The birding excursion was something I signed up for, but was not convinced about. First you had to get up before the crack-of-dawn (which, as previously stated, is never a first choice for yours truly) and secondly, although I love nature, I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a birder. But it was awesome! It completely blew my mind.
We traveled by small boat with a metal canopy into thick marshland with rocky outcroppings. The birds were so close as we drifted by it almost seemed like they were clockwork creations on some crazy-perfect Disney ride. Every turn we made through this grassy maze revealed a sight more exotic and beautiful than the last. We even sighted a Blue Kingfisher; apparently they bring great fortune to those who are lucky enough to spy them.
Before heading off to the Ptolemaic temple of Kom Ombo we had a delightful hieroglyph lesson on the main deck with our favorite professor, Bob Brier. In this lesson we learned how to put sentences together in this ancient script. I think it would be amazing someday to learn enough of this ancient language to go into a temple or tomb and be able to decipher what was written all those centuries ago.
After we completed our lesson and we were chugging down the Nile toward Kom Ombo, the S.S. Karim staff gave us an amazing tour of the boat’s bridge and engine room.
Day 5 on to Kom Ombo to be continued…
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