Egypt Wasn't What We Expected: The Truth About Visiting Egypt Today

Egypt has been on both of our bucket lists for years.

In this episode, Hillary Graham and I share our experiences traveling through Egypt at nearly the same time—but with different suppliers, different itineraries, and very different perspectives.

We discuss what surprised us most, the myths we believed before arriving, and the moments that left us speechless. From the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Valley of the Kings to sailing the Nile aboard the Historia, we cover both the iconic highlights and the practical realities of visiting one of the world's most fascinating destinations. 

We also talk about:

• Whether Egypt feels safe for travelers
• The truth about visiting the Pyramids and the Sphinx
• Luxury travel experiences that most visitors never see
• Why the Grand Egyptian Museum exceeded expectations
• What it's really like to cruise the Nile
• The food, hospitality, and warmth of the Egyptian people
• Abu Simbel and why it's worth the effort
• The realities of heat, walking, and sightseeing
• Shopping, bargaining, and tourist markets
• Animal welfare concerns travelers should be aware of
• Who Egypt is best suited for
• Whether we'd go back (spoiler: absolutely)

If Egypt has ever been on your bucket list, this episode offers an honest, firsthand look at what it's really like to experience this extraordinary destination.

Key Takeaways

• Egypt feels far safer than many travelers expect.
• The right guide can completely transform the experience.
• Luxury in Egypt is less about hotels and more about access.
• The Grand Egyptian Museum is worth the trip by itself.
• A Nile cruise remains one of the best ways to experience the country.
• Abu Simbel is unforgettable—but fly if you can.
• Egypt rewards curious travelers who love history, culture, and unique experiences.
• There is far more to Egypt than pyramids and temples.

Join Hillary, Your Friendly Travel Advisor on instagram @yourfriendlytraveladvisor 

Link to Al Moudria Hotel mentioned

Black Dog Luxury Travel Website: https://blackdogluxurytravel.com/

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LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/blackdogluxurytravel/

