The kiss

My head was hurting I had the worst headache I looked at my watch it was 6:45am I popped my head out of the sleeping bag the sun is up and there is a mist above the river. A few people were up and walking into the bushes to use the bathroom. It was then I remembered what I did the night before. I could not tell Mel about this I won't tell anyone about this how embarrassing I will act like it never happened that's my plan I will keep this to myself and I will not drink tonight to ensure I don't do anything silly. I drank some water hoping it would help with my headache. I lay there for 5 minutes then decided to have a swim it always helped in the past when I had a hangover. In my sleeping bag I slipped into my bathers.

Slowly I made my way into the water I didn't want to wake the others that were still sleeping. The water was freezing at first I dunked my head under. When I came back out some people were standing on the bank looking at me. "your crazy" someone said "it must be freezing" I nodded then went back under my headache was slowly going away.

I walked out of the water and back on the boat to dry off Marwuan was now awake he nodded his head and said "good morning". I could feel my face go red I replied "Morning" then went back to my sleeping bag to get out of my wet bathers. Everyone was now moving around the boat, a few of the boys jumped off the side of the boat for a swim before we would be taking off sailing again for the morning.

The fog had now lifted all the sleeping bags were folded and put away, we were now sailing up the river. I had position myself at the front of the boat lying in the sun reading my book. I had also given the crew my iPod so instead of listening to Bob Marley over and over like the afternoon before Jack Johnson was playing in the back ground. I was back in that relaxed place not worrying about what had happened the night before. A few others joined me at the front of the boat. We spent the morning talking and lazing around like lizards on a rock.

Lunch time the boat docked again this time we were at a sandy beach the sun was really belting down on us time for another swim. The water was a lot warmer than this morning. We were jumping off the side of the boat and the boys were wrestling each other in the water a few of the girls just sat on the sand and watched. By this stage of the tour everyone started to know each other really well so there was a lot of joking and laughing going on.

After lunch we set sail again. This time I sat down the back of the boat with my sister and the other girls. They started drinking but I declined Mel thought this was strange I blamed it on the headache I had in the morning I told them I would join them later that evening for a drink. I was watching Marwuan out the corner of my eye I got busted a few times as he was looking in my direction but I quickly turned my head the other way.

The sun was falling low in the sky so the boat docked again for the evening. This time there were other boats docked either side of ours. Some boys from the other boats were already playing football up on the sand so the boys from our boat went and joined the game Mel, I and few of the other girls went to watch until it was time for dinner.

A big bonfire was lit when it hit dusk everyone sat around it. One of the crew members started playing a drum and other crew members joined in by singing. Before we knew it everyone was up on their feet dancing around the fire. Cody a guy from New Zealand had bought fire twirlers so I went over and joined him learning how to do the tricks. After burning my legs a few times on the fire twirlers I went back to where the party was. I stood back and watched until Mel grabbed my hand and made me join. Mel and the other girls were all well on their way to being drunk. It was now time for me to have a drink.

I walked onto the boat to get the bottle of wine Marwuan was on there with the two single boys from our group talking to two girls from another boat. A feeling of jealousy come over me. What was going on with me I never feel jealous. I made my way to the ice bin close to where they were standing and got myself a drink. Marwuan turned to me and told me that these girls are also from Melbourne like me. I took a seat on the ice bin, the girls started asking me questions about where I living in Melbourne and what do I do for work. These girls were young and still studying at University. They were very drunk and flirty with the boys.

The ice bin I was sitting on was on the top of the boat, where Marwuan was standing was on the lower deck where the crew did their cooking. Marwuan leaned on the ice box his back where my legs were. I felt a shiver go through my body. He put his arm behind his back and put my legs over his shoulders, the next thing I knew I was on top his shoulders. Laughing and trying not to fall I told him to put me down I was worried he was going to throw me in the water. He also was a little tipsy. Once he did I said I had forgotten to take a drink back to Mel I turned took the wine from the ice bin and walked off the boat and joined the girls around the fire my heart still beating fast.

It was now very late most our boat was already sound asleep. a few were still down the other end of the boat playing a drinking card game two of these being my sister and Marwuan. Mel called out for me to join but I pretended to be asleep the last thing I wanted to do was being talked into playing a drinking game.
The next morning I woke up feeling fresh unlike the day before. When I popped my head out of the sleeping bag this morning most people were already packing up their sleeping bags. We were departing from the boat soon to make our way to Luxor. After packing up my bag I had a quick splash in the Nile it would be last chance I would get to swim in the Nile.

