A crush

12 long hours on the train I was happy when we reached our destination Aswan. I really needed to go to the bathroom I had been holding for hours. Mel went on the train and warned me what she saw and told me to hold on unless I really needed to go. When we reached our hotel it was unlike our previous hotel, this one was brand new it had a pool in centre of all the rooms and the sun shone right in. After settling into our room and having a bite to eat I went down by the pool and baked in the sun. It was a much hotter down south, no smog in the air just clear blue skies.

Late that afternoon we met the group in the lobby and took a bus to the Nile where we all boarded a boat. It was my first time to be on the Nile. The boat was long and thin it had a canopy to shade you from the hot sun there was a man wearing a galabia was at the rear of the boat steering the single motor. A galabia for those that don't know is common dress for a man from Egypt the best way I can describe it is a cotton long shirt that goes all the way down to the feet some have a few buttons at the top and some have a V-neck cut out. Down south of Egypt the galabias worn are most likely a brown or grey colour. It's designed to keep the man cool from the hot Egyptian sun.

You could smell the fumes of the motor of the boat as we cruised down the river. The water was calm only rippled when another boat passed us by. The landscape was beautiful and always changing. Sometime rocks came down to the edge of the river sometimes it was sand or grass. We cruised through a narrow area where there were low lying trees on the riverbank I could hear children singing. I look behind me and then see them floating down river on planks of wood. The children are singing to us, they reach out for the boat and are now hanging onto the tyres that are attached to the sides. One of the children is now in the boat setting up a mat with handmade jewellery. The pieces are beautiful some are wooden some are beaded. Both Mel and I purchase a necklace. Mine is a wooden one and Mel's is made of white beads. Once the children had finished selling their jewellery to us they jumped into the water and disappeared back into the trees.

The sun is setting behind us as we dock at a village. It is a traditional Nubian Village. Nubians are the ethnic people on the south of Egypt. Their skin is a lot darker and looks more African unlike Egyptian from the north of the country that looks more Middle Eastern. Nubians also have their own language though they also speak Arabic.

We walk around the village then Marwuan takes us to a Nubian school. Here we are shown around by one of the teachers. Our teacher is very amusing. He asks each of us one at time to go to the front of the class and say our name, on a white board he writes our name and then tells us to copy below. Once we have copied our name he gets us to turn around to the room and then with a big smile on his face and in a funny voice he says "CHEEESSSSEEE" There was always someone with the camera of the person standing up the front of the room taking photos. Each time he says cheese the whole room bellows with laughter it never got tiring.

After eating dinner and walking through the village shops we made our way back to the hotel. Some people including Mel stayed out looking for items at the markets but I was way too tired after the long train ride the previous night so I went back to my room. We had to be up at 3:30am to join a convoy making its way further south to Abu Simbel.

In the morning we woke and made the 3 hour drive down to Abu Simbel. I watched the sun come up through the window of the bus. There was nothing but sand for as far as my eyes could see. The sand glistened as the sun reflected off it. There were buses in front of us and buses behind. We needed to be in a convoy because there had been trouble in the past where terrorist had attacked tourist in the 1990's. When we arrived at the Abu Simbel Temple we were introduced to a new guide who would be showing us around. In the gates of the temple you notice guards everywhere all with rifles or semi-automatics. It was a little unsettling at first. We took a seat at the front of the temple and our guide explained the sight to us, when then had free time to look around. Abu Simbel is an extraordinary temple built by Ramses II it is four gigantic statues of Ramses II chiseled right into the hillside. Beside this temple is a smaller temple for his queen Nefertari. The temple looks over Lake Nasser. It is a beautiful place.

After looking around for an hour we made our way back to the bus. Mel and I took a seat on the back seat and some of the other girls in front of us. The sun was high in the sky now as we made our way back to Aswan. Marwuan made his way up the back of the bus and sat in between Mel and I. To this point I had not yet had a conversation with Marwuan I kept my distance because I was still hung up on my first impression. But to my surprise he was actually very funny. His English was very good, his accent was quite sexy. When he smiled I couldn't help but smile also. Maybe I was completely wrong about him. For the whole trip back to Aswan we sat eating lollies, discussing cultural differences and laughing at each others stories.

Back in Aswan it was now early afternoon our bus dropped us off beside the Nile where we were to board a Felucca this is what we were staying on for the next two nights. A Felucca is a traditional wooden sailing boat that Egyptians have used for thousands of years to get up and down the Nile. On the boat there was one large mattress it took up the whole boat except where the crew would be cooking. There was no toilet on the boat if we needed to use the bathroom we had to ask the crew to pull over at the side of the river and go in the bushes. Cooking was done on one gas portable stove. There were two ice bins filled with water, soft drinks and alcohol that we had to previously order a few days before.I placed my sleeping bag at the front of the boat and Mel placed hers at the back. As well as traveling together we wanted to ensure to have some space also.

The boat sailed crisscrossing up the Nile it was so peaceful and calm I sat there looking out at what was on the riverbanks.I saw farm after farm some of crops some of animals The sun was slowly going down some people started drinking alcohol. Mel and I had ordered a bottle of wine and bottle of Vodka between us for the 2 days. The alcohol was Egyptian the vodka was called Volga and just like the name it tasted vulgar. But with heaps of soft drink added it was drinkable. The crew put on some music Bob Marley was playing. So here I was cruising up the Nile, drinking Volga and sprite, listening to Bob Marley playing cards with a few of the others. I was so relaxed. Every now and then I would find myself staring in the direction of Marwuan as he made his way around the boat talking to all the little groups that had formed. I had to stop myself I didn't want him or anyone else to see me staring. I think I have formed a little crush.

It was getting dark the sun was almost gone for the day. The felucca docked up on the banks of the Nile. The crew had placed a row of food down the middle of the boat. It was all traditional Egyptian food. There was flat bread, cooked eggplant, potatoes in a tomato sauce, chicken drumets and a salad mix. The food was basic but delicious Once dinner was finished the crew set up a small fire on the beach and started a sheesha. A sheesha is a water pipe that is used in the Middle East to smoke tobacco in. You can smoke plain tobacco or tobacco flavored with fruit. I had a sheesha back home in Australia I had received one as a gift a few years earlier so I was interested to see if it tasted the same here where it had originated. As expected it taste better I got some tips off the crew so i could make mine taste this good when I got back home.

Only a few joined the crew on the banks of the Nile most people stayed on the boat. Still drinking I was feeling a little drunk I had only had the one beer and one wine on the holiday before today so I was drinking the vodka pretty fast. Marwuan came and joined us by the sheesha. It was starting to get late most people had left the fire and back on the boat sleeping. Marwuan sat down beside me and asked me what I thought of the trip so far. I told him it was great and being a little drunk the following slipped out my mouth "but it would be better if I could kiss you". He went quiet. Then replied "I'm sorry I can't." Oh my god what have just done? My heart sunk into my stomach. I know nothing about this guy he was at work and he could be have a girlfriend, or married with children and me being a drunken fool said out loud what I was thinking. All embarrassed I replied "oh of course you can't" I looked the other way we both sat there in silence for what seemed like ages but was only about a minute then I said "well I'm tired I should be going to bed" I got up and went to the boat.

Lying in my sleeping bag looking up to the stars I was cursing myself how stupid of me to be a drunken fool and say that. Now I have to spend the next 10 days felling awkward. I tossed and turned until I finally fell asleep.