# Moving to Hurghada



## SunshineBarley

Hi, I expect that this topic has been covered somewhere and if anyone can point me in the right direction it would be most appreciated. My husband and I are looking to leave the UK in April of next year and move to Hurghada and of course I have millions, ok not millions, but a fair few questions to ask to ensure that our move to sunshine and blue skies is as smooth as possible.

1. How do we apply for residents visas?
2. Can anyone recommend a property agent for long term rental of property?
3. How expensive is it to buy a car?
4. How do you go about getting internet connection?
5. Can you get a phone line/cable/satellite?
6. Where are the shops that the locals use?
7. Does anyone teach Arabic for dummies?

As I previously mentioned, I know that some if not all of these questions have probably been covered and any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks

Dorne xx


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## MaidenScotland

SunshineBarley said:


> Hi, I expect that this topic has been covered somewhere and if anyone can point me in the right direction it would be most appreciated. My husband and I are looking to leave the UK in April of next year and move to Hurghada and of course I have millions, ok not millions, but a fair few questions to ask to ensure that our move to sunshine and blue skies is as smooth as possible.
> 
> 1. How do we apply for residents visas?
> 2. Can anyone recommend a property agent for long term rental of property?
> 3. How expensive is it to buy a car?
> 4. How do you go about getting internet connection?
> 5. Can you get a phone line/cable/satellite?
> 6. Where are the shops that the locals use?
> 7. Does anyone teach Arabic for dummies?
> 
> As I previously mentioned, I know that some if not all of these questions have probably been covered and any help would be appreciated.
> 
> Many thanks
> 
> Dorne xx



Hi and welcome to the forum

Yes all the above has been mentioned have a good look through the forum and you will find the answers.

Maiden


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## steveolena

*Hurghada move*

Hi i live here with my wife in Hurghada, moved here 7 months ago in the Kawther area near Sindbad hotel, if you pm me i`d be glad to share some info with yo, regards, Steve


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## SunshineBarley

steveolena said:


> Hi i live here with my wife in Hurghada, moved here 7 months ago in the Kawther area near Sindbad hotel, if you pm me i`d be glad to share some info with yo, regards, Steve


Hi Steve,

Cant PM at the moment as have only just joined the site and newbies cant be trusted with the PM bit (only joking MaidenScotland!) 

Would love to find out how you are finding the whole process, we are due to come on holiday in September for two weeks so hopefully before then I will have gained enough posts to be able to pm you and catch up.


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## steveolena

*Hurghada move*

Hi again, i think you need to post 4-5 threads to be able to pm, just make a few posts and away you go, i can give you lots of useful info regarding buying/renting etc and have a very good honest, yes honest!!!! Lawyer here who has helped an awful lot of expats here in hurghada, look forward to perhaps meeting up for a bevvie in September, keep posting and pm me asap with your email regards, Steve


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## SunshineBarley

steveolena said:


> Hi again, i think you need to post 4-5 threads to be able to pm, just make a few posts and away you go, i can give you lots of useful info regarding buying/renting etc and have a very good honest, yes honest!!!! Lawyer here who has helped an awful lot of expats here in hurghada, look forward to perhaps meeting up for a bevvie in September, keep posting and pm me asap with your email regards, Steve


Meeting up for a beer sounds like a good idea, we already know that Papas is going to be out local for a while, hubby likes the idea of a big screen that shows football ! Only another couple of posts and I will be able to pm you


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## hurghadapat

MaidenScotland said:


> Hi and welcome to the forum
> 
> Yes all the above has been mentioned have a good look through the forum and you will find the answers.
> 
> Maiden


I lived in Hurghada for quite a long time but before i answer any of your questions can i ask why do you want to live in Hurghada.....because what you see as a tourist is nothing like the life when you are are a resident....


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## SunshineBarley

hurghadapat said:


> I lived in Hurghada for quite a long time but before i answer any of your questions can i ask why do you want to live in Hurghada.....because what you see as a tourist is nothing like the life when you are are a resident....


