Cruising the Nile

Planning to take a Nile cruise but don't know what to expect?

Here is our own experience so that you can have an idea of the places you will see and the things you will do:

Route: Luxor to Aswan
Ship: St. George I
Nights: 4

Day 1
                     Embarkation
13:00-14:30 Lunch
15:30            Visit: Karnak and Luxor temples
17:00-18:00 Tea Time
20:00-21:30 Dinner (smart casual)
21:30            Dancing music
-overnight at Luxor-

About Day 1:
The first day onboard we explored the ship, got acquainted with the other passengers and in the afternoon visited the wonderful Temples of Karnak and Luxor.

A statue of Tutankhamen and his wife

Day 2

05:30-06:30 Breakfast
06:30           Visit: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's Temple, the Colossi
                     of Memnon.
12:30            Sail to Esna
13:00-14:30 Lunch
17:00-18:00 Tea Time
19:30            Welcome Reception
20:00-21:30 Dinner (smart casual)
22:00            Rababa Show (folkloric show)
-overnight at Esna-

About Day 2:
This morning we started early so that when we visited the temples it wouldn't be so hot and crowded.

In the Valley of the Kings your entrance ticket entitles you to visit 3 tombs of your choice. This doesn't include the tomb of Tutankhamen; if you wish to visit that one you will need to pay an additional fee (about 100 Egyptian pounds, but of course the fee is subject to change). Also keep in mind that some of the tombs may be under maintenance and for this reason you may not be able to see them.

At some point between Hatshepsut's Temple and the Colossi of Memnon we made a stop at a Marble shop. There they explained to us how they polish the marble and turn it into beautiful cups, flower vases and ornaments. After the explanation you can see what they have for sale and buy something if you like, but I strongly recommend you not to do it as this place is special for tourists which means everything is overpriced.

Regarding the Rababa Show, it took place on board at the Lounge bar and I liked it very much, this one is worth watching.

Hatshepsut's Temple

Colossi of Memnon

Day 3

07:30-09:00 Breakfast
09:30            Visit: Edfu Temple
12:00            Sail to Komombo
13:00-14:30  Lunch
17:00-18:00  Tea Time
18:00             Visit: Kom Ombo Temple
20:00-21:30  Egyptian Dinner
21:30             Galabiya Party
-overnight at Kom Ombo-

About Day 3:
Outside the temples you will find shops selling all kinds of souveniers: statues, scarabs, books with pictures of the temples in different languages (english, italian, spanish, french, german, japanese...), traditional clothes, sunglasses, etc.

Don't miss the Egyptian Dinner because it is your chance to experience all sorts of wonderful dishes from soups to desserts. The Galabiya party is also fun, you can buy your Galabiya (traditional dress) at a local shop or on board. If you don't wish to buy one, no problem, you can still join the party! There will be music and games and everybody is invited to participate. In most of this games you have to do something on the stage (like dancing for example), so it is sort of guests entertained by other guests.

Edfu Temple

Cute family of cats in Edfu Temple

Kom Ombo Temple

Day 4

07:00-08:00 Breakfast
08:00            Visit: High Dam, Philae Temple, Unfinished Obelisk.
13:00-14:30 Lunch
15:30             Felucca Ride
17:00-18:00  Tea Time
20:00-21:30  Dinner (smart casual)
22:00             Belly Dancing Show
-overnight at Aswan-

About Day 4:
The felucca ride is an interesting experience but just keep in mind that if you don't have wind your felucca won't move. In our case that's what happened, so another boat pulled us so that we could reach our destination, which was Kitchener's Island.
About Kitchener's Island, it is a botanical garden full of palm trees and different kinds of vegetation. Besides that there is nothing else to see in there so don't expect any ruins or monuments, ok? Only trees here.
At night we had the belly dancing show which I felt was not as good as others we had seen before. The dancer performed briefly and then she chose people from the crowd and brought them to the stage to dance (once more, you become the entertainment).

Philae Temple

Philae Temple

Felucca

The next morning after breakfast we did the check out and continued with our trip.

About the ship: The rooms were good, the swimming pool was ok, the spa was more like a hair salon, the lounge was very nice and comfortable and the restaurant was also nice. There was a souvenir shop and a jewelry shop. The service was great, everyone willing to help you and trying to make your stay a pleasant one. The food was also good, we didn't get sick (nor any of the other passengers we talked with) and there were plenty of options, also suitable for vegetarians.

