Anyone in Egypt ?

Hi ,

I am travelling to Egypt next month and need some info..Is anyone living in Cairo or other places ? Thanks.

Hello Sabitha
I am from Egypt from more then a year. what help do you want and when are you coming to Egypt??
I am living in 6th of October city around 25 kms away from Cairo.

Aruna ,

So happy so see your reply..I am coming there on Oct 4th. I have been to Cairo once before and shopped at the Khan-E-Khalili bazaar.Being a tourist I bought few souvenirs last time for a very heavy price not knowing the actual price.When I came back to the hotel , the manager informed me that I paid too much for them [ almost 3 times more ] and should have instead bargained.Now I am not sure how much to bargain and how would I know if I am being charged more ..or not..what is the general norm at these places ..when they tell you that it costs 'x' dollars ,how much should I ask it for ? Do you know any shops in the bazaar where I can get good stuff for reasonable prices at fixed rate without me having to bargain ? Thanks a lot for the assistance.

-Sabitha K

Hi Sabitha
So even now you are coming as a tourist???
The best way to purchase is in egyptian pounds once they come to know you are paying in dollars, they don't have limit, will tell you any price, you need to estimate yourself how much that souvenir might cost you and accordingly you need to tell them. sometimes you can go as low as 1/4th the price and after bargaining you can settle down to less then 1/2 the price that is being told.
Once I brought a thing when asked they told me it is 200 pounds after bargaining got it for 35 pounds so by this you can calculate. But there are some crystal items where you cannot bargain at the most you can ask them to give you at 5 or 10% discount usually they don't do it but still crystal items are cheap here compared to any country.
In the beginning even I have lost lot of money on these guys, they cheat you like hell but have to be very smart with them.

[quote=Arunarc;4064 95]Hi Sabitha
So even now you are coming as a tourist???
The best way to purchase is in egyptian pounds once they come to know you are paying in dollars, they don't have limit, will tell you any price, you need to estimate yourself how much that souvenir might cost you and accordingly you need to tell them. sometimes you can go as low as 1/4th the price and after bargaining you can settle down to less then 1/2 the price that is being told.
Once I brought a thing when asked they told me it is 200 pounds after bargaining got it for 35 pounds so by this you can calculate. But there are some crystal items where you cannot bargain at the most you can ask them to give you at 5 or 10% discount usually they don't do it but still crystal items are cheap here compared to any country.
In the beginning even I have lost lot of money on these guys, they cheat you like hell but have to be very smart with them.[/quote]

Hi,


am in Cairo. Not know much details abt Egypt. Me also a new comer to Cairo. ll try to reply if the quries r simple.

Thanks a lot, Aruna for your valuable advice.

-Sabitha k