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Touring with the Young, and
Not-So-Young
by Jimmy Dunn
 To a certain extent, taking my family to Egypt
recently was an experiment. More and more, whole families are
vacationing in Egypt, and that means bringing along children of
all ages. So, I wanted to know a little more about how this works
out, for both parents and kids. And the answer is...pretty well!
Everyone came home happy, from a memorable and enjoyable trip. But
we, as a family, made a few discoveries along the way.
Egypt as a tourism destination is all grown up.
It has matured into a place with something for everyone, including
each member of your family.
A specific member of a family with specific
interests often encourages a trip to Egypt. Where tours are
concerned, that interest is usually in classical antiquities,
though it may also be driven by an interest in mythology, scuba
diving, or even New Age discoveries. Regardless, it is probably
unusual for every member of a household to have the same reasons,
or the same level of desire to visit Egypt. This particularly
applies to children, but may also be just as applicable to one's
spouse. Therefore, certain allowances must be made to satisfy
everyone.
Though our son is interested in Egypt,
nevertheless getting him up early for tours everyday not only
proved to be a challenge for him, but on a few occasions, a
challenge for my wife as well. There were days where I heard the
dreaded, "What kind of vacation is this anyway...too much
work!", which mostly meant, "leave me alone, I want to
sleep a little longer". And while my wife did participate in
most excursions, there were even a couple of days that she felt
like taking a break. A certain amount of understanding is in
order, as well as allowance for some mix of activities.
After the first week, and urging my son not to
miss anything, we came to a better understanding, and established
a better pace. He was truly interested in the monuments and
sightseeing, but sometimes he wanted to relax, wake up late, and
go swimming or participate in some other activity. As we allowed
this to happen, things went much more smoothly. A few times, my
wife opted to sleep in and take in some shopping instead of seeing
monuments.
One of the Grand Shopping Malls Going up
in Egypt
Today, Egypt is more then ancient monuments. In
fact, it is unlikely that most of the tourists who come, do so for
classical antiquities. Indeed, current statistics point to Egypt's
largest draw as being beach destinations on the Red Sea and Sinai,
and every day this country seems to add new entertainment
adventures.
Golf at the Pyramids
 For a typical family, including some of these
non-antiquity diversions may be a great idea. Perhaps your husband
isn't that keen on the antiquities, but playing on a championship
golf course in the shadows of the Pyramids would give him real
bragging rights back home. For that matter, what about a game of
bowling along the Nile, or even a fishing trip on Lake Nasser,
where record breaking fresh water fish have been caught. For many
women, Egypt is simply a shopper's paradise and Cairo is one big
mall. What makes this all so special is it is easy for a spouse to
play golf or shop while the other takes in Sakkara or Old Cairo.
For kids, there are always the swimming pools found in most
hotels, but there are also amusement parks, Internet Cafes, and
even youth clubs at many of the better hotels. Younger kids tend
to love shows including belly dancing and whirling dervish, and
generally doing the "night thing" with parents. They
also seem to love riding camels and horses, as well as sail boats
on the Nile. Older kids can enjoy
just getting out on their own a bit, as well as visiting the
discos and other entertainment found at many hotels.
Dream Amusement Park
Sometimes we found a "taste of home"
was called for. No problem as a trip to McDonalds, Pizza Hut, TGI
Fridays, or even the Hard Rock Cafe is a good fix. Even my wife,
who has a much more exotic taste for foods than I, every so often
craved a cheeseburger. She found the McDonalds in Luxor to be
exactly like home, of course with the exception that it overlooks
the Temple of Luxor.
Building in a side trip to Sharm El-Sheikh was a
real bonus for the family. While this is still Egypt, it feels
nothing like the Egypt of the Nile Valley. It is a well-organized
vacation beach resort, with all manner of water sport, from scuba
to parasailing, and with no small amount of shopping and
nightlife, including good live shows all along the promenade. And
again, one spouse can easily take a side trip to St. Catherine's
Monastery and Mount Sinai, while the rest of the family suntans.
Never underestimate having friends along for the
trip. Optimally, it is great to travel with family friends,
particularly where families have  similarly
aged children. This can be a real godsend for the kids, but
also for the parents. There is plenty to do at most hotels, but
having kids along of a similar age will encourage them to take
advantage of every entertainment, as well as giving the grownups a
break. Of course, sometimes its nice to have along good
adult friends as well.
It is all a matter of diversity, and the more
diverse the family's interests, the more diverse of a vacation one
should plan to Egypt. If you don't leave out Cairo's major league
opera and art galleries, the beach, sports of all kinds, chances
are that everyone in your family will have the time of their
lives.
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