Sonesta St. George I

Sun Deck

Bathroom

What I liked the best about the boat? Waking up in the morning and looking from my bed at the yellow of the sand, the green of the vegetation and the blue of the Nile.

If you want to try cruising the Nile you can book directly with the cruise company or through a travel company. With the travel company they can also arrange other tours and visits before and after your cruise, so this is very convenient.

How to get there:


Cruise company- www.sonesta.com
Travel company- www.industravels.ca

Calamansi juice

It was in the Philippines where I first experienced this refreshing drink that tastes like lemonade and smells like tangerine.

The Calamansi grows in many parts of Southeast Asia and is particularly popular in the Philippines where you can find 'Calamansi juice' almost everywhere. They prepare it squeezing it into a glass, then adding some sugar, water and ice. In other parts of the world you may find Calamansi under the name of  'acid orange' or 'Chinese orange'.

Calamansi juice

Try it!

Khantoke dinner

If you ever visit Chiang Mai (northern Thailand) you must definitely experience a Khantoke dinner at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center.

The name Khantoke comes from the words “khan” which refers to the traditional northern foods served in small bowls, and “toke” which is the name of the low lacquered table in which the foods are served. Northern Thai families traditionally sit in cushions and eat around this low table. The whole atmosphere feels very cozy, you sit on the floor with cushions around and eat dinner with your fingers.

Speaking of dinner, it consisted on sticky rice, different kinds of curries, fried chicken, fresh vegetables, fried vegetables, crispy pork skins and fried bananas, all very tasty!  While we were eating an orchestra played traditional instruments on the stage.

After dinner the orchestra moved to the back and the dancers came on stage. One of the dances they performed is called "Fawn Tian" or "The Candle Dance", in which the dancers move their hands and fingers with graceful movements along with their bodies while holding lighted candles. Another dance is called "Fawn Leb" or " The Fingernail Dance” in which the dancers use fingernail extensions made of brass so you can see more clearly the movements of their fingers.

Fingernail Dance

Celebrating Dance

Kinggala Dance

We were impressed by the Sword Dance, were a young boy performs a martial-art-like dance with sharp and quick movements while sorting 12 swords with hands and legs.

Sword Dance

You can go by yourself or chose a tour company to arrange it for you. The later is easier because you don’t have to worry about anything, they pick you up from your hotel and ensure a place for you, and when the show is over they can take you back to the hotel or drop you off at the Night Bazaar in case you want to do some shopping.

How to get there:
Old Chiangmai Cultural Center
185/3 Wualai Rd
telephone: (053) 275097
homepage: www.oldchiangmai.com 

Khantoke Dinner and Hill Tribe Shows  nightly 7:00pm to 9:30pm

How to obtain a UAE visa?

To enter in the United Arab Emirates you may need a visa, and this one can be obtained either upon your arrival at the airport or you may need to obtain it prior to your arrival, depending on your nationality. For example, some countries like Great Britain, Japan and Canada can obtain the visa upon arrival but others like Russia, Brazil and Mexico need to arrange it in advance. If your country falls in the second category then there are a few things you need to know:

Who arranges your visa?
-Your 'sponsor', which if you are a tourist means the hotel, or your tour operator or the airline.

Not all hotels are ready to help you with your visa arrangements, so I suggest contact them first and make sure they will help you, before you make any reservations with them. In the case of airlines, if you travel by Emirates Airlines they will help you with the arrangements, if you travel by Etihad Airways they won't help you. As with the hotels, check before you buy your ticket.

What is the process to apply for the visa?
-The hotel will send you via email a visa application form that you need to fill in and return with a color copy of the first four pages of your passport, a recent color photo 4.3cm x 5.5cm size and a copy of the front and back of your credit card.

Why they need a copy of the credit card?
-To pay for the visa which is about 500AED (fee is subject to change)

When should I start the visa application process?
-At least 2 weeks before your arrival in the UAE.

What happens next?
-Once the visa is ready, the hotel will send you a copy. It is important that you print this copy and bring it with you because you will need it. The original will be at the airport, so make sure they know where you will arrive (for example, we were staying in Dubai but arrived at Abu Dhabi airport).

Abu Dhabi International Airport

One last note: We contacted several hotels in Dubai regarding our visa arrangements but the one that replied to us the most promptly and accurately was the Raffles Hotel, we obtained our visa following the process mentioned above through this hotel. If you obtain your visa through an airline or tour operator the process may be slightly different, so check with them in advance.