Egypt With Omar Sharif

Business Hours

The Egyptian weekend starts Friday. For some people it includes Saturday, and for others, such as craftsmen and laborers, Sunday is the traditional day off. To make things even more complicated, the government recently instituted Thursday as a holiday for some government workers in an attempt to ease crowding and traffic in city centers. Just know that you won't be able to conduct any official business on Friday and usually Saturday as well.

Banks & Offices

Banks are open for business 08:30 AM to 2 PM Sunday through Thursday. In addition, you can withdraw money from your home bank using the ATM machines found outside major banks and inside hotels.

Businesses usually open by 8 AM and close by 4 or 5 PM Sunday through Thursday.

Gas Stations

Gas stations in cities and along main highways are open around the clock, seven days a week. Most accept credit cards.

Museums & Sights

Most Monumental sites are open daily 7 AM-4:30 PM, except for Egyptian museum opens daily 9 AM-6:30 PM .

Shops

Most shops are open by 9 AM in summer and 10 AM in winter; they stay open until about 10 PM. Many stores close during Friday prayers, which begin at noon (1 PM in summer) and last for 15 minutes, open for the latter half of Saturday, and are closed Sunday. Cairo's celebrated Khan al-Khalili bazaar is open Monday through Saturday 10-9.

Customs & Duties

Clearing customs should present no problems for short-term travelers and usually takes less than 10 minutes, if that. Declare all electronic equipment you're bringing into the country. While laptop computers and cellular phones are no longer problematic, portable printers and fax machines can be. You may be required to pay a cash deposit on these, which will be refunded when you leave the country. You can bring up to one carton of cigarettes and three bottles of alcohol into the country.

Electricity

The electrical current in Egypt is 220 volts, 50 cycles alternating current (AC). Most wall outlets take rounded plugs, so North American travelers will need both a converter and a plug adapter to use U.S.-purchased electrical equipment.

If your appliances are dual-voltage, you'll need only an adapter. Don't use 110-volt outlets marked For Shavers Only for high-wattage appliances such as blow-dryers. Most laptops operate equally well on 110 and 220 volts and so require only an adapter.

Embassies and Consulates

Australian Embassy (World Trade Center, Corniche al-Nil, Bulaq, PHONE: 02/575-0444).

British Embassy (7 Shar'a Ahmed Ragab, Garden City, PHONE: 02/794-0850 or 02/794-0852).

Canadian Embassy (5 Maydan Saray Al-Kubra, Garden City, PHONE: 02/794-3110).

New Zealand does not maintain an embassy in Egypt. For inquiries on visas and other matters, contact the embassy of the United Kingdom.

U.S. Embassy (5 Shar'a Amrika Al-Latinnya, Garden City, PHONE: 02/795-7371).

Emergencies

Ambulance (PHONE: 123).

Fire Brigade (PHONE: 125).

Police (PHONE: 122 or 02/303-4122).

Tourist Police (PHONE: 02/390-6028).

Doctors

Many hotels have a doctor on call or can recommend a good doctor to contact if you need one.

Al-Salam International Hospital (Ma'adi Corniche, Ma'adi, PHONE: 02/524-0250 or 02/524-0070).

Anglo-American Hospital (Shar'a al-Burgx, Ma'adi, PHONE: 02/735-6162 or 02/735-6165).

Hospitals

In case of an emergency, contact your embassy first for a physician referral, because hospital emergency rooms leave much to be desired. Hospitals work on a cash basis and don't accept foreign medical insurance. Some hospitals accept credit cards, but most do not.

al-Salam International Hospital (Ma'adi Corniche, Ma'adi, PHONE: 02/524-0250 or 02/524-0070).

Anglo-American Hospital (Shar'a al-Burg, Zamalek, PHONE: 02/735-6162 or 02/735-6165).

Misr International Hospital (12 Shar'a al-Saraya, Finny Square, Doqqi, PHONE: 02/760-8261 or 02/760-8270).

Late-Night Pharmacies

By law, every neighborhood is required to have at least one pharmacy open all night. Often pharmacies take turns. Check with your hotel staff about the open one nearest you.

Seif (76 Shari's Qasr Al-'Ainy, PHONE: 02/794-2678) is open 24 hours.

Issaf Pharmacy (3 Shar'a 26 Yulyu, at the corner of Shar'a Ramses, PHONE: 02/574-3369) is open 24 hours.

