STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

gingembre1 · Kate Spade

Egypt

nicoley · Coach

Sorry I dont have any advice, as Ive never been... But how exciting that your thinking of going there! I would love to go!! You said you are going with a tour by yourself? Have you ever done this before? I currently dont really have anyone to travel with, but love love to travel, and this might work for me?

mckenke · BCBG

I went to Egypt a couple of years ago and I have had quite a few friends who have lived there for school, work etc. I don't think it would be unsafe to travel by yourself. You will be stared at and men will say stuff to you, but its not dangerous. I am not much of one for tour groups so I am a little biased, but I always prefer to walk around on my own. I think if you are willing to deal with a little staring and some comments you will be fine on your own, but that is just my opinion. Let me know if you have any questions.

gingembre1 · Kate Spade

Thanks McKenke! I'm usually against tour groups too, but this is a very small tour group, and the company that runs these tours doesn't do the whole tour bus thing. You stay in more rustic accomodations and much of the tour is guided by Egyptologists. I don't feel like I'd learn as much about the history if I just went by myself. And I have a friend who's currently living in Cairo, so hopefully he could squire me around during the day I would have in Cairo.

lsubatgirl · Gucci

Andrea Julia just went last year. You might want to pm her about her trip and her link of pictures she posted for us all to see of her trip.

peach · Nine West

hello. this is my first post!

i lived in egypt this summer. i walked around by myself a lot. however, i do know some arabic - so that was a plus. just dress modestly - don't wear shorts or mini-skirts or halters or anything. you shouldn't anyway because it is so hot that flowy, loose-fitting clothes that don't show to much skin feel better when it gets really hot. dress nice- don't dress like you are going to be at the beach 24/7. DO BRING SUNGLASSES. and a hat. and sneakers that you will probably be throwing out at the end of your trip.

as far as men go. just ignore the ones who say they love you/ask if you are married. be nice, but not tooooo nice because they'll get the wrong impression.

if you have blonde hair - you will receive more attention.
oh also, i'm uber pale and i noticed i got more attention than my tanned friends.
but it's not anything to worry about - its humourous.

i live in chicago, and i felt much safer living in cairo than i do in chicago.

tours. i went on school-sponsored tours and traveled with friends...so i can't give any advice on that really. i think you should be fine though. bring a book!

sorry this is all jumbled. what parts of egypt are you visiting? if you like i can give you some shops/restaurants to check out in cairo and alexandria. let me know :)

gingembre1 · Kate Spade

Thank you Peach! Of all the responses I've had (on here, and from friends), yours best answered the questions I have. I don't know any Arabic, but I am mixed nationality, and I tend to blend in in whatever country I'm in. I was definitely planning on modest clothing, and I have a friend who lives in Cairo right now who I could probably hang out with when I'm there. If there's still space on the tour, I think I might just go by myself!

Escrime · Kate Spade

I'm going in August for two weeks.

I usually try to do the independent thing, but my husband just felt better with me being with a tour, so I found one that I liked that was small and included all that I wanted to do, including a trek up Mt. Sinai to catch the sunrise.

But from all the travel forums I have read, lone women on trips there seem to have no issues, as long as they are cautious and aware.

I hope you have fun!

I'm really looking forward to my trip!

rosey · Dooney & Bourke

I've travelled a lot by myself and usually shun tour things, but I was actually looking into an Egypt trip myself because of the very things you mentioned, gingembre1! I looked at tours through statravel (the student travel people) and liked that their tours were really laid back and rustic, but the one you mentioned sounds really cool. I'd love to learn more about the tour you're thinking of taking- I'd really like to go on a tour with historians, etc. I wouldn't be booking anything until probably May, so I promise I won't take your spot!