Into Egypt

February 23, 2026

"To put it bluntly, I felt like a walking ATM while visiting Egypt. The level of tourist exploitation is absolutely next level."

— Embrace Someplace

Since this is a travel blog, it seems reasonable to comment on the challenges of traveling to Egypt.  Despite the enormous popularity of the country as a tourist destination, it remains one of the most challenging.

The reasons for this view are complex but mainly center on the grinding poverty that is part of everyday life for Egyptians.  I think it is fair to say, Colleen and I are  experienced travelers.  We are by no means overly adventurous but, we have been to a number of places in the world, some very poor.  Our time in India comes to mind.  We were aware that such desperation often prompts people to try to get as much money out of you as they can to just survive.   It is understandable and we try to muster as much patience as we can for the journey.

But when you travel from a relatively affluent country like Greece (& live in the U.S.) to encounter Egypt can be a lot to take in.

It started almost immediately after leaving the plane.  I had not yet passed through customs, but just needed to go to the bathroom.  I knew something was up when the attendant was a little too nice to me.  Sure enough when I left the stall to wash my hands he turned on the water for me and offered me a paper towel.  In return he expected a tip.  I was unprepared and had no change.

Then, just trying to find a taxi you have to pass a gauntlet of hustlers trying to take your bag and herd you to a car, not allowing you a moment to look around and try to decide what you want to do.  If they touch your bag, they expect money.  And they try to smile and slay you with compliments as you get into a broken down car that you are not sure is even a real taxi.  I was glad a negotiated a price before leaving but for the entire trip to the hotel it was a constant stream of wanting me to add something on or hire him for the day.

So we are off through the city at a wild pace (Never, never, never drive in Egypt).  Medians between lanes are only there as a suggestion.  There are no speed limits or watching for pedestrians. You are passed left and right by all manner of vehicles from diesel spewing buses to wagons full of alfalfa being pulled by donkeys.  Horn honking is constant noise.

We were no longer in Japan.

All the time the many minarets in town are blaring a raucous symphony of the Muslim call to prayer.    “It does add atmosphere”, Colleen observed.

So it is with this backdrop you finally make it to your room, exhausted and a little fearful to go out.  You wonder if this was worth it. Make no mistake, at no time did we feel unsafe.  For the most part, people have been warm and inviting.  It is all the constant side hustles that are so exhausting.

Finally that evening, just as sunset approached, we ventured out to the edge of the great Nile River flowing north in front of our hotel.  The weather was cool and the wind was mild.

The river really is something to see.  It is swift, powerful, and runs almost straight North.  This is the river of legends.  For a very few miles on either side  there is life.  Green trees, planted fields, palms, figs, dates, and wildlife.  Its beautiful.  Then, just beyond the reaches of the water, the desert looms. The landscape is barren of any vegetation or life.  Just blasted, brown rock.  It is remarkable that this entire country, even its long and glorious history can be so dependent on this one piece remarkable natural geography.

At 4,132 miles long The Nile is the longest river on Earth.  It’s mud alone changed the course of human history allowing the Egyptian civilization to grow and flourish along a thin rope of territory that ran from Sudan all the way to the Mediterranean Sea.

Its source was a mystery for years.  The reason is The Nile has three main tributaries: the White Nile, the Blue Nile, and the Atbara. Finding all of them was the stuff of endless Victorian era quests.  The White Nile is the longest, starting with streams that flow into Lake Victoria, the world's largest tropical lake.

The White Nile's source proved much more elusive, though, despite many efforts to find it—including those by Scottish explorer David Livingstone, who was rescued from one mission in 1871 by Welsh journalist Henry Morton Stanley, via the famous quote "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"

And here we were standing right beside it!   Mooresville, Indiana seemed a long, long way from here.

It did not take long.   A young man approached us.  His name was Mahmoud but he went my the moniker of “Captain jack Sparrow”.  He even had business cards with that as his name.

“Would you like to go on a sunset sail?” he asked.

He owned a Felucca, a traditional wooden sailing vessel that used to haul supplies on the Nile.  Today, they mostly used for the tourist trade.

We settled on a price and he led us down a muddy slope to his boat named, of course,  “The Black Pearl”. We found out he had one additional passenger, a middle aged British woman named April who was spending her last night here before flying home to the UK tomorrow.

He helped us across a narrow 2x6” gang plank and after some considerable gymnastics and help from other men in other boats he managed to push us out into the great current.

He climbed the tall rigging and unfurled the single tall yellow triangular sail and we felt the wind lurch the boat forward.

Captain Jack

We were sailing on the Nile!

And we were not alone.  there was a menagerie of other craft out on the river.  All kinds of other Feluccas, motorized water taxi’s, and great river cruise ships.

Captain Jack made us Hibiscus tea and we watched to clouds change to brilliant colors.

The sun descended slowly, a molten coin slipping into the river’s waiting hands.  Ripples caught the light and shattered it into a thousand trembling shards — gold, amber, rose — each one dancing away before fading into dusk,  Birds skimmed the glowing surface, their wings trailing ribbons of light.  The river moved unhurried, like time itself—ancient, patient, eternal—carrying the day’s last breath toward the horizon, where earth and sky folded into one.

Yes Egypt is a challenge.  But, this evening was magical.