Abydos is about a 3 hour drive from Luxor. A large convoy sets off from Luxor at about 8 am. It splits into two near Dendera - one part continues to Abydos, and then back to Dendera, while the second part goes to Hurghada. There is usually a small wait - just long enough to get a cold drink - while the convoy sorts itself out. The convoy system is supposedly necessary for safety, which could be doubtful as it is one sure way of making sure that there are a lot of tourists together, but it has another advantage in that it just sweeps through every town and village on the way, having priority over all other traffic. And it's fun if you like mad driving!

The journey from Luxor to Abydos, and then to Dendera, returning to Luxor cost all of LE300, and I'm sure we could have paid less, but I did not object as the driver, Hamdi, is a friend of ours. The entrance fee is LE12, and this also gives admission to the small temple of Rameses II.

The panoramic view of the temple of Seti I above is 3 pictures stitched together, and before anyone comments, no it is not curved, it is just the effect of my photostitch program!

Abydos was my first experience of a really well preserved temple. The hypostyle hall is dark and mysterious, and it seemed to be absolutely right for it to be Osiris' major temple.
Undecorated bas-reliefs on the walls of the hypostyle hall - the best I had seen.
And then there were the decorated reliefs, and wall paintings!. They glowed with life and light. On the next page are several more examples, but I think that this relief of Anubis is probably the best of a remarkable collection. I only wish that I had enough academic knowledge to fully describe them. There is one item for want of a better word at Abydos that I can describe, though. Reputedly, there is a picture of a helicopter on one of the lintels. I can definitely say that this is not so - it's part of an inscription that appears to be overwritten!.