In Luxor our bus stopped at an alley. Off the bus I followed the group down the alley to our hotel. Like all hotels Mel and I were sharing a room. This hotel didn't have a working lift so we had to walk up 5 sets of stairs with our bags on our back. Our room was tiny; it had two single beds and just enough room to walk around the beds. At the foot of the beds there was dresser that had a television on it. There was a glass door that opened to a small balcony we had no view we looked straight into window of another building. I could not get the hot water to work but I didn't mind too much. After Mel and I had a quick shower we had to go back downstairs we had two sights to see that afternoon.

As soon as I walked outside I got hit with a wave of heat. Our first stop for the afternoon was the Karnak Temple. The Karnak Temple was huge. Once we made your way in through Avenue of Sphinxes we entered to the main court yard I walked amongst the great pillars that were perfectly lined one after each other, the pillars are easily taller than 11 people. There are lots of fine details calved on the walls, pillars and obelisks. It really was an amazing site. Sweating in the heat I had to find some shade I sat and watched Mel as she took photo after photo.

Our next site was Luxor Temple thankfully the sun was going behind the mountains so it was cooling down. Another group joined our guide. This temple was just a beautiful as the last but on a smaller scale. Because it was getting dark the temple had lights shining against the pillars and statues it made it more magical. It reminded me of a grand hall in a palace but without the roof. I could really imagine what it would be like all those thousands of years ago.

After walking through this site our group all met out the front. We were going to walk to have dinner. On our way to dinner we walked through the Luxor markets. Like the market in Cairo it was filled with colours and sweet smells. The same trinkets and clothes were also available. I felt more comfortable in this market because we were in a group I had a go at bargaining and purchased a lamp and small sheesha.

We had dinner at a traditional Egyptian restaurant. I ordered an Egyptian Pie which is very much like a pizza but with a pastry base. Most of the group ordered the Kofta. Kofta is a Middle Eastern skinless beef sausage. After dinner we made our way back to the hotel here we met on the roof for a drink because it was going to be the last night with the whole group, the people that were doing the 8 day tour would be taking a train tomorrow evening back to Cairo.

Again beer was the only drink available I ordered one and sipped on it slowly as I looked out at the view of the Valley of the Kings Mountains. The mountains were illuminated with different colour lights. As we sat around talking and drinking one by one people left to go to bed. I looked around it was just Marwuan and I left alone.

Not knowing what to say I asked about tomorrows sites. We were going to the Valley of the Kings this is where many of the mummies tombs were discovered. From then the conversation turned from the sites to spirits and ghost. Then that turned into a conversation about fears. Because most people's fear is about love our conversation then turned into relationships. The conversation was getting to deep for my liking. And I didn't want to be in the same situation as the first night on the felucca I looked at my watch it was now close to 2am. I used this as an excuse not to discuss the topic anymore. "It's getting late I should go to bed " I said hen silence he looked at me and nodded " Ok" I got up from my chair started walking towards the stairs hoping he would ask me not to go. But he didn't when I reached the stairs I turned back to him and said "Goodnight" he said it back I then made my way downstairs leaving Marwuan sitting there by himself. Back at my room door I stopped I questioned myself if I should go back up the stairs but then thought if he wanted me to stay he would have asked me not to go.I don't want to embarrass myself again.So I opened my door and went to bed.

A few hours after falling asleep my alarm went off. Mel was already up and in the bathroom I must have been completely out of it because I did not hear her walking around the room. When she came out the bathroom she did not look good at all she was pale and dark under the eyes. "Are you ok?" She shook her head and went to lie back on her bed. She told me that her stomach wasn't feeling the best but should be ok.

After showering and breakfast we met the group in the lobby for our daily site seeing. A few of the group were missing, four were already at the site because they had done a balloon ride at sun rise over the Valley of the Kings and a few were up in their room sick with the same up-set stomach that Mel had. When we went to the bus there was already another tour group aboard waiting for us they would be joining us for the site seeing today.

On the way to the site the movement of the bus was not agreeing with Mel she was getting worse. By the time we reached the site she had to run off the bus to be sick. She could not go on and do the sites I went and got Marwuan he was going to have to take her back to the hotel.

After Mel and Marwuan left we made our way into Valley of the Kings. The Valley of Kings is the ancient burial ground that was used by the Pharaohs , it is also where the famous tomb of Tutankhamen was found. We followed our guide around the site. The guide was not allowed to come into the tombs with us and explain so we had to stand out in the heat and hear the history of each tomb. A few more people were starting to feel sick and standing in the heat was not helping them at all. What was going on, the group were all getting sick. I was hoping I wouldn't be next.

