So me and the Girlfriend bit the bullet and booked our holiday the other night, Egypt!
I've been abroad once to the states and that was in 2005 with my ex and her parents.
so, getting all excited for a trip 8 months away, I want to do all the research over the next few months and save cash for items I might need so there will be other threads but this is the make one.
I'll either be hiring a lens, or buying one (currently using the kit lens off my 500D). I'm looking at hiring either Canon's 15-85 3.5 -5.6 is or the 17-55 2.8 is. Or buying a Tamron 17-50 2.8.
so my question is...what would you guys suggest? My main concerns is for the dark bazzar's where I may want to take photos. which is why I was considering something with a large aperture. But I'd like to hear some suggestions before I commit to an idea, and any other suggestions anyone has?
Going with me will most likely just be my 500D and 70-200 f4 L and if I can find a light-ish tripod that will do 2 weeks, one of them.
John
Egypt is a big place. Where exactly are you going or looking to photograph? I've lived and worked there for the last 4 years so could offer some hints but need more detail as to where you're heading.
Lots of contrasts from the flat open white and black deserts to the mountainous sinai, obviously the temples, inner city slums to the fake plastic bucket and spade resorts like sharm and hurghada (where you certainly wont find bazaars!).
To be honest, lens wise the 70-200 and kit lens will be ok. Ideally a wide angle zoom for some things might help as well.
The Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 is a really nice lens if you were thinking of buying one.
A tripod yes if you're staying in the desert taking night shots or similar but you aren't allowed to take them into the main antiquities sites without a more expense entry fee (usually 2-3 times the normal cost) and if you try to set it up in a town or city expect the local police to stop you and demand a "licence fee" (ie bribe) so just be a little cautious.
On that subject make sure you don't get any army or especially police in photos or you're likely to be arrested or "fined". If you see any troubles kicking off, get out of there, do NOT get the camera out as it WILL be smashed by the authorities.
The city bazaars yes are dark streets and bustly but to be honest not that photogenic - you can use flash if needed but most of the time you'll just get hassled and asked for money from anyone and everyone in the photo.
As others mentioned above, EVERYONE is out for money. People who will let you "look around" will want money. Security in tombs (no photography zones) will practically demand you take a picture and ask for money. ANYONE in or near the camera will (I) go "take picture, take picture" then (II) demand money for it. The worst for money demands are likely to be the police, they'll invent plenty and expect payment to "allow" things.
You need to be firm to the point of rude otherwise you'll get nowhere.`
If you give more detail of where you're going i can help a bit more - its a vast country of massively different types of terrain. If you're in sharm el shiite you're 9 hours from Cairo. If you're in Cairo you're 12 hours from Luxor and so on. You really do need a firim itinerary due to the size. There ARE overnight buses between the major centres and the ARE very cheap but obviously you lose a large chunk of the trip planning then. Since the revolution the security and corruption has got 10x worse than ever so some routes are now not open to foreigners to travel. HOWEVER, internal flights are cheap, plentiful and reliable. Its about £50 to fly from Cairo to Sharm for example and takes 45 mins. That compared to £10 but anywhere from 6hrs to 16 hours by bus depending what mood the checkpoints are in on the bus.
Some suggestions:- Cairo... Obviously the pyramids - get there EARLY. You do NOT need a guide although they'll try to claim you do. The citadel / mohammed ali mosque has some nice city and architecture views so it is worth going to. The Egyptian Museum is certainly worth a visit - no cameras are allowed inside BUT its also on Tahrir square so don't even consider going to it on a Friday as thats usually when they riot (pretty much weekly).
The standard bazaars i'd avoid like a plague - just constant hastle (and if you're a woman 100x worse along with groping), petty crime and tourist tat.
Some really nice places people tend to skip is the Sakarra pyramid site (the step pyramid) and museums there. Much quieter, only 20 mins south of the city and on a plateau overlooking the city. For the more adventurous again, try Dashur - the original first build pyramids only 10 mins south again and ive been quite literally the ONLY person there so had 3 pyramids to myself without another human in sight.
I'd spend 3-4 days in cairo and i'd get a private driver for the day (the UK embassy has lists). These will cost maybe £30 a day max but they'll take you where you want, wait for you, you wont need to fight for taxis with constant arguments and the convenience is really really worth it.
A bit further afield you have the Siwa oasis in the east - stunning but a good 14 hour drive from Cairo. A bit nearer is Faiyum Oasis which is lovely and an hour south of Cairo. Heading east you can do a 1 or 2 overnight trip through the Black desert (hundreds of small cone volcanos) and white desert (amazing rock formations).
Further south in the country you've got Luxor (Karnak temple is to me the most impressive complex ive seen anywhere on earth) along with valley of the kings (no cameras even allowed into the valley itself now!) and Hapetschut's temple. Right at the bottom of Egypt you have the Aswan dam and Abu Simbel but you're talking 1000 miles from Cairo.
Heading to Sinai you've got Sharm, Dahab and plastic tourist resorts, some lovely desert canyons (white, coloured and more) and Mount Sinai (amazing desert mountains especially for sunrise) although theres currently an FCO advisory about going to these.
The place is huge so you need to work out how long to spend, where and so on.
I wouldn't worry about the upset stomach thing - it really is overhyped in the main. I deal with literally a few thousand people per year going through and the number that get it is tiny. Mostly its caused by (i) over drinking alcohol (ii) dehydration or (iii) swimming pools.
The salads and food are fine (or as safe as anywhere else) - there IS no water mains so its all washed with bottled water anyway. Like anywhere else in the world including the UK, if it looks bad or smells bad don't eat it!
The doctors and pharmacists though as above WILL over-prescribe massively to get the most money they can out of you and insurance companies. A slight dehydration headache you can expect them to try to put you on a drip and so on. I've seen some trying to charge $100usd for a packet of penicillin (when by law in Egypt the price, 5LE so 50p or so is written on the packet in arabic numerals).
Ultimately i'd go with kit lens (or buy a 17-50) , 70-200 and maybe hire a 10-22 or similar wide angle. One thing for sure you'll need - a decent circular polariser filter. You're going to get blue skies most of the time and more than enough light to survive with a CPL at all times. The desert scenery is truly amazing there and the night sky view from the middle of nowhere you're almost blinded by the brightness of the stars. It really is a beautiful place.
No wonder they all leave the important jobs..
. I am tempted to go to Luxor, its my 25th in April so I might ask for that trip for my birthday 
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