I've decided to do a post on my trip to Egypt and to also give tourists an insight as to what to expect. Before you go I would recommend reading a travel guide- try this one.
So I visited Sharm-el Sheikh and Cairo. Sharm is a beach resort geared towards tourists and Cairo is the real Egypt. it was nice to experience both-the calm, and the chaotic!
By the way if you are visiting beach resorts such as Sharm-el Sheikh and not Cairo,(and are a British citizen) you do not need a visa. This was something which was not made clear to other tourist whom were all directed to purchase a visa at the airport. Many did not know about the visa issue so purchased one for no reason. And the prices for visa are made up by the person behind the desk. We paid $18 per person when in fact it was $15. So check and make sure you are aware of the visa price BEFORE.
In Sharm we relaxed on the beach, and as it was an all inclusive hotel ate a lot (my favourite part of any holiday lol). The entertainment at the hotel is the kind you find in most hotels abroad. There was belly dancing, snake charming and traditional dancing. The snake act was definitely worth watching. By the way I hate snakes, just the sight of one makes me want to puke, yes I know pretty weird but they creep me out! The snakes in the act actually looked drugged up (they probably were) At one point the guy put the snake in his mouth (yes really!) unfortunately for me I didn't record this moment but it did make me cringe. I did however record other tricks with the snakes.
Sharm is popular for snorkelling and other water sports. We planned to go on a boat with glass floor providing a view of the ocean. Unfortunately the day we planned this the weather was very windy, so didn't fancy the trip. I made use of the scenery and took photos of the sun setting and the beach.
For my beach outfit of the day, have a look at this post
Cairo...
Cairo and Sharm are two opposites! The trip to Cairo, well I fell asleep for most of it ha! I find this makes the journey shorter ;o) Upon entering Cairo, we were met with BEEP BEEEPP BEEPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The traffic was immense. We headed straight for our hotel which thank God was out of the busy downtown area. When we reached the hotel my face was like :-( as it looked grotty from outside, but one thing I have learnt from Egypt is do not judge a book by its cover. We found the hotel from a website I frequent EVERY TIME before booking a hotel (It hasn't let me down yet) www.tripadvisor.com and from the photos (traveller photos not just the hotel photos) we did see that it was very different inside from the outside. The hotel reviews were also positive. It was really great to return to the quiet hotel after a long day sight seeing.
As a general guide I would not recommend staying central/downtown if you want a good night sleep, also the pollution is pretty bad.
So what did we do in Cairo?? Well on one day we visited the Pyramids in Giza and did some shopping in Khan el Khalili. The Pyramids was an experience-good and bad.
The one thing (apart from the food) I have been looking forward to is visiting the pyramids in Giza. Unfortunately the experience was ruined by the constant bothering from the touts. Eventually we agreed to a camel ride and agreed the price before hand (I have learnt this from past experience in Morocco) as soon as I am on the camel the guy decides to change his mind about the price and even sworn to God he did not agree on the initial price-er hellloooo??! Eventually after a heated argument he agreed to the first price. The camel ride was a great and we were taken around one of the pyramids.
The site of the pyramids and the sphinx I have to say my initial thoughts were wow this is bit of a construction site. There was also camel/horse poo everywhere and of course with the touts bothering you (I learnt to ignore them) the experience was ruined. There were signs on the pyramids stating you may not climb, however everyone did, and the security guy didn't even batter an eyelid.
Once we were done, our driver took us just behind the pyramids and that was the view I was after! You know the view they show you in magazines and on tourists boards of the untouched beauty of the pyramids. We took a few photos but were told to leave by a security guy. I can't believe they don't allow you to see that view, why the broken bit at the front with the touts?!!
After eating at the Pizza Hut opposite the pyramids (Yes I know Pizza Hut isn't traditional Egyptian food) we headed to Khan El Khalili, a traditional souk. If you are a serious shopper you need to dedicate half a day at least to exploring the souk, or a day if you want to stroll at your own pace.
We had tradtional Egyptian food, or so I have been told-forgot the name though..
The next day we visited the Egyptian Museum, the building was amazing! Opposite it you could see the government building which was torched-a sad reminder of the revolution by the brave Egyptians.
The entrance fee for tourist adults was 60 Egyptian Pounds. Students was 30 Egyptian Pounds. Entrance to mummy room is extra. I could have got in as an Egyptian as they assumed I was one, but I was honest and got a tourist ticket instead. The museum was HUGE! I've heard it may move to another building because there isn't enough space for the constant artifacts being discovered. The mummy room was very cold to keep the bodies chilled. Looking at the bodies It was extraordinary to think how they have been kept preserved. Although some of the faces were pretty creepy.
In the evening we decided to take a local boat on the Nile. We were hoping for a relaxing ride but instead the boat had music BLASTING. Entertainment was some hijabi dancing (lol) and we enjoyed the views of the Nile for ten minutes.
If I had to sum up Cairo in a few words I would say it's chaotic and unfinished- but a charming city. It has a vintage look to it (rust and dirt?) but it's what makes the city such a vibrant place. I would happily visit Egypt again, perhaps to visit the Valley of Kings in Luxur, or Cairo again. The Egyptian people are genuine and welcoming, making Egypt a must have destination.
