Egypt and my elderly mother...

[whale-watcher]

for those of you with previous Egypt experience...we are presently planning an overnight tour with nile blue (arranged through our cc roll call)...but my 84 year old mother is growing increasingly frail; do you feel that she would be better off with a one day excursion to see the pyramids (a lifelong dream for her) followed by a day of relaxation on the ship?

 

If we do take an overnight excursion, would we be better off taking the Abercrombie and Kent official princess excursion (MUCH more expensive) given her age and infirmity, just in case (I really don't like large motorcoach tours, and the price difference is HUGE, but the what ifs are starting to worry me)...also, is there a bathroom on the bus used by A and K for princess?

 

thanks in advance!:)

[paul929207]

I don't know your mother, so it is hard to judge her condition.

 

Giza can be very hot (when will you be there). We were there in March, 2006 & it was up in the 70's, by summer it is hot. The ground is uneven, sandy or ancient rocks.

[Toto2Kansas]

We loved our overnite tour, but I must admit, it was terribly exhausting for most on our tour. It is a whirlwind trip of traveling by bus to Giza (approx 3 hours each way) and then in and out of the bus to see the sites. We traveled with Nile Blue tours and we did have a restroom on our bus to be used mainly for minor emergencys (if you get my drift). But even the restroom was down a few stairs and very compact.

 

Of coarse, your mother doesn't have to get off the bus at all the sites, but to see them properly, you really need to do a lot of walking. Also, most sites will not accomodate any type of wheelchair or walker, so that idea would be out of the question.

 

If this is a dream of hers, I would contact Hazem (Nile Blue Tours) and see if maybe he couldn't provide a private tour, it would still probably be less than what Princess is charging. That way you could take your time and not be rushed and do only as much as your mother was able. When doing a tour with 50 others, whether privately or with Princess, there are others to consider that are in a hurry to get to the next site as time is so limited for this type of port. This is one of those ports where there is so much to see, and so little time to see it in and everyone really wants to see as much as possible, especially on the larger tours.

 

Just keep in mind that either the day trip or the overnite trip is a very long day for most with the round trip needed to visit the pyramids.

[murphysmum]

Hello...

 

Rather than tire your mother with two long bus rides in one day, I would suggest a private tour with an overnight stay at the Mena Oberoi, Palace section, Pyramid View. I few of those rooms have little patios with shade.

 

She can be driven up very close to the Pyramid, may feel like seeing the Solar Boat (from lower level), and can also drive up right next to the Sphinx.

 

She could then enjoy the hotel (beautiful) for the rest of the day and be refreshed for the drive back the second day. If she's really frail and not up to going to dinner, the Mena House provides excellent room service as well. Dining on her patio with you while looking at the Great Pyramid might be an experience of a lifetime for her...and for you....seeing her enjoy it!

 

I wish you a wonderful trip!

 

murphysmum;)

[smeyer418]

there a short movie of the Mena house at http://www.youtube.com/smeyer418

 

 

lovely hotel...

[whale-watcher]

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions...sounds like we are better off sticking with nile blue and the overnight in giza rather than "official" princess excursion options. Mom is able to walk fairly well with a cane, and is rather heat-tolerant (more so than my MN-born children!), but took a recent fall at home an broke her arm, so we are all a little worried. The mena house sounds really lovely.

 

We are sticking to private van excursions at all our other ports as well, and fortunately have family in Israel that mom can visit with while we are touring Jerusalem.

 

It is good to know that there is an "emergency just in case restroom" available even with nile blue.

[Sekhmet]

This is not really any help, but I thought you might be amused by it. Some years ago, my mother, then in her 80s and somewhat disabled, went with a friend on the Lake Nasser cruise from Aswan to Abu Simbel and back. She accepted that she wouldn't be able to disembark in most places, but would be happy just watching from the boat and enjoying the cruise (she had visited Egypt once or twice before).

