Welcome to the TravelPod forums

[rossport]

Cheers Popi - I'll give it a go then, I am off to Egypt for 10 days in 2 weeks, it looks easy just a little daunting I guess.

Sorry Derrick - I have only really been reading those people who are doing our trip but either on Oz Bus, Oddessey or UKtoOz. Haven't really spread out. Mind you it is very interesting to follow different people on the same trip as they have different takes on things, eg the tour guide who left the trip in Vietnam on the UKtoOZ trip.

Stewart - you wouldn't know it but I am an aussie too - just lived in England too long - almost 11 years, met my hubby here too... the big trip is my way to get home

This is a great intro to this site - so thank you all!

Louise (I am usually the one will write on this)

G,day Lou,
Well as a fellow Aussie this trip will be a walk in the park, and Egypt wow awesome stuff i went there in 2008 but we did it in the off season with hardly any tourists due to the fact day temps were as high as 50c you should read my blog about that be prepared for the crush of people and see how rude others are in their haste to see the wonders of the world.

DON"T eat the salads on the boats as they have been washed in the Nile water and u could end up sitting on the loo for the trip, drink bottled water your tour guide supplies or u know it has not been tampered with, Photograph BEFORE you go all your passports visas credit cards and any other important papers u are taking give one to your family for safe keeping and take a spare set with u in case u lose them saves a lot of hassles.

The Aussie Government web site is recommending high caution as the political unrest is still on going, but i actually felt safer there than i did in London funny enough even tho there is heaps of tourist police walking around with guns, be aware of the scammers wanting to take your photo then demand u give them money for your camera back.

You will be able to upload photos as well and with the new fast loader (the fast loader allows u to load as many photo's video's as you like the Basic allows 5) it is easier i usually put the photo,s in a separate folder and then arrange them in order and with this new uploader it actually now up loads them in the order that u had so saves more time resorting as u go. if u need any more advice or concerns yell some one will help and will look forward to your ramblings secret to the blog is write it as You see it, not try and make it into a novel be you and it will flow easier, add the funny stuff that u know family and friends know that u usually do remember it is for your's and their entertainment as they follow u and as a memory of the trip.

Hoo Roo Stewart

[derrick241]

When I w3as in Egypt in 2011, January, it all kicked off, it was great, evereyone went home, all there was was Brits there, only trouble they wwere the wrong kind, all football shorts and flags (dickheads in other words)
the shops were empty, but still open , they really cut their prices, even a small sale was a sale

I was there for 5 weeks, it werent worth doing a blog, all I did was dive, but I went back in October, but never had the internet to do a blog, going to be different this time, smaller, better net book, and I found all the Wifi spots in Jordan and Luxor this time

[lukeandloumann]

Derrick - we went to Jordan last year during easter/royal wedding. Where abouts are you going?

We stayed:
- 3 night in Amman (too long) then
- 3 nights in Petra - A M A Z I N G!! definitely need 2 days in there and may I suggest first day you get there by 8am and get a guide from the guide office... then second day get to the gate by 7.30am, it takes about 45 mins walk to get to the treasury, and then another 20 mins at least to get to the bottom of the climb to the Monastry. We caught donkeys up to the monastry (the donkeys do look ok and quite well looked after) and it was far better than the poor buggers we say climbing... they took 1.5 hours to get to the top, we took about 15 mins! Got the whole place to ourselves. We then walked down so we could take pictures of the scenery.
- 1 night desert camp wadi rum
- 2 nights dead sea.

We are going to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan (and trip to Abu Simbel). Doing it posh this time with Kuoni!

Thanks very much for the photo tips Stewart, I will read your blog on Egypt very good idea to pick up hints. We have been to Sharm El Sheik and El Alamein/Alexandra but that was long before all the troubles kicked off and I have heard that Cairo and Luxor are very different, so I will take the precautions you suggest... especially handing over cameras.

Funny over here they are saying that it is completely safe just stay away from demonstrations.

Hope your eyes are ok Poppi!

Lou

[greekcypriot]

We spent 2 wonderful days in Chalkida and we returned home at noon yesterday for one night and then leave today for Piraeus.
The result is that I am in bed since yesterday ....suddenly I had a stomach ache and I got so sick with vomitting etc. I cancelled everything -hotel, restaurants and I am in bed now writing over my laptop. Actually deleting some emails to create space. I don't feel well at all and I feel as if I will remain the entire day in bed again tomorrow. Have to sign off.

