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Hi, from Edfu!

The alarm was set for 07.00 this morning. I need a good amount of time to get turned around in the mornings, hate to be rushed. Everything was done and ready for us to toodle down the stairs at 08.55, ready to be picked up at 09.00. Yes, I had remembered to water the plants and turn of the water and the water pump. We were all set to go and the Djed Egypt mini-bus was bang on time.

As we left Luxor, I asked the rep if there were no more people to pick up, "No, only you two." came his answer. I could hardly believe it, we were going to have a whole Dahabiya to ourselves for the next four days!!!!! I'm pleased to say, however, that we weren't going to be by ourselves, when we boarded the boat at Esna, we were soon joined by a charming Dutch couple. (One thing I found quite strange, but typically Egyptian, was that they had also been brought from Luxor that very morning, but in a different mini-bus!)

The crew wasted no time in getting underway. At first, we were towed by our ever present tugboat (on a long towrope, so there was no disturbance to us "Olde World" travellers) but after a short while the gigantic lateen sails were unfurled, the rope dropped, and we were under the silent wind power!

We lunched on deck at 12.30, very tasty tuna pizza, with baladi salad (yuk, rabbit food) Spaghetti with tomato and a large bowl of french fries. This was followed by a plate full of lovely sweet bananas. As usual, I forgot to take a picture!

"We will go ashore at El Kab at three o'clock" trumpeted the English speaking guide, Abdullah, "I will give you warning about fifteen minutes before." I, of course, went to bed. There he was, at 2.45 knocking on the door and waking good sleeping folk! It was about 3.25 before we moored up and went ashore. Then we had a quite long walk to the tombs, we had to cross the railway track and the main north/south highway before we got to the site. The tombs were interesting, for tombs. And the guide was very good' explaining the various hieroglyphs etc. On our walk there and back we passed a large mudbrick enclosure wall, it seemed to be about 15 feet or so thick. Abdullah explained to us that this is where the Pharaoh stored the foodstuffs during the seven years of plenty, before the seven years of famine, as the bible story goes. Some fascinating bits and pieces, I've got to admit.



By the time we were back onboard, it was teatime; English tea and chocolate cake on the sundeck very nice and most welcome. Another little sleep was then the order of the day, along with sorting things out in the cabin, before dinner (again on the sundeck) at 8pm.


Dinner consisted of beef, rice, okra and chick-pea rabbit food. It was very tasty also, but I preferred the kanafa which was served up for pudding!

I'd better go now, as we have our tea and biscuits to get before the power goes off in a few minutes. I'll speak to you again tomorrow.