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Published: December 13th 2008
Mukluk - Travelling Canucks' Mascot
Mukluk returns! As usual, Mukluk will be hiding out in our luggage since his Canadian passport application was rejected once again. Without a passport, an Egyptian visa is out of the question!Today was our last day of school and work for a whole month. Only three more days before the Travelling Canucks escape rainy Vancouver for sunny Egypt!
Our plans are set and our bags are packed. While you never know what surprises await us in Egypt, that's what makes travelling so exhilarating! Life happens and it's those unexpected moments that are sometimes the most memorable.
For those surprises that are not so memorable, here are some of the precautions we have taken:
Planned our itinerary and budget • Booked hotels, transportation and Nile cruise in advance because it is high season.
• Booked hotels with flexible cancellation terms to take advantage of last minute deals.
• Copied email confirmations for non-smoking rooms at quoted rates to avoid disputes.
• Planned detailed itinerary to make best use of our time and budget.
• Booked private tour guides and drivers for chaotic Cairo.
Anticipated financial needs • Sourced local currency & traveler’s cheques.
• Checked to make sure we have funds and pin numbers for credit and debit cards.
• Recorded traveler’s cheques, credit and debit card numbers and emergency contact numbers in case of loss.
• Contacted credit card companies to advise them of our travel plans.
• Arranged for emergency funds, if needed.
Arranged for travel health insurance and anticipated heath needs • Copied travel insurance and documented emergency contact numbers.
• Took Dukoral to combat the risk of Pharaoh’s Revenge!
• Organized medical kit, including antibiotics, rehydration salts, insect repellent and sunscreen etc.
• Checked to make sure vaccinations are up-to-date and appropriate.
• Packed an extra supply of prescribed medications in case of loss or theft.
Organized travel documents • Ensured passports are valid.
• Copied passports, identification and credit card information and separated from the originals.
• Considered obtaining visas in advance. Ensure US funds available to purchase entry visas at point of entry (US$15 per traveler).
• Registered online with Canada's Foreign Affairs' Department as Canadian Travelers Abroad.
• Documented address and contact information for Canada’s consular office in Cairo to confirm arrival, which is required to activate registration.
• Left copies of our passports, identification and credit card information, itinerary and insurance policies with friends/family.
Prepared for flights • Hard and electronic copies of e-ticket email confirmations.
• Confirming flights 72 hours before departure.
• Planned for luggage and airport security restrictions on international and domestic flights.
• Packed carry-on luggage for long stopover. Packed prescription medications and electronics taking security risks and restrictions into account.
Visas & Passports
According to the Egyptian Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, multiple entry visas must be obtained in your home country prior to arrival; however, Canadian travelers to Egypt, like most other nationalities from Western countries, who only need a single entry visa for a visit under 30 days, can buy their visa at the airport upon arrival. It is as simple as going to a bank located in the arrival hall of the airport and buying a visa from the bank clerk. Once you have bought your visa, the visa sticker(s) is placed on the first empty page in your passport together with your completed arrival card obtained from a flight attendant prior to landing and you are ready to go through passport control.
Although the Canadian government recommends getting a visa before arrival to avoid delays or denial of entry into Egypt, we decided to apply when we arrive since we don't like the thought of mailing our passports, paying for photos and registered mail costs and $25 Cdn each to get a visa that would cost us $15US each when we land in Egypt!
We have checked to make sure our Canadian passports are valid for at least six months beyond the date we are expected to leave Egypt. We also will be checking to make sure we get an entry stamp upon arrival in Egypt in order to get an exit stamp so we have permission to leave Egypt!
Since we are packing photographic equipment and a laptop, we have to declare the equipment on entry and prove that we have removed it upon exit.
On a more sombre note, as evidenced in Mumbai, India, terrorism is a global threat. While Egypt is considered to pose a high threat to Western tourists, we are counting on an increased security presence in Egypt, taking personal security precautions and, hopefully, our hotel, transportation and travel plans will provide us with a sense of personal security, despite travelling in an ever-increasingly uncertain world.
Check out our blogs as the Travelling Canucks take off on another action-packed adventure with Mukluk in tow! Mukluk, our travel mascot, loves to travel stowed-away in our luggage, with no valid passport or visas. He can often be found in the most unexpected places in Papa Canuck's pics. Play "Where in the World is Mukluk?" as you follow us on our adventure!
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