Vacations are time to relax, but that doesn't mean you have to stay in the same place all the time. Hopping around while travelling might be more tiring to the body, but definitely more relaxing to the soul, at least for me.
I did have some vacation periods just for the good ol' beach and chill, but in the vast majority of opportunities I have to travel, especially abroad, it's almost unthinkable to stay in the same place with so much to discover in a new country (or old one).
And Egypt is not an exception, even more given its rich history and the amount of stuff I want to see and do. Alas, it's actually being an awesome surprise!
I'm not the most culture focused traveller at all (nature and wildlife >> art and culture), but I'm enjoying learning about Egypt's history and mythology a lot more than antecipated. Seeing temples and hieroglyphs with your own eyes is far more impressive than just hearing about them.
Not only seeing an amazing form of writing for the same time, hopping around carried me for another new experience: my first cruise!
Cruises never appealed to me, but since there was an opportunity to cruise the Nile in a short duration cruise, took the opportunity. And loving the experience without the boat even starting the travel: after checking in on the cruise, we took a small boat for a little Nile stroll, a chance to learn a little about Aswan (from where the cruise ships)... and even some birdwatching! Egrets, cormorants, even ibises fly along the Nile and perch on the nearby rocks and trees.
I'm even more glad given how good the cruise conditions seem to be, especially since I booked in online with a local company, with the price a few hundreds euros less than most of the quoted prices I got, even from egiptian guides - guess this makes me enjoy it even more!
Add to it an afternoon visit to another impressive temple with a sunset to top it up, and we have a perfect cruise start.
And now, chilling on the upper deck, soaking the warm morning sun and enjoying the seagulls flapping around, with a nice book to keep me company and the bridge camera in case some friendly bird wants to come closer and pose for the photo.
The main species I would like to get on camera would be a Nile crocodile, though. I've already been told that the chances are very slim but in any case... fingers crossed! 😉
