# travel from katamaye to AL Madi



## bismeen (Mar 17, 2012)

Hi,we are moving to egypt from UK, and find this forum very useful as an expat.
We are inclined to live in katamaye,but like the british school in Al Madi.
Has any one experience travelling from katamaye to Al madi especially in rush hour?
Do people share transport for schools and work?

I will appreciate any comments and advice.

Bismeen


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## Maireadhoey (Jul 25, 2011)

bismeen said:


> Hi,we are moving to egypt from UK, and find this forum very useful as an expat.
> We are inclined to live in katamaye,but like the british school in Al Madi.
> Has any one experience travelling from katamaye to Al madi especially in rush hour?
> Do people share transport for schools and work?
> ...


If you use the school buses you will be fine as you are going against the flow at rush times. If you are sending your driver or going yourself to collect them, especially if they stay late for after school activities, then forget it. Last week it took 3 hours 10 minutes leaving from Katemeya at 5 to Maadi. This is extreme but you would have to allow at least an hour even if you go the back roads to avoid the ring road. You should look at NCBIS if you are going to live I Katemeya, it's 5 minutes, 10 at the most and socially your kids would be at school with their neighbors, so no running into Maadi at the weekends for parties etc.


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## JochenvW (Jan 9, 2012)

Maireadhoey said:


> You should look at NCBIS if you are going to live I Katemeya, it's 5 minutes, 10 at the most and socially your kids would be at school with their neighbors, so no running into Maadi at the weekends for parties etc.


And via the kids (at NCBIS) you'll meet the parents and get invited to those crazy Katameya Heights expat parties :clap2:!!!! 
:focus: apparently the school is also quiet good...


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## Whitedesert (Oct 9, 2011)

The ring road has shown its worst (that I have seen) this past week. The one day it was shut down for about 4 hours while they were busy scrapping more fatally injured motorists off the paving after another one of those famous ring road accidents involving multiple vehicles. I wonder how many people gets killed there per week (both ways)?


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Whitedesert said:


> The ring road has shown its worst (that I have seen) this past week. The one day it was shut down for about 4 hours while they were busy scrapping more fatally injured motorists off the paving after another one of those famous ring road accidents involving multiple vehicles. I wonder how many people gets killed there per week (both ways)?




Yes last Tuesday was a horrendous day on the road.

I am sometimes grateful for traffic as it at least stops the driving as if they are at Silverstone mode,


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## Whitedesert (Oct 9, 2011)

MaidenScotland said:


> Yes last Tuesday was a horrendous day on the road.
> 
> I am sometimes grateful for traffic as it at least stops the driving as if they are at Silverstone mode,


 Tragically Silverstone quickly becomes death zone, and then nobody goes anywhere zone, and then it repeats again, and again...nobody learns anything, nobody seems to care really? Its like that stupid horror channel on OSN, just for real.


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## bismeen (Mar 17, 2012)

Dear All

Many thanks for your advice and comments.This would certainly help us in choosing school/accomodation.

However its still difficult to make up my mind
We have been to both ALMADI British and NCBIS during our recon visit.

I felt good about NCBIS but great about ALMADI.For some reason the atmosphere was much happier in Al MADI then in NCBIS.
We had the school tour by Mr Flynn(Headteacher).He is very nice and competent guy with good long term plans for the school.The ofsted report and results were also good for AL madi.
On the other hand ,the houses in AL Madi were very old ,dark and damp.The area is extremly congested.
I suppose, I cant have all the boxes ticked
Any experience of NCBIS? 
Again your time and comments are very much appreciated.

Bismeen


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

bismeen said:


> Dear All
> 
> Many thanks for your advice and comments.This would certainly help us in choosing school/accomodation.
> 
> ...




I don't know where you were looking in Maadi. I don't live there but the majority of my friends do and I can assure you their houses are not very old dark and damp.


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## Lanason (Sep 1, 2009)

bismeen said:


> Dear All
> 
> Many thanks for your advice and comments.This would certainly help us in choosing school/accomodation.
> 
> ...


Yes lots of experiance of NCBIS

Our kids love it and are doing much better than the UK. Teachers are professional and fun at the same time. Current principle is moving on after about 6-7 years and a new guy is coming in September. Facilities are good but not outstanding. Others schools have splashed the cash - but badly lacking in the teaching basics.

Overall I would say easily in the top 3 in Cairo:clap2:


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## Maireadhoey (Jul 25, 2011)

My daughter was there for 2 years and loved it too. She is now in the UK boarding as we didn't want her to have to move midway through her exams. Every time she comes out to visit us her first stop is NCBIS to visit her friends and the teachers!!


