup – and why not when I'm holiday! Peter and I decide to have a lazy day – one rare day by the pool, but first things first – a start on the packing.

We head back to the room and start sorting out the luggage. I decide to leave most of my toiletries in Luxor for our next trip. I lay the things that I'm leaving out on the bed and photograph them. Once I'm home I can check the photos as a reminder of the things I have here already. We have quite a lot of pottery and this all goes in hand luggage. I also decide to leave my camera tripod here as I only use this one for travel anyway.

An hour or so later and we're almost done – we've left changes of clothing out for this evening and tomorrow. Now down to the pool. And that's us until tea time!

We have a relaxing time swimming and lounging – we haven't done much of this in the two weeks we have been here, but I wouldn't change it for anything. We've had a great trip and Peter has been brilliant. I know I wouldn't have seen half the things or met half the people I have without him. Sitting by the pool is great – but not all day everyday!

This evening we are going to have apple pie and tea at the Oasis Cafe with Michael and Hamada. After we have showered and changed Hamada calls to say that he is outside the hotel waiting for us. He can't wait in the car too long as the hotel security are inclined to get a little itchy (even though he works there). Once in the car we drive to Sawagi to pick up Michael. As we head towards the train track, Hamada slows down. The barrier is open but he checks for oncoming trains. As we start crossing the track we see a train coming in the distance. Peter and Hamada make loud exclamations in Arabic – sheer disbelief that the barriers are open. Hamada shouts to the man responsible for operating the barrier. This is met with a look of complete disinterest. Oh well says Hamada, Egypt has 84 million people, what does it matter if there's a few less!

We arrive at the flat but Michael isn't ready (clearly working on Egyptian time) so we go up and wait. I go out to the balcony and watch life in the street below. Patience is a great virtue when in Egypt. After a bit of faffing around, Michael is ready and we go down to Hamada's car and head off to the Oasis Cafe.

I'm so delighted to come to this cafe. Firstly because it really does the best apple pie in Luxor and secondly, because of the fantastic building it is situated in. I can only describe it is an old palazzo style building. I've tried Googling it but can only find reference to it being a 1930's house that used to belong to the wealthy.

Frequent visitors to Luxor will know how much the town has changed over the last 5 years as part of a plan to turn Luxor in to an 'Open air museum'. Now deposed Governor of Luxor Samir Farag was at the forefront of enforcing these changes which meant demolishing properties to widen the streets and also moving poor families out to developments located on the edge of the desert.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2026394,00.html

http://www.egyptindependent.com/node/4075

http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/luxor-lately/

Part of the plan was to demolish a number of buildings on Sharia Dr Labib Habashi – one of these buildings being the one that houses the Oasis Cafe. The Egyptian uprising has brought about many changes in Luxor - one being the removal of Samir Farag as Governor of Luxor. Reports are that he was implicated in several cases of corruption under the old Mubarak regime.

The upshot of this is that the planned demolition of the buildings on Sharia Dr Labib Habashi has come to a halt and for now – the buildings on this street are still here. We admire the high, corniced ceilings and the charming décor.

The cafe is empty, so different to when I first used to come here. We enjoy our apple pie and tea. We don't stay too long as Peter has arranged to meet the Manager of the Sonesta. Hamada drives us back and once in reception we are invited into Mr Sabri's office. We thank him for our stay and then talk generally about the difficult times everyone is facing in Luxor due to the reduction in tourism.

Time for bed. We will have time to finish packing tomorrow.