Aswan

I wake up various times throughout the night because people are leaving at 3am to go to Abu Simbel. Due to the late arrival in Aswan many of the groups have had to fit in a massive day of sightseeing. This means a 2.30am wake-up call for the 3am bus to Abu Simbel. Arriving back in Aswan to see the High Dam, Unfinished Oblisk and the Temple at Philae. Most will then have to board an overnight trains or bus to their next destination. My new found friends from America and Norway were catching a 6pm bus to Hurganda that would not arrive till 1am. They then had to board a 7am ferry over to Sharm el Sheikh. I was just thankful that I could take my time. Pushing yourself that much on your holiday is the last thing I wanted to do. Although that would not have been the case if the boat was not a day behind schedule.

I grabbed my stuff and head down the Corniche to my hotel. I change hotels and stay at the Hathor Hotel because it is 50 EP cheaper. The Horus Hotel was preying on my reservation over the internet for charging me 10 euro per night. When I checked on the Hathor to see how much they charged I was swayed by the price. I had a look at the Horus later that day and I was certainly not worth 10 euro per night.

I grab my bag at once and leave to investigate the town. The front line of shops and hotels lining the Nile show their age and the constant disrepair of footpaths, roads and other amenities is depressing to see. I want to see the souq or market street which is supposed to be very good. It resembles the one in Luxor but is longer.

I wander off the beaten track and come across the real streets of Aswan where the tourist rarely goes. It is twice as dusty and dirty but an interesting sight none the less. I take some tea at a shisha house and meet a local lawyer called Mohammod. He is enjoyable company and takes me to find an internet cafe and an English newspaper. He turns out to be really nice and doesn't hassle me at all.

I spend the rest of the day just walking around the streets seeing what Aswan has to offer. I arrange my Abu Simbel tour through the help of the fantastic guy at the tourist office. A real champion. He informs me that I can get a better deal around the corner at a hotel for 40 EP instead of the 55 EP my hotel wanted to sell me. Just like Luxor there is alot of hassling and they try and rip you off, but I try and ignore it. I return to my room fairly early to get some sleep because I will be up very early the next day.