Anyway, the night they stopped at Abu Simbel, a little show had been laid on outside the temple, music from Aida, a bit of lighting and so on (nothing like the full-blooded Son et Lumiere now shown). The crew were so insistent that my mother should see this that they got one of the big wicker chairs from a lounge, sat her in it and four of them carried her down the gangplank and up to the temple site!

It sounds a bit scary, but what an adventure!

[whale-watcher]

great story, Sekhmet...thanks for sharing!

[WeBeGone]

We loved the overnight with Nile Blue from the Star Princess in Nov. Hazem shows you the most highlights in 24 hours. He's very sensitive to any particular needs of clients so I wouldn't hestate recommending them. In fact, we just returned yesterday from a 10 day trip with Nile Blue. Awesome company with excellent service.

[msraye]

I just returned from my trip to Egypt and Jordan. I found it physically exhausting. I recommend a PRIVATE tour geared to your and your mother's needs. At Giza I had trouble from one vendor who actually was trying to put his hands into my wallet and purse. The vendors at Giza are the worst. Walking is VERY difficult with many loose and buried rocks.

[whale-watcher]

Well, our plot thickens...my mom slipped on the ice and fractured her arm since I last posted, and due to her age and arthritis and osteoporosis might still have a cast on when we are scheduled to take our Mediterranean/Holy Land cruise in late June/early July. We are beginning to think that the extreme heat (I have read that the Museum in Cairo has no air conditioning) and difficult/tiring touring conditions might not be wise.

 

We are thinking of switching over to an Alaskan cruise instead (where she can stay on the ship the entire time if she is not up to walking or touring, but still see a lot of scenery and and wildlife).

 

If we do end up taking our original cruise, we will stick with our plans to use NIle Blue, however.

[juliejoe]

Alaska sounds like a good plan - for all the reasons you have given. We took my mother there when she was in her 80s and she tore her miniscus walking in to the ship. She ended up in a wheelchair for the cruise and it was still a really good trip for her. They do have some wheelchair friendly excursions too - train in Skagway for one.

 

Maybe you can find a really good video of Egypt and the pyramids so you can take a virtual tour with her.

 

Whatever you do, you'll treasure the memories of the special times you spend with your mom.

[Toto2Kansas]

Well, our plot thickens...my mom slipped on the ice and fractured her arm since I last posted, and due to her age and arthritis and osteoporosis might still have a cast on when we are scheduled to take our Mediterranean/Holy Land cruise in late June/early July. We are beginning to think that the extreme heat (I have read that the Museum in Cairo has no air conditioning) and difficult/tiring touring conditions might not be wise.

 

We are thinking of switching over to an Alaskan cruise instead (where she can stay on the ship the entire time if she is not up to walking or touring, but still see a lot of scenery and and wildlife).

 

If we do end up taking our original cruise, we will stick with our plans to use NIle Blue, however.

 

So sorry to hear of your mum's accident. Just keep in mind that the overnite with Nile Blue Tours will still afford your mum with a great adventure and although she might be limited to what she can actually get to, the bus is fully air conditioned and she still won't miss the sites she has always wanted to see.

Best of luck on whatever decision you make on this one.

[whale-watcher]

So sorry to hear of your mum's accident. Just keep in mind that the overnite with Nile Blue Tours will still afford your mum with a great adventure and although she might be limited to what she can actually get to, the bus is fully air conditioned and she still won't miss the sites she has always wanted to see.

Best of luck on whatever decision you make on this one.

That's good to know:) We still have a few weeks to go until final payment, so we will wait and she how she is mending. We are also now a bit worried about some of the other excursions we have planned (Ephesus, Pompeii, Athens...) that involve a lot of walking in the heat, although she has been to all of these other places before and might elect to stay on board ship.

[coasters]

Sorry to hear about your mom's fall. We just returned from April 11 - 24 '08 Nile and Lake Nasser cruise with Vantage Travel.

You might like to show your mother our images. Not like being there, but better than nothing.

http://picasaweb.google.com/JerrysWebPage/Egypt2008

Enjoy

Diane & Jerry

[whale-watcher]

Nice pictures...thanks for sharing. April is probably a perfect time of year to be there as well.