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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder why people still holiday in volatile countries?

105 replies

Acorn20 · 09/01/2019 20:12

I am talking specifically about Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey etc. And no, I'm not just talking about terrorism, as that can happen anywhere nowadays.

I'm talking about the stories of people getting arrested and thrown in jail for trivial things. The fact if you walk down the street you will be hassled, whether it's sexual harrasment or for money.

I'm not denying these places have nice things to see, but it's just not worth it. Yet thousands of people go every year for some cheap sun.

OP posts:
Craft1905 · 09/01/2019 21:08

I've been to Egypt and never again. I hated it.

I feel the same about the lake district.

Flyingfish2019 · 09/01/2019 21:08

Okay. I looked it up. Google told me the general unemployment rate for Egypt is 11% but youth unemployment is nearly 35%. So I guess she might be right.

PengAly · 09/01/2019 21:09

How judgmental to call countried you obviously know nothing about "volatile". People love to explore the world and see new things. Harassment happens all the time here and there will be risks in every country. Whether or not some decided to take those risks is up to them but you have no right to judge them for it

Islands81 · 09/01/2019 21:09

I went to Egypt a few weeks ago, and it was fine. The resort was very safe and well protected by security. We did a private day trip to Luxor with our own guide, and the only time I felt unsafe was in the car because the driving out there is crazy! There are check points all along the 3.5 hour route, where armed men ask the driver who is in the car and which nationality they are. The only annoying thing was being harassed for money all the time - Egyptians will fall over themselves to do nice things for you but you know it’s going to come at a price. If you do your research about travel companies etc it’s perfectly safe, in my experience.

PengAly · 09/01/2019 21:10

Countries i meant

Original poster
Acorn20 · 09/01/2019 21:11

I have been to Egypt (Sharm before the flight ban), and Cairo at the same time. I went because I wanted to see the pyramids. The security at airports was very lax so I wasn't surprised when the Russian plane was bombed.

Even when I went, there was growing unrest. It's a poor country, with high unemployment and poverty and a clash between the religions. It was also very dirty.

I was hassled everywhere I went by people wanting my money, or pervy comments from men. It was bad at the tourist resorts, but unbearable at the pyramids.

The amount of stories coming out about carbon monoxide poisoning and drownings at hotels is also quite concerning. I would never go back.

OP posts:
ShirleyPhallus · 09/01/2019 21:11

I never understand why anyone would go on an all-inclusive holiday, which seems to basically be Brits Abroad

Or any cruise, which is basically norovirus-on-tour

FayFortune · 09/01/2019 21:14

Using judgement is not the same as being judgemental..

Thecurtainsofdestiny · 09/01/2019 21:15

I have studied and lived in two of the countries you mentioned and found them to be no more volatile than the UK city I live in now.

FayFortune · 09/01/2019 21:15

I agree people will choose to go on adventures anyway.

Original poster
Acorn20 · 09/01/2019 21:15

And it's not rude to call these countries volatile.

Look at the official Foreign Office website, about 60% of Egypt is in the amber or red zone. That means any travel insurance you take out would be invalid if you visited these areas and something happened.

OP posts:
Craft1905 · 09/01/2019 21:16

How judgmental to call countried you obviously know nothing about "volatile". People love to explore the world and see new things. Harassment happens all the time here and there will be risks in every country. Whether or not some decided to take those risks is up to them but you have no right to judge them for it

Says who? She has every right to judge whoever she wants. And you have every right to judge her as an idiot. We don't have thought crime in the UK yet. People are perfectly free to make ridiculous judgements.

All this "you have no right to judge" is complete nonsense.

PengAly · 09/01/2019 21:18

Ok you don't like it, then dont go again. But it is rude and judgmental to call them volatile and suggest nobody should want to go to them.

PengAly · 09/01/2019 21:19

@Craft1905 its a rude attitude to have and a pointless aibu thread. So OP doesn't like these countries then they simply dont go. No need to insult the countries or other travellers for wanting to go.

