Egypt with kids

Mips

Tojo_Ralph wrote: »

I just checked my passports and whilst recent visas in them obtained on arrival at cairo are the ones pictured above with the $15 USD in the corner, the one from July 2007 is two stamps, one blue at 5 LE and one orange of an amount I cannot figure out.

Out of interest though, who did you actually hand the money to? was it the kiosk/counter that issues visas or was it a "meet and greet" service?

My little Orange sticker has 27:20 on it in one corner, although that was not the price (well it could have been in our case )

We got off the Plane and followed around to the left to join a big queue of people where there were several desks - we had to show our Passports and hand over the money. It was definitely Passport control/boarding off people and not a tour guide or hotel rep or anything - we did not have one then. They gave us the Visa, well I presume they did it then... hubby was the one at the counter.

I just asked my husband, because I couldn't remember... but we hadn't collected our luggage from the conveyor at this point.

I think he thinks I am angling for another holiday over there :rotfl:

Tojo_Ralph

Dippychick wrote: »

My little Orange sticker has 27:20 on it in one corner, although that was not the price (well it could have been in our case )

Looking at it again, that is what it is, 27.20 LE ... and a quick look at google images confirms it. ... Also, it appears to have been the same for a long time.

From 1997 ... http://farm1.static.flickr.com/1/3822241_acf5312988.jpg?v=0

The blue stamp is definately 5 LE so that's 37.20 LE (£3 ish)

As it appears it was the official kiosk that charged you, assuming you got a single entry visa on a UK passport (some nationals pay more), it would appear that you were ripped off.

Mips

Tojo_Ralph wrote: »

Looking at it again, that is what it is, 27.20 LE ... and a quick look at google images confirms it. ... Also, it appears to have been the same for a long time.

From 1997 ... http://farm1.static.flickr.com/1/3822241_acf5312988.jpg?v=0

The blue stamp is definately 5 LE so that's 37.20 LE (£3 ish)

As it appears it was the official kiosk that charged you, assuming you got a single entry visa on a UK passport (some nationals pay more), it would appear that you were ripped off.

Yes those are the stickers

On our passports though, they are stuck one overlapping the other.

Malaysia didn't charge for Visa !

I love collecting Stamps in my passport!

Miss_Cinnabon

gone offtopic a bit;) but all info is welcome:D

heard about the hotel ratings, that they arent the same as here

and about the money:eek: to wash hands after touching etc would worry about my ds with diabetes if he gets a tummy bug as a few times he has had to be in hospitals and that was here.

but ds2 is desperate to go, so still looking for info re hotels that anyone could reccommend

got a brochure in the other day called explore, they do tours for familys, anyone been with them before?

thanks

MrsE_2

Dippychick wrote: »

So I never was given duff information, we were told to take $20 in USD which we did, but we got ripped off at the airport. Like many others.


My husband said he would never go back there ever again thanks to that experience, they were vile to us all.

The new system looks much better - one price for all. Well, better for the unsuspecting tourists - not better for the greedy people who were taking advantage of us.

Can I ask WHO told you? (you keep saying we were told).

MrsE_2

Dippychick wrote: »

Malaysia didn't charge for Visa !

I love collecting Stamps in my passport!

Majorca & the other Balerics charge a silly amount.

Only been there once, I'm not a fan of Spain.

I'm going on Sunday to Egypt, its a 5* premier, personally I wouldn't do less than a 5* in Egypt (or even Turkey or an non European or Western country).

MrsE_2

kyle wrote: »

gone offtopic a bit;) but all info is welcome:D

heard about the hotel ratings, that they arent the same as here

and about the money:eek: to wash hands after touching etc would worry about my ds with diabetes if he gets a tummy bug as a few times he has had to be in hospitals and that was here.

but ds2 is desperate to go, so still looking for info re hotels that anyone could reccommend

got a brochure in the other day called explore, they do tours for familys, anyone been with them before?

thanks

I'm going to the Reef Oasis Blue Bay (5* premier).

If I was taking kids I might have plumped for Club Magic Life Sharm (also 5*, fab reviews for its food).

Mips

MrsE wrote: »

Can I ask WHO told you? (you keep saying we were told).

First Choice told us - they are not a backstreet holiday agent and they are who we booked the holiday with, and who we got our money from - the US Dollars we were told we needed (which we had no call for )

Point is, I got ripped off as did many others and this is why you have the stamp stating 15 now. To stop it all.

MrsE_2

Dippychick wrote: »

First Choice told us - they are not a backstreet holiday agent and they are who we booked the holiday with, and who we got our money from - the US Dollars we were told we needed (which we had no call for )

Point is, I got ripped off as did many others and this is why you have the stamp stating 15 now. To stop it all.

I never said they were, nor would I suggest they were - mind you NEVER trust what travel agents tell you, always do your own research, but I guess you know that now.

You defend First Choice in the first part of your post, but then admit in the end of the first paragraph that you were given duff info from them on the type of currency needed.

If you took dollars, wouldn't you have paid for it in dollars?
Then the £80 wouldn't be £80 but $80, more like £40 or £10 per head?

herecomesthesun

Hi we have been to Egypt many many times and have just returned. It is very very hot at the moment. October is a nice time to go. Antinal is the only medicine that will touch a bad stomache and cannot be bought in the UK. You can buy it in Egypt and dont pay more than 10le a pack. Cairo is manic and you need nerves of steal to be a passenger in the car. Luxor is an open air museum with so much to see but the hassle from the caleche drivers, taxi drivers and shop keepers is getting quite bad as is the pollution.
There are lots of families that visit Egypt and love it and return. Resorts such as Hurghada and Sharm have lots of water sports, bowling alleys, quads, camel rides, waterparks to name a few.
Eating out is still alot cheaper than the UK. You can get Spag Bog for under £2 and a large pizza for around £2.50. There are dearer restaurants but it can be done on a budget. There are the usual Mc D, Pizza Hut, Hard Rock, TGI Fridays etc.