Cairo (Egypt)

How can I attempt to sum up the unique qualities of a city like Cairo within the confines of a short review? Well the answer is I can't, not to the degree that I would like, but if this brief snap shot gives you some idea of the glorious diversity of this wonderful city then that is a worthy enough goal. It is a city that sits with one foot in the modern cosmopolitan world and the other in a timeless past and the two seem to co-exist and merge in a truly remarkable way. It is heaving with life, volatile, polluted and boisterous, with an intensity that both exhausts and invigorates the visitor ... more

I visited to Egypt in 1998 and stayed at the Luxor Hilton, travelling to Cairo on the overnight train which cost around £20 return per person at that time. The "sleeper" compartments of the train really just meant large reclining chairs and curtained windows! I remember it being comfortable enough though - one advantage being that you wake at around 8am having slept for most of the journey, and so feel somewhat refreshed - which is lucky because Cairo hits you right between the eyes! The almost suffocating choke of the city's pollution and dust was quite shocking after the relative peace of ... more

I had always wanted to see the famous sights of Egypt but I could never imagine myself actually booking a holiday there, I guess I was always a little anxious of the place and had heard far too many scary stories. However, in June last year (2005) my friend and me booked to go to Cyprus for a week. Whilst in Cyprus our Olympic rep advised us of the usual resort trips i.e. bar crawls, boat trips the usual stuff and there was also a day trip to Egypt. This seemed ideal - an early morning flight from Paphos to Cairo highlights including visits to the Pyramids, Sphinx, Lunch in a 5 star hotel, a ... more

I travelled to Egypt with a company called Explore Worldwide who specialise in what they call "small group exploratory holidays". They are perfect for those travelling alone, as I was, or for those on a budget or for anyone who wants to go off the beaten track but still have some back-up in the form of a guide and a group of fellow travellers! Their web site is www.exploreworldwide.com and my trip to Egypt was the Nile Felucca Sailtrek, this is part 1 of my travelogue covering day 1 of the 10 day trip - if you want to read about the other places we visited please see my other opinions.I've ... more

Cairo is without doubt the most foreign place I have ever been and definitely stimulates all of the senses! As a dromomaniac (the compulsive urge to travel!)I am always seeking unique and slightly unerveing travel experiences and Cairo did not dissapoint. I made the five hour journey by road from Port Said along side the the Suez Canal accompanied by o.k cowboy gun weilding armed guards.....em you don't get this when you go to Frinton -on-sea? The Egyptian landscape was simply spectacular and still etched in my mind. Camels and oxen and children on horses,mud houses and women with babies ... more