Anyone else finding this strange?

[Lisak]

Hi everyone,
I've joined from the 'other side'.

I just want to say, good luck with the forum, but I am finding it all a bit strange. I have never visited the Red Sea area and I'm looking on the forum not knowing anything about anywhere you are all talking about, which is, I guess, what the forum is for.
On the Luxor one, because I've been so many times, I feel it connects me with the place 'coz I know where everyone is talking about.
Basically i'm finding it weird, because I can not put my two-penneth in as usual.

[Semsema]

Well Lisak the easy answer to that is, get your bum over here. Okay Hurghada doesn't have the history of Luxor, but it has its own attractions nevertheless.

Lots of good places to eat and socialise. Warm water with absolutely beautiful fish. About an hour by boat is Paradise Island - Mahmaya - I like to think of as a small bit of heaven and earth after the noise and bustle of town.

If swimming/snorkelling/diving isn't your thing, there are various other things you can do: quad biking, go-cart, ten pin bowling etc.

So consider this an open invitation from all of us who live in Hurghada.

[BBLUX]

The glass bottomed boats are good if you like to stay dry

[Sharm4me]

I too am finding this forum strange and I live over here at the Red Sea! I moved here from Luxor after having a holiday in Sharm but still to this day I feel the luxor4u forum is my 'bible' if I want to catch up on the news. En Shallah once people get used to posting here we'll all feel equally at home on either forum...

[Lisak]

Can I give a bit of a confession.....I really am not interested in the Red Sea area. Beachy hols just aren't my thing....but I have to try before I rule it out so I'm sorry if I offended anyone with my comment.
I have a month in Luxor later in the year, so might just pop over for the day to Hurgada and then I can make up my mind whether I like it or not.
(I'm sure I will as it is Egypt!!):)

It will be good for me finding out more about the area on this forum.

[Crazycat]

We visited for a day on the way home and have to say that was enough. Don't think I could do a whole holiday on the beach, I'd be bored, don't do water things at all and I get really sea sick on boats. It was nice to visit but I'm more at home among the temples

[Hurghada Lady]

I lived in Luxor for 4 years before I came to live in Hurghada, I know exactly what you mean, I felt like a fish out of water when I first came here, it was a complete change. There were a handful of English people that lived here (now there are many English) so everywhere I went people spoke to me in Russian or German. The Egyptians that spoke English didn't understand me because they had learned English from other foreigners so it was broken English, when I spoke they used to say they felt like donkeys because they thought they spoke English well and couldn't understand me, of course our English is the Queens English so they couldn't understand anything being said.

I missed Luxor so much, where I knew everyone and as you say the history. I missed lying at the Sheraton pool looking out over the Nile. Once every month I would go on one of the boats to Aswan and of course visit the temples on the way, that was my monthly holiday. I also used to come to Hurghada for a few days to go snorkeling and shop so I had the best of both worlds.

The reason I moved to Hurghada was I came here in the summer and the weather was cooler with a sea breeze and fresher. I went to the supermarkets and found so many more items that I could not get in Luxor, and there was so much more to do. I met some friends here and we went bowling (which I haven't done since because it breaks my nails). We went on a boat to Mahmaya, which like Semsema said is like paradise, we had lunch on the golden beach with a bottle of wine looking out to sea. I was able to have my hair cut at a proper hairdressers and come out without one side longer than the other. I also took the ferry to Sharm el Sheikh and had a few days there, drove up to Nuweiba stopping at Dahab on the way. Everywhere seemed more accessible from Hurghada and it just seemed more civilised without offending anyone.

So, I looked for a flat that overlooked the sea, went back to Luxor, looked for a furniture removal van, packed all my belongings and furniture and came down here, that was 7 years ago.

I have been back to Luxor a few times and stayed with Chocolatey, we shared a flat when I lived in Luxor for a couple of years, so it is just like being back home again with nothing changed, so I am lucky to have the best of both worlds still.

The more you all post and join in we will get to know each other and about the way we live, it will be nice for you all to visit Hurghada and know people here and vice versa, I have two spare bedrooms!! You will all know more about the area, even if you are not interested in living here it's still nice to visit for a few days.

Sharm4me, it would be wonderful for you to tell us about Sharm, afterall, the forum is RedSea4u, so your input would be very useful and informative and we would be very grateful.

