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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why the fuck anyone would want to go to Sharm El Shek anyway?

288 replies

GlitteryRollerGirl · 06/11/2015 13:45

Just that really.

That part of the world is incrediably volatile at the moment, even more so since the terrorist attack in Tunisia. The foreign office advised against travelling there after that. I've always wanted to go to and see the pyramids but accept its not going to happen for the foreseeable future, it's not worth the risk . Now this terrible incident with the plane, clearly there is intelligence telling the government that it's just not safe to fly to or from there at the moment.

Aside from that, I've known loads of people who've been there and none have liked it. Huge purpose built resorts with gates and armed guards on them?! No thanks! I'd never be able to relax.

If you want some winter sun what's wrong with the good old Canaries?

OP posts:
flixybelle · 06/11/2015 22:50

Well none of us got food poisoning and none of the other families I spoke to mentioned it either.

SistersOfPercy · 06/11/2015 22:50

Well now you do umi, we took nine family members out last time and not a one of us was ill. We used antibac, didnt eat salads, no ice in drinks and bottled water only.

Ironically the last place I was ill on holiday was Wales.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 06/11/2015 22:54

Was the airport not really hot on security7

Friends who work in aviation in the area tell me it's not unsafe at all ... it's lethal. So much so that their company flies them in their own aircraft wherever possible, rather than risk the alternative

Luckily Sharm's never appealed to me; the filth and pawing from armed guards in Cairo were bad enough and I won't be going back

KenDoddsDadsDog · 06/11/2015 22:56

I haven't been ill either . But I don't go mad drinking , the hotel is immaculate lots of hand gels etc . Last place I was ill was Mexico City .

chipsandpeas · 06/11/2015 22:58

i love sharm, for the time of year i go on holiday usually may or september its the warmest place to go imo the people are friendly and all i usualy want is somewhere hot, a decent pool or beach just to chill and eat and drink
yeah the airport was dodgy in getting big bottles of water th4ru secutrity and only once had a dodgy stomach but i got value for money for holidays
i went 4 times in 3 years and had a brill time the egyptian people were amaxing and couldnt be more helpful in the resort they valued the tourism

i would have been paying the same amount of money to go to the canaries and being treated a lot worse... i was once in tenerife and the bar staff treated us like shit.... least the egyptians were friendlier

once this has all blown over i would go back to sharm in a shot once

Iwanttobeadog · 06/11/2015 23:03

There aren't many places left in the world that have been unaffected by terrorism :(

foragogo · 06/11/2015 23:10

it's all about the diving, which is rubbish in the Canaries.

I've been to both a few times, but not recently and, whilst neither are my cup of tea nowadays, I'd rather go to sharm than the Canaries, security concerns aside. you couldn't pay me to go to either now in reality.

galletti · 06/11/2015 23:16

Glitteryrollergirl, I have been going to the South of France for 16 years as have lots of Brits and have never experienced full english breakfasts, British bars and towels on sunbeds and 7am.

Shirtsleeves · 06/11/2015 23:21

People have died (possibly been murdered by terrorists), yet the snobs on here think it's a good time to preach about how their holiday choices are far superior. Honestly, give your heads a wobble. Do you know how ridiculous you sound?

expatinscotland · 06/11/2015 23:23

'People have died (possibly been murdered by terrorists), yet the snobs on here think it's a good time to preach about how their holiday choices are far superior. Honestly, give your heads a wobble. Do you know how ridiculous you sound?'

Word.

Piratepete1 · 06/11/2015 23:23

My friends mum went on a nile cruise a few years ago. It was a Thompson one so full of Brits. On the 2nd day she heard what sounded like an animal screaming. When she went up on deck the locals had sacrificed a donkey on the boat to bless it by chopping the donkey's head off. She flew home the next day. I will never be going to Egypt.

JamesBlonde1 · 06/11/2015 23:23

I commented on a previous thread BEFORE the Tunisian attack that I would not risk my family's safety by going to any of the "Arab" countries any time soon.

I've been to Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey in the past as a singleton/couple. Not a chance in hell now and this decision was made last year after all this ISIS shite kicked off.

I don't blame anyone wanting a cheap AI holiday but bloody hell, I wouldn't be risking my DD in all of that crap.

What's the thought process? I know - lets go on holiday to a country slap bang next to a war zone fully of nutters?!

