Ren's Helpful Hints
for Australians

An email that was sent to some upcoming tour participants.

Dear Robyn and Karl
September. And I am planning to go again in April 2008. If you are spiritual then Ruth is your guide.

Okay, some tips from me (I live in Surry Hills, NSW). Arrive the day before to rest up from the flight, the extra night's accommodation is cheap and well worth it (get Ruth to arrange). You might need the extra rest as the climate is dry-hot (not humid like Oz), dusty and there is a reasonable amount of walking and shaft climbing, and the flight with stop-overs gets close to 30 hours.

Depending on your budget fly business class on the cheapest airline (Gulf does it well). Its the space on the plane you need, not fancy food with a Qantas logo on it. Gulf went via Singapore to Bahrain to change planes. Bahrain has the cheapest duty free stores in the world. Really, really cheap prices for the real McCoy's. Great for perfumes, aftershave, booze and cigs. Don't waste your cash at Sydney airport. Cairo airport is cheap too, but doesn't have the range and quality of Bahrain. And Bahrain will give you an indication of what's to come - Cairo airport. Just smile, be happy, and laugh about it later.

Cairo airport is quite scary at first - lots of people rushing about in a mad frenzy, and you left home thirty hours ago, but an AmEx rep will collect you. Go to the toilet just before getting off the plane. The toilets in Egypt are somewhat a little worse for wear. Sensible clothes at all times - not the place or climate to make fashion statements.

If you've seen, been to the outback, then you know what to expect of dunnies/toilets, the dust, the flies ... just add a few more million people and the best monuments to man's spirituality expressed through imagination into reality. So take highest sunscreen in easy to apply applicator, insect repellent, hat, good covered comfortable shoes - tennis shoes, joggers. Because of the hot sand and dust, I do recommend closed shoes. Cotton clothes, shorts, tee-shirts, short-sleeve shirts.
The nights can be cool and insects abound - one pair of long pants and one long sleeved shirt. If doing the Nile cruise - it's still reasonably informal. You don't want to be lugging around clothes. Buy some there - really cheap. Just throw them away before you leave. Or leave them behind in your last hotel room. Hotel workers appreciate them.

Once again, remember, you are in the outback - take all chemist needs with you. Constipation and diarrhoea stuff, TraveLan is good, headache pills, batteries etc. Some of these needs may be available but the use-by-date will be missing and it might be a fake. The voltage is 220/240 volts so all your electricals will work. Don't expect to buy anything there except food and souvenirs. Carpets, papyrus, gold - it all adds up. And you don't go back to shops - the tour heads in one direction only. So think about your shopping budgets now as you will be awestruck by the array and quality craftsmanship of the souvenirs.

Be prepared to bargain - turn it into a learning experience and a lot of fun. Check out the prices in the hotel lobby shops. Don't buy anything, just practice at bargaining, get the price as low as possible and then leave. That price now is your upper price when bargaining on the street and never go above that price no matter what, as you will go back to the hotel if you lose. Its fun. Keep your wits as one vendor may say $100 US and you know that little shop back there was prepared to sell the same
thing at $15 US. The price depends on how YOU dress and look. They think everyone is mega rich. Getting the price out of the seller first is hard, so offer a ridiculously (but not offensive) low price first, like 1 tenth or even one twentieth of the price. Keep it happy and light hearted.

And its a good tool to use when you get home. I bargain in most clothes and electrical shops nowadays. Something I would never have dreamt of doing before.

Get heaps of 1 Egyptian Pound notes off Ruth - you have to tip everywhere you go [for bathrooms and photos]. But 1 Egypt Pound is worth 20 cents, cheap but it does add up. And keep some cash available for Ehab at the end. Automatic teller machines are at the bigger towns/cities. Just remember, you can't change back your leftover Egyptian Pounds to AUdollars or any other currency. But they know the Oz dollar and Australians very well. Might have something to do with First and Second World Wars.

Can't think of anything else at the moment. I am happy to respond with you about the tour. Inside the Great Pyramid, alone, with the lights off - wow, what an experience. The Solar Temple is also very charged. Karnak ... just thinking about it now sends excited goosebumps all over me.

Take care. Life, Health, Prosperity

RENx

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