It was extremely busy slowly in a line we make our way into the tombs, once inside the tombs the air is incredibly dry. You need to keep drinking water as you are walking through to keep your throat from drying up. Lucky Mel didn't come because it would have been really hard for her I was not sick but the thickness in the air while walking through the tombs was a struggle. The colours on the wall are still vibrant and all tell a story we were not allowed to take photos inside which was disappointing because the pictures painted really were beautiful.

Once we had walked though four of the tombs it was time to go to our next destination. Back at the bus Marwuan had returned from the hotel. I asked him how Mel was and he told me that she was safe and sound in her room. The next site was Queen Hatshepsut's temple. This temple was dedicated to the longest running female ruler of Ancient Egypt. Like all the other temples I had visited over the last few days it was decorated with statues and. sphinxes by this point I was over looking at temples and was happy that it was the last temple I would be visiting on the tour.

Back at our hotel as I walked into the room Mel woke up she was still looking terrible. Beside her bed was a trash can so I knew that she was still not keeping anything down I told her that almost half the group was now ill and that we figured out that it had to be the kofta from the previous night. Luckily we had a nurse in our group who told us what medication to purchase at the pharmacy to stop the vomiting and stomach cramps. In Egypt you don't need a script to get drugs at a pharmacy you just need to know the name of the medication and if they have it they will sell it to you. So I gave Mel the medication that was recommended and told her I was going to go for a walk to find a internet cafe while she continued to sleep it off. We had a few hours free time before we were to leave to our next city and I couldn't spend it sitting in that tiny room that reeked sickness.

Walking out the lobby I hear someone callout my name I turn around and it Marwuan. "Where you going " he asks. I told him that I was just going for a walk to find a internet cafe and maybe go to the markets for a look because I didn't want to sit in my room while Mel slept. "Do you mind if I come with you? I need to find some jeans" he says. "Um yeah sure" I reply" I would feel a lot safer with a guy with me anyway". We start walking to the markets talking just general chit chat then he stops. "Did you mean what you said the other night" knowing perfectly well what he was talking about I started walking again "when I said what?" . Marwuan stops walking again "When you said you wanted to kiss me". I laughed trying to hide my embarrassment "oh that yeah but I heard you say No all is good". We continued walking not saying anything until we reached the markets. He asked if I was looking for anything in particular. I wasn't so he asked if we could sit at a cafe and have a sheesha. I said that was fine.

At the cafe I ordered a Pepsi and he ordered a chai and sheesha. While waiting for our drinks I was looking around at the people that were walking past then Marwuan spoke "I do want to kiss you to". I stopped looking around and looked at him trying to contain my smile on my face I then asked why he said no the other night. He told me that he doesn't just go kissing every girl that asks for it and he wanted to get to know me better before he was to do anything like that. He also went on to say that after I left him on the roof the night before that he waited there for another hour hoping I would return. I felt butterflies. I didn't tell him that I also questioned myself if I should go back up the stairs.

We then went to the men's clothes store he was talking about but it was closed. "What now?" I asked "Do you feel like having a drink?" I really needed a cold alcohol beverage so we agreed we would go back to the hotel to have a drink. The upstairs bar was closed Mel was still sick in my room so we went to Marwuans room. He went downstairs and ordered two beers then came back up. We sat on the edge of the bed in the aircon watching an old Arabic movie he was explaining to me the story line as he had seen the movie many times. The beer was going down fast even though I didn't like it I was so nervous I just kept drinking. After I finished the beer he asked if I wanted another. There was no way I could drink another so I declined. He then asked if I would like a kiss instead. I nodded my whole body was shaking nervously. He then leaned in and kissed me I will never forget that first kiss and the butterflies that took over my body.

There was a knock on the door Marwuan pulled away from kissing me and opened it. It was Cody the kiwi asking about his departure time because he was one of the group that was taking the train back to Cairo. Embarrassed that Cody had seen me in Marwuans room as soon as Marwuan closed the door I was up on my feet. Marwuan asked where I was going I said that I had to go pack my bag and check in on Mel.Not giving him a chance to stop me I left his room and ran up the stairs to my room. When I got back to the room Mel was awake watching TV and packing her bag she was feeling a little better. I didn't tell her what just happened I walked straight into the bathroom and had a cold shower to cool myself down.

 Time to leave for our next destination we made our way down to the lobby of the hotel. The group that was leaving back to Cairo were also there saying their goodbyes and exchanging emails and Facebook details with the members of the group that would be going on to Dahab. Our bus had changed it no longer was a huge 40 seater is now was a mini bus that could only hold at most 15 people. We loaded our bags on the roof and took our seats. I sat in the seat behind the driver Mel went and sat up the back with another girl Lauren so they could lay across the back seat and sleep. Marwuan took a seat up the front of the bus beside the driver. I put my Ipod in and we were on our way.

