All 3 pyramids panorama.

On one side a ruined chapel or temple could be seen. The other Sidekick said you could climb it. I declined and me and Mohsen continued our circuit around the pyramid.

As we neared another side, you could see it was getting a bit crumbly.

And then I saw a little pyramid nearby, meant for Queen Hetepheres I, wife of Sneferu who built the Red and Bent Pyramids.

Mohsen turned to me and asked if I wanted to climb this smaller pyramid. Normally afraid of heights, I was still excited from having concurred the Red Pyramid, and so I agreed. However, the climb up was on dusty, jaggaged stones, and I had to think closely of where I put my footing.

But upon reaching the top the view was amazing. I could see the Bent Pyramid better from here.

And see off into the distance all the desert all around. No wonder this was an off site military base/shooting range.

As well as a better view of the Black Pyramid.

We stayed up there for a long while. I started to get a little vertigo, so stayed in the center of the pyramid as I ate a snack and had some water. (I’m calling that I had a “picnic on top of a pyramid”.) Mohsen then took some photos of me.

At this point the others finally realized where we went off to, and so climbed the pyramid as well. Mohsen and I then set off to climb back down to let them have the pyramid to themselves. My legs were starting to hurt a bit, and so I attempted to slide down. Protip: Don’t do that. The rocks are sharp and I thought I ripped a huge hole in my pants (thankfully I didn’t).

After we made it down Mohsen walked over to the guard and paid him. It was at this moment my jet-lagged mind realized 2 things: 1. I recalled it was illegal to climb the Great Pyramids of Giza, I wondered if there were similar laws for these other pyramids. And 2. If you tip or give baksheesh, almost anything goes.

I felt a little bad, but it was apparent by all involved that this was a common enough activity there. Although the others in my G Adventures tour said they didn’t get the chance and would have taken it if they could. So I guess it paid to have a rare experience in Egypt by going through a private tour operator.

As we walked past the final side of the pyramid I snapped photos like crazy, like this one because I saw a hint of blue among the pale clouds.

We then hopped back in the car and headed to our next stop, the open air museum of Memphis.

It figures, the sun finally came out when we were leaving, but I did get some great shots from the car of the Red Pyramid.

When we exited, we were stopped at a checkpoint. Mohsen asked for my passport, and was shocked when I said I had left it at the hotel. I handed him a color copy, and he was a bit skeptical. It took a long while before Mohsen returned. He said the police yelled at him, and reminded me to keep my passport on me. I laughed when he said, “Don’t you keep identification on you at all times at home in case authorities ask for it?” “No, I don’t live in Arizona (whoosh on that reference) and you only really need it if you are driving or drinking…obviously not at the same time.” Mohsen kept asking me, “Wait, you don’t have to have identification to prove that you are human?!” “Prove that I’m human? You have to have identification that says that?” I asked back, confused. After a while the conversation lulled and I settled back at looking at the amazing scenery passing by.