Hi

We chose Hurghada because it is not a place that can be called boring, both my husband and I are well travelled and I have lived in many countries, Hong Kong being one of them and know that what the tourist sees and what the locals know are completely different. We like the idea of being able to go out at midnight and sit and watch the world go by, we dont need to work and it has to be cheaper than living in England. 

Any advice or suggestions that you can give will be greatfully appreciated, good or bad, I know that life if not going to be what you see as a tourist and that is all part of the adventure. 

Look forward to hearing your comments


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## SunshineBarley

hurghadapat said:


> I lived in Hurghada for quite a long time but before i answer any of your questions can i ask why do you want to live in Hurghada.....because what you see as a tourist is nothing like the life when you are are a resident....


and I forgot to add that we are not going out with rose tinted glasses so the brutal truth will be welcome


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## MaidenScotland

The brutal truth? If you are moving to Egypt just because it is cheaper than the UK then get out your atlas and stick your pin somewhere else


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## SunshineBarley

MaidenScotland said:


> The brutal truth? If you are moving to Egypt just because it is cheaper than the UK then get out your atlas and stick your pin somewhere else


Ha ha, now that was brutal LOL! I know there is going to be cultural differences, getting things done is a mission in itself, the telly is crap, the food isnt up to much and the electricity doesnt always work but all the Ex Pats who are currently out there must be enjoying it but if they are not I would love to hear of their experiences about the good and the bad of living there.


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## MaidenScotland

SunshineBarley said:


> Ha ha, now that was brutal LOL! I know there is going to be cultural differences, getting things done is a mission in itself, the telly is crap, the food isnt up to much and the electricity doesnt always work but all the Ex Pats who are currently out there must be enjoying it but if they are not I would love to hear of their experiences about the good and the bad of living there.




The expats that are there moved before the revolution or at least the majority did and they have no option other than to stick it out but to move out there lock stock and barrel whilst the future of the country is still uncertain plus who really knows what land etc is going to be grabbed back is just crazy in my humble opinion


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## MaidenScotland

btw it is much easier for a man to live in Egypt... your wife will struggle much more on a day to day basis


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## aykalam

MaidenScotland said:


> The brutal truth? If you are moving to Egypt just because it is cheaper than the UK then get out your atlas and stick your pin somewhere else


:amen:

:clap2::clap2::clap2:


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## SunshineBarley

MaidenScotland said:


> The expats that are there moved before the revolution or at least the majority did and they have no option other than to stick it out but to move out there lock stock and barrel whilst the future of the country is still uncertain plus who really knows what land etc is going to be grabbed back is just crazy in my humble opinion


Our plan is to go and live in a hotel for 6 months, nothing is being sold here, my house is rented and my own personal property is going to a friends for storage so if it does all go wrong we will just go to an airport and pick somewhere else to go and live. I totally understand that there will be differences and going back in September for a holiday may highlight some of the attitudes and changes, and hopefully speaking to some of the expats that we have met out there previously will help put our minds at ease.


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## hurghadapat

SunshineBarley said:


> Hi
> 
> We chose Hurghada because it is not a place that can be called boring, both my husband and I are well travelled and I have lived in many countries, Hong Kong being one of them and know that what the tourist sees and what the locals know are completely different. We like the idea of being able to go out at midnight and sit and watch the world go by, we dont need to work and it has to be cheaper than living in England.
> 
> Any advice or suggestions that you can give will be greatfully appreciated, good or bad, I know that life if not going to be what you see as a tourist and that is all part of the adventure.
> 
> Look forward to hearing your comments


Well all i can say is if you think that Hurghada is not a place that is boring well then you have yet to live there.....hurghada is now a tourist city so for long term residents not a lot to do apart from sun and sea and when you have lived there for awhile you don't want it 365 days of the year.....you will start to hate the heat of the summer.Why buy a car when there is no where to drive to...you are surrounded by desert...yes you can go to Luxor or Cairo or further south down the coast but how many times do you want to do that...use taxis or the local buses. You can extend your tourist visa to 12 months by going to the passport office in Dahar....Dahar is also where the Egyptians shop....good market there but you need to learn the egyptian numbers so you know what you are paying.....but there are some supermarkets now that are fixed price but more expensive than shopping where the egyptians do.Beware of lawyers....egypt is a very corrupt country so almost anything can be done for money.


