Egypt is a country with many stories that continue to this day without explanation, we all know. Very early in school, we grew up reading, listening, and watching about how Egypt is surrounded by mysteries and buildings that surprise everyone. Here are 7 things that surprise you when you travel to Egypt.
1. 3 Sensations Upon Arriving
On Egypt vacation you have 3 sensations as soon as you leave the airport upon arriving to Cairo. The first is the scent of the hot desert sand, a very strong and different smell, unnoticed. The second is the chaotic traffic of the city, many horns. You soon think, "How can they drive here?" And the third is undoubtedly the most disappointing and the first thing that surprised us there. In some places, you will find garbage on the street.
2. Friday is Sunday
A curiosity few know is that the day of the week off in Islam is on Friday, which makes the weekend start on Thursday night. But Friday there is equivalent to our Sunday from here… So on Friday, almost no one works and you will find many places closed. The good thing is that the streets are "empty" that day, and you can drive with less traffic.
3. Tips, tips and tips… for everyone
If you are looking for a package tour to Egypt, you will almost always find the curious “tips not included” information. At first, you think, “Of course, tipping is optional. How could it be included? ”Not in Egypt…
There, everyone expects you to pay them an extra for whatever service you provide. This will happen when riding Camel, taxi, felucca, buggy… Anyway, in whatever situation they give you something, they expect it. Of course, tipping is optional and you give it if you want. However, if you do not give, they may find it quite offensive.
4. There is safety in the streets of Egypt
At first, to enter the airport, only if you have the passport in hand and face, already passes a metal detector. If not, don't even think. After that, there are at least 4 more conferences in the passport and once again pass the detector (be prepared to take off your shoes every time you pass the detector). When arriving at a tour/hotel, it is also mandatory to go through the metal detector and all bags are searched. That alone is huge security in entering the sites.
On the street, you can see a lot of policing and barriers at various points (in all cities). Speaking of the street, there you walked with a camera around our necks, cell phones in our hands and money in our pockets without any worries. It is very unusual for robberies to take place there. Of course, you can't fool around and leave your things alone somewhere, but Egypt is very quiet about that.
5. How to buy in Egypt
You may have already read about how shopping in Egypt works, but if you are unsuspecting, the first thing you need to know is that you will have to negotiate a lot with them. It is very rare to find stores with fixed prices, so all prices are inflated for tourists and they ask as much as they want.
The golden rule is: When you go shopping if they tell you it costs EGP 100.00. Right away, you already have to offer at least 50% less. Many times they already accept 50% on the spot. You need to be prepared for the negotiations. Often they are very heated. Don't be alarmed because they will yell at you asking for their price and you will have to scream again.
6. Egypt is much more than the pyramids
There is no denying that the pyramids are the main attractions of Egypt. They really are jaw-dropping. But Egypt is much more than they. If we could give you only one tip for this trip, it would definitely be taking a Nile River cruise (from Aswan south to Luxor). You will know practically the whole country, going through several amazing temples and knowing various stories from those places. Incidentally, most of Egypt's main tourist attractions are located there in the cities of Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel.
7. Bonus Tip - Food Care
The first thing you need to take care of is water. A common practice by the Egyptians is to drink water straight from the tap. Never do this and always be aware that if the water you were served was in something properly sealed. Always prefer to have your bottle of water!
When eating something and if you have a sensitive stomach, only do it at your hotel or at the restaurants that are indicated by your guide. It is quite difficult to find clean places there.