Transcript

Paula 0:00

Today I am joined by Hilary Graham, who is also known as Your Friendly Travel Advisor, who is part of the Black Dog Luxury Travel team. Hi, Hilary. Hi, Paula. Hi, everybody. Super excited to have her today with us. We are going to talk about Egypt. Fun fact, she and I were in Egypt at the same time. We had... Actually, Hilary was there first. She broke it in for me. She let the whole country know that I was coming, and then I came afterwards. We had a few days of crossover. Yeah. Hillary, Egypt. I know I personally wanted to go to Egypt for a long time. It had been on my bucket list for quite some hot minutes. How about you? Was it on your list for a long time or just- Yes, because to me it was one of those places that's almost too exotic. You see it in movies, you've read about it as a kid, you've studied it in school. And it just seems like it was so out of reach. So when this opportunity came to go on this fam trip and check it out, I was extremely excited, especially after I saw the itinerary and making sure that we hit the highlights. There was a lot of temples, right? But mainly I was excited for the pyramids, the Sphinx, a Nile cruise. How iconic. And I hate- Beautiful to admit this, but it's only been within the last year or two that I watched the movies based on the Agatha Christie books. And luckily there was no murder, no Death on the Nile. No, no Death on the Nile, no Murder on the Nile? Nope, we're good. Good. We are good, at least on mine. I don't know about yours, but- wholly uneventful. If there was on mine they didn't say, yeah. Yeah. I will also admit I actually did not watch that movie until this year sometime. Yeah. But I, I think the whole Cleopatra thing, and just the pyramids, and there's some allure and mystery around that I was just like, "It has to be magical destination." It just has to be. Oh, of course. Yeah. And just the sheer volume of history, and to think about these structures being built thousands and thousands of years ago before any of us- Yeah were even considered. It's just incredible. Yeah. It's really mind-blowing. It's really mind-blowing. So Hillary went w- so oftentimes, not oftentimes, but yeah, we do work with various vendors and suppliers who live in the countries where our clients travel. So Hillary went with one vendor and supplier, and I went with another, which is awesome because it gives us exposure to two different companies that take really great care of our clients. It lets us know how these different companies work. It lets us get different experiences in the same place, and really allows us to- tailor all of our planning and things for our clients. We can just dial it in for what would be best for who, where, when, all those different things. So I know Hilary went with a bit of a group. I would say a small group. I think you had maybe 18, 20 people. Yeah, there were 18. Most of us travel advisors, a few plus ones, which gave their own perspective. So it was a wild ride even with just the mixture in the group. Yeah. Oh, yeah, for sure. And I went with just one plus one a dear friend of mine. And so we were our own little group of two or two people. And so two people do travel differently than a group of, yeah, 18, for sure. So that, again, gives us a different experience and different perspective of things. So this is a tremendous amount of knowledge that Hilary and I now have about especially Egypt. And I'm just gonna ask, is there anything about Egypt that surprised you right off the bat? This might be a weird bias, but I was a little nervous, and honestly, when people heard that I was going, they asked me, "Are you concerned about safety? Are, are you thinking about that?" And right off the bat, from being met at the airport by our guide that helped us through getting our visas and just navigating that process, it was all seamless. The Egyptian people are very welcoming. I never felt unsafe. In fact, I have seen more armed military people, whether it's police, actual military, traveling through Greece other parts of Europe. I really didn't see anything like that anywhere in Eur- in Egypt. Yeah, I actually didn't tell most people that I was going until I got back. 'Cause there's that perception, right? Yeah, I just didn't wanna deal with the whole, "Oh, is it..." And honestly, what... I started posting on my social media after I got back, and I got many messages about "I thought it wasn't safe to go," da. And my friend and I, we were two so- I don't wanna say solo females, but we were two females traveling. She's married, happily married. And and we felt the same way. We felt very safe. They took phenomenal care of us. Just we always had someone with us. We, yeah, again- the police, you'd see them around but not in, at least not in any of the areas that we went did we see anything that was what I would consider dangerous. I also found the Egyptian people to be very happy in general. Yes. Yes. Yeah, very happy, and very respectful. I never felt like I was mistreated in any way, shape, or form. So yeah, I was very comfortable. Very comfortable. 100% agree. Yeah. I thought... And that was a pleasant surprise I think, for sure. We've got these amazing thing- Oh, is there anything that you experienced that you thought was- I don't wanna say anticlimactic, but that's the word that's coming to mind. Because for me I legit thought the pyramids were gonna be a way bigger deal than they were. And I hate to, I don't wanna rain on anybody's parade. They are super cool. They're really fascinating. I know I got to go in one of them. I don't think you did. I did not, so I am very- Yeah jealous of that. And that going into the Great Pyramid is an interesting experience. It's hilarious because there's no way that would be allowed in the US. You crawl in this tunnel-looking thing, and you go up this makeshift kind of ladder. And event- It's hot. It's hot, and it's closed in, and you're hunched over. And eventually, you get into just this room. It's a, just a granite room. There's nothing on the walls. There's this empty sarcophagus there. It's hot. It's humid. There, there's, it's... There's nothing in there. So it's, to me, I was like, where's the... where are all the carvings in the walls and the writings and the stuff? And those things aren't there. So I think it's just... I just... It was really funny to me. I expect it to be more of a wow moment, a- and they are really cool. Obviously, we got the photos. But- Yeah I expected that experience to be different. Yeah. I agree, and I will piggyback on that because for us, our group, when we got to see the pyramids and the Sphinx, we only got to see the side profile of the Sphinx. And I was really hoping that one, we would've been able to at least get straight on, or two, a little closer. I mean- Yeah it was so far. Yes, we have pictures with it. Yeah. Yes, we got to see it. That's more than most people- Yeah are able to say. But as someone who always calls our black dog when she sits Miss Momo looks like a sphinx, I really wanted that photo so I could do them side by side. Aw. Yeah. And I was a little disappointed in that. So I felt like I only got half of that experience, seeing it from the side. Yeah. And I think that just has to do with the nature of how they're managing crowd control. And I get that. Yeah. Yes. 