Searching for the perfect honeymoon

Picking a honeymoon destination is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make. 
(Yes I live a lovely, fluffy, care free life!)

As we had a destination wedding in January, we decided it would be nice to come home and have a honeymoon to look forward to later in the year. I also knew I would need to occupy my once filled wedding brain with something post nuptials.

But it is oh so difficult to pick a destination.

I already have my own personal top three honeymoon location:

-Cuba

-Egypt

-Fiji

But the issue is, we have already been to these locations.

Driving along the rural roads in Cuba

Before the wedding, we had thought that Vietnam would be an ideal location. Asia intrigues us both and this beautiful country would allow us adventure, relaxation and culture.

But now that the grand event is over (and all the money is spent!) the gloss is wearing off it. Flights are expensive, we only have two weeks to play with and we have a conflict with the ‘best time of year’ to visit.

Giza Pyramids, Egypt 2012

So now my mind has been refocused back to Europe and the Middle East. There are some fab beaches and resorts scattered about this continent and obviously there is culture and history galore to explore, but which one do I pick for a honeymoon?

Ideally we would like to do some sightseeing, partake in a fun activity and spend a few days relaxing.

Fiji islands, 2008

Crete, Sicily, Croatia, Malta, Greek islands, Jordan and Tunisia are all on my radar.

Do any of you have any tips, advice or indeed destinations you would think suitable?

The difference is the security

When people ask me “what is Egypt like” I usually tell them “It is different.”
Different from Ireland, unlike your typical holiday destination, historic beyond comprehension, traditional yet modern, in upheaval yet relaxed.

What is so different? The Irish would argue our Newgrange is older than the pyramids so we can tick off history, Ireland has always been a traditionally religious country so we understand Egyptians passion for their religion, we understand borders too and the need to preserve our culture and we have also been known for our political upheavals.

The actual difference my friends is the level of security.

The amount of security around Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh is like none I have ever seen before. It is intense and it is everywhere. The reason for it is pretty obvious, but aside from the necessity it is there to make you and me and foreign diplomats feel at ease.
Except it does the opposite.

Mubarak party headquarters, Tahrir Square was burned out during the revolution in 2011
(c) fifiheavey

When I arrived at the Hilton, Cairo at 2am on our first night, I barely batted an eye to the security, well my eyes were barely open. But the next day the level and effort put into security around Cairo astounded me.



Airport security is something we have all come familiar with, we know the deal, the checks what is allowed, what is not. Now take that airport security, the metal detector, the bag xray machine, along with some serious looking armed men and their important and urgent questions and place that at every hotel in the country, every shopping mall, every cinema, every museum …. and you get an idea of the level of security in Egypt.

Security at hotel entrance of Marriott Sharm El Sheikh
(c) fifiheavey

If you take a taxi to your hotel, the taxi must stop and show identification before being let inside the 24 hour guarded gates. Also before the taxi can be admitted the boot must be popped open, and checked for explosives. Terrified passengers will also be given the once over with the guard's stern eye before you can be allowed to enter. You may have only left 20 mins before  but the same checks apply each and every time.

You may only want to step outside the hotel door for a cigarette or to check if your taxi is on time, but each time you enter you must pass the metal detector and your bag is scanned.
It is annoying, but is it too much?

For many it provides a safety blanket, a sure bet that your hotel will be safe from any suicide bombers and for a country that has a huge reliance on tourism that is a bet Egyptians want to win.

Sometimes it is the food, the people, the dress, the night-life, the social activities that divides one culture from another, for me it was the security.
Security is a loose term in Ireland, we don’t need it, so it gets little use. But even if we did need it, could we do it? I don’t think so not to that extent, we are too trusting and too lazy to be all the time on the watch out for terrorism activity.

The difference between Ireland and Egypt? The security.

Money scams at home and abroad

Going to any foreign speaking country with a different culture to your own, brings risk.

The biggest and most probable of those risks is that you will get fleeced for money.

