Trip to Egypt from Cyprus

Lemtich



Joined: 15/02/2007
Posts: 1487

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 01:06

Hi



Cyprus to Egypt for 3 days.



Has anyone done this? Preferably a flight and stopover for a couple of days to see the pyramids etc.



What are the prices? Looking at late July this year for 2 of us.



Lem

Mick the Fish


Joined: 27/05/2008
Posts: 180

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 05:01

I did it a couple of years ago - but on the ferry out of limassol. It is

one of the 'must do's' in life, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world, having said that - I will never go back to the sh*t hole again !!!



I was particularly amused to see that the priceless gold mask of Tutenkamen etc. were

secured by a cheap Chinese padlock that costs about £1 in England.



The tour guides are government employees and work pretty much to a script - the constant armed guards are a bit disconcerting.



Have a good trip.

deecyprus4


Joined: 27/07/2008
Posts: 3452

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 07:58

I have made this trip also...2 nights on the boat from Limmasol..quite good..long coach journey to Cairo..very bad...the Egytian Museum is great but you do not get enough time if you go with a guide, I could have spent days in there..Pyramids, very disappointing as they are right on the edge of the city..not the romantic vision I had...



But all in all ...good.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11280

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 09:01

RE msg 2, Mick the Fish > one of the 'must do's' in life, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world, having said that - I will never go back to the sh*t hole again !! <



=> Hear, hear! If Lem would permit me here to use all the swearwords in English I know - I could give him the right description of my trip (Larnaca-Cairo v.v.). For now I second Mick the Fish. And, dear Lem, check the status of your hotel. The idiots in Girne booked me in a non-alcoholic hotel in a complete Moslim area. (Don't do that). I had some food somewhere and got sick (Montezuma's revenge it's called I think) for three weeks (Don't eat anywhere else than in the Hilton, Sheraton etc). Visit the museum, but read a book about their collection before you enter the building - hardly any explanation in their 1000 rooms with their 100.000 items. Well, to keep this short: don't go. It's all on the Internet and Cairo life is worse than you can imagine.

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 09:06

Hans; I think you`ll find Montezuma was south american.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11280

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 09:11

newscoop: So nice to correspond with well-educated people here! Indeed, I heard about him before, in school, some 50 years ago.



Have a look here: http://tinyurl.com/cknsgg

The-Wicks


Joined: 27/05/2007
Posts: 2279

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 09:21

Lem, one of the women I work with went when on holiday last year, they did the whole thing in a day, a bloody long day! They did not go by boat. I will ask her on Saturday for details & get back to you.

Paul

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11280

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 10:03

Lem, not exactly breaking news, but worth to remember: check the cap of every bottle of water you buy. My friends over there have the habit of refilling from the tab (only slightly cleaner than the Nile river with dead cows floating by...). I don't think any composer will ever write music about the Nile...



Oh, and wash your hands every time you touch one of their almost worthless Egyptian pounds. Every bank note is covered by an average of 900 different bacteria (no joke), so used toilet paper is much cleaner than Egyptian bank notes...



More to follow as soon as I have recovered from the memories...

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 10:43

Gosh DC what an experience for you. Sad its left you with bad memories. It was always on my to do list but after reading this I think its crossed of now sorry we missed you by the way xxxx

Isabella


Joined: 02/10/2008
Posts: 199

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 10:59

How people can have different experiences.



For me it was wonderful to be on the Nile, to see the Pyramids and especially to visit the Museum in Cairo. It was a busy week and after all the visits to amazing places you do need a rest, but one trip I would encourage anyone to do.



If you do have a Nile cruise make sure you pay a little more to get a better boat. I did not have enough time in the Museum and would love to go back again just to visit the Museum. They do not realise the value of the artefacts in the Museum as whilst we were there some of the items were being loaned to another country and we very nearly fell over them as they were just left on the floor waiting to be packed.



If you get a good boat and a nice hotel you will have an excellent time. Well recommended.

chick


Joined: 02/07/2008
Posts: 323

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 11:13

Hi all



I did the trip a few years ago and all DC says is 100% right especially the water, although I would not say dont do it, it is an experience of a lifetime especially Cairo I have never seen such slums before.

viking


Joined: 09/10/2008
Posts: 36

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 11:16

We did the boat trip from Limasol about four years ago,and did the pyramids and Cairo in one day, (yes a very long day) but well worth it I agree with everyone it is a once in a lifetime trip, and the memories live forever, we had a packet lunch from the boat, and took our own bottled water, so never actually had anything to eat in Eygpt. Cario is the most populate city in the world and everyone and his brother were out shopping so as you looked down the streets it was just a mass of black, the only downside were the deformed beggars, but you get that in other countries to, I say go for it Lem and decide yourself



Viking

throstle


Joined: 26/05/2008
Posts: 84

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 11:22

Did it 2 years ago

Fly Larnaca to Cairo, booked on internet

Stayed on the Giza strip 5 days again booked on internet

Absolutely wonderful, would do it again

Where else can I get inside the Great Pyramid

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 11:49

We were there over Christmas, Egyptian hospitality is great the sites to see are numerous and very interesting. A well guided tour is an imperative.



