Spitting camels and other Egyptian tales...

As I write this I am looking out onto the Thames as it stretches into the cold, grey distance outside my office. London is showing small hints of the coming summer here and there but on days like today I just have to imagine I am back on the Nile, sunbaking on a gorgeous blue-skied, sunny day as we cruise along on our felucca. Egypt was unforgettable and amazing - and although we did an insanely quick tour and probably should have lingered a bit longer to appreciate it all, it really was perfect. I have some stunning photos (nothing to do with my photographic skills and everything to do with the scenery) which I will post some of - here is a taster though. This one was taken as dusk settled on the Nile just outside Aswan. We stayed overnight on a felucca, stopping on the banks to have a campfire and a freshly prepared feast of foul (bean stew), tagine and fresh fish, before sleeping under the stars. This was one of the most relaxing parts of the holiday - the major sightseeing delights were obviously the phenomenal pyramids of Giza, the stunning treasures of the Egyptian museum and the mystery of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. These huge touristy events were mixed with more 'local' experiences like a camel ride on the west bank of Aswan through colourful nubian villages and to the top of a mountain in the desert, and a sunset bicycle ride through the sugarcane fields on the west bank of Luxor (after which we went back to our guide's house for tea on his roof).