230 CultureShock! Egypt
behind Queen Hatshepsut’s temple. (The donkey rides have
actually caught on, along with balloon rides on the Western
bank in Luxor.)
I have just returned from a traditional classical tour
I arranged through Medhat, designed to introduce my sister
to the classical sites (and more of them than any standard
tourist ever gets!), as well as to give her an opportunity to
get to know real Egyptian culture and people. Medhat came
through again! He can organise penny-pinching tours such
as the ones I needed with my students or grand elegance
that includes five-star hotels and boat cruises and a private
minibus or Mercedes for getting you to and from sites, and
shopping. The trick is to know what you want, convey it
specifically to Medhat, then sit back and enjoy a totally
personalised Egyptian experience. Through Medhat, I have
come to love his wife and children and the many new friends
I have made because he was willing to share the real Egypt
with me.Ayman
Ayman, whom I met through Medhat, first told me about the
Exodus tours he was doing in the Sinai in the mid-1990s.
He now specialises in ecotourism, principally in the WesternTransportation to the Valley of the Kings.