'Cause it was a very busy day when we went. Yeah. It, obviously this the pyramids do attract everybody, and the s- the Sphinx is right... If, for those people that don't know, the Sphinx is right there by the pyramids. Yes, and I do know honest- and I know Hillary knows this as well, we do have a vendor that we work with that can allow you private access into the, in be- into the, like the in between the paws, I guess- Yes of the Sphinx. Which is, just even talking about that, that gives me goosebumps. Like, how cool would that have been? Correct. And so now that we know, for anyone that's considering it, we know these types of questions to ask. What are your hopes and your dreams for this, and that we can add on that experience. Yeah. A- and I was also really shocked to learn they always say a lot of the times they're like, "Anything's possible," but it's hard to even think of what anything would be without knowing what some of those things are. And we can get people into, tombs that are not open to the public. We can get, We c- we've got access all over the place, which is just really cool. And a- another thing that our tour operator mentioned is that there are tons of party cruises on the Nile. But what they really like to offer is bespoke morning brunch cruises- Oh, okay where it's a little bit more leisurely, it's less people, you don't have all the noise and sounds of other party boats, and you get to enjoy a different perspective of the Nile. That's if your Egypt journey doesn't include a Nile cruise, but you still wanted to have that experience of getting on it. And I thought that was such a lovely, bespoke way to do it, where it's calmer. It's essentially you having the Nile private to yourself in that aspect, which is just amazing. Yeah. Oh, for sure. Yeah. And I know you're talking about in Cairo 'cause the- I stayed at one property. I stayed at the St. Regis in Cairo, and yeah, you can hear those boats. Yes. You can hear those so bad. We were at The Four Seasons right on the Nile. So pro-tip, if... tribe, if you're going, we're going to make sure that you travel with a white noise machine- so you don't hear those party boats. Yeah. Because the Nile views are spectacular, and I think- They are great 100% worth it. They are great. They are great. Yes. Good. And they're having a, they're having a grand old time, so yeah, if you don't wanna be on one of those, my a white noise machine might be not a bad idea. Yeah. I agree. I agree. I know for myself, and it was funny because when I was setting this trip up for myself, I reached out to to Nubia the vendor that I used, and I was... I told them, I'm like, "Okay, the GEM Museum opened in November of 2025," and it took them 20 years to get this thing open. And I was like finally now that you've opened it, I can come visit Egypt." Just my tongue in cheek joke. But I really enjoyed the GEM. It is truly a gem. And oh, what is the definition of it? What does it stand for? Great Egyptian Museum? Grand Egyptian Museum. Grand. Thank you. Yes, Grand Egyptian Museum, and it is truly grand. The amount of artifacts that they have in there, I think I was in there for, yeah, three or four hours, and it is overwhelming. It's fascinating. It is, but just the amount of history and cool things cool things that are in there. Yeah I found it just mind-blowing and fascinating. 100% agree, and I know that y'all traveled with an Egyptologist as well, and I found that, as you were going through the museum one of the most helpful things, 'cause you have an expert in Egypt's history, and they're able to give you more information than you would just read on a plaque or if you were doing an audio tour yourself, more that could just be recorded. You also have someone that you can ask questions because you're seeing all of these treasures. We spent a lot of time with everything that they had removed from King Tut's tomb. Going over that, and being able to, one, see it was incredible, but two, have a live history lesson with a Q&A session just really brought it to life. Yeah. Yeah, I think and that adds so much more to the experience because I, they really- They talk about the real human and the real life at that time, and it's... You can almost picture yourself, in those moments using these things, I- some of the things. And, just actually being there. It's very relatable. It does not seem history from thousands of years ago when they do that. They just bring it to life so much. Yeah. And I will say, pro tip for our history fans, there's so much to cover. I might even suggest breaking it up and doing two days at The Gem so it's not overwhelming- so that way you can really see and experience and enjoy it. Because they're rebuilding, there's a partnership where they are reconstructing some of the boats that they had used. And we got 15, 20 minutes to just quickly run through that extra part of the museum. I feel like there were rooms that we didn't even get to touch in the main, and the whole building is beautiful. I believe I recall- Yeah they mentioned it was the same person that had designed the Louvre in, in Paris that also- designed that building as well. We might need to- Sure fact check me on that one. I don't know that. I don't remember that. There was so much to remember from that trip that I don't remember that, but yes. Yes. And I know I went to the the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Did you go to that one? I opted out of that one. That was on the last day and we had a very aggressive schedule, so that was the day before we flew out, and I opted for a little R&R at the hotel. Yeah. Needed, totally get that. Yes. Yeah. I went to that one. It's like The Gem Lite. Okay. So it, it's a bit more of a brief synopsis of all the history. But the cool thing was they do have multiple mummies that are very respectfully, I don't wanna say displayed. Obviously they're preserved, but you can go and see them. And the... it's very respectfully done, and it was very interesting to go and see. And I personally was a little hesitant to even go see them. I have been into a few- I don't wanna call them situations, but I've been in a few opportunities maybe that have been a little sticky for me. Like for instance, I was in a World War II... It used to be a hospital, and I don't know if I just wasn't adequately prepped for it, but it it emotionally hit me, and I couldn't look at the things. So I was worried that this might be that same way, and it actually wasn't. It was very tastefully done, and I could actually appreciate who they were, are- and the impact that they have left on history, and the nation, and the life that they led, and just, how they were people just like us with, hopes, dreams, loves, fears, all of those things. And so it was very, it was a very good experience. I definitely would recommend recommend that one, yeah, i- when you're in Cairo as well. And that was the same consensus from the portion of the group that saw it for us as well. The only mummy, or mummies, I saw was Valley of the Kings when we went in- Oh for King Tut. Yeah. And then for the crocodiles at one of our stops. Crocodiles. Yes. That's good stuff. Yeah. So let's talk about the Nile. Let's fly from Cairo on down to Luxor. We