Zamalek Pharmacy (3 Shagaret al-Dorr, Zamalek, PHONE: 02/735-2406) is open 24 hours.

Diarrhea

The most common medical problem will be traveler’s diarrhea.

Here is what you need to do to avoid it:

-Bottled water at all times...no exception

-Used bottled water for brushing of your teetch.

-Be careful not to swallow water when taking a shower

-Tea is OK as long as long as the water has been boiled

-Avoid ice since it is most probably from tap water

-Do not eat street food or restaurants that are not frequented by Westerners (even that is not a guarantee)

-Stay away from salads

-Do not eat the food on the trains

Here is list of medications you must take with you:

-Rehydration salts

-Cipro

-Imodium

-Thermameter

If you do get sick, here is what you should do:

-Drink plenty of bottled water and use those rehydration salts

If you do not have rehydration salts, mix salt, sugar and water together and drink it. Plain water usually does not get abosorbed by your body if you are suffering from diarrhea so the salt and suger will help with the absorptiona and also replenish the lost minerals.

-Avoid very cold water.

-Most hotels can call a doctor for you. Egyptian doctors tend to over medicate but if you are really dehydrated, they can give IV fluids.

Etiquette & Behavior

When in Egypt, do as Egyptians do. Although this doesn't mean that you'll need to don a veil, you'll feel more comfortable during your visit if you take your cue from the people you see around you. Egyptians, both men and women, tend to dress modestly. Unless you're at the beach, leave your shorts in your suitcase. In summer, opt instead for light cotton pants and skirts, preferably knee-length or longer. Short sleeves are fine for both men and women, as are T-shirts and jeans. Dress more conservatively if you're planning on visiting any mosques or churches; women should bring along a light scarf to throw over their heads if necessary.

You'll see Egyptian couples walking down the street arm in arm or holding hands. Less discreet displays of affection are frowned upon. Good friends, both men and women, will greet one another with a light kiss on both cheeks. When in doubt, a handshake is fine, although more-traditional men and women may not shake hands with members of the opposite sex.

Egyptians place a high value on politeness -- to be called impolite is considered a true insult and implies that one was not raised well. Knowing only how to say please (min fadlak to a man and min fadlik when addressing women) and thank you (shukran) can make your interactions much more pleasant.

If you're invited to someone's home, a small gift is in order. Flowers and pastry or some sort of sweet are always appreciated. Don't bring alcohol unless you're sure that your hosts drink. In any situation it is considered rude to put one's feet on the furniture or table. The more traditional taboo against using one's left hand to eat has become mostly a moot point these days, as communal meals are less common and eating utensils are the norm. Still, if you find yourself sharing a meal from the same plate with someone, use your right hand to take food from the main plate.

Guided Tours

If you are looking for a guided tour, your best bet is to try to set it up with a travel agent.

Health

Your first concern in Egypt should be the sun. In this latitude sunburn happens quickly, and the heat itself -- shade temperatures are very often in the upper 90s (Fahrenheit) -- is intense. In the dry desert areas, you might not feel that you're sweating, when in fact your body is losing considerable amounts of water.

Take extreme care to protect yourself from the sun by covering your skin and using high-level sunblocks. Always carry bottled water and keep up your water intake. Dehydration can be a serious problem, so replenish your fluid levels regularly.

Food & Drink

In Egypt the major health risk is "gippy tummy" -- traveler's diarrhea varying in intensity from mild to disablingly severe. It's almost certainly attributable to contaminated water, and, consequently, you are strongly advised to drink only bottled water (or water that has been boiled for at least several minutes), avoid uncooked vegetables with a high water content (lettuce, green salads, watermelon), and be very wary of taking ice in drinks. When eating out, ask for your drinks min gheir talg (without ice), and always request mayya ma'daniya (bottled water). Check to make sure that the seal on your bottled water is intact before drinking it. However, precautions are often of no avail. A cruise of some 90 British medical doctors and their spouses found 70 members out of action for three days. People who consumed identical meals at the same table were hit randomly. Staying at the very best international hotels won't necessarily protect you from this.

Mild cases may respond to Imodium (known generically as loperamide) or Pepto-Bismol (not as strong), both of which can be purchased over the counter; paregoric, another antidiarrheal agent, requires a doctor's prescription in Egypt.

Drink plenty of purified water or tea -- chamomile (babunag) is a good folk remedy. In severe cases, rehydrate yourself with a salt-sugar solution (½ teaspoon salt and 4 tablespoons sugar per quart of water).

