# Egypt in April **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 19, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egypt-in-april/270073 "2004-10-19T18:01:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![moonstarssun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@moonstarssun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonstarssun)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egypt-in-april/270073/1 "2004-10-19T18:01:08Z")
Mr. m and I are planning to go visit some friends in Cairo next April. We’ll be there for about 10 days. Any advice on where to go, what to see, etc. so we can use the time effectively? Also, any thoughts on safety and planning? We’re very excited about the trip. It’s a place we’ve always wanted to go, but have never had the opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![Blackacre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@Blackacre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackacre)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egypt-in-april/270073/2 "2004-10-19T18:14:31Z")
I think a quick side-trip to Jerusalem would be a kick. =D BA ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egypt-in-april/270073/3 "2004-10-19T18:24:32Z")
Since you’re looking for advice rather than straight facts, I’ll move this thread to the IMHO forum. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egypt-in-april/270073/4 "2004-10-20T01:26:26Z")
I am SO jelous! I loved it in Egypt. 🙂 Tips Carry a bottle of water with you at all times, and drink plenty. Don’t drink the tap water. If you can, go with a guide. You can get good quality gold at cheaper prices there. If you’re a jewellry fan, treat yourself. Places to go Pyramids Boat ride on the Nile Have a fun holiday! ---
**Author:** ![Atticus\_Finch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Atticus\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atticus_Finch)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egypt-in-april/270073/5 "2004-10-20T01:48:50Z")
> [@Blackacre](#): > > I think a quick side-trip to Jerusalem would be a kick. It might be a kick, but many Arab countries aren’t keen on people having travelled to Israel. That Israeli stamp in your passport might pose a problem, in that case. I don’t think Egypt blocks travellers who have been to Israel, but you should check on this, just in case. In some cases, it’s possible to get an Israeli visa on a temporary insert to your passport. After travelling there, you merely remove that temporary page from your passport. ---
**Author:** ![Sassafras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@Sassafras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassafras)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egypt-in-april/270073/6 "2004-10-20T13:19:56Z")
AWW! My lifelong dream has been to get my sorry-ass to Egypt. I even majored in Archaeolgy in college with the hope of becoming on Egyptologist. _sigh_☹ Anyway- The Giza Plateau Abu Simbel Valley of the Kings, Queens, Nobles Temples of Karnak The Cairo Museum ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egypt-in-april/270073/7 "2004-10-20T13:29:27Z")
> [@Atticus Finch](#): > > It might be a kick, but many Arab countries aren’t keen on people having travelled to Israel. That Israeli stamp in your passport might pose a problem, in that case. I don’t think Egypt blocks travellers who have been to Israel, but you should check on this, just in case. > > In some cases, it’s possible to get an Israeli visa on a temporary insert to your passport. After travelling there, you merely remove that temporary page from your passport. I’ve travelled from Israel to Egypt, and back again. I have both Israeli and Egyptian stamps in my passport. No problems with either country. I haven’t been to Cairo, so I don’t have any advice for **moonstarssun** , but I understand that spring is the ideal time to go there because it is REALLY HOT there in the summer. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/egypt-in-april/270073/8 "2004-10-20T18:13:15Z")
> [@Sassafras](#): > > AWW! My lifelong dream has been to get my sorry-ass to Egypt. I even majored in Archaeolgy in college with the hope of becoming on Egyptologist. _sigh_☹ > > Anyway- > The Giza Plateau > Abu Simbel > Valley of the Kings, Queens, Nobles > Temples of Karnak > The Cairo Museum Three of your recommendations are not in Cairo, but with ten days available are worth seeing. In Cairo, I would recommend the Khan el-Khalili (the huge open air market), the pyramids and sphinx (both at the same location in Giza), the museum, and a felluca ride on the Nile. Drink only bottled, unopened-by-others water. Do NOT eat raw vegetables, or food from street vendors. Do NOT engage a “guide” at the pyramids, regardless of proclamations of being “free”. While he may be knowledgeable, his goal is to get you out of sight of others and roust you for money. If a vendor tries to hand you something, do NOT take it from him unless you intend to buy it; they won’t take the item back and you’ll end up dropping it in the dirt, which will really piss him off.