Vacation for beginners. Sharm Sheikh.
Having previously collected available information about the country, resorts, hotels (from friends, on the Internet), I decided to go on exploration myself for a possible subsequent family vacation. Therefore, I chose an inexpensive 3 * hotel in the Hadaba area (Egypt, Sharm el-Sheikh, the old city area). Went for the first time. Everything was unusual. At the airport, I was handed a voucher and tickets, I checked in and boarded the plane. I used to fly a lot on the Yak 40, Tu-134, but the Boeing 737 was beyond praise: a soft takeoff, a minimum of noise in the cabin and laying in the ears, lunch, 3.5 hours and I was in Egypt. We got off the plane - it burned immediately with 42 degree heat. On an air-conditioned bus. Further into the airport hall. We filled out the entry card, 15 bucks for a stamp-visa and already in the hall, we are waiting for luggage. 40 minutes later the bags appeared. I identified my own, took it and found that it was still opened, out of 2 bottles of vodka one was broken, and the bag was somehow crumpled. Okay, then I go to the exit, I meet the tour guide, who gives the right direction to the bus. (More about luggage: my friends on the plane received their luggage exactly 6 days later, when they were already going home, so they rested for a week without things).
Well, I got on the bus - it's cool, the air conditioner is working, I went through an introductory briefing from the guide that all trips and movements should be done with your tour operator, insurance, etc. and now at the hotel.
Stage 1 began, so to speak, the actual rest.
The gloomy and slow receptionist (Ramadan, after all, as it turned out) gave me some kind of card to fill out while I was thinking, irritably put a squiggle in it himself and took me to the room. They walked, circled, opened the room - there was a breath of dampness and smell. I don’t know about anyone, but bedbugs love me very much, so when I asked if there were these insects in the room, the room was closed and we went on in circles. (I did not give a bribe).
In another room, the air conditioner immediately turned on, a double bed, TV, refrigerator, bathroom - everything was working. The hotel clerk grunted, I’ll tell you everything about tomorrow and left. Time 19.30, I myself sit on the bed and think what to do next.
1. Meeting with the hotel guide at 20.00.
2. I learned from the Internet and contacted Russian people who can help at first in Sharm
link: http//www.turpravda.com/eg/sharm_el_sheyh/Sun_Set_Partner-h16377-question-13253.html#ans.
(i. sharm replied 2 weeks ago
If you don’t stay at the hotel, but go out to the sea during the day (and not necessarily to the hotel beach) and walk around Sharm in the evening (there are enough places), then it will do. Of course there are treshki and better and with a more convenient location, but they are also more expensive. So take a good attitude with you and go ahead. If you want, we can meet when you arrive. I will bring you up to date - where to go (have fun, eat, see), how much it costs approximately and other little things that will help save time and money. Write in private
Rebuilt my phone to the local network (network selection, manual, Vodafone). Reset SMS to the number 0181537578 (Marat, Irina) indicated his hotel, number, name. Removed 4 hryvnia.
In a minute, the answer is: wait in the room, I will be at 21.00. (By the way, Marat, who arrived exactly at 21.00, really helped me a lot in the first 2 days: he drove everywhere, showed me, told me what, where, how much and when.
And to meet the hotel guide. His name was Yuri Presnyakov. A thin, friendly, tired boy in a foreign land.
Everything was explained clearly. Where to sleep, how to eat, where to go. I was a little scared by insurance and excursions from locals. But thank you very much. He did his job well. And my first adaptive stress was removed. Left my phone.
Stage 2. Meeting with Marat.
