15 Day trip to Egypt - the travel notes, by Seafun

[KCSungirl]

Seafun Tom,

 

I looked at your photos and they are fabulous. I loved your captions. The blue skies were beautiful behind the historic sites. The joy on your face really touched me. I hope I have the same experience you did.

 

A few questions - I noticed you wore shorts and some people had light jackets. Can women wear shorts? Did you see mostly summer type clothes? Would white be appropriate even though it is after Labor Day? ;-)

How did you dress on the cruise for dinner, etc. ? Is it cooler at night?

 

Did you use American money? Did you use your ATM card?

 

Are you safe from petty crime? Pickpockets, etc. ?

 

I am going with my girlfriend and we are both blondes (wild and crazy too), do we need to dress conservatively to avoid harrassment?

 

You looked like you got a lot of sun, is there time to sit by the pool on the cruise, or are you touring all day? I am counting on a Caribbean tan.

 

Are the crowds manageable at all of the sites?

 

Does the traffic in Cairo really slow you down from getting to see the sites?

 

What can I eat that I won't get sick? I am a little concerned about the food. Is bottled water provided on the boat and in hotels or do you buy it?

 

How were alcohol prices? Wine by the glass, etc.

 

Were there any special souvenirs you recommend? The small kind! Is their something that is a bargain?

 

I am just getting started........

 

Party On! Sungirl

[seafun]

Sorry to hear of the physical problems -- I hope they don't bother you for too long. I'm glad that you were able to enjoy the vast majority of your trip. :D (But then I knew you would...)

It would be pointless for me to tell you that I look forward to seeing your report and your pictures. :rolleyes: For now, you just concentrate on getting back to "normal."

And welcome home! :)

[seafun]

I did say to feel free to ask questions, lol...

I don't have the time to dive into all your questions right now, but I can throw you a "bone" to keep you busy reading for a while.

I've participated in a thread on Egypt on another board, over on Trip Advisor, that will give you lots of information and answer many of your questions as well. Here's the link:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294200-i9124-k1624311-Gate_1_travel_s_15_day_Egypt_with_Red_Sea-Egypt.html

 

It's currently 35 pages long, so that should keep you busy for a while! :rolleyes: It might be handy to open a tab in a Word document so that as you read, you can copy and paste relevant bits into your Word doc of everything that interests you...

In addition, there are lots of threads on Egypt at www.tripadvisor.com -- many of them can be found at:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g294200-i9124-Egypt.html

 

Almost all of the questions you asked are answered in this thread here on C.C. and the first one I linked you to above.

Talk to you soon, :)

[tnsauerkraut]

Mike, glad you're home in one piece! Can't wait to hear all about it! February seems a long way off right now.

 

THanks for the tip about Antinal. I seem to be lucky enough to pick up "digestive" issues no matter where I go, and I was planning on just bringing Cipro, but I think I will follow your example instead...

 

For those who are interested, I finally uploaded my Ireland PIcs and the pics I took last week when Hubby and I went to the wilds of Montana and Glacier NAtional Park. I know they're not about Egypt, but I enjoy visiting our country as well....

 

They can be seen at http://picasaweb.google.com/MarionWesterling

[WeBeGone]

Seafun Tom,

 

I looked at your photos and they are fabulous. I loved your captions. The blue skies were beautiful behind the historic sites. The joy on your face really touched me. I hope I have the same experience you did.

 

A few questions - I noticed you wore shorts and some people had light jackets. Can women wear shorts? I wore capris although I did see younger girls in shorts. Did you see mostly summer type clothes? In Nov it was warm so summer clothes were fine. In Feb, it was cool sun during the day but quite chilly adfter dark. Would white be appropriate even though it is after Labor Day? ;-) Yes, however you need to remember that Egypt is very dirty - both from the constant dust but also from a loack of American sanitation standards.

How did you dress on the cruise for dinner, etc. ? Capris except for our Egyptian night party when we all "dressed up" in our new Egyptian clothes and headresses. Is it cooler at night? Absolutely. If you go to any sound and Light Shows, wear a jacket.

 

Did you use American money? Everywhere Did you use your ATM card? never

 

Are you safe from petty crime? Pickpockets, etc. ? We felt extremely safe - even walking along to Nile at night to/from a floating restuarant. Use common sense, the same as any large city after dark.