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## SunshineBarley

hurghadapat said:


> Well all i can say is if you think that Hurghada is not a place that is boring well then you have yet to live there.....hurghada is now a tourist city so for long term residents not a lot to do apart from sun and sea and when you have lived there for awhile you don't want it 365 days of the year.....you will start to hate the heat of the summer.Why buy a car when there is no where to drive to...you are surrounded by desert...yes you can go to Luxor or Cairo or further south down the coast but how many times do you want to do that...use taxis or the local buses. You can extend your tourist visa to 12 months by going to the passport office in Dahar....Dahar is also where the Egyptians shop....good market there but you need to learn the egyptian numbers so you know what you are paying.....but there are some supermarkets now that are fixed price but more expensive than shopping where the egyptians do.Beware of lawyers....egypt is a very corrupt country so almost anything can be done for money.


I can see your point with the car, and it makes sense, maybe we will just hire one when we need to go to the airport to collect all those people who will be visiting!! 
As for the corruption, I dont suppose England is much better if you look at all the scandal surrounding the MP's and expensive living paid for by the tax payer - it could be that the Egyptians doing out in the open and are blatant about it and I can appreciate too much sun but am looking forward to getting bored of sitting in the sun and swimming in the sea and literally doing nothing. 
Like everything, unless you give it a try you will never know. I live in Plymouth and dont understand why people find the West Country so interesting, its only big fields (Dartmoor) and the water (The Hoe) so can we ever be content where we are (thats not a dig by the way) but I think you know what I mean.
Thanks for letting me know about the visas, the shopping and being very honest, I appreciate it


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## hurghadapat

SunshineBarley said:


> I can see your point with the car, and it makes sense, maybe we will just hire one when we need to go to the airport to collect all those people who will be visiting!!
> As for the corruption, I dont suppose England is much better if you look at all the scandal surrounding the MP's and expensive living paid for by the tax payer - it could be that the Egyptians doing out in the open and are blatant about it and I can appreciate too much sun but am looking forward to getting bored of sitting in the sun and swimming in the sea and literally doing nothing.
> Like everything, unless you give it a try you will never know. I live in Plymouth and dont understand why people find the West Country so interesting, its only big fields (Dartmoor) and the water (The Hoe) so can we ever be content where we are (thats not a dig by the way) but I think you know what I mean.
> Thanks for letting me know about the visas, the shopping and being very honest, I appreciate it


Thank you for accepting my opinion about Hurghada without getting aggresive as many people tend to do when they ask for an honest opinion.....you can only ask and listen to many opinions but at the end of the day you have to make your own mind up but all i can say is go and try but don't give up all in the UK so if it all goes tits up you still have somewhere to come back to....rent don't buy.


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## SunshineBarley

hurghadapat said:


> Thank you for accepting my opinion about Hurghada without getting aggresive as many people tend to do when they ask for an honest opinion.....you can only ask and listen to many opinions but at the end of the day you have to make your own mind up but all i can say is go and try but don't give up all in the UK so if it all goes tits up you still have somewhere to come back to....rent don't buy.


I dont see the point in getting aggressive after all I asked for your honest opinion and that is what I got which as my grandma always used to say was that honesty is the best policy and the truth hurts, I could go on and bore you but no, I honestly think that your comments have been insightful and if there is anything else that you can think of I would love to hear what you have to say - seriously


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## hurghadapat

SunshineBarley said:


> I dont see the point in getting aggressive after all I asked for your honest opinion and that is what I got which as my grandma always used to say was that honesty is the best policy and the truth hurts, I could go on and bore you but no, I honestly think that your comments have been insightful and if there is anything else that you can think of I would love to hear what you have to say - seriously


Thanks for that.......if i can help you in any way just ask


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## SunshineBarley

hurghadapat said:


> Thanks for that.......if i can help you in any way just ask


Thank you and you will be the first person I write to, so you have gone and done it now lol


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## hurghadapat

SunshineBarley said:


> Thank you and you will be the first person I write to, so you have gone and done it now lol


Strange that we should be talking right now as have just been talking with my ex-daughter in law who also lives in Plymouth....was married to my son who was in the RN based down there for quite a long time and one time had married quarters in Tamerton Foliat (hope i got spelling right)!!


