Questions and Answers

This is a new page I am creating (August 2010) so please bear with me while I populate it!

These are questions which have been emailed to me by readers and which may be useful for others.  I will be adding to it over time.


TRANSPORTATION

Question: What is the best and easiest way to get from Korba to Mohandeseen?

Answer:

There are 3 things you could try and partly it depends on where exactly in Mohandseen you need to be.

Experiment with these routes when you haven't got to be anywhere in a hurry!

(1) May be quickest overall but will involve some walking.

There is a metro station in the Heliopolis area called Saray El kobba - on the El Marg/Helwan line. Now, according to Cairo Maps (AUC Press 2008 Edition - it does not appear in earlier editions) it should be walkable from Korba in about 10-15 minutes. However, I have tried twice and got completely lost. It would be something to explore on a day when you had nothing else to do! From here, you could take the metro down to either Mubarak Station (under Ramses) or to Sadat (at Tahrir) and change on to the Giza line and get off either at Dokki or El BEhoos and walk (20 minutes approx) to your destination in Mohandseen.

(2) Go to the tram stop "Khalifa Al Marmun" (near Roxy) - opposite the vodafone shop. Approx 5 mins from Korba. Take the tram to Ramses Station. It will probably be crowded in the morning - I don't know as I only use it later in the day. Then you can either get the metro to Dokki / El Behoos or get a microbus from Ahmed Helmy bus station.

(3) Go to the bus station at Roxy. Again, approx 5 mins from korba once you know where it is. I'm sorry I don't have an address, I normally get a ride there from a friend who lives over there. Take a bus - either bus 200 which goes Roxy to Haram via Mohandseen (but will take over an hour) - or any bus which is going to Ramses and again change on to the metro to Dokki or El Behoos or get a microbus from Ahmed Helmy.


Question: Where is Ahmed Helmy bus station?


Answer:

If you get to Ramses, get out, keep asking - go down Ramses Street a little way and then turn off and go behind. There are some signposts. It's only about 5 minutes walk. I don't know all the microbuses, but ones going to 6th October will almost certainly go via Mohandseen. Also, some may go othe routes also via Midan Loobnan (Lebanon Sq) and this is in the heart of Mohandseen.


LIVING EXPENSES

Question: How much does it cost to live in Cairo?

Answer:


I wrote a detailed post on this based on my 2008 living costs here:

http://oldbagofcairo.blogspot.com/2008/07/oldbagofcairo-amalgamated-megacorp-plc.html

Some updated information is in this post here:

http://oldbagofcairo.blogspot.com/2010/07/coming-to-live-in-cairo-for-year.html

Basically, I currently allow 2000LE per month now to cover food, cleaning materials, internet, electricity, phone, mobiles, feeding my cats (about 300LE per month), travel on microbuses, buses and occasional taxis, gardener, eating out, tickets to visit places.