both went out of Luxor, didn't we? Yes. And did you go straight from Cairo onto your Nile cruise? Yes, to drop our bags, but then we went out, and then we did Luxor Temple, and- Karnak yes, and Karnak. Yeah. Very good. Yeah. I went, we went in a day early. We stayed at a lovely property. It's considered Luxor. Honest to goodness, it felt like it was in the middle of nowhere. It was so remote. But it was really an adorable property, and fantastic food. It's a Michelin restaurant. And then when I find the name of it, I will, I'll put that maybe in the show notes because It's avoiding me right now. But it was a lovely little getaway. That's gonna bug me. Oh, that's gonna bother me so much. Oh, you know what? I can't even pronounce it. It's Al Moudira Hotel. A-L M-O-U-D-I-R-A Hotel. Absolutely fantastic. I would, especially, I'm just gonna say it, but I do think that Egypt would be a fantastic honeymoon for somebody. I think it would be super cool. And this property totally struck me as I would put honeymooners here. I would put anniversary couples here. It was like, it was secluded and it just, it was very farm to table. Yeah, I would totally put them there for a night or two before they hopped on a Nile cruise. Yeah. Of course. Get out of Cairo. Yeah. Yeah. So then we went onto our Nile cruise, and we both were on the same ship at different times. Yeah, the MS Historia, which- Yeah was a wonderful ship, and the staff was fantastic. By day two, they knew my coffee order in the morning and had it ready to go. And in fact apparently I must have drank a lot of coffee, but they even mentioned it to Paula Yes, they did when, yeah, when they found out that, we not o- not only know each other, but work together. And so she had sent me a text like, "They say hi," which I just- Oh, yeah thought was fun, and goes to show you the level of service. Yes. Oh, my gosh, yes. Yeah, that's a good thing to bring up. Yeah, the level of service phenomenal. Everybody's, asking, "How can I help you? Is there anything we can do better? Is there anything we can get for you? Is there, what do you need?" Like- And just with a smile, and you can tell they're genuine. It's not- 100%. Yeah it's, they're not just saying it to say it. No, and there's so much food, so even if you just have a little- Wow they're like, "Oh my gosh, did you not like it? What else can I get you?" And you're like, "No, it's not that I didn't like it, it's just there's been so much to enjoy." I mean- oh my goodness. Can we just take- I- a hot minute to talk about the food? 'Cause I think that's another misconception, is people are like- Sure What do you eat there?" I'm like, first of all, Mediterranean cuisine, okay? We've got some amazing dips, right? Our hummus- Yeah our baba ghanoush I think it's called mamush? It's the red- Yeah pepper and walnut one. Oh my God, to die for. It's so good. Yes. That was great. Yes. Yeah. Tons of grilled meats, and on the cruise- Yeah they did a great job of mixing it up and having a nice variety, too, of different cuisines from around the world. They really did. They really did. Eh, did you ha- did you ever... I'm just gonna, I know this is more American, but did you ever have them make pancakes? Did they make pancakes for you? We did get crocodile shaped pancakes- Oh my gosh for crocodile on the Nile. Yes. Oh, that's adorable. It was adorable. Yes, I got a puppy dog one one day. Aw. Yeah, I know. I was like, "Oh, how did you know?" He's "I just knew." I'm like, "Oh, of course. Of course you did, Black Dog." Thank you very much. Yeah anyway, they have more than just pancakes for sure. But they're, and I also really enjoyed their desserts. They're not super, super sweet. Yes. Yes, but still very tasty, and rich, but not cloyingly sweet or overly heavy, right? Just enough. Just enough. Yeah. Yeah, and if I cooked, I would maybe attempt to recreate some, but I don't, but you would be tempted to. Anyway, so we were both on the Historia which is a boutique Nile cruise ship. And I would say it's a, I would say it's definitely a luxury ship. 100%. Yeah. It's small. I think they said max capacity was what, 100 passengers? I would be shocked if it was 100 passengers. Maybe even a little less. Huh. I bet you it's probably less than that, but yeah, I really, I did enjoy it. I would s- the only, if there's gonna be a complaint the only complaint I would say was as we were going, and noted, we went very late in the season for them, I think they were only sailing for another two weeks after I was on the ship. And the reason for that is it just gets too hot. It gets too hot down there. So they, shut down for three, four months. And so they have a pool on the top deck, and no lie, there were a couple days that we hopped in that pool and it's, it was hot. It was hotter than bathwater. So that's the only complaint. That was the only complaint we had. We were like, "Whew, we can't even cool off in the pool." But it was great. See, and I was there the week before, and we didn't have that issue, 'cause I spent a couple of days up there in the pool, and I found it to be refreshing. Ah. But I was looking at the weather, and just the week difference of when we were on it to you, like parts of Luxor and Aswan were over 110, 111. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. So we didn't have any days that broke 100, and I know it's not that much, but when you start getting into those temperatures, 5, 10 degrees r- really is... It's like an oven. Makes- 'Cause it's a dry heat with that desert climate yeah, totally makes a difference. I would completely agree. Yes. Yes. Speaking of the heat- Yes how did you navigate the heat there, Hillary? So I brought a whole bunch of linen, and, whoever makes a wrinkle-free linen will just- make money hand over fist. 'Cause I do always have to travel with a portable steamer, but I do that for any trip. Linen I think is great because one, it breathes, but two, it can be modest. For the temples we had to have certain areas of our bodies covered. Sure. Knees some places, shoulders some other places. I didn't experience any head covering requests- Oh, yeah not like I did in Turkey, in Istanbul, that kind of stuff So I found that just breathable cottons, linens nothing too skin-tight. You, you wanted to have air flow, which I thought was really good. Yeah. And I was prepared and probably over-packed a little. I was ready for two to three outfit changes each day, and I'm happy to report back that was not necessary. A couple days, yes, but most of the time, no. Yep. Couple days I definitely rocked two. Two was pretty common for me. Just, you're out all day, it's dusty- Well- da. And then- Of course, you want a dinner outfit yeah, I want a dinner outfit. So yeah. Two is, two is pretty normal. I would agree with you. I think layers were the key, and that sun protection. And I don't know about you, but I saw a few tourists running around, and I was like, "Honey, you gotta cover that up. You are red. You are already red, sweetie." Oof. Yes. I found a great SPF clothing and accessory company that is based out of Australia, and it's all by dermatologists. So myself and my travel partner, we had bought some, hats and wraps from them that had that built-in sun protection, which was just an extra layer