A honeymoon that includes your friends is the best kind

From the River Nile to the Pyramids of Giza, I found myself sharing unforgettable moments

There’s nothing quite like exploring under the sun. Peeking past the pyramids is a glimpse of a different life, where the hustle and bustle of Egypt’s busy streets greet you with the fresh scent of baked goods and noisy car honks that somewhat draw you back into reality. Egypt captures chaos and peace so beautifully, you can’t help but want to be a part of it.

I was lucky enough to visit such a country and watch love flourish once more. One of my best friends married the love of her life and I got to marry mine, just a week before we took a flight across the globe to celebrate her love. From cloudy skies to revitalising heat, we landed in a country that allowed us to create delightful memories with incredible individuals.

Visiting Khan el-Khalili: Egypt’s famous bazaar and souq in Cairo (Faiza Saqib)

My husband and I called this trip a “minimoon”, where our love flourished further as we spent most of our days and nights with our friends. Our friendships grew through the echoes of laughter, as we danced the night away with the sound of traditional Egyptian music, and embraced the ocean, sailing away on our felucca down the River Nile.

Upon our arrival we found ourselves stretching our way out of plane fatigue, checking into our hotel, and making our way to dinner. My husband and I were greeted with rose petals on our table, as the lovely waiter offered congratulations on our marriage. “Thank you,” I replied, grinning from cheek to cheek. I had almost forgotten that this was indeed our minimoon.

A splendid view from the hotel, later greeted with red roses to commemorate the next chapter of our lives (Faiza Saqib)

If there’s one thing that I’ve learnt about Egypt, it’s that romance is embraced fully and Egyptians really love love. From heartfelt poems to classical symphonies that embrace many eras, it’s a culture that delves deeply into the emotional.

Zinab weds Ahmed: Egyptian and Sudanese wedding (Faiza Saqib)

They say love comes at the most unexpected times, and that is a saying that I firmly agree with. I met my husband at the most unexpected time in my life, a time in which I sought a companion and friend, a time when I wanted to focus on loving myself more. My best friend was lucky enough to have the same experience and her wedding was possibly one of the best days of my life (and hers too, I’m sure).

A camel takes rest near the Great Pyramid of Giza (Faiza Saqib)

From the River Nile to the Pyramids of Giza, I found myself sharing precious moments with a group of people I love, which was instrumental in making my honeymoon unforgettable. I knew my best friend’s wedding was a week after mine and I wasn’t going to miss it for the world. I thought, why not just embrace spontaneity?

My partner and I booked our tickets as soon as it was confirmed that the wedding would be in Egypt. We decided that this trip would also mark a new chapter in our lives, as husband and wife. After all, who says that newlyweds can’t enjoy a minimoon with friends?

Dinner at the Keshk household (Faiza Saqib)

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Weddings often come in stages – an emotional rollercoaster of a journey that marks a new chapter in your life. It’s not a case of rewriting your story, but more about adding to the pages of your book – an extension of the life that is and that will be. That’s how I see marriage; a remarkable journey between two people.

Felucca nights with friends (Faiza Saqib)

The moral of this story is, do what makes you happy. Honeymoon with the person or people you love, experience the world the way you want to and create memories that last a lifetime.