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## SunshineBarley

hurghadapat said:


> Strange that we should be talking right now as have just been talking with my ex-daughter in law who also lives in Plymouth....was married to my son who was in the RN based down there for quite a long time and one time had married quarters in Tamerton Foliat (hope i got spelling right)!!


Small world, my husband is in the Royal Marines and we live in a married quarter in Plympton, and you were close with the spelling Foliot.

How long have you been in Hurghada?


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## hurghadapat

SunshineBarley said:


> Small world, my husband is in the Royal Marines and we live in a married quarter in Plympton, and you were close with the spelling Foliot.
> 
> How long have you been in Hurghada?


i am no longer in Hurghada but lived there for many years and have now been back in UK for 3yrs....Hurghada has changed a lot in the last few years....now you can get almost anything you want unlike when i first went there and you had to go to Cairo for furniture or cars....even the shops where very limited in what you could buy....Abu Ashara in Sakkalla was the first biggish supermarket,now you have many choices....but doesn't beat the excitment of going to the local markets and shopping with the locals.


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## SunshineBarley

hurghadapat said:


> i am no longer in Hurghada but lived there for many years and have now been back in UK for 3yrs....Hurghada has changed a lot in the last few years....now you can get almost anything you want unlike when i first went there and you had to go to Cairo for furniture or cars....even the shops where very limited in what you could buy....Abu Ashara in Sakkalla was the first biggish supermarket,now you have many choices....but doesn't beat the excitment of going to the local markets and shopping with the locals.


This is going to be a experience that I am looking forward to ......

What made you come back to the UK ?


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## hurghadapat

SunshineBarley said:


> This is going to be a experience that I am looking forward to ......
> 
> What made you come back to the UK ?


Will PM you tomorrow as this is going of topic and becoming personal conversation and soon Maiden will be waving :focus::focus: so Bye for now.....


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## mamasue

I agree with everything Pat says.....
I also lived and worked in Hurghada for many years.
My original plan was.....Maybe I come home to England next month, or maybe I stay the rest of my life!
The only thing that kept me from getting bored was my job.... scuba diving instructor. I stuck it out 4 years, went to work in Dubai for a while... then came to live in the USA.

Go try Hurghada, with an open mind. Don't think of buying a property for a few years.... it's cheap enough to rent a place..... and see if you don't get bored.
As Pat puts it so well, there's really nothing to do for expats. People-watching in coffee shops even gets boring!!
And......don't get involved in any 'business deals'...Other expats are as likely to rip you off as much as the Egyptians!!!


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## hurghadapat

mamasue said:


> I agree with everything Pat says.....
> I also lived and worked in Hurghada for many years.
> My original plan was.....Maybe I come home to England next month, or maybe I stay the rest of my life!
> The only thing that kept me from getting bored was my job.... scuba diving instructor. I stuck it out 4 years, went to work in Dubai for a while... then came to live in the USA.
> 
> Go try Hurghada, with an open mind. Don't think of buying a property for a few years.... it's cheap enough to rent a place..... and see if you don't get bored.
> As Pat puts it so well, there's really nothing to do for expats. People-watching in coffee shops even gets boring!!
> And......don't get involved in any 'business deals'...Other expats are as likely to rip you off as much as the Egyptians!!!


Well said Sue especially about the business deals :clap2::clap2::clap2:


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## OpenMind

I am another newbie who also is thinking about relocating to Hurghada, except no family is involved, or desired. Somebody mentioned that it's easy for a man to live in Egypt and I could not agree more. Yet any comments regarding why it will be difficult for a woman to live in Hurghada are appreciated (brutal are OK, but pls do not dwell on sexual harassment, the topic is well covered on many forums and in many languages). How life in Hurghada differs from life in “quiet” coastal towns in other countries? Thanks!