RepeatS1gnal · 09/01/2019 21:39

I agree some people have preconceived ideas about countries which they have never visited or likely to visit. I've heard people say 'id never go to X country, because they eat this or do that' . I've visited lots of countries and I've found everyone to be friendly and inviting

luckylavender · 09/01/2019 21:45

Such an ignorant thread in so many ways.

ouchyoubiteybugger · 09/01/2019 21:46

Egypt- 2 years ago and loved the country however did have an incident out in the desert luckily it was me not my 2 daughter's but put me off however it was dealt with effectively by the management team upon return.
Tunisia- I've been last year and it was lovely and no issues but then I was respectful and covered up in the markets etc I did find some women had issues but they weren't wearing anything on shoulders and legs despite going into a busy market for locals. Beautiful country and to us very friendly. I never felt unsafe and did feel welcome

Bebe03 · 09/01/2019 21:48

Been to Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey - never had a bad expierence in any. Go to them as I enjoy culturally different places but no judgement on traditional breaks such as Spain etc.. why be so judgemental about other people’s holidays Confused never understand what the aim is with these kind of threads, is it just to stir it up?

TokyoSushi · 09/01/2019 21:55

Very much agree with the cheap & hot comment.

RustyBear · 09/01/2019 21:57

I went to Egypt about two months ago - a 7 day Nile cruise followed by three days in Cairo.
I had expected to be worried about security; in fact it took a while for my SIL and DH to persuade me to go, but in fact I never felt unsafe. The airport security at both Luxor and Cairo was far from lax - it was stricter than Heathrow, with scanning and searches as soon as you entered the airport, and there were body scans and bag scans or searches on the cruise boat and every tourist site.

There was constant attention from street-sellers of souvenirs or camel rides, though I’m not sure I’d call it ‘harassment’ - they were perfectly friendly and if you ignored them they would just give a smile and a ‘have a nice day’ and go to the next person. The main impression I got of the people as a whole was that they were grateful that we were there at all, as tourism has been the main sufferer from Egypt’s problems and it is only just beginning to recover - before 2011 there used to be several hundred boats running Nile cruises, this year there are only about 60, but that is a great improvement on the last few years.

As for ‘norovirus on tour’ on a cruise boat, it was nothing of the kind - the boat was clean, the food well-cooked (and delicious) and bottled water freely available in our all-inclusive deal. It was only in Cairo, when I had to handle the money more often (and my anti-bac had been taken at the airport because it was inflammable) that I picked up a bug, and only a mild one at that.

If it hadn’t been for seeing the Pyramids I could have done without Cairo, but to be honest, I felt much less sense of history at Giza, where the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx are, than at Saqqara (the step pyramid) or any of the temples we visited along the Nile.

Craft1905 · 09/01/2019 22:00

@Craft1905 its a rude attitude to have and a pointless aibu thread. So OP doesn't like these countries then they simply dont go. No need to insult the countries or other travellers for wanting to go.

You may be right. But she has every right to be judgemental about whatever she wants. I can't be doing with all this "you have no right to judge". She really does have the right. And you have the right to be annoyed about it.

BIgBagofJelly · 09/01/2019 22:06

I've been to Morrocco and Egypt (before the terror threat) but not for cheap sun, to see a different culture, different types of city, different architecture, try completely different food etc. being hassled in the street didn't bother me, I just ignored it. It was a gorgeous holiday.

PengAly · 09/01/2019 22:07

@Craft1905 im really not going to go in circles with you about the difference in having an opinion and insulting a country and being rudely judgmental towards people's holidays.

Anyways this thread is sadly quite ignorant

BIgBagofJelly · 09/01/2019 22:08

There were a few cases of funny tummies in both trips (not me actually) but no one regretted going. Holidays I'll remember and treasure much more than the weeks I've spent on European beaches (although they can be relaxing and pleasant too). It might not be for you but it seems odd that you can't see the appeal for other people.

blue25 · 09/01/2019 22:11

Well Turkey is a beautiful, culturally rich country with lots to explore. The food and weather are great, the people are friendly & it's cheap.

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