Abby’s Adventures in Egypt! – A Trip Report
Jan 12th, 2010, 06:27 PM
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Our Egyptair flight from Abu Simbel to Aswan was delayed for over an hour so be prepared.The souvenir shop guy says that it does happen because everything is running downline from Cairo to Aswan and then Abu Simbel to go back.
Jan 12th, 2010, 08:08 PM
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Fluffnfold - I was going to say "go for it" but I think dutyfree raises a good point. Our flight from Cairo to Aswan was delayed by over an hour, and it seemed like lots of the internal flights experience delays (our flight from Luxor to Cairo was also delayed). If your flight is on time, I say go for it -- the Philae Temple is awesome! It would be even better, as someone posted on your other thread, if you could pre-arrange w/ a guide so you have a driver waiting to take you there and back, etc . . . As I recall, the temple was not that far from the airport.
Next installment of the trip report coming up soon!
Next installment of the trip report coming up soon!
Jan 12th, 2010, 08:33 PM
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DAY 6 – Aswan, Kom Ombo, Sail to Edfu
Hazem met us for a morning trip to the Nubian Museum – definitely worth it if you have the time. It is modern and polished and very educational, though it also made us appreciate even more the charm of the handwritten informational cards of the museum in Cairo.
From there, we sailed to Kom Ombo. We enjoyed this temple (how can you not enjoy something dedicated, at least in part, to a crocodile god!) and felt we had plenty of time to walk around and take pictures. Just outside the temple, there is a nice open air café with live music and sheesha! So of course we shared one with Hazem. We also got to meet one of Hazem’s friends, who is also a guide. He was very outgoing and seemed eager to talk about things like American politics. We were sad we didn’t have longer to chat with him before we set sail. While the time at the temple was adequate, we could have used another hour or two in the café. We lingered as long as we could, and were the last ones back on the boat.
We sailed to Edfu that night and had the requisite galabeya party on the boat. We had purchased some lovely galabeyas and happily joined in the goofiness of it all. I realized at dinner that night that I had not yet had any kosheri (they served it on the boat that night)! I made a mental note to remedy the situation, as I felt certain there was better koshari to be had than the koshari served on the boat (which was tasty enough, but not as tasty as what was to come . . .).
After the galabeya party, Mr. Abby decided to take a walk through Edfu, where he ran into some of the boat crew playing a game of football. They asked if he wanted to join – of course he did! He ran back to the boat to fetch me and to change shoes, and off we went to play football at 1:00 am. Mr. Abby describes the experience as one of the highlights of the trip – and from what I could see, it looked like a lot of fun!
DAY 7 – Edfu; Esna Locks; New Year’s Eve!
Hazem met us for a short drive to the Temple of Horus at Edfu. Very majestic, indeed! Just as interesting as the temple, however, was the town center, which had a wonderful vegetable market and lots of activity. We had just a couple of brief minutes here but felt like we could have spent all day exploring the area. Don’t believe any of the guidebooks that say there is nothing to see in Edfu. Ah well, a good reason to return . . .
The rest of the day was spent sailing, which was a wonderful and relaxing respite for us. We really enjoyed making use of our balcony during this time and took lots of pictures of everyday life along the Nile. There is nothing more luxurious than enjoying a cruise down the Nile from your bed!
That night we arrived at Luxor and went with Hazem to the Luxor Temple. The Luxor Temple is the only one open at night (except for Sound and Light shows), and I think it was my favorite temple of the trip. I just loved seeing the temple lit up. We stayed until well after the most of the tourists left and pretty much had the place to ourselves for the bulk of our visit. It was truly magical – one of those experiences that it is so overwhelming it seems almost surreal.
It was easy for us to forget that it was Christmas week, and we were only dimly aware of the fact that it was New Years Eve. Because of this, as we left the temple we did not fully understand that the reason for the dressed-up people and television cameras in front of the temple was that the local television station was broadcasting its New Years Eve show from the temple. We stood at the entrance to the temple until they shooed us away and only later realized that we had likely just made our debut on Egyptian television. Hi mom!
