Living the Work-Life Balance

First a word on pictures - I've been taking hundreds, but they're too big to upload so far. I know that's definitely the most interesting part of the trip, so I'm gonna try and get those up ASAP

So after and overnight train, I'm in Aswan. The overnight train was definitely an experience...If you ever wanted to know what it feels like to have the wind blow by your ass at 60mph, I recommend the train because the WC is just a hole in the floor. It was a pretty good ride though. I made some Egyptian friends looking for the bathroom (I went to another car accidentally) - we'll call them all Mohommed because I think that was half their names anyway. But it was a pretty fun conversation a lot of niceties and comparisons between NYC and Cairo because that was the limits of their English and my four words of Arabic.
In Aswan, I made it to my hotel, booked a tour to Abu Simbel - a big temple - and took the longest boat ride for the shortest distance ever. But at least I can check "take a Felluca ride" off my travel check list. It was pretty relaxing, which is definitely welcome after Cairo.
It's a little annoying to walk around knowing that everyone is trying to shake you down, but I guess you get used to it, but I keep hoping that the next person genuinely wants me to have a good impression of their city/country, then they ask for Bakshish.
Today I went to Elephantine Island (a small island with a 4000 year old village on it)

by Felluca...basically a slow ass sail boat

a woman followed me for a good three hundred feet just repeating "Bakshish, Bakshish." Bakshish for walking?

Bakshish, Bakshish Lady




So starting tomorrow, I'm going to begin asking for Bakshish. I mean I'm more rare in Egypt than Egyptians, so if people are expecting bakshsih just for me walking by them, shouldn't I be getting something in return?
Still the village was kind of cool. It's built completely interconnected and the alley ways are really tight, smelly, but interesting and different.

I tried to take a motor boat (after the Felluca took forever) to get to Aswan's West Bank to see a monestary/old tombs, but the 15, 11 and 9 year olds operating the motor boat (no joke) spun the motor on a rock, which ended the trip.

Tomorrow it's a 3:15am bus to Abu Simbel.