But don't worry. Egyptians have an amazing ear for languages and
most people who come into contact with tourists will speak
English and/or several other European languages. Even before you
speak your nationality will be accurately guessed by the way you
dress and walk. In the most densely populated tourist areas
children from two years old will know how to say 'welcome to
Egypt', 'what's your name', 'baksheesh', 'pen', and 'give me
money/sweets/cigarette' in lots of languages! The government is
now encouraging foreign languages to be taught in schools and
older children love to practice their skills.
Time Zone and DST
Egypt is two hours in advance of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +2)
and operates Daylight Savings Time (+1 hour) from the last
Friday in April until the last Friday in September.
Climate
A
hot, dry country, the temperature of Egypt varies from North to
South. Most tourists visit the country in its 'high season' -
October to March. Summers are extremely hot, especially in Upper
Egypt, where temperatures can easily reach up to 50 C (122 F) in
June and July. The average midwinter temperature in Aswan is
usually around 25 C (77 F) and 10 C (50 F) in Cairo. In the
winter as soon as the sun has set it can feel very cold because
of the contrast in temperature. Rainfall is quite rare in Upper
Egypt, but you can expect a little rain in the winter months in
Cairo and the Delta. A strong dry wind known as the Khamsin
(literally 'fifty') blows in March or April for around 50 days
from the Western desert, spreading fine particles of sand over
everything it touches.
WHAT TO BRING
Number one not to do is not to wear shorts and sleeves attire to
the religious places in Egypt. Dress quite conservatively at
your visits to mosques, churches, synagogues and bazaars.
Especially women should be more careful about that. In places
less used to tourists, you should even more careful.
You must pack:
-Hat
-Sunglasses
-Sun screen above factor eight
-Scarf for head and shoulders for the ladies
-Crease-free, comfortable clothing
-Sweater, jackets, coats and umbrella for the winter traveling
(Alexandria, Cairo and night time desert can be quite cold and
rainy in winter months such as December, January, February,
March and April)
-A torch for the tombs and temples
-Your prescription drugs
-Sanitary pads and panty liners for the ladies.
-Good walking shoes.
-Swimsuits if you are planning to swim.
MONEY
Egypt's currency is the Egyptian Pound. A pound= 100 piastres(pt).
There are notes in denominations of 25 and 50 pt and 1, 5, 10,
20, 50, 100 pounds. Money can be officially changed at American
Express and Thomas Cook offices, commercial banks, foreign
exchange (forex) bureaus and many hotels. The most convenient
place to exchange your money is the bank located in your hotel
or the reception. Note that rates can vary quite a bit between
banks though the variations seem to be minimal on the US dollar.
Whatever method you use for changing money, make sure you have
your passport with you. It's sometimes hard to use travelers'
checks. Banks sometimes have a small handling charge on those.
Well-known brands of travelers' checks are best and, ideally,
you should back them up with your credit card.
You can obtain hard currency or travelers' checks from American
Express using an American Express Card or, with a Visa or
MasterCard, from Thomas Cook.
American Express, Visa and MasterCard can be used for purchases
in a wide range of stores displaying the appropriate signs.
Visa and MasterCard can be used for cash advances from many
branches of Banque Misr and the National Bank of Egypt as well
as Thomas Cook. Banque Misr generally charges no commissions for
cash advances, and the limit appears to depend on the terms of
your particular card. Outside the big cities cash advances are
often impossible, so keep some travelers' checks and/or cash
handy.
HEATSTROKE
Upper Egypt (Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel) can get pretty hot in
summer months. Exposure to high temperatures can leave you
vulnerable to heatstroke. You should avoid excessive alcohol or
strenuous activity when you first arrive in a hot climate. Don't
rely on feeling thirsty, drink nonalcoholic beverages and
especially water as much as possible to avoid heat exhaustion
and heatstroke. Beware of salt deficiency, as well. Use a hat
and sunsreeen with as many factors as possible.
FOOD & WATER
Please beware of diarrhea. Do not purchase food which are sold
on the streets or in front of the open windows of stores. Do not
drink tap water. Always drink the bottled water. Bring good
antibiotics with you against tourist diarrhea.
EGYPTIAN MEALS
Although Egyptian eating habits may seem erratic, most natives
begin the day with a light breakfast of beans (or bean cakes),
eggs, and/or pickles, cheeses, and jams. Most families eat their
large, starchy lunch around 1400-1700 and follow it with a
siesta. They may take a British-style tea at 1700 or 1800 and
eat a light supper (often leftovers from lunch) late in the
evening. Dinner parties, however, are scheduled late, often no
earlier than 2100, with the meal served an hour or two later. In
restaurants lunch is normally 1300-1600, dinner 2000-2400.
Entry Requirements
Visitors are required to possess a passport valid for 6 months
from the date of travel. Entry visas are also required from most
countries. A tourist visa is valid for a period of 4 weeks and
may be either single or multiple entry.
ELECTRICITY
Electrical current is 220 volts AC, single phase, 50 hertz. Wall
sockets are the round, two pin European type (though for some
strange reason the socket holes are often too narrow to
accept
European plugs). Bring adapter plugs and transformers if
necessary.
WHAT TO BUY
-JEWELRY: A cartouche with
the name of a friend or relative in hieroglyphs makes a great
gift.
-PAPYRUS
-TAPESTRIES AND CARPETS:
Showing the daily desert life in natural colors.
-Leather, copperware & brassware, basket ware, inlay & woodwork,
perfumes, fezzes, cotton goods, spices, musical instruments and
onyx.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Egypt is
full of opportunities for great photography. It is allowed in
many of the ancient sites, however, flash is banned in most of
the tombs. At an increasing number of sites, the government
charges fees for photography and taking videos. It is forbidden
to photograph bridges, railway stations, anything military,
airports and other public works. Signs are usually posted. Ask
first if you want to take photos of people.