Egyptian pounds
(c) fifiheavey

You will hand over too much money for services or goods. It may be by mistake or it may be that you want to avoid any international catastrophes.

Egypt is one of these countries where its inhabitants are professionally qualified to rid you of your money. And lucky for you they take any currency you have!

I am not talking about pick pockets here, no my experience of Egyptians is that they rather to politely ask you for your cash. Maybe for a tip or perhaps for some item that you do not want.

I didn't want a papyrus painting. I wanted to see the pyramids and go into the Egyptian museum and see the the Khan Ali-Kalili market. I also wanted to experience real Egyptian culture.

I did all of those things but I also bought a papyrus painting and some essence. I could have said no, I could have just walked away, at no point did I feel my safety was in danger - but still I felt pressured, I felt guilty and in the end I bought a painting.

Khan Ali-Kalili market, Cairo
(c) fifiheavey

My first 24-48 hours in Cairo were very expensive.

The main reason for that was it was my first time in Egypt and I stupidly told people that.

It is the first question Egyptians ask tourists. And the reason is if you say no then you probably know better than to trust them, but if you say yes – they have you!

So after 48 hours I was angry, I was resolved to be rude if I had to, to avoid spending unnecessary money on things, services I did not want.

And I mastered it, I haggled for my life, I walked away, I said 'NO' a lot and even tried to turn a money trick back on a native. I was a pro!

But then I got a huge shock, I had been fleeced for money long before I entered this new culture.

I was “robbed” at London Heathrow Airport.

My next door neighbours in the UK, of similar culture and the same language had tricked me out of so much more money than a hard working taxi man in Cairo ever could.

My flight to Cairo stopped over in Heathrow from Dublin. At the airport I realised that we would be landing in Cairo after midnight and was unsure if airport banks and exchanges would be open at that time. So I picked one out of the hundreds of currency exchanges shinning in the departure lounge in Heathrow.

I handed over €400, the nice smiley man told me an extra fiver and they charge no commission. Bargain. I did that and he handed me 2,600 LE (Egyptian pounds). It was only when we exchanged money in Cairo that we realised I had been squandered out of €100 in the first exchange because the nasty bankers had converted my money to sterling before moving it on.

Moral of the story: You don't need to go to Egypt to be fleeced, but at least I got a papyrus painting while there!

The Final Judgement -  the most famous scene to be duplicated on papyrus.

The Fear Factor

“Things are hotting up in Egypt” is a popular comment I have heard over the past week – and the commentators are not talking about the weather.

In two weeks time I will be holidaying in Cairo. I am so excited and despite the media hype and misinformation abound I am not at all afraid that I will get caught up in some dangerous situation.

It may seem strange but I can't see myself walking out of the hotel and being hoisted on to the shoulders of mad protesters heading to Tahrir square or the US embassy.

Everything I have read seems to point that there were less than 500 at the US embassy protest on September 11, and that since then there have been no violent clashes. Protests continue – but protests continue in every country for a variety of reasons every day.

Protesters chant slogans amid orange smoke outside the U.S. embassy on September 11.

Photo: Time World http://world.time.com

Several cruise ships have altered their plans to avoid Egypt and the US Government has warned against travel there. But have they warned against travel to Sydney or Paris? There are protests there too against the controversial movie.

Remember nobody was killed in the protests in Cario. 

Last year I joined (as in went to see) an austerity protest in Athens during a stop over. Days before and after buildings had been set on fire, the city was being flashed around the world as a violent city. But when I was there it was just a protest – a mass one with thousands of people, angry people – the city was piling high with rubbish due to strikes - but there was no violence on the day I was there, just some stink! We also did not get any hassle from the protesters, one of my friends got interviewed for Greek TV!

I don't want to join in any protests in Egypt, but if I get to see one I would find it interesting to see one from a safe distance. To gauge their level of discontent to get an idea of the age profile and to try and understand the issue from their point of view.

