ON THE fourth day we were to have the Egyptian night. Many of us had bought outfits from the Boat shop. And we were to assemble in the large bar on the same deck as our cabins.we all sat at a table and as a group, the only one not dressed up was Dave so I think someone Lent him a fez. Mike dropped right into character, with a white frock (I can't remember the proper name) and he had a painted moustache and dark glasses. Ahmed met us and the Egyptian group struck up. Now this scratch band comprised and man hitting a drum, someone shaking a rattle and a stringed instrument with a man drawing a bow over it. The combined noise was not dissimilar to those zuzulas used during the world cup.
The leader of the band came out to the audience and dragged a few good looking women up and got them dancing. He then came out and picked a few ugly men (he tried to pick me but I ducked behind Ange) so they didn't show him up, mind you he had most of his teeth, and he got them dancing. Before hand the waiters came round to see if we wanted a cocktail at some exorbitant price, we opted for beers, "lemonade" and "Irn Brew" buying only beer and diet coke.
The finale of the Egyptian night was a conga around the bar, and then it was time for dinner.
Dinner was becoming very boring. Soup, Rice, Potatoes, meat, veg, salads, bread, and sticky cakes. There were a group of Italians on board so the special chef was cooking a pasta dish which had a cheese or a tomato sauce. To be honest I just ate what I could to keep my blood sugar at the right level, I wasn't there for the food. Main topic of conversation you know it....bowels! You could hear David saying to someone..."....well of course he was running all night but....." I will save your sensibilities from any more detail unlike David in the restaurant as our intrepid holiday makers can testify to.
Back on deck afterwards we were all downing loads of "lemonade" "Irn Brew" "wine" and diet coke. We were due to berth at 2.00 am in Aswan, so we were still sailing when we all retired.
"allahu akbar........" We were clearly in Aswan and it was 04:30am in 30 minutes the phones would start ringing to get us up for the next excursion. "Good Morning Habibi, it is another glorious day....." announced Ahmed "That's a matter of opinion..." you could hear someone chunnering in the background having got up before they normally go to bed in Benidorm. "Follow me habibi we have to get to the dam early because we are going to Philea temple later and we need to beat the crowds" Ahmed instructed.
We all got on the bus and off we went, down the river bank and then slightly into Aswan town. Ahmed pointed out certain buildings of interest. to the left was a large Coptic cathedral and further along a Military hospital, once past that, the scenery became a desert landscape. we climbed a hill and did a sharp right turn and we entered the Aswan dam this was built by and Englishman around 1901 to control the Nile during drought and monsoon seasons, so that the banks of the Nile stayed fertile, and allow the Egyptians to grow crops and feed themselves. It was a tight fit for the coach to pass other coaches but they made it. When we got to the other side, we climbed even further passing near to the airport where we arrived a week ago, and then we turned left to the new Aswan dam built by the Russians between 1960 and 1970. The new one formed Lake Nasser which extends into the Sudan with the length being 550 km long and 35 km wide the surface area being 5,250 square KMs.
Ahmed told us that we were allowed to take photographs but no videos and aircraft were forbidden to fly over the dam. The reason for this strictness is the damage to Egypt any terrorist attack could make. Effectively it would destroy Egypt.
We got back into the bus and off we set to one of the most amazing Temples we visited Philea Temple. We didn't travel far just down to the old dam across the dam and down a sandy road. We got off the bus at what appeared to be a river boat quay. there were in excess of 100 boats. "Follow me habibi and keep close we are going to catch a boat to the island Temple of Philea."
This is one of those moments that you could describe as how you imagined Egypt to be. Everyone of the boat owners wanted our custom and the one Ahmed had booked was a good 5 boats behind the rest into the river. "Habibi see the man waving he is the boatman for us so climb through the other 4 boats until you reach it..." One of the ladies called Nancy, not travelling with us but in our tour, was scared on the Nile boat which had 100 passengers this excursion was becoming her worst nightmare. In for a penny as they say, we all went in single file bow to deck, deck to bow 4 times and then our boat. We were off, and sailing in the Nile several boats abreast as though it was a Maori fishing fleet. We arrived at the jetty on the island all in tact. The Temple was wonderful but had been moved brick by brick from an adjacent island upon which it once stood but under water due to the flooding of the Aswan dam. (You will notice I am telling you less about the temples because they are all very much the same)
Here I do need to explain the tipping situation in Egypt. Every time we were on a bus, at the end of it we needed to tip 5 LE per person, the same for the pony and trap but not apparently for this boat.
The region around Aswan is where the Nubian people lived, however they were displaced with the creation of Lake Nasser, Philea is the last remaining Nubian Temple. On our return trip to the banks of the Nile two Nubians got on board and were selling trinkets and decent books on Egypt. One of them had fewer teeth than a hen and I bet he hadn't reached 30 yet. They were not pushy so I bought a book. The landing was much less stressful than the outward sail. Back on the bus Ahmed announced he was taking us to a perfume shop. Groans all round.
In the perfume shop we were sat down and addressed by this Egyptian perfume expert. He had all the different essences for perfume, essential oils and essences for burning. He let us smell them rub them on our skin and whilst they smelled like brand names they were not the real McCoy, and then came the sting. "My colleagues will now talk to you about your favourite essences and here are the prices....." Basically they were looking for at least £100 worth of sales from each of us. This guy was giving me and Ange the hard sell. "So if you were interested in picking a perfume which one would it be?" Euphoria said Ange "And you sir?" "I would have M7 by Yves St Laurent" "...and essential oil" Ange said "...Lavender" "...and essence" "sandal wood..." as if by magic he produced this package and said "That will be 1, 200 LE or £120 sir..." I said "No it won't." he said "...well I can do it for 800 LE "Maybe you can but you won;t be selling it me.." I replied. "Why did you say you were interested?" "I didn't you said IF I was interested, but I'm not," He said "you can pay by credit card, or debit card, or take to the boat and pay them they will pay us." I ended up slightly rude and said "which part of bugger off are you struggling with." and we left the establishment. Gary and Mike came out with a package and £100 or so lighter.
