EZY 1885 landed a few minutes early at 16:22 on Wednesday.
Passengers with valid PCR certificates were unloaded first and then the rest of us who would be testing at the airport were allowed off. There was an airbridge so no stairs involved. Once again I declined the waiting wheelchair and took the exercise again.
First we had to hand in the Egypt Declaration Form:
Then we queued to pay £25 for the covid-19 PCR test. Another queue while our documents were copied to provide a link to the personal test. Then sit down while a nurse pokes a stick up one nostril. This was then sealed in a tube and labelled. We received a document to record this.
I looked at the duty free shop but was too knackered to stop and shop there. It will be a long dry winter. It had taken about 1 hour to get through the airport, which I thought quite reasonable.
Our transfer driver was waiting for us outside the airport. We had to drive south, north and south again on a tortuous route to our hotel. We passed the new Hurghada Museum on the way. I also noted the White Elephant Thai restaurant opposite the hotel but will not get the opportunity to visit it this trip. Checking later I see mixed reviews on TripAdvisor.
After an hour the hotel doctor came to check up on us. This is apparently standard practice. Because I have COPD and was tired and exhausted it was no surprise to me that my oxygen count was a little low and my temperature was slightly high. But my blood pressure was amazingly low for me. Because of the temperature (37.5C) I was asked to stay in the room. We ordered a breakfast tray for the next morning and used room service for an evening snack and a Stella. The food portion size was excessive and it is a good job that we only ordered appetizers. My main objection was the lack of plates and cutlery. I'm not fond of eating out of plastic containers using my fingers. And some salt for the salad would have been appreciated.
The hotel wifi was adequate, so I was able to check my social media. Then early to bed. A disco, probably in the roof terrace bar 2 floors above us was a nuisance but I was soon asleep.