We both suffered tummy troubles. The wife was far worse, she did feel a little like Cleopatra floating down the Nile on her sick bed. The trip we took was http://www.flightholiday.co.uk/fh/Egypt_Tours_Jewel_of_the_Nile.php We were going to go onto Lapta but decided not to although by then I was better and her in doors better but weak. The route we had planned included a business stop in Istanbul etc so we just did that and flew back to Birmingham.



Had we stayed in Cairo we might not have suffered so badly if at all. For an idea for greater Cairo and the Pyramids you might like to look at http://www.flightholiday.co.uk/fh/Egypt_Tours_Pyramid_City.php



Have your eyes open there is much to see - the differences in this country are remarkable from a very rich minority through a small middle class to some who are deplorably poor.

techtrader


Joined: 06/08/2008
Posts: 126

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 18:33

did the trip in 1 day



flew from Pathos

saw the Pyramids, Museums, Nile boat trip +much much more



Yes it's a long day (obviously) but well worth it imo certainly something I will never forget and you gotta ask yourself do you really wanna be out there any longer?

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 18:43

Hi Lem I wonder if they will allow visitors just seen on the news an outbreak of birdflu. Not sure to what extent. anyway if you get there Im sure it will be great xxxx

sunrise


Joined: 14/02/2009
Posts: 274

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 19:45

We did the 3 day cruise from Limassol 10 years ago, thought it was fabulous, the ship was luxury. Then we did the 1 week nile cruise 6 years ago, again it was fabulous, wouldn't have missed it for the world, I would go back again any time, but I agree the museum trip was far too short, would like to go back under my own steam and have a proper look around. The only down side was running the gauntlet of all the people trying to sell stuff on the way back to the boat and the amount of people offering to take your picture for you (with your own camera) by the pyramids, but don't blink, they may run off with said camera. Having said all that it was still an experience of a lifetime, one which I wouldn't hesitate to do again.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 20:08

Sunrise



"take your picture for you (with your own camera) by the pyramids" - The classic I saw was the tourist police in a kiosk doing that and then looking for a backhander (at least the guy did get his camera back and did not give htem a tip of any kind). Well worth going there and better to have lots of time as you rightly say.

chick


Joined: 02/07/2008
Posts: 323

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 20:29

Hi Sunrise



We went with Louis Cruise Lines, and it was very nice.

The funniest thing we thought was a supposedly blind guy walking in the desert dressed in a white tailored suit with walking cane just like Sidney Greenstreet.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11280

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 20:33

RE msg 19, chick > The funniest thing we thought was a supposedly blind guy walking in the desert dressed in a white tailored suit with walking cane just like Sidney Greenstreet. <



=> How (not) to appreciate a 4000 years old civilization (although a jungle now)...

chick


Joined: 02/07/2008
Posts: 323

Message Posted:
24/04/2009 20:48

Hi DC



I cannot quite understand your reply Msg 20.



Have you ever seen any Sidney Greenstreet Films, or maybe you are to young

Lemtich



Joined: 15/02/2007
Posts: 1487

Message Posted:
25/04/2009 00:01

Thank you all. I heard about the money! I'll bring some antiseptic wipes etc out with me. Good tip about the camera thieves at the pyramids.



Cairo sounds dreadful, I don't think we will bother with the bazaar.



Has anyone got any good links to South Cyprus tour operators offering 3 day trips with flights from Larnaca?



Many thanks



Lem

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
25/04/2009 09:41

Thieves are around in most places where tourists go world wide.



Cairo was fascinating, lively noisy just not "European" - that is not why you travel is it?



Lem is it OK if I contact you off board?

Lemtich



Joined: 15/02/2007
Posts: 1487

Message Posted:
25/04/2009 12:52

Hi Tom



No problem. Drop me an email.



Lem

kavenkoy


Joined: 10/04/2008
Posts: 1787

Message Posted:
26/04/2009 09:38

lem



chat to my lovely neighbours ,they went last year



kav

woody


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 171

Message Posted:
26/04/2009 12:55

Are there two Cairo's ? I must have been to the other one

Cyprusquest


Joined: 09/12/2008
Posts: 428

Message Posted:
26/04/2009 18:45

Woody which post are you agreeing with? It seems some say one thing and others something else.