on top of the sunscreen that we put on. Oh, and always make sure that you've got water and electrolytes with you. Oh, yeah Keep drinking even if you're not thirsty because- yeah the heat is just leaving your body. You are losing water. You are just... it's affecting you. Yeah, 100%. Yes. Yeah, the... And like the hydration pa- hydration packets, all that stuff for sure. And I did... I had a portable fan. I don't wanna sound like an old crazy person, but I did have one of those little portable fans, little handheld ones. And for me, that was really helpful, like in the tombs- 'cause it's like there's no airflow, and it was a little toasty in there. So that was... Yeah, tho- those were d- those were definitely used. But that's some tips. I... The biggest tip would just be not go that late in the season or that early in the season. Go when it's a little bit cooler and a little more tolerable. But yeah, absolutely a phenomenal- Phenomenal experience. So speaking of temples, again, there's so much history. Did you have a favorite temple? Okay, so it's a toss-up between Karnak and Abu Simbel. Oh. Which one at Abu Simbel? So should we talk about where Abu Simbel is first? Ooh, yes. So for me, this was the one part of my journey that I would do differently for clients. So there are a couple of ways to get there, and because we had such a large group, we took a charter bus from the port all the way there, which means we had a- The Aswan port. Yes. From Aswan, we had a six-hour round trip. I would definitely not do that again. I flew. Exactly, and that's how I would do it. I 100% And that's how I would suggest clients do it. Not that it's a bad drive, but it's just so much time. It's a long drive. Yeah. Yeah. And I d- I don't want you spending your vacation like that. For me, as an exploratory trip to understand how things work, I was a valuable perspective. Yes. Yeah, I agree. I- Yeah and I will tell you the flight is very easy. You, we didn't bring any luggage, so you literally, basically walk on the plane. As soon as it gets to altitude, it starts coming down. It's about 35 minutes by plane. Very easy. Very easy flight. Which does save that, three-hour one-way drive. Yeah. And then you... In Abu Simbel, there really isn't anything there other than their two temples. The two temples, yeah. Yeah, it's Ramesses II and Neferti- Nefertiti. There we go. Yep, he built one for his queen. It's Nefertiti and Nefertiti, and it's not Nefertiti, it's the other one. So that was his favorite queen- of his, was it estimated 200? I believe so. Which- Wives how do you even pick a favorite at that point? Apparently she was that stunning. Got her own temple. Yeah. And I I would love to go into her tomb. It's currently being restored right now. Yes. That- that's on my list for next time. So I just hear we have to go back- That's right and then also we need to check out the beach resorts, because yes, there are beach resorts in Egypt which are stunning and great for people that love to scuba dive too, on that Mediterranean side. Yeah or Red Sea. I just know because we had people that went to the ones on the Mediterranean side- Oh, yeah and I was looking at their photos and it's, it literally looks like a postcard. Yeah. It's just absolutely stunning. Yes. Yeah. And I think that's also a good thing to mention, because when people do... I know myself included, when I initially thought of Egypt, I thought of, dust, sand, desert, pyramids- random temples. And, left out that whole other part, that whole other section of Egypt and what is there to do, see beyond that. Because at some point, I don't wanna say all temples look the same, but they kinda sorta- But they do- They- towards the end, yeah They do. Kinda do. I will say, again, going with the right guide, the right Egyptologist does make a huge difference. Oh, 100%. Yeah. Huge difference. And I would recommend that over any audio tour, any just go wandering on your own. I... If you're gonna spend the time and money to go, I would say get a proper guide. 100%. For most people, this will be a trip you do once, right? So do it right the first time. I agree. And then I mentioned Karnak as another one. Yeah it was the impressive, hall of tower- or the, yeah, hall of towers that they had. You, I know you had photos of it too, and you've got photos of yourself next to these large pillars. I looked up at one point how tall they were, because numbers are not my forte. And so remembering a number of how tall, all I know it was just so impressive, and your head is tilted all the way back looking up to the sky, and it feels like you still can't even see the very end- of them. It's just impressive. Yeah. Yeah. Just the mass scale of them. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. I really enjoyed Karnak as well, Karnak Temple. I liked Philae Temple. I think I resonate the most, though, with Nefre- Nefertari. What's her name? Nefertari. Nefra- It's not Nefertiti? There's Nefertiti, and there's Nefertiti. Nefre- I'm like, Nefertari, Nef- whatever her name is. Ramsey II's favorite queen. Her. I like her the best. Just saying. So anyway I will say this. I, one thing that I wish that I had known. So when you go into like the Valley of the Kings, you go into very tu- various tombs, you go into various temples, and I'll just say it on average, the average Egyptian doesn't make a whole lot of money as a living wage. There are Egyptians that they hire to be into these temples and into these tombs, and they're there to, make sure that stupid people don't deface them or, climb on things that they shouldn't climb on, all the things. And al- Yeah, don't be that person. Yeah, don't be that person. But also to... What kind of ends up happening is sometimes these fellows, they do a little side hustle, and they'll do a little photography. They'll take your photo if you want to tip them a little bit a thing. W- you know, since they're there anyway. And I will say that I d- I did this twice, and these guys took the most amazing photos and videos of me. I did it too, and in fact, in not King Tut's but in the other tomb that we went into in Valley of the Kings, one of them was even in the photo with me, and it's some of the cutest ones. We're like shoulder to shoulder with our arms crossed in front- Yeah of a sarcophagus. It's so cute. Yeah, I, it's just such a neat experience, and I think it goes back to the Egyptian peoples. Yes, he is working... They are working for tips, but- I think they genuinely enjoy seeing the tourists and having fun with us. Yeah. Yeah. I had a blast with them. Yeah. And these guys can run an iPhone camera on like you've no idea. Like I was- Oh, yeah I was like, "You're phenomenal." So anyway, absolutely loved it. One thing that I'm gonna bring up that was really hard for me, and I'm only gonna just throw it out there as an FYI, there were I think two stops where you go into, y- on the Nile cruise where you stop, and then you have to get from your cruise port to wherever the temple is or the tomb is, things like that. And a common way to get there is via like horse and buggy, and there are some areas where the horses to me, in my opinion, are not well cared for. And that was really hard for me to see. Obviously I'm an animal lover. I know Hillary's an animal