Egypt is one of the most popular tourist destinations not only for Ukrainian visitors. Diving in the Red Sea is a must when exploring the Sinai part of Egypt.
One of the most popular bus-tours in Sinai is a tour from Sharm El Sheik to Jerusalem with a stop at the Dead Sea in Israel. The day trip costs $100.00.
Yuriy Mamay is a 38 year old Ukrainian citizen. He is also a freelance writer for eTurboNews based in Kiev. Yurly has traveled all over the world including Europe, Thailand, Mexico and Central America having a lot of fun and no problems.He is truly a tourist who enjoys being able to take advantage of the wright to travel.
Yuriy was asked by eTurboNews to report about his experience to go on a day tour to Jerusalem duing his vacation in Egypt.
Yuriy booked his trip for March 1, 2018.
Here is his story…. it turned out to be an adventure or perhaps in better words a tour from hell.
Driving from Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt to the Israeli Border at the Israel seaside resort city of Eilat is about 3 1/2 hours. Yurly left with fellow 59 tourists at 8.00pm from Sharm el Sheikh arriving at the Israel- Egypt border after midnight.
All passengers had to get off the Egyptian bus at the border. They had to pass Egyptian border control and their passports received exit stamps. The process was fast and efficient on the Egyptian side.
Passengers had to proceed walking between the Egyptian border post to the Israeli immigration office. A bus was waiting for them at the Israeli border facility.
Yuriy was one of the first arriving at the Israeli border checkpoint. He was asked to show his passport and to respond to some routine questions. Border guards wanted to know his reason for visiting Israel and how long he wanted to stay. Obviously everyone was on a day tour and the response was:
Reason: Sightseeing visiting Jerusalem and Dead Sea and staying for one day.
Yuriy didn’t need a visa with his Ukrainian passport.Yuriy didn’t speak good enough English and a translater was called to assist. The officer was nice but the Russian speaking translater had an attidude and became a challenge to deal with.
Here is the Q&A
Translator: How much cash are you carrying?
Yuriy: US $500
Translator: Please take off your shoes and show me your bag.
Yuriy did and was asked to unwrap his towel and swim trunks.
Translator: Why are you carrying so much cash ($500) Would we find more cash when searching your bag?
Yuriy was quiet surprised and truthfully responded negative.
The translator did not take his “no” for an answer and went through every detail including his mobile phone.
Officers went through every photo on the mobile phone and demanded to look at his social media postings.
Yuriy phone was taken and he was unable to see what officers were doing. Yuriy is one of those people who doesn’t have much information on his social networks. He is always concious of personal data leaked and identity theft. Apparently this raised a red flag with Israel immigration.
The translator demanded to see Yuriy hand and said. “If you will look for illegal work you will have “working hands”. Yuriy did not have a trace of a “working hand.”
Yuriy carried a bottle of still water and took a few sips. The translator had a comment to make: “Oh you are drinking water because you are nervous, haha!”
The missing of extensive social media details most likely triggered the decision by Israel authorities to deny Yuriy entry to the Land of Creation for the day trip to Jerusalem.
Yuriy was asked to leave the interrigation room and ordered to wait in another room to be deported and returned to Egypt.
Yuriy asked how long he had to wait and the friendly translator officer said: “You have to wait as much as we need you to wait – you poor penniless pig. She continued to call Yuriy some other very offensive words and kept laughing.”
The threat came now: “If you complain or appeal, we will make sure you will not be able to cross any international borders again – not only to Israel.”
Yuriy at anytime was pleasant and polite cooperating with officers.
Welcome to Israel! This was a special experience for a tourist ready to spend some money in the Jewish State.
Luckily Yuriy was not the only tourist denied entry. A total of 30 fellow travelers were taking into custody and had to wait in a room with less than 20 seats for more than 9 hours before being allowed to return to the land of the free – Egypt!
Most tourists denied entry had Ukrainian passports. A group of 20 citizens from Belarus were able to continue the trip in Israel without problems.
The rest of Yuriy vacation in Egypt was great and filled with fun, sun, and sea and a lot of culture and many welcoming people.
Yuriy did receive a $70 refund for the $100.00 he paid for the trip to Israel.
