Let me start by saying that this is my first overnight cruising of any type. It was a bit of a shell shock at first. Let me explain.

We boarded our dahabiyas, The Roman, around noon on Monday, May 20 in 100 degrees plus heat. So it’s hot.

Dahabiyas are sailing boats and we are sailing south towards Aswan, while the Nile flows North toward Cairo. There is also not much of a breeze! So it’s slow.

Cabins are on the “ground” floor while the top floor is wide open communal space covered by canvas tent material. The cabins have “AC” powered by a diesel generator (I think). There are also fans lining each side of the top deck and in each room.

We have had an excellent guide here, who is following us down the Nile. Early in the trip, he informed us about “Egyptian Minutes” which are much slower than the minutes we are accustomed to in our real lives.

What does this all mean? A welcomed break from lots of touring? Yes! Time on our hands in sweaty weather? Yes!

Also, my daughter pointed out, “Mom, did you expect to be the oldest people on this trip?” Our cruising companions: couple from Uruguay just back from diving in the Red Sea who snorkel each morning in the Nile- maybe 40s; 2 30ish couples, one from Brooklyn and one from Columbia celebrating 1st wedding anniversaries; Young couple from Ft Wayne Indiana; Mary and Francie; and the the old folks (us). I guess that is why they gave me a life ring when I jumped in the Nile yesterday.

All of our meals are family style with our fellow cruisers.

Yesterday we disembarked for tours of sites at Edfu and the Temple of Horus.

There is occasionally a change of scenery along the Nile from the lush banana plants and other Nile delta agriculture. Irrigation is plentiful and well constructed to support farming. We have seen sugar cane, banana (which are deliciously sweet), mango, corn, wheat.

We have also experienced some local rural color:

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