Guest Kirsteen Posted October 3, 2003 Report Share Posted October 3, 2003 Hi there, I'll be heading to Africa for a short period of time this November/December--one continent on which I've never stepped foot. How about you guys? The two destinations in which I'll be spending the most time are Kampala (Uganda) and Cairo (Egypt). I'll be heading out to my local Indigo to peruse the travel guides for both this weekend, but in the interim are there any of you who have been to either and would care to share some interesting inside scoop on the must-sees or must-dos (aside from bodysurfing in the Nile, saying "good afternoon" to King Tut and gazing at big geometric heaps of stone in Giza )? Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Titanium2003 Posted October 3, 2003 Report Share Posted October 3, 2003 Hi Kirsteen, I've spent almost a year in Cairo and absolutely loved it. The city is a bustling one with over 17 million people who are very friendly and cultured. The nightlife ranges from traditional bellydancing clubs to Rock'n'Bowl spots. They have some of the most vibrant and colourful shopping districts, and welcome people who bargain to death. On a less positive side, from the sheer size of inhabitants, cars and factories INSIDE the city, it is extremely polluted and can give you one of the worst asthma attacks/allergic reactions you've ever had. You cannot even begin to imagine the level of sounds till you hear thousands of cars honking in traffic. Make sure to take ear plugs with you. Watch out crossing the streets, drivers don't give a damn about street lights and manouvering the crossroads is a skill that takes years and a braveheart. All in all, Cairo is a place everyone should see before they die. Visit the pyramids and the old mosques, and don't pass up on a chance to head a bit north to the Red sea, the most beautifal coral reefs ever. Best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted October 3, 2003 Report Share Posted October 3, 2003 Hi there, That's hugely neat that you lived there for quite a while. From what you've described, it sounds like a more industrialized/pyramidized version of Delhi. I just ordered my Lonely Planet-Cairo today, and am looking forward to receiving it. Are there any other non-travel guide books that you can recommend that would offer a bit of Cairo's history and interesting wee anecdotes about her? Also, from some of the photos I've seen, there appears to be a huge mosque with towering minarets near the heart of the city, on the banks of the Nile. Are non-Muslims permitted a visit? Any idea as to its name? Ah, Sharm will have to wait for another year. Hopefully the soft corals will remain until then. Cheers again; I appreciate hearing your insights, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shoopshoop Posted October 3, 2003 Report Share Posted October 3, 2003 hey kirsteen, , there appears to be a huge mosque with towering minarets near the heart of the city, on the banks of the Nile. Are non-Muslims permitted a visit? living in Amman, Jordan i could answer that on behalf mosques in Jordan...sure u can visit any mosque, but from the inside u can only enter the part for women( there is a part for men and one for women). just remember to take off those shoes because i think mainly to keep the mosque clean inside as it is carpeted. all my friends have been to Egypt and they said Sharm Elsheikh or any sandy beach and the pyramids are a must see...as for cairo, like titanium said, if u don't mind getting a severe headache for crossing the road then an Arab-style- market-filled city is an adventure itself... have fun...and remember there are many shop keepers and taxi drivers that REALLY rip off. so be extra careful when buying and ALWAYS bargain. how do i know this u might ask? hehe...my dad lived there in Cairo, after being forced out of Palestine (now Israel), for 23 yrs before moving to Germany... may not be so useful info but oh well...just some of my puny thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted October 4, 2003 Report Share Posted October 4, 2003 Hey there, Thanks for your words. Don't Cairene taxicabs have meters? As to mosques, I visited a huge mosque in New Delhi, within which there were no restrictions for women--of course, the shoes had to come off, but my bare feet were allowed to travel anywhere. Could India be different from Egypt in regards to mosque rules and traditions? Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kellyl20 Posted October 4, 2003 Report Share Posted October 4, 2003 Cairo Museum is excellent, although a bit disorganized. Pass the jewellery, very poor workmanship. Go to the Sherton Hotel for the best French desserts, bakery located at the bottom floor of the hotel. Egyptians keep a rubber time for flights and such, so no need to rush for anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shoopshoop Posted October 4, 2003 Report Share Posted October 4, 2003 yep they HAVE meters but not neccesaraily working ones or the driver tells u that it's either broken or that u can pay whatever u want....as a tourist he may charge u extra if u didnt run bby the meter. u must mean the Taj Mahal in New Delhi...i think that one is