Egypt: Pyramids, Pharaohs and Ancient Treasures Meets Thread

[sayhello]

Please post here if you would like to talk with anyone else who has signed up to travel to Egypt with ABD in 2012/2013/2014.

You can also share information/ask questions about the Egypt Pyramids, Pharaohs and Ancient Treasures ABD.

Please try and keep this thread on topic to discussion and questions about the Egypt ABD. Off topic posts will be deleted or moved.

Thanks!
Sayhello

Roll Call:
Dec 30, 2012 - Jan 8, 2013 - JacksGirlz
Dec 29, 2013 - Jan 7, 2014 - MickeyWatch, DD12, brother & Mom (80!)
- tufbuf & DD (12)

[JacksGirlz]

Finally made the decision and booked the Egyptian adventure departing 12/30/12.

Any other adventurers?

[MickeyWatch]

We will be one year behind you. I am booking the December 29, 2013 trip. It will be me, DD12, my brother and my Mom celebrating her 80th Birthday.

[tufbuf]

Originally Posted by MickeyWatch

We will be one year behind you. I am booking the December 29, 2013 trip. It will be me, DD12, my brother and my Mom celebrating her 80th Birthday.

We booked the 12/29/13 tour as well and my DD will be 12 (almost 13) then as well! This is the second time we are booking it since our tour was canceled the first time we did.

[JacksGirlz]

I decided to fly in a day early so that we can recover from the jet lag. ABD takes care of everything - getting our visas and transportation to our first hotel (the Four Seasons, I believe). This way I can relax and get some sleep so we can start our trip off rested and reasonably sane.

[sayhello]

I *HIGHLY* recommend flying in AT LEAST a day early for these international trips. The jet lag can be bad, and you're off & running by the morning of the second (first full) day of the ABD's. There's usually no sleeping in or recovery time if you've just arrived the day before.

Sayhello

[lizabu]

New Years Eve isn't a big holiday among Egyptians. They are mostly Muslim and it's not traditionally celebrated. There will be parties at many hotels, resorts and night clubs for those who do want to celebrate. A previous poster mentioned they will be staying at the Four Seasons and I just wanted to say it is a gorgous hotel. Probably the nicest in Cairo. The mall that is attached is small but really nice too. Last New Years they had a party there. They have a really great French Restaurant on the second floor too called Maison Blanche that was so good and so cheap.

ETA- They still do the light show at the pyramids. I went last summer. It was really nice to be at the pyramids and seeing the sun set and getting all those beautiful pictures of the pink and purple sky as a back drop for the pyramids. We went on our own and just paid a cab driver to wait for us until it was over and take us back to our hotel. The show itself wasn't so great. The view is what it's all about. I would never ever have a cab drop you off and then try to catch a cab back because that area especially at night is super shady. On our way there we actually had someone jump on the hood of the cab yelling in Arabic that it was closed. The cab driver told them to get lost and we kept going and it was open. They have a lot of security and they have it fenced off so no one who isn't attending the show can enter so once you're in you feel pretty safe. It's just the coming and going. If at all possible go as part of a tour group or have the concierge at your hotel arrange a car and driver who will wait for you and take you back to your hotel when it's over. You don't want to be wandering around that area after dark trying to hail a cab. I'm not sure that anyone would have hurt us. They may have just aggressively trying to sell us something but it was a little unnerving.

[carpenta]

Just reported on CNN that two American tourists and their guide was kidnapped off a tourist bus and are being held as collateral for a tribe member being held on drug charges in Cairo. I wonder if ABD will rethink their tours since this is the third kidnapping of American tourists?

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by carpenta

Just reported on CNN that two American tourists and their guide was kidnapped off a tourist bus and are being held as collateral for a tribe member being held on drug charges in Cairo. I wonder if ABD will rethink their tours since this is the third kidnapping of American tourists?

OMG, that's terrible! And the 3rd kidnapping? I've definitely been out of the loop lately.

Sayhello

[tufbuf]

Originally Posted by carpenta

Just reported on CNN that two American tourists and their guide was kidnapped off a tourist bus and are being held as collateral for a tribe member being held on drug charges in Cairo. I wonder if ABD will rethink their tours since this is the third kidnapping of American tourists?

Just to clarify, the kidnapping occurred in a mountainous region in the center of the Sinai peninsula called Sabr el-Hitan which is quite a distance from Cairo. It's probably a remote area which puts tourists at risk.

[carpenta]

Originally Posted by tufbuf

Just to clarify, the kidnapping occurred in a mountainous region in the center of the Sinai peninsula called Sabr el-Hitan which is quite a distance from Cairo. It's probably a remote area which puts tourists at risk.

Yes but with the disorganized central goverment this could become a tactic that disgruntled groups will employ, especially if it is successful, as an means to their end what ever it may be.

[JacksGirlz]

I'll be finished paying for our trip this month. Now we'll just be stuck waiting and waiting until we leave for Cairo in December. Good thing we get to break up our wait with a visit to Disneyland this October.