Live on a boat for a week

Doing it in Style (On the Nile)

May 2015, Luxor, Egypt

We arrived in Luxor after a couple of days in Makadi, Hurgadha ready for a week of excursions and trips round the temples along the Nile.  Clare and I had booked a two week holiday with a Nile Cruise included in the middle for a little sight seeing.  This was living on a boat for a week in style

With all inclusive service, meals to die for, a pool on the sun deck and 40 degree heat whilst cruising the infamous river.

For the full details of the holiday, please see our Travel Blog here:



The Grand Rose is a cruise ship that sails from Luxor to Aswan and then back.  Whilst cruising down the Nile you pass little riverside villages with children singing, dancing and swimming. Little rowing boats catch onto the side of the ship and toss "hand made" ornaments, towels, galibeas and other merchandise onto the sun deck for perusal and purchase, hoping that you throw money back down instead of their products again.

 We witnessed sunset every night over temples, valleys and amazing vista's, we chilled in the pool whilst cruising under low bridges, all whilst sipping Gin and Tonics.




The meals on the ship were beautiful.

Each morning we were presented with omelette's to order, fresh salads, cereals, and cakes.  The boiled eggs were a little blue for my liking as they seemed to sit in hot water all morning, but there was so much to chose from this was never an issue.

Afternoons consisted of freshly made pasta, fish, authentic Egyptian meals, more salads and of course cakes.  Only a couple hours later, every afternoon, biscuits, pancakes and more cakes were available to nibble on whilst sipping tea's, coffee's or G 'n' T's.

Every evening was themed, we had a 6 course Al-a-Carte candlelit dinner, an Egyptian night, Italian night.  Food was constantly being provided and all to a high standard.  Our personal waiter, Morgan Freeman, ensured that drinks were always readily available and Chef Ahmed checked every day to make sure the food was up to standard.

I got to have a little drive of the boat, all be it for a matter of seconds, when we went to meet the Captain of the Rose.  A disheveled old man with delusions of acquiring another, younger wife 50 years his junior as his current wife needed some maintenance, although he needed more money to do this.

When I initially set myself the challenge of living on a boat for a week, I had ideas of sailing down the Norfolk Broads in a little dinghy with self catering facilties.  I was never expecting to live the life of luxury I was blessed with in Egypt.

Currently Egypt is having a lull in the tourism industry due to revolutions and unrest.  Normally, you would see cruise boat upon cruise boat floating by, but whilst we were there we were lucky to see one a day.  Red Sea Holidays (who we booked through) currently have nine cruise ships, yet only one is in operation.

Ma's retirement boat party

Prerequisite

Easter Weekend March 2013

We woke up on the Saturday morning in Norwich and it was snowing.  Ma had arranged for a picnic boat trip to celebrate her retirement, so after a quick breakfast and the morning 1 minute shower allowance we were off.   

On the way to the boats the snow decided to clear and the fresh Norwich sunshine came through, although it never did really warm up.

We picked up the boat around 10am and sailed the Norfolk Broads, with Tommy and Ella at the helm with Grandad there for support.

Clare is confident now that we could spend a week on a boat on the broads as long as we don't have to moor up.

Great day and Ma enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks Ma!