This is how most tourists see Abu Simbel -- early in the morning with the sun shining directly on the statues and washing out their beautiful details. Wael said that the place is packed between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. with "day trippers", who then climb back on the bus and go back to the airport to fly somewhere else. We were so glad that we got to view this mob scene from the comfort of the sun deck on the Prince Abbas, and that we got to wander around the monuments when they were far less crowded.