Rumour has it that Mubarak is now in Abu Dhabi according to two Jordanians I spoke with today .... better than Tel Aviv I guess
In France, rumors (radio) is that he is in Germany, where he has been before to get medical attention.
Egypt Update
- Thread starter Crowley
- Start date
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In France, rumors (radio) is that he is in Germany, where he has been before to get medical attention.
Hi Crowley,
Was finding your discussions on tourism activity on the Red Sea very valuable. Can you give us an update of how things are going this week? Are flights / tour operators resuming yet? What is the general feel of how things will go in the next weeks?
Was finding your discussions on tourism activity on the Red Sea very valuable. Can you give us an update of how things are going this week? Are flights / tour operators resuming yet? What is the general feel of how things will go in the next weeks?
OP
I don't have all the info as to whom is flying where. For business purposes, our main customer base has had their flight restrictions lifted - and we have to wait to see what happens.
All the major red sea resorts are safe - they always were - and I think we''ll be okay
C.
All the major red sea resorts are safe - they always were - and I think we''ll be okay
C.
OP
update - we had 11 check-ins today from our biggest tour operator - and enough that I will be making check dives tomorrow and finally going out on a boat again! Yay!
Come back to Egypt everybody, we miss you!
C
Come back to Egypt everybody, we miss you!
C
InTheDrink
Contributor
Hey Crowley I'm working on it. Was looking at Soccorro or Azoers for autumn diving but sounds like the red sea may well be the place to be right now.
Please try to keep it relatively (but not too) quiet until September please!!!
J
edit: I've got some friends coming sharm way in a week or so. We won't desert you.
Please try to keep it relatively (but not too) quiet until September please!!!
J
edit: I've got some friends coming sharm way in a week or so. We won't desert you.
Awesome news Crowley, when I arrive in August I will have to shoot over to Sharm and finally attach a face to the post. Beer's on me!!!
Vassilis Vlachopoulos
Contributor
I’ve just returned from an excellent diving week-end in Dahab and I wish to share my experience and some thoughts.
1. Safety : I went/drove alone by car from Cairo to Dahab and back and didn’t feel insecure, not for a single moment. The usual check-points are in place and I was hardly bothered. My passport was checked only once, when crossing (actually going under) the Suez Canal, back from Sinai towards Cairo. Road traffic and life in the small towns along the western cost of the Sinai peninsula were as usual.
2. Tourism : Ok, tourism is low but gradually picking up. But neither Sharm nor Dahab are “ghost cities”. Most shops seem to operate and there is normal local life in the streets. Yet, business traffic is low, so shops, restaurants etc, are a bit pushy in prompting you to buy. Also, it gets unusually quiet after 9 or 10 in the evening.
3. Diving : A real enjoyment (both for divers and the fishes).. The Blue Hole was there just for me ! Weather conditions are very good. When not windy, a T-shirt is enough. But watch out, it gets fresh in the evening. Water temperature is at 22 Celsius. I was very comfortable in 5mm wet suit, although my local friends were complaining – they are too much accustomed to the warmth of the Red Sea.
Having said all that, you can’t fail noticing that “something” is not ok. The diving clubs are empty most time of the day. Some are closed, or worse, closed down – so I was told. It feels sad to walk-by diving clubs, seeing dry “wet” suits hanging and tanks neatly stored waiting to be used once again. It is also painful to see all these hundreds day-trip boats moored in Sharm bay, empty and alone, as if they have been cursed. It reminded me of the “decommissioned” merchant ships I often see in Greece moored away, to cut down operating costs, when the shipping industry is in crisis.
The good news is that the people I spoke with are optimistic, both for the business and Egypt’s future in general. Tourism is picking up, yet the progress is slow. I strongly believe that this is a right time to visit (or re-visit) the Egyptian Red Sea. Along with supporting the industry, visitors and divers can get more for less: Good abundant services with a variety to choose from, for substantially better prices. And, on top, the possibility to ask, discuss and learn from very experienced people, who now have the time and the willingness to spend literally hours discussing fine diving techniques, telling stories and sharing tips. I was fortunate to spend a couple of days with Tom Steiner, a TDI Course Director at Dahab Divers, a “tech” dedicated guy with a wealth of knowledge and experience from all over the world. You can’t imagine how much valuable information I took away out of these two days.
1. Safety : I went/drove alone by car from Cairo to Dahab and back and didn’t feel insecure, not for a single moment. The usual check-points are in place and I was hardly bothered. My passport was checked only once, when crossing (actually going under) the Suez Canal, back from Sinai towards Cairo. Road traffic and life in the small towns along the western cost of the Sinai peninsula were as usual.
2. Tourism : Ok, tourism is low but gradually picking up. But neither Sharm nor Dahab are “ghost cities”. Most shops seem to operate and there is normal local life in the streets. Yet, business traffic is low, so shops, restaurants etc, are a bit pushy in prompting you to buy. Also, it gets unusually quiet after 9 or 10 in the evening.
3. Diving : A real enjoyment (both for divers and the fishes).. The Blue Hole was there just for me ! Weather conditions are very good. When not windy, a T-shirt is enough. But watch out, it gets fresh in the evening. Water temperature is at 22 Celsius. I was very comfortable in 5mm wet suit, although my local friends were complaining – they are too much accustomed to the warmth of the Red Sea.
Having said all that, you can’t fail noticing that “something” is not ok. The diving clubs are empty most time of the day. Some are closed, or worse, closed down – so I was told. It feels sad to walk-by diving clubs, seeing dry “wet” suits hanging and tanks neatly stored waiting to be used once again. It is also painful to see all these hundreds day-trip boats moored in Sharm bay, empty and alone, as if they have been cursed. It reminded me of the “decommissioned” merchant ships I often see in Greece moored away, to cut down operating costs, when the shipping industry is in crisis.
The good news is that the people I spoke with are optimistic, both for the business and Egypt’s future in general. Tourism is picking up, yet the progress is slow. I strongly believe that this is a right time to visit (or re-visit) the Egyptian Red Sea. Along with supporting the industry, visitors and divers can get more for less: Good abundant services with a variety to choose from, for substantially better prices. And, on top, the possibility to ask, discuss and learn from very experienced people, who now have the time and the willingness to spend literally hours discussing fine diving techniques, telling stories and sharing tips. I was fortunate to spend a couple of days with Tom Steiner, a TDI Course Director at Dahab Divers, a “tech” dedicated guy with a wealth of knowledge and experience from all over the world. You can’t imagine how much valuable information I took away out of these two days.
Very annoying, had planned trip to Egypt since November but girlfriend isnt interested now because of the Depeartment of Foreign Affairs warning extreme caution. Says she just wouldnt be able to relax properly because the situation is volatile. Protesters attacking reporters, and separately abducting and gang raping Lara Logan, CNN news reporter was the final straw,
macrobubble
Contributor
That´s just not correct!
1 - she is with CBS News
2 - she was not gang raped! She was stripped and beaten and then rescued by other protesters (women!) and army personal. It happened right on Tahrir square.
3 - That was 4 weeks ago!!!
That should of course not be any kind of excuse of what happened, but it´s been long ago and Egypt is in no way dangerous to foreigners anymore - if it ever was. You will find similar assaults in any major city on this planet if you search the news. NYC is propably more dangerous at any given day than any place in Egypt.
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