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## Helen Ellis

*Useful info*



SunshineBarley said:


> Hi, I expect that this topic has been covered somewhere and if anyone can point me in the right direction it would be most appreciated. My husband and I are looking to leave the UK in April of next year and move to Hurghada and of course I have millions, ok not millions, but a fair few questions to ask to ensure that our move to sunshine and blue skies is as smooth as possible.
> 
> 1. How do we apply for residents visas?
> 2. Can anyone recommend a property agent for long term rental of property?
> 3. How expensive is it to buy a car?
> 4. How do you go about getting internet connection?
> 5. Can you get a phone line/cable/satellite?
> 6. Where are the shops that the locals use?
> 7. Does anyone teach Arabic for dummies?
> 
> As I previously mentioned, I know that some if not all of these questions have probably been covered and any help would be appreciated.
> 
> Many thanks
> 
> Dorne xx


All have been answered elsewhere but...
1)Visa office in Dahar after 1 month
2)Lots of agents, ask around and check utilities prices too before signing anything
3)Expensive, or can hire for £300pcm
4)Eitisalat or Mobinil dongle, take passport, may need deposit,or get apt with it installed
5)Use mobile, buy satellite dish and receiver from shop., or find apt with it 
installed.
6)Dahar
7)Buy Michael Thomas Method Egyptian Arabic course up to Advanced, Waterstone/Amazon etc. Follow the instructions and take your time, not cheap but worth every penny. I am a real fan of his method.
See you in Papas, Wed night is quiz night. Get advice there.

Then learn to dive, that's the best thing here.


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## flossy207

Hi - I use to have the local police station telephone number in my phone but have accidently deleted it - does anyone know it please - or was it the tourist police. thanks


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## MaidenScotland

flossy207 said:


> Hi - I use to have the local police station telephone number in my phone but have accidently deleted it - does anyone know it please - or was it the tourist police. thanks




lol trying to work out how we would know if it was the tourist police you had on your phone


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## flossy207

mmmm, so am I but either would be appreciated please.


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## MaidenScotland

flossy207 said:


> mmmm, so am I but either would be appreciated please.




have a look at the stickies at the top of the page.. important numbers


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## flossy207

thank you maidenscotland!!!


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## Helen Ellis

*Numbers*



flossy207 said:


> Hi - I use to have the local police station telephone number in my phone but have accidently deleted it - does anyone know it please - or was it the tourist police. thanks


Get a copy of Red Sea Bulletin from a bar or restaurant, most numbers you need are in there. There is also a "yellow pages" published, but I have no idea where to get it from, haven't seen one around for ages.


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## Gounie

Don't forget that 30 minutes up the road from Hurghada is El Gouna. If you find Hurghada not what you expected then give El Gouna a try too. Yes it is more expensive but there are many ex-pats living here. It is a private town, very safe and no-one is allowed to hassle you. There is a great community spirit and we have a residents diving club, dance classes, fitness classes, bridge clubs, etc. and fantastic parties in all the private villas and apartments. There is always someone willing to join you on trips around Egypt to the lesser known destinations. My friend and I (two British ladies) did a trip on our own in her car driving from El Gouna all the way to Siwa stopping enroute at Cairo, El Alemain, Marsa Matrouh. Not sure I would recommend it at the moment though! 

Eating out is expensive but so is Hurghada Marina. I have lived here for seven years and love every minute of it. Am happy to help with any questions about El Gouna.


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## GM1

Helen Ellis said:


> Get a copy of Red Sea Bulletin from a bar or restaurant, most numbers you need are in there. There is also a "yellow pages" published, but I have no idea where to get it from, haven't seen one around for ages.


http://redseapages.com/p3/index.php

Red Sea Hotels, Resorts, Scuba diving, surfing and other activities, leave reviews and meet holiday makers and locals in the Red Sea community.