 

I am going with my girlfriend and we are both blondes (wild and crazy too), do we need to dress conservatively to avoid harrassment? YES, you'll get enough attention with your blond hair. No shoulder baring tops, no really short skirts, and remeber that you're in a Muslim country. Be respectful.

 

You looked like you got a lot of sun, is there time to sit by the pool on the cruise, or are you touring all day? Only one day to sit in the sun. The rest of the time was busy every day. I am counting on a Caribbean tan. Forget about it.

 

Are the crowds manageable at all of the sites? Inside the temples and the Muesum can get very crowded. Don't wander off from your guide.

 

Does the traffic in Cairo really slow you down from getting to see the sites? No, your guide has builft in time to allow for traffic.

 

What can I eat that I won't get sick? Don't consume dairy (including ice cream), anything that is not cooked and not peeled. No salads, no tomatoes, no fruit unless it's peeled. No food purchased from a street vendor. I am a little concerned about the food. Is bottled water provided on the boat and in hotels or do you buy it? You buy water - remember to use it to brush your teeth.

 

How were alcohol prices? Wine by the glass, etc. Wine is $6. Alcohol MUCH higher. The Egyptian beer (Sakkara) is great and very reasonable.

 

Were there any special souvenirs you recommend? I bought rugs, fabric, Isis statue, alabaster, tee shirts, leather sandels, blouse, mini pyramids, little camels, and bookmarks. The small kind! Is their something that is a bargain? I though the $5 sandels were great.

 

I am just getting started........

 

Party On! Sungirl

 

I'm not Tom but with 2 visits to Egypt behind me (and more in front) I hope I was helpful.

[seafun]

"I'm not Tom but with 2 visits to Egypt behind me (and more in front) I hope I was helpful."

__________________

 

Helpful? I'd say your answers were spot on! Thank you for taking the time to answer all those for her.

The only thing I'd add is that I did use the ATM at a big bank in Luxor, a couple blocks from the ship -- no problems with that. As long as you have a four digit PIN, (doesn't everybody these days?) it worked just fine. (It kicks out your money in Egyptian pounds and has an option for instructions in English!)

I was very careful about where I used my credit/debit cards -- no street vendors or minor stores.

I took $100.00 in ones and $100.00 in fives with me for tipping and used a lot of the ones, but found the fives were too huge a tip for Egypt in all but a couple cases.

As far as souvenirs, let me mention the gold King Tut retractable ballpoint pens. You'll see them in lots of stores. I got fifteen or so in the market in Luxor (about $1.00 a piece with some haggling) and I wish I'd bought more! Very popular with my friends. :) The plastic laminated papyrus bookmarks with pictures of Tut and various assorted gods and goddesses are the cheapest, and smallest souvenir I can think of -- 10 of them for a couple dollars -- and very suitcase friendly! :D

I had a little time for sunning on the ship on some days, and lots of time at the resort on the Red Sea, but I'm not sure if you're doing that version of the trip.

Happy trip planning! :D Start studying those guidebooks...

[cruisemom42]

I'm not Tom but with 2 visits to Egypt behind me (and more in front) I hope I was helpful.

 

 

I agree with pretty much everything WeBeGone says. A few additions:

 

My take on clothing: Shorts would probably be fine on the Nile cruiser or at the beach (if you're going to the Red Sea resort area). At the temples, archeological sites, etc I would wear capris or maybe looonngg shorts (like bermudas or long cargo or board shorts). In the city (Cairo, Luxor), more modest clothing is advisable. You will likely get hassled if you show a lot of skin. Egyptian women dress very modestly although not too many wear the burka.

 

I did use my ATM card with no problems in Cairo and Luxor (maybe Aswan too.....can't remember). Just be sure to let your bank know that you will be traveling in Egypt, otherwise it could get suspended due to "suspicious activity."

 

Take a lot of US singles for tips. I took 50 of them and used them all.

 

Petty theft is pretty rare. Begging and a certain amount of trying to part you from your money (e.g., overpriced camel rides, $$$ for photos, etc) are very common.

 

Cheap souvenirs: blue faience (pottery) scarabs -- look just like the ones buried with royal mummies, you can get 2-3 for $1.

 

Nice souvenirs: Inlaid wood boxes, chess boards, etc.