lover. And that one was, that was tough to swallow. That was tough to swallow. The company that I went with, Nubia they absolu- they absolutely, positively will not use any horse and carriage in that manner. They will own- they will bring a van, an air-conditioned van, and take you. They'll follow the Nile cruise, and they will take you into the temple. So that one was really, that was hard for me to see, and I really hope, I hope that one gets turned around real fast. 100%. And our group actually did take those, and as we walked up, all of us... No, I don't wanna say all of us. I don't wanna speak for everyone, but at least the six or so people that I was standing around, we were all very uncomfortable. But at that point, that was the transportation that had been arranged- Yeah and there wasn't another option to keep us on schedule. Yeah so unfortunately- Yeah we took that. And I can tell you the whole experience was not as fun. You feel bad for the horse. We h- also had a younger teenage driver, and as we're going through the town, there were small children that would run alongside because of course it's a horse-drawn- Yeah carriage. You're not going that fast. And so you just see, I don't wanna say the worst of things, but it paints a pretty bleak picture about- Yeah how some Egyptians live on the daily, and that for me was not a highlight. It made me feel bad- Yeah to even be there, but if you're not there, you're not giving the tourism dollars, so- i- I think that's tough. Yeah. Yeah. I know, and that was a definitely a hard point for me as well. Yeah. And it's just... I think also too I wasn't braced for that. Me either. So I think even just, sometimes talking about things and bringing them to light kinda helps a little bit there. One of the things I absolutely loved like I said the people that I found to be just very warm in general- and very kind. And it was funny, they would ask, where I'm from, and I live in Texas now, and it's common that I- Texans in general, they don't say that they're from the US. They flat out just say, "I'm from Texas." And so that, that has become my answer. And their reply was always like, "Oh, Texas," and then they would say, "Welcome home." And I always found that just very endearing and just I really loved that. I was like, "Yeah." I agree. I'll do you one better. I don't even say Texas, and I'm- not even from Houston. I know. I was born somewhere else. I spent time in Colorado. Neither of us are from Texas. No. And but I'll even say Houston. I was at that conference in Barcelona, and everyone's "Where are you from?" I didn't even say Texas. It never even occurred to me to say the States. I'm all, "Houston." I love it. Yeah. I d- think about it. Texas, it was its own country at one point. So I feel if any state's gonna be able to say that. I know. Yeah. I know. Funny. I know. It's just so it is. So okay, in my opinion, who is Egypt for? Definitely anyone who's interested in history. I think, again, I think it would be a phenomenal honeymoon or anniversary trip. For, definitely for retirees. I would say it's almost, and earlier in retirement rather than later, just with some of the possible activities- that you could do. Like I said, like going into the pyramid, you definitely had to have some, physical dexterity to do that. So there is that. I absolutely, positively any adventure travelers, there's so much beyond just the normal Egypt that you see. There, you can do sand boarding, you can do, like I s- you know, we mentioned, scuba diving. There's so many water activities, even though you don't think of Egypt and water at the same time. But, this, it's again, endless. So I would definitely recommend it for those people. How about you, Hillary? Any- Yeah, I would say for our adventure seekers, our people that really enjoy history. There's also a subset of travelers that enjoy curated experiences, and Egypt is one that there is a lot that you can do- Yeah that is outside the box, not something that you're gonna see all over TikTok that where you can truly make it your own, and I think that is really fun. Yeah. And makes it a real unique destination. And just to add about your retirees, and you were talking about dexterity, there is a lot of walking. So you, there are, like, shuttles that can take you to the parking lot to the gem, or shuttles around the Giza pyramids, that whole complex. Yeah. But you need to be able to be prepared for walking. I also think it's great for families, but maybe not our little littles. Yeah. You need kids that can hold attention a little bit longer, be able to listen to guides, and aren't going to run off because, especially at some of your larger activities, like at the pyramids or at the gem, there's a lot of people. Yeah. Because they are such incredible places to visit. Yeah. I think they said at the gem right now in Cairo they're doing, what, like 15,000 people a day? It's insane, yeah. Yeah. It's a lot. And, that will die down. It hasn't even been open a year, but yeah. And as, summer happens too, that I'm sure that will die down. But definitely. Would you go back? Yes. Would you go back? 100%. I would like to go back and explore the gem a little bit more. As I said, even though we had three, a little over three hours with our Egyptologist, I don't... I feel like we just scratched the surface. Yeah. And plus it's so neat to see those things. I would like to revisit. I missed out on the Civilization Museum. Yes. So I would like to do that, right? So there's a couple things in Cairo and Giza, and of course my husband hasn't been, so I know he wants to see the pyramids and the Sphinx, so happy to do that again. But really, I'm interested in checking out either the Red Sea or the Mediterranean side for those beach resorts, and doing a relaxing trip to Egypt. This one that I had was very history focused and go. On the fam trips where we're out there exploring and getting to know the places for you to make sure it's the best for our clients, we tend to go at a pace that is in overdrive. Yeah. So- We do not recommend for our clients, to be honest. Yeah, 100%. So I'm really curious to go and have a little bit more laid back of an experience. Yeah, I would want- would 100% go back. Again, there are s- a few things... I love history. It was my favorite subject in, in school. There are a few things I would love to dive into more, for sure. And again, I'll- I also scuba dive, so I'm all over that, and I tried to get that to work out on this trip, and it just wasn't happening. Just wasn't in the cards. And that's fine, because now I've got even more of a reason to go back. Yeah. And I think, a- and this is part of the reason that Hillary and I do some of these travels because it n- obviously it's interesting to us, but it really helps us for our clients. And so to really balance things out, I think the best type of trip would be to have, this history, this activity, this adventure, and then that almost integration or depre- decompression time. I almost said depression. But decompression time to really, soak everything in and be like, "Oh my gosh I'm in Egypt." I know I had a few moments when I was there that I was just like, "I can't believe I'm actually here." I can't believe- Oh, yeah. Just "Pinch me." Yeah. Of course. Yeah, I'm