[derrick241]

We spent 2 wonderful days in Chalkida and we returned home at noon yesterday for one night and then leave today for Piraeus.
The result is that I am in bed since yesterday ....suddenly I had a stomach ache and I got so sick with vomitting etc. I cancelled everything -hotel, restaurants and I am in bed now writing over my laptop. Actually deleting some emails to create space. I don't feel well at all and I feel as if I will remain the entire day in bed again tomorrow. Have to sign off.

Hope you are feeling better, if not now, very soon, no rush, its the internet, its not going anywhere, these places have been around for several thousand years, a few days (or weeks) arent going to make much difference, just get better soon

[derrick241]

lukeandloumann Not really sure yet what we are going to see in Jordan, but in Luxor, it will be seeing the bits we missed and I'm hoping to persuade the missus to do a hot air ballooon trip, but it will be in the blog, so keep an eye out for it

[greekcypriot]

While at Luxor myself I remember seeing those baloons going up Derrick. The round area had the colour of sand, even the buildings had the same colour, and the baloons colourful were flying over our heads!
We had a two week trip to Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Suez Canal, and eded at Sharlm El Sheikh and the Red Sea. We visited St. Katerina's church miles away from Sharlm El Sheikh. A wonderful trip many years back, and what I loved was the sailing trip we had in the river Nile.
Now Jordan is something else, and I hope one day I will be able to visit. Until that day comes, I will be after your entries which will surely give me the whole picture of that wonderful and so interesting place.

[derrick241]

Sharm El sheikh is nice enough, but there isnt anything to do there, may as well stay in the resorts, okay the diving is very good, the quad bikes fun, you can do the star gazing tour, the bedohin dinner,you can visit the monastry (I have done that twice), but as every thing revolves around the airport, its pretty dead round there, the beach is like a gravel pit, the shops few and far between and most sell knock offs (copies) from China, its not the real Egypt (it all used to belong to the Israelies, there is an island out there that is policed by UN troops, that has got to be the most boring posting ever, they arent allowed on the mainland

Even the 'old town' is just a handful of shops, then 2nd rate resturants

A lot of Western political leaders have homes in Sharm, but they dont like it to be public knowledge (wonder why ? )

Havent been to Cairo, except the airport, I think other places in Egypt have more to see and offer, than Sharm, but Sharm is good to relax and get a bit of sun, just got to get around the Russians that infest the place (what a rude and ignorant race, its all push and shove at meal times, and drunken behavior in the evenings)

[greekcypriot]

Exactly Derrick it is just as you write it. Shalm is a place to relax and it was what we did after the long trip we had to those places I mentioned above.
From the time we reached the hotel everyone in the group was sick. We could not even enjoy the food at the restaurant.
I have an entry on Sharlm:
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entr...54500/tpod.html

I had a look on the other entries I have on this trip but I did not write much then. Actually I had no idea what blogging was about!
I like the photos from Shalrm however and back then it was a very simple digital camera that I had. It worked miracles I guess!

[derrick241]

Hello Every me new to this forum.

My name is Kanwaljit Singh from india.

Anything else to add to that ?

[greekcypriot]

Hello Every me new to this forum.

My name is Kanwaljit Singh from india.

Hi Kanwaljit Singh,
Welcome to TravelPod I see you are a new member. Well, since you have already joined I guess the next step is to complete your profile info, and begin writing about the places you have visited, or your country. To make your entries interesting you can download several photos.
You can contribute in the forums as well because by doing this you will get acquainted with other members who might happen to see you out there and find your work interesting.
This is how everyone starts, and this is what members do, and you can also start reading blogs of members who have much to say about their travel experiences for the beginning to get an idea if you are really new in blogging.

Good luck and I hope to see you opening a blog. The country of your origin is very interesting.
Popi

[greekcypriot]

Hi Novatravel,
Welcome to TravelPod. The best for you to do is to have a look on some members' blogs, and start your own blogging.
You can write about your recent or trips you had in the past, your experience, and adventures and download photos. You can also participate out in the forums if you find an interesting topic to comment on. This will make members notice you and after you start blogging you might find some passionate followers.
Try to make your entries interestings, post beautiful photos to accompany your writings and good luck.
Popi