Argh gnfry Egypt is not Iraq...gnash of teeth

[Xtro]

Ahem.

Evening me old muckers.

Landed in Blighty yesterday and well...its pissing it down. Just about says it all really Canada was lots of fun but now its comedown time.

So...I always need some travel booked so I don't get pissed off and asked the gf to check with her parents about us going to Egypt and doing the whole Cairo/pyramids/Valley of the Kings shiznat.

They trust me lots (she's just been over to Canada and stayed with me a few weeks) but my gf has just informed me that her parents say -

"Whilst there's a war on, we'd rather you not go to Egypt."

You can sort of guess my response (I swore for quite some time).

Now...we're dealing with parents who have never left the UK so aren't too world wise but COME ON FOR FUCKS SAKE the war IS over and Egypt is in AFRICA etc etc rant.

What would you say - seriously? The gf REALLY wants to go and I was all set to book. Grr. Its Rome if all else fails but thats not the point.

 

[mank!]

Go to Rome so you can tell me what it's like and provide me with photos before my visit next year.

 

[Furr]

I would tell how Egypt is a reasonably safe place to visit these days as a tourist because the government has taken a lot of interest in protecting them as its so important to the country. London atm is probably more risky than Cairo in some ways due to the number of guards and such they have. I was told by people who recently visited there last spring that most times they felt quite protected.

 

[TdC]

mmm, a friend is in egypt atm, and there's nothing doing tbh. not to wind you up heh. there's nothing going down there, and iirc they're very security concious since that balls-up a while ago. perhaps you can bite down and try to sway the old folks round?

italy is a lovely substitute tbh, I believe you won't lose out no matter how the pendulum swings.

 

[nath]

She's not 14 right? If it means that much to both of you, and they're really being that silly - just go..

 

[Tom]

How old is your girlfriend?

 

[Trem]

Girlfriends parents happy = girlfriend happy.

Jesus guys, come on

We all know Xtro ain't no prude, hes just being considerate.





























Me on the other hand would say fuck it and go where the hell I wanted

 

[Xtro]

How old is your girlfriend?

She's 21 Tom. Trem is quite correct - I'm being considerate. Personally if it were MY parents I would say "fuck off" (which is exactly what I did at 17 but thats another story ).

They are very protective, it was a Big Thing (tm) her coming to Canada to see me so I don't want to push it TOO much but yes nath, this is a very big deal for us as we both love Egypt.

Good replies btw...I'm shocked

 

[Aph3x]

If it makes any difference my sister went there about 3 months ago and loved it, she saw the pyramids, some tombs and the sphynx. There were no bombings and not an Iraqi in sight

 

[Tom]

It seems her parents have a problem understanding geography. Perhaps you should try telling them that Egypt is quite far away from Iraq, and apart from one incident at Luxor (more than a few years ago now), is quite safe. Perhaps they have memories of the six day war.

 

[Wij]

Don't take no shit from mother-in-laws ffs !

 

[NaveT]

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have a Travel Advice website. They basically advise where is not safe in the world to go. There is also information about other countries...considered safe, but what is safe nowadays?

There is a good bit on Egypt available here

The parents must be happy with it, if it has the UK goverment official seal of approval.

 

[Cyradix]

I went there 4 years ago. Did a cruise on the Nile, visited al the sited and spend a few days at Hurgada for beach fun and reef diving.
Pretty safe country. Went off on my own several times without a problem. Some sites are guarded by the army to ensure tourist safety though….

Oh, and when you visit Cairo don’t leave the tourist area’s at night.
During the day go shopping in the bazaars. Every shop owner will have a brother/sister/uncle/.... who lives in your country (or even town)

 

[EuSKALDuN]

I was in egypt in february of this year, and have to say that was awesome. There is not more risk than in your own city i would say even less, everywhere u go, there is hidden police, and u wont find that all the natives are bin laden, in fact they really treat u in a kind way. Just one thing Imo i wouldnt go there with my girlfriend cause im too jelouse and would kill some egiptcians when they try to flirt with my gf

but if the reason for not going there is that your gf family is afraid, i promise there there is not any weight on that reason.

I went cairo, asuan, luxor, cruise throw nilo, king valley, ....., and never i had a problem with any person from there.

Just you to see the security that is there, i think that we where in asuan or luxor not sure atm, and i went with my father in this kind of cars riding horses (soz that i dunno the name in english, not my mother language) and the driver told us not to pay him at that time, to do it later at night cause he would come to pick us up again at night, we said oki then meet u later man. Suddenly we realized that we had a dinner that night, and that we couldnt attend the meeting with the driver, so we looked for him for paying him the afternoon trip. When we where doing this, a man dressed in normal clothes approached to my father and me and identify himself as police, asked us if we had any problem, and we answered him what was going on. his response to this was, "dont pay, he is just rubbish of egypt...." not agree with this we went and paid to the man. but with this i wanna show u that every everywhere there is police checking for your "security"

P.S. 1 last advice, if u finnally go there and visit the pyramids, dont let the soldiers from there to take pictures of you, or u will have to pay them and dont miss diving in the red sea.

 

[Turamber]

Spent two weeks touring Egypt about 15 years ago. Trip of a lifetime and an amazing place to visit.

