Travel Scams and warning - Egypt

Pyramida can u beat this view

Hello

I received some request to write up about visa and general travel warnings there , So here it goes

Visa process is quiet straight forward just send in ur tickets, application,fotos and insurance ur PP will be stamped and sent in 2 days by post or if u want it even faster u can go direct to the embassy they have the same day service!!

Warnings
Biggest i found was u cant get out of the city by urself u have to be under military convoy .They take the terrorist threat seriously here and after the red sea bombing and a bus load of tourist shot in the highway u need to be careful.Take it from me ,A country whose main economy runs on tourism and power generation it leaves nothing to chance .So Tourists like u and me being not so

Convoy at 3 AM

important will have to join the daily military convoy and loads of tourist buses across the cities early in the morning .That means getting up at stupid o clock in the morning !!! believe me i got up at 3 to make it to Abu simble !!!!






U cant take fotos in public in Cairo other places like Alexandria are ok.I broke this rule quiet frequently so have some nice videos to show u so just have compact camera on all the times u can take some amazing videos of road crossing in cairo

Scams

Taxis are generally rip off just outside the airport or station (thts subject to how u look and negotiating power) Armani goggles and Samsonites rings $$$ bells in them.So i suggest u walk a couple of mins away from the station and u will find a smartian who will ferry u for a lesser price.

Sunrise near Abu simble

Touts - Just say that u have booked every thing after u find out the price .Then go bak to the cheapest one to start the deal and of course no price for guessing negotiate

I will tell u one funny incident about negotiation in a store in old Cairo .This store was well lit and glittering with superb Persian sales girls who could speak decent English as well.Went into this one with absolutely no intention of buying anything but when one such girl started chatting me up and instincts took over.

It started with me being Indian which was surprising !!! and they said u look Egyptian ( i got that too many times) we both same skin colour and all .I told her see i like this(souvenir) but i can only pay so much since we are students from India and yes the deal was done more or less to the same amount!!!

Mirage this is what it looked like from Abhis camera

Moral :- No matter how flashy the store looks with a fixed price label on it .Ask, U might get a better deal

All in all Superb country, fantastic trip