Egypt...... by train or by bus?

September 30, 2008
Travelling from Cairo to Aswan Egypt

Well let me tell you how long this day was……so long. It started at about 2330 (11:30pm) the day before. That is when we started the 16 hour bus ride to Aswan. The trip was originally suppose to be a overnight train trip but the train was running hours and hours and hours behind and with it being the final days of Ramadan it was very, very busy. So we got the approval of Top Deck to change the trip to a bus trip even though if was going to be a lot more expensive (but not for us) but it would be more comfortable as the bus gave us a lot more space.

Ok so this is not the overnight train that we were suppose to take but still a passenger train to you can see that this is not First cladd Eurostar.

One little hiccup was that because of the late change we were not able to make arrangements for our required police escort….so we simply left the city without it with plans to meet up with the convoy later. I am still trying to figure out exactly why but anytime we move from one city to another we are required to be escorted by police. I will have to ask for more details on that. I guess it is for our safety so whatever.

Anyway, our time line didn’t’ really change and we boarded the bus for Aswan at around 2030 (8:30pm). We did however stop at the mall first. Yes the mall, so we could grab some food and snacks for the trip. If you ever want to see the old Muslim world and the new western world collide….visit a mall in Cairo. There we found, McDonalds and Pizza Hut and Starbucks (yes old faithful shows itself again) and Aldo and RadioShack and all kinds of things like that. We also found a giant grocery store like no other. We did pass the funniest thing I had ever seen though..…4 big cows crowded into the back of a pick-up truck. The look on their face was really funny because they looked like they did not want to move in case they fell out. We all loaded up with stuff and then by 2315 (11:15pm) we were ready to hit the road. I think we all promptly fell asleep but the bus stopped every 2 hours and at some point during the nigt we met up with the convoy…..and I mean 30 - 40 buses, vans, cars whatever carrying tourists to random stops along the way. Very weird to watch the scenery once the sun came out. Lots of vast, empty desert with random housing,

random men carrying guns (sorry cannot take pictures of them) and although the men with guns never changed, the scenery did. We eventually got back closer to water where there were tons of people in the water (well mostly men and kids….and the odd cow, horse or donkey).

Some more of the randomness I saw along the way.

They waved at us as we went by. We were lead and follows most of the day by a police vehicle with several armed officers inside and each time we stopped there would be armed police men outside the bus.

One of the guard towers at a random checkpoint.

Some random housing along the way.

A quick glimpse of Luxor Temple. Don't worry there will be more as we will return to Luxor in a few days.

By 1430 (2:30pm) we finally reached Aswan….to find that it was a mere 42 C (around 108 F. )Yes, so my conservative dress quickly turned into a pair of shorts and a tank top. Our accommodations for today and the next few days…..a cruise ship.

Caroline in our little room. We each had to take a corner so we could both get the stuff out of our bags.

Our boat.

We will stay in port tonight and then sometime tomorrow will head back toward Luxor. We grabbed some lunch, some showers and then quickly onto a little felucca for a trip around the Elephantine and Kitchener Islands. On the far side of the bank (in perfect view from my cruise boat balcony) is the Tomb of the Nobles which I need to learn more about.

The Tombs of the Knobles.

There is also one spot (which is one of many) where it is believed that if you bury yourself in the sand you will be healed of things like skin cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. People claim it does work.

Not our felucca but another one out on the water. So nice.

After about a 40 minute boat ride we reached the other side. Some people went swimming in the Nile. I put my feet in but decided not to swim although the water is very clean as Rafik proved to us. He pulled out a bottle of water and it was perfectly clear except for a few specs of stuff. I’d drink it…..if it was boiled first. They say the water is ok to drink except it can be very hard to digest and that can make people sick. So far I have been fine (knock on wood).

Hanging out in the water.

Anyway from there we hopped on to some camels. Yes I am in Egypt so I had to take a camel ride. My camel’s name was Lambo and he seemed very nice but always seems to be in a hurry.

I was the lead camel in a group of two he kept passing all the other camels. Now I can say I have ridden a camel.…and I never have to do it again.

A little bit crooked I know, but give me a break. I took this while riding a camel.

Our ride on the camels took us to the local Nubian village. Nubian means land of gold. The people in this village are all related to each other. Each village is one family and their entire income is based on tourism (oh and they breed some crocodiles for their meat and skin. The little ones are really cute.). Someone from the village brought us to and from on the felucca, they helped us with the camels and had we had time, they would have sold us many things in their small shops. We got to go into one of the houses and see into a little bit of the lifestyle. They use a refrigeration system using water from the Nile, their houses are painted yellow and blue for the sun and the Nile and the houses all have high dome ceilings to help with ventilation and to reduce the heat. It was very neat.

It was then back to the cruise ship for dinner and bed. There is another long day ahead of me tomorrow.

Julie