The rest of the group went off early today (21/1) for a longish camel ride to a nearby ridge to get overview of the city and desert, but given my back's reaction to the 5 minute camel ride i had at the pyramids i decided not to go. Went instead to the internet terminals at the rowing club up the road. Sounds very grand, but housed the grottiest toilets that it's been my displeasure to use (but i had no choice- Nile belly!). Made a terrible mistake and pout my backpack on the floor- thought it was dry but it wasn't! YUK!! The internet terminals appeared to work OK, but then i lost about an hour of work and had to do it again, AND it was a bit on the expensive side. Never mind, that was the end of the negative experiences for the day. I met Janice back at the ship and we went to the Nubian Museum. This museum was established in something of a sook to the Nubian people who lost a lot of their history and land when the dams wre built. Got a great book on Egypt with lots of piccies- especially good for the places where we were not allowed to take photos. Stopped for a stay in a nearby park (Ferulia Park) which had an entrance fee. But the location was great- almost replicated the next-door Cataract Hotel views. Also lots of shade and greenery. Took another Kalash back ot the ship for lunch. The Kalash driver was a real pain. He had originally asked how much we would pay him before we got in the Kalash. When we said 10 punds he said no...too little. By the tim we had climbed out of the seats more drivers had pulled alongside and suddenly 10 pounds was OK. So we got in. Then all the way back he was saying 'too little' and wnating baksheesh for his family, for the horse, the horse was pregnant, so baksheesh for the unborn baby........ When we got out he complained when i handed him LE10- then palmed the 10 pound note and said i'd given him 50 piastres (50 cents Egyptian) instead! I said i'd get the tourist police if he didn't stop harassing me, then realised that i was doing the entirely wrong thing by talking with him and started walking toward the ship and, of course the obligatory tourist police who man the entrances to the ships. Needless to say, the Kalash driver did not follow me).

The others went on a felucca ride up to a beach for a swim, but the Nile belly decided that i would stay closer to the toilets in Aswan. So, i took up the offer of one of the spruikers long the riverfront raod and hopped in their felucca for a short sail up the Nile, past Elephantine Island, to the city centre. The sailors wre really good value- Nubian youngsters who were happy all the way, snag songs, took my piccie, etc. Had a great time, and such a contrast to the last Kalash driver.

I wlaked around for a while. Found a place to burn a CD, but he wanted LE40!! I'd paid LE5 in Cairo and LE10 in Alexandria! I looked for the government store which another from the group said had fixed prices and was also very inexpensive, but couldn't find it. Acquired another guide who showed me the Gov't store- but not really cos the store was just another topurist shop (he must have got a kickback if he got me in there). But still had a good time wandering around and looking at what was on offer. Got a Kalash back to the ship. Lov those Kalashes!

BTW Aswan is a very commercial-oriented city. Lots of tourist street markets, but i couldn't find the markets that the locals go to. Also a very pretty city- esoecially along the Nile bank. There is Elephantine Island, in the middle of the NIle at Aswan wherein the Nubian people have thier villiages- but i didn't make it to that either.