The past few days have been interesting yet really cool. Had to get up at 3AM Thursday to catch the police convoy from Aswan to Abu Simbel. I would estimate 20 tour buses and 80 minivans in my convoy and they have 3 convoys each morning. Didn't see much police other than 1 cop at the front car with a machine gun so I think its more unsafe than safe. Anyways...after a long, really uncomfortable drive we arrived at Abu Simbel at 8:00. When the van picked me up from my hotel, I ended up sitting next John, a guy I met at the Cairo airport in line trying to buy visas...small country I guess. A few others were on the bus, Will (Aussie), Phillip (Canadian) and Maxi (German)...we all walked around the temples together which were incredible. I'll get the pics uploaded...but the exteriors were egyptian gods carved into the rock similar to petra...i'd say at least 30 meters tall. No pictures allowed inside and we got busted a few times, but I was able to walk out with some good shots. The van wanted to take the 10AM convoy home so we had about an hour and half....all in total..7 hours of driving for a little over an hour visit...it was worth it.
Van was delayed getting back to Aswan so when I got back to the hotel I had to leave immediately to join the felucca for the sailing trip up the Nile. Jumped on at about 1:30 and sailed almost 20km up the Nile before making camp along the shore. A few other boats were at the same area and we enjoyed a good dinner, campfire with some beers sitting on the shores of the Nile. My boat was an Aussie couple and a retired couple from the States so I offboarded pretty quick and hung out with the youngsters from the other boats...ive met more aussies than anyone travelling so i think there is nobody left in australia! Definitely a good experience and I think if I'm ever back in Egypt I'll stay on the felucca for longer than 1 night.
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