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Elephantine As always when we are on holiday we sleep very well and today we wake up with a brightly shining sun in the sky.

Egypt, travelogue January 2004 [4]

Elisabeth & Teije
2004-03-06 13:37:17

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Saturday 17 January, a trip by felouka to Kitchener's island and Elephantine As always when we are on holiday we sleep very well and today we wake up with a brightly shining sun in the sky. After breakfast our first stop is at the terrace of the Old Cataract where we have some coffee before we walk down to the landing stage at the bottom of the rocks.

We have informed at the reception if the sailors there ask normal prices and according to them they do. Bu they start asking € 15 per hour! That is almost 120 pounds while the normal price on the boulevard starts between 20 and 30 pounds and then you can still get the price down. We laugh at them and walk away. They call after us that the prices have become so high (diesel for a motorboat costs about € 0,10 per liter and a felouka only needs maintenance). The average waiter's salary is 200 pounds a month so 120 pounds an hour is a ridiculous price, but maybe some guests (after all, this is a 5-star hotel) just pay it. We don't and we even don't want to haggle with these people. Of course, they don't like that and come after us for some time but we just keep laughing at them.

On the boulevard we have an ample choice. There are not many tourists so everyone tries to earn what he can. At last we agree to go with captain Gelal on his felouka with the name 'Elizabeth'. He gets totally wild when he learns that is also my name. Elisabeth on the Elizabeth, he keeps shouting.
There is a strong breeze (almost always coming from the north while the current goes from south to north) and it feels very good to be on the water, especially in the bright sun. We first tack to the northern point of Elephantine where we can see the tombs of the nobles on the westbank, in the hot desert sand.

On Kitchener's island we stop to walk around the island. It has made into one big botanic garden, very beautiful but also very expensive: 10 pounds ...