Going to Egypt
 

What to see, what to do?

The pyramids and the temple of man are what I am aiming for right now.

I went there in 2000 and would strongly suggest (if you are already not planning on doing so) to go with a tour group. If you go through a company like globus they book all your transportation and you get an egyptologist as a guide and they can give you a ton of information. Plus you will just get to see more and spend less money. If you go alone you will see some cool stuff, but it could turn out to be a major headache.

That said highlights include:

-Pyramids. See the Giza pyramaids and the step pyramid in Memphis.
-Spinx. this is right by the Giza pyramids and is a must see.
-The museum in Cairo. It is huge and doesn't have AC so you will sweat your balls off, but you get to see Tuts treasure and a ton of amazing stuff.
- Karnak temple. This is further south in Luxor but is amazing and awe inspiring.
- Valley of the kings. This is where the pharaohs are buried. It is hot (was around 115 the day I was there) and crowded. Get there early and take plenty of water.
- Abu Simbal. This is a kick ass monument way in the southern part of the country.

While in Cairo I also suggest Cario tower (a huge tower in down town Cairo that lets you see the whole city) and the phoronic gardens.

Like I say, if you have the time take two weeks, use a tour company and you will have the time of your life. You will walk a lot, sweat a lot and see and eat some interesting things, but it will change your life.

It's nice. Security is tight. There is a police officer every 10 feet, and most of them are armed to the teeth. And there are bomb sniffing dogs, metal detectors, and X-ray machines at every important building and hotel. And in the risky areas, there are trucks full of soldiers waiting to pounce.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, you will sweat like crazy. But there is a shack selling water and snacks on every street corner. Make sure to buy Dasani/Aquafina/Evian water, and not the cheap Aqua water that gives you parasites.

See:
Pyramids
Museum
Coptic Cairo
Oriental Weavers
Mohamed Ali Mosque
Sound & Light
1973 War Panorama
Nile Cruise
Camel Ride
Khan-el-Khaleli Bazaar
JW Marriot Golf & Country Club
Sharm-el-Sheik beach town

Make sure to tip everybody who helps you. Don't tip the police unless they ask you (like when you go on a camel ride through the desert and are riding through a restricted area).

And you will note that most people are awake and in the streets at 2 AM (which is when they usually eat dinner). We went to a rug store that sells the nicest rugs ever and it is 5 stories high. At 2 AM, there were dozens of people in the store looking at $4000 rugs. There was a rug with Hosni's face on it (which was hung on the wall so you couldn't step on his face).

And don't try to drive there. People drive at 80 miles per hour in residential areas. There are no traffic lights anywhere. And no crosswalks. And no lanes. And nobody stops for pedestrians, so they run through the streets and try to dodge the cars. And if you want to park, you have to pay someone who claims that he owns that piece of the road that you want to park on. Every car looks like a piece of shit because the average vehicle is involved in 5 accidents per day. People just don't care, especially when they park. They will just ram their car into the one in front of them.

A flight to Dubai from Cairo is 3 hours and first class is cheap. You can go to Dubai too.

Well, as they say in New Orleans: "Bye You"

I'd like to do a trip like Kane suggested. That would be pretty damn cool. I envy you for that experience.

Go diving in Sharm-el-Sheik or Hurgada

The only bad part was getting there. I live on the west coast (like you) so it was about 5 hours to Atlanta then switch planes and 14 hours to Austria then switch again and another 5 hours to Cairo. I can't sleep on a plane so I was up about 40 hours straight when I got to the hotel. I ate, showered and passed out.

My trip started in Cairo, we stayed there for a few days, went up to Alexandria for a day then flew to Luxor. We were there for a day then we got on a ship and floated down the nile for 4 days stopping at different things each day to check out. The rooms on the ship were small, but it was fun. In the lower part of the country (Aswan) we stayed 3 days and did different day trips then flew back to Cairo and spent two more days there. I think the whole thing was 13 days. I went a day early (best choice I made because it gave me a free day to see stuff the tour wasn't going to cover and to rest up from the trip.) then a couple of days of travel. I think I spent about 5K on the whole thing and it was the best money I have ever spent.

I went Pre-9/11 and security was tight. We had a guy with an uzi under his jacket travel everywhere with us. I can only imagine how it is now.

Quoted for truth :thumbsup

Wow, thanks. You added some stuff to my plan there. I will be there 2 weeks but I still feel I wont have time to do everything I want.

should be great trip. be sure to share your pics with us when you get back. enjoy!

Thanks Gerard, it will be something else thats for sure. I am very much into egyptology so this is special for me.

have a great trip

What kane said, see the Pyramids in Cairo and their Museum, take a Nile cruise for the rest of the temples, and maybe 1-2 days in Hurghada at the seaside.

Dive there! Safary on quatro bykes in desert!