The Question Everybody Asks Me; “How Did You Decide to Move to Egypt?”
So, here’s my story: I was 44, separated and living in Cork, Ireland with my two sons in their late teens/early 20s. I gathered a group of people to go to Egypt because it was the cheapest holiday abroad that offered more than sun, sea, sand and nightclubs at the time. I knew nothing about Egypt but I did have some romantic notions at the back of my mind of men in turbans, belly dancers in floating veils, geni (remember “I Dream of Jeannie“?), Cleopartra, Caesar and Mark Anthony – all from TV and the movies. But there was also something else that I could not put a name to and still can’t today. It’s something intangible but you know it’s there, you can feel it – some reading this will know what I mean. I can’t really explain it.
As the plane landed in Luxor Airport, the first sight that met my eyes was the canopied roofs of what looked like several very, very large tents which appeared to be part of the airport arrivals hall. Once the plane door opened and the warm air hit my face I distinctly remember a voice in my head saying “I’m home!” And that feeling continued for the week I was there. We went on a fantastic Nile Cruise – best food I’d ever tasted, friendly staff, everyone smiling, no street drinking, no drugs, no fighting. It was heavenly. Yes, there was street hassle from vendors but our guide took excellent care of us.
The disappoint, for me, was that after several guided tours to the temples and lots of time spent on the boat with the guide answering our questions and entertaining us, I had heard no information that would give solid form to that intangible aura just out of reach. So, finally I just asked the guide straight out “where is the magic? what happened in the temples? what was it all about?” His answer was “It’s not there. It’s gone. That was then and this is now.” I pressed him a bit on the subject but he had no more to say. Later I realised there is no place in Egyptology as the guides are taught, for “that stuff”.
Even without “that stuff” Egypt had caught me and in 2001 I sold my house in Cork and moved to Egypt. I had no clear, definite plan. But that was not unusual for me. And from here on every decision I made was simply because it was the only decision to make at the time. I didn’t weigh the pros and cons. I just lived and dealt with things as they happened or came my way. It wasn’t always easy, in fact some of it was downright awful and stressful. But soon, I had bought a piece of land and was building Mara House. Actually, I only intended to build the ground floor but Mara House took on a life of it’s own even back then.
Prior to moving to Egypt my life was a series of ups and downs, filled with more failure than success. But the weird thing was that everything I had learned in every failure was a skill I needed and used in Egypt. Another weird thing is that the street that Mara House is built on is called after Saladin – the warrior who united the arabs against the medieval crusaders. Little did I know that I would go on to incorporate a restaurant into Mara House that was the brainchild of my son Stephen and his wife Sara – and that it would be called the “Salahadeen”. Nor did I know that I would go on to discover that I was related through marriage to the family of the last king of Egypt, the descendants of Muhammad Ali. Nor did I know that I would end up with the largest collection of photos of that dynasty on the walls of Mara House and be hit with a passion for collecting and writing their life stories.
There is no such thing as a wrong decision. All decisions just bring you to where you must make another and another and another choice. Life is a succession of choices.
I believe that time is precious commodity and that our holidays, especially those with family are particularly important for our wellbeing. There is something in me that drives me to do whatever I can to make life better for others or help make a happy memory whenever I can. That is the guiding force of everything I do and I am fortunate to have gathered a few people around me at Mara House who share those beliefs.
I also believe that what we give out is what we get back and that is why Mara House became such a success and so well-known. My mission is to help everyone who comes my way to experience the very best of Egypt and to have an extraordinary time in this magical country – yes, I did find the places and the magic for myself and am always eager to share it 🙂
I was lucky at Mara House, my instinct and my decisions proved fruitful and Mara House has hosted lovely people, some well-known at the time and others whose careers I have watch hit the heights of success over the years. I like to think that their visit to Egypt and Mara House added a little magic to their lives and in some way helped them on the life journey.
Trials and Set-backs
In 2011, the revolution that was more in the minds of the outside world than it was in Egypt, the political disaster that followed and was rescued by the army coup that was only a coup in the minds of the outside world. Then 2020 brought the outside world to a stop in 2020/21. And in 2023 the war in Gaza once again has people afraid to go to Egypt – again, while the war is real in Gaza, the danger in Egypt is only in the minds of the outside world. It would be akin to the people throughout the USA being afraid to go to Pennsylvania because the street gangs in New York declared an all-out war on each other. So, apart from the high influx of Russians and the independent travelers who know there is nothing to fear, both Egypt and myself have been in waiting mode for the last 13 years. However, I am sure that something good will come of it all in it’s own time.
There is Always Hope for the Future
So, that’s it – that’s my story. I have a group tour scheduled for November 2024 which I am also leading with my guides. I have some places still available and am looking forward to meeting whoever is sent our way for that trip. I love the group tours and I love telling my stories, answering questions and out of ever tour comes something I did not know before or someplace new to explore – because sometimes I only know the answers, or make a discovery, when the right question is asked or the request is made.
I answer all emails myself – so when you are ready to plan your trip to Egypt, whether just for yourself, your family or a group, drop me an email and let’s chat maraegypt@gmail.com