If you’ve never been there, and if you’ve never heard the experiences of former travellers to Egypt, you would not believe how much, how often and how persistent you can be hassled in Egypt by not just shopkeepers but also taxi drivers, travel guides, guardians at mosques/museums/sites/toilets… in fact by just about everyone. And I am not exagerrating.

The Egyptians are infamous for hassling tourists. It begins from the moment you arrive in the country and it doesn’t stop. It happens everywhere you go. Once they know you’re a tourist, and it’s not difficult to assume that everyone who doesn’t look like a Middle Eastern is a tourist, they will hit on you, and not in a welcome way.

Taxi Driver: You want taxi?
Me: La, shukran (no thank you).
Taxi Driver: Where you want to go?
Me: La, shukran.
Taxi Driver: Taxi? Very cheap!
Me: Shukran.
Taxi Driver: You want to know how much?
Me: (shaking my head) Shukran
Taxi Driver: Only 5 pounds anywhere you want. Very good price. Today’s special.
Me: La shukran
Taxi Driver: You want taxi?!

And this is repeated everywhere! Over and over again. I’ve been hassled:
* in souqs (bazaars) in Aswan, Luxor and Cairo;
* in every single tourist site I went to, including places of worship;
* by a representative of my travel agent in Cairo;
* by taxi drivers everywhere;
* and even in toilets!

In fact, I’ve even been manhandled in the Khan Al-Khalili market in Cairo - the owner of a perfume shop came and literally gripped my arm tightly and dragged me into his shop claiming that “my friends” were inside. These “friends” turned out to be Singaporeans, i.e. the owner must have assumed that we were travelling together since we looked similar! I walked out of the shop immediately. But not without a dull ache on my arms.

The Egyptians just do not understand “no” for an answer. They persist in soliciting your custom over and over again, regardless of your reply. They hit you with an endless tirade that leaves you no room to think. So much so, that after a couple of days, you learn to automatically give a negative response even though you may otherwise have been interested. Many tourists I encountered during my trip, and myself, learnt to not stop and browse at any shops because they moment you do, the sales person would come up and hassle you endlessly, this to the detriment of the shop’s business - after all, some of us who might not have been wanting to shop might just find something we liked if only we had the opportunity to actually browse in peace. I’m just surprised that the shop keepers, and taxi drivers, and everyone else, have not learnt.

Unfortunately, there’s almost no way to avoid the hassling. It’s like trying to walk in the rain without an umbrella. The best that you can do is to avoid looking at anyone, march quickly and determinately past everyone and just repeat “la shukran, la shukran” whatever anyone says! With any luck you will be allowed to walk away completely. But mind you, they have been known to physically stop you. Literally. In some countries, it would be considered physical harassment. In Egypt, it’s just a way of life.

The only way to avoid being hassled would be to stay in your hotel, preferably a 5-star one - there, you’re almost guaranteed of being left in peace. I was certainly glad to be able to retreat to the Sheraton Luxor Resort and the Nile Hilton Cairo after half-a-day out in the big bad world of Egyptian society! Both hotels were like gated communities keeping the nasty people out! I know it sounds terrible, but you wouldn’t believe what wonderful oases of peace these proved to be.

Alas, the hassling doesn’t just stop at the “commercial” tourist areas. It also extends to places of worship. In two mosques I visited, the Mosque of Sultan Hassan and the famed Al-Azhar Mosque, we were pounced on by “escorts” the moment we entered. The first time it happened at the Sultan Hassan Mosque, a young gentleman who introduced himself as an Inspector of Antiquities (this position does exist) greeted us at the entrance and proceeded to take us around the Mosque, explaining the significance of each area along the way. At the end of a brief 5-minute tour, he said that “this is where I stop” and that “if you would like to give me something you can”! We were caught totally off guard. But as we had already spent 10 days in Egypt, we were not really surprised. So I gave him EGP10 (equivalent to MYR6). He thanked us and left.

At the Al-Azhar Mosque, an old gentleman (who might have been a cleric) greeted us at the entrance and asked us to follow him to the madrasah. Having learnt from the previous day’s visit, I said “la shukran” and ignored him. Alas, he persisted to follow us despite my repeating “la shukran” all the way. It was obvious he was not about to give up and I eventually resigned myself to be escorted. Of course, at the end of a 5-minute tour, he stopped and asked/expected money. I gave him EGP5 (equivalent to MYR3). He stood there and actually said it wasn’t enough, insisting on EGP5 more. I answered in the negative saying it was enough, but he stood firm and demanded more money. Given that this was a mosque and that I was a foreigner who didn’t speak the language, and that we were arguing over not a very large sum, I again relented in the end and grudgingly gave him the extra EGP5.

But this really was the last straw. I can understand such hassling in bazaars, in the streets, in tourist shops, in restaurants even, but to have it happen so blatantly in a place of worship (and the Al-Azhar Mosque is not just an active mosque, and a famous one at that, but also a place of higher learning), was just too much. It just wasn’t right. It’s not the money that bothers me but that they would provide a service with the expectation of monetary returns without giving me the option in advance as to whether I wanted or needed the service. More importantly, to insist on providing me the service when I clearly declined it and still expecting the monetary returns was just too much. And to top it off, rather than accept what I felt like giving, but to insist on a particular sum of money, when it was not transparently advertised in advance, really blew my top. Egypt is many things, but consumer friendly it is not.

Part of the hassle of travelling in Egypt is the endemic tipping culture. It is expected everywhere: from the bell boys to the cleaners in the toilets; from the guardians of places of worship to the guides; from waiters to shopkeepers - everyone expects a tip. I was even asked while paying for some scarves in a shop to tip the boy who was stuffing them into a plastic bag! When I said “no”, the salesman repeated the “suggestion”. I relented and gave the boy EGP1. There is very little understanding, as in most other countries, that gratuity is only given for levels of service rendered that is beyond what one can otherwise reasonably expect. In Egypt, a tip is expected once a service is rendered, regardless of how well it is done and regardless whether you have already paid for the mediocre service or not. It is, I suppose a function of the low levels of income and perhaps years of experience with tourists who tip as a matter of course (Americans?). Whatever it is, it is a national problem. And it is a problem, in my view.

On our last day in Egypt, we had just about had enough of not only the hassling but also the tipping. So much so, that we resisted going to the bathroom whenever there was a bathroom-keeper around who would expect a tip merely for handing out paper-towels! We’re not tight with our money - we just don’t like the “natural” expectation. And we certainly don’t like it when it is demanded of us for no good reason.

Pictures (from top to bottom): lady making bread in a restaurant in Sakkara (had to tip her for allowing me to take her picture), children asking for money from passegers in river-boats at the Esna Lock, man in boat who took us to the island where the Philae Temple is located (guide suggested a tip in addition to the boat rental which was already paid!)

  

Posted on April 26th, 2004 by jl
Filed under: The Egypt Holiday