April 6, 2009
By far the worst day of the entire trip on many many levels. First, I was rudely woken up around 3am by noise from our arrival in Edfu as they were docking the boat. I contemplated on whether or not this would be the day I would get up to see the sunrise as I try to do this on every trip I go on, but alas I was too grumpy to enjoy something amazing like a sunrise. So, I attempted to go back to sleep.
After another coffee start (notice not breakfast, but coffee!), I was ready for my guide by 7:30. He was a little late and I don’t think I ever got his name…. After stepping off the boat, my guide negotiated a horse carriage driver to take us to Edfu Temple. About half-way through the ride (10 – 15 minutes in total), I started having trouble breathing as the horse hair was being kicked up and blown towards me and my eyes started to itch and burn….Luckily, we got to the Temple and I had a chance to recover a bit.
The guide began to show me Edfu Temple. It was quite beautiful and is a huge complex. However, I had to control my laughter throughout much of his explanation because he spoke to me as if he was telling the best drama story known to man. Me, a lone tourist…it was just comical. I wish I had taken a recording of the way he spoke about Hhhorrrus. LOL! Ah, I giggle just thinking about it. Anyway, he left me for a few minutes to walk around and take pictures. So, I was pretty content, though I was still suffering from itchy eyes and horse allergy.
Since all of my transportation had been provided for through my package, I didn’t say anything about taking the horse carriage back to the boat. Along the way, my guide said I should give the driver 3EP when we got back – or so I thought he said. When we got there, I gave the driver 3 1EP coins thinking that was enough.
My guide stopped and said, “No, it was 30EP.”
I asked, “For what?!”
He said, “That’s what the service cost.”
I thought he was full of it and as I never really had more than 50EP on me at any given time based on advise from my first-day’s guide, I told him,
“I don’t really have that kind of money on me.”
“What? You don’t?” he asked surprised.
“Whatever, here.” I responded annoyed by this point since my shortness of breath had returned and my body was itching from hives forming in response of my horse-hair allergy.
I handed him the money and walked away. He didn’t seem to really understand I was pissed off and said, “I’ll see you in Kom Ombo then at 3:30.” I just waved and walked off. After getting back on the boat, I had a little self-pity cry to myself as I washed my hands and face to get the hair off those areas and sat waiting for my breath to return to normal. Once that was settled, I texted Ehab to ask if it was normal or required for me to pay more than tip for the transportation. Ehab called me right back and asked about the situation. Then, he said he would pay me back some of the money when I got to Aswan because I shouldn’t have had to pay anything. So, I felt relieved and went to bury my frustrations in my book on the boat deck.
We set sail for another stop on the Nile at Kom Ombo. The Kom Ombo Temple is a unique temple in that it was built to worship Horus the Elder and Sobek (the crocodile god). It is symmetrically built to equal worship each god. So, the carvings are similar but the god image is changed. I was quite fascinated by all the different carvings of the crowns of the columns here as well. π Kom Ombo was an important area as it was a military base and trading center between Egypt and Nubia. It was actually a lovely area along the Nile.
During the tour, Ehab must have called my guide because there was some arguing and yelling going on, which I tried to ignore. After my guide gave me the final bits of historical information, he left me to take pictures, showed which direction the exit was and took off! Usually, I was taken back to the boat to ensure everything was okay, but this guy was gone. So, the good thing is that I didn’t have to give him a tip! π
Once back on the boat, the day got a bit more interesting. The night before, Waleid, my masseur said he would offer me a free massage in the afternoon if I wanted it. Not being one to refuse a massage, I said “Sure!” and went to wait for him after I returned from the temple. While I was waiting, a guy was sitting at the computers using the Internet. So, he struck up conversation with me and it turned out that he was the manager of the boat. He told me about how he studied Tae Kwon Do and learned from a Japanese teacher about energy (ki). He asked about me and I thought it was a pleasant-enough conversation. He says we should wait on the boat deck for Waleid, so I follow him up to the deck where he offers me a drink. Me not being sure about paying for the drinks declined since I had plenty of my own water in my room. So, then the man said it was too hot, so we should wait downstairs. After being downstairs for a couple of minutes he asks if I like chocolate. I say, “Not really, thanks.” Then, he says to follow him and we can wait in his room…. I hesitantly follow the man to his small room where he has about 10 pairs of nice Italian shoes lined up, a stockpile of cigarettes, chocolate, etc. In his room, he offers to give me a free “Energy Vibration” massage for 15-minutes. ha ha. I politely decline and say I’ll just wait for Waleid. He asks if I’m sure and I confirm. Then, he offers to let me stay in his room to wait for Waleid…I tell him it’s okay, I’ll just wait downstairs. So, we return downstairs and Waleid has returned….
What the heck was that about? I dunno, but it was a very strange experience nonetheless. How do these things happen to me? At least it was “safe”. I need to stop being so trusting, I have been told, but then again I wouldn’t have such great little side adventures to share. Let’s just hope I continue to have “happy” endings!
So, ends Day 5. Just a few more to go.
More to come…
-T