 

Alcohol is not popular in Egypt. On our group tour our guide did not drink and out of deference we did not have much to drink either (e.g., wine with dinner). But that Sakkara beer is great after a hot day climbing over dusty ruins!! That said, you can actually buy bottles at the duty-free shop in the Cairo airport as you are entering the country if you really want to have something handy with you.

 

We trusted our guide to let us know what was "safe" to eat. For example, he personally checked out the kitchen on our Nile cruise and let us know that salads onboard were okay to eat. Elsewhere he would walk in front of the buffet table and point out what wasn't safe. He also took us to his favorite felafel stand -- man was THAT good. I don't think I'd arbitrarily eat street food, though.

[KCSungirl]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I leave in a little over three weeks and only booked a week ago. I don't have a lot of time to study the seven books I have sitting on the kitchen table. ;-) I have a ton of emotions - excited, nervous, scared, etc. I think the flights are worrying me the most. I have never spent 14 hours on a plane, even though I travel full-time. I am really concerned about my luggage situation. I am used to packing the entire house! I can only take ONE 15lb carry-on and they say NO purse. Emirates must be strict. Thank you for the clothing feedback. I didn't want to wear white, but I always seen the Egyptian men in the white robe type clothing, so I didn't know if white was a "blend" type of color. I am really excited to fly the new Airbus A380, but I have never been able to sleep on a plane in coach very well.

 

Tom, I laughed about the King Tut pens, so cheesy and so fun!

 

I need to learn the currency exchange for Dubai and Egypt. That is important. I hate getting ripped off and I am not shy!

 

The food is going to be my biggest problem. I have lost 50lbs in the past year and I depend on all of the things you can't eat. Is meat plentiful? Bread? If I am staying at a high end hotel in Cairo - The Four Seasons, will I be able to eat salad? OR should I avoid uncooked food EVERYWHERE? I can exist on coffee and wine, however. Starbucks anywhere????

 

Thanks again for taking the time for me. Cheers, Sungirl

[KCSungirl]

I was writing as you were posting. I love middle east/Mediteranean food, so I am looking forward to eating everything that is safe.

 

I am glad I booked a Carib cruise in November. I will need a vacation from Egypt adventure!

 

Sungirl

[WeBeGone]

The food is going to be my biggest problem. I have lost 50lbs in the past year and I depend on all of the things you can't eat. Is meat plentiful? Bread? If I am staying at a high end hotel in Cairo - The Four Seasons, will I be able to eat salad? OR should I avoid uncooked food EVERYWHERE? I can exist on coffee and wine, however. Starbucks anywhere????

 

Didn't see a Starbucks and the Egyptian coffee is strong so I drank tea. I did see McDonalds and ate at the Hard Rock Cafe in Cairo. I avoided salads everywhere. It's not so much the place that prepares it, the water used to GROW it is contaminated. I avoided anything grown in the soil unless it was cooked. I lost 10 lbs on our 14 day trip last Feb. A hard boiled egg and toast for bfast/ soup for lunch/ meat and veggies for dinner. LOTS of Sakkara beer. :D Even with all the precautions, I managed to get giaridia and lost another 15lbs while seriously ill for a month. Dr said I could have gotten water in my mouth while taking a shower.

[tnsauerkraut]

Sungirl,

 

you will love the Emerald PRincess! We sailed her in the Med last year for our anniversary and it quickly became our favorite Princess ship!

 

I'm envious :)

[Future Islander]

SeaFun & Others:

 

Thank you for all of the information that you posted here.

 

It has helped us to make our decision regarding a trip to Egypt, and more.

 

Yes, we are going in March 2009 for the 15 day trip!

 

Also, something just came up last we that we "jumped on"....a Holy Land Cruise aboard Princess Cruise Lines with a special price of $1,997. We leave November 4th and visit the following ports....Alexandria, Port Said (Cairo/Pyramids Excursion), Ashod (Jerusalem), Haifa (Nazareth & Galilee), Kusadasi (Ephesus) Turkey, 3 in Greece and others. This will give us a good personal, on-site look at what is to come!

 

I'll be sure to post a trip report.

 

F.I.

[cruisemom42]

 

Also, something just came up last we that we "jumped on"....a Holy Land Cruise aboard Princess Cruise Lines with a special price of $1,997. We leave November 4th and visit the following ports....Alexandria, Port Said (Cairo/Pyramids Excursion), Ashod (Jerusalem), Haifa (Nazareth & Galilee), Kusadasi (Ephesus) Turkey, 3 in Greece and others. This will give us a good personal, on-site look at what is to come!

