Snakes, birds, camels, horses, a scavenger hunt and the titanic re-enacted

This morning we awoke at 6:30am at the port of Ko-Mombo, grabbed a quick cup of tea and stepped off the ship to walk 50 yards to the entrance to the Temple of Ko-Momobo on the Nile. The kids particularly enjoyed the secret underground passages and chambers from which the priests would speak pretending to be the gods, and the sound would be amplified into the sanctuary where drunken worshipers were praying. "That would totally get me to behave," remarked Livvy. Upon exiting the temple there was a snake charmer (for real) who graciously offered us to wear one of his cobras around our necks. The kids were not too keen, so I volunteered and got major coolness points from Justin who kept saying that it was way too freaky for him and that he was really happy I did so at least he could take a picture. Note to those of you who haven't spent much time close to snakes, they smell like fish, stale fish. After showering me with compliments for coolness and bravery, the kids showered me with Purel and made me dab some behind my neck for extra protection.

We then sailed for 3 hours from Komombo to Edfu and enjoyed lunch on the sun deck as we admired the vista. After dessert, the kids handed me a scrap of paper upon which was a clue, the first of 10 in the on board scavenger hunt they created for me with the help of the crew. The hunt ended in my cabin with a cup of tea (milk and brown sugar thank you) waiting for me and of course a bottle of Purel with a reminder to use it before enjoying my treat. (see pic)

We arrived in Edfu and caught a horse drawn carriage to the Temple of Edfu. En route we spied a flat bed truck transporting camels, and Livvy thinking it was definitely the single funniest thing she had ever seen in her life, burst out in a full belly giggle like I haven't heard since she was a baby. We visited the temple and the kids informed me that they were "templed out" for the day and could we go back to the ship, so we did. Back aboard the ship we sailed to Luxor passing through a lock which gave the kids a great deal of pleasure as they felt the ship sinking to the lower depth. The lock was lined with Egyptian boys practicing their English skills by shouting at the passengers. When the boys saw Justin and Livvy they began peppering him with questions, " Is this your wife?" "She very pretty, how much you want for her?" The offer started at 8 camels and went up to 36 but Justin insisted that "She's not for sale." Livvy was delighted at her big brother's gallant display of albeit rare protection for her; although she did pull me aside to ask whether 36 camels was a lot or a little to offer for a girl and whether I thought Chloe would get much more.

Once safely through the lock and the human trafficking port, Justin and Liv spent a solid 30 minutes at the bow of the ship alternating between re-enacting the famous scene from Titanic and pretending to be fashion models on an exotic shoot. We arrived at port in Luxor at 8pm and after a delightful dinner went to sleep.