“Better to err on the side of caution,” Charley replied glumly.
We were given what the steward assured us were the best cabins adjacent to each other on board the Rosetta. I had no doubt of it given how liberally Charley was dispensing bakshish. Our luggage had already been deposited inside the portside cabins on the promenade deck, however, since the Nile steamer was not, as Matthias had predicted, fully booked, we were also offered the choice of changing if we were not satisfied with our cabins, which we declined. Besides comfortably-sized cabins, the steamer had several saloons on the lower decks as well as an open observation saloon at the front of the promenade deck like a spacious veranda where, we were told, many passengers had found it very pleasant to recline and take afternoon t
