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busy street at 3pm
The Sphinx
Burj El Qahira (Cairo Tower)
Pyramid of Cheops - GizaThe Magic of Cairo!
Hey everyone! I went to Cairo in 2006 and could not believe how cheap it all was. Also I hope you fly in on a night flight because the view as you descend is spectacular - with the vast deserts and tiny towns, and the pyramids all lit up in cheesy disco lights...I nearly cried, it was all a bit emotional! ;) So here are a few prices to give you an idea of what to expect to pay out there (all in gbp): 2L bottle of water - 20 to 50p; coffee in a cafe 30p; nice jeans probably around 4gbp (though I personally didn't get a chance to see if there were any clothes shops around); silver jewellery usually is a fixed price according to weight so not as cheap as you may like but I got a lovely pair of dangly earrings for around 12gbp - any other goods such as leather etc can be haggled for, always offer them about a quarter to a third of their original asking price and stick to your guns (politely) and you should pick up some amazing bargains; 1 week's grocery shopping probably about 5gbp (totally affordable anyway and I had my first pomegranate out there, sooo delicious! They have the best fruit out there); meals out in restaurants with alcohol are also really cheap and generally very good food - but go for a restaurant that looks clean and more expensive from the outside, it will still only cost you about 7gbp for a three course meal and not much more for drinks, but this way you're less likely to get the dreaded funny tummy. DO NOT touch salads in any form, no matter how well presented they are, I slipped up once and had one and became VERY sick (it went on for six months and I lost a lot of weight). Also don't accept drinks with icecubes in them and be careful not to put your fingers in your mouth, even/especially after washing them in running water. One of the best investments you can make is a bottle of hand sanitiser from Wilkos or a supermarket (don't buy one from a camping outlet such as Millets as they will charge you 7gbp instead of paying about 2gbp) and a cheap pashmina (to cover up when you feel exposed in less touristy areas and acts as a comfortable layer if the evening feels cooler - I didn't leave the hotel without mine). Be warned, I went in late September and the temperature was 41C most days, almost unbearable, so be prepared. Finally - Cairo is generally dirty, smelly, full of culture and life, filled with interesting people always ready for a joke, and completely different to anything you're used to if it's your first time in a muslim country. It's utterly amazing, just soak it up and don't expect anything and you'll fall in love with it! Let me know if you have any other queries esp. re the museum, pyramids, travelling around etc and I'll do my best to help! Take care & enjoy your holiday - Jen :) P.s one of the most helpful things I was told was to learn the words for 'no, thanks' in Arabic - as they will not leave you alone in many places, so you'll say this a lot - it's pronounced 'leh (no) shokran (thanks)' The crazy souks, the amazingly friendly and generous people, the cheeky sense of humour and the fact that they don't take things too seriously out there; I loved the sense of history and awe in being around the pyramids and articles in the beautifully kept museum. The madness of the traffic and the smells and sounds that were so different to anything I've ever been used to. It was a complete adventure and I'll not forget it!
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