Onwards and Upwards!

Well, I know you're all dying to hear about the rest of my vacation, so I won't leave you in suspense for any longer.
We opted to sleep in following our hectic day of traveling to Abu. We had a felucca tour booked for 3:15 in the afternoon, and we were awake by 11:30 in the morning. After a brief meeting we decided to visit Elephantine Island for the remainder of our time in Aswan, then catch a taxi to meet up with the felucca. We implemented our plan immediately, and in short order we were stepping off the ferry onto one Elephantine Island. This particularly island is the largest of a group wedged into the Nile in the Aswan area. It has been inhabited for hundreds of years, both by Nubians and Egyptians. We spent the better part of 4 hours exploring the ruins, museums, and villages before heading toward our rendevous with the felucca. There wasn't anything significant about our visit to Elephantine Island, otherwise I would have mentioned it. Ergo, no writing = a fairly boring island. So moving right along...
Upon boarding the felucca we were greeted by 5 other guests as well as the captain and his firstmate. Before I go any further, let me describe a felucca. Essentially, a felucca is a sailboat characterized by its bright colors and unique sails. As we learned, the captains of the feluccas sew together their own sails, lending to the individualized nature that they display. Now, getting back to the story. There were two couples and a single man already on board as we embarked. One couple introduced themselves as Kerry and Kathy, both from New Zealand and both currently living in London. They were in their early 30s. Kerry was a stocky man with a shaved head who told us that he used to be a rugby player. He is a contractor by trade for almost any kind of work you can imagine. Kathy was a blonde, somewhat serious woman who grew up on a farm with 4 sisters. Kerry and Kathy had been together for 7 years and were seasoned travelers.
The second couple I met were Daniel and Ana. Both born and raised in Britain, they were thoroughly charming. Daniel was a 25 year old graphic designer from London who loved to joke and laugh. His sharp wit and quick smile made him easy to get along with. Ana had jet black hair and a pretty face, and everything about her seemed gentile. She was 28, and currently employed as an animation artist for an ad agency in London. Despite her quiet manner, she was by no means a pushover. It didn't take long for me to realize that she too had a keen sense of humor. Daniel and Ana were also very seasoned travelers who had recently been to India for a month.
The other guest was a man in his late 40s by the name of Humberto. He was originally from Lima, Peru but for the past 19 years he has worked as the janitor at a factory in London. He spoke only a small amount of english, and quiet besides, but nonetheless he was a very friendly fellow who was always wearing a smile. The other two actors in this scene were the captain and his first mate. Captain Ayob was similar to Jamaica (our felucca captain from two days prior) in that he felt the need to brag and swear exessively whilst doing no work to speak of on the boat. His counterpart, Ibrahim, on the other hand did all the work rigging the sails, steering, cooking meals, and making tea. So there's the cast.
We sailed into the sunset (literally) and pulled into shore shortly after dark. According to Captain Ayob it wasn't safe to sail at night because of strong winds and the large cruise ships that patrol the waterways. So we made ourselves comfortable on the boat deck by laying out pads and blankets, and began an enjoyable evening of eating, talking, and laughing. I had honestly forgotten that it was Christmas Eve until Kerry brought up the subject. Everyone took turns telling about their Christmas traditions and other interesting anecdotes of the past, and before too long it was time to retire for some welcomed shuteye.
As I drifted off to sleep I mused to myself. This was definitely the strangest Christmas Eve I had ever experienced. I don't know of many people who can say they spent Christmas on a Felucca with 5 strangers-turned-friends from all over the world. With these thoughts in my mind, I drifted off with the rocking of the gentle waves.