Strewn with the ruins of ancient Thebes, Luxor, Egypt is often called "the world's greatest open air museum." As of last month, high speed internet pulses through this desert city of temples and palaces; so while you're touring the tombs of the great pharaohs with Sheraton Luxor's "Discover Luxor in 4 Nights" package, you can go online and research Ramesses and Nefertari.

Of course the internet has been accessible in Luxor for years, mostly at cafes that line the city streets, but never at this range. Sixteen access points have been installed in Luxor's biggest attractions, like the Luxor Temple, and the Nile corniche. Unlike the basic WiFi connectivity we're all familiar with, this is a new technology called WiMax. It covers much greater distances. We're talking miles. With standard WiFi, you can only connect if you're within a few hundred meters of the transmitter.

Scratch cards can be purchased from authorized retailers. The equivalent of about seven US dollars gets you online for an hour. And for about 21, you're good for a whole day. The project's called "While In Egypt Stay Connected", and part of its initiative is to improve internet access at airports, cafes, and hotels. Modern technology in the cradle of civilization. Now that's worth emailing home about.