We made it back to the boat in time to “sail” (ie, go around in circles and then dock back in Luxor) for the New Year’s Eve dinner. We were ambivalent about this dinner (we had kind-of wanted to stay in Luxor), but it ended up being a really good time. And, the wine was “free” that night (in the sense that we had already paid for it as part of the New Year’s Eve supplement). I need to give a shout-out here to Whalid – waiter extraordinaire and killer DJ, with some slick moves on the dance floor. We may not know how to walk like an Egyptian, but thanks to Whalid we can dance like one.
Mr. Abby and I rang in the New Year on the top deck of the boat with a bottle of (horrible) Egyptian champagne while watching the full moon (a blue moon, no less) rise over the banks of the Nile. At that moment, I literally could not think of anything in the world I would rather be doing.
Hazem met us for a morning trip to the Nubian Museum – definitely worth it if you have the time. It is modern and polished and very educational, though it also made us appreciate even more the charm of the handwritten informational cards of the museum in Cairo.
From there, we sailed to Kom Ombo. We enjoyed this temple (how can you not enjoy something dedicated, at least in part, to a crocodile god!) and felt we had plenty of time to walk around and take pictures. Just outside the temple, there is a nice open air café with live music and sheesha! So of course we shared one with Hazem. We also got to meet one of Hazem’s friends, who is also a guide. He was very outgoing and seemed eager to talk about things like American politics. We were sad we didn’t have longer to chat with him before we set sail. While the time at the temple was adequate, we could have used another hour or two in the café. We lingered as long as we could, and were the last ones back on the boat.
We sailed to Edfu that night and had the requisite galabeya party on the boat. We had purchased some lovely galabeyas and happily joined in the goofiness of it all. I realized at dinner that night that I had not yet had any kosheri (they served it on the boat that night)! I made a mental note to remedy the situation, as I felt certain there was better koshari to be had than the koshari served on the boat (which was tasty enough, but not as tasty as what was to come . . .).
After the galabeya party, Mr. Abby decided to take a walk through Edfu, where he ran into some of the boat crew playing a game of football. They asked if he wanted to join – of course he did! He ran back to the boat to fetch me and to change shoes, and off we went to play football at 1:00 am. Mr. Abby describes the experience as one of the highlights of the trip – and from what I could see, it looked like a lot of fun!
DAY 7 – Edfu; Esna Locks; New Year’s Eve!
Hazem met us for a short drive to the Temple of Horus at Edfu. Very majestic, indeed! Just as interesting as the temple, however, was the town center, which had a wonderful vegetable market and lots of activity. We had just a couple of brief minutes here but felt like we could have spent all day exploring the area. Don’t believe any of the guidebooks that say there is nothing to see in Edfu. Ah well, a good reason to return . . .
The rest of the day was spent sailing, which was a wonderful and relaxing respite for us. We really enjoyed making use of our balcony during this time and took lots of pictures of everyday life along the Nile. There is nothing more luxurious than enjoying a cruise down the Nile from your bed!
That night we arrived at Luxor and went with Hazem to the Luxor Temple. The Luxor Temple is the only one open at night (except for Sound and Light shows), and I think it was my favorite temple of the trip. I just loved seeing the temple lit up. We stayed until well after the most of the tourists left and pretty much had the place to ourselves for the bulk of our visit. It was truly magical – one of those experiences that it is so overwhelming it seems almost surreal.
It was easy for us to forget that it was Christmas week, and we were only dimly aware of the fact that it was New Years Eve. Because of this, as we left the temple we did not fully understand that the reason for the dressed-up people and television cameras in front of the temple was that the local television station was broadcasting its New Years Eve show from the temple. We stood at the entrance to the temple until they shooed us away and only later realized that we had likely just made our debut on Egyptian television. Hi mom!
We made it back to the boat in time to “sail” (ie, go around in circles and then dock back in Luxor) for the New Year’s Eve dinner. We were ambivalent about this dinner (we had kind-of wanted to stay in Luxor), but it ended up being a really good time. And, the wine was “free” that night (in the sense that we had already paid for it as part of the New Year’s Eve supplement). I need to give a shout-out here to Whalid – waiter extraordinaire and killer DJ, with some slick moves on the dance floor. We may not know how to walk like an Egyptian, but thanks to Whalid we can dance like one.
Mr. Abby and I rang in the New Year on the top deck of the boat with a bottle of (horrible) Egyptian champagne while watching the full moon (a blue moon, no less) rise over the banks of the Nile. At that moment, I literally could not think of anything in the world I would rather be doing.
