Supermarkets and shopping in Egypt

[Georgina]

Originally Posted by queenie40something

I cant stand being cold at night so will be packing my PJ's and slippers as well!

Slippers are a great idea. The marble floors are freezing in the winter. I have recently put my fluffy blanket on my bed but the duvet is still in the cupboard.

In the pharmacies in Downtown and Marina in El Gouna they have beautiful natural Egyptian cotton towels, bathrobes and slippers. The natural colour is perfect for the ever sandy floors in El Gouna.

[johnwayne]

Originally Posted by Georgina

There is a tiny shop in the layby where Finally Home furniture shop is but I can't remember how far that is from Oasis. I will have a look next time I go past. I think it is further than walking distance. You can hop on and off the El Gouna bus that runs every 20 minutes if you manage to recognise it as it approaches. Otherwise it will be Hurghada or El Gouna for shopping. Or call Metro or Abu Ashara and have everything delivered.

Abu Ashara home delivery 0100102928 - 3547076. Will get Metro number for you.

thanks Georgina!

[queenie40something]

I am even thinking of taking hot water bottie just in case! I was looking at new Xmas trees to take with me and hubby went mad and said you are not taking one. Huh - well he dont do the packing does he!!

[enufsaid]

Originally Posted by queenie40something

I am even thinking of taking hot water bottie just in case! I was looking at new Xmas trees to take with me and hubby went mad and said you are not taking one. Huh - well he dont do the packing does he!!

you go girl!

[enufsaid]

how will you pack it though - or will you carry it through customs?

[queenie40something]

It will only be one of those small fibreoptic ones that you dont need to decorate - thought it would look nice on the table on the outside terrace! I might even really cheese him off and get some of those light up snowmen for our garden lol. I will just pack it in the bag. I have some of those very large checked laundry type bags you pick up from the cheapy shops - very lightweight and only cost £2 and you can get loads into them. I just get them to put fragile stickers on them and they go through the special cargo with pushchairs etc with Easyjet. As long as the weight is under 32kg per bag Im ok.

[johnwayne]

Originally Posted by queenie40something

It will only be one of those small fibreoptic ones that you dont need to decorate - thought it would look nice on the table on the outside terrace! I might even really cheese him off and get some of those light up snowmen for our garden lol. I will just pack it in the bag. I have some of those very large checked laundry type bags you pick up from the cheapy shops - very lightweight and only cost £2 and you can get loads into them. I just get them to put fragile stickers on them and they go through the special cargo with pushchairs etc with Easyjet. As long as the weight is under 32kg per bag Im ok.

hi alison - is this on top of your case weight of 20kg with easyjet - or do you pay seperately please?
great idea.

[queenie40something]

Hi Dawn - we have a limit of 20kg each and we can ' pool ' it together so as long as each bag doesnt exceed 32kg each for health and safety and the total bags for 3 of us dont exceed 60 we will be fine. We wont be taking many clothes just a couple of pairs of jeans and sweats as left all daytime clothes out there. Also dont need to take hairdryers, straighteners, toiletries, make up, shoes etc as again we have left all there.

[johnwayne]

thanks alison

[Georgina]

Originally Posted by queenie40something

I was looking at new Xmas trees to take with me

I haven't spent a Christmas in the UK for more than 20 years. Always went away somewhere hot and exotic but my first Christmas in El Gouna was the least Christmasy place I had ever been too. Hurghada was all lit up. However, it has really changed over the past few years adapting to the European market. We now get decorations, imitation trees, flashing lights and even Christmas cards in the shops. Before someone would bring me out a pack of cards and I would post them home again.

I think most Europeans celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with a big dinner so all the hotels here put up huge Bedouin marquees for their compulsory gala dinner. This means the everywhere else is a bit of a ghost town (in El Gouna). Christmas Day is a little quiet but Santa Claus now comes to Tamr Henna square in his horse drawn carriage and the school children sing. Traditional Christmas lunch is hard to find, only in Boxers Bar on Boxing Day. Does anyone know anywhere in Hurghada that will be doing Christmas lunch at lunchtime on Christmas Day?

The shops usually then get rid of all the Christmas decorations around April

New Year's Eve absolutely rocks!!!