Hi Plumbob,firstly you really will love Egypt,and your itinerary sounds wonderful
Health wise there are several precautions you should take but please dont be put off as advice is often in one hit and it can be "scary".
Take hand gel for cleansing as the money is dirty and use it a lot.
Get a prescription for 500 mg antibiotics and the minute you think you are having a bad tummy take one,it will hit the germ immediately.
if you do get a bad tummy the pharmacies know exactly what to give you.
Take re-hydration sachets.
The men are quite interested in european women but are friendly,just be aware !
Remember it is a Muslim country so it is nice to respect this and best for women not to go topless,also of course it attracts "attention".
Dress code in the hotels is pretty much the same as anywhere,smart/casual,and no bikini tops worn without a cover up.
If you look through the forum you will see lots more advice its just a matter of sifting through.
My family and i have been to Egypt several times and completely love it
hope this is of help
Phyll

Egypt is probably our most favourite destination now we have moved from UK to live in Cyprus 4yrs ago.

It's a fascinating place with so many different contrasts, particularly when you go from Cairo into the likes of Luxor and Aswan. We love the place, particularly Luxor and the Egyptians are one of the most friendly races we have come across in our many years of travel.

I'm sure you will love it and the cruise is a great experience.

The previous poster has it right - the local pharmacies will know what to give you if you do get Egyptian tummy and so will the cruise doctor if you need it then. The local stuff is called Antenal and contains an antibiotic and is stronger and more effective than Imodium.

Drink bottled water, always make sure the bottle you get has its' top sealed before you drink it. Don't go out in the hot sun and then inside to the airconditioned rooms to have a cold drink. Take a glass of hot tea first (they drink it without milk, so you need to ask if you want it) and then have a cool drink afterwards. Try not to drink alcohol in the daytime as you will just dehydrate more quickly and are then much more likely to run the risk of an upset tummy.

Most of all - enjoy!

And whatever you do - DON'T forget to take your camera

It amazes me that you can get prescription antibiotics from a GP in the UK when normally they only prescribe them when you have an illness? I asked my GP for some and she was Egyptian, she wouldnt prescribe me any, she stated that there are many types of antibiotics, and its knowing the cause before they can prescribe.

Another health seed to take for tummy problems is grapefruit from health stores, Men and women in the Navy and working on the rigs take them, it combats infection in the gut. Buscopan from pharmacies is where you receive them in resort, but take some from the chemist in the UK. These are for cramps and they work.

Antinel i used to always use, but no more(as i am now immune), so as soon as the pains and runs start i go to the doctors on site, get the injection for £35 or if you have paid the excess you will pay nothing.It stops within half an hour.

Good luck on your trip, Egypt is lovely

I took Acidophilus ,from Holland and Barrett when I went last month on the advice of a member on here.I have never been ill abroad as I am obsessed with hand washing,but took these to be on the safe side.Its not advisable to take antibiotics for diarrhoea unless you know for certain its caused by bacteria as they can do more harm than good.Just be sensible what you eat and drink and you will be fine.The anti bacterial gel is a great help especially after handling the money!

Interesting to read as we are also making our first trip to Egypt end August 2008.
Ive been to Goa many time and all the precautions people are mentioning are the exact same for Goa, so nothing new to us (which is good to know! )
Any other hints, tips and advice greatly appreciated, thanks

Hi,when i first replied i couldnt remember the name of the antibiotic,so i rang my surgery it is Ciprofloxicin and was recommended in a sainsburys magazine last year, in a section devoted to travel health.
I know it seems unusual for a dr to script these but when i explained what they were for he understood and agreed.
Phyll

I wish mine would phill, my Gps are so laid back i often think i need to resuscitate themI

When do you take the antibiotic when cramps and runs appear?

Yes immediately you get that cramp take just 1 x 500 mg and it really works

I bought this antibiotic in Turkey many years ago without a prescription and you may be able to buy it in Egypt.

Thanks for the tip. Will buy this anti-biotic when we go to Goa in March and keep it for use in August (if needed!)

Be careful if you have to take this medication abroad because it advises you are NOT exposed to strong sunlight whilst taking it. Look on NetDoctor.co.uk for advice.

Yes Briar is quite right to menton this, i only found out about this particular antibiotic as mentioned in my post above,but as with all medication we do need to check safety.

Hi, sorry to hijack the post but i thought it appropriate as it will be my first time to Egypt in November this year.

I've been reading through the posts so i think i've got my checklist but i just wanted to check:

Do you need any injections to travel Egypt?
I understand i require a Visa - can someone confirm?
We are staying at the St George three corners resort in Sharm el sheik but i'm looking at going to Cairo for the day. I have found a website called sharm-club.com and they offer the following:

flight to cairo
two hours in the egyptian museum
trip to pyramids and sphinx (2 1/2 hours)
lunch in 5* restaurant overlooking nile or pyramids
45 sailboat cruise on the nile
and some time to shop
flights and transfers back

All this for £100 - Is this good value? Is it really possible to do all this in one day? Will i be missing out on anything?! For an extra £20 they include the sound and light show at the pyramids and for £30 it's a private tour so would there be anything in addition to the above or in place of that i could perhaps look at instead?

I would love to camel ride round the pyramids but i've been told that they overcharge you a great deal - are there any tips on how much it costs or how much to expect to pay?

Many thanks!

We gave the camel man at the pyramids £10 for my husband and son to each have a ride and take photos. He seemed very happy with this and I thought £5 a go seemed fair enough. No rush or anything. There isn't a fixed price so presume you can try any amount.

This August will be our 3rd trip to Egypt. Before going I always thought Turkey was the bees knees how wrong was I. I cant get enough of Egypt now as there is always something to see each time we return. Roll on August 2008
Paula

be very very careful folks taking any antibiotics for diarreah.............do you know that clostridium difficile is caused by antibiotics?? and this can be fatal in older people and young people. Antinol which you can buy in egyptian chemists will clear it up i have never had a stomach upset but my son did last year he took it and the effect was almost immediate.

lotty944 wrote:

be very very careful folks taking any antibiotics for diarreah

Agreed. The one my mum (Phyll) mentions though was specifically recommended in the Sainsburys magazine for holiday diarrhoea as it's been proven to be effective in many cases.