Answers to all the Egypt Questions. Sorry it's long, but there are many questions
LEE
on 8/3/09 3:50 am, edited 8/3/09 3:57 am
on 8/3/09 3:50 am, edited 8/3/09 3:57 am
I have gotten so many people asking me about this trip I decided to give detailed details of how to plan it.
We started by going online and researching the different companies that offer tours of Egypt and many of them offer the same places of interest and sites and everything so after finding that out we decided on a first class trip, because of the heat there we needed to make sure that we would be comfortable.
We were under the impression that we would be with a group of people and would be hauled off in a bus to the different sites, we could not have been more wrong.
When we got to the airport there was a guide waiting for us, we never had to carry a bag once we made it to Egypt, we never had to do a thing, if wanted anything they got it for us, if we wanted to go anywhere we were expected to call for the car, and at first it was nice but it quickly became quite annoying. Becca and I are the type that like to get out and do things on our own, we like taking the local bus and subways and doint it like the locals.
But because of the heat there and the language barrier it was not advised. So we were a bit annoyed by that until we were hard headed and struck out on our own. (Big Mistake)
We had our own van, our own driver, and our own guide who wasn't just a guide but an archeologist which was Awesome because he knew so much about Egypt and Egyptian history and that was great. But after a while we were wishing that we were with other people because when it's just two of you there is more pressure to buy things you don't want, there is more pressure to interact even if you don't want to and there are no other people for you to chit chat with. It was just me, Becca, and Gharmer our archeologist guide.
The good thing about a first class trip is that you stay in 5 star hotels, you decide when you want to do things, If we wanted to leave at 6am which we often did we would tell him and that is when we would leave, so pretty much you call all the shots. You also can beat the crowds and heat by going so early and because Ghamer knew most of the people at the tombs we were able to go into places not open to the general public and take pictures in places where photos were forbidden, but then again there is the pressure of tipping every single person along the way.
Speaking of tips, you have to tip every dam body. They have such a racket set up with the tipping it is riduculous, one guy will come and get your bags and hand them off to another guy who will take them in the hotel and hand them off to another guy and then a final guy will bring them to your room and everyone of these guys have their dam hand out for a dam tip. Egypt is all about the tip yall. There are so many peddlers there you literally feel like you are being attacked by sharks as soon as you step out of the car they pounce on you and it is a total turn off.
When we went on the cruise, that is the only time we were with other people and I was happy to be able to talk to people about the sites and stuff. But then after going out on the buses I was like dang this kind of sucks because I had gotten use to being pampered and doing things when I wanted to. We would go when it was really really hot and be hudled into places and it was nice to have people to talk to but I missed Gharmer at this point.
I would recommend that if anyone is deciding to go that you realize that a first class trip could mean that you are all alone with no one other than your guide, driver and companion to talk to, and being a bypass person it puts more pressure on you at meal times because you are often the only ones in the restaurants and the people totally notice when you only eat a tiny bit of food and become quite offended.
I think it is up to the individual, if you are one who likes people to do everything for you then go first class if you like being with other people go regular.
We paid a significant difference in price for the first class, but I am ok with it because having a archeologist with me that I could ask anything was valuable and will translate into the classroom for both myself and Becca.
Sorry this is so long, I tried to answer all the questions I got, If I didn't answer yours ask me here.
We started by going online and researching the different companies that offer tours of Egypt and many of them offer the same places of interest and sites and everything so after finding that out we decided on a first class trip, because of the heat there we needed to make sure that we would be comfortable.
We were under the impression that we would be with a group of people and would be hauled off in a bus to the different sites, we could not have been more wrong.
When we got to the airport there was a guide waiting for us, we never had to carry a bag once we made it to Egypt, we never had to do a thing, if wanted anything they got it for us, if we wanted to go anywhere we were expected to call for the car, and at first it was nice but it quickly became quite annoying. Becca and I are the type that like to get out and do things on our own, we like taking the local bus and subways and doint it like the locals.
But because of the heat there and the language barrier it was not advised. So we were a bit annoyed by that until we were hard headed and struck out on our own. (Big Mistake)
We had our own van, our own driver, and our own guide who wasn't just a guide but an archeologist which was Awesome because he knew so much about Egypt and Egyptian history and that was great. But after a while we were wishing that we were with other people because when it's just two of you there is more pressure to buy things you don't want, there is more pressure to interact even if you don't want to and there are no other people for you to chit chat with. It was just me, Becca, and Gharmer our archeologist guide.
The good thing about a first class trip is that you stay in 5 star hotels, you decide when you want to do things, If we wanted to leave at 6am which we often did we would tell him and that is when we would leave, so pretty much you call all the shots. You also can beat the crowds and heat by going so early and because Ghamer knew most of the people at the tombs we were able to go into places not open to the general public and take pictures in places where photos were forbidden, but then again there is the pressure of tipping every single person along the way.
Speaking of tips, you have to tip every dam body. They have such a racket set up with the tipping it is riduculous, one guy will come and get your bags and hand them off to another guy who will take them in the hotel and hand them off to another guy and then a final guy will bring them to your room and everyone of these guys have their dam hand out for a dam tip. Egypt is all about the tip yall. There are so many peddlers there you literally feel like you are being attacked by sharks as soon as you step out of the car they pounce on you and it is a total turn off.
When we went on the cruise, that is the only time we were with other people and I was happy to be able to talk to people about the sites and stuff. But then after going out on the buses I was like dang this kind of sucks because I had gotten use to being pampered and doing things when I wanted to. We would go when it was really really hot and be hudled into places and it was nice to have people to talk to but I missed Gharmer at this point.
I would recommend that if anyone is deciding to go that you realize that a first class trip could mean that you are all alone with no one other than your guide, driver and companion to talk to, and being a bypass person it puts more pressure on you at meal times because you are often the only ones in the restaurants and the people totally notice when you only eat a tiny bit of food and become quite offended.
I think it is up to the individual, if you are one who likes people to do everything for you then go first class if you like being with other people go regular.
We paid a significant difference in price for the first class, but I am ok with it because having a archeologist with me that I could ask anything was valuable and will translate into the classroom for both myself and Becca.
Sorry this is so long, I tried to answer all the questions I got, If I didn't answer yours ask me here.
Salty Pickle a.k.a. Lee
Pastor Di is usually long winded and I could not resist calling you her little sister. Like I said, it is good info especially for someone who is possibly planning a trip to Egypt. 
Yeah I remember his too! 
Great info. I never thought about a first class guided tour.
My parents went about 20 years ago with an Egyptology proffesor, but I'm clueless about the size of the group. With the cruise, it sounds like you got the best of both worlds.
My parents went about 20 years ago with an Egyptology proffesor, but I'm clueless about the size of the group. With the cruise, it sounds like you got the best of both worlds.
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