Egypt: the land of the Pharaohs — the very name of the country conjures up images of lost temples and tombs, mysterious mummies, and towering pyramids. But there is something even more important and inextricably linked to the history of this ancient country — the Nile River.

At more than 4,150 miles, the Nile is the longest river in the world, and its fertile banks have been used for agriculture since ancient times. It is the Nile that made the rise of civilization in Egypt possible. Without her, there would have been no Pharaohs, no pyramids – indeed, no life at all in the otherwise barren deserts of Northeast Africa.

It is with this in mind that many tourists make a Nile cruise one of the "must-do" activities in Egypt. We certainly had it on our list. As we researched our options online, however, we became increasingly sceptical.

Almost all of the Nile cruises travel from Luxor to Aswan or vice versa. With more than 300 cruise boats plying this short stretch of water, the river is swarming with boats and people.

Tourists reported that cruise boats were rarely (if ever) alone on the water, and they often had to wait in line for hours to pass through locks. When the boats docked at port, they were often parked three or four deep...

Off the beaten Nile, Daniel Hartmann, The News & Observer, North Carolina, USA, September 02, 2007.

The history and future of Egypt, for all intents and purposes, rests in his hands. But Zahi Hawass, chief of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, is up to the challenge. To put it simply, he's "The Man," according to Time Magazine ["Zahi Hawass", , Time Magazine, USA, April 30, 2006], which deemed him one of the most influential people of 2005.

With 36,000 employees and thousands of archaeological excavations to manage (nobody explores without his permission and oversight), it's miraculous the 60-year-old Hawass has time for anything else. But last week he stopped at the University of Hawaii on a whirlwind business trip to lecture to a packed campus ballroom. In addition to his speaking engagements and numerous articles and books (four published in 2006 alone), Hawass appears regularly on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Nova, "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," BBC and CNN. Yet he still manages to find time for his own discoveries, which always make headlines.

"He's a master at multi-tasking," said F. DeWolfe Miller, professor of epidemiology at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii, and a Hawass friend for 30 years. "He's a passionate advocate for global heritage. He believes Egyptian antiquities belong to the world."

Long-time friend and Lahaina resident Gary Smith agreed. "He throws his heart, soul and body into presenting Egypt to the rest of the world. He makes sure everything gets done the right way so the antiquities are saved. And Egypt needs to be protected. It's one of the world's treasures..."

Digging into life, Katherine Nichols, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Hawaii, USA, Vol. 12, Issue 245, September 02, 2007.