Day 13 of 102

We were scheduled to dock at 06.00hrs this morning, and presumably, we did. 

My stateroom is port-side, midships, with a decent (on this occasion) east-facing picture window through which the rising sun blasted with blinding magnificence. No wonder I was awake much earlier than usual. And just to think, around 1,000 passengers were already out of bed and would soon be on their way to Luxor and the feast of world famous sights Egypt has to offer. It wouldn’t surprise me if that particular excursion of over 13 hours had sold out before the cruise had even started. One is now encouraged to book shore excursions prior to boarding, along with organising any other travel documents, visas, etc. However, the early start and perhaps seven hours on a coach with a struggling (with English) tour guide giving a constant commentary through a dodgy P.A. system (usually far too loud and constantly intrusive) just didn’t appeal.

Jo decided that she might like to experience a submarine dive in the Red Sea, a much shorter and far more attractively timed shore experience. My plan was to take the Jeep ride across some desert for tea and snacks at Bedouin encampment, witnessing what would promise to be a spectacular sunset. Both options had, however, had recently sold out. “Plam B” was to turn up at the coach anyway in case anyone had cancelled at the last minute or that the coach might have had extra seating capacity. This wasn’t to be. There was one further option, a coach to the (now) resort town of Hurghada, some 33 miles from Safaga. We would be allowed three hours to do our own thing. Our tour guide suggested walking a fairly short distance along a bustling and noisy main road and then a few dusty side streets to the Marina where posh yachts were mored and a beautiful waterfront development offered a wide choice of eateries and places to relax, all with (thankfully) luxurious bathroom facilities. Jo was disappointed that a possible glass bottom boat trip had to be pre-arranged. It was lunchtime, and we decided to try out some Egyptian cuisine. What was on offer felt more Mexican as we both chose a fajita, mine with chicken and vegetables, hers with seafood – both with French fries. We had been warned to stay away from anything uncooked, including fresh fruit, salad, and anything prepared with untreated (tap) water.

There was still a slight chill in the air, which actually was quite welcome as the mercury hit 25°C or 77°F, a warmth also welcome in late January. We had arrived at 11.40 and were due back at the coach three hours later. I started to feel a little agitated as both of us had become comfortable at the restaurant, and I wasn’t sure how long it would take to walk back to the coach. I needn’t have worried. I think we had about seven minutes in hand by the time we were back at where the cosch was parked. But there was a mix-up caused initially by somebody having boarded the wrong coach and not realising their mistake. Also, two people had chosen to return by taxi, which might have confused things somewhat.

To accommodate those lucky enough to visit the Valley of the Kings, etc, we were not due to sail away until 21.30 hrs. In fact, we got underway 45 minutes later. Jo and I had a hot drink in the Carinthia Lounge after boarding the ship somewhere around 4 pm. A quiz was taking place, at the end of which, we were recommended to view the sunset. Distant hills and nearby dockside machinery obliterated what might have been something quite spectacular as in previous evenings.

Open sitting in the Britannia Restaurant is turning out to be an attractive alternative to second sitting dining, which begins at 8.30 pm, which is really too late for what might become a heavy dinner. One can show up for dinner any time between 6 and 9 pm. You do not have the same table each night, and you get to know different people each evening. I feel that this works, although I did have some doubts at the beginning.

In the Royal Court Theatre, there were two Egyptian folkloric performances, one at 7 o’clock and again at 9 pm. We chose the first performance, dining shortly after 8 o’clock. I wasn’t expecting anything particularly memorable, but it would probably be quite nice to see. In fact, the show started off quite impressive, becoming increasingly spectacular right to the end. All the entertainment so far has been most enjoyable.

My first ever visit to Egypt is one I shall remember with pleasure. And yes, I do have it in mind to set eyes on all that used to fascinate me as a small boy.

Many thanks for reading, David, 08.33 BST +2, with 4 sea days before our next port of call, Salalah, Oman.