5 Nov 2011

ARRIVAL AND FIRST HOLIDAY




After our exciting arrival in Egypt we both slept like babies from 8 pm until 7.30 am !!

I had booked wheelchair assistance for my friend Chantal who walks on crutches. Our travel agency swore that this time everything was in order and we would be brought to the airplane and upon our arrival in Egypt we would be picked up in the airplane and let through the customs with a wheelchair. Last time I had troubles with the wheelchair so this time I wanted to be sure !!

On the paper was written "wheelchair assistance on ramp", which meant that there was a wheelchair available at the airport. But the long way from airplane to the passport control we should walk. A truck with lift waited at the airplane, but there was no wheelchair. The assistant told me it would arrive immediately and we should sit down at the border check in.


In this huge truck with elevator where 4 wheelchairs but not for us apparently. I think I will never" understand this logic !

After half an hour the "immediately" was changed into a moment and changed again into immediately. Nearly 2 hours later and having "spoken" (I slighly lost my initial kindness) to 5 responsibles in uniform, there was still no wheelchair and we got fed up and were rather unnerved ! Finally a very friendly custom guy helped us to go through the border, showed our passports got the visas and we could pick up our suitcases (always without wheelchair !) But at least we didn't have to wait in the long line of tourists. Apparently nobody was afraid of the Egyptian revolution in spring, I have never seen so many tourists like this time.

Outside, our travel agency bus waited with all people sitting inside except us and fortunately another couple. Instead of arriving at 2 pm in the afternoon it was nearly 4 when we finally arrived in the hotel half dead !

Today was our first day and the sun was shining, the water warm and the food delicious. We made an appointment for a massage our cure from today on should be perfect ! The staff is so very friendly and cheerful just as last your. Egyptians like to joke and have a lot of humor.

Besides the fact that I was in war with one surviving mosquito which bit me and I had to put an anti itching cream on, I slept very well.

The hotel had all bathroom renewed and the rooms freshly painted. Most of the guests are Germans, English, Scandinavians and a few Eastern country guests. But no badly behaving Russians !

At 3 the sun goes down slowly so we had breakfast at 8 and then lay at the beach because it is already quiet hot and stayed until 3 pm when it is getting cold.

10 comments:

  1. Totally illogical that having wheelchairs but not for you! I'm glad you eventually got sorted. Glad too that you have your lovely hotel and friendly staff and service. I hope the mosquito that bit you wasn't a pregnant female! I also thought that tourism would decline since the revolution earlier this year. Is it all peaceful where you are? Have a WONDERFUL day, my friend and soak up all the Vitamin D! (((hugs))) Jo

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  2. Today it is very bad for travellers with disabilities. We used to be able to take our own wheel chairs but now they can't go through customs because they might have something inside the pipes and they can't check. Isn't this ridiculous.
    Before you could take it inside and then they fold it up so you could sit on a chair and then either you wait till everyone leaves or they let you leave first with the wheel chair.
    If I still had my Mom, it would have been a nightmare for me to travel.
    Hope you enjoy your stay. So far it sounds nice.:)

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  3. Ende gut, alles gut. Glad you made it to your hotel....! Sundown begins at 3pm??? I am going nuts now turning lights on at 6pm, do not like it when clocks go back. Happy weekend under the sun!!

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  4. After the worst comes the best! Profitez bien de vos vacances au soleil!!! Ici c vent pluie et nuages!!! Pas de français sous le soleil d'Afrique! Sarko nous a miné avec sa crise!!!

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  5. So it seems that with a "little bit" of patience and no Russians around, everything eventually works fine...
    God bless you!
    Cezar

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  6. How terrible the day started, but Egypt looks so lovely! If the Russians are not there, does this mean you will have silverware on the tables?

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  7. It is a shame they wouldn't let you borrow a wheelchair.

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  8. Oh, how I hate those mosquito wars! At some point I tend to just put earplugs in so I don't hear them anymore and hope they've had enough to eat already and leave me alone. It never works...

    Hope you have a great holiday!

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  9. Oh, how I hate those mosquito wars! At some point I tend to just put earplugs in so I don't hear them anymore and hope they've had enough to eat already and leave me alone. It never works...

    Hope you have a great holiday!

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  10. Oh gosh! I feel so bad for your friend! I'm glad you finally got there. The hotel looks beautiful. Sorry you had an annoying unpaid guest in your room!

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