So here's to getting to know each other

[Chocolatey]

The glass bottomed boats are good if you like to stay dry

I like them but I get sea sick

[Sharm4me]

Like Hurghada Lady I lived in Luxor for a couple of years and didn't think for 1 minute that I would ever want to live anywhere else, but I came to Sharm for a short holiday with my friend for her birthday and was so surprised by Sharm el Sheikh. I'd heard a lot of mixed reports about it, some people loved it others hated it. I loved it, being able to walk around without worrying too much about what to wear to keep covered (although I still dress moderately even now, some habits die hard!) going to the supermarket was such a treat to be able to get practically everything I could buy in England and not having to go seperately to the market for fruit and veg. We have natural gas, so none of those awful filthy bottles stuck in the kitchen and it never runs out!. The weather is much better and there's so much to do, I love to go to the beach rather than the pool cos there's usually a nice breeze. I'm not into diving or snorkelling but you can still see the beautiful fish cos they come and swim all round you. There's not half the hassle here either. Not a donkey or caleche in sight so the streets are cleaner and not smelly like Luxor! Rubbish can be a problem though they don't seem to clean up as much as Luxor but hopefully this will be adressed soon. I still go to Luxor from time to time, I miss the Nile and seeing the boats, but I'm always glad to get back to Sharm. The downside is that it's more expensive here, the rents are practically double that of Luxor but I think it's worth it as the flats are much nicer. Also, there's more opportunity for work here, I've been lucky to find a job and I've had the opportunity for other jobs too, practically impossible in Luxor I found.

[Lisak]

Thanks for your input Sharm4me and Hurgadalady, looking forward to finding out more.

[Goddess]

I went to Hurghada once. Got burnt to a cinder and don't think I saw a single fish for all my efforts.

Sharm el Sheikh on the other hand I loved (and hated but that's a whole other story!) It was just so easy to be yourself in Sharm and I haven't experienced anywhere else that you get the same feeling as Sharm. Learnt to dive there and saw fish as big as dustbin lids and so many colourful fish I thought I died and went to heaven.

I enjoyed Marsa Alam too - but I didn't like the way it felt as if you were in this huge sprawling hotel complex with no chance to get out and see the outside world. Made it feel like a very big conspiracy.

I often think I should try some other places on the red sea - always fancied going and having a look at Dahab. Have no idea what that is like at all.

[Grandad]

We have been 5 or 6 times for 7 day hols, Sharm, Dahab, Taba, but we are not beachy folk either, or divers. I have family who go and find the diving out of this world.

For me the most memorable experience was visitng the library at St Catherines Monastery and seeing some of those illuminated manuscripts.....beautiful.

[Crazycat]

Hurghada lady, it sounds like you really love your life over there, you must tell us all about it

[FABlux]

I have only had a negative experience of Hurghada.

It was our first trip to Egypt, October 2001 & we flew to Luxor, stayed a few days then transferred to Hurghada for our week in a time share resort. It was dire

We arrived late at night, thanks to the convoy! all the resort restaurants were closed, it was meant to be self catering but there was 1 chipped glass in the bathroom & totally empty cupboards. We were dying for something to drink. Went to reception & after an hour & 3 more phone calls followed by the wrath of Fran in Reception a filthy box arrived. At least we could make coffee.

The resort itself was lovely, very attractive chalets & access to the sea, but it was so windy I only snorkelled once. The restaurants were not to our taste, 1 fish only, 1 pizza & 1 buffet with really mediocre food. Big signs up saying no food or drink to be brought in to the resort & hardly anything available in the shop except crisps, biscuits & drinks. Only German, Italian or Russian spoken other than by 1 man in the perfume shop who had been there 10 years & said we were the first Brits he had seen!

A Minibus was available to get into town but that was another saga Suffice to say we stayed 3 days out of the week & returned to Luxor.

Having seen the posts here we will give it another try this winter, when we get our own car, so will be picking people's brains please.

[Miriamkhalifa]

Hi everyone,
I've joined from the 'other side'.

I have too Oh well I am on the other side most of the time still haha

[PRchick]

I too am finding this forum strange and I live over here at the Red Sea! I moved here from Luxor after having a holiday in Sharm but still to this day I feel the luxor4u forum is my 'bible' if I want to catch up on the news. En Shallah once people get used to posting here we'll all feel equally at home on either forum...

Who are you on the blue side?

[Miriamkhalifa]

Was just wondering about the same PR

[Sharm4me]

You won't know me I didn't post much on the forum...I was more of a browser keeping a check on what's going on, and frankly over the past few months I've seen a change in the forum with a lot of bitching going on...I hate this, I don't see the need for personal attacks to posters and I hope that this doesn't start up on this forum.

[Miriamkhalifa]

You know what Sharm4me I just don't get it I am on L4U on a daily basis and have always found it a friendly forum

Suddenly I see someone apologizing for being harsh and I don't understand why

Maybe I'll finally get it now when I'M not blonde anymore

[Grandad]

Yes but Mirri there have been some very nasty posts on L4U which, thankfully, have been promptly removed.

Some people have a serious problem and can't enter into the friendly spirit of the forum. They have to resort to personal attack and arrogance.

I think we should all be able to voice our views but not if it includes personal abuse or criticism which, in any case, is against the rules of the forum. There are other forums that seem to tolerate that sort of behavior but not these, happily.