Flight cookies - not very yummy

My heart was beating fast, my sweaty palms held my credit card and I was about to explode with excitement as I finally got around to booking my flights to Egypt.

magic-horizon.com

But then, wait.

That's not the price - €30 jump in a matter of minutes. 

But I checked the price last week and twice today – just be sure.

Despair.

This is not God smiting me for my indecisiveness, this is for being too frugal, too careful. This punishment is for checking the flights costs, times, etc too many times.

I just want to board a plane.
(c) fifiheavey

My techie friends tell me that of course the more I search a certain flight on a particular date and time, the more demand it creates – putting the price up. 

That is fair enough, but:

“Some booking sites save your previous flight searches to figure out how badly you really want that flight – the more you search it , the more they increase the price.”- How cheeky.

The same sites can also increase prices after the date you have searched for to pressure you into thinking the price will increase if you wait to buy.

Outraged and a little sad that I had not just purchased the flight a week ago, I asked for help. 

The only tips I got were:

(A) Be more decisive – a personal weakness.

(B) Clear browser cookies each time you search a flight – making the sites think it is your first look every time.

Aeroplane cookie ...

To do this using Google chrome:

1- click the wrench icon on the tool bar

2- Select settings

4- In the privacy section, click content settings

5- In the cookies section – open the cookies and other data dialog

6- Remove all.

I did this and hurriedly checked the price again – no change. 

So maybe leave it a few days?

The flight is for October 1 – any advice on whether I should put off till later or just cave and buy now??

Egypt: To drive or not to drive?

I am in holiday planning mode and the destination is Egypt.

Obviously the pyramids and sphinx will need to be visited, as will some amazing museums in Cairo. 

After a week of sightseeing we are hoping to retire to Sharm el Sheikh to while away the hours on the beach, scuba diving and relaxing.

It sounds very pleasant doesn't it? No real adventure there.

That was until I goggled “Driving in Egypt.”

The more I read on the dangers of driving in this north African country the more I want to do it! 

If I survived Casablanca – this cant be too bad can it?

“Cairo is one of the biggest and busiest cities in the world with more than 25 million inhabitants. Roads in the centre of the city can have up to 8 lanes, although the lack of actual marked lanes is what makes driving here quite difficult," explain Rhino Car Hire.

Traffic in Cairo  http://erinsjourney.blogspot.co.uk

Ah the old 'lack of marked lane' issue. I drive on an 'unmarked' country road in Ireland most days – would that experience help?

“Not only do you have to deal with unruly cars but you can often see livestock and donkeys in the middle of the road.” - Ah so my country driving will come in handy. Livestock pouring onto the road will be no challenge. That is of course unless the said livestock is also combating the eight 'marked lanes' in the city ...

It is obviously a bit of an Arch de Triumph roundabout situation – so just push ahead I say. The speeding limit is 90kmph (about 59 mph) in Egypt so once we have out seat belts on we should be safe as ...

“By law you must wear a seat belt at all times, front and back. Hardly any of the local cars in Egypt have working seat belts so it would be extremely unfair if police were to punish you for not wearing yours.” 

-Great. Really reassuring.

A different kind of traffic (c) fifiheavey

And just in case, I dared think that out of the city we were motoring happily: “Due to the heat, water should be carried with you at all times. You should also have anti-dehydration medication. If you get stuck in the sand don't spin the wheels as this will make a car sink deeper. You should avoid driving at night at all costs as there are many hazards in the form of pedestrians and carts.”

Also parking is next to impossible. And driving is one the right hand side. 

On the positive side we would get to cross the historic Suez canal, get a taste of the open road, get to see things off the beaten track, stop and go where we please.

And it would be strange of me to take a big holiday that does not hold any risks, no concerns for loved ones to worry bout back home Though maybe the unstable political tensions might take care of that one. 

Should we hit the open road?? (c) fifiheavey

So do I take a boring flight or risk my life?

Any positive Egypt driving experiences out there?