Many years ago, I fell in love with Egypt. My affair with this great love has survived many other lovers, three husbands and fifty years. This last November, I fell in love again. My new love’s name is Afandina and she is beautiful. Her name means guardian spirit in Arabic.

I first saw her at a distance last year when we were in Aswan, in Upper Egypt. She was floating on the Nile, seductively beckoning. I was unable to get closer to her then, and had to  be satisfied with dreams of her.

This year, at a time of crisis, Afandina came to our rescue and provided shelter when there was none.

We were in Luxor, and had just finished a lovely four day cruise down the Nile on the Sun Goddess. It was time to move to the five star hotel, the Sonesta St. George (another of my loves) for a 3 day stay. Hatum, our Quest Travel representative, was horrified to discover that due to construction problems, there was no room at the inn! What was he going to do with 45 pilgrims who were expecting deluxe accommodations? After much discussion, phone calls back and forth, he convinced the other tours at the St. George to consolidate their single rooms into doubles, and the St. George managed to find room for 30 pilgrims. 30! We were 45 – where were the rest to sleep – there was no rooms available anywhere in Luxor!

However, Hatum, like the magic genie that he resembles, knew that he had resources beyond the normal. And so he called on Afandina, that she might shelter his poor homeless pilgrims.

Afandina arrived at the St. George with little fanfare, and after some juggling for space, prepared to receive her guests. Her brightwork shining, her sails at rest, Nicki and I went aboard for the first time. It was truly love at first sight, at least for me. You see, Afandina is the new dhahabeya built by Mohamed Nazmy of Quest Travel to the absolute best marine standards. http://www.spiritquesttours.com/photos/the_afandina/

Large enough to accommodate 16 comfortably, she happily housed our homeless pilgrims during their stay in Luxor.

I, however, was not one of them. Due to my position as co-leader, Nicki and the rest of her staff, including me, were forced to make do with the President’s Suite at the hotel.

Every morning, I would wake and look longingly from my fifth floor balcony at the lovely Afandina. Every evening, I would say goodnight with love in my heart.

On the evening the tour was going to Luxor Temple, we went for a sail on Afandina in the afternoon. It was so lovely.

For years, I have used a sail on the Nile as a way to go to sleep. When insomnia strikes, I would contact Thoth, usually found down by the river fishing, and ask him to take me for a boat ride. Sometimes, he would use a small boat that he would pole through the reeds, but other times, when he had lessons to teach me, he would use a beautiful river boat, with its chanting oarsmen and open, sunny deck, where we would sit in luxurious chaises, sipping tea and chatting. This method worked better than any sleeping pill, and I would soon drift off to sleep.

So, as Afandina sailed along in the sunset, it was truly a dream come true for me. A dream, regretfully that was cut all too short by our arrival back at the dock.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I want to go back and be with my love and I want to know if you would be interested in going with me.

I would like to take a very special group of pilgrims to Egypt, a group that would enjoy spending seven of the 15 nights on this beautiful boat. We would not get all the private viewing privileges at the temples of the larger groups, but we would have an incredible experience that is normally reserved for the rich and famous, presidents and kings. (Afandina is normally chartered to the well-to-do seeking a private experience on the Nile, away from the common people on the cruise boats.)

Nicki and I have contacted our dear Normandi Ellis, and have almost convinced her that we could do a special writer’s workshop during a tour of Egypt, using the Afandina as our schoolroom. Many of you know Normandi through the Egyptian Mysteries classes, and her books, which includes Awakening Osiris, her poetic translation of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. What you may not know is that she is an incredible creative writing teacher. She could teach a stone how to write, beautifully and fluently!

Now, it is up to you – would you be interested in joining Normandi and I in a tour like no other tour of Egypt? We would spend the same time as the usual Shamanic Journeys tour in the temples and monuments, and in addition, we would provide opportunities for you to create your written masterpiece.

The tour would be from Oct. 13th to the 27th, 2009, with seven days and six nights on the Nile with my new love, Afandina.

Come and fall in love, for I want to share her with you. We will play queens and kings of the Nile, as we pass by the peons forced to suffer on the luxury cruise ships, wave at our adoring admirers along the banks and have afternoon tea on the deck.  And we will create marvelous literature, together and separately.