Jan 12th, 2010, 09:35 PM
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Day 7 Reprise (A Note from Mr. Abby)
As I re-read Day 7 I am struck by how briefly we mention cruising down the Nile. After all, what is there to say? The boat floated and we sat around and watched it all go by. Yet, sitting here a week after we have returned home, I notice that whenever my mind drifts off into dreaming of the trip, the images I most often return to are those from that day of cruising.
It is easy to skip by it, because it is so difficult to put in to words; it would take a poet to really do it justice. The light was so bright and the greens, blues and browns so vivid. Small farms and small villages, and people the whole way. People sitting on the bank of the river, tending animals, fishing, or often just sitting and watching us, the way we were watching them. Except for the very smallest of details – a car here or there, or a motor on a boat – there was no indication that the scenes of life we were witnessing were any different than what we would have witnessed in these same spots a thousand years ago.
This landscape is punctuated by monuments built thousands of years ago. But they are cracked and crumbling. They are mere stone, which by comparison appears to be a fairly flimsy building material.
As I re-read Day 7 I am struck by how briefly we mention cruising down the Nile. After all, what is there to say? The boat floated and we sat around and watched it all go by. Yet, sitting here a week after we have returned home, I notice that whenever my mind drifts off into dreaming of the trip, the images I most often return to are those from that day of cruising.
It is easy to skip by it, because it is so difficult to put in to words; it would take a poet to really do it justice. The light was so bright and the greens, blues and browns so vivid. Small farms and small villages, and people the whole way. People sitting on the bank of the river, tending animals, fishing, or often just sitting and watching us, the way we were watching them. Except for the very smallest of details – a car here or there, or a motor on a boat – there was no indication that the scenes of life we were witnessing were any different than what we would have witnessed in these same spots a thousand years ago.
This landscape is punctuated by monuments built thousands of years ago. But they are cracked and crumbling. They are mere stone, which by comparison appears to be a fairly flimsy building material.
Jan 13th, 2010, 07:47 PM
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Mr. Abby says "chuckle" doesn't adequately describe it. I guess it was a little more voracious than that -- they were yelling things like "hey . . . nice galabeya!!!" Followed by explosive laughter.
Jan 13th, 2010, 08:35 PM
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Thank you so much for your report-I printed it all up & will read it at my leisure. We too have hired Ahmed for our trip Sept/Oct of this year. Can't wait. This site has provided the best of the best in guides.
Chris
Chris
Jan 13th, 2010, 09:21 PM
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Chris - I feel confident you will be thrilled with your choice! We had an amazing trip and will be posting the rest of our (admittedly long-winded) report over the next few days. Please feel free to email me anytime at [email protected] if you want to chat in more detail or have any questions.
Jan 14th, 2010, 11:42 AM
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DAY 8 – Valley of the Kings; Temple of Karnak
We awoke on the first day of the New Year to the most beautiful sight – dozens of hot air balloons floating silently over the west bank! We had seriously considered taking a balloon ride but couldn’t bring ourselves to commit to another early morning activity. That morning, we appreciated the fact that we had chosen not to make the 4:00 am wake-up call and were instead enjoying the scenery in our pajamas. Tempting as it was to lay there staring at the Nile, we had a busy day ahead . . .
First we were off to the Valley of the Kings. We are bad, bad tourists and can’t remember the names of the three tombs we visited (Ramses IX was one). The highlight for us was Ramses V/VI, which requires an extra ticket (50 LE, I think) but was well worth it for us, both in terms of the beauty of the paintings on the walls/ceiling and the fact that we were the only people there! Literally! And this while the rest of the Valley was mobbed . . . We noted all the rock chips on the ground and wondered whether they were the detritus from the carving of the tombs.
From there, we let Hazem take us to an alabaster shop. We were quite skeptical about this, but Hazem really wanted us to go. This was the only time that we felt pressure to visit a gift shop, but we were interested enough in the promised demonstration (and the clean bathrooms) that we relented, although we made sure to tell him it was the only shop we would visit.
That said, there were some beautiful things in the shop, but we just weren’t interested in the alabaster. We did purchase a small malachite scarab that has our favorite hieroglyphic carved into it (the one that looks like a bee or flying bug), and the bathrooms were nice, so the stop ended up being just fine.
