Going back to visit egypt after nearly 5 yrs

[Angel7422 0]

Hi Everyone,

My husband and I are finally going to go back to Egypt for a visit early next year. I know it has been hard on my husband not seeing his family in all this time so I started looking for a ticket for him to go back for a visit but he said he couldn't go and enjoy himself knowing I am here in the USA alone. So we are both going but only for a 2-week visit as I don't have enough vacation time for any longer than that.

Right now we are looking to travel either in February or March (hopefully while the weather is still cool, not cold and definitely not hot). So far I have found a ticket on Delta that was around $2350.00 roundtrip including taxes and fees which is total amount for both of our tickets. That price is for a nonstop flight from Alabama to Cairo and back. Does this sound like a good price?

If not, does anyone have any advice on cheaper airlines? Also I want to visit the pyramids on this visit as I didn't get to see them the last time I was there. For anyone who knows, what price are we looking at to be able to visit the pyramids. (My husband's family is in Alexandria which is the city we will staying) Another dilemma to tackle is that my husband thinks if we stayed with his mom and brothers it would be cheaper. Hmm, cheaper yes but rather crowded and uncomfortable as his mom only has a 2 bedroom apartment which would be too small for 5 ppl in my opinion. I am hoping for us to be able to find a nice inexpensive apartment to stay at for the entire visit which is near his mom and brothers place. Any advice on how to go about looking?

Anyways I am beginning to think that my biggest hurdle to cross is the questions of "Are you pregnant yet?" or "When will you get pregnant?" or them bringing up the fact that I am getting older and don't have much time left? Another question I have is would it be possible for me to send a package which would include some toilet paper, Immodium, Pepto Bismol, bottled water, etc. to Egypt before our arrival? Sorry for the long post I just want to be prepared this time, the last time I was there I got sick.

Edited April 25, 2009 by Angel7422

[thkcmp 0]

From where in Alabama is the non-stop flight? I live near Birmingham. When I travel to Morocco, I have to go from Birmingham to Atlanta, change planes, from Atlanta to Paris, change planes and then on the Rabat, Morocco. I didn't know that any of the airports in Alabama have direct flights out of the country. If I could get a non-stop flight from Birmingham to Morocco, I would gladly pay that price.

As far as apartments.....you could go on the internet and look for "apartments for rent in Alexandria, Egypt. That may direct you to some agents you could get in contact with.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Edited April 25, 2009 by thkcmp

[HLM 1]

I think the price you got is pretty good!! Now concerning aprts...don't do it online because they will treat you like a foreigner and the prices will be very expensive even though you're not going in a high season. The best way is one of his family there looks for an aprt for you...locals will know how to negotiate the price. I know that foreigners pay around $4O to visit the pyramids if they check your passport and find out you're not egyptian...I don't know if it would make a difference that you're married to an egyptian.....I'm sure someone here will give you more info on this. Now concerning the "are you pregnant yet?" it's one of two things either you tell your husband to tell his family privately not to open this subject with you at all or to make sure that when they ask you both say " It's in God's hands" usually that shuts everyone up as far as I know since no one can do anything about it really LOL

I hope I was helpful in anyways Angel

[yasser/fatimah 0]

I think the price you got is pretty good!! Now concerning aprts...don't do it online because they will treat you like a foreigner and the prices will be very expensive even though you're not going in a high season. The best way is one of his family there looks for an aprt for you...locals will know how to negotiate the price. I know that foreigners pay around $4O to visit the pyramids if they check your passport and find out you're not egyptian...I don't know if it would make a difference that you're married to an egyptian.....I'm sure someone here will give you more info on this. Now concerning the "are you pregnant yet?" it's one of two things either you tell your husband to tell his family privately not to open this subject with you at all or to make sure that when they ask you both say " It's in God's hands" usually that shuts everyone up as far as I know since no one can do anything about it really LOL

I hope I was helpful in anyways Angel

I would go for delta! The positive is the direct flights to egypt they have, I just booked with them, the negative is that now they charge extra for a second luggage. As for the pyramids, we jus showed them our marriage papers, its kinda silly to do but hey, once they know you are american it goes up like crazy!

Hope that helps.

