THE mighty sand-coloured Philae Temple rises up from Agilkia Island, as if floating on the River Nile.
The huge structure is certainly a sight to behold.
I had caught a boat to the tiny island from the Egyptian city of Aswan, which is 130 miles south of Luxor and the final stop on my five-day cruise along the Nile.
Impressively, the entire temple has been rebuilt, having been painstakingly moved from its original location — Philae Island — due to flooding, reopening in 1980.
Without the support of Unesco, it would not have survived the rising waters of the Aswan Low Dam.
It is remarkable how modern-day construction coupled with ancient ruins preserved this historical site.
And this was just one of several ancient spots ticked off on my Egyptian adventure.
I have never been one to flee the UK in search of winter sun, but after a few days’ basking in glorious weather while everyone back home braces for a chill, I’m sold on it.
A 24-year-old easyJet Holidays guide told us he has never seen rain as Luxor receives very little of it annually, leaving my tour group understandably aghast.
If it wasn’t for the Nile, the region’s sugarcane crop — a cash cow — would not survive and locals would have no water supply.
Rain apparently isn’t out of the question though.
As we headed towards the site of Tutankhamun’s tomb — one of my bucket list entries — we heard how a rainstorm swept the area in 2007 after the Egyptians attempted to move the ancient pharoah’s remains to Cairo.
The downpour was seen as a warning and the decision was made to leave Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings.
The ruler was only in his late teens when he died, and that is evident when you look at his eerily intact mummified body.
I was ticking off all of Egypt’s greatest treasures on board the meticulous 5H Iberotel Crown Emperor, operated by Jaz Cruises.
We had boarded the boat in Luxor, around a 20-minute drive from the airport. Luckily transfers were included with our package.
We arrived as the sun was setting, with the Valley of the Kings — our first stop the next day — just visible in the backdrop.
As the crew introduced themselves, we enjoyed a complimentary glass of orange juice.
From there on in, Egyptian white wine XO was our choice of drink as we sailed down the Nile.
A bit too easy to drink, it was a conversation starter at every meal as my fellow shipmates and I got to know one another.
The ship operates an international buffet, dishing up breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. I needn’t have been apprehensive about my first cruise — we would sail during the day and often dock throughout the night so I never felt a thing.
With most excursions on land starting from 7am and wrapping up by noon to avoid exposure to the midday sun, we were always back on board by 1pm and just in time for lunch.
The food was delicious and the shepherd’s pie was, dare I say, even better than some I’ve had in the UK.
My regular buffet go-tos were the beef, crispy duck and slightly starchy fried rice with peas along with a side of fresh vegetables.
Between lunch and dinner we would mostly take a nap, freshen up, then head to the top deck to enjoy the pool and sun loungers while sailing, as well as afternoon tea.
Perhaps naively, I thought that most ancient Egyptian ruins had been found.
But to this day, archaeologists are still discovering thousands of years’ worth of history.
Karnak Temple, which has been the backdrop for smash-hit blockbusters such as the 1977 James Bond thriller The Spy Who Loved Me, has more to be discovered.
And the surrounding houses and shops in Luxor will soon be demolished as the area is extensively excavated.
When it comes to Egypt, you need to be prepared for a lot of hustling from local traders and their attempts to get a sale.
They are at every tourist attraction and dock.
Our guide warned us how children are used to sell goods too, in a bid to appeal to visitors’ good nature.
However, this only encourages them to keep their kids out of education so should be avoided.
We were also warned that inside attractions, such as the tombs, there would be men offering to take your picture (badly) or tell you more information — but they will then ask you to cough up cash for it.
That is why a good guide can never be underestimated.
It turns out our guide for the trip, Bassem or “Smiley” as he told us to call him, had even escorted US pop sensation Camila Cabello during her Nile adventure.
If he was good enough for the Havana singer, then he certainly was for me.
With the country’s Egyptian pound significantly weaker than ours, we were told we could buy using sterling as sellers prefer it.
However, any change you receive will be in Egyptian pounds — though that is handy for using the country’s public toilets while on dry land, which cost around 15 EGP (23p).
Bassem also taught us how to name your price once a retailer has told you theirs, to snatch a deal. It really works!
My handmade vase depicting ancient rituals is now proudly on display at home, having cost me £20 less than advertised.
As an openly gay man, I did have reservations about the trip as did friends and family, but I found Egypt to be the most welcoming country, and the hospitality would be hard to rival.
Of course, I would avoid public displays of affection in case authorities witness it.
Our guide candidly told us people are quite modern in their thinking, but much like in the UK, there are some that are old-fashioned in their beliefs.
I will never forget the Egyptian night aboard our Crown Emperor ship when crew and passengers put on the traditional jalabiya outfits.
Live music, performances from an alternative comedian and prizes to be won, made it a night packed with laughter and fun.
The evening ended with us swaying back to our rooms (not due to choppy waters) having enjoyed Celine Dion on loop for the past hour after a waiter overheard me talk about my love for the singer.
I can now finally understand why so many tourists make an annual trip to Egypt and the draw it has.
I wonder what Camila thought . . .
GETTING/SAILING THERE: easyJet Holidays offers a seven-night Nile Cruise in the Luxor area on the 5H Iberotel Crown Emperor for £698 per person.
Price is for full-board and includes 23kg of luggage, transfers and flights from London Gatwick on January 9, 2025.