I am sitting on the steps of the hotel, I feel the hot breath of the evening, exactly at 21.00 Marat came. And we went into the UNKNOWN. The road, the cars are honking (this is how all taxis invite you to a trip, and it’s just a sound guide for preventing accidents, as I understood later - they say, FA-FA, food, beware... ) We are going somewhere, the lights are on along the road, hotels illuminated, only men walk on the sidewalk, in general, everything is somehow unusual, exotic. Walked about 2 km. We arrived at the Old Market. Sellers began to throw themselves under their feet, in pairs and singly, and I’m already a friend, a brother and a countryman for them, just come in and buy, just smoke a hookah, friend! They shake hands, surround me... So Marat calmly sorted me out and we came to the same shop, to buy Rafatka for me from the sun, it seems. From the initial price of $ 6 and Marat synthetics, using the magic word “SALAM, SHUKRAM, MIN FADLAK”, as well as mentioning some Arab friend, well, choosing a beautiful scarf for me, that is, a cotton rafat and for $ 2, we left. He told me everything about trade, about transport, about local customs.
Stage 3. Independent.
So, I will summarize for beginners.
Near the Old Market, along the Naema Bay highway, there is a Metro supermarket, an ordinary grocery and hardware store, but the best thing for a beginner is that there are price tags on goods and this makes it possible to estimate the approximate cost of the purchase. There is a souvenir shop with price tags opposite the Old Market gate, 50 meters towards the road to Naema Bay. The same supermarket near the fish restaurant on the street. El mercato - can be seen from afar. There is a network of banks near the mosque, the telephone tower, where you can easily exchange currency, they will even give you change in dollars. Actually, I had a map of Sharm Sheikh (thanks to “nadin65”, sent it) and I was quite free, the next day, having passed the route of yesterday evening in the morning, I began to navigate the terrain, in space and in time.
There is only one principle - the first days of free collection of information, price comparison, getting used to local customs and people. The working common people are calm and friendly, merchants and the hotel and entertainment business are not aggressive, but the shine of the dollar in the eyes is immediately visible, the grip is tenacious and I will make a reservation right away - a Russian tourist is a game for them, speaking in hunting comparisons, but who is the hunter, it’s clear. So that all the smiles, kind words are a smoke screen, how to heat up more.
From my experience:
Roughly knowing already the prices in supermarkets (they are also slightly overpriced), I wandered into a hotel store. Need a plastic camera bag for underwater photography. Estimated price 25-15 dollars. We started trading at $30 and ended at $22. I take the purchase, gave the money and suddenly I hear - that the seller seemed to be mistaken, and this box is big, it still costs $ 30, - "give me an extra charge. " I liked my answer and state of mind afterwards very much. I simply told him that there was a bargaining about the price, the last word was said - so keep the answer, no - take everything back. "Okay, let's say 22. "
And this pattern was repeated several times. The general principle is to trade to the maximum in order to leave the original price, and if the client nevertheless dodged, immediately add some kind of trouble. (Oriental trick, so to speak) Or: We are going on an excursion to Cairo. 45 dollar. Everything is agreed. Cairo, museum, papyrus factory, aroma oil shop, lunch included in the price. There is no trip on the Nile, optional - $ 9. Everything is simple and clear. But in practice, after the museum, everyone is taken to lunch - how? That's right, along the Nile to the river restaurant. Two ladies refused us - swaying - "you will be left without lunch"! So, 10 dollars each (there is no change) still had to be given to them. But everything goes politely, without aggression and scammers. By the way, there was just a "Ramodan", I did not see a single drunk, and even a hint of some sort of disassembly or fight.
