If you are wondering how I came to believe in all this stuff that I am constantly trying to talk to you all about… I would have to start by saying I think I was incredibly lucky to have the parents I had. In the sense that beyond fostering some basic human values in me,…
I haven’t written here for a while. My life has been a bit hectic between family, travel and business. But I woke up this morning in Mara House, Luxor. I have been back exactly 4 weeks yesterday and it has been a whirlwind of catching up with everything. My son has built us a BBQ…
According to legend, Beit al-Kreitlia is home to Sultan al-Watawit (Watawit means bat) – King of the Djins and his seven daughters who sleep peacefully in golden beds at the bottom of a magic well in the corner of the courtyard of Beit Al-Kreitlia. The well also contains the Sultan’s treasure which he closely guards….
Following up on my TripAdvisor saga. Just another example to illustrate how they don’t appear to either read/comprehend what they are doing regarding reviews nor have an internal owner account filing system to track what they do to us. This is the latest email from them entitled – Your Review Dispute and below it you…
The purpose of this post is to record these events and facts to do with our ranking on TripAdvisor. I try to be a positive person, always looking for the silver lining behind the cloud and encouraging everyone else to do the same. This is going to be a rambling post so you might like…
My heading might not be 100% appropriate but it’s the best I can come up with just now. I am taking a few days off in a 4 star hotel in the USA. I’m not going to name the hotel because really the staff here are doing the best they can. But to be honest,…
Agha Saleem’s Secret Treasure Trove Beit Al-Kreitlia, as with all houses of the wealthy and governing families had quarters known as the Harem where the ladies of the house could relax safely from strangers’ eyes. The ‘harem’ at Beit Al-Kreitlia is situated on the first floor directly above the magic well – where lives the…
Speaking the same language doesn’t guarantee understanding. Here’s how cultural differences in Egypt can derail conversations—and how to avoid the most common pitfalls.
When I first moved to Luxor in 2003 and wanted to buy material/cloth, curtains, sheets, house furniture etc. I had to go to Cairo for them. Anything available in Luxor was NOTHING even remotely near what I needed. Finding a laptop to buy was impossible. It took me 18 months and 6 trips to Cairo…
Before the Kretlis family owned the house it was owned by a man named Hagg Mohammed. In those days there lived in the house a benevolent serpent by the name of Anon – she protected the house by preventing other reptiles from entering and keeping evil outside the walls. Hagg Mohammed had two little boys…
Many countries around the world have stories of water wells in which believers can see the face of their true love. Cairo also has such a well and it is at Beit Al-Kreitlia – the Gayer Anderson House. This famous well is also home to the Sultan Al-Watawit, the immortal King of the Djinns. In…
The saddest thing for me is when a tourist arrives at my door suffering from Egyptian Tummy – the worst part is that it’s not that hard to avoid it when you know how and carry the remedy in your pocket – just in case. There is a local, fast acting remedy and every traveller should buy it on arrival in Egypt.
Avoid rookie mistakes when getting around Luxor. From taxis and calèsh to ferries and Uber, here’s what to ask, check and clarify — plus how Mara House guests avoid the hassle.
Avoid tourist traps at Luxor Train Station! Learn about common tactics used by touts and taxi drivers to divert travelers to hotels for commissions.
The overnight devaluation of the Egyptian pound a few months ago meant a short term ‘bargain basement’ bonanza for foreign tourists coming here. The value of the Egyptian Pound to the dollar was halved, which meant that tourists were able to buy some goods at half the previous price – a bonus for the tourists…
Helicopter, plane, stealth fighter, submarine on the same ancient Egyptian carving at Abydos Temple – you have to see it to believe it
If you live in country which has noise control levels and are used to getting a good night’s sleep in quiet surrounding…..please don’t expect this anywhere in Egypt unless you are going to the Desert! Noise pollution levels in Egypt must be among the highest in the world. There is no awareness in Egypt on…
Safety of visiting Egypt through the lens of recent history, impact of media on tourism, explore a compelling perspective on Egypt’s safety for travelers.
Experience freedom in Luxor, Egypt—my philosophy on life, happiness, and living without fear
We are only 4 weeks into 2016 and already I can feel the force of the changes coming for 2016. Being a believer in the Universal Law of Attraction I know that many of the coming changes in my own life are the result of wishes I have been sending to the Universe over the…