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Two weeks in Egypt
Hi,
I've never been to Egypt but I have the opportunity to go there for 14 days at the end of December. I fly into Cairo, and I am hoping to meet up with a friend in Alexandria if he can get there by a specific date. If I can't meet up with the friend, I will be left to my own devices for the fortnight. 1) Will I find enough to keep me occupied that long? 2) Should I hire a vehicle? I'm quite comfortable with driving in foreign countries. 3) Can I make on-the-fly accomodation plans while in Egypt, or should I book accomodation well in advance? 4) Is camping a possibility? 5) While I'm there what must I ABSOLUTELY NOT miss? Bear in mind that I've seen my fair share of souks and markets, high-priced resorts, faux "authentic" tourist traps, and those places that are in every Nat Geo and school books etc. I hate crowds of gawking tourists too. I look forward to getting some of the sage advice that I've come to expect from this NG ;-) Regards, Marc - Johannesburg |
#2
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Two weeks in Egypt
On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 08:35:27 +0200, Marc Lurie
wrote: Hi, I've never been to Egypt but I have the opportunity to go there for 14 days at the end of December. I fly into Cairo, and I am hoping to meet up with a friend in Alexandria if he can get there by a specific date. If I can't meet up with the friend, I will be left to my own devices for the fortnight. 1) Will I find enough to keep me occupied that long? 2) Should I hire a vehicle? I'm quite comfortable with driving in foreign countries. 3) Can I make on-the-fly accomodation plans while in Egypt, or should I book accomodation well in advance? 4) Is camping a possibility? 5) While I'm there what must I ABSOLUTELY NOT miss? Bear in mind that I've seen my fair share of souks and markets, high-priced resorts, faux "authentic" tourist traps, and those places that are in every Nat Geo and school books etc. I hate crowds of gawking tourists too. I look forward to getting some of the sage advice that I've come to expect from this NG ;-) Regards, Marc - Johannesburg I'll be there for 9 or 10 days next March. My own plan is fairly simple. A couple of days in Cairo, which I'll pre-book via www.asiarooms.com or a similar site because I like to know where to tell the cab to go from the airport. The train up the Nile to Aswan, a cruise boat back to Luxor over four or five nights, then the plane or the train again back to Cairo, with a side trip to Alexandria to finish. While in Cairo I'll see the obvious things - Giza, Museums etc and of course the people. I'll probably book the final hotels during that couple of days in Cairo at the start, when I can see what is available. While that's my own plan, I'll be interested to see what suggestions you get; as it's still only a plan. Cheers, Alan, Australia -- http://loraltraveloz.blogspot.com/ latest: Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/ latest: Self-Testing and Type 2 Management |
#3
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Two weeks in Egypt
Marc Lurie wrote:
I've never been to Egypt but I have the opportunity to go there for 14 days at the end of December. I fly into Cairo, and I am hoping to meet up with a friend in Alexandria if he can get there by a specific date. If I can't meet up with the friend, I will be left to my own devices for the fortnight. 1) Will I find enough to keep me occupied that long? I spent over a week just walking around Cairo, and I was disappointed to have to leave. The train to Alexandria is comfortable and convenient. Take the express train, and pay the extra US$1 for first class. 2) Should I hire a vehicle? I'm quite comfortable with driving in foreign countries. Hahaha, say that again after you've seen traffic in Cairo. Makes Saigon or Lagos look like a garden party. Traffic lights are totally ignored. I am not saying that in a comical or hyperbolic way; I mean that they are totally ignored. Everyone just honks and barges through. People drive with their side mirrors folded in because those extra few inches make a serious difference when cars are 6-abreadst on a 3-lane road. Stopping for any reason is a sign of weakness. If the car in front of you is taking too long to advance through the red light into the intersection, a gentle nudge never hurts. 3) Can I make on-the-fly accomodation plans while in Egypt, or should I book accomodation well in advance? No shortage of hotel rooms in Egypt. It shouldn't be a problem to sort it out as you go. miguel -- Hit the road! Photos from around the world: http://travel.u.nu Detailed airport information: http://airport.u.nu |
#4
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Two weeks in Egypt
On Thu, 12 Jul 2007 05:39:14 +0800, Miguel Cruz
