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There were 3 types of tours we could’ve choosen: small (1.5 hours 150LE only some of pyramids) medium (all pyramids, 2 hours, 200LE not going inside the pyramids 2 hours), large (all pyramids, 2.5 hours, 250LE plus going inside 1 of the pyramids). We chose the medium tour.
After pulling out of the stables I immediately regretted not voicing strongly that I didn’t want a camel ride. My bum was sore almost right away and I could feel the back of my neck getting burned. I had brought a long-sleeved shirt to wrap around my neck though and I was wearing a hat. The manager of the stable had tried to sell us touristy white head coverings but we declined. Our guide warned us after we’d picked our tour that inside the pyramid you can’t actually see anything and you just bend in half and crawl/walk through bent over in the darkness for a “feeling” so I’m glad we didn’t pick that tour. As we left, the manager told us that he’d be paying our guide based on the smiles on our faces when we got back.
The only thing I learned from our guide was to lean forward when going uphill on a camel and lean back when going downhill. He told us nothing but the names of the Pyramids-which we already knew. After everything he said he would add “You understand what I say?” I wanted to tell him if he had to ask, he shouldn’t be a tour guide. In my experience (I’ve only been to 10 other countries and lots of cities in different cities in those 10 plus tours I’ve done in my own country) there are 2 kinds of tour guides 1- people who feel a pride for their country or a love for what they are doing while guiding (rafting, mountainbiking, canyoning, etc) 2- people who think the best way to get money out of foreigners is being a tourguide. He was of the #2 variety.
As soon as we pulled off the street and into the sand a man walked over with a “welcome drink” as a gift. He popped the top off of a bottle of pop and tried to make my partner take it. (Sam had warned us before we left not to accept gifts from anyone, because after you accept, the giver asks for money.) He kept saying “It’s for you! It’s for you!” Our guide did nothing to intercept this transaction except to keep going.
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