14^th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PHOTOACOUSTIC AND PHOTOTHERMAL PHENOMENA

Cairo,  Egypt, January 6 - 9, 2007

Check The Conference Photos

Travel advices

The Conference will be held in the Tiba Rose Hotel

Conference Site*

     "Dar El-Defa El-Gawwy"                        Arabic Map

Map in Arabic to be used by Taxi Drivers.

* Please print the above to help you with taxi Drivers.

* Approximate fee from the airport to the hotel ~ 50LE

1. Arrival at Cairo airport

For visitors from most countries it is possible to purchase a visa upon arrival. You have to get the visa stamps from any of the bank counters before lining up at the Passport control. The fee for the visa is about $ 15.00. For some countries it is required to get the visa in your home country. Check it out as soon as possible. Necessary invitation letters can be sent from the organizing committee is required.

2. Getting to the conference site / hotel

We will later supply you at this site with additional information about the transfer to the conference site/hotel. There is no public transport system from the airport to Heliopolis worth mentioning it. Regarding taxis: see below

4. Weather & Clothing

Expect to have 10 – 15 °C, with sunshine adding some extra warmth. Rain is very rare, but you may want to bring a small umbrella – just in case.

An indoor “weather” issue: Many public places are proud of their powerful air condition systems and like to demonstrate that - resulting in chilly lecture halls or restaurants. In winter some places may lack heating facilities in turn. So an extra sweater is recommen­ded.

To walk around Cairo bring comfortable shoes.

5. Getting around Cairo

Taxis are the best way to get around in Cairo. There are some hurdles, however, for those who rely on the Western way of taking a taxi: The meter is not working (properly), the drivers barely speak English and do not know the directions, and the taxis are often somewhat worn out.

The conference office will be happy to assist you in coping with this situation: with short Arabic notes on directions, with price estimates and other things. We will make sure that you always get back to the conference site.

There is new method to call Taxi using phone 16516 and ask for English language.

Finally using the taxis will offer you an once-in-a-lifetime experience.

6. Mobile phones

Inquire in advance whether your mobile operator has Egypt on the roaming list. Prices for mobile calls within Egypt are low compared with Western standards, so it may be a help every now and then.

7. Food and drinks

In order to make sure that you can enjoy the conference and Cairo, some basic rules are recommended to every visitor to Egypt. To avoid “Pharao’s revenge” follow the simple rule: “Cook it, boil it, peel it or forget it”: Don’t take fruits from the streets and avoid fresh salads. Don’t take ice cubes in your drinks.

When you order bottled mineral water or soft drinks in a restaurant make sure that they get only opened at your table, not before.

Do not drink tap water, it is heavily chlorinated as a preventive measure for disease control, and in addition to the strong taste it might irritate sensitive stomachs which are not used to it. Boiled water is okay, since all the chlorine is gone, and you may enjoy the great tasting Egyptian tea (with fresh mint – shay be nana) or the oriental coffee (ahwa).

8. Alcohol in Egypt

Egypt is an Islamic country, and most Egyptians do not consume alcohol. Most of the (rural) areas are dry, but this does not hold for Cairo and other places with tourists. Large restaurants as well as 4- and 5 star hotel may serve alcohol.

The hotels at the conference site do, however, not offer alcohol. Here are the options for those who like to enjoy it during the stay in Egypt anyway:

1. Bring with you your favorite spirits from home.

2. Purchase spirits or wine upon arrival in Cairo in the Duty-free shop at the airport

3. Local beer comes now in a wide variety with good quality (That sentence comes from a German living in Egypt). But it is available from some specialized shops only.

4. “Public” consumption of alcohol is essentially limited to hotels and restaurants serving foreign travelers. Those will be an option for the evening, if you want one. We will supply you with some recommendations upon arrival.

5. When you go there: Check the prices carefully before ordering important alcohol (wine or spirit) in the restaurants or bars: Due to very high custom tariffs the bill may kill all joy!