Hi there,

as you're probably starting to work out, Maadi is one of the key expat areas, as is Zamalek, closer to the city. The metro is fine and cheap (a pound a go) and it GETS YOU OUT OF THE HORRIFIC CAIRO TRAFFIC! Anyone who says they only catch taxis has (a) a big fat expat paycheck to blow until they learn the proper prices and (b) too much time on their hands. The metro has a women's only carriage so you can always go there if you're on your own.

There are plenty of salons in Maadi and Nasr City/Misr el Gedida (Heliopolis) as good (and half the price) of the UK who are used to dealing with foriegners' hair, and plenty of day spas targetted at fleecing westerners, while the locals pay a quarter of the price for the same service. Once you've been here a little while, you'll become confident at bowling into your local coiffeur (hairdresser) for a seshwah (blow dry). It's not rocket science.

Also, if you're in the north of Cairo, there's Nasr City and City Stars mall, which has the big names, from Zara to H&M (considered a chic brand here) and plenty of western-style cafes, polar-strength aircon and an excellent supermarket, Spinneys, though your local souk is fine for vegies. Maadi has similar. I dispute the post that says you should eat in Carrefour's food hall, tho. Would you live on that food in the UK? Uggh, bad Chinese and sloppy pizza is the same the world over. You can eat local, I'm sure you can tell if something's not fresh or clean. The fruit and veg are so cheap and fantastic here, if you're a cook you'll love it.

I suggest you buy the Lonely Planet's little Arabic-English phrasebook, which lives in my handbag. Also, PM me and i can give you the name of my Arabic teacher, who is as much a teacher of living in Egypt as well as the language, and she's a cool girl, as well. Pointing gets boring after a while...

Anyway, good luck with the move, it's a great city. Apols for the ramble - anything you need, just PM me and I'll see if I can help you out. No strings. LOL!

Cheers,

Belle