The thing that caught my eye about the canal route was that you are said to be allowed to camp at the locks. Is that true? Free? Crowded?

I once read some desert warfare manual about maintaining efficiency in the heat, up to about 140F. What I mostly remember is the stratospheric amounts of water one needs to consume in order to maintain efficiency. It was gallons per day as the heat worsened. I don't know how one would have drunk all the water required!