Back at the boat we were preparing for a Felucca ride at 4.00pm. A Felucca is an un-motorised sailing boat common on the Nile and a very sedate way to sail. we were down to 10 people as 4 of our group were now able to do the 100 yards dash in 12.5 seconds but not over water. we sailed into the Nile and up past the very hotel where Agatha Christie wrote death on the Nile. On the Nile lots of young children approached us paddling on boards of old wood. they started singing to passing tourist boats, anything from 'Happy birthday' to 'merry Christmas' but our skipper was having none of it, he was shooing them away because he wanted our tip and he didn't want them to have it. On the other side of the Nile Bank was the beginning of the eastern dessert which stretched all the way to the red sea. On our return the skipper was zig zagging across the water aiming back to port, near to his final approach a rookie felucca skipper stole our man's bit of river, and some very un-Egyptian-like language was being exchanged. However with great skill he docked perfectly with no paddle or motor in sight. After an hour of sailing we were back on dry land and heading back to the boat. The good news was, on Saturday we had a visit-free. Our group were already talking like Friday night is a get drunk night as if that was something new! We could lie in the following morning until breakfast which was 08:00, however, a few of our group had booked a trip to the Nubian village and they had to be up early.
"Allahu Akbar......." Yes it was 04:30 Saturday morning. We were not expecting a wake up call, however at 5 o'clock we could hear Gary and Marion's alarm. I left Ange to wake up in her own time and wandered down to breakfast. Etti and Swales were already there, Etti still struggling with her stomach and swales unhappy being awake at such an unearthly hour. Today I thought I would have an omelette which the chef did quite well. A couple of toasts and coffee. Whilst I hardly ever have coffee in the UK I drank it all the time here. Those who weren't on a trip came and went and we met again on the deck around 09:30 am. I was at a table enjoying the sun and reading a book when Dave appeared. "I think we should save a few beds for the others Bob..." I went and got a couple of towels placed my shirt on one bed and my towels on others until we had about 10. That satisfied those of us on board. I as usual didn't need one and Pete took up figurehead position once more. At 10:30 I am ashamed to say I was drinking my first beer, the others had brought the "lemonade" but I had drank my "Irn Brew" and Ange still had a few litres of wine left. We sunbathed until lunchtime and resumed later when we were under full steam heading back to Luxor via Com Ombo and Edfu temples for those recently coming on board at Aswan.
Back at Aswan, we had one last tour. The Valley of the Kings and Hepshipsut's Funeral temple.
"Allahu Akbar......" 04:30 am Sunday, by now I couldn't be bothered waiting for the alarm call i got up showered put on my safari gear and went to the deck.
"habibi...as I have told you, the temples were all built on the West bank of the Nile and the Tombs on the East side of the Niles. Today we are going to the Valley of the Kings and we will visit three tombs..." On auto-pilot we followed him.
We walked down past our boat and came to a group of little boats which were ferry boats apparently. Off we went and on the other side we got into a bus. We were heading towards the mountains near to Luxor. When we arrived at the Valley entrance, we were given admission tickets, and told to leave cameras behind otherwise they will be taken from us. We went into the valley and got on to trolley buses which got us close to the tombs. "I cannot come into the tombs with you." announced Ahmed."None of the guides can so I will tell you everything here. Inside you will go along a corridor, with spaces left and right designed for the King's personal things, many of the markings will depict all the good things the king has done throughout his life. and then you will reach the Coffin itself. With the exception of Tutankhamen's tomb they were all robbed. So you will see very few treasure, those saved are in the Cairo museum. Many of the colours you will see came from vegetation and food stuff for example what do your think yellow came from?" "Eggs." said Colin. "in my 10 years as a guide, no-one has ever said eggs, you are the first one to get it right." The rest of us turned to Colin with that: "How the bloody hell did you come up with that" look. he said "what?"......"Well I have read it somewhere I am sure"
We were led to the first Tomb that of Ramses III, we went in and around it and the best part was coming out, it was like a furnace, very interesting but also uncomfortable. This was repeated twice more and as we queued at the last one a brochure seller approached me with a booklet about the valley of the Kings and I did want one. "Here sir it is yours for 50 Egyptian pounds." I said "No 10" he started laughing, I said "Well you started it." Ange chirped up "Give him 25" he looked hopeful. I said "I only have 20" we did the deal.
Back on the bus we were minutes away from Hepshipsut's funeral Temple, when Swales shouted at Ahmed "Where is the nearest toilet." "Are you going to be sick said Ahmed, "No" said Swales, "but if you don't find one soon I will embarrass me and make a mess of this seat " We entered the car park and Swales was off like Red Rum on form, albeit clenched buttocks and a prominent mince.
We all waited for what seemed an age for Swales to emerge from the gents. He decided quite wisely we all thought to sit this visit out, and we did the LBT ans Ahmed called it......Th e Last Bloody Temple!....One last important point from the return trip we asked Ahmed to find a Chemist, he was a sterling tour guide and we found one. Around half a dozen of us went in with Ahmed to get some medication Ahmed interpreted for the group........you take one tablet for the small diarrhea and two for the big diarrhea as you can see this subject was never far from our hearts.....
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