TexasBred":ahvaviqa said:
Egypt is like every other arab county. A shythole with a few places splashed in to attract tourist. Grow a beard, don't bathe for a couple weeks and you might fit in. Just don't forget you're an american. :nod: You'd feel safer in Israel. Just about as many arabs but at least the jews have most of the guns and you see them very often.
I will add a few comments. I have spent a lot of time in the Sinai, Golan, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and yes even did a short trip not too long ago into Egypt - even wrote a few posts here, via satellite - while I was there - however I am only now able to mention it.
In the past five years I have spent nearly three and a half years in arab countries.
They are essentially all the the same - especially for Americans - unless you are visiting the financial capitals - they are dangerous. Even so-called commercial places like the KSA and Dubai can have serious dangers and ramifications for western people.
You look different, you act different and you are always a target. It can happen and it can happen fast. As a westerner you will be viewed with suspicion unless you are spending cash and the more the better. If it happens it will often be random - and if you are a "regular" visitor or traveler it can be planned.
There is serious inter-religious strife and there is serious deeply embedded hatred toward anything not muslim.
As long as you understand and recognize this then I can say to you - go. You might be lucky and have a great trip. You might buy the winning lottery ticket as well, and end up on the late night news as yet another stupid tourist that is reading a statement to the world about how allah wants all westerners dead.
Before you go though I would suggest to you that those on trip advisor or whatever other junk internet outlet you might be using have an agenda as well. They want your cash. So why would they want you to stay home?
Quite frankly I would not even recommend Turkey - especially now - which is one of the more moderate places.
If you want to travel to the middle east I would recommend a flight to Tel Aviv.
I would recommend staying in Jerusalem at the American Colony Hotel. Absolutely a first class place. If you want to visit the Golan the I suggest you stay at the Merom Golan Kibbutz - also a nice place.
If you would like a driver - I know one who is a retired IDF artillery officer who speaks three languages - arabic, Hebrew and English. He drives top notch equipment. He sold his trucking company to his sons and realized he retired too early. I found him by accident and he now does most of the UN personnel driving in the area as well.
When I invited my family to visit me on one of my in-country vacations - I spent it in Israel - he was their personal driver.
The things to see in Israel are numerous, interesting and historical.
The things to see in Egypt are numerous, interesting and historical.
Israel loves the Yanks.
Egyptians as a whole hate them.
You get hurt in Israel all the emergency services show up, they are qualified, they speak English and you do not have to bribe them.
The exact opposite is usually the story in Egypt.
Where would you rather spend your cash?
TB makes some comments about arab countries - I personally believe he is being far too kind.
When I have to "work" in those countries I need to be vaccinated before I go. My vaccination book is very thick - it includes malaria, rabies and every colour of fever and infectious disease known to mankind. It also has the human equivalent of 8-way - which ensure my tetanus and all those other nasty little things that can happen with only a scratch are taken care of. I also carry a rather small but very powerful drug kit - to ensure those infections are looked after.
As for the food - I tend to avoid street vendors and most restaurant. That schtinking schwarma that people seem to love in North American restaurants is made with raw egg mayo - and refrigeration(?) is non existant - so plan on being down with the schittes for some time if you do not keep clean - even to drink from a clean glass that has been handled by a local can make you very sick.
Is all the above a regular and constant? Nope.
But it IS common enough that I am never surprised at how sick people get - simply because they maintain their entitled North American attitude when they travel.
You would be amazed at how many people I have dragged out of countries like this on stretchers. And I hate rescuing tourists - they bring it on themselves on a regular basis.
Go and enjoy - you might be lucky. However have an extraction plan if you are not.
Otherwise go to Israel - I highly recommend it.
As for someone thinking I am a racist in my comments - well to you I would say - eff you - I have lived it and I know what my entire team thinks - and my comments are probably the most moderate of that entire team.
Remember, you are your own best bodyguard - to trust someone just because they are a tour guide is quite foolish. They want your cash and give a schitte about you. If there is an episode and something happens, you go down - the company makes a media statement and wrings its hands for a week and then goes right on making money as a tour company - while you are imprisoned or worse. You now are now someone elses problem and likely I will hear about you.
In closing I would have to say that your feds and their travel warnings are quite right. Libya was once a great country to visit - recently even your ambassador was killed there. Do you honestly think the same factions that exist there do not exist in Egypt? Trust me they are there in force.
As I stated - you might go and have a great time. But there are enough incidents that take place for your feds to issue warnings. They do that for a reason.
I would suggest you honour those travel warnings - or get the extraction plan and insurances all worked out well ahead of time that way the American equivalent of me will be able to help you. If you want a decent plan you might even talk with the French - despite the way people talk about them, they are truly the best at this type of desert work. (My opinion only)
Best to all
Bez__