I had the unique privilege, along with seven friends and three Nubian crew members, to board a traditional wooden sailing boat known as a felucca and sail the longest river in the world, the Nile! We threw off our sandals, stowed our luggage below, and jumped on board the brightly-colored, cushion-covered deck.
With Bob Marley drifting from the boom box, we began our upstream voyage on the Nile River, cutting across the water in sharp diagonals. The banks of the river are fertile and lush. Palm trees decorate the banks while donkeys and oxen graze. The river is busy with steamboats and feluccas.
The days were relaxing - sun bathing, reading, enjoying the cool breeze as we cut across the river, and even stopping to take a dip! The sunsets were absolutely stunning - palm trees reflecting in the water and creating a sharp silhouette against the orange and pink skies. The crescent moon sat high above, lighting up the river and banks below.
We passed our evenings learning about the culture of the local Nubian people, an ethnic group originally from northern Sudan now inhabiting parts of Northeast Africa. The first evening, we visited a local family, touring their home and sitting down to enjoy chai tea while young girls decorated our hands and feet with henna tattoos. On the second evening, with sand between our toes, we enjoyed a beach bonfire created by the crew. The beat of the drum and melodic chanting filled the air as the Nubian people taught us traditional song and dance. A wonderful evening around the fire and under the stars!