[Angel7422 0]

I checked back online concerning the direct flight and it is now showing there isn't one from Montgomery, AL to Cairo, EG which is rather odd because I just saw it online this afternoon, I even wrote down the flight details. I called delta and was now told that the flight I wrote down has gone up since this afternoon to over $1213.00 per person with no direct flights until you reach JFK. He told me there was a direct flight from JFK to Cairo. So I guess I will continue to wait and keep checking for lower fares. Besides my husband hasn't gotten the green light from his job saying it would be okay for him to take 2 weeks off during February. My husband wants to wait until after his probation is over to ask them .

Thanks for the advice HLM, I will tell my husband to tell them that as I still can't speak or understand arabic. Also thanks to everyone for all the advice so far and to come

[Melly 2 0]

I hope you have a great time on your trip!

I wouldn't bother shipping anything ahead. For one thing, it's expensive, and for another, you can get what you need here in Egypt.

From everything I have read, you can get better medicine for intestinal trouble here than you can in the states. I've read this from many many people visiting or living in Egypt. If you want, you can bring something but I wouldn't ship ahead of time.

As to the water, just drink bottled water. I have yet to have had a problem. Try Nestle or SiwA brand and it should be okay.

Just be careful about eating or drinking in restaurants, make sure if you order bottled water that it comes to you still sealed, not opened.

If you're eating veggies or fruits, peel them or cook them or wash them with lemon or vinegar.

They do have toilet paper here, just maybe not the brands you are used to, but it works just as well. TP is TP yeah? lol

When we visited the pyramids last time, they looked at my passport and they charged my hubby something like 2 pounds to visit, and I think they charged like 50 pounds for me. That's pounds, not dollars, so it wasn't *that* expensive.

You still have a lot of time before the trip, I would just keep checking on prices. Many times you can get a much better price a lot closer to your travel date. And I would advise trying a travel agent as well. I used one for both of my trips here and the pricing was good and I didn't have to worry about buying online and what if something went wrong and all that.

[tenderheartusa79 14]

Talking about the airline ticket Delta is awesome but i think its kinda expensive . try to check Egyptair its kinda cheaper . and try to check cheaptickets or expedia maybe you can get a better deal .

About visiting the pyramids they will charge you as an Egyptian cause you are married an Egyptian ( but for sure you have to prove to them that you are married like marriage certificate, name change on your passport ............)

You can rent an apartment in Alex it wont be expensive ( its pretty cheap in winter time maybe you can get a good apartment over the beach for about 15-20 dollars a day ) .

[KHPerfectMatch 1]

Cheapest time and BEST time to go is January or February... prices go up the end of February through April (Spring Break)... I assume you are flying into Cairo, not Alex.. (MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE)... I think the price you found was pretty high considering you're in the Southeast... I'm in the North West and I can typically find a ticket for about $1000 RT in the "winter". (Dec/Jan) Once I got one for $700 by flying out of Seattle, which was a bit of a drive, but worth it... (I got bumped to First Class the entire way!)

Another cheap way to go is to fly Jet Blue or some other cheap airlines to JFK and then take Egypt Air to Cairo... I think they are still more generous with baggage allowance than other airlines... (not sure)

There are "brokers" of flats all over the place... men who for a small fee will connect your relatives with people who have flats for rent. But it's not cheap... We paid 1200LE a month for a flat in Small Cleopatra a year ago... and it was NOTHING to write home about.... Who knows what it is now, or what you can find for 2 weeks.

We are from Alexandria (I claim it as home too).. what part does your husband live in? The prices are very different in winter than summer. Mamora is outlandish in summer, but a bargain in Winter (too cold!!! uh, WHAT???? they don't know what cold is....unless there is a storm and the wind is howling someone opens the door...OK, forget Mamora....)

Staying with your In-laws will be "cozy"... for sure, but it's just 2 weeks... and I'm sure they will be very disappointed if you don't stay with them. You'll likely get the "star treatment" so maybe you can try to stay there??? Of course leaving after you get there might be awkward too... I don't know what we are going to do next trip... most likely pile up in my MIL's flat with 20 relatives from Cairo who will come to see us... (and she has a 2 bedroom flat too!)

At ANY tourist facility simply show your marriage certificate (might be a problem if it's only in English...hehehehehe) ... wives of Egyptians pay the Egyptian rate. But not with out the marriage certificate, which will also allow you to enter without the $15 visa... You'll also need it to rent the flat, or to stay in a hotel. No shacking up without a marriage certificate....

