Falafel, Pharaohs, and Fiction: My Lifelong Love Affair with Egypt

I am in love. Deeply, madly, crazy in love – with Egypt. It started when I was in high school, probably inspired by the arrival of the King Tut exhibit in Toronto some years earlier. I was desperate to go, but my mother refused to take me. She hated crowds and said it would be packed. She was right.

First, I fell for all the ancient history. I spent my high school years reading Egyptology texts – for fun. I scrimped and saved from my first job until I had enough to join a group tour of Egypt, where I got to see the King Tut collection in Cairo, and so much more. My father was convinced seeing the real country would put an end to the infatuation. Boy, was he wrong. I was entranced by the bright colours and unfamiliar smells in the souks. By the calls to prayer ringing out over the city. By the food. OMG, the food. The aroma of falafel and roast corn in the streets, the sweet-tart taste of karkade with breakfast, stuffed vine leaves in tomato sauce. Mint tea with fresh leaves crammed in all the way to the top of the glass.

(Seventeen-year-old me on my first trip to Egypt in 1987)

Decades later, the love affair continues undiminished and I have managed to weave my obsession into both of my careers – as a travel agent and as a novelist. After becoming a travel agent, one of the first things I did was become an Egypt destination specialist.

As a novelist, I am currently working on a trilogy set in Ancient Egypt; specifically, during the time of Nefertiti and, you guessed it, Tutankhamun (they not only knew each other, they were related). The first book, Feather of Ma’at, was released in October, 2023, and was chosen as a finalist for the 2024 Chaucer Award for early historical fiction. The second book, Quest for Ma’at, hit Amazon in February, 2025. The third is currently with my publisher, release date TBD.

In what can only be seen as the next logical progression, I will be leading a tour of Egypt based on my novels March 5-13, 2026. I have curated a unique itinerary including off-the-beaten track experiences you won’t find on most tours.

Because the choice of ancient sites is based on my books, we’ll be travelling between Cairo and Luxor. Instead of Aswan, which is standard on most Egyptian tours, we will be visiting Amarna, the site of the ancient city of Akhetaten, where Nefertiti ruled as queen (and possibly even as king). This site is overlooked by most tourists.

(Unfinished bust of Nefertiti in the Neues Museum in Berlin. Photo taken by me in 2014 because I seek out all things Egyptian, even while on vacation in other countries.)

I’ve also included entry into King Tut’s tomb. On most tours, you’ll pay extra for this, but because the man himself features so prominently in my books, it needs to be included. I’m ridiculously excited about this. When I last visited the tomb, it was impossible for the average person to take decent photos inside without using a flash, which is strictly prohibited as it would damage the paintings. Now that cellphones have eliminated the need for a flash, photography is allowed in the tomb. Is taking a selfie with King Tut’s mummified remains tacky? Absolutely. Am I going to do it anyway? You bet. And when I get home I’m going to print that sucker out and hang it on my wall.

Not everything on the tour is related to my books. Lest I leave you thinking Egypt is only temples and tombs, we’ll be visiting Islamic Cairo. That includes the heart of the old city, the Khan el Khalili bazaar where you can bargain for souvenirs, and experience the same wonder I did as a teenager. There are also some fun optional excursions, such as a dinner cruise on the Nile with a belly dance show. I’m sharing with you my favourite experiences because I want you to love Egypt as much as I do.

However, as incredible as this tour is, my conscience (as well as my legal department) compels me to inform you about the risks.

If you decide not to heed my warning, contact me for all the details, and do so quickly because space is limited.

So, what’s next? Why, thank you for asking. I plan to do a series of international tours based on novels. Since I don’t have enough books of my own to do more than one trip (yet) I will be choosing some of my favourites. I’m currently working out details for a tour of Japan based on Shogun, by James Clavell. Future tours may be based on The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown, and on Arthurian romances.

https://wanderfullworldtravel.com/index.php/2025/05/27/falafel-pharaohs-and-fiction-my-lifelong-love-affair-with-egypt/

By: Lisa Adams, travel expert with TravelOnly, under the business name Wanderfull World Travel, who writes novels under the pen name Lisa Llamrei