here where, people also walked, 4,000 years ago or whatever. So yeah, I would definitely recommend Yeah. Yeah. And I think if you enjoy food, whether you're an adventurous eater or not, because there's a lot of grilled meats and, grilled veggies and what have you I think it's definitely a foodie haven. There's always delicious food to eat. Lot of it. Yeah. But I do need to mention for my wine lovers, this is not your destination I would agree. Yeah. Because of the import taxes on wine, they do Egyptian wine, which is grapes from South Africa. And when I heard that, I'm like, "Great, I love South African wine." No. Just grapes from South Africa- not South African wine. Actually blended and what have you, in Egypt. Very different. So- Very different, yeah. Yeah. Not bad, just very different. And so if you're expecting South African wines or it's not the one for you. No. No. Yeah, no. I, yeah I would agree with you on that point. I did... I tried the red. Didn't love their red, and I love red wine. I'm a red wine drinker by heart. I actually opted for their white wine, and that was better. Yes. But- Rosé was a pretty easy drinker. Yeah. I would agree with you on that. But I, there's probably a reason we don't see Egyptian wine on the menu anywhere in the world, put it that way. So again, n- not a reason to not go, but just expectation setting. Expectation setting. That's it. Yeah. We've got other countries and other places for our beautiful wine drinkers. Yeah, and if you're already in Africa, if you finish with Egypt, then you just don't go down to South Africa, and that would be a lovely c- compare and contrast. You can get your history, and if you decide, "You know what? I don't want to scuba dive," or, "I don't want that beach. Send me down to South Africa for some wine travels," that would be excellent. Oh. Because you've already done half the battle of getting to the continent. That's true. I didn't actually think the flight was that horrible. I didn't think so either. And I, though I was coming off of... two weeks before that, I had gone to Barcelona, so I was just ping-ponging back and forth between, you know- We'll talk about that next time. Yeah, a variety of places. I had spent quite a few hours with Lufthansa and their entertainment, yeah. Yeah. I I found that flight to be pretty easy. I went through London both there on the way back. Okay. Did you go through Frankfurt or Munich? Frankfurt. Frankfurt, okay. I don't like Frankfurt as a airport. Sorry, Frankfurt. But yeah, I didn't think it was that horrible of a flight. Yeah. Yeah. So anyway, anyway I... It definitely isn't bad enough of a flight to deter me from going back to Egypt. Oh, not at all. Yeah no. Easy peasy, is there anything else that you would want to say or recommend for any listeners? If you are not prepared to haggle- don't try to shop in any of the markets. We didn't even talk about shopping, did we? No. Oh, man. Oh. Oh. Just there are markets outside every temple. There's the, You can haggle almost everywhere. Yeah. And there's the big market, Conglee? I might be mispronouncing that- Yeah, I think so. Yeah that we did. Yeah. I didn't like that one. I- it was very chaotic because there's- Yeah little vendors all right next to each other, and it's a covered market, too, in parts of it. Parts of it are outside, but parts of it are outside and covered. And there's all the little hallways in that you're going down, and there's just stuff everywhere, people everywhere, and they're trying to get you to come into their shops. And then once they have your attention- it starts of, with a, a price. One of my- Yeah, go ahead favorite examples is the friend of mine that traveled with me, we're at one of the temples and there's all these beautiful alabaster pieces. And she's "You know what?" Yep. "I really want this alabaster vase. I'm gonna bring it home." Started out 150, and she's "Oh, no. I'm sorry," and then turned around. He must have followed us. There was a couple of negotiations in the shop, but we were turning around, getting ready to leave. We got halfway down that market, and he had it in his hand, was following us, and just yelling different prices. She ended up paying $35. Yeah. From $150 to $35. Yeah. I don't even want to admit this, but I totally got took on a few a few items that I purchased. And I've just decided that's what I call tourist tax. Yeah. So yeah I did not realize that I could or should haggle to the degree that yeah, it is recommended. And once I figured that out, it was a whole different story. Game changer. Yeah. I don't wanna say my house is full of Egyptian antiquities, but it kinda looks that way right now. But- Yeah, there were a few that I look at and I'm like, "Oof I really love you," which I paid a lot more than I should've, so I supported that Egyptian economy real hard. But yeah. As far as the shopping destination, I don't really recommend in comparison to some others. But- No, I agree. But, you do wanna come back with a thing. I did get a bracelet with my name in hieroglyphics on it. And I have a stubborn chicken written in the... that's what they call the thing written in the middle apparently. Yeah, stubborn chicken, so you can just call me that as a nickname. And I paid way too much for that. But I figure every time I wear it, I can, It's worth a certain dollar amount plus the memory. That's right. It's your cost per wear. That's how I justify most of my purchases. Exactly. 100%. 100%. So yeah. Now, I will say I have a friend here in Houston who is Egyptian, from Cairo, and was so excited when he found out I was going. And so he kept sending me all these amazing designers on Instagram. He's "If you can, go here, go check this out." Ah, cool. And unfortunately, because, my schedule was so packed with the things that we- Yeah needed to see, I didn't get a chance to look at those recommendations. So that's another thing that I would wanna do on the others. So I don't wanna say it's probably not the best shopping destination, but I think on a curated tour like we did- the shopping wasn't what you'd expect. I feel like what Hatem had sent me those links, 'cause some of these women's clothes and bracelets were just- Oh absolutely stunning. Yeah and I'm sure they have boutiques in Cairo, we just didn't have enough time. I honestly... We only had three days or yeah- Yeah three nights. It didn't feel like a lot, and it was- I know, yeah two nights on the first end and one on the back end- Yeah, before we left before we flew out. Yeah. Yeah. So I could have used a little bit more time exploring there, just outside of the, what I would say, the touristy things, right? Outside of the Nile, outside of the pyramids- Yep outside of that, right? Authentic Cairo. The more authentic. Correct. