Nile cruises never boring

The only way to travel between Luxor and Aswan is by ship, as overland travel is banned because of terror threats. There are several companies offering Nile cruises, ranging from modest to extravagant.

Dine on deck and watch the sun go down on the horizon, coloring the waters with its many hues, enjoy the evening entertainment of belly dancers in the ship's interior, explore the onboard shop or make small talk with others onboard - a Nile cruise is never boring. But my abiding memory is not of any of these.

As I stood late one evening on the deck, I saw half a dozen boats come up to the ship and the peddlers shouting "hola, hola, gelabaya".