Over the course of the trip we had become gradually more accustomed to the style of negotiation of the shopkeepers, and we were enjoying our developing skills. One of the practices that has been commented upon on this forum is the practice of a shopkeeper who will strike a bargain with you and then ask for a tip for giving you such a good bargain. The request is for a “gift.” What we had learned is that this kind of gift giving is reciprocal, so when this particular shopkeeper asked for a “gift” and we gave him a few extra pounds, we then followed it by asking him for a gift in return. In the end our “gift” to him netted us a few extra (small) pieces, and though we are sure the exchange came out in his favor, he did not ask for any more “gifts.”
After that, we made a quick stop at the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and then visited Valley of the Queens. We were surprisingly underwhelmed by the Temple and wondered whether it was more impressive when painted as originally intended (a further note for the debate about restoration).
We enjoyed Valley of the Queens and thought it was a worthwhile stop. One of our favorite experiences in the Valley of the Queens was with another of the “unofficial guides” that work in the tombs. There was one in particular who (for a little baksheesh, of course) took the time to give a detailed explanation of the paintings in the tomb. He walked us through the entire tomb and named each of the pictures for us. Particularly interesting was that he always identified Ramses as, “my father Ramses.” He was a delight, and we enjoyed the “private tour” in an area where tour guides are not allowed.
From there, we made a very quick stop at the Colossi of Memnon and then traveled back to the east bank and to the much-anticipated Temple of Karnak. Mr. Abby had been dreaming of visiting this place since he was a little boy, so we knew we would spend lots of time here. This visit ended up being the first of three visits to Karnak. It was nice to do our first visit with Hazem so he could provide some historical background and context, but we were happy that we had the chance to visit again later in the trip. A particular high point occurred when the call to prayer began as we were leaving the Hypostyle Hall.
After leaving the temple, Hazem took us to a little, off-the-beaten-track place that served both sheesha (apple flavored, or course) and snacks (somewhat unusual for a place to serve both food and sheesha, says Hazem). It was here that we had the first of our real koshari experiences – YUM! I have to learn how to make that stuff. This impromptu stop had no advance planning, and we were fascinated to watch the intense discussion that occurred as Hazem negotiated the price of the meal.
We said “goodbye” to Hazem at the train station and took off on our own. We wandered all over Luxor and had a marvelous time. We ended up taking a one-hour caleche ride through Luxor (negotiate the price in advance, and start with half of what you’re willing to pay; this goes for cab fares, as well), which we really enjoyed. We told the driver that we wanted to go off the beaten path – he took us to the vegetable market and then to his neighborhood and showed us where he lives. At one point he tried to take us to a tourist shop and we refused to get out of the carriage. This annoyed him because he said they would give him alfalfa for his horse if we went in, but when we promised a tip “for the horse” everything was ok again.
Rather than eating on the boat, we had dinner at a nice little café near the tourist souk – nothing too exciting, just the standard fare, but the atmosphere was nice, and we enjoyed eating outside.
We awoke on the first day of the New Year to the most beautiful sight – dozens of hot air balloons floating silently over the west bank! We had seriously considered taking a balloon ride but couldn’t bring ourselves to commit to another early morning activity. That morning, we appreciated the fact that we had chosen not to make the 4:00 am wake-up call and were instead enjoying the scenery in our pajamas. Tempting as it was to lay there staring at the Nile, we had a busy day ahead . . .
First we were off to the Valley of the Kings. We are bad, bad tourists and can’t remember the names of the three tombs we visited (Ramses IX was one). The highlight for us was Ramses V/VI, which requires an extra ticket (50 LE, I think) but was well worth it for us, both in terms of the beauty of the paintings on the walls/ceiling and the fact that we were the only people there! Literally! And this while the rest of the Valley was mobbed . . . We noted all the rock chips on the ground and wondered whether they were the detritus from the carving of the tombs.
From there, we let Hazem take us to an alabaster shop. We were quite skeptical about this, but Hazem really wanted us to go. This was the only time that we felt pressure to visit a gift shop, but we were interested enough in the promised demonstration (and the clean bathrooms) that we relented, although we made sure to tell him it was the only shop we would visit.
That said, there were some beautiful things in the shop, but we just weren’t interested in the alabaster. We did purchase a small malachite scarab that has our favorite hieroglyphic carved into it (the one that looks like a bee or flying bug), and the bathrooms were nice, so the stop ended up being just fine.
