Hey everyone has been so wonderful with giving information here...I'm planning my second trip now ...wonders of Ancient Egypt...and had only two questions...anyone who has been on this trip...how safe did you guys feel flying around in Egypt...are the plans up to standards, modern and just plain safe...and is the cruise ship clean, nice and safe? Thanks in advance

quote:

Originally posted by C-forever:
Hey everyone has been so wonderful with giving information here...I'm planning my second trip now ...wonders of Ancient Egypt...and had only two questions...anyone who has been on this trip...how safe did you guys feel flying around in Egypt...are the plans up to standards, modern and just plain safe...and is the cruise ship clean, nice and safe? Thanks in advance

Hi C-forever,
Recently did the Wonders of Egypt tour, have been raving about it to all who will listen. Fantastic tour, great tour guide. Everything was as good as I expected if not better.
We were on 6 planes while we were in Egypt and yes I felt safe the whole time. The planes are like any planes anywhere. The journeys while you are there are only short about 1hr Cairo to Luxor for example and around 45 minutes Aswan to Abu Simbal which you must do if you can.
The boat we were on was the Giselle and it was great. They don't look like much from the outside but they are very nice and comfortable inside. Cabins are roomy with queen size bed chairs to sit and watch out the window if you like. Quite big picture windows to see out of. The bathrooms are very small but have a bath and shower, toilet, basin. There is a hairdryer but very weak. However it was wonderful to unpack for 7 days and then stop and tour as you went. I would recommend to anyone. Food was quite good lots of variety.

quote:

Originally posted by Explora Dora:
...Hi C-forever,
Recently did the Wonders of Egypt tour, have been raving about it to all who will listen...

I'm planning to go there next year, Explora Dora. Did you feel that you had to be reasonably familiar with ancient and 19th/20th century history and culture to absorb what you saw? (I keep on getting the dynasties mixed up!)

Was Wonders suitable for an older, although reasonably active woman, do you think? I haven't checked the tour tales, sorry; I'm using you as a short cut.
Mallee

We had `Dunbar`, an 80 year old retired ranger from Yellowstone park, and his wife on our `Wonder of Ancient Egypt `tour last month.
Not only did they handle the pace( comfortable) and heat, they entertained us each time we had a coach tour, by writing his words about the Nile,to famous tunes,and singing them over the microphone.
When it was a quiet evening on board, they stole the show, giving us an evening of happenings while they were rangers. Great entertainment !
Flying from Cairo to Luxor. The flight was good, but the domestic airport was something to be experienced. Only a man shouting his head off above a couple of hundred chattering passengers, of which flight was next. So you have to listen carefully, because he has no Microphone !
When you get to Luxor though, that's a different story. Spotless and modern.
As said already, a tour to be remembered. Fabulous !

nation, I've read your account of Egypt and loved your pictures. If you have any more, please post. I'm doing this tour in Oct., so grateful for any info. My main concern is getting sick. In reading some of these accounts I guess you just have to be careful. We were in Morocco were many got sick. It was the orange juice that looked as if it was being freshly squeezed but they were adding water behind the machine. Anymore insights, please post. Barb

Hi Barbsb !
I liked that bit of advice that someone posted about safety when concerned with `tummy bug` problems...Peel it, cook it, or leave it !.
WE took imodium tablets with us. But when one of the passengers felt sick, the tour guide gave her` Antinal`. She took two with her lunch. One more at tea time, and she felt great.
The tour guide was obviously in the know, and gave these tablets freely, knowing it was for his own sake , so that he could concentrate on the group, and not individuals.
We popped into a pharmacy and bought a packet of Antinal,because we were at the start of a month of tours.
Once again,many people don't bother to open the free bottles of water at the breakfast table, so my wife and I use to wait till everyone had got up from the table,then helped ourselves to a couple of extra bottles , for cleaning teeth etc, and for carrying with us on tours. Even though there was free water on every coach.
The `hot` days, we carried a face flannel which we soaked with bottled water , and held that to our mouths to breath through.
Most of the photos I have not put on the gallery,are purely pics of the various temples visited. ( What is the saying ? Seen one ! You've seen em all !) Not really ! But I will have a look through again.
When I said 600 pics, that was including our second tour as well, Portugal,Spain, and Gibraltar.

We also kept a 100ml container of `hand sanitizer`, so that every time we touched money,or hand rails( outside of the coach and ship )etc, we'd squirt a little on our hands.
Safety first !!!!

Another question concerning getting visa at the airport in Cairo. I've read where it's fast and easy. Can you use a credit card for payment? Barb

Hi barsb.
TheTT rep that met us at the airport just took control of everything. Took us to a counter where we bought our( lovely looking) visas. Guided us to security gate, and customs. Then on to Carousel, and helped us with our luggage. Signalled for the coach and driver, and proceeded to give us a guided tour to our hotel in Giza. You couldn't have asked for better reception !
( Now that's when I willingly give a handsome tip, to him and the driver !)
I didn't see fascilities for a credit card. Looked pretty primitive as far as technology went in the kiosks( There's about six kiosks )
But it's only US$15 each in cash !
Hope that helps.
PS.... and when we were on our way home, the TT rep came into the airport with us, knowing that we had a tight schedule to meet. Organised our tickets ,and had our luggage labelled` priority`. Then took us to where we queued for customs. Shook hands with a big " Shukran" from us disappeared to pick up the next group!
I hope Trafalgar people read this, and give those guys a big big bonus !!

nation, Thanks for the info. I will wait and get visa at the airport. Any more advise you may have would be greatly appreciated. Also, photos, never enough of those. Barb

Can't think of anything else Barbsb ! TT seems to have it all sorted , making the tour great and trouble free.
As far as photos. I've just had a fight with my computer programme for the last week,and have only just retrieved my pictures. Thank goodness I made a CD copy of them though.
I'll have a look through them tomorrow.

quote:

Originally posted by nation:
...As far as photos. I've just had a fight with my computer programme for the last week,and have only just retrieved my pictures. Thank goodness I made a CD copy of them though.
I'll have a look through them tomorrow.

That was 2 days ago, nation. How's it going?

Only seven weeks until I fepart for my trip to Dubai, Egypt, then Dubai again, Wonders Of Ancient Egypt here I come !!!!!!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Stinkerbelle:
Only seven weeks until I fepart for my trip to Dubai, Egypt, then Dubai again, Wonders Of Ancient Egypt here I come !!!!!!!!!!

OMG to we need to send out a pre-warning.

quote:

Originally posted by Stinkerbelle:
Only seven weeks until I fepart for my trip to Dubai, Egypt, then Dubai again, Wonders Of Ancient Egypt here I come !!!!!!!!!!

Stinkerbelle, let's be civil about this, and wish you bon voyage. Snarl. Snap. Growl. Weep. I've just discovered that my exciting trip to Egypt in 2009 is going to be replaced by a 4-day stay at Wirrealpa in the Flinders Ranges (Sth Australia, for those who don't know their SA Shorts, as they used to be called).

Now don't get me wrong - Wirrealpa's a great place, but, all the same...as I was saying, dear Stinkerbelle, bon voyage.

PS Never mind. There's always 2010.