now just a tourist location and no longer a working mosque ut i could be wrong. they may have told u, but it was built by a king as a gift for his wife in which they are both buried there, wierd, i mean i would just buy her a darn diamond ring (women those days must have been too picky! :b ) each mosque has a place for women to pray in and one for men to pray in...but many large ones allow women and men to pray in one large space like in Mecca, so regarding restrictions there shouldn't be any either in India, Egypt or any muslim country...just tell them u would like to see the mosque as a toursit and they should (hopefully) let u in wothout worries, depending on who u ask...a know-nothing fundamentalist or some kind man. mosque rules are mosque rules everywhere it's the people in the mosque that differ. good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted October 4, 2003 Report Share Posted October 4, 2003 Hi again guys, Thanks for the added French pastry, museum and taxi tips. Very handy. I'd love to go and visit the pyramids at Giza, but I've heard that one of the best ways to do this is on a (healthy ) horse's back. Have any of you done this? shoopshoop: re: the mosque, I can't recall it's name (I'm not up on my Arabic :rolleyes ), but it's the largest in Delhi, and definitely not the Taj Mahal (which is in Agra), as it's constructed of a sandstone of deep red. It's huge and really quite lovely. Women and men seemed to be allowed to freely walk anywhere. Interesting! (By the way, I chuckled at your comment re: the picky femmes of India past! On the contrary, perhaps some of the men just had money to burn and a proclivity towards fabulous, white marble buildings as opposed to Carrera 4s!) Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest everyoneloveschem Posted October 4, 2003 Report Share Posted October 4, 2003 I think my parents did the pyramids on camel back, which is a degree neater than on horseback (can't say anything about comfort levels). I don't know about Cairo, but from living in Kenya and Tanzania, make sure you dress conservatively, and try your darndest not to look too touristy! If I remember, I'll ask the folks about Egypt and Uganda, see if they have any tips. Check out the Lonely Planet guides, they are usually a good bet. Also, make sure your vaccines are up to speed, and find out about malaria meds (my brother and sister took one -can't remember the name - but both had BAD side effects, my brother had crazy nightmares, my sister became super paranoid). Are you travelling alone? That can make the trip a VERY different ball game. Also do you know anyone over there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted October 4, 2003 Report Share Posted October 4, 2003 Hi there, Thanks for your multiple morsels of advice. Good reminder re: vaccinations--thanks. I had asked about these earlier when at work, but received no definitive response. I had the full set of Hepatitis shots (Twinrix), when I went to India, but no others. Does anyone know if any other nasty shots are needed? Yellow fever, for example? :x Horse vs. camel: I've never ridden a camel, but the Lonely Planet folks suggested horseback around Giza. Apparently camels can be quite the naughty sort and sometimes difficult to manage. I've also heard that they can give weltering bites if they don't care for you--would you care for someone sitting on top of your hump? (no double entendre intended) In Uganda, I'll have plenty of company, as I'm attending a conference with ~150 surgeons, as well as my boss. Cairo is a different story as I will be alone. Is Cairo generally pretty safe at night? Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jerika81 Posted October 4, 2003 Report Share Posted October 4, 2003 You should be able to talk to a local travel clinic and find out what vaccinations are needed to travel to that part of the world. As for malaria medication, the one that generally has the worst side effects is called Larium I think. It's often associated with horrible nightmares. There are a few other medications that you can take. I took Malarone when I went to Peru- it's more expensive but there are less side effects and you don't have to take it for as long. Look into what your health insurance will cover, because mine covered all the medication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted October 4, 2003 Report Share Posted October 4, 2003 Hi there Jerika81, I actually consulted with a travel clinic before I went to India--it was money well spent. I was just wondering if anyone knew offhand. Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Titanium2003 Posted October 4, 2003 Report Share Posted October 4, 2003 Cairo is very safe at night IF you limit your walks and shopping to larger, well-lit streets. It is a city with nearly 60% of Canada's population and they have their share of criminals but their harsh laws and fairly conservative judicial system are a good deterrant. Watch out for pickpockets in crowded streets, wear your bag across your shoulders and carry no documents and little cash with you. As others have noted, dress conservatively although it is a fairly mixed society of progressives and conservatives. There is a neighbourhood by the name of Saida Zeinab whose coffee shops were frequented by the late Alex Haley, the author of Roots, check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted October 4, 2003 Report Share Posted October 4, 2003 Very cool! Is Egyptian coffee anything like that bubbling Turkish rib-sticking stuff? Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Titanium2003 Posted October 5, 2003 Report Share Posted October 5, 2003 It may not be rib-sticking but it is plenty bitter and strong, get ready for a serious swoon when you take a first sip . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kellyl20 Posted October 5, 2003 Report Share Posted October 5, 2003 I have travelled plenty but Egypt was the only place where I ever got sick. Make sure you know what to do if you have diarrhea. Larium was no problem for me, I took it for Thailand. No anti-malarial was advised for me at the time I went to Egypt; plus they spray the town at the crack of dawn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted October 5, 2003 Report Share Posted October 5, 2003 Hi there, They Cairenes have their town sprayed? Dare I ask, with what? Perchance, is DDT legal in Egypt? :rolleyes On the subject of upset tummies, is the tapwater in Cairo potable, or should I take the same precautions as in India, e.g., bottled water to brush the pearlies, etc.? Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shoopshoop Posted October 5, 2003 Report Share Posted October 5, 2003 i wouldn't dare to drink tap water in ANY North Africa or Middle Eastern country...i got ameoba 4 yrs ago and every yr or so i take "anti ameoba" pills just to make sure those damned organisms stay off my premises. water sanitation SUX unfortunately, im not trying to form some anti arab orginisation but, our leaders don't know where to spend those extra "dollars", not to go into politics but take for instance, Jordan about 4 or 5 yrs ago made a contract with Israel for Israeli treated water...GUESS WHAT...so many people had so many problems, e.g. digestive ones, that the goverment bacame suspicious and studied the "treated water", believe it or not the water turned out to be literally mixed with sewage :eek and they gave us a lame excuse of a broken pipeline or something ...and that is how i got my little cuddly ameoba friends . we use treated water in containers now, but that's just because it's cheaper than bottled, SO tip of the day would be: as a toursit i would vote for bottled. ur staying in a hotel so i wouldn't worry about those pearlies , tap water for them would do :rollin i don't think it's DDT, but i wouldn't worry on that either as a softer or thinner cranium is alright with u, right? :lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest everyoneloveschem Posted October 5, 2003 Report Share Posted October 5, 2003 For Tanzania I remember getting vaccinated for yellow fever, but I don't remember about Kenya (which is more like Uganda). Larium was the bad meds my bro and sis were on with the bad SFX. It sounds like horses are definitely more comfy than camels (just what you don't need, a camel size chunk missing from your thigh as you hobble around, alone in Egypt)! Amoebas, that reminds me (I reminisce)....We lived in Bangladesh when I was a wee one, and I remember waking up with stomach pains all the time and going to my parents and complaining. Nothing happened....a couple years later we get back to Canada and have our post-posting health check up. Turns out I had amoebas, and that's why I was always in pain (I obviously survived, but the story is good for guilt tripping the folks;) ). I'd definitely bring some Imodium with you (just in case, though I don't think you are supposed to take it all the time, if you are seriuosly ill). In terms of bottle water, just make sure it's legit - there was a scam going on in Kenya where they would bottle tap water - kind of defeating the purpose for us soft-tummied foreigners. Maybe before you go, give yourself a quick read up on giardia, salmonella, common things like that, and what the symptoms are and what you should do if you get them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kellyl20 Posted October 6, 2003 Report Share Posted October 6, 2003 NO Imodium, unless you were on a plane or something like that. Do not trust the hotel water either, it's legit bottled water all the way. Do not eat anything that is not steaming hot. Camels are very uncomfortable and they have a bad habit of lurching forward whenever they feel like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted October 6, 2003 Report Share Posted October 6, 2003 Thanks again for all the tips, everyone. Sealed bottles of water all the way--just like in India where they customarily open your glass-Coke-bottle-like, bottles of water in front of you. Cheers, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sally2001 Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 hi kirsteen, long time, no post. just say this thread and wanted to give you some (more) insight on cairo. i was there 4 years ago. i believe the mosque you talked about might be al-azhar. it is famous beyond belief. it was founded circa 900 or 1000 CE. it is