I KNOW parts of Europe are also on the risk register, but it's degree of risk and for me it's obvious where is dodgier.

Stay safe guys.

DisappointedOne · 06/11/2015 23:47

I was in London on 7/7 and I won't have my wings clipped by fear. Don't let terrorism win. None of us are getting out alive - why cut huge opportunities out of your life when the odds of anything happening to you are so tiny?

Bambambini · 06/11/2015 23:47

Are Turks Arab?

JamesBlonde1 · 06/11/2015 23:56

I don't know what they are Bamb but Turkey borders Syria and that's enough for me. The whole area is a minefield.

imnottoofussed · 07/11/2015 00:04

Just back from turkey (Bodrum) last week before the Egypt incident. Their security I thought was good, suitcase, hand luggage and body scanned on entry to the airport. Then body and hand luggage scanned after check in, finally random people were selected before boarding the plane for a handbag search and full body pat down.

I think the concern is if someone inside manages to plant a bomb, it might not have got through the passenger side of things.

I've also been to Sharm last year, can't remember what the airport was like to be honest but when the relevant bodies tell you it's safe to go then what else can you use to decide? Bad things can happen anywhere. And I'd be quite scared of going to London more than some of the other places that have had incidents, mostly because of the number of people in one place that could be a target.

Only1scoop · 07/11/2015 00:06

It's looking like the device may have been placed in the hold.

Katarzyna79 · 07/11/2015 00:07

Ive never been abroad except as a foreign exchange student but if I was able to I would avoid the typical tourist resorts I'm not snobby just not my cup of tea I want to see the culture of the country not meet fellow brits there and stay in a mini colony ;)

Egypt would be amazing for its historical sites and landscape, but sharm el sheikh is a budget holiday maybe that's why so many people go its about affordability ?

I wouldn't go if theres a warning against going there. 2 of my family members just went Turkey, returned I'm so busy never thought about it until sis mentioned volatility I said mm I'm sure they'll be fine casually. They would be profiled straight away as candidates possible running across the border to assist IS in Syria lol. Fortunately they had no trouble and returned safely.

charleybarley · 07/11/2015 00:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PiperChapstick · 07/11/2015 00:30

YANBU. I can't understand why anyone would want to go to a resort where if you wander out of it you risk getting killed - same with Dominican etc

PiperChapstick · 07/11/2015 00:31

Outside the resort that is just not outside in general

tabulahrasa · 07/11/2015 00:49

"People go to Sharm el Sheikh for different reasons to those that go to the archaeological sites."

Or they go to sharm because that's where the package holidays go and it's easier and cheaper with DC, to book the all inclusive package holiday and add on flights to Cairo or Karnak (I couldn't do both, but there's no way in the world I was going to Egypt and sitting in a resort for a week)

Not that it was particularly cheap when I went, but it was a lot cheaper than trying to stay elsewhere in Egypt.

Shakshuka · 07/11/2015 03:58

My friend was killed in a terror attack in Sinai in 2004.

Yes terrorism can happen anywhere but the risk is high in Sinai because you're a target there.

Also I wouldn't trust the Egyptian response. My friend was killed outright but another woman who was there had survivable injuries. The Egyptians refused to let an Israeli ambulance through and wouldn't evacuate her to the Israeli border so she could get treated at a fully equipped hospital but jnsisted they wait for a shitty Egyptian ambulance to take her to a shitty Egyptian hospital. She died on the way. They care more about their image and the tourist revenue than about saving lives

The sharm incident was just waiting to happen.

Tram10 · 07/11/2015 05:44

It's still not proven it was a terrorist act though !

Most of the aviation experts are saying it is more likely a mechanical / structural failure as this particular plane had been in a previous incident that had severely damaged the rear end of the aircraft, possibly poor repair or maintenance is also still a possibility for causing the accident.

Personally I would be more worried about flying on some obscure Russian or third world charter airline. I too have been in London during the 7/7 bombings, the closest I have ever been to a terrorist atrocity.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 07/11/2015 06:10

JamesBlonde 1. My holiday wasn't cheap , £4K for a week is hardly that 2. I was landing this time next week and am feeling shit enough already thank you for taking DD through an airport where there was probably a bomb.
I'm not stupid , we go to all kinds of places on holiday but a nervous breakdown this year meant I wanted to go back to Sensatori , rest and spent time with my family . Which I did .