That said visiting any place where fanatical/extremists maybe operating is taking a gamble. Whether that is a gamble worth taking is your own call. I know I have a holiday booked in Istanbul for October and I am still going ... but my mother, who was originally coming with me, has dropped out because of the war.

By the way Mank - Rome is wonderful. Spent a week there a couple of years ago, so much to see especially if you are interested in Roman history. Fabulous food and great atmosphere.

EDIT: Just backtracked and read some people saying Egypt is as safe as your home city. This is not necessarily true - when I was there 15 years ago a tourist coach was attacked and surely people haven't forgotten the massacre at Queen Hatsheput's temple? The Egyptian government works very hard to make Egypt a safe place to visit, but don't for a minute think it's as safe as some people are making out.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Good replies btw...I'm shocked

-cough cough-

-clear throat-

Mi mi mi.....


Ok.

YOU DESERVE TO DIE!! You and your girlfriend are french canadian losers! Do you like sand oddmboy?! Huh? Does seeing your overweight girlfriend named Alabama BOB in sand turn you on you stupid gurgle ´spewspitspit....













Would you like a bigger penis?
-grin-




Teh Seel Shockcart(tm)

 

[Xtro]

Bah.

Fucking pissflaps.

Thanks for the additional replies. Much appreciated.

HOWEVER - the war (against her parents, not against terror) has been lost.

Gf doesn't want me to "reason" with her parents, she says we can go to Egypt properly next year anyway after she graduates.

I read out practically the whole of this thread to her and its "not so much being in Egypt but the fact that the plane might be hijacked" that bothers them apparently (and her...GRUMBLE). What utter fucking bollocks. She just did a return flight to Canada for fucks sake. Surely a plane full of North Americans is more likely to be hijacked than a plane containing a mix of holidaymakers and some Arab cousins going to Egypt. GNNRNRNRJGGGHJ.

Anyway its not worth the hassle - we'll go next year so Rome it is.

Seeing as Mank wants to know about it (I remember he mentioned in another recent thread) I shall start a new thread or something...

TA

 

[Turamber]

When I visited 15 years ago direct flights to Egypt were considered dangerous, so most worldly wise travellers would fly to Israel using the official airline (extremely security conscious, I was interviewed for 15 minutes by a pretty Israeli before I was allowed to board) and then take an official coach (with military escort) through the Sinai to Egypt.

It was an unofficial, unescorted coach that was attacked in the Sinai just after I came back from my tour.

 

[Mobius]

I went to Orlando about 2 weeks after september the 11th. There was people with machineguns at the airport. It was class though, Disneyland etc were all empty. We never queued for anything.

Every cloud...

 

[Wij]

It's bad news when the GF listens to her parents over you tbh :/

 

[EuSKALDuN]

Spent two weeks touring Egypt about 15 years ago. Trip of a lifetime and an amazing place to visit..

situation is not the same as 15 years ago. the worldwide worriness has change.

That said visiting any place where fanatical/extremists maybe operating is taking a gamble.

according to this visiting any place is a gamble. or u telling me that fanatical/extremist are not operating nowadays all over the world?

EDIT: Just backtracked and read some people saying Egypt is as safe as your home city. This is not necessarily true.

neither necessarily false, or do i have to remind u 11th S in NY or 11th M in Madrid?

- The Egyptian government works very hard to make Egypt a safe place to visit, but don't for a minute think it's as safe as some people are making out.

true that they do, and at least in february 2004 when i was there they achieved the goal so succesfully.

 

[Tom]

People seem to forget the IRA over the last 30 years.

 

[Xtro]

It's bad news when the GF listens to her parents over you tbh :/

Heh I'd normally agree with you mate but she is still living with them (until May next year anyway) so has to put up with it really 'til she moves out so I expect it.

 

[Turamber]

according to this visiting any place is a gamble. or u telling me that fanatical/extremist are not operating nowadays all over the world?

Of course, nowhere is completely safe. But there are clear and present dangers in visiting a country with a high Muslim population in the present environment. Obviously the majority of Muslim's are peacable people, but there are always increased chances of coming across extremists the larger the population.

The same logic would hold for, say, visiting the USA. The larger the number of Christian's the higher the number of extremists there.

As I said, I am visiting Istanbul in October - so it's not as if I stay home afraid of my own shadow. You have to make reasonable, balanced decisions on all the data. Thinking everything will be okay just because it's your own holiday is neither reasonable or balanced

 

[tRoG]

Of course, nowhere is completely safe. But there are clear and present dangers in visiting a country with a high Muslim population in the present environment. Obviously the majority of Muslim's are peacable people, but there are always increased chances of coming across extremists the larger the population.

The same logic would hold for, say, visiting the USA. The larger the number of Christian's the higher the number of extremists there.

This boggles me.

"There are people there! It can't be safe!" seems to me to be what you're saying.

 

[Turamber]

This boggles me.

"There are people there! It can't be safe!" seems to me to be what you're saying.

If you say so.

 

[Munkey]

Just so you know, Egyptians aren't really counted as arabs. And they're mostly dumb.

Or at least thats what all my arab friends tell me