RedSea4u

Where can I buy in Egypt, preferably locally :

1. Lindt chocolate (not at airport and not out of date)
2. McVites chocolate biscuits
3. A decent sprung interior mattress
4. Nice egyptian double cotton sheets without silly print and a duvet cover

Anything else people have difficulty locating ?

1 & 2 are normally available in any Metro - even the smaller ones.
3. Do you have a government shop, a habitat, an Omar Effendi or a Taki shop in that corner of Egypt?
4. Ooooh! That's a tough one! But again, Government shops are quite good for sheets, especially plain ones. I got a load of plain white ones from there, only problem is - that they never seem to be square and it really annoys me when I fold them up! Do you mind a spot of embroidery on the top sheet - if not, the boxed sets are normally quite good - and sometimes better quality. I learnt a long time ago that paying peanuts for cheap sheets either gets you unsquare ones or not good quality ones. Far better to spend a bit more as they wash better and feel nicer.
Duvet covers are the bane of my life! I bring mine over from the UK, I have made them in the past when there really were none available, but the only place that seems to sell them is Carrefour (Carrefour also sell nice square sheets in plain colours too)

What other things will you be looking for, love shopping for stuff, hate shopping for clothes!

thanks for the advice.....what would you consider a fair price in LE for a decent pair of double plain white egyptian sheets. I never know what the going rate is ?

It's been a fair few years since I bought my plain white ones - I seem to remember something like 40 LE each - but it may have gone up a bit now. I got them from the Government shop in Luxor, sheets flew everywhere - as each one I looked at, she unfurled and draped them all round the shop.
One thing to mention is - double size sheets aren't very big here for some odd reason - especially if you buy the loose ones. Measure the bed first - because there's nothing worse than having a wardrobe full of sheets that don't tuck under .... at any end! If you really are looking for double here - it may be worth having a peep at the king size - especially if you want them to be able to tuck them under a double mattress.
The boxed sets with embroidery on, usually have a flat sheet, a top sheet, two bolster covers and two pillow cases. They start at about 150 le. (some of the cheaper ones start at 80 LE - but smaller sheet, and only one sheet instead of two)

Next time I pop into Carrefour - I'll have a peep at how much their plain white sheets are (any excuse to wander down the aisle with sheets and towels!)

If you are still looking for sheets and are visiting Luxor, try Cotton Carezma. They have clothing, and may have linen....wasn't looking for that so not sure. They are down one of the streets behind Pub 2000, running away from the river and on your right....best I can do!