Does this mean that Lyndsay's off the hook?

Hi
was this post for anyone in particular

I was thinking the same thing as soon as I read it. Happy days!!!!

The subject came up a few months ago because Sharm has its one womens group but at that time Hurghada did not.

As such both Linda and Alison decided to nominate me for the role of organising it but I don't move out until July and it looks like some else has beaten me to it. Darn!!

Lyndsay

You could well be Lyndsay - looks like there is still no website for Hurghada Women though!!!!!

Hi
Im coming out to Sharm onn 22 May. If anybody living here can think of an item that they would like, could use, or really need. I'll try and get it and bring it out.

Conditions:-
I choose winner
They have to collect it or arrange collection from my hotel
it has to be legal !!!
It's got to be feasible - ie no guard dogs or step ladders
Must be small and fit easily in luggage
I'll judge it on originality, humour or genuine need if there is something really needed for personal reasons
If it's over £10 they have to pay for it when they collect it

see what you come up with

Hi all just found this 07777780 Free Internet access Provider in Egypt it says free internet access for the price of a local call?? Anyone tried it??

Here are some comments about the cost of living in El Gouna. Sorry if someone has already posted. There are so many replies I didn't make my way through them all.

My total bills for a year in a one bedroom apartment in El Gouna are around 350 pounds sterling. That includes electricity, maintenance, pest control, garbage collection, cable TV, water, gas, security. It was 250 GBP when I first moved here a few years ago. Note that I hate air conditioning and living in El Gouna on the second floor is very breezy and cool so if you like to have the a.c. on all day the costs will be much more.

If you have a villa in El Gouna the cost of owning a pool and irrigating a garden is a lot. I think my bills are exceptionally small for El Gouna.

The TV cable cost 60 GBP to install then 2GBP per month. This gives me about 13 English channels and loads of German, French, Italian, Arabic and Russian channels. They include El Gouna TV, Animal Planet, CNN, Euronews, MBC2, MBC4, Showseries, Showseries Extra, BBC Prime, Show Movies 1, Show Movies Action, Supermovies and Show Sports.

My post is delivered to El Gouna post office and he calls my internal extension when my mail arrives. I haven't bothered with a PO Box.

I have a 3G USB Modem for internet from Etisalat. It cost 140 GBP to buy and 10GBP per month for 500mb download. You can pick up a signal anywhere in Egypt i.e. you are not limited to your house but it works with a sim card so wherever you can pick up a 3G phone signal.

We have a brewery here who deliver Egyptian alcohol but imported alcohol we can only buy from the Duty Free shop in El Gouna with someones passport up to 48 hours after arrival.

Transport around El Gouna costs 50p for a tok tok per person and 1.50GBP for a taxi anywhere in El Gouna.

The El Gouna hospital is fantastic. To see a doctor, dentist or optician it costs LE45 if you live here. I have just had my two front teeth crowns replaced and they cost LE800 each. We have a gyneacologist, x-ray, ultrasound, laboratory, surgery, face lifts, lyposuction, etc. etc. But tourists will probably pay 50 Euros for something we pay LE45 for.

We have a great school too. To read about the school and hospital there is an article about both in the Spring issue of El Gouna magazine elgounamag . You can also read my article about the El Gouna girls trip to Cairo, Alexandria and climbing Mount Sinai!

Eating out and drinking out in El Gouna is getting expensive. Typically LE20 for a beer and LE25 for a glass of wine but in the hotels it can be LE55 for a glass of Egyptian wine. A bottle of Egyptian wine costs LE39 delivered to your door. When I first came five years ago a fillet steak in pepper sauce was around LE45 but now you are looking at about LE90.

Maintenance for a plumber, electrician or carpenter to do one job is LE10. That includes call out!! But this is El Gouna. My friend who owns a villa half way between El Gouna and Hurghada keeps getting his villa painted on the outside and it keeps blistering and the paint blows away. There is different quality paints and they never use masking tape even if you supply it.

Average wages for Egyptians are around 50 pounds sterling per month. Petrol has just gone up 35% overnight. It is still only 20p a litre but its all relevant.

Bearing in mind the average wage I wonder where all the money is going from the enormous prices being charged for property along the Red Sea coast. Certainly not on the workers. Having recently visited Sahl Hasheesh development the workers are all camped out living in the construction. I have never seen any signs of health and safety i.e. hard hats, or boots, safe ladders. And certainly not a toilet. So it is normal when you go to inspect your property when it is being constructed to find a pile of human sh1t in the spare bedroom

So, I hope I haven't repeated anything. Just adding my thoughts

Hi Georgina - a great post thankyou. In Sharm we normally pay around 60le for a really good fillet steak, chips, fresh veg and peppercorn sauce. I know what you mean about the safety on site. I cringe at the wooden scaffolding. Also the poo poo - how glad was I when we went to visit our site that I wore trainers and not my normal flip flops!!!!!!!!!

Fantastic post Georgina - great information. I really enjoyed reading it even though we haven't bought in El Gouna. A good friend of mine teaches at the International school there and lives in Hurghada so she's handy for advice. Another good friend lives in Cairo and has recently has a villa built so I'd already heard about the 'in-house toilet facilities' (her builders didn't limit themselves to just one room though ).

Look forward to more posts from you
Best wishes
Linda