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Egypt..You Have to Experience It For Yourself!
Tameka Womack • May 12, 2020
Don't be scared...experience a wonder of the the world!
The Good:
Egypt what can you say except perfection.
When I first thought about going to Egypt, I must say I was a little reluctant to book the trip. There has been some civil unrest in the area and I was very nervous of traveling there, although I always dreamed of seeing the pyramids. I read article after article about bombings that took place in different religious buildings and how there are nearly double amount of people unemployed compared to the number of individuals that are employed. All I could think of is getting mugged because the locals will recognize me as an American female that do not know the area or the culture. Angela finally talked me into booking it and wow was it worth it!
We were actually vacationing in Dubai which is only a 3.5 hours flight away so we booked a one day excursion through EMO Tour company. They provided a driver, a tour guide, lunch all for the low price of $77/each person. I could not believe it. It was such a great deal. The flight cost was approximately $500/person. Which was not a bad deal but we did book it several months prior to traveling to Dubai through the search engine, Kayak.com. You will need a Travel Visa to enter the country, however, you could buy the visa for approximately $25 US Dollars at the airport so you do not have to worry about obtaining a visa prior to traveling.
The driver picked us up from the airport at the time that we scheduled and was accompanied by the tour guide. They asked us what was important for us to see in case time become short and we had to make a decision on if we want to miss our flight or skip out on visiting an area. We told him that we really wanted to see the Pyramids of Giza and the Nile River but we did so much more. We began with a tour of the Pyramids. The tour guide gave us detail information about the history of the pyramids, including the unkind treatment of the slaves and the labor involved with moving the bricks that weighs several tons from various locations within the city. It is a life awakening experience. I was very glad that our tour guide kept the local sells men away from us. He told us to only point out what we wish to purchase (if we wish to purchase anything from locals) and he would go buy it for us so we get the best price…and it worked! It was a hassle-free experience compared to some of the other tourists that was being badgered not stop by salesman. Our tour guide arranged a camel tour around the pyramid and became our personal videographer during the experience. The driver became our photographer for unique type pictures …he informed us to jump off a little brick separation to provide an appearance that we are jumping over the pyramids. To kiss the air at an angle that gives an appearance that we kissing the sphinx. It was great. We then moved onto visiting a museum that allowed us to purchase artwork on original Egyptian paper and then to conclude a boat ride on the Nile River and lunch at a local restaurant. The best part for me is he even found a slither of time to take us to a jewelry store so I can purchase a unique, custom made ring with my name in hieroglyphics. This is a one-of-a-kind gift that I will cherish forever!
The Bad:
There were lots of unemployed people around so many of the more motivated citizens created various souvenirs and then beg you to buy the items from them. Not an amazingly comfortable experience saying no every 2 feet you walk. Also, many people were out selling non-Egyptian paper as the real thing. This can be very confusing for an average traveler. If our tour guide did not inform us that you can only purchase true Egyptian paper from specific retailers, you would be purchasing the fake but paying the “real” prices for it. So, having a local is the best way to not get swindled.
The streets are a mixture of camels, goats, cars, trucks, food mobilization units, and not one single line in the road to help guide drivers to stay in “their” lane. So if you are brave enough to rent a car while you are visiting, I suggest you to purchase the extra coverage because either you will run into something or something will run into you!
If you want to see the pyramids out of your hotel be aware that you will be in an unprecedent city not really built for tourism. So you will be in the mix with locals when you walk out the door. If you are a type of person that likes exclusion, and to experience the culture of the location you are visiting at a distance then I would suggest to not stay near the Pyramids but instead stay near the Nile River. The area in which the Nile River is located is more modernized, with various types of restaurants and walking paths near the hotels. It’s a stark difference between the two areas and you will see it IMMEDIATELY.
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Time in Country:
Left Dubai at 5:20am. Arrived in Egypt at 7am, and the tour began at 8am. Returning international flight 6:40pm arrive back in Dubai at 12:25am.
What we missed:
• We never did enter the pyramids that we did travel. Would definitely do that if we ever go back.
• The city of Luxor found on the other side of the Nile River. Travel costs including a guide is approximately $25. You will want to tour the two standing monuments and the city of Luxor which will take a good day to fully experience it. Obviously, it was time that we did not have but would have loved to experience.
• Siwa oasis. Located about 30 miles from the Libya border. It landscaping includes a natural reserve and just recently it was announced to be a global center for medical and environmental tourism.
Overall Score 8.5/10
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