Life should be about experiencing the sublime every now and then, right?
And finding it for yourself can be as easy as stepping onboard a felucca and floating on the Nile. Because it, definitely is one of ‘those’ life’s experiences.
There is no engine, no fumes. Instead, there is the flap of sails as they run up to full-mast and being rocked, baby-like-in-a-cradle as a larger boat passes you by. There’s the slap of water against the hull, birds chattering amongst themselves, donkeys (whose names must all be ‘eyyy oww’) calling out to each other, and occasionally the call to pray from mosques in the villages on the riverbank’s higher ground. The only peaceful noises you’ll hear.
Intrepid Trip
I spent one and a half days on a Felucca in June. But could have easily spent a month, I loved it so much. I was traveling as part of an Intrepid Tour Group and there were fifteen of us onboard including a helmsman, cook and a general extra hand. And although we didn’t go very far out of Aswan, we mostly zigzagged across the river, at least the sails were up and I was experiencing a journey for its own sake with no interest in the destination. I was floating in aquatic bliss.
Admittedly, most of my time was spent in a horizontal position absorbing differing quantities of air, sun, and the atmosphere. With temperatures between 35 and 45 degrees, it’s not surprising that the most pleasant times were when the boat was in motion and providing its own natural air-conditioning.
On the deck was a great spot to catch some sun and watch life happening on the riverbanks as we passed each other by. Crops growing and donkeys standing in the shade. Local children mucking about in the water, unaware of their life that formed part of the long and illustrious history of the Nile. And then, an exciting change of pace and ambience on board when the workers’ spring to life to fold the sails and lower the mast so we can cross under the bridge that suddenly soared above us.
The Goddess of Rest
Otherwise, we docked in the sand close to the river bank and luxuriated in the joy of swimming in water that stole your breath at the same time as it cooled you down.
Each meal came around quicker than the last in a continual rest, eat, rest, rotation.
The feasts, cooked on-board on top of a simple two hob burner were always worth the interruption to our worship of the most special of Egypt’s goddesses; the goddess of rest.
The meals which they made up with bread as a staple, also contained lots of vegetables; eggplant, tomato, cucumber, and couscous, fries, chicken, crepes, olive oil (lots of it) and yes, all deliciously prepared with the all-important secret spices.
We slept on board, on the mattresses where we’d lounge during the day but had dinner up on the deck. With the stars above us and light sourced from candles sitting inside recycled plastic bottles. We’d sit on blankets folded into log shapes with the feast spread out in front of us on a Walt Disney characters tablecloth.
Homestay
We spent one night in a local family’s home complete with a scrumptious dinner and curious neighborhood kids. They came to check out the foreigners, practice their English and play football in the vast, open-spaced courtyard of sand that was this family’s backyard.
We took a walk around the small neighborhood where colorful doors were openings to homes sitting on large square meterage. It was explained that as the ground is unfertile the government has given it to inhabitants in much larger plots than what would be possible closer into towns.
We slept on a collection of mattresses alfresco and woke to a breakfast prepared in a combination of the traditional and pleasing to the tourist’s way. The owner and mother also applied henna tattoos for a small fee.
One and a half days of a quiet, slow-paced existence. No drama, no anxiety, no option other than to unwind one’s body and mind.
Yes, definitely one of life’s more sublime experiences.
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