Hurghada Egypt

[steve_b_wales]

September last year, we were getting 10 Egyptian pounds to our £1. Back in March, we got 20 to the £, and my friend who is out there now said that he is getting 23 to the £. I'm out there in September, so hope it either increases or at least stays the same.

[Uilleachan]

Hi Uilleachen, i probably did come across him, as every morning we had to go through Police security to get on the boats. Also, as the company i worked for, were a very large european travel company, they didn't quite understand how Egypt worked and the "bakshish" (basically bribes) system! They didn't allow for any cash to be spent, without a receipt provided, therefore "bakshish" could not be paid! This resulted in all our papers/ bags and all the guests passports/bags being thoroughly checked every morning and a 1/2hr delay. Whereas other centres walked through without any one or any crew/guest lists being checked. So i would imagine i did meet him at one point. Every so often there would a "big wig" at the check point. (Although i only worked out of Sharm and a little in Dahab)

 

 

Sounds like you'd have met him, sometimes in uniform sometimes not, but he'd have been one of your occasional bigwigs.

 

I worked for an Egyptian Company and for us, me in particular, getting a harbour pass to travel off shore, by boat or chppoer, always came down to cash as our company were always trying to cut corners, unless the captain was able to intervene on our behalf there's be a few quid involved.

 

The captain had his price too and for us that meant giving him lifts in the company pickup, to and fro his base round the corner from us to either Hurghada or Ras Gharib, that little service certainly greased the wheels for us.

 

He was quite a card and pals with our top company guy on the ground, so I'd see quite a bit of him when he was around, perhaps he was keeping an eye on me.

 

I put his hitchhiking down to a combination of his keeping on top of his own charges by them never knowing when he'd appear, and perhaps a little personal security, by maintaining a completely random travel and vehicle occupancy schedule.

 

Checking the diary it was the end of March through to the first week of April when I was last there, 23-24LE to the £1. Costs are up, but the exchange rate more than makes up for it. Imports were expensive, so it's fortunate I quite like Egyptian Stella

[LeadWasp]

ah the joys of being early birds on the Thistlegorm - then all the other boats turn up and start to shower the wreck in poo!