africa

I am planing another trip to Egypt, and am considering taking this lonely planet along, as well as the new and much improved rough guide 2001. my last trip, the rough guide was the most serviceable, and the new edition is much better. don't bother with lets go. I loved egypt, and am off again this fall. Both the rough guide and lonely planet are thin on recomendations for day guides in cario, but they are there, hidden in the chapters. justine who loves to travel

I never travel anywhere without a Lonely Planet Guide. My trip to Egypt was no exception. I like them so much, I often buy the latest edition for places I have already been, just in case I get a chance to go again. This edition is especially nice, in that it only covers Egypt. The edition I used for my trip also covered the Sudan. So to save weight I had to rip out the Sudan pages before I even started the trip. The Lonely Planet guides provide information on everything, and are truely survival guides. I didn't backpack, but even if you stay in a great hotel and take a guided tour, there is no better way to get the feel of the sites and the country than reading you LP guide before you get there. The color pictures, maps and sketches of sites are excellent and well chosen, and the details of who and where to contact in an emergency may very well ensure your survival. But the best stuff is where to go for a particular food or drink and how to find that special place that the "tourists" don't visit. Don't leave home without it.

There is one correction I'd like to add to the Lonely Planet, Egypt. I recently returned from Cairo, Egypt. I bought my papyrus art from Mr. Said (pronounced Saieed) and highly recommend him. However, go to his office (Delta Papyrus Center--21 El Ghouria St., 3rd floor #17, Cairo, Egypt) BY YOURSELF. There will be people trying to "guide" you to his office and then ask you to pay them. He will give you an excellent price, but go alone without any guide. Enjoy!