Empty bar

[The Moan Ranger]

Flight was delayed so we missed our connecting flight. Stuck in Cairo - don't know what's going on...

[Barman]

What if he can't get a blueberry signal there... or booze... just fags... 

[Uncle Mort]

Looks like he'll be OK

 

Small Pubs, Restaurants and Internet Cafes line the Main Street

[Snoopy]

Worthing is quite nice at this time of year 

[Uncle Mort]

To be honest going to Eygpt to sit in a 'pub' seems wrong somehow.

[tel]

Landlord in real pub was calculating the loss in trade with TMR & Mrs TMR (to be) being away. Other veteran patrons are also away, takings will be down, bar staff with nothing to do.

I cannot take up the slack all on my own!

[Uncle Mort]

I believe you. 

[Nick]

Travel Summary

There is a high threat from terrorism in Egypt.  Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers, such as hotels and restaurants.


Since 2004 there have been three separate bomb attacks in the Sinai Peninsula.  These attacks killed and injured a number of British nationals.  The most recent incident on 24 April 2006 in the resort town of Dahab killed 23 people, and injured more than 60 including three British nationals.  See the Terrorism Section of this advice for more details.


Outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in Egypt have led to more than a dozen human fatalities since 2006.  The last fatality was in 2007.  See the Health (Avian Influenza) section of this advice and Avian and Pandemic Influenza for more details.


The main types of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in Egypt in 2007 were: replacing lost and stolen passports (over 100 cases); hospitalisation, especially in relation to psychiatric illness (67 cases); deaths, mostly from natural causes and drowning (52 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (39 cases).  The majority of consular cases occur in Cairo, Luxor and Sharm el-Sheikh, where most tourists stay.


Egyptian society is conservative and women should dress modestly.  See the Local Laws and Customs section of this advice for details.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is a high threat from terrorism in Egypt.  Security is tight throughout Egypt, especially in resort areas.  There remains a risk of indiscriminate attacks in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers, such as hotels and restaurants.  Egyptian security forces continue to carry out counter-terrorist operations in some areas of Sinai.  Security authorities may insist on escorting you in some areas.

On 26 April 2006, there were two suicide bomb attacks at the Multinational Force and Observers base in north Sinai.  There were no fatalities.

On 24 April 2006, there were explosions at three separate locations in the resort town of Dahab in the Sinai Peninsular, in which 23 people were killed and more than 60 injured, including three British nationals.

In August 2005, two police vehicles and one Multinational Force and Observers’ vehicle were damaged when three roadside bombs exploded in Northern Sinai.  Two policemen were killed and seven others injured.

On 23 July 2005, three bombs exploded in Sharm al-Sheikh in the Sinai Peninsula. 63 people, including 11 British nationals, were killed.  124 others were injured in these attacks.

On 30 April 2005, terrorists carried out two suicide bomb attacks in Cairo.  Seven civilians, including four foreign nationals, were injured. On 7 April 2005, there was a suicide bomb attack in central Cairo near the Khan El Khalili bazaar, a location frequented by tourists.  Three tourists were killed and 19 injured.

On 7 October 2004, three terrorist attacks in resorts and hotels in Taba and near Nuweiba in the Sinai Peninsula killed 34 (including tourists) and injured 159.  Prior to these attacks the last terrorist attacks in Egypt were in 1997 in Luxor.

You should be aware that some of these attacks have taken place over local holiday weekends. Egyptian security forces tend to step up their presence at these times. For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

What could possibly go wrong?

[Uncle Mort]

Lots of armed guards and checkpoints about but I never felt worried. Even when the guide casually mentioned as we ascended the steps at Queen Hatshepsut's temple that 68 tourists had been machined gunned there back in 1997. 

The hotel had a step through scanner at the entrance. Everyone who went through caused it to beep but no-one was ever searched.

[The Moan Ranger]

Damn it's hot. Room lovely and spacious, beer (Sakara) nicely chilled.

We finally arrived at 7 this morning, so had been up for 24 hours.

Now, a few more beers and more of my current book (Odd Hours by Dean Koontz) and I should be relaxed.

How's soggy England?

[Nick]

Everyone who went through caused it to beep but no-one was ever searched.

 

[Snoopy]

Damn it's hot. Room lovely and spacious, beer (Sakara) nicely chilled.

We finally arrived at 7 this morning, so had been up for 24 hours.

Now, a few more beers and more of my current book (Odd Hours by Dean Koontz) and I should be relaxed.

How's soggy England?

Well done ~ sun is shining here actually.

[The Moan Ranger]

Is it 40 degrees celcius though, eh hound?

[Nick]

Shouldn't you be out playing?

[Snoopy]

Is it 40 degrees celcius though, eh hound?

No ~ but it is not full of grasping arabs, flies and beggars, nor does it stink to high heaven.

Have a lovely time and don't forget Nick's Camel and my stick of rock