packing for egypt - & do i need a visa?

[Houseplant]

agreed, egypt can be PITA, but worth it, at least if you get yourself on a liveaboard down south, away from all the crap. land based at the larger resorts in the north and it's borderline, the diving isn't even that good.

as for the hassles with money and rip-offs, compared to india, vietnam and one or two other places i've been, egypt is a walk in the park

[diveracer]

hi houseplant, i think you hit the nail on the head, its just too overcrowded around sharm, too many dive operations and boats everywhere - undoubtedly the red sea is beautiful so maybe a trip further south next time, or a liveabourd if i can get a weeks pass from HQ.
however i disagree about india being worse, i went to a street stall and bartered for some sunglasses - he started at £15 - i got them for a quid! yep -£1
the 2 weeks i spent in and around goa and the neighbouring provinces is among the best holidays i have ever had, the indians are after your money but they are much more passive about it. but then i havent been to mumbai!
cheers
happy new year.

[paulstranks_110]

In my humble opinion Emperor divers in Sharm / hurghada / marsa alam are the best diving outfit in egypt. european staff and the egyption boat crews are all very polite and helpfull. they deal with all the national park fees which arent expensive anyway. Some good diving to be had during the winter especially if you can get to the less visited sites. 4 a heads up the water temp was around 24 degrees over christmas take a drysuit if u can

[cydiver]

Hi and thanks for your post.
Unfortunately i do have have a few negative replies to diveracer's post. this is the first time i have submitted a negative reply to anyone, but for some reason i feel the need to reply to this post.
Firstly, the questions raised about the hotel cleaner - you say the suitcases took ages to arrive to your room? could you not be bothered to carry your expensive luggage yourself? and if left in somebodies else's hands i always escort it myself. ( and dont mind paying 50p for someone else to carry it)
Secondly, and more importantly, WHY THE HELL WERE YOU DIVING WITH 'A HEAVY CHEST INFECTION AND VERY BAD CONGESTION'??????
Thirdly, a SPEARGUN???!!! anyone who comes into our shop asking for weapons is told in no uncertain terms that we protect the marine life not murder it.
And as for your last sentence - mixed people - isn't that what diving culture is all about? and high security everywhere? whats wrong with good security?
I just hope this is a post as an ironic p*ss take or the person posting is incredibly spoiled.

[diveracer]

Hi and thanks for your post.
Unfortunately i do have have a few negative replies to diveracer's post. this is the first time i have submitted a negative reply to anyone, but for some reason i feel the need to reply to this post.
Firstly, the questions raised about the hotel cleaner - you say the suitcases took ages to arrive to your room? could you not be bothered to carry your expensive luggage yourself? and if left in somebodies else's hands i always escort it myself. ( and dont mind paying 50p for someone else to carry it)
Secondly, and more importantly, WHY THE HELL WERE YOU DIVING WITH 'A HEAVY CHEST INFECTION AND VERY BAD CONGESTION'??????
Thirdly, a SPEARGUN???!!! anyone who comes into our shop asking for weapons is told in no uncertain terms that we protect the marine life not murder it.
And as for your last sentence - mixed people - isn't that what diving culture is all about? and high security everywhere? whats wrong with good security?
I just hope this is a post as an ironic p*ss take or the person posting is incredibly spoiled.

DEAR OH DEAR -You really have no sense of humour do you! firstly you may not travel much but at some hotels you do not have the option of taking your own luggage, they whisk it away from you while you are checking in, my dear friend.
i would and do gladly take my own luggage, and it is by no means expensive, about £12 i paid for my dive bag and about £18 for my suitcase.
We had been TOLD to check in and then carry on to our rooms and the bags would be delivered, not on their heads! but on the back of golf carts.and as they make good money doing this i wouldnt want to stop them.
and as for the spear gun the whole day was great as i said we had many jokes with our guide islam, and this was one of them. that and asking him how to put regs on etc.... Believe it or not but many of us like to have a laugh a joke.
and i gave him a tip £50 egyption which i thought would have been ok especially if the other 5 all did the same. a fair days tips.
i do take on board your note about diving with a chest infection, i had finished a course of antibiotics and was still a bit poorly however i made the guide fully aware of this and agreed that i would not push myself and abort any dive should i feel it was too much.
but the cleaner knocking on the door just to collect his tip was annoying, i bet you would have been pissed of too, but he had nothing to do with the bags.
i feel you missed the point or didnt read my post very well, that or you are just looking to have a moan?? bad day??
i simply put forward my experience and feelings, free country (apparently) and as such i respect yours, even if you are a tit
happy new year !!

[ratcliffe]

My visa is sorted as the tour operator are doing it for me at the airport and its included as I understand it.

So, what clothes should I pack for a liveaboard in January.

Definitely a fleece for the evening (and a big coat that I'll be wearing in the early hours travelling to the airport!)
A couple of pairs of socks,

In January with the temps still in the 20's is it shorts and T-shirts in the day and longer trousers in the evening, or is it normally indoors on the boat in the evening, so no long trousers needed other than the jeans I'm travelling in ?

[diveracer]

cydiver,
oh, and spoiled!!!!
let me tell you this,
i was brought up in a council house and had weekend jobs since i was 12,
today i was on a building site at 7:30am in -3 degrees.
have a nice warm day in cyprus, spoiled indeed.
and i bet you eat fish!!!

[paulstranks_110]

In January with the temps still in the 20's is it shorts and T-shirts in the day and longer trousers in the evening, or is it normally indoors on the boat in the evening, so no long trousers needed other than the jeans I'm travelling in ?

Id Probably take a couple of pairs of jeans mate and a hoody or jumpy to wear on deck. can be a bit cold in the mornings b4 a dive if there's some wind.

cheers

[paulstranks_110]

Also aome advice given to me. DRINK as much WATER as you can, even in the winter. take some rehydration salts to egypt with you and try to take them every day even though they taste like shit! . Breathing compressed dry air will dehydrate your body. also good hydration well make your body more efficient at offgassing nitrogen which is important when on most liveaboards it is possible to do 3 dives a day

have fun

[sean-uk]

And dont forget to visit the Indian Restaraunt at the Camel Hotel and Dive Club, Best Indian Food Anywhere