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and I, I normally am a h- huge proponent of, hey, get off the beaten path a little bit, get into the authentic areas. I hate that word, the... where the normals live or where the actual, you know- The people the people, your people live. Yeah. And they're people just like you. And so but I, I don't wanna call it like- The collective assumption or whatever, but I was a l- slightly freaked out. Not slightly freaked out, but just a little unnerved about maybe just, going as a white female and just be like, "Oh, I'm just gonna go wander around to these random areas." So I certainly did not do that, and I'm not saying that I would recommend that. But I agree with you to get into some of these a bit more a... Some of these areas where you can, like you mentioned get into these boutique areas and with these, people of the locals and things like that. I think tho- that'd be super great experience. And I know there are a ton of different things. I would actually like to go back, and they're real big on their pottery as well. I... Have you ever thrown pottery? No, but I'm terrible with lots of arts and crafts. In fact- Yes I just did a wreath project and burned three of my 10 fingers, oh, you burned... You still have seven left. You're fine. Yes. I have thrown pottery once, and I should show you sometime. I've got this... I use it for salsa. It looks like a bowl. If it holds salsa, then I feel like it totally qualifies as a bowl. No it's like a one-serving salsa- if you don't tip it real hard one way. But, I would love to go back and do some of these they have pottery things you can do with an actual skilled potter, and I think that would be phenomenal, and just... Yeah. I lack that artistic- Or maybe have your own little Egyptian ghost moment deal. I'm so fantastic. I want the soundtrack going, though, in the back. Yes. Yes. But yeah, thank you so much for being on the podcast today. Oh, thank you. This was super fun, and I'm so glad we were able to kinda talk about our experience. It was wonderful to be experiencing it at the same time, right? Once you got there and we were able to text about "Ooh, what are you doing?" Oh, before we go- Yeah the hot air balloon. I forgot about that. The... Yeah. So my group, we wanted to do the hot air balloon, but unfortunately the morning of, the weather was bad. There was a sandstorm, and they canceled it, and it was something I was really looking forward to, and I was so bummed. But you came a week later, and the weather was better, and you got to go. Tell me all about that- I- 'cause your pictures looked incredible. I totally forgot about that, and I love hot air balloons. So there's that. So yeah, we totally got to do that. That was outside of Luxor. And they, again, that morning we got up at 4:30, went out to the thing, and they're like, I think they send up three balloons to test the winds to see if it's okay to go or not. And so and then finally once they, they gave the, "Hey, it's okay to go," this whole big... I wanna call it a parking lot, but it's like a massive field of all these different balloons. Everybody just erupts in, in clapping and applause. And yeah, so we did the hot air balloon. You can do it- We did the larger group one, so I would say our balloon held probably 15, 18 people. And if anyone has done any ballooning, that's a pretty decent size. I know they can go even larger. I'm bougie, so I like to have the balloon to myself. I'll be honest with you, I like a private balloon. Those are an option as well. You can do a private balloon. But we did the group size of 18. It's a fairly decent basket. Another great thing about traveling with Nubia, the company that I went with, is the, We had one of their representatives with us, and he was like, "Hey, Paula," and my friend that went with me, her name is Casey. He's "Paula, Casey, now, get in here." And because when it's time to get in the balloon, it's time to get in the balloon, and it's I don't know, like rush hour. It's a little crazy. Crazy, but, everybody's trying to get in the balloon. There's this stepstool they're moving around, and you climb on up. Anyway, he was like, "You get in here." And we're like, "Okay." We just, we're just doing what we're told, 'cause once in a while, that happens. And so we get in there, and he put us in the spot where once the balloon got up, and... And if you've ever been in a hot- hot air balloon, it's super peaceful up there. It's it's quiet, and just the views go forever. And especially over Luxor, you can see the delineation between, like, where the desert stops and where The green part, starts. It's like someone just took a line and just like- A line in the sand, if you will a line in the sand and was like, "Nothing can grow beyond this line," and everything inside that line is green and lush, and then everything outside that line is brown and it's crazy. What a contrast. Yeah. I, yeah, it was just, it was really fascinating. But we're up there, and it's quiet, and you're, alone with your thoughts And then, where he had us in the basket was the perfect place to see some of the temples and see some of the archeological sites. And so it was really It, I real- I love hot balloons in general, so I always recommend them to people, but yeah, I'm biased. It was about 45 minutes long. Yeah. Then we, came down. Our van picked us up right there at the balloon, and then we went off to a lovely breakfast at a local boutique farm. It was, again, it was Egyptian breakfast, and it was massive. So much food. They have so much food. So much food all the time. Yeah. But just, what an incredible experience to Yeah. So I do recommend. I just got lucky on that one. I know poor Hillary didn't. She's gonna have to get it next time when she goes back. That's right. Some of my clients have tried to do that and had the same situation of weather just wasn't cooperating. So if the weather gods are in your favor, awesome. Yep. But sometimes it happens where it doesn't work out. Yeah. You just kinda gotta be flexible, right? Part of life. That's right. Yeah. Part of life. Yeah. Anything else, my dear? I think that's it. Oh, actually, just kidding. One last thought. People asked, do you need to use the local currency? No. Dollars are widely accepted, so are euros. Even the little markets will take your credit card. Yeah. So after you're done haggling, remember, never accept a first offer. Never. But you can also charge there if you want. You can get the Egyptian pound, but it's unnecessary. With the exchange rate, you will be literally walking around with an envelope wad of cash. Yeah, it's massive. It's a massive- Yeah stack of bills. Yeah. Yeah, I found that as well. Yeah, you can use, You can use just regular cash pretty much everywhere. Yeah. Yeah. And cards are also very widely accepted. Yes. So- Visa, MasterCard for sure. American Express, not so much. Yeah, and that's the norm. Yeah. But yeah, awesome. But yes, we... I would say 10 out of 10 recommend Egypt. 100%. Yeah. And there is something in Egypt for everyone, except for my Winos. Yeah. We can figure out something for those guys too, but- That's right. That's right yeah. I would agree. Anyway, I love this so much. Thank you so much for the time, Hillary. And I know we will have more conversations in the future and more adventures, and we have a lot to talk about and a lot to share with our audience. Thanks. Same to you, and look forward to the next time. bye. Bye.

52:47

Thank you so much for joining me this week on the podcast. If you're looking for some help with your next vacation, why don't you go ahead and book a free consultation from the link in the show notes or off my website, blackdogluxurytravel.com. I look forward to seeing you again very, very soon