Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

...to travel to Egypt?

74 replies

AdoraKiora · 03/06/2016 16:07

Its my mum's 70th birthday soon. She is a very intrepid traveller, has travelled the world, but hasn't been to Egypt and would love to see the pyramids before she gets too past it to travel.

We are both ancient civilisation geeks, and have talked about going on one of those Jules Verne Cairo-Luxor Nile tours for years. Are now starting to talk about doing it more seriously, possibly for next Spring.

UK government doesn't advise against it (North and South Sinai and the areas around Sharm seem to be the 'no go' areas), but I would be leaving two young children at home with their dad and feel a sudden attack of 'am I being unreasonable/irresponsible?' coming on.

Would you go in the current climate?

OP posts:

FlyChickie · 04/06/2016 10:50

I lived in the Middle East for years and spent a lot of time in Egypt.

Did a Nile cruise and loved it.
Stayed in the Intercon in Hurghada for a holiday and was hospitalised with food poisoning.
Food poisoning is a bit of a lottery but you can take precautions. However, if the chef has poor hygiene/food handling skills it is in their hands, literally.

But the point here is security...terrorists want us to change our lives and live in fear - that is one of the aims of terrorism. Only you can know if you're willing to do that, or not.

Would you go to Tunisia or Turkey?

IPityThePontipines · 04/06/2016 11:17

Margaret I had to think about this when I went to Beirut (which lots of people thought was mad but was great, BTW!) I'm pondering visiting Beirut this summer, is it worth seeing?

Puzzledandpissedoff · 04/06/2016 11:17

I'd go with a reputable tour operator who has experienced local guides and knows the ins and outs of the country in order to get you out of the way fast if anything was to happen

I agree in principle, but while the locals were completely pleasant - at least when I was there recently - it really doesn't change the fact that in these difficult times we're simply "walking wallets" to them

I hope I'm wrong, but honestly feel that if anything was to go wrong, we'd become dispensable pretty quickly

Puzzledandpissedoff · 04/06/2016 11:24

If the chef has poor hygiene/food handling skills it is in their hands, literally

I completely agree with that too - as someone once said, a kitchen is only as clean as the dirtiest person in it

At the introductory talk we were told that all food was safe as everything was washed/prepared using bottled water only ... and IMO anyone who believed that was naive at best. Unfortunately a few at my table did believe it, tucked into endless salads - and were desperately ill

Glamourgates · 04/06/2016 11:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lljkk · 04/06/2016 11:44

I was going to take DC to Egypt this yr. A kind of family oriented activity holiday. It cost too much in the end. But yeah sure, with good planning & enough money I'd go for sure! So much of the Middle East has become off limits. See stuff while you still can.

mizuzu · 04/06/2016 11:51

Well me personally I am someone who is a risk taker but you have children to think about. How about Dubai?

mizuzu · 04/06/2016 11:52

if you like ancient things, I do as well how about Peru, Mexico, Belize, they all have pyramids as well and lots of ancient buildings.

lljkk · 04/06/2016 12:13

Gosh, in my mind there is absolutely feck all to do in Dubai. Unless you like shopping or driving around shiny metal buildings. (Shudder)

Zaurak · 04/06/2016 12:44

I honestly do not see the appeal of Dubai. It's a shopping mall in a scorching desert in a repressive medieval regime ..

mizuzu · 04/06/2016 12:46

With Dubai it is one of the more western parts of the middle east like I would say Egypt is but doesn't have any threat. The bars are nice there and the weather but I get what you mean with nothing to do, it is one of those 5 day holidays.

Zaurak · 04/06/2016 12:49

Other places chock full of ancient shit:

Orkney - have you been there? Utterly amazing. Skara brae, Maes Howe, brodgar... Jaw dropping stuff
Belize
Cambodia
Vietnam

feellikeahugefailure · 04/06/2016 13:09

I wouldn't go there, i posted last week a thread about people saying Egypt tourism will die.

Original poster

AdoraKiora · 04/06/2016 14:21

I've been to Dubai, so has my mum. Very different prospect to Egypt, I think .

Never been to Orkney (neither has my mum). She has been to Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Machu Pichu, Ephesus, all over Greece, all over Israel.

OP posts:

MaudGonneWild · 04/06/2016 14:25

Has she been to Myanmar? Bagan is spectacular.

throckenholt · 04/06/2016 15:46

I would second Orkney - it is a wonderful experience - especially if you go to some of the other islands.

Or maybe Spain - lots of ancient (Roman, moorish etc) stuff scattered about. Lots of Cave paintings if you go to the Santander region.

I have been to Egypt (Luxor, a long time ago) and it was an amazing experience - but given the instability in the area I would not risk it now. Very sad - because the people there relied almost totally on tourist income and must be suffering badly. They were lovely people - very friendly.

If you do decide on Eqypt - I would avoid a cruise - stick to one place like Luxor and do properly rather than being rushed in and rushed out on organised tours (usually in the hottest part of the day too !).

lljkk · 04/06/2016 20:45

Orkney must be wet & cold, though? Not exactly dry hot Egypt, is it.
I wondered about Morocco as an alternative.

bertsdinner · 04/06/2016 21:24

I went to Egypt, Nile cruise quite a few years back. It was about a year before tourists were killed at Queen Hatshepsuts temple. We had a week in Luxor afterwards.
It was an amazing holiday, I love ancient sites so this was my ideal holiday, Karnak temple alone was worth going for.
I probably wouldnt go at the moment. Id really love to go to Petra, but I think its a bit too dangerous at the moment.

throckenholt · 05/06/2016 08:49

It was 45* when I was in Luxor (July - stupid time to go to the desert !).

But Orkney in the summer is often low 20s - even tshirt weather at times :)

GoneClubbing · 05/06/2016 09:10

We went to Cairo and Luxor in 2012. Leaving aside the terrorist aspect, the level of harassment was absolutely horrible. My partner is very interested in the archaeological sites but was completely unable to study them in peace. We stayed in top hotels and were still ill. I wouldn't set foot in the place ever again.

GoneClubbing · 05/06/2016 09:16

By the way that was a Kuoni trip so going with a reputable tour operator makes no difference. We went on one of their organised trips and the tour guide was nonstop hard sell, she tried the tack of taking me to one side and pressuring me into buying silver jewellery made by her family apparently and became very unpleasant and aggressive when I refused.

ChipStix · 05/06/2016 09:38

I don't think I would go to Egypt st the moment - however I went 20 years ago and it was edgy then.

The pyramids - it was impossible to see them without enduring constant harassment. We took a taxi there and te driver took a detour to a housing estate and pleaded with us to go into a flat with him. We point blank refused, were then hustled into another car and dropped at the pyramids.

constant street hustling was tiring, hissing and touching was disturbing, there are no women about and you will be treated as second class - served after the men, ignored etc

but it's still a fascinating place to visit. The museum is amazing.

Went through Sharm while it was being built - why anyone would want to stay in that soulless place there is beyond me.

you have to accept that you are at increased risk of terrorist attack in Egypt and that politically it is volatile

Cairo is hot, frantically busy and pretty much the Wild West. If you go, then get on a good package with a good guide who can make travel easier and ensure you see the best of the country. It's an experience.

MaltyCocoa · 05/06/2016 09:41

I wouldn't, simply due to the airport security at the moment

Have you suggested Jordan to your mum? Immense history and architecture, lovely people, great food

Nilecruisers · 31/10/2019 13:20

Try to book tailor-made tour with Egyptian tour operator check this page nilecruisers.com/tailor-made-tours/

Flip

1 2 3