Just spoke to Mr Gaddis, the Honorary British Consul in Luxor. He confirmed that there is no curfew in Luxor and has never been and that he has recommended to the Vice Consul this morning, that the travel advice for Luxor be down graded.
The sites are open, feluccas are sailing, balloons are flying, guides are guiding and drivers driving. Several digs are operating but most have gone home.
Obviously there are still political issues but these are not affecting foreigners.
The political situation is extremely volatile in Egypt and I do not want to go to Luxor until it's stable. The last thing we need is for the FCO to downgrade the advice to travellers. I want my holiday in 11 days time cancelled and my money back. I will lose all that I've paid if I don't go. If things blow up while I'm there, I don't want the stress of it.
ReplyDelete...oh, that's pathetic!
ReplyDeleteMadam, if you are really that nervous, that unadventurous, you should never have booked a journey to Egypt in the first place. Stick to Dorset.
I agree with Margaret that the lack of stability in Egypt should not be made light of - I never forget that the author of this bog is in the tourist industry after all.
ReplyDeleteI love Luxor and visit 2 or 3 times every year, but with the best will in the world the locals do get very tiresome at the best of times with the constant bombardment of 'use my taxi' or 'go to my friend's shop' or 'eat at my cousin's restaurant' - I can't imagine how bad it must be at the moment with the few tourists that are left. Shame on you Peter - Marget is not displaying nervousness but common sense.
Well, OK, and I apologise to Margaret, but this is a blog about Luxor, and whilst I have been mildly critical of Jane's posts which in some cases appear conflicting in their description of what is happening on the ground in Luxor I do not think much is gained by a somewhat hysterical post which adds little to the actual topic of Luxor. But if Jane is serious about her self appointed and welcome role as cyber spokesperson for Luxur, she will find that a straighforward, warts and all assessment is better than her somewhat exxagerated postivie spin on a situation which is clearly not as it should be and as we would like it to be.
ReplyDeleteWell Peter, what a charming turn of phrase you have! I am a pensioner, so yes, getting on a bit. I have travelled to a "developing country" in Africa independently twice in the last few months, so not afraid of travelling. This holiday is my husband's "trip of a lifetime", something he has wanted to do all his life and he should be able to enjoy it, not worry. What would happen to two pensioners if things suddenly worsened? My travel company hasn't cancelled our flight on the 16th, so we may HAVE to go, if the FCO downgrades the advice for Luxor. I fully understand that the people in Luxor who rely on tourism (and all the extended families they support) want to paint a positive picture, but I want to see ALL sides of the argument and want the FCO to be impartial.
ReplyDeleteMargaret - Of course one jumps to conclusions and most of the time those conclusions are wrong. I now quite understand why you are loathe to go to Luxor, though suspect we may now see the beginning of the end to the troubles, if indeed there were any, there.
ReplyDeleteI was booked to go there last Monday, though not with a group. Easyjet and the hotel I was staying at (Pavillion Winter palace) were very accomodating in allowing me to postpone my trip, and I therefore would suggest you try the same. With the FCO advising against all but essential travel I think you will find your travel company very accommodating. I am hoping to go there on Wednesday for a week - talk about fools rushing in where angles fear to tread - but I am interested in the politics of it as well as not being averse to a little holiday excitement, but if I cannot get there will be travelling to Madeira to photograph gardens! Good luck