Shortly after leaving Aswan, the bus passed by the Aswan Dam and headed southwards toward Abu Simbel. This was in fact the first and only inter-city journey which we had taken by bus. It was also important to note that the bus did not travel in a police convoy (which probably made travelling cost lower?) as of what the luxury coaches or minibuses would have done though at no time did it felt unsafe. We saw an increase of guard posts as we got nearer to our destination; after all, Abu Simbel was only 40kms north of the Egyptian-Sudanese border. While the bus traverses through the lands of Lower Nubia, we experienced close proximity with the desert that is almost devoid of any humidity.

Modern Nubia could be defined as a region (in ancient times, it was an independent kingdom) located along the Nile between the 1st and 6th cataract (i.e. in southern Egypt and northern Sudan). It has a very complex relationship with Egypt (Egypt had conquered Nubia in various eras, while the Nubians in turn ruled Egypt under its 25th Dynasty). During periods where Egypt was strong, it dominated Nubia and exploited its natural resources; when Egypt was weak, the Nubians enjoyed periods of growth and development. However, it was not all about a stronger power bullying its (not always) weaker neighbour. Relations between the two also show peaceful cultural interchange and cooperation, including mixed marriages. There was a period where Nubians were drafted to be part of the ancient Egyptian army as scouts and minor workers.

As the bus finally reached Abu Simbel, we alighted and were surrounded by taxi touts. A friendly policeman (he calls himself Ramadan) came and offered to help us find a room after he realised we were looking for accommodation. He then took us to 3 hotels (on foot!) including the Eskaleh (it was a nice hippie place but at 70€ or S$140 per night, it was way above our budget). We finally settled for Abu Simbel Village, a rock-bottom cheapie at E£100 or S$25 per night. Before he left, I offered him a baksheesh (or tip) out of gratitude and he actually refused!

We walked back to the town for lunch (our hotel was located at the outskirts). Abu Simbel seems really tiny as compared to the other cities we had been to. And when we were in the centre of town, there seems to be very few people staying here (most tourists come here on a day trip). As it was really too hot to do anything, we went back to the hotel for a much-needed siesta. Zzzz...