 

I'll be sure to post a trip report.

 

F.I.

 

 

Yes, please do! I almost booked that cruise earlier this year but realized it was a bit much for this year. However, I definitely want to do it in the next couple of years. I'm hoping I can catch a similar last minute deal...

[seafun]

Your "pre-Egypt" cruise sounds wonderful -- I have also looked at that itinerary before. (I swear cruisemom and I are bound to run into one another someday soon, lol.)

How great that you get a tiny taste of Egypt to savor and think about before your "real" trip to Egypt! I think many of us are envious.

If only my job gave me more time off from (that MOST horrible of four letter words...) work! :rolleyes:

[cruisemom42]

 

If only my job gave me more time off from (that MOST horrible of four letter words...) work! :rolleyes:

 

 

Isn't THAT the truth!!! :)

[Future Islander]

Seafun & Cruisemom:

 

Do what I did........."retired" from my full time job and started my own consulting firm (engineering) from home....no more morning commute, either.

 

These days I wear a suit to work everyday (bathing suit, that is) and either talk on the phone or do research on the web....well, maybe it's a little more involved than that. Of course, there's that occasional business trip with a real suit, but, at least, it gets you out of the house (lol).

 

And no, I'm not that old....I "retired" early....while I'm still young enough to enjoy "retirement". Everyone should do this!!!!!

 

F.I.

[cruisemom42]

Seafun & Cruisemom:

 

Do what I did........."retired" from my full time job and started my own consulting firm (engineering) from home....no more morning commute, either.

 

These days I wear a suit to work everyday (bathing suit, that is) and either talk on the phone or do research on the web....well, maybe it's a little more involved than that. Of course, there's that occasional business trip with a real suit, but, at least, it gets you out of the house (lol).

 

And no, I'm not that old....I "retired" early....while I'm still young enough to enjoy "retirement". Everyone should do this!!!!!

 

F.I.

 

I've actually got a plan to retire early and try a second career -- travel writing -- once DS is out of college. We'll see how it goes.....

[tnsauerkraut]

Well, I've worked for a non profit my entire career since I left the Army, so I don't think I'll have an at-home consulting career any time soon, but it's nice to dream :) I always say that I work to support my travel habit!

 

DH and I live to win the lottery, though! ANy guesses on waht we'll do if we win?

[WeBeGone]

Well I gave up "work" as an educator after 25 years, at the young age of 48. We traveled for 7 years, and now I'm 5 years part owner/manager of a large internet cruise travel agency. I give myself as much time off as I want - hey it's all job research !! :cool:

[tnsauerkraut]

Well I gave up "work" as an educator after 25 years, at the young age of 48. We traveled for 7 years, and now I'm 5 years part owner/manager of a large internet cruise travel agency. I give myself as much time off as I want - hey it's all job research !! :cool:

I've always wondered how that internet travel agency thing works.... any tips? Also, what is your web site address? I am always looking for a good travel agent for some out of the way places I travel to. Running my own travel agency and traveling for "research" would be a dream come true - not that it'll happen, but it's nice to dream :)

[jbctraveler]

I'm baaack! Last Weds. we got home. This site really helped. Several days into the trip, I asked the other three gals I went with if they were getting tired of hearing, "Seafun said....!" They said no. Trip was great and so reasonably priced I thought for all we saw and what we received. Antiquities were amazing and I am enjoying and will continue to enjoy assimilating all that I have seen and leaning more about all the sites we visited. I have to say, Seafun, you were a lot more positive than I regarding the food on Al Nabila boats and at the Red Sea Makadi! Someone wrote on your site that it was bland and I agree. I did lose four pounds probably because of the food, walking and sweating it off! Not perspiring, sweating! It was 125 degrees in Abu Simbel! Also, beware of room 309 on King of the Nile. The air cond. leaked constantly, with the floor wet, etc. and was not cool. They tried to fix it but didn't and also my roommate and I came down after two days on the boat with a bronchial infection of some type that we think we got from the bacteria from the room and after 18 days I am still not over. I really try to be respectful of the countries I visit but next time I would take sleeveless blouses. Saw them everywhere-wouldn't wear them in certain areas but for the most part they could be worn daily to temples, etc. I would recommend the neck scarves that you soak in water and they hold coolness for several hours. Also one lady had a water bottle with a spray fan that helped with the heat. Maybe they were having a heat wave-internet said it should have been a least below 100 while we were there (actually said 90 was the average for Sept.) Loved the bargains and our Egyptologist, Vivian-she was so knowledgeable and passionate! Bedoin camp was a rip off. I knew we had been had when we pulled up to a "Safari Park!" I was expecting a tent, etc. but on our excursion into the desert, we had a five minute talk on Bedoins by our tour director, got a sales pitch to buy herbs and desert rocks from a guy in modern clothing and designer sunglasses, had a drink of tea,a bite of Bedoin bread then back to the park to ride dune buggies, camels and donkeys. All in all, it was an amazing trip that I would recommend to all. Physical and tiring but you can sleep when you get home!

