Shortchanged in Egypt

I’d like to mention some things that happened during a 17-day Egypt tour I took in Cairo, Sinai and along the Nile in December ’06-January ’07.

A woman in our group was shortchanged at the money-exchange bank, but she caught it in time.

At the restaurant in our hotel, the waiter shortchanged me 10 Egyptian pounds for a lunch costing E£16. I caught it and went to the desk to get the money back.

I was cheated at the grocery store on a purchase of soda and candy. This one they got away with.

I ordered coffee at a coffee shop in one of the temples, and on delivery the waiter said “E£25” (near $4.50). When I raised a fuss, he dropped it to E£10.

Visitors, beware.

JAY J. STEMMER

Glendale, CA