Linda at a fancy hotel in Cairo
Egypt
2: General advice
Do you speak
Arabic? Do you take pleasure in intense bargaining
on all retail occasions? Does it please
you to have people dogging your every footstep, trying to extract money by
whatever means? Can you ride a camel?
If you
answered “no” to most of those questions, better go with an established
tour. I know one family that winged it
on their own: they saved a little money,
but never got out of Cairo. Hell, its
only money; nothing to worry about.
Right?
So, take a tour. An excellent plan would be to email an experienced
Egyptological guide and go with what he/she has on offer. My personal recommendation is to contact Amr
Shahin (amrhotep@gmail.com). He is friendly, knowledgeable,
and greatly experienced. Linda and I
loved him, and if she were still alive and I weren’t such a physical disaster
we would be doing another trip with him as guide, just as soon as Covid lets
up.
Also, be
sure to work in a Nile cruise of four or so days. It’s an ideal way to visit temples and such
along the river, as well as a great sightseeing and culinary experience. For Linda, our cruise was the highlight of
the trip. Sure, it will add to the expense,
but who cares? Only money, right?
Later on I
will conjure up a list of things you absolutely must see, if you are to obtain
your Junior Egyptologist badge. One
piece of advice now, however. The rock-cut temple of Abu Simbel is a
substantial plane ride to the south, and may not be worth the time and effort
(not to mention the cost, which we are agreed to ignore.) It is big, that’s for sure, but rather
clunky. Ramses II built it to frighten
the Nubians; apparently he didn’t have art critics in mind. Most good tours offer it, but you might be better
off spending your days elsewhere.
Finally, a
tip almost none of you will follow. Go
to your public library and locate a copy
of A Thousand Miles up the Nile, by Amelia Edwards. Ms. Edwards explored the Nile near the
end of the 19th century, and produced a delightful cultural
experience for generations thereafter.
Come to think of it, you probably can find it on your computer. For Free!
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