Cruise the Nile in Style

SSiinnccee tthhee ddaawwnn ooff cciivviilliissaattiioonn,, tthhee rriivveerr NNiillee hhaass iinnfflluueenncceedd bbootthh tthhee hhiissttoorryy aanndd tthhee ppeeooppllee ooff EEggyypptt.. IItt wwaass hhoommee ttoo tthhee PPhhaarraaoohhss aanndd tthheeiirr ffiinnaall rreessttiinngg ppllaaccee.. Today the worldÕs longest river is still EgyptÕs backbone and life support and its banks are lined with temples and tombs from ancient times. Cruising the Nile is the best way to see the wonders of this ancient country - and itÕs also great fun. This is the perfect holiday for sociable culture vultures. The food on the cruise boat is international and plentiful, but miss out the iced drinks and salads if you want to avoid Egyptian tummy. Afternoon tea on deck at five every evening is a very civilised way to round off an afternoonsÕ sightseeing, or a gentle few hours cruising along the river to the next port of call. The nightly entertainment on board ranges from belly dancing and whirling Dervishes to a fancy dress party, where some of us acted out a Ôhammed upÕ version of Death on the Nile! Having flown to Luxor, we sailed upstream to the tranquil Temple of Hathor at Dendarah, where the cow-eared head of a goddess tops six stone pillars. We then went on to see Abydos and the great Temple of Seti I, with its extraordinarily fine reliefs. Back on board, we cooled down and enjoyed lunch and later a swim in the small pool. The scenery on each bank, as we glided almost silently through the smooth water, was peaceful and fascinating, passing small villages and lush irrigated fields, contented animals and children swimming amongst floating purple flowers. Returning to the riches of Luxor, we visited the Temple of Luxor and then on to the mighty Temple of Karnak, whose size is staggering. The grandly complex courtyards, pillars and gateways are magical - and even more so at the ÔSound and Light ShowÕ in the evening. Luxor itself has a laid back feel and horse drawn carriages clip clop up and down the main tree lined boulevard. A visit to the West Bank is a must, with its scorched copper landscape of arid sandstone valleys and cliffs hiding the tombs of numerous kings and queens. Passing the two huge figures of the Colossus of Memnon in the Valley of the Kings, we visited the tombs of Tutankhamoum, Ramesses and Seti I and the magnificent Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. The treasures of Tutankhamoum are now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The most exciting experience of this trip was taking a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings as dawn was breaking. It was breathtaking and well worth the cost, which included a champagne breakfast in the desert! We drove back past houses painted with wonderful coloured murals. Cruising once again down stream towards Aswan, we passed through the great locks at Esna, where locals were trying to sell us galabayas (caftans), and tablecloths from below us on the quayside. Everywhere brightly coloured and sparkling clothes were for sale in local markets and bazaars, along with beautiful silver and brassware. The Temple at Edfu has amazingly clear carvings and we visited the Temple at Kom Ombo before sailing into the lush setting of Aswan itself. From the Mausoleum of the Aga Khan to Elephant Island and the mighty Aswan High Dam to the Temple of Philae, there is much to see in and around Aswan. Most spectacular of all was a short flight away to see The Two Temples of Ramess II at Abu Simbel on Lake Nasser. These temples were moved through the co-operation of UNESCO in 1968 to a higher site when the Aswan dam was built. The massive figures of Ramesses II flanking the temples dwarf all around them and inside it is awe- inspiring. Night- time in Aswan found us riding in a horse drawn carriage to visit the bazaar and having a drink in the Old Cataract Hotel, where Agatha Christi wrote Death on the Nile. In daytime the harbour is alive with white sailed feluccas tacking merrily across the blue water. After a lively farewell party on board, we flew north to Cairo. The Sound and Light Show bringing to life the Sphinx and the Pyramids was well worth the night chill, but by day I rode a horse through the sand up to the great pyramid at Giza. Although knowing exactly what they look like, nothing prepares you for the absolute splendour of these monolithic edifices and you marvel at how they were built. But then marvellous is the only word to describe the wonders of Egypt. From the golden death mask of the boy King Tukankhamoum to the mosques and bazaars of Cairo, and all the other wonders we saw, itÕs truly a holiday to remember. After ten days of temples and travel, we spent five days relaxing at LuxorÕs Hotel St. George in total luxury. October to April is the best time to visit Egypt, before the heat gets too intense.