Have a look at my video on Youtube to see me talking about my trip to Egypt.
So I visited Sharm-el Sheikh and Cairo. Sharm is a beach resort geared towards tourists and Cairo is the real Egypt. it was nice to experience both-the calm, and the chaotic!
By the way if you are visiting beach resorts such as Sharm-el Sheikh and not Cairo,(and are a British citizen) you do not need a visa. This was something which was not made clear to other tourist whom were all directed to purchase a visa at the airport. Many did not know about the visa issue so purchased one for no reason. And the prices for visa are made up by the person behind the desk. We paid $18 per person when in fact it was $15. So check and make sure you are aware of the visa price BEFORE.
In Sharm we relaxed on the beach, and as it was an all inclusive hotel ate a lot (my favourite part of any holiday lol). The entertainment at the hotel is the kind you find in most hotels abroad. There was belly dancing, snake charming and traditional dancing. The snake act was definitely worth watching. By the way I hate snakes, just the sight of one makes me want to puke, yes I know pretty weird but they creep me out! The snakes in the act actually looked drugged up (they probably were) At one point the guy put the snake in his mouth (yes really!) unfortunately for me I didn't record this moment but it did make me cringe. I did however record other tricks with the snakes.
Sharm is popular for snorkelling and other water sports. We planned to go on a boat with glass floor providing a view of the ocean. Unfortunately the day we planned this the weather was very windy, so didn't fancy the trip. I made use of the scenery and took photos of the sun setting and the beach.
 |
| Beautiful scenery-is that mount sinai in the background?? |
For my beach outfit of the day, have a look at this post
Cairo...
Cairo and Sharm are two opposites! The trip to Cairo, well I fell asleep for most of it ha! I find this makes the journey shorter ;o) Upon entering Cairo, we were met with BEEP BEEEPP BEEPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The traffic was immense. We headed straight for our hotel which thank God was out of the busy downtown area. When we reached the hotel my face was like :-( as it looked grotty from outside, but one thing I have learnt from Egypt is do not judge a book by its cover. We found the hotel from a website I frequent EVERY TIME before booking a hotel (It hasn't let me down yet) www.tripadvisor.com and from the photos (traveller photos not just the hotel photos) we did see that it was very different inside from the outside. The hotel reviews were also positive. It was really great to return to the quiet hotel after a long day sight seeing.
As a general guide I would not recommend staying central/downtown if you want a good night sleep, also the pollution is pretty bad.
So what did we do in Cairo?? Well on one day we visited the Pyramids in Giza and did some shopping in Khan el Khalili. The Pyramids was an experience-good and bad.
The one thing (apart from the food) I have been looking forward to is visiting the pyramids in Giza. Unfortunately the experience was ruined by the constant bothering from the touts. Eventually we agreed to a camel ride and agreed the price before hand (I have learnt this from past experience in Morocco) as soon as I am on the camel the guy decides to change his mind about the price and even sworn to God he did not agree on the initial price-er hellloooo??! Eventually after a heated argument he agreed to the first price. The camel ride was a great and we were taken around one of the pyramids.
The site of the pyramids and the sphinx I have to say my initial thoughts were wow this is bit of a construction site. There was also camel/horse poo everywhere and of course with the touts bothering you (I learnt to ignore them) the experience was ruined. There were signs on the pyramids stating you may not climb, however everyone did, and the security guy didn't even batter an eyelid.
Once we were done, our driver took us just behind the pyramids and that was the view I was after! You know the view they show you in magazines and on tourists boards of the untouched beauty of the pyramids. We took a few photos but were told to leave by a security guy. I can't believe they don't allow you to see that view, why the broken bit at the front with the touts?!!
 |
| The untouched part behind the pyramids |
I didn't purchase much, just a pair of sandals and some hijabs. But if you are visiting Cairo for a few days, I would recommend you fit the trip into your schedule. We stopped off at Al-Azhar Mosque, which was mashallah very beautiful.
We had tradtional Egyptian food, or so I have been told-forgot the name though..
The next day we visited the Egyptian Museum, the building was amazing! Opposite it you could see the government building which was torched-a sad reminder of the revolution by the brave Egyptians.
The entrance fee for tourist adults was 60 Egyptian Pounds. Students was 30 Egyptian Pounds. Entrance to mummy room is extra. I could have got in as an Egyptian as they assumed I was one, but I was honest and got a tourist ticket instead. The museum was HUGE! I've heard it may move to another building because there isn't enough space for the constant artifacts being discovered. The mummy room was very cold to keep the bodies chilled. Looking at the bodies It was extraordinary to think how they have been kept preserved. Although some of the faces were pretty creepy.
In the evening we decided to take a local boat on the Nile. We were hoping for a relaxing ride but instead the boat had music BLASTING. Entertainment was some hijabi dancing (lol) and we enjoyed the views of the Nile for ten minutes.
If I had to sum up Cairo in a few words I would say it's chaotic and unfinished- but a charming city. It has a vintage look to it (rust and dirt?) but it's what makes the city such a vibrant place. I would happily visit Egypt again, perhaps to visit the Valley of Kings in Luxur, or Cairo again. The Egyptian people are genuine and welcoming, making Egypt a must have destination.
Have a look at my video on Youtube to see me talking about my trip to Egypt.
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