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Any advice or tips when going to Egypt.?

WhenIwasLittleBoy
WhenIwasLittleBoy Posts: 5,430
in Not Sports Related
Next week we have our much overdue family holiday to Hurghada, Egypt. This is our first time to Egypt, a new law was brought in by the Egyptian government where you cannot take their currency into the country,. 
Reading up its pretty much a cash only country, and tips are a given out there. Nationwide have already told me that I will be charged 3% of any money withdrawn from an ATM.
There seems to be a lot of conflicting do and don’ts, and I was hoping that there maybe some sound advice from fellow Lifers.
«1

Comments

  • AddicksAddict
    AddicksAddict Posts: 15,783
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
  • cafc4life
    cafc4life Posts: 4,632
    yeah, dont.
  • CharltonKerry
    CharltonKerry Posts: 2,958
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
  • se9addick
    se9addick Posts: 32,034
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    The Sphinx is directly in front of the Great Pyramid isn’t it?
  • O-Randy-Hunt
    O-Randy-Hunt Posts: 10,636
    cafc4life said:
    yeah, dont.
    This
  • CharltonKerry
    CharltonKerry Posts: 2,958
    se9addick said:
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    The Sphinx is directly in front of the Great Pyramid isn’t it?
    Yes, you are correct. Oops not going to the great pyramid either, which might explain what I’m not seeing the sphinx, sorry must learn to read what written as oppose to what I think is written.
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 21,597
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    To be fair, I don't think that was on D's agenda anyway!
  • se9addick
    se9addick Posts: 32,034
    CharltonKerry said:
    se9addick said:
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    The Sphinx is directly in front of the Great Pyramid isn’t it?
    Yes, you are correct. Oops not going to the great pyramid either, which might explain what I’m not seeing the sphinx, sorry must learn to read what written as oppose to what I think is written.
    Ha, fair enough - I was thinking “why don’t they just turn around”!
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    edited July 2022
    I met a traveller from an antique land,
    Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
    Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,
    Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
    And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
    Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
    Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
    The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
    And on the pedestal, these words appear:
    My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
    Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
    Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
    Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

    The lone and level sands stretch far away.
  • golfaddick
    golfaddick Posts: 33,625
    CharltonKerry said:
    se9addick said:
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    The Sphinx is directly in front of the Great Pyramid isn’t it?
    Yes, you are correct. Oops not going to the great pyramid either, which might explain what I’m not seeing the sphinx, sorry must learn to read what written as oppose to what I think is written.
    Sorry, but big mistake if you are not going to see the Pyramids. We did a mini cruise years ago that took in Egypt & Israel and my one abiding memory is the coach tour around Cairo. You must go see the Pyramids. They're not one of the 7 wonders for nothing. 
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  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    The word ‘Gypsy’ is derived from the word ‘Egypt’.
  • shirty5
    shirty5 Posts: 19,221
    Keep your hand on your pfennig
  • DamoNorthStand
    DamoNorthStand Posts: 10,934
    Imodium Instants - Fortunes Pharmacy Diarrhoea Relief
  • AddicksAddict
    AddicksAddict Posts: 15,783
    se9addick said:
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    The Sphinx is directly in front of the Great Pyramid isn’t it?
    Yes, it’s rather difficult not to see it.
  • AddicksAddict
    AddicksAddict Posts: 15,783
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    @CharltonKerry I can send you a link that if you use to sign up gives you and me a tenner. 
  • PopIcon
    PopIcon Posts: 5,970
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    Open up a Starling or Monzo current account.
  • BrentfordAddick
    BrentfordAddick Posts: 1,460
    Spent a year there ages ago and know people who go back and forth. Be respectful if you go into the 'local areas' outside of the hotels, you know what I mean. Nobody is saying you have to wear local clothes but cover up a bit. Be careful about salads and local ice creams. Stay out of any political discussion, there is a secret police and people are nervous. Smile. Learn the Egyptian Arabic for hello, goodbye, please, thank you. Tip. 

    Everyone is saying go to the pyramids. There are coach tours, it's about 8 hours each way. You can fly but I don't know how much of a palaver that would be. Possibly you can hire a car and a driver. 

