|
|
Route - Egypt
| Highlights |
| Cairo - Home to the River Nile and the Pyramids. |
|
| Luxor - Magnificent monuments of Luxor, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings; including the tombs of Nefertari. |
|
| Useful Information |
| Visa - Can be obtained at neighbouring countries with little fuss for US$15. Visas can be obtained by air on arrival but not by land for US$15. The single visa is valid for presentation for three months and entitles the holder 30 days stay. |
|
| Vaccinations - Yellow fever, Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Malaria, Polio |
|
| Driving Regulations - Yellow fever, Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Malaria, Polio |
|
| Embassies - 2 Lowndes Street, London, SW1X 9ET. (020) 7235 9777 or 7 Ahmad Ragheb, Garden City, Cairo. (2) 794 0850 8 |
|
| Country Code - 20 |
|
| Introduction |
| Situated at the north-eastern corner of Africa, Egypt is bordered on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, in the east by Israel and the Red Sea, in the South by Sudan, and to the west by Libya. Egypt has a wealth of history and cultural that is breathtaking and beautiful. Egypt has been a tourist hotspot for a long time, which means that the road conditions are generally good and there are normally cheap and reliable links between the attractions. |
|
| The easiest way to describe the climate of Egypt is hot and dry, however, the temperature in the evening during the winter months can plummet down to below zero. The winter season between December and February is the high season for tourism, which means of you are looking for a quite view of the pyramids this is not the time to go. Between March and April the wind blows so strong and hard that the sky turns a dark orange colour, as it becomes choked with the sand whipped up by the winds. No matter how tightly the doors and windows are closed the inside of vehicles and homes will be covered with a layer of sand that has an affect of making everything look like it is an inside of a tomb! |
|
| People |
| Egyptians have such a strong sense of national pride that is resulting from a strong sense of extended family and community living. The sense of pride that is demonstrated can be confusing to many visitors due to the failing state. As unemployment is rife, low literacy levels, housing shortages and pervasive poverty. However, there is a really positive vibe that everyone is together and working towards a better future by helping out wherever than can. |
|
| Food |
| The variety of Egyptian recipes is endless. Their cultural goes back a very long way. As a result of subsequent colonization, foreign influence is somewhat present, specially from the Turkish cuisine (it is understandable after more than 300 years of Turkish presence in Egypt). The "Pashas" living in Cairo mainly employed the natives as help and cooks. Therefore their traditional food has been part and parcel of everyday eating as well. |
|
| The shish kabob style is extremely popular and is served either with or without the skewers but always with traditional accompaniments: greens and tomato salad, tahini sauce and pita bread. So you can stuff your own sandwich if you want. Bread is always whole wheat pita, coated with coarse ground wheat, round, fragrant and sheer heaven when hot from the oven. Often pita plus a dipping sauce, tahini, hummus or babaganoush, makes a fast food meal and a healthy, delicious one at that. |
|
| Eggplant, mashed as the main ingredient in babaganoush, is also used in Egyptian moussaka with a mild white cheese. Okra, cabbage, cauliflower and potatoes show up frequently, stewed with tomatoes and garlic. Rice is a universal constant and was consistently wonderful, even for breakfast! The grains mix short basmati-like rice with longer brown, nutty tasting rice and we wish we could have found it to bring back. |
|
|
|