Security and Safety

I mentioned earlier the fact that foreign tourism is such an important part of the Egyptian economy. Therefore, security is of primary importance. There were guards everywhere. Every site we visited had lots of visible, armed guards at the entrance and throughout the facility. The day we toured Cairo and spent the day on a bus, an armed guard (in a pinstripe suit), named Mohammed, rode with us. At every stop he was first off the bus and milled around nearby while we were inside a building or park.

You may recall a few weeks before we traveled, Hamas had broken through the border into Egypt and it was some time before the flow of people was curtailed. The American propaganda machine was quick to point out that it was unknown how many terrorists managed to get into Egypt. I always felt well protected. One couple in our group decided to go out for dinner on their own and asked at the hotel if they would recommend a place nearby. They were accompanied by two armed guards to a nearby restaurant. I must admit I never saw foreigners out on their own.

Safety is a whole different issue. I don't know how many times we laughed and asked where OSHA was. The age of our group members was middle range, not all senior citizens as you might expect. Of the 38 of us, only about 8 were retired. Yet three in our group tripped and fell. Stairs had no railings. The temple floors were uneven and dangerous. No safety instructions were given on the boat. We discovered a life jacket under our bed and there were no life jackets on the transport boats (I looked).

As with the street traffic, the water traffic appeared to have no rules. The boat we took to the island temple of Isis was one of about a hundred others. Coming into dock meant literally pushing your way among the other boats to get to the point of disembarkation. All the boats bore the scars and scrapes of being pushed around. As passengers, we were bounced around a bit.

Boarding and leaving the boats was also an experience. I described getting onto the cruise boat, but getting on and off other water vehicles was quite creative. Once, we walked across piled sandbags as a gangplank. To get on and off the sailboat (falucca) , the pilot pushed out a plank about 18 inches wide and propped it from boat to shore. He and a companion then held a pole as a railing so we could get on the boat or off to shore. Don't look down and walk quickly (my thoughts but not spoken). This was not a trip for people unsteady on their feet.

Our tour guide reminded us repeatedly not to eat any food that wasn't cooked or drink water from the tap. The first class hotels were an exception. I think any place that charges $20 for a drink in the bar better have drinkable water.

Yet, we never had an accident or major mishap. No one in our group got sick (maybe a little motion sickness on the river). We traveled safely and saw many wonderful sights. It just works. Maybe we Americans are overprotected and coddled. Flying within the country, we could even have bottles of water and wear our shoes to get on the plane.