Post-revolution, the struggle is real people wear their desperation like a coat. Especially since convincing people from some countries to go somewhere out of their comfort zone - heck, to travel at all - can be an uphill battle.ĭespite this, the truth - my truth - is that I found travelling in Egypt (at least without a tour/on a self-crafted itinerary) to be difficult. Silly as it may seem, I don’t actually want to discourage people from travelling anywhere. I think you can begin to understand my dilemma. Do I scare potential visitors off with the story of how I was harassed and then mugged in the streets of Aswan? Or do I skip that narrative and simply play up the beauty of a felucca ride on the Nile? Likewise, do I mention the uncomfortable feeling of vulnerability that followed me like a bloodhound the whole trip, express my surprise at the level of corruption I witnessed? Or do I stop short at enthusiastically describing my chance encounter with a lovely local man amongst the delicious treasures found in Cairo’s markets? In truth, I haven’t been entirely sure how to respond. People have written me with queries about the country’s socio-political climate, and have expressed concerns about their personal safety and security. Still, in the months since my trip, I’ve received a number of questions about my experiences in Egypt as a tourist. Furthermore, given the state of upheaval in the country, writing something that is potentially critical or damning feels almost criminal, unsympathetic –like a sharp punch to the gut of a long-time ulcer sufferer or a scathing comment made to a sensitive child. This is hard for me to write because I don’t want to offend anybody with my views, and in the back of my mind I wonder if I perhaps didn’t give Egypt a fair shake. But I’ll come clean while I still have the courage: I didn’t love Egypt. This post has languished in my drafts folder for months, and even now I am hesitant about publishing it. The reason I feel lukewarm about my trip to Egypt.
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