Some pre-trip ramblings.
I’m off to Egypt for a couple of weeks for the Christmas/New Year break. Going on an organised tour with Geckos. I’m normally more for doing my own thing, but it’s a muslim country and I wasn’t entirely sure how comfortable I’d be travelling around on my own (I’m a target for hassle: white, blonde, female, travelling solo). It’s going a bit grassroots I suppose, but hopefully it won’t be too basic.
My travel agent (a new once, since I’ve moved this year) is pretty useless. I booked the flights and tour through the local Flight Centre. Flight schedules changed and they didn’t tell me. Tour costs changed after I’d already paid for it and they wanted more money (though I’m not entirely sure this is FC’s fault). But I thought the point of booking well in advance was that you paid in full and locked in the cost of the tour? Apparently this isn’t the case. Wasn’t impressed.
I was told that I should receive my tour documents (travel insurance papers, transfer+hotel vouchers for pre-tour accommodation due to flight schedules, the other usual tour documentation etc.) at least a month before flying out. A week and a half before I fly, still no sign of it. Tried to chase it up with the travel agent, they just shrugged and said “can’t you just come in and pick it up the day you fly out?“ Well, no, I can’t actually. Why? Because my local FC is shut the day I leave. Then tried to contact Geckos to see if they could send me the documents. They didn’t respond to my emails to their customer service section. I had to ring FC customer service and get them to email me all the documents because the people in the shop were so useless. I will not be booking through this FC again. There’s another travel agent down the road, I might try them next time.
But despite all the f-ups by the travel agent, I’m looking forward to the trip 
A few things to mention about Egypt before I head off. Travel vaccinations? You need Hep A, Hep B, Typhoid, Malaria tabs (depending where exactly you’re going in Egypt) and tetanus. Bali belly/Delhi belly/Gippy belly (whatever else you call it)? Everyone’s told me not to buy immodium here to take with me. There’s apparently a local drug in Egypt called Antinal which works wonders for travellers belly. “Local drugs for local bugs“. Everyone I know who’s been tells me to use the Antinal when (apparently there’s no if) I get sick. My dr tried to convince me I needed about 5 different drugs to deal with the travellers belly. I’m taking the expert knowledge of the people who’ve actually been there over my dr’s (who I’m convinced has to be on kickbacks from the pharma who makes those drugs). Will let you know how it turns out!
And on that note, I’m signing off for a while. Will try to update from the road, or if not, will post a full trip report when I return early in the new year.
