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By Phyllis Hockman
The Overseas Adventure Tour (OAT) through Egypt took us to all the highlights of Ancient Egypt and the Nile River Tour, including the Egyptian Museum – Czech, Step Pyramid – Czech, King Tut’s Mummy – Czech, Karnak Temple – Czech, Valley of the Kings – Czech, Giza Pyramids – Czech, Sphinx – Czech. Our itinerary is very similar to most Egypt tours.
Those 6,000 years of history alone make it an incredible journey to wrap your head around. But OAT does more. First of all, the organization places importance on the philosophy of “learning and discovery”. This has elevated an already interesting travel plan to a more immersive travel experience.
Our guide Hussain graduated with a Ph.D. In Egyptology, which made him incredibly knowledgeable. He also had a ready sense of humor, was very entertaining and was not afraid to answer controversial questions honestly. “The good, the bad and the ugly” was his mantra. After all, this was Egypt.
OAT promotes the personalization of one’s own experience. There are always options for free time activities, but if tour participants have their own tour ideas, their guides will work to make them happen in addition to – or instead of – the trip. Not all tour operators are that flexible.
And where OAT shines is in the experiences outside of the trip. While walking down one of the streets of Cairo, Hussein approached a group of young girls sitting on a random bench and asked if they would be willing to talk to us. Two of them wore hijabs, one in Western clothing, and two from the Coptic Christian minority of Egypt. This realization alone made sense to all of us.
A lively discussion ensued, focusing on their studies, vacations, and their lack of interest in marriage. Surprisingly, each of them had a mobile phone in their hand and did not want their photo taken. They don’t learn these things just hanging out with their tour buddies.
And in addition to an itinerary that covers all the must-see attractions that define a trip to Egypt, OAT focuses on immersing its customers in the destination’s culture and lifestyle. “A day in the life of a farm family” brought us closer to a village, its inhabitants and their way of life. Using techniques practiced for 5,000 years, we spent the day meeting, observing, participating – and helping to create food. Our host: “If you sit with us, eat with us, talk with us, you are part of our family.” And really, we felt that way.
Dinner with a Coptic family provided additional insights into a segment of Egyptian society that is rarely included in the mainstream itinerary. In the year In 2012, we learned about the history and prejudice in the country under the control of the Muslim Brotherhood. The government under Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has given them new protection – El-Sisi himself is very controversial because of it. Major human rights agenda. Again, the good, the bad and the ugly.
And finally, to the boat and our trip down the Nile that I had been waiting for since I saw it from the balcony of our Cairo hotel. Blue water, green fields, yellow mountains beyond – and history everywhere. Still, OAT owns the boat — one of the only ones with a balcony — and limits its passengers to 75 people on the tour.
Sitting on the deck in the sun, I thought back to two weeks ago, staring at the movie screen, mouth agape, at the impossibly huge carved stone structures set in Egypt’s pyramids and temples as part of “Death on the Nile.” The most recent film version of the Agatha Christie classic. And now I was looking up, mouth still agape, at the same wonders, only this time from my own Nile cruise boat.
A bus ride, an inevitable part of a tour, is more than just transportation from one place to another by OAT. Hussain’s criticism continued while we were traveling. We learned a lot about the Egyptian way of life – political, cultural, personal – as the trip progressed.
Controversial conversations are built into the journey. The one-night event was about the role of women in Egypt – and how it is shifting and changing. This was done by Selma, a young, single, working woman with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from many angles – the importance or modesty of dress, from the burqa to the hijab to modern clothes; Workplace exams; divorce Faith as a personal choice and the imposition of men; and safety issues.
Hussain warned us of all the vendors everywhere we went. It’s the valley of the vultures, so don’t stop, make eye contact, or look at anything they have, no matter how low the price. It’s useless garbage, and you will be taken. Nothing disappoints them, so say no over and over again and accept that this is part of the experience.
Needless to say, this won’t be part of the experience you remember. But 6,000 years of magical history and OAT’s unique approach will stay with you long after the tour is over.
when you go
For more information: www.oattravel.com/trips/small-ship-adventures/middle-east/ancient-egypt-the-nile-river/2021/itineraries?icid=destcmp_egy_lk
Nefertiti waits for passengers to board the Nile River in Egypt. Photo courtesy of Victor Block.
The spice markets in Cairo, Egypt entice visitors with their colors and aromas. Photo courtesy of Balonocici/Dreamstime.com
The Karnak Temple in Luxor is a must-see for visitors to Egypt. Photo courtesy of Victor Block.
Phyllis Hockman is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Nefertiti waits for passengers to board the Nile River in Egypt. Photo courtesy of Victor Block.
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