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Destination
Egypt – The River Nile

Where is it situated?

South of Cyprus in the Middle East, bordering Libya and Saudi Arabia. The Nile Valley runs from the borders of Sudan to the Mediterranean.

Temp/Weather

Very hot, a dry and intense desert like heat. The traditional season runs from late November to late February with December and January being peak months as the heat is much more bearable. March to June is also good as the climate is tolerable but resorts are less crowded. July to September is amazingly hot and makes sightseeing very hard work.

Currency                                             
Egyptian pounds (£E) pounds

Current rate as of
£1 Sterling = £10.87 Egyptian pounds

Dominant religion                               Muslim                                         

Festivals/Public Holidays
Ramadan; Ras el-Sana el-Hegira (Muslim New Year); Moulid el-Nabi (the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday)

Shopping
Not a country you would visit to go shopping but you can buy some fantastic items at the markets, particularly scarves and pashminas.

Treatment of women
The perception of western women in Egypt is that unless you are married and accompanied by your husband, you are considered loose and a likely practitioner of casual sex. Women travelling alone or with other women are likely to be viewed unfavourably whilst those wearing a wedding ring and travelling with their husband will be seen as respectable. This perception appears to come from the movie industry and the way western women tend to dress. A woman sharing a room with a man to whom she is not married would be frowned upon also. When out and about I always wore full length summer trousers and thin summer shirts. This always made me feel very comfortable.

Approach to life
Very hard working and dedicated to religion.

Avoid!
As a woman, I would avoid exposing too much flesh whilst outside your resort not only for the reasons mentioned previously but also because of the heat. If you respect the morals and beliefs of the Egyptians you will get their respect in return.

Must do!
All the sight seeing offered as part of the Nile Cruise package. The sights are amazing and whilst they can involve a lot of early morning starts (especially in very hot weather) it is so worthwhile.

Nice to know
On board your Nile cruise boat you are seated at the same dinner table for each meal. The tables are usually for around 10 people so you sit with the same people for each meal throughout the trip. It is rather quaint and old fashioned and a very nice idea I thought. We made some great friends with the people on our table and would socialise with them as well. Very 1920’s……..

Experience
Egypt is the oldest tourist destination on earth and one of the best ways of seeing its treasures is on a cruise down the River Nile. Unlike ocean cruises where all you see is the sea until you dock, there is so much of real Egyptian life to see as you slowly cruise along the river. Always a new landscape, people fishing, children playing, there is always something to look at so you will never tire of the view. There is something quite magical about waking up in your cabin, drawing back the curtains and looking out onto the sun sparkling on the Nile before going to breakfast.  There is so much to see along the banks of the river so everyday comes with a new temple or ancient ruin to visit and generally a very early (6:30am) start! Some of the many wonders you get to see include the Temple of Luxor, the Temple of Karnack and the Temple of Kom Ombo. Two of the biggest attractions are the Valley of the Kings where you can visit the tomb of Tutankhamun; and Abul Simbal the famous sun temple which Ramses II had four statues of himself carved out of the mountainside. All package tours come with your own tour guide/Egyptologist. Our guide was fabulous and added a touch of mystery and fun to our excursions with his knowledge. His ancient tales made each monument and temple come alive, which is really what you need to keep you going at 7am! As well as the cultural aspect of the cruise you can also visit The Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan which is where Agatha Christie wrote the book “Death on the Nile”. If you are lucky you will also see the cruise boat on which the film was made which is still used today. Taking a cruise on the Nile was something I had always wanted to do and it surpassed my expectations ten fold!

Rebecca Graham

Rebecca Graham is a thirty-something, relatively normal (read slightly quirky) woman, who like most people have my pet hates about this life and society we live in. Keeping up with changes, juggling career and the demanding life of a domestic goddess is all very tiring! I lead a simple life with my husband and my gorgeous cat and dog, always in the hope that one day I can afford to give up work and do something far more interesting…