Yellow Pages - Egypt's Official Online Yellow Pages/Business Directory - Local Search Engine


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## Charles Wolf

Are you still in Hurghada? Would like to get some info on long term rentals.


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## Helen Ellis

*Long term rental.*



Charles Wolf said:


> Are you still in Hurghada? Would like to get some info on long term rentals.


I'm still here.
What sort of property are you looking for and what is your budget? Prices vary wildly depending on area and quality. I know people who pay 800le and others who are paying more than 5,000le. 2000le should get you a decent apartment, long term. Be wary about added extras, some developments/resorts have very high electricity/water charges, other places expect you to pay the doorman a fixed amount, up to 150le a month has been known.
Do you prefer to be in the centre of things or out in somewhere quieter? Is good public transport important etc etc. 
How long term are you talking about?


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## Charles Wolf

Helen Ellis said:


> I'm still here.
> What sort of property are you looking for and what is your budget? Prices vary wildly depending on area and quality. I know people who pay 800le and others who are paying more than 5,000le. 2000le should get you a decent apartment, long term. Be wary about added extras, some developments/resorts have very high electricity/water charges, other places expect you to pay the doorman a fixed amount, up to 150le a month has been known.
> Do you prefer to be in the centre of things or out in somewhere quieter? Is good public transport important etc etc.
> How long term are you talking about?


Thanks for responding Helen,

I'm looking around Al Ahyaa area for LE 2000-3000 and I would prefer a house/villa furnished. Do you know any realtors I can contact before I come? I will be in Hurghada in a couple weeks (20th-27th) if you're around, we could do lunch! I love to hear all about your experiences in Egypt and I'm buying! 

Blessings,
Charles Wolf


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## Helen Ellis

*Free lunch *



Charles Wolf said:


> Thanks for responding Helen,
> 
> I'm looking around Al Ahyaa area for LE 2000-3000 and I would prefer a house/villa furnished. Do you know any realtors I can contact before I come? I will be in Hurghada in a couple weeks (20th-27th) if you're around, we could do lunch! I love to hear all about your experiences in Egypt and I'm buying!
> 
> Blessings,
> Charles Wolf


I'm always up for a free lunch ;-) Will ask around about rentals and send you some contacts. I'd expect a villa to go for more than that, but you may get a half villa or ground floor apartment in M7 which is not far from Al Ahyaa for around 2 or 2.500. When do you need the long term rental to start?

Helen.


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## Charles Wolf

*Free Lunch*

Hello Helen,

We will hopefully begin our stay in Hurghada this August. I appreciate any help you can offer and would be more than happy to get together and chat about your experiences there and get some first-hand information about cost of living and day to day stuff. As I mentioned before, I will be in Hurghada with a close friend from Feb 20-27th - how can I contact you when in country?

Charles Wolf


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## Helen Ellis

Do you need an airport pickup or have you one with the hotel?


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## Charles Wolf

I have a family of friends who live in Hurghada, but even so I thought it best to just take a cab from the airport to our place at View Villa Apartments. Do you know of it and how much a cab should cost? It's just north of Al Hayaa on the coast.

Thanks for the number, I'll txt as soon as I can when I get in.

Charles


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## Helen Ellis

No idea what a taxi picked up at the airport costs now. I have some friends who do pickups and they charge 65le to most places in Hurghada, maybe a little more to Al Ahyaa. It would be reasonable to expect the same price from a cab at the airport but I know from experience they will try to charge as much as they can. I've heard of some ridiculous amounts being paid by unsuspecting tourists still thinking in UK prices. So to sum it up 100le is too much but they'll probably expect that much, I believe a local Egyptian would pay around 35.
By comparison it takes me 20/25 minutes to get from home to Sekkala by taxi and I pay 25le.
The meter prices have not been changed to reflect the massive increase in the cost of living so very few if any taxis will use them now, and to be honest I don't blame them.
I have not heard of View Villa apartments, but then I don't look for rentals. be sure of where it is as the taxi driver may not have heard of them either.


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