Desert, Sand and the Aswan Moon...

Listening to: The Muezzin

All those weeks of researching and booking accommodation over the net has been a total waste of time and energy - good learining curve though. We stayed one night at our chosen hostel in Aswan and had to hit the streets again to find somewhere else. The quality of the next hostel is no better but the last place had no lift and 8 flights of stairs (70 in total) - my dodgy knee was really beginning to scream after walking up and down a few times. I need it to hang in there as there are so many sights to see that require a lot of walking. Aah the joys of budget travelling hey? The new place is just as basic and grotty but has only 12 stairs and still a view of the Nile :)

And what a beautiful, magickal spot on the Nile it is. Sitting at the Aswan Moon Restaurant (still a much loved and favourite haunt) kicking back with a cool drink, the sandy dunes of Nubia just across from the calm, tranquil waters of the Nile. This would have to be the most spectacular spot.

Aswan with a population of just over 1 million makes this such an easy going, relaxing place after Cairo. It's definitely a step back in time. Besides more ships cruising the Nile (just over 250) not much has changed since '91. It's a surreal experience for me as we sit at the Aswan Moon watching the serenity of life on the Nile go by.

Even though there are so many things to see and do here, the easy, slower pace is contagious and the idea of rushing here and there to do this and that doesn't sit well with the atmosphere of Aswan. We seem to be running out of time already before we head to Luxor, so we just have to decide what the highlights will be for us. I plan to revisit some places and aim to visit things I missed the first time around.

So look for the next instalment once we've been somewhere and done something as for now we're just living in the moment and taking each day as it comes and being as spontaneous as possible.

It's soooooo' good to be travelling again and we're both loving Egypt! Alwayz a winner for me but it's so great that Dave is loving it too! And the culture and its people are just magick!! (once you get past the horse and felucca touts and the hassle LOL)

This is Midnight rambler seeing you somewhere down the Nile...

PS: Feel free to comment on anything posted here - it will be nice to hear from home occassionally :)