www.egyptlandtour.com

Originally uploaded by atottah

(1) EGYPTIAN ARABIC PHRASEBOOK: (I use this with my in-laws. That’s how I managed to survive here especially when my husband’s not around). Best to learn Arabic before you come just so that you don’t get scammed. Remember foreigne here=$$$.
(2)BRING INSECT/MOSQUITO REPELLENT. I looked like I just had chicken pox in the 1st month I was here -thats how bad it was for me.
(3)BRING SMALL CHANGE. For any service (even going to the toilet, asking for directions sometimes, tipping in restaurants) you’ll be expected to pay. You’ll experience this the moment you set foot in Egypt inside the airport. Trust me! Lucky my husband didn’t see how much I was hassled before I got passed the customs. There would be a few men in hospital if he was)
(4)LONG SCARF: (for women) particularly when you’re travelling to religious sites or remote locations or else you’ll get unwanted attention. They might be muslim but they’re also men as well. Some, indecent. Particularly if you’re blonde/European/American. They just imagine you as their dream-pornstar-come-true so please be careful. Useful phrases: “imshi” (go away) or “haram alaik” (shame on you could be quite handy for such situations.
(5)UNOPENNED BOTTLED WATER. The ones they serve in restaurants and cafes sometimes taste horrible and you don’t exactly know where they really came from. I even use filtered water in my own house.
(6)A RING: (for women) to let others know you’re taken and not an easy summer-romance-fest/visa prey.
(7)PATIENCE: everything that you think takes 5 minutes in your own country can take 2-3 hours in Egypt. Maybe this is when you start to appreciate life a little and see how lucky you are to have what you have, because others aren’t so.
(8)SENSE OF HUMOUR: for when things go bad or too long for you or when you’re enjoying local company
(9)BARGAINING SKILLS: even the locals do it with everything. The price of the item you’re purchasing might be double or triple of what it is normally.
(10)COFFEE/CHOCOLATE:they don’t have much to choose from.I’m so craving for an Arnotts Caramel Tim Tam. Yummmmmmm. Only few more days/weeks to go before we head home