Over the course of the trip we had become gradually more accustomed to the style of negotiation of the shopkeepers, and we were enjoying our developing skills. One of the practices that has been commented upon on this forum is the practice of a shopkeeper who will strike a bargain with you and then ask for a tip for giving you such a good bargain. The request is for a “gift.” What we had learned is that this kind of gift giving is reciprocal, so when this particular shopkeeper asked for a “gift” and we gave him a few extra pounds, we then followed it by asking him for a gift in return. In the end our “gift” to him netted us a few extra (small) pieces, and though we are sure the exchange came out in his favor, he did not ask for any more “gifts.”
After that, we made a quick stop at the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and then visited Valley of the Queens. We were surprisingly underwhelmed by the Temple and wondered whether it was more impressive when painted as originally intended (a further note for the debate about restoration).
We enjoyed Valley of the Queens and thought it was a worthwhile stop. One of our favorite experiences in the Valley of the Queens was with another of the “unofficial guides” that work in the tombs. There was one in particular who (for a little baksheesh, of course) took the time to give a detailed explanation of the paintings in the tomb. He walked us through the entire tomb and named each of the pictures for us. Particularly interesting was that he always identified Ramses as, “my father Ramses.” He was a delight, and we enjoyed the “private tour” in an area where tour guides are not allowed.
From there, we made a very quick stop at the Colossi of Memnon and then traveled back to the east bank and to the much-anticipated Temple of Karnak. Mr. Abby had been dreaming of visiting this place since he was a little boy, so we knew we would spend lots of time here. This visit ended up being the first of three visits to Karnak. It was nice to do our first visit with Hazem so he could provide some historical background and context, but we were happy that we had the chance to visit again later in the trip. A particular high point occurred when the call to prayer began as we were leaving the Hypostyle Hall.
After leaving the temple, Hazem took us to a little, off-the-beaten-track place that served both sheesha (apple flavored, or course) and snacks (somewhat unusual for a place to serve both food and sheesha, says Hazem). It was here that we had the first of our real koshari experiences – YUM! I have to learn how to make that stuff. This impromptu stop had no advance planning, and we were fascinated to watch the intense discussion that occurred as Hazem negotiated the price of the meal.
We said “goodbye” to Hazem at the train station and took off on our own. We wandered all over Luxor and had a marvelous time. We ended up taking a one-hour caleche ride through Luxor (negotiate the price in advance, and start with half of what you’re willing to pay; this goes for cab fares, as well), which we really enjoyed. We told the driver that we wanted to go off the beaten path – he took us to the vegetable market and then to his neighborhood and showed us where he lives. At one point he tried to take us to a tourist shop and we refused to get out of the carriage. This annoyed him because he said they would give him alfalfa for his horse if we went in, but when we promised a tip “for the horse” everything was ok again.
Rather than eating on the boat, we had dinner at a nice little café near the tourist souk – nothing too exciting, just the standard fare, but the atmosphere was nice, and we enjoyed eating outside.
Jan 15th, 2010, 06:33 AM
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So, I just realized we skipped Day 5 -- oops! I hope you'll indulge us in an out-of-order posting. Here's Day 5:
DAY 5 – Abu Simbel; Board the Oberoi Philae; Aswan Sightseeing
We got up very, very early for the convoy to Abu Simbel. Ahmed had suggested driving rather than flying so as to avoid some of the uncertainties associated with flying (frequent delays, etc . . .). I am not a huge fan of flying to begin with, so I was definitely on-board for the drive. We slept most of the way there, and the hotel provided a nice breakfast box.
While Cairo traffic tends to get all the attention, what a lot of people miss is that Cairo traffic is what it is because of a peculiar approach to driving that appears to be distinctively but also broadly “Egyptian” – spreading across the entire country and not limited to Cairo. The moment the convoy began to move, all of the drivers began jockeying for the first place position. The convoy became a race through the pre-dawn darkness, and combined with the Egyptian habit of driving without headlights on (a charming form of national politeness – headlights hurt the eyes of the other drivers), and the drive was anything but boring.
