I'll post a bit more detail about Egypt itself later but will start off by trying to describe things about the actual workings of the holiday, as I'm aware there will be many people on these boards who have yet to try Just You and are still unsure whether or not to book a holiday.

I booked the trip about 6 months ago, and about 2 weeks before departure I got a pack in the post containing confirmation of all the flights, accomodation and so forth, plus prices/details of the optional excursions that were likely to be available. You also get advice on other aspects of the trip, such as what clothing you may need to wear and how to go on as regards tipping people etc.

Perhaps most importantly, you get your distinctive Just You luggage labels. When you arrive at the first airport these labels help you spot other people in your group (and help them to spot you!) so you can start getting acquainted before you've even made contact with your Tour Rep. This is particularly the case if, like me, the first leg of your trip is on a connecting flight to the main departure point. Because of these labels I'd already met three of my fellow travellers by the time I got to Heathrow.

We found our Executive Lounge at the airport and were able to sit there in comfort enjoying unlimited drinks and snacks and meeting our Tour Rep Penny and other members of our group as and when they arrived. Some people may find it difficult meeting strangers but remember, right from the outset you all have two things in common - a desire to travel and an interest in the country you are going to.

The Tour Rep makes sure that you all get onto the correct flight okay and at the other end helps you all through whatever immigration process there may be. Porters had been organised to help get our baggage onto our coach, all I had to do was point to which case was mine.

The coach then took us from the airport to the hotel where we were given a welcome drink and each allocated a room. It was late evening by the time we arrived. We were told what time we were leaving in the morning, so basically it was just a case of being in the hotel lobby at that time, then boarding the coach and being driven to the next site (in our case, the first outing was to the famous Pyramids, so the holiday got off to a fantastic start). The coach never leaves unless everybody is accounted for.

And that was basically how the week unfolded - each morning a wake-up call was organised for me, I'd get up and have breakfast in the company of my new friends, we'd board our air-conditioned coach at the appointed time and be driven to each destination. Our local guide would often talk us through points of interest at each location, then there's free time to explore and take photographs (or go back and sit on the coach should you prefer). At each place you're told clearly when and where to meet back, then you board the coach to be taken back to your hotel or on to the next location, depending upon the itinerary. It was all that easy.

Of course, even the excursions included in the price are optional. Personally I didn't want to miss out on any of them, but you can stay behind and do your own thing should you prefer.

The schedule was very busy and there were some early starts - it was common to be up at about 6am, but there are always times during the day to catch a breather and of course you spend some time riding around on a coach.

Our Tour Rep was very organised and incredibly patient. At every stage she was counting our heads, there was no way anybody could get lost no matter how hard some of us tried! I found that the group also looked out for one another too. The Rep looked after things when a few of the party fell ill (common with travellers in Egypt, unfortunately) and also when one of our party unfortunately fell victim to a theft in a busy market street.

The facilities were very good throughout - coaches, hotels, cruise boat. There was no hint that Just You had gone for cheap options. Even when there wasn't an included meal on the itinerary, our rep would suggest a place we could eat and we invariably went there together as a group. As others have said, you are never on your own unless you specifically want to be.

The age range of our group I would guess at late 20s to early 80s, with three-quarters being female. This is largely irrelevant though because everybody got on well together. You're never stuck for conversation at meals because if all else fails you all have that day's experiences to discuss. The only disappointment for me was that by the time I was reasonably well acquainted with everybody in our group, it was time to come home!

This was my first Just You holiday and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was very impressed by the organisation throughout - it's not always easy keeping 30 adults under control!

I'll post a bit more detail about Egypt itself later but will start off by trying to describe things about the actual workings of the holiday, as I'm aware there will be many people on these boards who have yet to try Just You and are still unsure whether or not to book a holiday.

I booked the trip about 6 months ago, and about 2 weeks before departure I got a pack in the post containing confirmation of all the flights, accomodation and so forth, plus prices/details of the optional excursions that were likely to be available. You also get advice on other aspects of the trip, such as what clothing you may need to wear and how to go on as regards tipping people etc.

Perhaps most importantly, you get your distinctive Just You luggage labels. When you arrive at the first airport these labels help you spot other people in your group (and help them to spot you!) so you can start getting acquainted before you've even made contact with your Tour Rep. This is particularly the case if, like me, the first leg of your trip is on a connecting flight to the main departure point. Because of these labels I'd already met three of my fellow travellers by the time I got to Heathrow.

We found our Executive Lounge at the airport and were able to sit there in comfort enjoying unlimited drinks and snacks and meeting our Tour Rep Penny and other members of our group as and when they arrived. Some people may find it difficult meeting strangers but remember, right from the outset you all have two things in common - a desire to travel and an interest in the country you are going to.

The Tour Rep makes sure that you all get onto the correct flight okay and at the other end helps you all through whatever immigration process there may be. Porters had been organised to help get our baggage onto our coach, all I had to do was point to which case was mine.

The coach then took us from the airport to the hotel where we were given a welcome drink and each allocated a room. It was late evening by the time we arrived. We were told what time we were leaving in the morning, so basically it was just a case of being in the hotel lobby at that time, then boarding the coach and being driven to the next site (in our case, the first outing was to the famous Pyramids, so the holiday got off to a fantastic start). The coach never leaves unless everybody is accounted for.