wrote: I spent over a week just walking around Cairo, and I was disappointed to have to leave. Good to know. The train to Alexandria is comfortable and convenient. Take the express train, and pay the extra US$1 for first class. Thanks for the advice. I will certainly look at that option. Hahaha, say that again after you've seen traffic in Cairo. Makes Saigon or Lagos look like a garden party. Well, that answers that one. :-) Actually, I meant that I might hire ar car to travel around Egypt, not in Cairo itself. Is that an option? No shortage of hotel rooms in Egypt. It shouldn't be a problem to sort it out as you go. Excellent. I hate having schedules when I travel. Thanks for the good info. Miguel. I appreciate it. Marc |
#5
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Two weeks in Egypt
See my two travelogues:
http://www.molon.de/travelogues/Egypt/2003/ http://www.molon.de/travelogues/Egypt/2001/ and the photos to get an idea what there is to see and do: http://www.molon.de/galleries/Egypt/ -- Alfred Molon http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe |
#6
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Two weeks in Egypt
Alan S wrote:
On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 08:35:27 +0200, Marc Lurie wrote: Hi, I've never been to Egypt but I have the opportunity to go there for 14 days at the end of December. I fly into Cairo, and I am hoping to meet up with a friend in Alexandria if he can get there by a specific date. If I can't meet up with the friend, I will be left to my own devices for the fortnight. 1) Will I find enough to keep me occupied that long? 2) Should I hire a vehicle? I'm quite comfortable with driving in foreign countries. 3) Can I make on-the-fly accomodation plans while in Egypt, or should I book accomodation well in advance? 4) Is camping a possibility? 5) While I'm there what must I ABSOLUTELY NOT miss? Bear in mind that I've seen my fair share of souks and markets, high-priced resorts, faux "authentic" tourist traps, and those places that are in every Nat Geo and school books etc. I hate crowds of gawking tourists too. I look forward to getting some of the sage advice that I've come to expect from this NG ;-) Regards, Marc - Johannesburg I'll be there for 9 or 10 days next March. My own plan is fairly simple. A couple of days in Cairo, which I'll pre-book via www.asiarooms.com or a similar site because I like to know where to tell the cab to go from the airport. The train up the Nile to Aswan, a cruise boat back to Luxor over four or five nights, then the plane or the train again back to Cairo, with a side trip to Alexandria to finish. While in Cairo I'll see the obvious things - Giza, Museums etc and of course the people. I'll probably book the final hotels during that couple of days in Cairo at the start, when I can see what is available. While that's my own plan, I'll be interested to see what suggestions you get; as it's still only a plan. Sounds quite OK, I would add a full day for Pyramid excursions outside Giza, hire a taxi with driver, go south to Saqqara and the Bent and the Red pyramids, check them inside. Also remember, the Giza pyramids only open twice a day, morning show plus afternoon show. There are a very limited number of tickets, be in time to buy a ticket, don't miss the sun boat museum at Giza. Go INSIDE the pyramids, very exciting how it was built. In Cairo the modern subway is cheap (50 piasters last time I was there), but avoid the rush hours. The subway is fast and cheap. Why not see Port Said and the boat traffic if you have extra time? /Regards, Nisse Cheers, Alan, Australia -- http://loraltraveloz.blogspot.com/ latest: Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/ latest: Self-Testing and Type 2 Management -- Remove the obvious part before replying by mail please! |
#7
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Two weeks in Egypt
On Fri, 13 Jul 2007 14:47:23 +0200, Nisse PowerMan
wrote: Alan S wrote: On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 08:35:27 +0200, Marc Lurie wrote: Hi, I've never been to Egypt but I have the opportunity to go there for 14 days at the end of December. I fly into Cairo, and I am hoping to meet up with a friend in Alexandria if he can get there by a specific date. If I can't meet up with the friend, I will be left to my own devices for the fortnight. 1) Will I find enough to keep me occupied that long? 2) Should I hire a vehicle? I'm quite comfortable with driving in foreign countries. 3) Can I make on-the-fly accomodation plans while in Egypt, or should I book accomodation well in advance? 4) Is camping a possibility? 