This is my travel diary of my trip to Egypt. It contains in detail my memories of what I did and saw.

Saturday October 31, 2015

Egypt: Day 10, Part 2 – Nile Cruise Sets Sail

After we made it past the sellers at the marina near Philae Temple we set off again. A few of us were dropped off at a Perfume store. We spent a while drinking tea and smelling all the various scents. I’ve never owned perfume so I don’t know what I like (or am allergic too) and there are so many to smell that its hard to keep track. About halfway through a power outage happened, and they brought in hand held lights as we shopped. At one point they offered us massages with the oils, and I and 2 other women went into a room. A demure local woman took off my shirt and bra, and gave me a massage. (It wasn’t until later I learned I had my shirt in-side out.) Afterwards I wanted to get a few small perfumes so I could try various scents. I got hook-line-and-sinker into buying multiple LARGE bottles in order to get a few medium sized ones, a oil burner, a decorated perfume bottle, and some smaller empty bottles (to give as gifts). It took me a while to get it all packed up and pick my painted bottle, and when I emerged I found the others had been done and waiting a bit. (And I will forever have bottles of Egyptian perfume in my house. Even after giving it away to many people, I’ll have some until I die.)

They left us a Crock in the room! Foreshadowing our visit to Kom Ombo

The others had already been on the ship, so we set off to join them. When we arrived back I went to the top deck and journaled for a while. We had done so much that I’d been too sleepy to write the last few days. (Although my journal is more quick jotted thoughts, not details. I have to rely on my photography and memory later for the specific details.) Later I went down and had a good lunch. Around this time the ship finally took off. The dining area is below the water line, so its a bit weird looking out the window as you can see just the top of the water.

nile_deck1

After lunch I returned to the top deck and staked out what little shade I could find. I watched as the scenery went by. It was nice and relaxing. The scenery was a bit surprising and I couldn’t put my finger on it. The desert, ever present, loomed just beyond a green oasis-like band. We could see cows and other animals. Children waving or swimming. Fishing boats, lots of palm trees. At one point we went under a bridge, at another we saw a local ferry with camels at the back being transported across.

nile_fisherman

nile_ferry

I had been seated at a table with Elizabeth and the others, but later found a lounger. In between looking at the scenery I’d read my book, The Martian. It was lovely.

Egyptian Desert as seen from a Nile cruise.

nile_banks

I debated on putting my swimsuit on and swimming in the shallow pool, but I didn’t want to get sunburn and no one else was swimming. I heard some of the others figure out their laundry or sign up for a massage (which later turned out crap, glad I was too lazy to book.)

nile_desert

Around 4 they had tea and biscuits for us. It was very good tea. I tried to imagine Agatha Christie traversing Egypt on one of these, thinking of Death on the Nile.

nile_palms