Holiday Swap

Bucket and spade holidaymaker Russell Morling turns adventure traveller

Over the years, I’ve been your typical ‘bucket and spade’ holidaymaker. My idea of a good time on holiday was always lazing on the beach with a book during the day and having a nice meal and a few beers in the evening.

Although I have travelled to quite a few long-haul destinations, my basic idea of a fortnight’s break was to find somewhere sunny and relaxing.

So when I got the opportunity to try an ‘adventure holiday’ travelling through Egypt on Imaginative Traveller’s tour I was a little unsure to say the very least!

Travelling on my own, joining up with a small group of people I’d never met before and being herded around by a tour leader for 10 days – I was either going to love it or hate it!

After 10 fantastic days in Egypt, with an excellent tour leader and an amazing group of people, I can safely say that I loved it!!!

Certainly don’t be put off by the ‘adventure holiday’ tag. Visions of backpackers, seedy hotels and uncomfortable transport are not what today’s ‘experiential’ holidaymaker can expect. Yes, it was an adventure, but it was also extremely well organised, comfortable and I had plenty of free time to relax.

I experienced sights, sounds and smells that will remain with me forever, from the dusty, noisy streets of Cairo to the tranquillity of a Nile Cruise at sunset

The absolute highlight of the tour was visiting the famed site of Abu Simbel. I’d heard about how the Egyptians had moved this temple to save it from the Nile, and couldn’t wait to see it.

We had a 4am start for the coach journey there but it was worth the effort as we were the first party to arrive at the temple and had a good hour with it all to ourselves – it was truly amazing! A fantastic experience and the best bit was that we were just leaving as the tourist hordes were arriving – perfect!

Yes, there’s a bit of travelling about and yes, there are some early starts, but as an adventure ‘virgin’ I can safely say that if you go with the flow, relax and absorb every aspect of the tour, you won’t regret it.

. . . And I got a couple of days on the beach at the end – perfection!