Parting Thoughts on Egypt

Trip Start Mar 02, 2007
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Trip End Mar 12, 2007


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Sunday, March 11, 2007

Parting thoughts on Egypt and our tour with Imaginative Traveller: I think the tour was one of the best we could have booked for the standard, one week, Egypt experience. It sacrificed absolute luxury for adequacy to lower costs and let us have a lot more fun along the way. The small group size was essential. We knew everyone by the second day and our guides could talk to us without yelling. Also, because it was a rougher tour, I believe we avoided many of the soft, loud, inconsiderate people found on other tours. Another thing that made the tour great were the quirky things - taking horse carriages to Karnak, going donkey riding (a la Great Big Sea), climbing a sand dune, and smoking seesha on the spur of the moment. These are things not found in other tours. I would definitely travel with Imaginative again, particularly in the Middle East to places I might not otherwise go by myself.
 
Egypt itself is forced to fall into the two and a half world category. They're trying very hard to be second world, but haven't quite made it yet. It was cleaner than we had expected, but still needs work. Also, because it only rains five days a year or some ridiculously low number, everything gets coated with dust and is never properly cleaned.
 
Egypt was also my first real shot at the Middle East and the strict adherence of all women to head scarves and long sleeve shirts was somehow surprising. The interesting thing, however, was the contrast at the Heliopolis McDonald's we went to our last night. Heliopolis is where Cairo's wealthy make their homes, and it showed even in just our meal prices. Dinner was 50 pounds for significantly less food than we had at the chicken place in Aswan. Additionally, the women were entirely different. They dressed like western women, revealing arms, legs, and necklines. And there was only one head scarf in the whole joint.
 
Paige and I discussed the ramifications of living in Cairo. We wondered where and how the significant ex-pat populations lives and whether they can afford chauffeurs. It just seems to me that it takes forever to get anywhere in the city, and I certainly wouldn't want to drive. We spent ten minutes trying to cross the street to get to the McD's last night. It was crazy. Oh the things you'll do for a burger and fries.
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