So further. I walked my first 2 days. The heat and burning sun starts around 11.00 and until 14.00. They advised me not to take risks under the sun, so I walked under a Bedouin cape. The local people really liked it. When entering the store, he always greeted: "Salam", thanked: "shukran", and in general, everything was calm. I got acquainted with the local color of "Naema Bey" (- pearl Sharm el Sheikh). I got there by regular fixed-route taxi at a fixed price of 1 pound. In the minibus, an ordinary laborer, tired of the heat and the life of his people. (12.00, sunny, and on the roads with picks and shovels, they are hammering something, construction, cleaning. I’m walking somehow along the road to the Old Market, and trees have already been planted along the sidewalk, it wasn’t there yesterday... ). But everyone is friendly, trying to help, smiling. During the trips I saw 3 women in the minibus - 1 foreigner and 2 Egyptians in headscarves. Their attitude is also calm and friendly. No taunts, no greasy jokes. People just go where they need to go about their business. Once the police stopped the car - checking documents, everything is also polite and calm. Speaking of the police. As I understand it, everyone here is afraid of her and dislikes her for bribery. Police posts are really common, 2-3 people are standing and everyone is with Kalashnikov assault rifles. Terrible spectacle. But they seem to have the situation under control. Although, later on, I openly walked by and said hello, and said about the Kalashnikov assault rifle, that they say, “my assault rifle served with this one. ” They nod, smile. People are like people. And at the airport, when flying back during a search at the entrance, a policeman feels me, smiles and says: “I love you”, a joker, however. The second one is just a ballpoint pen, hap... "souvenir", "well, no, " I say, "I still have to write to her in Kyiv, " I gave it away right away.
But… Here is the attitude towards Russians in the market, in the hotel, it is difficult to call it respectful. They push what they can, they make a noise and somehow contemptuously talk like that in their own dialect. From my conversations, when I have already grown bolder, I already conduct excursions for beginners, we buy something, we bargain. They break the price, but I'm already a “grated hunk”, I stand my ground. Seller: "Are you Russian? - Yes, “Why so greedy? Is it a pity for 1 dollar? I say, "Okay, are you an Arab? " - Yes. "Why so greedy? For 1 dollar. After all, the price is still higher than ours, and then, we came for the first time, we won’t earn this dollar here, but you still sell someone. Let's give up. " In general, they agreed on half.
When they were already completely impudent and rammed: “Russian, come in, hookah, show your wife in the photo, buy a souvenir, let's take a picture” (and then, of course, pay 5 pounds) - I switched to an unfamiliar language (Ukrainian, Polish). Immediately allowed, thoughtfully and cautiously went to the side, no longer got. Almost everyone knows English. Foreigners are all respectfully afraid, except for Russian speakers. (So I don't understand why)
True, one local told how he was in Moscow at the airport from one terminal to another by taxi (200 meters) and how much he paid (in Vnukovo, it seems). Yes, and upon arrival in Kyiv, I saw HOW Kiev taxi drivers invited Jews to the trip and WHAT price they offered. So that, probably, the equal sign can be put, if not more less.
The hotel seems to be quiet too, but ask for a beach towel, a strap, a safe - ask for drinks on an all inclusive - beg, pour 20 grams. On a tour - beg for a reserve breakfast again. Mineral water with gas - the hotel did not meet. Once already and “showed his teeth” - they immediately became polite.
But, as “nadin65” writes, and the sea? Beaches? Sea yes... ! Turquoise-blue, with violet transitions to depth. Salty, dense (do not drown). All living creatures are not afraid. Sea urchins stick out with needles from all holes, fish of all colors and shades. I saw 2 moray eels, stingrays, and at a depth - a wall going down -1 km? 2 big fish frolic. Visibility is excellent, 40 meters. (I was scuba diving at 20 meters and you can see up and down. Purple blue and the depth are scary down - breathtaking, and up - people are splashing, fish swim on the coral wall, multi-colored corals grow. The water is warm, an hour swam not frozen. Well, and, probably, good for health. The salinity is still high. Gargled the throat.
About water. I learned from the locals that the water supply is desalinated. While they are being transported, transported, it picks up some kind of filth, but they don’t even recommend drinking boiled water - technical, in a word. Drinking only purchased. I took in the store 1.95 pounds for a bottle of 1.5 liters, Coca Cola 2 liters. for 5 pounds. But the water is different and the prices are different . By the way, I liked the local beer. Obolon and Rogan are inferior in taste.
The price of gasoline - $ 1 - for 3 liters, is somewhere around 2.50 hryvnia per liter (with the current we have 7 hryvnia per liter). Therefore, probably, all buses and parked cars are not turned off - air conditioners work, and gasoline is cheap.
Well, briefly, roughly - my impressions. I will add more details later. Good luck to all newbies.