Shots & Medications

According to the U.S. government's National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there's a limited risk in Egypt of malaria and dengue fever, diseases carried by insects, and some risk of schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection acquired by swimming in fresh water. Malaria poses almost no risk to travelers visiting major tourist areas in North Africa. One exception is al-Fayyum oasis.

Swimming in the Nile, or in fresh water anywhere in Egypt, is highly discouraged and should be reserved for well-chlorinated pools or salt water. Prepare yourself for the most common illness that befalls travelers by bringing antidiarrheal tablets with you from home. Also as a preventative, adults and children should complete Hepatitis A and B and tetanus shots at least a month before traveling.

Language

Egypt's official language is Arabic, which is Semitic in origin and, in its classical form, is known as the language of Islam. Colloquial Arabic differs significantly from classical, written Arabic, and the colloquial Arabic spoken in Egypt differs from the colloquial dialects of other Arab countries. It is nonetheless understood across the Arab world because of the popularity of Egyptian films and television programs.

Egyptians are gesture-oriented people. Plenty of large arm and hand movements will explain a lot that words aren't needed for. This non-verbal communication can be especially effective if you do not necessarily understand what someone is trying to tell you. Most Egyptians understand and speak at least a little (if not a lot of) English or French. Both languages are requirements in the school system, and Egyptians are accustomed to having English speakers around.

Arabic is not an easy language to speak. In addition to there being two kinds of h, s, d, and t sounds, there are a few letters that don't exist in English. The first of these is the kha, as in Khan al-Khalili (the famous Cairo bazaar), which sounds much like the German ch in Bach.

Another letter not found in English is the ayn. Difficult to pronounce (and even more difficult to explain in text), it is a lengthened a sound interrupted by a guttural extension that sounds a bit like the ah in Bach with a hint of the ch to terminate the word. It appears in such words as shar'a (Arabic for street). No one will expect you to get this right; just give it your best shot and you're sure to be understood.

We spell the Arabic word for street "shar'a". You may see it rendered elsewhere as shari'a. It has been noted however that this encourages people to pronounce the word shar-ee-ah, which in Arabic means Islamic law, rather than street. Consequently, we have omitted the i.

There seem to be innumerable ways to transliterate Arabic into the Roman alphabet. We have aimed for the closest approximation of correct pronunciations. One example is the name al-Husayn, which is often spelled el-Hussein. Considering that it is pronounced hu-sayn, not hus-ayn, we do not double the s. In that spirit we do not generally double consonants unless correct pronunciation demands it. In the same spirit, ayn is thought to be more akin to the Arabic sound of the word than is ein. This system of transliteration is one that many scholars now use.

Mail

The quality of the mail service in Egypt improved dramatically in the late 1990s. Egypt's 1,470 postal offices nationwide are open from 8:30 AM-3 PM. The larger post offices in Cairo -- Muhammad Farid (Downtown), Ataba Square (next to the Postal Museum), and the Maadi offices -- are open until 6 PM daily. All post offices are closed on public holidays and the first days of the Eid al-Fitr and the Eid al-Adha feasts.

Postcards to countries outside the Middle East cost £e1.25 and take a minimum of seven days to reach their destination. A letter mailed within Egypt costs a mere 2 Egyptian pounds and take two days to reach its destination. A more costly express-mail service is also available: same-day service within the country is £e15; within the Arab world next-day service costs £e30; anywhere else in the world costs £e70 and arrives within 48 hours. Note that these are expected delivery times, as advised by the postal service; they don't reflect how long mail actually takes to arrive. If in doubt, double these times.

ATMs

ATMs are found all over Cairo in banks and major hotels. Major shopping areas of most smaller cities and tourist areas also have them. Just ask where the nearest makinat al-flus (money machine) is. Carrying cash is not much of a worry here (as long as you're not riding on public buses).

Currency

The Egyptian pound (£e) is divided into 100 piasters (pt). Bank notes currently in circulation are the following: 10p, 25p, and 50p notes; £e1, £e5, £e10, £e20, £e50, and £e100 notes. There are also 5pt, 10pt, 20pt, and 25pt coins. Don't accept any dog-eared bills, as many vendors will refuse to take them. Just politely give it back and ask for a newer bill.

