The Chemist, the Cat and the Time Machine: Stop #4

The sun wasn't all that prominent when the Mad Chemist and the Lab Assistant were stopped at the Ice Age, so they had high hopes that their next destination in time would offer a little more warmth and bright sunshine. Following another glug of fuel, the Time Machine ensured that their wishes were fulfilled.

Upon arrival, the crew found themselves at the centre of a large expanse of sand and under a blazing heat. A brief glance around soon confirmed that the explorers had touched down in Ancient Egypt!

Overview of Stop #4: Ancient Egypt

After the freezing temperatures of the Ice Age, this was a real relief for the travellers. Removing their shoes and feeling the soft sand between their toes was quite the sensation, and for a moment the fact that they were undertaking an epic journey through all of time was forgotten.

And this was only added to when the Chemist locked his eyes on the Hut Bar.

Riverside bar and chillout area

Having grabbed a cool drink from the bar, he was able to settle down on a Cruise Deck Chair and reflect on all that he'd learnt so far on this voyage. Under a Beach Parasol he was at ease with the world, even in spite of the kids causing havoc in the Sandbox while their parents indulged at the bar.

From his position the Chemist had a view of the river, which had a dock marked with an Anchor Sign. There three more children could be seen Down At The Dock, and it appeared that they were fishing for some supper (whilst sipping fresh lemonade).

It was only after spending a while watching the kids struggle with their rods that it dawned on the Chemist - he was looking out at the River Nile! Turning his head upstream he spotted a small island on the river which was a hive of activity.

Island on the River Nile

On the island were a group of Fire Dancers, all living dangerously with their flaming sticks. They were putting on a heck of a performance, and accompanied by a pair of Island Drummers this was a fantastic cultural experience for the Chemist. Weaving between the Tropical Torches there was even a not-so-native Mexican Dancer, who was twirling to the beat.

This island was a really impressive sight, and the Chemist wasted no time in shouting for his Cat to join him to enjoy the banging of the drum and flashing of the flames. But his puss was a step ahead of him and was already being dropped off the Jungle Tour further along the Nile.

Booby trapped path to the Treasure Room

Having been deposited on the Black Sands, the Cat had spotted a Headless Horseman who appeared to be standing guard over a long narrow corridor. It was only after moving past this sinister feature that the Cat realised what she was entering - a labyrinth of booby traps.

Well, this was Ancient Egypt after all, and the Pharaohs had done all they could to protect their assets. Every so often there was a Happy Halloween tile on the floor which the Cat hypothesised activated a not so happy dart. That explained the Dart Boards in intervals along the wall and maybe even the Mummy Pumpkins.

It was with brave steps that the Cat trod carefully across the creaking Spider Stone flooring to reach the other end. There a Vampire Waiter was stood with a tray of ancient drinks as old as the pyramids themselves and congratulated her for living up to the title of being a cat. Sacred in Ancient Egypt, she'd done her species justice, and was given permission to join the feast in the Treasure Room.

After the Cat had satisfied her appetite and the Chemist had taken his eyes off the Mexican Dancer, they returned to the Time Machine.

Time Machine including addition of Roasted King Fish

The Lake Fisher can be seen in the background next to his Recreation Rack, and the newest dish added to the pioneers' collection is thanks to him. The fisher has been reeling in all the king fish the Nile has to offer, and has cooked up some of them for the crew to take home. No wonder the kids at the dock were having no luck - there were no fish left for them to catch!

So Roasted King Fish from the Valley of the Kings is the latest addition on the Chemist and Cat's banquet, bringing their return up to five recipes if you include the Biscuits and Gravy they departed with. And there seems to have been another addition to their travelling party too - the Lake Dog tagged along at the Animal Kingdom stop, but after braving the cold of the Ice Age seems to have bonded with the bloke in the Snow Suit. That or the thickly clothed guy was desperate to get away from the harsh winter!

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This is the first stop I've done where no new gems were spent. Since the start of this expedition I've parted with some 264 gems, and needed to reel myself in! This won't be the only destination at which I don't spend any premium currency, although the assembly of content I've built up over the years meant I still had some star attractions to pull out, such as the Hut Bar and Fire Dancers.

With no pyramids, Pharaohs or sand dunes, I felt it was important to include something which made it clear we were in Ancient Egypt and not the current day Caribbean, and that's where the booby trap alley came in. The inclusion of the Dart Board and floor tile to activate the darts had been dancing around in my head for a good while, and I'm pleased with the way its turned out.

 The Chemist, the Cat and the Time Machine

 11/04/16 Stop #3 - Ice Age
 04/04/16 Stop #2 - Animal Kingdom
 28/03/16 Stop #1 - Dawn of Time
 19/03/16 Introduction

Throwing in some Halloween stuff (which probably won't be possible to utilise at any other time) really aided the cause, and of course the Egyptian themed update we had in 2014 was crucial - without it I doubt we'd be visiting this particular location.

Now it's onward to more stops as we move closer to the present day, although there's no concerns about low fuel - I'm just worried about low numbers of portions on that counter of depleting Dinosaur Nuggets!

Next: Stop #5 - Ancient Asia