[WeBeGone]

Well I gave up "work" as an educator after 25 years, at the young age of 48. We traveled for 7 years, and now I'm 5 years part owner/manager of a large internet cruise travel agency. I give myself as much time off as I want - hey it's all job research !! :cool:

 

I've always wondered how that internet travel agency thing works.... any tips? Also, what is your web site address? I am always looking for a good travel agent for some out of the way places I travel to. Running my own travel agency and traveling for "research" would be a dream come true - not that it'll happen, but it's nice to dream :)

The company I manage had a real office at the Key West Ferry Terminal 5 years ago when I was hired. The company had also been on the web since 1988 as cruisesfrom.com. Our founder was/is a computer geek who was far ahead of his time in thinking about the web. After a year of training and working in the office, the on-line business got so huge that the idea of an office was abandoned so we became 100% internet. We're REAL agents with certification, training and hard earned IATAN cards to prove it. A lot of "internet agents" are people who pay for some kind of card that allows them to book cruises, but they are not REAL. Sometimes their only knowledge is the one cruise they took. Most of them get in it for saving money when booking family and friends. Our company is affilated and thus we are one of the top 5 companies on the internet.

[seafun]

It's great to hear your initial impressions. And thank you again for all your kind words. :)

**Shudders at the thought of being on vacation and someone saying... "well, Seafun said we should see this!" :o **

I'm sorry to hear that you also got that horrible, lingering, bronchial/cold/cough/respiratory thing that many of us seem to have gotten. But in retrospect, I'd do it again in a heartbeat, in spite of getting sick. What an incredibly rich Tapestry of Life was laid out before us!

And I'm sorry to hear that it was so hot for you!! Reminds me of a summer in Paris once -- when it literally sizzled. There wasn't a breath of air moving in the museums, and we just roasted, but we wanted to see as much as possible in them. I sweat so much down my back that I got diaper rash down my, er, um, well, "derriere cleavage." That was a fun one to try and explain in French at Le Pharmacie! :eek: I hope the heat didn't do things like that to you. :rolleyes:

 

I've heard nothing but incredible raves about Vivian! I'm so glad you had her to perhaps make you forget about the heat for a while.

 

Best wishes for a rapid recovery --I hope you continue to improve quickly. It took me almost a month to kick the respiratory thing completely, but it was much better after two weeks.

And I'm very glad you enjoyed your trip and feel it was excellent value for the money. I know I did! :D

[Animated-one]

Hi there,

 

First of all I want to tell you that I have been following your thread for sometime now. Your thread has been very informative and I thank you all!!!! :cool:

My husband and I leave for Egypt on Oct 14, 2008 with GCT tours and I would like to ask a few questions that have me VERY concerned so here it goes.

We will be staying at Le Meridien Pyramids in Giza for 5 nights before we start our Nile cruise. Do you think it's safe to have ice from the hotel in your drink? I plan on bringing reuseable plastic glasses for our wine and cocktail hours but husband said no, because we can not wash them with their water. We have the same concern for our river cruise on the Ms. Liberty with the ice and water, we don't want the Pharaohs Revenge, thank you!!!! :eek: Any input would be greatly appreicated!

[WeBeGone]

NO, the ice is NOT safe, nor is the water. Brush your teeth with bottled water and make sure not to get water in your mouth while showering.

 

But here's the solution to the ice problem (besides only drinking wine and beer :D ) - take very small zip lock types plastic bags. Put the ice in the bag. Put the bag in the drink. Your drink is cold and you're protected from the ice. I go to the Ben Franklin craft store (or Michels) and buy the 2x2 in bead bags. It hold just enough ice for a gin/tonic. :cool: