Egypt Wrap Up

I will start off by saying that I didn't like Egypt. When I first arrived in Dahab, I fell in love, but as I moved on, I grew apart from the country. While it is very cheap, the people will beg you till you die for a tip and then they have the audacity to tell you how much to tip them. Everyone will sing you a sad song about how terrible their life is, and this is how they lure you in for a tip. It does take time getting used to, but eventually you have to be rude and not feel guilty or you will be more broke then they are, fast. Don't get me wrong, the sights in Luxor and Cairo were amazing, but I just don't like the feeling of trying to be hassled for money every second, it took my mind off what I was witnessing. Even when I was in the airport leaving the country, two guys that worked there walked me to where the baggage check was (didn't carry any of my luggage) and then insisted that I give them a tip, for what? Doing your job? I told them to get out of my face and proceeded through the security check point. Unfortunately, that's what it takes to get through Egypt.

Another thing that truly detracts from the country is the God awful amount of trash everywhere. Mounds of trash lined the streets. Even when I was in the desert going to the pyramids, there was trash everywhere. You would think that the country would at least try to keep the largest icon of the country a little clean. It was such a shock going from Egypt, where you can't turn your head without seeing trash, to Dubai, where there isn't even trash in the trash cans!

I would not recommend doing Egypt, like I did, on your own. There were some times when I felt unsafe at night and walking around in non-tourist areas alone. Also, being alone makes you more susceptible to being hussled. However, I am sure that if I was with someone, I would not have been able to move as quick as I did. Most people wouldn't want to wake up at 4am then go all day and night without rest just to get some sights and local experiences under your belt. When I traveled in Europe and were with others, it slowed me down. Someone would have to go to the bathroom, hungry, sore, tired, etc so we would all have to stop. I am in robot mode when I travel and stop only to take a picture.