    Beautiful country. 
  • CharltonKerry
    CharltonKerry Posts: 2,958
    AddicksAddict said:
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    @CharltonKerry I can send you a link that if you use to sign up gives you and me a tenner. 
    Feel free to, probably sign up at the weekend. Thanks
  • CharltonKerry
    CharltonKerry Posts: 2,958
    golfaddick said:
    CharltonKerry said:
    se9addick said:
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    The Sphinx is directly in front of the Great Pyramid isn’t it?
    Yes, you are correct. Oops not going to the great pyramid either, which might explain what I’m not seeing the sphinx, sorry must learn to read what written as oppose to what I think is written.
    Sorry, but big mistake if you are not going to see the Pyramids. We did a mini cruise years ago that took in Egypt & Israel and my one abiding memory is the coach tour around Cairo. You must go see the Pyramids. They're not one of the 7 wonders for nothing. 
    Unfortunately this cruise there dose’nt allow the time to see both the Pyramids, plus Karnak and the valley of kings so had to make the sad decision to skip the pyramids, although we are talking about see them another time, but old age might defeat that.
  • shine166
    shine166 Posts: 13,917
    Use the carpark closest to rhe pyramids, it's a pharoah walk otherwise.
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  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 26,849
    shine166 said:
    Use the carpark closest to rhe pyramids, it's a pharoah walk otherwise.
    if you are driving there you don't even need to buy a ticket
    You just toot and come in.
  • robroy
    robroy Posts: 4,425
    Drink bottled water and avoid touching the money if you dont want the sh1ts! 
  • Big_Bad_World
    Big_Bad_World Posts: 5,859
    edited July 2022
    Take a few boxes of cheap biros and notepads to give to the kids that are always approaching you.
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 28,617
    Just walk like one.
  • IdleHans
    IdleHans Posts: 10,963
    Nationwide charged me 3% on all my transactions in Europe as well. I won't be using them again for that
  • kimbo
    kimbo Posts: 2,996
    AddicksAddict said:
    se9addick said:
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    The Sphinx is directly in front of the Great Pyramid isn’t it?
    Yes, it’s rather difficult not to see it.
     And KFC and Piza Hut from memory, not what i was expecting

  • IdleHans
    IdleHans Posts: 10,963
    kimbo said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    se9addick said:
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    The Sphinx is directly in front of the Great Pyramid isn’t it?
    Yes, it’s rather difficult not to see it.
     And KFC and Giza Hut from memory, not what i was expecting

    Fixed
  • SoundAsa£
    SoundAsa£ Posts: 22,477
    se9addick said:
    CharltonKerry said:
    AddicksAddict said:
    Don’t eat salads. 

    Go see Karnak, Valley of the Kings, the Great Sphinx, the three pyramids, Tutankhamen’s treasure. 

    Get a currensea card, it’s free to withdraw or spend money and you don’t have to preload it. Best thing we did for going abroad. 
    Thanks for the tip about currensea card, looks ideal for a cruise we are doing where we are visiting around 30 different countries, think we will get an account. One of those countries is Egypt and we are doing all your recommendations apart from the great sphinxes.
    The Sphinx is directly in front of the Great Pyramid isn’t it?
    Yeah……you can’t miss it.
  • SoundAsa£
    SoundAsa£ Posts: 22,477
    One thing I can’t understand though, is why they built the pyramids so close to the road?
  • cs1986
    cs1986 Posts: 1,529
    WhenIwasLittleBoy said:
    Next week we have our much overdue family holiday to Hurghada, Egypt. This is our first time to Egypt, a new law was brought in by the Egyptian government where you cannot take their currency into the country,. 
    Reading up its pretty much a cash only country, and tips are a given out there. Nationwide have already told me that I will be charged 3% of any money withdrawn from an ATM.
    There seems to be a lot of conflicting do and don’ts, and I was hoping that there maybe some sound advice from fellow Lifers.
    Visit a town just outside Hurghada called El Gouna. I have been there ten plus times. 

    Take English cash with you and change it in there cash machines into Egyptian it's a much much better rate.

    If you want a reliable taxi driver/chauffer from airport let me know as I know a great one and cheap 

    Any other questions fire away mate it's like my second home.

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