Aswan blues

Snap back to a new reality - the endless boulevard of harassment. Dahab was great, but damn, I feel soft. We've just hopped off a 24 hour bus - train combination and as we stroll along the Nile, our backpacks straining to the sky, an invisible signal goes out. All touts, uber-friendly salesmen who work for commission, descend on fresh meat. Imagine sprinkling food into a fishbowl.

Everywhere we turn, some offers felucca, papyrus, alabaster, taxi, hotel and horse. I'm getting hoarse saying la-ah shukran (no thanks) and Steph is ready to explode. As the tether reaches its limit, we find a perfect room and watch the feluccas tustle and the sun making its descent below the mountains. The depth and breadth of the Nile is immense, easily a couple of kilometres wide, dark like jet black ink. Desert laps the shores, and I shudder to think how hot and inhospitable Aswan, and indeed Egypt, would be without these cool, life-giving waters. I can imagine Pharaohs thundering up and down this very river, and boats by the thousand - a little like it is today.

Two things are in close proximity to Aswan. First, its close to Abu Simbel... our travel plans there are in the pipeline, but more about that later. Second, it's the hopping on point for a quintessentially Nile thing to do - a ride on an Egyptian sailing boat, the felucca. There's plenty of people ready to sell us a trip, but we want a couple of days and nights sleeping on the boat and sailing along the river. As luck would have it, our coffee shop man knows a 'friend' who can organise our trip - sounded a bit shady but we decide to go with Mr Coffee shop. When we get back from Abu Simbel, we'll jump onto a felucca for 2 days and 2 nights.

<div>Snap back to a new reality - the endless boulevard of harrassment. Dahab was great, but damn, I feel soft. We've just hopped off a 24 hour bus - train combination and as we stroll along the Nile, our backpacks straining to the sky, an invisible signal goes out. All touts, uber-friendly salesmen who work for commission, descend on fresh meat. Imagine sprinkling food into a fishbowl. Everywhere we turn, some offers felucca, papyrus, alabaster, taxi, hotel and horse. I'm getting hoarse saying la-ah shukran (no thanks) and Steph is ready to explode. As the tether reaches its limit, we find a perfect room and watch the feluccas tustle and the sun making its descent below the mountains. The depth and breadth of the Nile is immense, easily a couple of kilometres wide, dark like jet black ink. Desert laps the shores, and I shudder to think how hot and inhospitable Aswan, and indeed Egypt, would be without these cool, life-giving waters. I can imagine Pharoahs thundering up and down this very river, and boats by the thousand - a little like it is today.</div> <div>2 things are in close proximity to Aswan. First, its close to Abu Simbel... our travel plans there are in the pipeline, but more about that later. Second, it's the hopping on point for a quintessentially Nile thing to do - a ride on an Egyptian sailing boat, the felucca. There's plenty of people ready to sell us a trip, but we want a couple of days and nights sleeping on the boat and sailing along the river. As luck would have it, our coffee shop man knows a 'friend' who can organise our trip - sounded a bit shady but we decide to go with Mr Coffee shop. When we get back from Abu Simbel, we'll jump onto a felucca for 2 days and 2 nights. </div> <div>Forty kilometres north of the Sudanese border lies the town of Abu Simbel, well known for its Pharoaic era temple built by Ramses II. Looking south towards the heart of Africa, this imposing group of four 20 metre high solid stone Pharoahs peer menacingly at any would-be intruders. At 6am, Abu Simbel lies quiet and uncrowded and even after more than 3200 years, the huge monolithic Pharoahs are as intimidating as ever. Back in Abu Simbel town, the feel is distinctly African. Skins are black, and hair is tightly curled and dark - most identify as Nubian rather than Egyptian. As most tourists visit Abu Simbel on a day trip from Aswan, we pretty much have the place to ourselves. Locals are generally friendly, and more interested in conversation than the size of our wallets. How refreshing!</div>

Forty kilometres north of the Sudanese border lies the town of Abu Simbel, well known for its Pharoaic era temple built by Ramses II. Looking south towards the heart of Africa, this imposing group of four 20 metre high solid stone Pharoahs peer menacingly at any would-be intruders. At 6am, Abu Simbel lies quiet and uncrowded and even after more than 3200 years, the huge monolithic Pharoahs are as intimidating as ever. Back in Abu Simbel town, the feel is distinctly African. Skins are black, and hair is tightly curled and dark - most identify as Nubian rather than Egyptian. As most tourists visit Abu Simbel on a day trip from Aswan, we pretty much have the place to ourselves. Locals are generally friendly, and more interested in conversation than the size of our wallets. How refreshing!