The most enjoyable way to travel on the Nile is with a Felucca

Day 1 and 2

A Felucca is a traditional sailing boat used on the Nile. It has just one big sail that turns around the mast allowing to sail against the wind down the Nile.

When visiting Aswan it became clear we want to spend a few nights on a Felucca to enjoy the wonderful landscape, to chill out while approaching Luxor. It was also easy to find a Felucca captain, they were all lining up the quai, each in his own way and words teasing the tourists. We made our choice and started the trip on Monday.

On the Nile big cruises pass us on a regular basis. One uglier than the other, making an awful noise at day and night time we see the cheesy tourists staring with their cameras in our direction and waving hands like the pope. Maybe good for some they do not know what they are missing out, they might regret their choice of transportation. Besides, there is not much to tell. The boat is kitchen, place of living and sleeping. We get spoiled with delicious food, listen to music, chat, smoke and drink. Lazy, wonderful days, nothing more to add.

Day 3

The evening yesterday ended nice by joining some local folks watching the soccer game Egypt-Nigeria in the Cup of Africa. Besides following the game with one eye, my desires were answered by a Sesha and tea. The victory 3:1 gave good mood and back on the Felucca the evening ended with a few smokes, dances, a beer and two spoons of weird tasting honey (struggling a bit with a cough I was ordered to swallow this sticky and sweet thing)

In the morning, visiting a temple, we were caught by taff wind. Real sailing feeling came up as we had to make sure our belongings are not caught by severe gusts of wind. Suddenly the boat shook, waves hit the front, causing cracking and shaking. The well experienced Felucca captain led us through the vagues, the cruises and the boarders of the Nile.

For dinner we were served fresh fish, with eggplant tahina, fried potatos, salad, bread. The day fell asleep and the sun turned the sky in a show of redish colour formed by the clouds – Sunset on the Nile.

Abu Simbel - a must see

Taff day yesterday. Leaving the hotel in Aswan in the very early morning rather short on time (my shower took longer than expected because the hot water needed its time to heat up the tubes and I have been a bit spoiled with hot shower the last few days) we were accused for not having paid the hotel! I could not believe it, I was not alone. Accusations, something of a discussion, flying hands, strong words, loud words, grabbing the bags and GO! Gone was also the bus..... and we had to wait for another 3.5h.

Well, once in Abu Simbel, we got police escort and we were not allowed to stay at the farm of our guide's brother. That was a shame. The police made truly sure we ended up in a creepy hotel that was, despite of the discount, still too expensive for its services. Abu Simbel is a special area anywaz, all the way in the South of Egypt, 40km from the Soudanese border. Police checkpoints all over the places. Unless traveling in a group withing an organized trip, each step is followed. At every checkpoint we had to bear curious eyes on us, sometimes we were asked to show our passports, most of time it was enough when the driver said "Australi, Svizra". That was it.

Abu Simbel is great as such, a definite must for all travelers in Egypt.

For more info about Abu Simbel: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Simbel

Now back in Aswan, tired, just before a Felucca trip (traditional sailing boat to be found on the Nile) for a 4 day tour in the direction of Luxor!

Wow Egypt!

Today is already January 8, 2 a.m., currently in the bus from Cario to Aswan in upper Egypt, a 11 hour ride.

Cario had kept us very busy and therefore I want to wrap up first. After passing the excitement of arriving I enjoyed a few chill out moments at the diver's mecca Dahab. We also took the chance and went for a dive and celebrated new year's eve under “the brightest moon ever seen” with a dozen of other travelers.

The new year started with a packing and traveling day. Cairo was on the roadmap and after finding out that making a bus reservation on January 1 is indeed not a stupid thing by the male companions we ended up taking a different, indirect bus. The search for a decent budget hostel was a strenuous exercise in the early morning hours but ended up all well.

Discovering the bazaar on day one, day two gave us a glimpse to the pyramids of Gize. A wonder of the world, a sophisticated burial site, a pile of stone, a place that shows the influence of tourism, the impressions are as diverse as the visitors but I guess all would agree on how impressive the pyramids are, overlooking the city of Cairo. Day three was again pyramid day, but this time we managed to arrive early enough to have enough time to go close to the pyramids, in the protected area. The visit of the National Museum was then to complete the on site inspection and filled in a big gap of knowledge about Pharaos and the ancient Egyptian culture.

Besides these ordinary tourist activities, the life was defined by Cairo's pulse. Bustling streets, different smells, curious eyes, odd looks, helpful people and smiles. What I liked in particular are the food stalls alongside the streets inviting for culinary excursions. An almost standard offer is the falafel and kofte served in pita bread, humus with some vegies. Eggplants are very popular in various forms and appreciated already for breakfast. Then of course, there are more exotic dishes such as rice sausages, fried cauliflower, unidentifiable meat, delicious rice pudding, Not to forget to mention of course are the places to sit down, smoke a Sesha and drink coffee and tea. To keep it short: I am loving it – chocolate and cheese, mountains and cold weather are out of my mind.

Having spent the last week with international fellows from down under and the island, the travel group has split up again, each going its own way. A different traveling phase in Egypt has started and I am also glad I can say that I have arrived in backpacker's traveling mood. It took me a while to swap – be relaxed and able to enjoy, more difficult than I thought, but this is also the matter of getting used to unknown or half known people.