This feature was first published in the print editions of the Manchester Evening news in May 2007. I have replicated it here for the sake of my archive. See travel page (top right).
“Hello family” greets our tour leader Mohammad – he might look all of 25 and have the style of a young Lionel Ritchie but his openly affectionate greeting seems to be infectious and it’s not long before the group of mostly over 50s, normally reserved, British travellers are soon comfortably shouting back to Mohammed’s enthusiastic gesturing.
I look around me at this new “family” to which I belong. There’s the woman who will celebrate her 91st birthday on board later in the week, there’s an elderly gentleman travelling alone, groups of retired couples setting out to fulfil life-long ambitions of travel to far-off lands and just one young child.
And then there’s a few of us “youngsters” – people in our thirties and 40s who are not accustomed to being the the youngest in any other gathering these days. What a strange family we are with Mohammed at the head of our clan. “Let’s attack it” he enthuses as we set off for our excursions into the dusty heat of the Ancient temples.
The cruise offers ten excursions within the price of the break which attempt to unravel the mysteries of ancient Egypt.
Well organised and accompanied by tour guides who have studied Egyptology, the visits to the famous temples of Luxor, Edfu and Karnak are soon brought to life. The enormity of the work entailed in creating such magnificent buildings, carvings and sculptures is both awe-inspiring and thought provoking and as we gaze upon the complicated scenes created all those millenia ago it’s impossible not to wonder about that ancient civilization, the families that lived and worked then and the messages they carefully prepared in the lasting medium of granite and plaster .
Weary from the heat and beauty of the temples we eventually become “templed out” and head back to our floating base.
With just 112 berths, the Star of Luxor is a small ship – don’t expect the non-stop restaurants, beauty parlours and gyms of the floating cities now circulating the globe – this is a much cosier affair.
The cabins are comfortable with a basic en-suite shower room for each, the dining room serves up a good selection of hearty food choices.
All the guests eat in one sitting for a breakfast, lunch and evening meal which is mostly buffet-based with a full salad selection and hot dishes of beef, chicken or fish with vegetable dishes and the occasional Egyptian dish being served before a selection of desserts and pastries.
There are also several themed dinners with some dressing up in traditional dress and the staff occasionally breaking out into a cheerful musical accompaniment.
But travellers should also note that running repairs to the ship seem to be carried out on a ongoing basis so our final day in Luxor did have the feel of a working shipyard as staff busily got the vessel ship-shape for the guests that were to follow us.
At the end of each day’s sightseeing, for those with some energy left, there’s some entertainment in the bar area with Mohammed leading the family in some group fun and games.
But, as an alternative, what could be better than sharing a drink with your loved one under the starry skies as the boats slips ever onwards through the darkness of Northern Africa?
As is fitting for a family affair, nothing is too much trouble for the staff on board and even the mundane cabin tidying is given a friendly twist with some rather unexpected bedding origami.
Returning on the first day to find a crocodile fashioned out of a quilt cover and toiletries with water bottle caps for eyes was unexpected enough, but everyday proved to be a revelation.
There was a quilt lotus flower, a boat, a snake and even a contemporary take on the idea with a soft sculpture of a man on the telephone with a toilet paper face and pyjama hair. Blue Peter has nothing on this Eygptian ship’s crew!
The days on board soon fell into a steady rhythm. There’s the sailing steadily along the wide expanse of water, sitting on the sun deck literally watching the world go by, marvelling at the craggy outcrops of sandy dessert appearing over the green, lush riverside settlements. It’s a landscape which is calming in its minimalist monotony – a sort of spot the difference in each slowly unravelling freeze frame; one donkey and man in field, two donkeys, two men toiling in field, one donkey alone. It certainly beats red lorry, yellow lorry for in transit entertainment.
There’s the children, wild and shouting, diving into the river showing off their acrobatic skills and waving excitedly at the passing trade of 202 white, square cruise ships that ply their trade in this area.
As they play, their mothers wash clothes in the river and their fathers toil in the fields with donkey carts, it’s a juxtaposition of lifestyles which can feel uncomfortable at times. There are many sights which British visitors could find difficult – there’s the armed guards employed on every corner for the safety of visitors, the broken-down horses pulling western tourists in traps around Edfu and the sheer-grinding physical work of people of all ages toiling in this inhospitable climate attempting to turn small plots of desert land into bounty.
But there is also beauty and grandeur in this far-off land and anyone familiar with the film adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile will not only enjoy the scenery, but could also take the opportunity to relive the glamour of that era with a visit to the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan where she wrote the famous Poirot novel.
Among the many remarkable sights and sounds this trip afford, the highlight of the cruise has to be the the visits to the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens.
Joyously colourful
Here the ancient tombs were built, cut into the mountainside with none of the external show of the Pyramids in order to avoid (mainly unsuccessfully) drawing the attention of grave robbers, but once inside, the beauty of the craftsmanship, the detailed planning and the remarkable symmetry and sheer joyous colourfulness of these storage spaces for the after-life will inspire even the most jaded traveller.
It’s hot, it’s dusty and there’s the usual gauntlet of street hawkers to get past, but this piece of wonder firmly places those issues into the pettiness of our modern day disposable society.
While we deciphered the messages in his tomb and later admired the mummy of the great Egyptian ruler, Ramses, at Luxor Museum it’s amazing to realise that he did succeed in the quest for immortality to a place where the worldy goods would also travel – it’s just that the Ancient Egyptians couldn’t possibly have counted on that journey being into a 21st century cruise ship itinerary.
* I travelled with African Safari Club which had just introduced flights from Manchester.
The cruise includes ten excursions but also offers others at an additional price including the Pyramids and a hot air balloon trip.
Cruises start from £399 per person.
Dim Sum Digital 