Egypt might be considered the world’s oldest tourist destination. With a plethora of cultural artifacts dating back thousands of years, and a long history of artistic, political, intellectual, and commercial milestones, the country and region have been attracting travelers since ancient times. The pyramids and tombs are not the only reason to visit Egypt. There is an extraordinary amount of art and architecture including relics from centuries of Greek, Roman, and Arabic occupation. All along the River Nile you can see different parts of Egyptian history that have survived thousands of years of cultural change and the rapid growth.
But Egypt, like so many ancient lands, has entered the modern world paradoxically. Laborers often use the tools of their ancestors to farm, while the automobile traffic in the cities can be maddening. These contrasts are all over Egypt, and how much modernization Egypt accepts will ultimately effect the past, as well as the future of this great land.
Most flights connect to Egypt through European cities. Flying domestically in Egypt can be expensive, but there are trains, buses, and boats that will take you anywhere you want to go. Trains and buses can be extremely crowded because they usually wait until they cannot fit another body, before pulling away from the station. This may be uncomfortable, but it’s a great way to immerse yourself in the culture.
Everyone traveling to Egypt is required to obtain a visa, avaible from Egyptian embassies worldwide. However, if you are from the United Stated, the European Union, Canada, or one of GCC countries, you can get a visa upon arrival at one of the larger airports, but you may want to deal with this beforehand, to avoid the trouble. Most visas last for one month, but they can generally be extended.
Traveling in Egypt is cheap: most meals cost under US$5, good hotels can be found for under US$50 a night, many are under US$25.
There are plenty of pickpockets around so it is a good idea to be extra careful with cash or valuables. Traveler’s checks are still a good way to carry cash as long as they are American Express or Visa. Credit Cards are accepted in some places, and there are ATM’s in larger cities.
Weather in Egypt
South of Cairo, toward Luxor and Aswan, the blazing heat can be very uncomforable between June and August. However, this is also the most crowded time of year around the Mediterranean Coast. So when you choose to go depends entirely on what you want to do. The best time to travel south of Cairo is December to February. If you want to enjoy the north shore, March to May is the least crowded time when the weather will still be warm.
Health Concerns in Egypt
Bilharzia ranks second behind malaria as a public health concern in tropical and subtropical areas. You can get this disease through contact with infected water, and in Egypt, it is mainly found in the waters of the Nile.
Diagnosing bilharzia is done by checking a patient’s urine or fecal matter. If you want to keep from getting this disease it is best to stay away from fresh water rivers and streams, especially near agricultural areas. For more information check out the following website: http: //www.who.ch/.
Egypt Information
Population: 69.5 million
Government: Republic
Square Miles: 622,272 sq mi (1,001,449 sq km)
Capitols: Cairo
Languages: Arabic
People: Berbers, Bedouins, and Nubians
Religion: 94% Islam, 6% Christian
Major products/industries: Oil & gas, metals, tourism, agriculture (especially cotton), and Suez Canal revenues
Australia is one of the world’s most unique natural habitats. Because it is isolated from most of the world, it has a wide variety of animals unique to its continent, and landscape that seems as impossible to live in as it is stunningly beautiful. It’s hard to justify trying to see all of Australia in just one trip. You will see some of the best beaches, experience some of the most inspiring wildlife, and meet among the finest people the world has to offer.
Montserrat was once called the “Emerald Isle of the Caribbean,” a phrase coined by Columbus. It is graced with lush mountains and landscape crowned by three towering volcanoes. Unfortunately, one of those volcanoes–the Soufrière Hills volcano–erupted in 1995, making most of the island uninhabitable.
To get to Montserrat you must fly to Antigua and either take a ferry or a helicopter charter to the island; the latter will prove to be a much more expensive route. The ferry ride takes about one hour, while the helicopter takes just twenty minutes. You can also arrive via helicopter from St. Kitts. To see the ferry or helicopter schedules click here.
Traveling to the Solomon Islands is not easy, with a troubled economic infrastructure, and fewer flights landing in its capital Honiara; however, the world-class scuba diving, fishing, snorkelling, and birding, as well as the colorful culture and the welcoming nature of the islanders makes this place very much worth a visit. Historically, interest in the Solomon Islands is focused on the role they played in the Pacific during World War II–the wreck-strewn waters of Iron Bottom Sound are testament to the strategic importance of the islands.
Panama has a checkered past, but as a modern country it runs one of the world’s most important waterways, the Panama Canal, and has built for itself a large offshore investing business. From its capitol at Panama City to its rainforests and rich coastlines, Panama is a beautiful land, but it suffers from increasing crime and an uncertain government.
Ancient history melds with cutting-edge technology; long, rainy, or freezing winters contrast against vibrant, endless days of summer. Such are the complexities of Scotland, a land where the gloomy weather very often belies the sunny dispostion of her people.
But Scotland isn’t just for escaping. The cities have lots to offer as well. Edinburgh is a thriving metropolis, banking and academic center, and home to the Royal seat in Scotland–the Palace of Holyroodhouse. There are a number of notable museums, such as the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery of Scotland, as well as unique and beautiful parks like Calton Hill (home to a number of Scottish monuments), Arthur’s Seat at Holyrood Park, Edinburgh Castle, and the Royal Botanic Garden. Take a stroll down the Royal Mile or through New Town and you’ll find pubs, shops, restaurants, and accomodations that will suit your mood. Glascow is a very different kind of city. This one-time shipbuilding capitol has weathered the storms of recession and come out the other side with a fresh, new perspective. Glascow is known for its art, design, and architecture. It’s a decidely more modern city than Edinburgh, and as such, it attracts a great deal of younger people. Make your way to Sauchiehall Street for all of your shopping, eating, and drinking needs; but don’t miss the history that Glascow has to offer too. In the eastern part of the city you’ll find the gothic Glasgow Cathedral, St. Mungo’s Museum of Religious Life and Art, and Provand’s Lordship (built in the 15th century, it’s the oldest house in Glascow). Another interesting attraction is the Tenement House museum–offering a window into middle-class life around the turn of the 20th century.
As apartheid and all that it represents becomes a thing of the past in South Africa, much of the country is moving forward with rejuvenated ideas, interests, and fair politics. And tourists are flocking back to South Africa in droves. Many of the dangers of traveling to this country have gone by the wayside: political violence is down, and with certain notable exceptions, touring the country is safer and more pleasurable than it was for much of the second half to the twentieth century.
Just because Canada borders the U.S. doesn’t mean it is like the U.S. The eastern parts of Canada, such as Quebec and Ontario, are modern and sophisticated; while the west and north are still somewhat wild, and often seem untouched compared to the United States and Europe.
St. Lucia, which is one of the bigger islands in the Windward Island chain of the lower Caribbean, has done what most of the Caribbean islands have done after the tapering off of their once rich agriculture and exports industries: turned itself over to tourism. After the sugar industry collasped the islands of the Caribbean struggled to get by until airplane travel made visiting these once remote outposts just a few flight connections away. There are still some old fishing villages mixed in among the resorts and charter sailboat operations, but the main industry now is tourism and service.
To understand more about this troubled Central American country one only needs to watch the movie Salvador, about the brutal civil war that tore the country apart in the 1980s. The civil war is now over in El Salvador, and its beauty and splendor–including active volcanoes and cloud forests–are starting to show again.