There really are no words to describe the scale and grandeur of Abu Simbel. Pictures don’t do it justice. Words don’t do it justice. You just have to see it to believe it. We had what we thought was not-quite-enough time there before we had to head back with the convoy. This is definitely a place I’d like to come back to.
The drive back was fun. We saw lots of mirages in the desert and got some good ones on camera. We drove straight to the Oberoi Philae and checked into our cabin.
As I said at the beginning of this report, I had my heart set on the Oberoi Philae. I had done a lot of research about Nile cruises, and we really wanted the Oberoi because it’s one of the only boats on which each cabin has a private balcony. It’s also one of the only boats that has a private dock at each stop, so you’re not tied up to other boats. Since we booked our trip so late, I knew it would be hard to get a spot on the Oberoi Philae, but Ahmed came through for us and managed to get us a room.
The Oberoi did not disappoint! Everything about the boat was fantastic: the crew, the food, the service, the facilities. All of it top notch. We really, really enjoyed having the private balconies, especially since it tended to be a little chilly and windy on the top deck. We had Room 114, which was on the first floor, starboard-side. We LOVED being on the first floor and being so close to the water. Also, we faced out (toward the Nile) on three of the four nights of the trip, so we felt really lucky to be in the room we were in. (For anyone who chooses the Oberoi Philae this is an important point to note – we were told that the boat alternates so that each side has a Nile view for two of the four nights. We were the beneficiaries of the deviation from this, but had our room been on the other side of the boat we would not have been so happy.)
If you are interested in booking the Oberoi, book through a guide/tour company to get the best rate and book EARLY, as the Oberoi fills up fast (our boat was completely full). Ahmed regularly books clients on several of the nicest cruise boats (such as the Sonesta Moon Goddess, which is another boat with individual balconies), so he is a real asset in terms of getting a reservation for a good price on one of the deluxe cruisers.
After we checked in and did the appropriate amount of “oohing” and “aahing” over our cabin, Hazem took us by felucca and motorboat to a Nubian Village. A note here about having a private guide for the cruise – what a luxury! The boat itself includes guided tours of all the major sights, but it sure was nice to be on our own. We really appreciated the flexibility of being able to set our own schedule. The Nubian Village, for example, was not part of the cruise itinerary, and it was an experience we really enjoyed.
We really liked learning about the Nubian lifestyle and seeing all of the colorful Nubian houses, but one of the highlights of the trip to the village was smoking our first sheesha! We went to the house of one of the villagers, where they offered tea, hot hibiscus juice, and sheesha. This was where we learned that Hazem is quite the sheesha aficionado. This came in handy over the next few days, and we enjoyed quite a few sheesha with Hazem.
On the way back from the village, we climbed onto the roof of the motorboat and enjoyed a lovely tour of the first cataract and Aswan from the water. It was delightful! Aswan has such a breezy tranquility – we just loved how much the river contributes to the atmosphere of the town. In Cairo, it seems you barely notice the Nile. In Aswan, it’s the heart and soul of the town.
Dinner that night was on the boat. After dinner, Mr. Abby and I ventured out into Aswan and explored the area that is two or three blocks inland from the tourist souk – this is where Hazem told us the non-tourists shop. We had a lot of fun and stayed out way too late. We developed a very good negotiating strategy with the shopkeepers (sort-of a “good cop/bad cop” routine – I was the bad cop). It seems the shops don’t close until well after midnight, and everyone (including children) is up late bustling about. This was also the night that we found out there are other places to buy wine in Aswan besides the Egypt Free Shop. We were walking by one of the shops on the corniche, when a shopkeeper asked us if we needed cigarettes. We responded that we did not, but we could use a bottle or two of wine. Everyone in the shop sprang into action, and within 30 seconds, the shopkeeper had produced three bottles of wine from the trunk of his car! And two “hidden” stellas from the cooler! Of course we bought them – but we did negotiate first.
DAY 5 – Abu Simbel; Board the Oberoi Philae; Aswan Sightseeing
We got up very, very early for the convoy to Abu Simbel. Ahmed had suggested driving rather than flying so as to avoid some of the uncertainties associated with flying (frequent delays, etc . . .). I am not a huge fan of flying to begin with, so I was definitely on-board for the drive. We slept most of the way there, and the hotel provided a nice breakfast box.
