On the 10th of March, I had to get up at 4.00 a.m. because they’d booked me on the 7.00 a.m. flight from Cairo to Luxor. I was picked up on time at 4.45 a.m. by the same car and driver but a different guide. We made good time to the airport, this time to the small domestic terminal nestling next to the international terminal. There was a crowd queuing to check in but my guide went to what I think was an unmarked check-in and quickly got the formalities dealt with for this, my first Egyptair flight. We then said goodbye. I spent a while writing a word file to incorporate in the blog, then I had a cup of tea and croissant at the small café. Although fairly basic, waiter service was provided.
When the flight was called, I passed through security to the waiting area. A bus drew up immediately outside. We boarded the bus which then drove in a ‘U’ to the aircraft waiting not 50 yards from where we got on! In fairness, the main internal road ran just outside the departure lounge so I suppose they’d decided to use the bus rather than having people dicing with death trying to cross the road but it’s the shortest ride I’ve ever had.
My seat number was 20A so I started to walk back along the cabin from the front entrance then I discovered that, on this aircraft (an Embraer 170, I think), the front row is numbered 20! In fact, I was in the tiny club class section. It was a short journey of just over an hour to my destination, Luxor, so there was only time for a drink and a bread roll. Most of the country we overflew was desert but, as we approached Luxor, we could see the Nile and the green swathe on either side which the river irrigates.
We landed safety and the business class disembarked first. I was surprised to find there was a separate transfer bus laid on for the business class passengers. This time, the journey was a few hundred yards. I met my guide – a very well-spoken, smartly-dressed young man - and we waited for my checked bag which only took a few minutes to arrive. Then we walked to the car and driver and set off for the short drive (around 10 kilometres) to Luxor City. It was only a little after eight and embarkation time on the boat was shown as noon, so I was worried as to what I’d do but my guide was unruffled.
The city was something of a surprise. The unkind first thought was “A bit like Blackpool, but less tasteful”. The proximity to tombs and temples means they’ve been catering for tourists for over a century and tourists have clearly been arriving in large numbers. When we got to the Nile, I was amazed to see rows of Nile cruisers, moored up to five deep all along the Corniche. Most of the shops seemed to be cafes of one sort or another or selling tourist souvenirs. We carried on south for a few kilometres, past a series of slightly more upmarket resorts and private moorings for Nile cruisers, until we came to the one for the Oberoi ‘Zahra’.
A short driveway at right angles to the road led past a security hut to a car park flanked by a grassed area. Moored at the river’s edge was the impressive-looking Hotel Ship ‘Zahra’. It was only 8.50 a.m. but I was welcomed aboard and seated in the Club Lounge area with a 'Welcome Drink' of locally-produced sparkling wine with hibiscus. The passengers from the previous cruise were still breakfasting, prior to leaving. One beaming English lady assured me “You’re in for a treat!”. Tapan, the Manager, dealt with the check-in formalities and invited me to take breakfast with the departing passengers, but I declined. He assured me my room should be available soon and that the wait will be no more than an hour – in fact it was much less. After a conducted tour of the facilities on the boat, I was shown my spacious and well-appointed room. During the morning, the other passsengers arrived and at 12.30 we all enjoyed an excellent A La Carte lunch in the dining room, prior to our afternoon excursion by road.