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## PoleDancer (Apr 14, 2010)

bismeen said:


> On the other hand ,the houses in AL Madi were very old ,dark and damp


Damp? I'm curious as to where that may have come from. I suspect you visited during the cold snap we had this winter, and Egyptian houses are not really designed around conditions like that. However the 'dark and damp' you referred to will probably translate to merciful shade and cool during the summer.



bismeen said:


> The area is extremly congested.


Have you seen the rest of Cairo? Per wikipedia "Maadi is the least densely populated neighbourhood in Greater Cairo". I accept you may get more space in some of the new build communities (though I don't know for sure, as I have no reason whatsoever to visit any of them), but that comes with the loss of character, amenities and 'life'.

Horses for courses I suppose.


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## alexvw (Mar 10, 2012)

I do love Maadi, but I much prefer living in Katameya. And I can always go to Maadi for shopping or coffeee...


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## Whitedesert (Oct 9, 2011)

bismeen said:


> Dear All
> 
> Many thanks for your advice and comments.This would certainly help us in choosing school/accomodation.
> 
> ...


 Not all the apartments in El Maadi is dark and damp. You looked at bad ones. I stay in a very nice one. The place is congested yes, and the opposite of that is either New Cairo (Tagamo), or El Rehab, way outside town. PROS is much cleaner air, and there are good schools out there. CONS is there is little expatriate social life and support associations out there. That ALL happens in Maadi/Zamalek etc which are all seriously congested.


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## alexvw (Mar 10, 2012)

Mmh, not sure. We have a FABULOUS social network in Katameya Heights )). Have never met so many nice people all in one place at the same time.


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## PoleDancer (Apr 14, 2010)

alexvw said:


> Mmh, not sure. We have a FABULOUS social network in Katameya Heights )). Have never met so many nice people all in one place at the same time.












?


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## Whitedesert (Oct 9, 2011)

alexvw said:


> Mmh, not sure. We have a FABULOUS social network in Katameya Heights )). Have never met so many nice people all in one place at the same time.


 I guess it is horses for courses. Club member at Katemeya and colleugues live there. Office just down the road, Like playing golf there, but would not like to stay there. It wont work for us, our friends, meeting places, church etc, those are all in Maadi.


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## Maireadhoey (Jul 25, 2011)

It will depend on where you or your partner are working too. I live in Katemaya and the 5 minute commute to both school and work is fabulous especially as we don't get light nights here, home by 5 past 5 really shortens the working day. However...once the kids clear of to University in a couple of months I will move to Maadi as fast as I can...


irisheyesoncairo


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## Aussieexpat (Mar 24, 2010)

*Limit kids travel*

Can I urge you not to consider living in one area and sending your kids to school in the other. The road betwen Maadi and Katameya is quite dangerous (and becoming worse by the day) I don't know anyone living here who is still happy for their kids to do the commute. A number of families have moved recently to avoid the commute. The houses, gardens and fresh air are lovely in Katameya but it is quite sterile. A large number of families from NCBIS live in Katameya Heights and I would recommend that if you can afford it. There are plenty of parties (no keys involved!), tennis, golf and exercise classes but really nothing else to do in the area so it is a bit dull if you like going out for lunch & dinner. Maadi is definitely more vibrant for adults but there is less open space. I don't know much enough about Maadi British to campare it to NCBIS but I think there are positives and negatives about both and one school probably doesn't rate higher overall. I hope this helps.


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## Whitedesert (Oct 9, 2011)

Aussieexpat said:


> Can I urge you not to consider living in one area and sending your kids to school in the other. The road betwen Maadi and Katameya is quite dangerous (and becoming worse by the day) I don't know anyone living here who is still happy for their kids to do the commute. A number of families have moved recently to avoid the commute. The houses, gardens and fresh air are lovely in Katameya but it is quite sterile. A large number of families from NCBIS live in Katameya Heights and I would recommend that if you can afford it. There are plenty of parties (no keys involved!), tennis, golf and exercise classes but really nothing else to do in the area so it is a bit dull if you like going out for lunch & dinner. Maadi is definitely more vibrant for adults but there is less open space. I don't know much enough about Maadi British to campare it to NCBIS but I think there are positives and negatives about both and one school probably doesn't rate higher overall. I hope this helps.


 I agree. Especially about the RING rd. That road is getting deadlier by the day. Again this morning a huge smash up just before the Baron Centre as you go towards the city.


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