Exchanging Money

You can easily change money through banks, which charge a small fee. Although ATM transaction fees may be higher abroad than at home, ATM rates are excellent because they're based on wholesale rates offered only by major banks. You won't do as well at exchange booths in airports or rail and bus stations, in hotels, in restaurants, or in stores. To avoid lines at airport exchange booths get a bit of local currency before you leave home.

Local exchange offices keep later hours than most banks, and branches are everywhere. Just ask for the nearest sarrafa. Each office is free to set its own rate, so shop around. At times you can get a much better rate than banks offer. These offices do not charge a separate fee -- it's factored in to the exchange rate posted.

Taxes

Egypt doesn't have a value-added tax. The taxes you will have to reckon with are in restaurants and hotels. Meal taxes vary around the county; in Cairo they're as high as 26%. Hotel taxes in Cairo, Sharm al-Sheikh, and Hurghada are 19%; 21% in Luxor and Aswan. Price categories for restaurants and hotels in this guide include these taxes.

Passports&visas

Entering Egypt

Egypt requires that all visitors have a valid passport and a visa. You cannot enter the country with a passport that's due to expire within six months. Visas may be obtained in advance through an Egyptian consulate office or, for one-month stays or less, upon arrival at Cairo, Luxor, or Hurghada airports. Expect to pay $15-$20 for the visa.

Safety

In fact, much of what I have to say about Egyptian safety does not really change, because the Egyptian people have not changed. They are charming hosts who pride themselves on welcoming people to their country, be they westerners in general, Americans specifically, or those from other parts of the world. At times, for example, they may not care much for American foreign policy as a people, but what makes Egyptians so very special is that they separate the individual from the government, and almost universally, Egyptians like those individuals.

That is, perhaps, a much more difficult concept for Americans to understand than, for example, Europeans, who because of the proximity of their countries to many others, and their general smaller size, travel more internationally.

This is not to say that they do not sympathize with their neighbors in Gaza and Lebanon, but perhaps even more significantly, they sympathize with those throughout the world who are affected by violence. The majority of Egyptians mourned for Americans after 9/11, and when several acts of terrorism took place in Egypt over the last several years, they took to the streets in order to protest those acts, including one that claimed Israeli lives.

Women in Egypt

It's perfectly safe for female travelers to brave Egypt alone, but women should expect to encounter a fair degree of unwanted attention from men, ranging from polite questions about marital status to catcalls in the street. The latter are best ignored, or perhaps answered with a sharp 'ayb (for shame!). For more-persistent admirers, just mention the tourist police, or the shurtat al-siyaha -- you'll be surprised how quickly your unwanted companion will disappear. To put a stop to personal questions, politely point out to your interrogator that such questions are considered rude in your country; this will immediately embarrass him into silence. You can avoid unwanted attention by dressing modestly and being firm but polite when being approached by strangers. If you do ever feel threatened in public, or have the unfortunate experience of being touched inappropriately, raise your voice in any language and make a scene. You'll find Egyptians, both men and women, rushing to your defense. They'll deal with your aggressor swiftly and harshly.

Telephones

The country code for Egypt is 20. The city code for Cairo is 02. When dialing an Egyptian number from abroad, drop the initial 0 from the local area code.

Egypt's telecommunications system is improving. Direct international lines are still a rarity, but call-back services are widespread. You can now rent mobile phones upon arrival from most five-star hotels, although roaming is not yet on par with the United States. European-made cellular phones work in Egypt, but U.S. models do not. Landlines are government-run and therefore very affordable.

When to go

Summers can be oppressive in Cairo. The best time to visit is the cooler season, from October through April.

Egypt's climate is characterized by hot and dry summers, which last from the end of April until the beginning of October. Spring is very short, if not nonexistent. Winter is mild, but nights do get cool. Generally speaking, it doesn't rain in Egypt.

The most important time of year to keep in mind is the 50 days of the khamseen, between the end of March and mid-May, when dust storms whip up occasionally and blot out the sky.

Weather Chart

The following are the normal daily temperature ranges for Cairo:

January 46-66°F (9-19°C); February 49-69°F (9-21°C); March 52-75°F (11-24°C); April 57-83°F (14-28°C); May 49-90°F (9-32°C); June 64-94°F (18-34°C); July 71-94°F (22-34°C); August 71-95°F (22-35°C); September 68-90°F (20-32°C); October 64-86°F (18-30°C); November 57-77°F (14-25°C); December 50-69°F (10-21°C).