Here is my best advice... Take an inflatable air mattress they have really good ones now that are even 2 feet high... just remember not to rely on a 110 v. air pump... (220 v in Egypt)... this will give you a comfy place to sleep wherever you end up staying.... Cotton beds are really just cement blocks covered with cotton sheets... and even a brand new one (which we were proudly given by our landlord last time) is good for ONE NIGHT ONLY.... then it turns into cement with permanent valleys where you were laying the first night.... If you can't get one onto the plane, go to Carrefour and see if they have them. I saw them either at Carrefour or Hyper One in Cairo last trip. Not nice like the ones we have here, but ANYTHING TO ME is better than a COTTON BED....

You can go to Cairo for a day trip... (if you don't have a place to stay and don't want to deal with hotels). The train leaves early and the station isn't that far from Giza... but tell your husband to be prepared for SHOCK over prices if he hasn't been to Cairo for 5 years... a taxi trip in Cairo that used to be 15LE is now 50LE. And that's the price for Egyptians, not tourists, or Egyptians returning from USA with an American wife in tow... The price for them is double.

By any chance to you live in Huntsville? I have a dear friend there married to an Egyptian from Mansoura... taking the train from Cairo to Mansoura (alone) to visit her and her husband is one of my most MEMORABLE experiences.

[Angel7422 0]

Thanks for the information everyone, it will come in handy. KHPerfectMatch, I actually did think about taking a queen sized air mattress with us. Yikes, do I ever remember the beds in Egypt felt like I was sleeping on bricks. My husband could probably carry it on the plane as a personal item. As for our marriage certificate, we got married in Egypt so our marriage certificate is in both arabic and english and I did change my last name to my married one.

Hot Guy, I did think of traveling from Montgomery to JFK and then taking another airline to cairo from there. I actually have close to enough frequent flyer miles for both of us to travel to JFK and pay cash for the rest of the trip. Maybe I should give that more consideration.

I hope there won't be a problem with my husband showing his passport there as he is now a US citizen and will be using his US passport to and from Egypt.

Thanks for the advice Melly2, you have saved me time and money on that idea. I am thinking about taking the Magic Jack with me so I can call back to the US to check on our home.

I was thinking about bringing $1000.00 to $1500.00 in spending money with us for our neccessities and transportation. Would that be enough?

BTW, my husband is from Alexandria in the Moharrem Bek area.

[KHPerfectMatch 1]

Since he's from Moharrem Bek can I PLEASE go in your suitcase??? My dear (ex) in-laws live just one building in from the corner of Canal Suez and the pedestrian bridge!!! I am on the BEST of terms with them and typically spend Fridays at their house so that my husband can spend time with his Mom and kids on the kids day off from school... (kind of his "visitation" day...)

Your Budget of $1000-$1500 should be PLENTY! Didn't you say you're just staying for about 2 weeks? Unless you want to do some gold shopping (prices were SKY HIGH last time I was there so I bought silver instead...) you should have more than enough!

Why does your husband want to use ONLY his American Passport? Did he give up his Egyptian Citizenship or is he a dual citizen? My ex (American/Egyptian Dual Citizen for 18 years) used his Egyptian passport entering and exiting Egypt, and the US Passport when he got back here. He always had both of them with him... AND his Egyptian ID Card, American Driver's License, etc...

If your husband is a dual citizen, remind him that when he's in Egypt... he's Egyptian... if he gave up the Egyptian citizenship, (I don't know anyone who's done that)... then maybe he doesn't have a choice but to use the US Passport for everything... and then you'll both be "tourists"... and no discounts anywhere... marriage license or not... As long as someone is a dual citizen, their country of birth (when they are in it) is the PRIMARY citizenship and the US citizenship is secondary...

I have heard of problems when an Egyptian/American (dual citizen) comes back to visit thinking they are 100% American (and somehow protected by the Gold Eagle on the front of their blue passport) and can "act up" with Egyptian police, military, or customs agents... Which goes over like a lead balloon... They end up discovering that just because they were fortunate enough to immigrate to the USA they are just like every other Egyptian when they are in Egypt... and the golden eagle on the blue background only makes some people in authority resentful and extra vindictive... if they dare to act smug or impertinent because of it...

I know ex-pats from many MENA countries who dread going back to visit because they have to put on their docile "anything you say boss" attitudes or risk getting in trouble. After being here for so long, where we have so many rights and privledges, they tend to forget that they lose these the minute they step back on their home soil...

It's so easy to forget that Egypt is (and has been for many years) under Martial Law and that the military and police have few if any limits when it comes to dealing with Egyptian citizens... even those who have American Passports... although it could make them think twice before they went TOO far... but I have not heard of it SAVING anyone...

Have fun!!!

[Angel7422 0]

Has anyone ever heard of Aeroflot Russian Airlines? Orbitz showed them as offering the cheapest flight from JFK to CAI for only $1386.40 roundtrip for both of us and that price includes all the taxes and fees (February 18-March 7, 2010). I have never heard of them before but maybe someone on here has, if u have what is your opinion of this airline. As for EgyptAir, it had one of the higher prices on Orbitz. Although with Aeroflot Russia Airlines there is a 10 hr layover in Moscow. (eek )

[Honey n Walid 0]

Aeroflot is the national airline of Russia. You might want to call a travel agent and ask if they can get a consolidator ticket...those are like bulk rate airline tickets....good luck

Edited April 28, 2009 by Honey n Walid

[MsMariah 0]

I know a great tour leader in Egypt, he knows people everywhere and he arranged a flat in Alex (which is my fav Egy city) for 1 week for 50$ or 300 LE, it was nice had an elevator, furnished everything, and a very cold refrigerator. Anyway, this guy is really the best, when I visited Egypt alone as a tourist on a whim, he took care of everything and I felt like a princess. The prices I paid were cheap compared to anything I've seen noted, and ... I took him or a couple of his friends out to eat a few times. If you want his name and number just IM me. You can barter with him online, even better if you had your husband do it in arabic. BTW I would pay the 40$ or whatever to get the

I know the first time I went to egypt in January of 06 the price for my ticket was 780$ through...EgyptAir. The second time I went it was March of 07 and the price was 850$ through Delta. With Delta my flight was direct and much, much better not to make a connection in Europe. Also, if you are leaving via Cairo... I suggest a guide for 20$ to get you through there, their airport is wretchedly confusing and spread out among three distant buildings if you make a connection. With everybody who looks at you asking for baksheesh.

BTW, the Pyramids are just the icing on the cake of what to see in Egypt. You could take a trip to Siwa (Sahara Oasis) from Alex too and see the Cleopatra's fountain and the Alexander the Great's Oracle Temple and go fourwheeling through the Saharan sand dunes. The fountains are more like pools and naturally heated, perfect for swimming, ahhhhh. Anyway, I love Egypt, and the best part about it, are the Egyptians.

[Angel7422 0]

I know a great tour leader in Egypt, he knows people everywhere and he arranged a flat in Alex (which is my fav Egy city) for 1 week for 50$ or 300 LE, it was nice had an elevator, furnished everything, and a very cold refrigerator. Anyway, this guy is really the best, when I visited Egypt alone as a tourist on a whim, he took care of everything and I felt like a princess. The prices I paid were cheap compared to anything I've seen noted, and ... I took him or a couple of his friends out to eat a few times. If you want his name and number just IM me. You can barter with him online, even better if you had your husband do it in arabic. BTW I would pay the 40$ or whatever to get the

I don't understand this part, pay $40 to get what?

I know the first time I went to egypt in January of 06 the price for my ticket was 780$ through...EgyptAir. The second time I went it was March of 07 and the price was 850$ through Delta. With Delta my flight was direct and much, much better not to make a connection in Europe. Also, if you are leaving via Cairo... I suggest a guide for 20$ to get you through there, their airport is wretchedly confusing and spread out among three distant buildings if you make a connection. With everybody who looks at you asking for baksheesh.

BTW, the Pyramids are just the icing on the cake of what to see in Egypt. You could take a trip to Siwa (Sahara Oasis) from Alex too and see the Cleopatra's fountain and the Alexander the Great's Oracle Temple and go fourwheeling through the Saharan sand dunes. The fountains are more like pools and naturally heated, perfect for swimming, ahhhhh. Anyway, I love Egypt, and the best part about it, are the Egyptians.

Thanks MsMariah,

I will email/IM you about your tour leader friend once I have definite dates for our trip, right now its a wait and see which airlines will have the cheapest rates. All those sites seem nice, I will definitely have to make up an itinerary. But I am sure my husband will want to visit with all the family before we start sightseeing.

Edited April 28, 2009 by Angel7422

[MsMariah 0]

oh sorry that was pay $40 to get a driver with a private vehicle for a day to take you around cairo and deliver you to alex

don't forget to visit the khan el khalil, and the museum while you're in cairo..... that was the price for my three visits and then to be driven to alex....

Edited April 29, 2009 by MsMariah