Why Egypt
The whole country sits on the banks of a river: ninety-five per cent of Egyptians live on five per cent of the territory, a green strip a few kilometres wide in the middle of the desert. That constraint is what produced the civilisation, and it is still visible from any aircraft.
Three trips coexist. The Nile valley, from Cairo to Abu Simbel, for the temples and the tombs. The Red Sea, for one of the best coral reefs in the world. And Sinai, mountains and Bedouins, which resembles neither of the others.
Getting around
The train follows the Nile from Cairo to Aswan and it is the simplest way: overnight sleeper trains save a hotel night and a day of travel. You have to book ahead, first-class berths go quickly.
Domestic flights link Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea in an hour, at a moderate price. A Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan remains the most pleasant way to travel, but it imposes its programme and its visiting hours — often the same as those of every other boat.
Money
Cash dominates everywhere. The Egyptian pound has depreciated sharply in recent years, which makes the country very affordable for a visitor, but also makes quoted prices obsolete quickly: check rather than rely on last year's guide.
Tipping — baksheesh — is a constant and expected practice, for any service rendered, including unrequested. Plan on a stock of small notes: it is the only way to handle the situation without friction.
Before you go
Sales pressure at the sites is strong and permanent, and it is what tires visitors most. A refusal must be clear and repeated without aggression; entering the discussion prolongs the exchange rather than ending it.
Tap water is not drunk. Raw vegetables washed in tap water pose the same problem: in the first days, sticking to cooked food and sealed bottled water avoids losing a week.
The sites of Upper Egypt open early and are visited before nine: after that, the heat and the groups make the day punishing. Tickets for certain tombs in the Valley of the Kings are bought separately from the general ticket.