After an hour into the drive I received a text on my phone? I looked at my phone and did not recognise the number it was not an Australian number so I had no idea who it was from. It read "How are you?" unsure who the message was from I replied "Who is this?" A message responded straight away. "The man that is sitting at the front of the bus lol" He then turned around and smiled at me. It was Marwuan but how did he get my number. It took me about 30 seconds to figure out that I had called him from this number on my second day in Cairo asking about money exchange. I was impressed that he was smart enough to look back at his phone records to get my number.
I replied "I'm good thanks and you" then put my phone on silent I didn't want everyone to know I was exchanging messages with Marwuan because unlike me his phone was beeping every time I replied. A few flirty text messages went back and forth before we reached our city for the night.

We were in Hurghada a city that is located on the coast of the Red Sea. Hurghada was unlike the other cities we had visited on our tour. It was a resort beach town so very clean and well maintained the roads were real road not dirt tracks and there were paved footpaths to walk on. The main street was lined with flags from around the world. The people that you see walking around are not covered up they are wearing bikini tops and shorts and the men no tops at all. A lot of the shops signs were in English and what looked liked Russian no Arabic. I didn't really feel like I was in Egypt anymore.

We checked into our room it was now dark and getting late so we dropped our bags off and met down in the hotel lobby straight away to go and get some dinner. We had dinner at a cafe that was next door to the hotel. The cafe served cocktails so I ordered one and some calamari which was delicious. Some of the group were still feeling unwell they left as soon as they finished dinner to go to bed. There were still about 5 of us sitting at the table at the cafe drinking. Marwuan put his hand on my leg under the table it made me jump because I wasn't expecting it. Everyone looked at me. "A mozie bite" I said while trying not to laugh.

An hour later everyone was gone it was just Marwuan and I sitting at the table drinking and smoking sheesha. We were talking about how we were going to do this without having any of the group know. I didn't want anyone to think badly of me and I didn't want it to get back to his office what he was doing. He then told me that his office wouldn't mind if no one complained and he said that this kind of thing happens all the time with tour leaders and girls in the group. Ouch that hurt. Of course this stuff happened all the time but I didn't want to hear about it. I then felt uncomfortable and said that I should be going to bed. I got the money out of my wallet and put it on the table and started to leave. He grabbed my hand. "Where are you going? Don't go I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything". I sat back down "No it ok really, I'm just tired" I said. He asked me please to stay until he finished his drink and sheesha. I accepted he ordered me another drink. I canged the conversation we started to talk about Hurghada and Dahab the place we were going to next.

Our drinks were finished and time to go up to our rooms he held my hand. It fitted like a glove and felt so right but I still had the previous conversation running through my mind. I can't fall for this guy I will be leaving back to Australia in a week's time and will never see him again I have to remember that this is just for fun just holiday romance. While walking back to our rooms he said he would really like it if I was to share his room with him tonight. I didn't say anything i just nodded.

As we walked past my room I took a deep breath was I really going to do this? If I was to go back to his room now I knew what would happen. Did I want this to go further than a bit of kissing and flirting? As he put his key into the door it then when I said "I'm sorry Marwuan but I can't" He stopped the key from turning and asks "why?" I couldn't answer all I could say was "sorry" and I turned and went to my room. As much as I wanted to go into his room I knew if I did I would fall for him more and I didn't just want to be another notch on his tour groupie belt.

Back in my room I was pacing back and forth from bathroom to bedroom with my hand on my red hot cheeks. I have just blown it there is no way he will continue doing whatever we are doing now. Twice I have walked out on him. Oh well it probably for the best I kept telling myself. Mel was fast asleep I really wanted to wake her and talk to her about everything as she had no idea what was going I hadn't even told her that I liked Marwuan. I would tell her everything in the morning she will be able to tell me I'm being stupid and I will agree and get over it. I went to bed but had very little sleep my mind would not stop thinking about the day's events.

In the morning when I woke up Mel was up and looking much better we got dressed and made our way to breakfast. I didn't see Marwuan at breakfast thank god I was not ready to see him yet I had not had my pep talk with my sister. After breakfast we made our way to the beach. We had a few hours free time before we had to be back on the bus to go to Dahab.

The beach was packed filled with tourist from Eastern Europe. Blonde haired tan bodies were everywhere you looked. Mel, Lauren and I found a sun bed placed our towels and headed straight into the water. Once we were all in the water I told the girls what had been going on. They had no idea. Mel was shocked I could keep this all a secret until now. I told them that nothing was going to happen from now on even if I wanted it to I had ruined it. "Thats ok don't need to stress Becks in a week you will never see him again and move on to the next crush" Mel said. Even though Mel was probably right I still couldn't stop thinking about it.