Sharm el Sheik

[tired-flyboy]

Hi guys and gals

Anybody know anything about Sharm el Sheik airport in the Sinai Penninsula in Egypt.

going to the resort on holiday and would like to know about the airport etc.

(the missus has a phobia about squat loos :rolleyes: so if you know what the loo's are like that'll help alot!)

Oh well - don't laugh - any websites would be helpful!


:ok: :ok:

[expedite_climb]

Sorry, never been in the terminal. It entirely depends on the time of day of your flight, but if you can, get a seat on the left hand side of the aircraft (i.e. A B C). You'll actually get a view of the Sinai peninsula that is great; assuming they are landing on 04 (I've been in 10 times in the last couple of years, and only once landed 22.)

[BillHicksRules]

Tired,

Mrs BHR and I spent our honeymoon there last year.

There is nothing at all for your wife to worry about.

The resort in my opinion puts all the Costas etc to shame. If you consider that in 1986 this was still part of Israel and had not really been developed it is amazing what the Egyptians have done in the time. It is still growing too. All the building work takes place in the winter time (out of season) so no worries there either.

We had a great two weeks. Weather was in the 50s (degrees C that is). Make sure you go either scuba diving or snorkelling. The water clarity is amazing. Make sure you invest in a pair of swim shoes. They are about £2 a pair but trust me they are the best buy you will make. The number of idiots who got their feet all cut by the coral was huge. Be very careful in the sun it is ferocious. You can get badly burned even from the reflection off the water or the sand even if you are in the shade.

Depending on the hotel you stay at you might be up to 30 mins drive from the town centre (the good hotels are all stretched out along the coast) but it is worth going into especially if you begin to want to try something of the local cuisine (most of the hotels are set-up to cater for the Europeans (Germans and Italians mostly). There are also chains like McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Hard Rock Cafe.

If you want to talk more then please feel free to ask. I will tell you what I can.

Cheers

BHR

[Crepello]

I agree - was there for a week in '99, great trip, fantastic diving, nice town, friendly people.

The airport terminal's fine. A word of caution though - when you're flying home, take plenty of bottled water from your resort. You can't drink the tap water in Sharm and the bottles are quite pricey in the terminal. This can mount up if you're delayed.

Hope this helps, enjoy your trip...

[mad_jock]

Some points.

1. Try and get some egyption pounds before you go out there. There is a bit of a scam to get a visa, only 1 exchange booth for two 757 loads etc etc.

2. Don't buy or take anything to do with the reefs. They have xrays everywhere to stop people runining it for others ( Don't have a problem with this. In fact quite pro it)

3. First day go to a pharmacy and get some rehydration salts. They do taste awful but its not half as bad as heat stroke.

4. On the roof of the camel bar be a bit careful with the apple bongs. I have my doudts when you get back to the UK and have a drugs test what they might find.

5. There is a brillant seafood resturant in the next town along from sharm forget then name but one of the dive guides should be able to tell you.

6. Warn your wife about hissing men. The 2 scots girls i went diving with towards the end of the week had to get restrained from starting fights with the locals. They basically see all western women as tarts because of the way they dress and they have no probs at all letting them know about it ( to be honest they did have a point with our 2). But if you cover your shoulders and respect there way of life you don't get any grief.

7. If your a PADI diver ignore the next remark. If diving try and avoid getting paired with a warm water holiday diver. Its a right pain in the :mad: if you have to buddy with one of them. On shark reef I had to make a rather frantic 15m drop when one of them started sinking away into the big blue. He was lucky I caught him at 40meters another 5 and I was turning back, only another 700 meters below him to the bottom.

8. There is a chamber in sharm, make sure your insurance covers it and a hyperbaric medivac back to UK.

9. No squat loo's on resort but if you go on the trip to see the sun rise up on the Mount (well worth it i thought) the tourist facilitys are very basic ie earth closet bring your own bog paper or go local and use your hand. And stay well clear of camels!!!!!

And finally take an Italian phrase book. Or just learn "shut up you noisy b :mad: ards". None of us had any problems with the food or locals (apart from the hissing at the girls). As usual it was a squad of football shirt wearing pissed thugs trying to wind up the italians which was the only small hassel. Although maybe we should learn a thing or 2 about policing. After they had an automatic rifle pointed at them and relieved of all there money they didn't do it again.

MJ

[747FOCAL]

what is a squat loo?

[mad_jock]

a hole in the floor with if your lucky 2 foot prints either side. And the height of luxury is a tap to wash your hand.

Used often will develop your thighs. Although feeling light headed and squirty guts tends to give a rather alarming burn to your thighs and you really don't want to let your shorts drop down to your ankles.

If you slip your in the poo so to speak.

mj

[747FOCAL]

oh no way. thank god we are more civilized than that.

[tired-flyboy]

Thanks for all the responses!

The other half feels slightly better about going now!



:ok:

[sharpshot]

It's been between +34 and +38 deg c with a north easterly breeze most of the week.