While Cairo traffic tends to get all the attention, what a lot of people miss is that Cairo traffic is what it is because of a peculiar approach to driving that appears to be distinctively but also broadly “Egyptian” – spreading across the entire country and not limited to Cairo. The moment the convoy began to move, all of the drivers began jockeying for the first place position. The convoy became a race through the pre-dawn darkness, and combined with the Egyptian habit of driving without headlights on (a charming form of national politeness – headlights hurt the eyes of the other drivers), and the drive was anything but boring.
There really are no words to describe the scale and grandeur of Abu Simbel. Pictures don’t do it justice. Words don’t do it justice. You just have to see it to believe it. We had what we thought was not-quite-enough time there before we had to head back with the convoy. This is definitely a place I’d like to come back to.
The drive back was fun. We saw lots of mirages in the desert and got some good ones on camera. We drove straight to the Oberoi Philae and checked into our cabin.
As I said at the beginning of this report, I had my heart set on the Oberoi Philae. I had done a lot of research about Nile cruises, and we really wanted the Oberoi because it’s one of the only boats on which each cabin has a private balcony. It’s also one of the only boats that has a private dock at each stop, so you’re not tied up to other boats. Since we booked our trip so late, I knew it would be hard to get a spot on the Oberoi Philae, but Ahmed came through for us and managed to get us a room.
The Oberoi did not disappoint! Everything about the boat was fantastic: the crew, the food, the service, the facilities. All of it top notch. We really, really enjoyed having the private balconies, especially since it tended to be a little chilly and windy on the top deck. We had Room 114, which was on the first floor, starboard-side. We LOVED being on the first floor and being so close to the water. Also, we faced out (toward the Nile) on three of the four nights of the trip, so we felt really lucky to be in the room we were in. (For anyone who chooses the Oberoi Philae this is an important point to note – we were told that the boat alternates so that each side has a Nile view for two of the four nights. We were the beneficiaries of the deviation from this, but had our room been on the other side of the boat we would not have been so happy.)
If you are interested in booking the Oberoi, book through a guide/tour company to get the best rate and book EARLY, as the Oberoi fills up fast (our boat was completely full). Ahmed regularly books clients on several of the nicest cruise boats (such as the Sonesta Moon Goddess, which is another boat with individual balconies), so he is a real asset in terms of getting a reservation for a good price on one of the deluxe cruisers.
After we checked in and did the appropriate amount of “oohing” and “aahing” over our cabin, Hazem took us by felucca and motorboat to a Nubian Village. A note here about having a private guide for the cruise – what a luxury! The boat itself includes guided tours of all the major sights, but it sure was nice to be on our own. We really appreciated the flexibility of being able to set our own schedule. The Nubian Village, for example, was not part of the cruise itinerary, and it was an experience we really enjoyed.
We really liked learning about the Nubian lifestyle and seeing all of the colorful Nubian houses, but one of the highlights of the trip to the village was smoking our first sheesha! We went to the house of one of the villagers, where they offered tea, hot hibiscus juice, and sheesha. This was where we learned that Hazem is quite the sheesha aficionado. This came in handy over the next few days, and we enjoyed quite a few sheesha with Hazem.
On the way back from the village, we climbed onto the roof of the motorboat and enjoyed a lovely tour of the first cataract and Aswan from the water. It was delightful! Aswan has such a breezy tranquility – we just loved how much the river contributes to the atmosphere of the town. In Cairo, it seems you barely notice the Nile. In Aswan, it’s the heart and soul of the town.
Dinner that night was on the boat. After dinner, Mr. Abby and I ventured out into Aswan and explored the area that is two or three blocks inland from the tourist souk – this is where Hazem told us the non-tourists shop. We had a lot of fun and stayed out way too late. We developed a very good negotiating strategy with the shopkeepers (sort-of a “good cop/bad cop” routine – I was the bad cop). It seems the shops don’t close until well after midnight, and everyone (including children) is up late bustling about. This was also the night that we found out there are other places to buy wine in Aswan besides the Egypt Free Shop. We were walking by one of the shops on the corniche, when a shopkeeper asked us if we needed cigarettes. We responded that we did not, but we could use a bottle or two of wine. Everyone in the shop sprang into action, and within 30 seconds, the shopkeeper had produced three bottles of wine from the trunk of his car! And two “hidden” stellas from the cooler! Of course we bought them – but we did negotiate first.
