The best part of Egypt. Perhaps this would be more difficult to answer in summer, but in winter it is definitely the felucca trip down the nile.
I say in winter because of these stats.
In summer, 20 out of 25 participants WILL get the runs (and occasionally get it at the other end too).
In winter, only 1 person will get them. On our trip, the score was nil all.
A felucca is an Egyptian sailboat. Ours was purpose built by On the Go, our tour operator, for up to 10 people. Think of a catamaran that has a huge deck built between the 2 hulls which is covered with a huge carpet, and above a huge fabric sunshade.
The idea is to float / sail down the Nile for 2 nights, stopping occasionally for a toilet break. Given beers cost only $2 these breaks were needed more often than thought. At least for the ladies. We gents figured out soon enough that you could do your business off the back of the boat, providing a 5 star cruiser wasn't passing at the same time.
So, for 2 days we basically had Girraween on a boat. Sitting around, lying around, occassionally getting up for a beer. Getting served our delicious pita bread with feta, olives, chicken, tomatoes, yoghout, honey etc.
The first night we docked next to a Nubian village (we were well and truly close to ancient Nubia, Aswan is in the far south of Egypt, as is the immense Aswan High Dam and the world's largest man-made lake Lake Nasser - named after the first Egyptian president).
We had Nubian tea, a milky number with cinnamon and sugar, as well as the world's cheapest Shisha. From memory we had apple flavour (along our Egyptian travels we have had cherry, apple, strawberry, melon just to name a few). Sherif we believe had something a little stronger as he went from his usually loud and crazy self to a more mellow Sherif. Nubians get into the greenery!
Following another relaxing day of beer, sitting around etc, we stopped again the following night on a Nile island. It was like parking the felucca on the edge of Lake Wabby on Fraser Island, all sand, quite nice water, but a little less steep.
The Nubians again entertained us with some wicked drumming and singing. We were of course obliged to join in (not for the first time both Nunu and I were to participate in local music!).
AIIIIIIII-WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (yes in Arabic)
The Felucca terminated at Kom Ombo temple where we caught up with some of the 'soft' members of our tour who had opted for the 5 Star cruiser (beers incidently were $7 on that boat!).
