SAFAGA - EGYPT

Today we awoke to rumblings of what?  ............. When we opened the sliding door we were met with the amazing sight of thousands of male Egyptian pilgrims that had just got off a big boat from Jedda where we think they had all gone to Mecca, all laughing and talking. First they unloaded about 8 huge pallets from the ship, full of bundles (huge) tied up with what looked like string. Saw a few mattress’ as well.Then the pilgrims started sorting them into their own trolleys, not 2 or 3 but about 20 in some, precariously hanging over the sides and high on top.

This took them quite awhile as you can imagine and was about an hours entertainment for us. 

After loading they then had to go through security, would loved to have seen that, unloading and loading again and then we could see them carting the trolleys up the road to wherever they were going.  There are still some bundles sitting on the wharf waiting for collection.

Some cleaners did come in after and pick up the odd papers and left behinds.

Not advised to go into town as supposedly nothing there and very dirty. So we had breakfast on the balcony and then went to the pool deck and sat on the chaise lounges for about 2 hours reading our books. First time we’ve relaxed like that and with everyone disembarking today there were not many people about.

About 60 guests arrived around noon and then the rest of the guests about 500 came in buses around 5pm.

This is the outgoing guests luggage and buses ready to depart for Luxor with cases to be transported by trucks, after guests identify them before boarding bus

Most of them, the late buses had done a pre cruise tour in Luxor for 3 nights and that’s what most of the ones that left this am were doing - a post cruise again at Luxor.

We leave tonight to return to Aqaba where we will visit Petra tomorrow. Supposedly one of the seven wonders of the world!