First day in Aswan and switching hotels

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With the bustling market next to our hotel, we were woken up early with the sound of traffic. We phoned another hotel and have managed to book two rooms for the next two nights, so after breakfast we got a cab to head over there. As seem to be the case here, the first price the cab driver asked was 4 times the going rate. It was only after we got out and began to remove our bags off the roof, did he bring the rate back down to what I know to be a fair price for the short distance to the next hotel.

This second hotel, the Keylany, immediately felt welcoming. The rooms were clean and a decent size and there was satellite TV and free wifi as well. All for $30 a night for two rooms - half the price of the previous night. The manager was quite kind and helpful, but unfortunately could only book us in for two nights as the hotel was fully booked for the weekend so after getting settled, Evy and I headed off to see what other options there might be.

Being the Egyptian winter holiday, we found many of the places we looked at were booked and the few that were not were none too appealing. We visited a few travel agents too, to get prices for tours. Though quite good value, the prices for these cruises would have put a major dent in our budget given that we have 5 more months of travel ahead of us.

The second option that we could consider, and I really hoping to do, is to sail down the Nile on a Felucca. To me, this seems like a more unique option than some package tour party boat, so we crossed the street and followed the walked along the promenade, stopping on the way to talk to felucca captains. I had thought the idea of interviewing Fellucca captains sounded difficult, but in truth there are dozens of them all approaching you, so it is quite easy. In order to get a price comparison, we were asking what the price of a 2 hour trip around the harbour area would cost. Our first quote was the highest at 150 Egyptian pounds (about $30 Canadian). Eventually we found captains quoting 60 pounds ($12 Canadian). We took a look at several boats and got several business cards before heading back to the hotel to pick up the kids for lunch.

For lunch, we returned to the Avenue that follows the Nile and stopped at a place called the Aswan Moon for lunch. The restaurant itself floats in the Nile with a shade roof covering it. It was refreshingly cool to be on the water and watch the feluccas quietly sailing by.

After taking our orders, our waiter asked if we would be interested in a felucca sail around the harbour as he knew one of the felucca captains. We mentioned that we had been checking prices and asked his price. He matched our lowest offer and said he could introduce us to his felucca captain. He made a quick phone call and a short time later we were having talking with Mahmod, the felucca captain. As we were really more interested in prices to go down the Nile towards Luxor, we began discussing this. His price was 75 Egyptian Pound per person per day (about $15) including 3 meals and sleeping on the boat. I realized that this was higher than the government rate, but still quite affordable and included food plus the permit, so we agreed to get back to him later to let him know for sure.

After returning to our hotel to get some school work done, Benjamin and I took a walk in another direction from our hotel, through the old market, to get buy some fruit and snacks. The old town has a very relaxed feel to it. Not nearly as pushy and driven as some of the more touristy parts. Donkeys pull carts through the streets and men sit in front of coffee houses smoking water pipes. We bought some soft drinks at one place before stopping to buy fruit at a second place and returned to the hotel for the evening.

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