And that was basically how the week unfolded - each morning a wake-up call was organised for me, I'd get up and have breakfast in the company of my new friends, we'd board our air-conditioned coach at the appointed time and be driven to each destination. Our local guide would often talk us through points of interest at each location, then there's free time to explore and take photographs (or go back and sit on the coach should you prefer). At each place you're told clearly when and where to meet back, then you board the coach to be taken back to your hotel or on to the next location, depending upon the itinerary. It was all that easy.

Of course, even the excursions included in the price are optional. Personally I didn't want to miss out on any of them, but you can stay behind and do your own thing should you prefer.

The schedule was very busy and there were some early starts - it was common to be up at about 6am, but there are always times during the day to catch a breather and of course you spend some time riding around on a coach.

Our Tour Rep was very organised and incredibly patient. At every stage she was counting our heads, there was no way anybody could get lost no matter how hard some of us tried! I found that the group also looked out for one another too. The Rep looked after things when a few of the party fell ill (common with travellers in Egypt, unfortunately) and also when one of our party unfortunately fell victim to a theft in a busy market street.

The facilities were very good throughout - coaches, hotels, cruise boat. There was no hint that Just You had gone for cheap options. Even when there wasn't an included meal on the itinerary, our rep would suggest a place we could eat and we invariably went there together as a group. As others have said, you are never on your own unless you specifically want to be.

The age range of our group I would guess at late 20s to early 80s, with three-quarters being female. This is largely irrelevant though because everybody got on well together. You're never stuck for conversation at meals because if all else fails you all have that day's experiences to discuss. The only disappointment for me was that by the time I was reasonably well acquainted with everybody in our group, it was time to come home!

well done dpm corrrect to the letter what a lovely testimonial and very true i was their tgood luck

Firstly, everybody will be aware that Egypt has suffered from rioting earlier this year, but I'm pleased to report that at no stage did our group see any signs of violence or unrest. I did spot a few soldiers with guns amongst the many sights of Cairo, but at no time did I feel unsafe.

The political unrest there has affected tourism badly. Whilst that is bad for Egypt, it was to our benefit as many of the places we visited were uncharacteristically quiet. This was particularly beneficial at locations such as the Egyptian Museum, where we were able to take our time getting really close views of items such as the famous mask of Tutankhamun or the mummies without having to push through other people. We also had our cruise boat, the MS Tulip, virtually to ourselves, and the other cruise ships which passed by looked similarly quiet.

The people in Egypt were friendly and welcoming, and certainly the staff on the MS Tulip were superb. However, the concept of selling is very different in Egypt and if you go, you need to be prepared for men, or even children, pestering you to buy items from you. The women seem to get pestered more than the men. However, although it seems rude, the best way to deal with these traders is to simply ignore them - don't speak to them, don't look at them, just walk past. If you say "No thanks" they are more likely to take this as a cue to open negotiations and in some cases they will follow you around and continue to urge you to buy whatever they are offering. It's a shame that you can rarely stop and browse at a stall without this relentless pestering, but that's the way things are over there.

Needless to say, in Egypt you are guaranteed fantastic weather, just remember to keep drinking plenty of bottled water (always available from your coach driver and the cruise boat) or you could dehydrate. Always try and eat food that is freshly prepared, as it can quickly go off in the heat and leave you with tummy troubles. Use handwipes/handgel regularly as it is easy to pick up germs, even from handling money, the notes are often filthy.

It is difficult to get small denominations of money in Egypt. Our first hotel had a 24hr bank, so we were able to break some of our 100 pound notes into smaller change here, but opportunities were limited. There are plenty of ATMs around though. I didn't use one myself, but didn't hear of anybody encountering problems with one.

Cairo is a huge city, with a population more than twice the size of London. The traffic has to be seen to be believed, the locals will take the most incredible risks with no apparent regard to their own safety, but you will be perfectly safe on board the coach.

The further south you travel, through Luxor and eventually to Aswan, the quieter and prettier Egypt seems to become.

Public toilets can be an experience, so try and time your 'visits' whilst you have better facilities available (eg in a restaurant or in your cabin).

As for the sights, well these include the Pyramids, the Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, the Valley of the Kings (with many tombs including that of Tutankhamun), lots of ancient temples... At the end of the day it is a matter of personal interest what such things will mean to you, but I found them all fascinating, and our local guide Randa gave them all an extra dimension with her informative explanations, pointing out features of particular interest. For me, a personal highlight was taking a hot air balloon ride over Luxor (an optional excursion you can book through your tour rep during the trip), but in all honesty it was a whole week of highlights and I've returned home with a multitude of happy memories.

also you get to relax on the cruise ship, I loved it, thats why I'm going again next year.

Dave.

This is a trip I've always wanted to do and will be booking when the 2013 brochure comes out!

Jaya

I have already booked this trip for April 2013 and am really looking forward to it. Have already started the countdown!

Jaya

Have just seen your review of the Egypt trip. I'm booked onto the April one and really looking forward to it, although this is my first JY holiday. I went on one of the Discovery Weekends last October and that made me feel much more confident about the way these holidays are organised and came straight back and booked for 16 April before I could lose my nerve! I'm looking forward to meeting up with everyone at Heathrow and a fantastic holiday.

Pam

Unfortunately I have had to postpone my April trip, but hope to rebook it as soon as I am fit again after my chemotherapy treatment. I was so annoyed when I had to postpone it as was looking forward to it very much. Have a wonderful time.

Jaya