Aswan…a long and varied day

Our day started at 3am (or before as Amr woke before then in anticipation..) so we are totally wiped now - 8.45pm - and I won’t write up all the intricacies. Will leave that till we have a leisurely time…but not sure if that is tomorrow as again we get up at 3 to leave for Abu Simbel at 4am (3.5 hr bus ride) but am very excited to see this wonderful temple.

We flew to Aswan, and immediately boarded a bus which took us via the high dam to the temple of Philae on an island (we get there by boat)…then the unfinished obelisk in a granite quarry (by this time it was very hot), then on to an oil essence shop, where they make the oils to smell nice, to cure illnesses…that was a lovely visit in a cool room, and some people indulged in buying oils…Amr bought some argan oil. Then we were delivered to our hotel for the night - a very short one - and that was utter chaos, but won’t elaborate now! After a bit of downtime mainly trying to get the internet to work, we had a sail in a felucca at 4.45 to watch the sunset. Quite a few people chose not to come as by then they were tired, but the hard core of us did and it was just beautiful - so peaceful and perfect, specially with so few of us!! That is the basics, and we have just had a drink in the bar, where a Nubian band were playing traditional music, and a dancer whirled very spectacularly….will put a couple of photos - there are so many amazing ones - but the very weak internet may not allow it.Read more