I am planning a trip to Jordan, Israel & Egypt for the period of 19 Dec to 2 Jan. I need some advice from the experts here.
1. Should I apply for another Singapore passport just for the use of entering Israel? I heard that now they don't chop on your passport, but on a paper instead. Is it true?
2. What is the best way to travel from Israel to Egypt (Cairo) (and cheaper way than taking a flight)?
Many thanks in advance.
Answer :
1) Does Singapore ICA allow you to apply for a 2nd passport ?
2) You can take a tour bus package from the Israel-Egypt border , a 10+ hour bus ride that will leave "burn" marks on your ass or take a 1 hour flight from Israel to Cairo .
A few tips
Of the 3 countries you plan ,Jordan is nice of the lot as Egypt ( Cairo especially ) has that big city feel , very big city .. Israel is a generally a country on guard mode , so the ppl there generally wont be that friendly I feel . Jordan has none of that ..
Places to visit in Jordan . Wadi Rum desert sight see is a must on a 4x4 + camp overnight in the desert. 25 USD for dinner , sight see and over night camp . The same is silky fine . Go bare foot is okay coz it will quite cold when you go . ( so be prepared to be frozen at night in the tent ) .So why suffer the cold ? Its the stars man ..bring new meaning to the phrase star-filled sky .
Depending on your sense of adventure , there's the old school camp( really the bedouins tents ) or the more commercial tent hotel where the facilities are better and perhaps less cold and dark ?
But for the period you are going , take the tent hotels
Another place to visit in Jordan is Petra , you need at least 2 days to fully visit that place . Its really a place of wonder... temples carved into the red cliffs. ( btw , between petra and cairo's pyramids it is NOT a day's drive like in Transformers 2 )
Visit these 2 places in Jordan if you have to choose and ration . Try the shish kebab . 1 Dinar ( 1.5 USD ) for a kebab a few years ago.
Always bargain in the middle east. Always . Especially in Egypt . Quote you 8000 you can bring it down to 1000 if you have the patience .
That being said , Egypt is really a mystical place with all the temples and pyramids . Try to plan a cruise down river nile . To really visit Egypt you need 8 days or so . If you have to ration , Giza , Cairo museum . 2 days . Den a train out to the river Nile to take a 4or 3 day cruise to visit the temples . You may have to miss the southern most one where Ramesses II temple is at with your time constraint.go with a guided tour though.
As for Israel . I would suggest you buy a road map of Israel ( in English ) , rent a car from either Budget or the local company . Drive to all the places you wanna go visit .
Hope this helps