5) While I'm there what must I ABSOLUTELY NOT miss? Bear in mind that I've seen my fair share of souks and markets, high-priced resorts, faux "authentic" tourist traps, and those places that are in every Nat Geo and school books etc. I hate crowds of gawking tourists too. I look forward to getting some of the sage advice that I've come to expect from this NG ;-) Regards, Marc - Johannesburg I'll be there for 9 or 10 days next March. My own plan is fairly simple. A couple of days in Cairo, which I'll pre-book via www.asiarooms.com or a similar site because I like to know where to tell the cab to go from the airport. The train up the Nile to Aswan, a cruise boat back to Luxor over four or five nights, then the plane or the train again back to Cairo, with a side trip to Alexandria to finish. While in Cairo I'll see the obvious things - Giza, Museums etc and of course the people. I'll probably book the final hotels during that couple of days in Cairo at the start, when I can see what is available. While that's my own plan, I'll be interested to see what suggestions you get; as it's still only a plan. Sounds quite OK, I would add a full day for Pyramid excursions outside Giza, hire a taxi with driver, go south to Saqqara and the Bent and the Red pyramids, check them inside. Also remember, the Giza pyramids only open twice a day, morning show plus afternoon show. There are a very limited number of tickets, be in time to buy a ticket, don't miss the sun boat museum at Giza. Go INSIDE the pyramids, very exciting how it was built. In Cairo the modern subway is cheap (50 piasters last time I was there), but avoid the rush hours. The subway is fast and cheap. Why not see Port Said and the boat traffic if you have extra time? /Regards, Nisse Thanks for the suggestions; I'll look into them. Time is one problem. I have a lot to see in a short time and I've found it wise to include "do nothing" days in the itinerary. Even if just to get the laundry done, some essentials shopping, and so on. Bear in mind I'll have come from Angkor, Petra and Agra and be heading off via London, New York and Washington to Yucatan and Mexico City. Egypt will be the longest period in one country. It'll be hectic, but fun. How safe is it for a 60yo 6' tall obvious Westerner to wander around freely in the bazaars and subways? I had no problems wandering the back streets of Istanbul; is Cairo similar in that respect? Cheers, Alan, Australia -- http://loraltraveloz.blogspot.com/ latest: Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/ latest: Self-Testing and Type 2 Management |
#8
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Two weeks in Egypt
Alan S wrote:
How safe is it for a 60yo 6' tall obvious Westerner to wander around freely in the bazaars and subways? I had no problems wandering the back streets of Istanbul; is Cairo similar in that respect? I am not so obviously a westerner but most people seemed to figure out I was a foreigner (the big camera helped). In Cairo I walked everywhere that seemed interesting, no matter how back-alleyish, run-down, or deserted, day and night. At no time did I feel threatened in any way. Also, nobody ever warned me to be careful, something I find often happens in places where there is real danger. On the subway I accidentally got in the ladies-only car (it seemed so much less crowded!) I got a lot of tittering and moved back to the mixed car at the next stop, where I just got more snickering from the men. One of them gave me a congratulatory clap on the shoulder with a big grin. The subway is quite crowded, and I could imagine there might be pick-pocketing, but I never felt (or lost) anything. miguel -- Hit the road! Photos from around the world: http://travel.u.nu Detailed airport information: http://airport.u.nu |
#9
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Two weeks in Egypt
On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 04:17:31 +0800, Miguel Cruz
wrote: Alan S wrote: How safe is it for a 60yo 6' tall obvious Westerner to wander around freely in the bazaars and subways? I had no problems wandering the back streets of Istanbul; is Cairo similar in that respect? I am not so obviously a westerner but most people seemed to figure out I was a foreigner (the big camera helped). In Cairo I walked everywhere that seemed interesting, no matter how back-alleyish, run-down, or deserted, day and night. At no time did I feel threatened in any way. Also, nobody ever warned me to be careful, something I find often happens in places where there is real danger. On the subway I accidentally got in the ladies-only car (it seemed so much less crowded!) I got a lot of tittering and moved back to the mixed car at the next stop, where I just got more snickering from the men. One of them gave me a congratulatory clap on the shoulder with a big grin. The subway is quite crowded, and I could imagine there might be pick-pocketing, but I never felt (or lost) anything. miguel Thanks Miguel Cheers, Alan, Australia -- http://loraltraveloz.blogspot.com/ latest: Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/ latest: Self-Testing and Type 2 Management |
#10
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Two weeks in Egypt
Go INSIDE the pyramids, very exciting how it was built. I believe that only the first 150 visitors are allowed inside the Pyramids |
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