right in the heart of a very famous part of the city, near the market called (if i remember correctly) "khan ee khalili". those coffee shops were frequented by the nobel prize winning writer naguib mahfouz. not sure if it's the same as the alex haley one, but actually i think it might be. i'd definately go to the pyramids in giza, the british museum in tahrir, the citadel which is a huuuugge mosque on a mountain (might be the one you are talking about, actually) which is from the time period of the ottomon rule. as for safely, i do caution you that it is not that safe, so please be as cautious as you would be in any foreign land, europe, n. america etc. it is safe in the sense that it is one of those "city(ies) that never sleeps" but there is a lot of unemployment and some men, well, they follow people especially if they are obviously non-local. i am making a huge generalization (so please forgive me) but i think you are of scottish descent and so probably are caucasian, and i would advise you to wear loose skirts, long (cotton) shirts and not pants or shorts that would give you away. certainly you don't have to listen to my advice, but it is only for your safety. in a group, i think you shouldn't have a problem, but alone you can never be too safe. in the markets, public transport, you can get around with little or no arabic dialect. just gesture and smile and people are actually amazingly welcoming. i think you'll like cairo a lot, especially if you've been to delhi (i've been there too, but for a much shorter duration). if you go to al-azhar, you can definately check out the whole mosque, but if you are non-muslim, they may ask you not to go during prayer times (understandably because it is crowded and a time for meditiation/reflection and not tourists) but other times is fine. it's beautiful, really. if you have a student card, you can get into giza, the museum and the citadel for half price (10 L.E instead of 20 L.E for each place) so it does save you some money, I think 2.5 L.E = $1 Cdn or something like that. because i was there for a while, i actually boiled the water, but bottled water is definately the safest bet. i wouldn't worry too much about getting sick because cairo has probably the best medical facilities in north africa (from what i heard) and i did have to go to a clinic and it was private, but very impressive, so i have no complaints. oh - take a boat ride/cruise on the nile. it is extraordinary hope this was somewhat helpful and bon voyage cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted October 7, 2003 Report Share Posted October 7, 2003 Hi there sally2001, Thanks for your extensive post--good stuff! Even having received my Lonely Planet Cairo today, your post certainly adds a good deal. The coffee shops sound very promising. Can/do women safely venture there alone? As for your generalizations, you're spot on: Caucasian, and to boot, blonde and 5'8". Not exactly a chick that's going to blend into a few countries outside of the UK, Sweden and the like. Trousers are definitely not advised? Gotta go for the Grace Kelly, Mugambo look then? As to the Nile cruise, would you advice day or eve? Thanks again for all your tips. I appreciate hearing from a "local"! Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sally2001 Posted October 9, 2003 Report Share Posted October 9, 2003 hi kirsteen, actually, you might be ok in trousers and i don't mean to make you feel paranoid. egypt's tourism industry is huge (i was reading on BBC that is one of their biggest sources of income) but my concern was with a girl/lady being there alone. i, myself, was actually followed and i know of another girl that was robbed... so that's is why i'm more cautious now. before i went i felt quite invincible but now i'm definately more subdued. when i took the boat cruise (i went three times), once was during the day, once in the evening and once at night. the night time one was definately the best because of all the night lights and the city just glows. but if you team up with other tourists, maybe from your hotel, it might be safer/more fun. it's true cairo cabs don't have meters. or they do but they don't work. you usually have to negotiate and set the price before getting in. it's not a bad idea to learn the arabic numbers upto ten just for this purpose. if i remember correctly, you can take cruise from nearby the british museum (where all the relics from inside the pyramids were moved). there are huge numbers of tourists in that area, as well as giza. but when you're going through the markets, you'll have to fend off the vendors. but, i think it's not dissimilar from dehli, and definately Agra where the Taj Mahal is. i think you'll have fun and i'd love to hear your impression after your return! cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted October 9, 2003 Report Share Posted October 9, 2003 Thanks again, sally2001, I hope all goes well, and I'm sure it will. I like your idea of hooking up with some other groups, which, hopefully, I'll be able to do. Also, since I won't be in Cairo for too long, I'll try to get on to one of those night cruises. Cheers, and ta again, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.