Hubby has just booked for us to go on a cruise down the Nile, in July.

It's not my ideal choice of holiday but hubby is really looking forward to it.

I've heard the area is high risk of terrorism
:gag:
and will need to take plenty of mosi repellant.

Anyone got any tips - have you been? Anything we really should/should not miss?

Help please
:help:

yeah dont be in de nial :P

sorry old joke, couldnt resist

Don't sink? :suspect:

:heyhey:

Lets hope they don't have Nile on sheets eh!

Originally posted by Hels
:heyhey:

Lets hope they don't have Nile on sheets eh!

:heyhey:

Maybe more importantly, do you need Malaria vaccinations?

Been told we need to be covered for Polio, Tetanus and Hepatitus A. Booked in for HepA jabs on Friday. Should be covered for Tetanus and Polio already though.

Originally posted by Hels
Been told we need to be covered for Polio, Tetanus and Hepatitus A. Booked in for HepA jabs on Friday. Should be covered for Tetanus and Polio already though.

I have a huge, massive, gigantic, hippo size fear of needles. I was once operated on in Austria, and they tried to discharge me with a drip still in my right arm, couldn't do much other than point and say "help"

I've sent you two long pms with detailed info on tourist stuff. thought I'd write about the places to visit on here.
I've never needed any jabs any times I've been but that's up to you.
A Nile cruise normally consists of:
Early morning trips to lots of places, most days if you want to, huge meals and on board entertainment.
You'll probably visit Luxor as a starter which is fab but smelly, don't be afraid to explore.
Buy the cheap mispelled tourist books available for each place. most of the info is very accurate.
There's a new Mummy museum on the main promenade (corniche), not to be missed, plus the Luxor Museum has an excellent cache of statues from Luxor Temple. Luxor temple is fab too.
Karnak Temple is three miles away, the biggest temple complex in Egypt and the most historic and has the earliest evidence of history other than the Sphinx.
From Luxor you'll probably be taken into the Theban mountains to the Valley of the Kings where you can explore the tombs a little, normally 3 tombs but photography is limited and you have to buy a ticket. Prob worth visiting as they plan to close them to tourists as the moisture from bodies is damaging the paint. Tutankamuns tomb is there with one of the inner coffins but not the outer one which everyone sees on pics.
It's hotter there than any other place!
Then there's Deir El Bahari, Hatchepsuts temple, another amazing place which was where the massive terrorist attack took place. Egypt has got armed guards EVERYWHERE now, you will be fine, forget the terrorism.
You may stop via The Colossi of Memnon - which is amazing, major phot opp. And there's the temple of Ramesses which has the biggest statue I've ever seen (other than the Colossi) but laying down.
There's a lot of half day stops on the actual cruise which you could read about in advance like Kom Ombo, Edfu and Dendera.
If you get the chance to go to Aswan and the Aswan Dam, I recommend you do. The statues at Abu Simbel are fabulous. same goes for flying up 'overday' to Cairo to visit the pyramids and Sphinx and Cairo Museum.
If you do all that - you can honestly say you have done the main attractions in Egypt.
The extra costs can come to between £300 and £1,000 depending on what's included in your cruise. Aswan and Cairo won't be and normally cost around £300 each which includes internal flights.
There's a bizarre floating market on the Nile too, lots of men with boats rowing like mad, who throw bags of things onto the boat for you to look at, and try on then if you like it, you throw the money down in a bag. Truly unique shopping but very cool!
On the plus side, everything is so cheap if you haggle that you could easily take £100 spening money and come home with change. Just remember to tip everyone, they expect it, its a way of life out there. No more than 50p - £1 though.
I'm utterly jealous that you're going. let me know if I can help anymore (or go with you :D)

Oh and if you decide to go about in Luxor alone, which is fine btw, negotiate your taxi costs in advance. the taxis are huge blue and white peugeots and not particularly inspiring. vehicle traffic drives where it likes and with emphasis on the horn, accelerator and brake, thats it. Drive fast, brake fast and beep like mad. Anyway, a trip from one side of Luxor to the other should cost no more than £20 EGP, about £2 Uk pounds. Wear your seatbelt!!!
Gold is cheap and Yorkshire Bob is the most honest chap going, (he has nothing to do with Yorkshire but speaks English with our accent bizarrely). A taxi will know how to get there.
Gold is worked out by weight and in different carat values but invariably is worth much, much more than you paid for it when you get back here. The gold marks are different too, obviously.
Please don't go on a kalesh. (Horse and carriage). As you will see, most of the horses are ill kept and only by not using the skinny ones will the owners learn to feed them properly, plus, they aren't safe because of the vehicle traffic!
There's an orphanage on Television Street, run by a Brit woman, called Sunshine Orphanage, the taxis know where it is and don't approve because the children are illegal (out of wedlock or out of faith). But they will take you. If you are so inclined, this is a great place to offer your support.
There's a brilliant market (bazaar) in Luxor and another is Aswan, haggle everything and wear sunglasses so you can walk past if you want to without hassle.
If you are staying in Luxor for any length of time, I can recommend a guide I know and give you various contact details if needs be.
Oh and have a pen when you get off the plane, you need to fill out your visa immediately and have £15 ready in cash, sterling.
You won't be allowed to use your camcorder in some places, mark it carefully with your info, it will be ok, they have places to store it until you come back out of wherever it is.
The people are honest. They will fleece you for purchases and haggle like mad but they don't steal.
The police are a different story, there's two types, tourist police and standard. Don't be afraid of the guns but don't be left alone with them, we got fleeced for 'obligatory tips' to the tune of £10 because we were off the beaten track. That was in the back , non populated areas of Karnak temple. Totally amazing to explore if you know what to look for - we did. But a definite police trap! They wont hurt you though. And half the guns are carved wood painted black!
In Luxor feel free to get off and go to a hotel for a drink, treat them like bars, or possibly to watch local entertainment, just be sure you know when you need to be back. There are no bars, its a Muslim country, therefore hotels are the only safe/legal place to drink.
Use a body bag from Blackwells or CCC, an under clothes, thin bumbag and keep your valuables in it but in plastic bags, the sweat will make your money, passport and spare digi cam memory cards pretty gruesome.

Have fun!

Really useful and interesting stuff here and your PM's, I hope I enjoy it as much as you obviously do!

Getting quite excited now :thumbsup:

How old are you if you don't mind me asking?
Young, pale skinned women are highly desireable. Your hubbie will probably be offered camels in exchange for you hehe.
My fella was offered all the camels in Egypt bar one and a porsche for me. The last camel was for me to ride on :( LOL.

My partner had problems with airport security in Abu Simbel because he was wearing a metal belt and had metal strips in his shoes. Be careful what you wear if you go on internal flights. Or, you could end up stripping off in all of them, like a mate of mine did on one trip, not good in Cairo where it truly reeks and you want to escape the smell!
And take an extra layer if you go anywhere before 7am, it's cooler than you would imagine at that time but temps soar quickly.
I'll shaddap now! :blush:

try www.holidaytruths.co.uk