They tried to make me go to Rehab I said....

Hi Burnside,

If you are really concerned about clean air, I would recommend Rehab for you. Cairo is famous for its polluted air but there is also noise pollution and garbage everywhere to worry about too.

Yes, Rehab is further out from central Cairo and can feel like you are a bit stuck if you don't drive. Having said that, there is decent and regular public transport connecting Rehab to Nasr City and Heliopolis, the ride on the bus is approx. 30 minutes.

Although it can feel isolated and (dare I say) too quiet at times, Rehab is a mature residential area, its standards are way closer to what you are probably used to. Although you must remember this is still Egypt...

Hope this helps

Hi Burnside,

I got the same problem when I moved here (only two choices for expats, Rehab or Maadi, in both cases very far).

Now I'm living in a new flat in Heliopolis very close to El Sham Club.
There are some acoustic problems, some garbage around, but the people are friendly and I would say "true".

Every thing is few steps away or just a quick ride with a taxi.

If you need I can give you the number of my broker, I sent him crazy, but in the end, he found what I was looking for.

Ciao
Giuseppe

It's true most of the expats here live out of the city and if pollution is your major worry that is where you should go.

As for my girlfriend and I, we checked out these places and they really are "out in the sticks".  We opted to stay in Downtown.  We found a great apartment, high enough up to alleviate the traffic noise. 

We haven't regretted our choice.  We are never stuck for places to go, exhibitions to see, restaurants etc.

Also I wonder what is the point of going to live in another country if you spend all your time with expats in manicured neighbourhoods.  You miss out on the nitty gritty of real life here in this amazing city.

Hope this helps in your decision making and best of luck in Cairo

Hmm difficult decision and it's hard to conceptualise what the place will really feel like until one is actually there. 

I do want to soak up Egypt and having lived overseas for 14 years, what I'm 'used to' is not M&S, Eastenders or beans on toast, so culture is not an issue.  However, it is nice to be able to breath...

I have to choose between Heliopolis and Rehab.  I'm not even going to consider Maadi.  How bad is the air in Heliopolis?

Hello again,

I think in Heliopolis you have several choices about air:
bad,
very bad,
absolutely bad,
and also really bad (sometimes).
What I can tell you for sure, I'm arrived full of pains every where in my body and in one week there are all disappeared and I have a daily walk with about 9000 steps on the street with some thousands cars going up and down as crazy bullets.
May be my pains are gone and I will get a cancer, but...

Polluted greetings
Giuseppe

Oh dear!
What was wrong with you Giuseppe?  Sounds like you might have had some sort of inflamation/dampness issue!  How is the food in Egypt?  Are you eating less processed shuff now?  Maybe the dry air and sun ripened food is doing you good.  Maybe the toxins in the air are actually good for you in some way!

I am still undecided. Might ask you about your agent nearer the time...

Dear Burnside,

I'm a Chef, my food it's Mediterranean as much as possible and I'm constantly on diet, even it's difficult to see I'm on diet.

By the way try to drop a line to Eslam 016 882 9396, it's not sure to find a place with him, but you will laugh a lot, of course you can mention my name... he will laugh a lot too.

Ciao
Giuseppe

I see your broker was Eslam Hosny, he found me my apartment near City stars. Not the best broker perhaps but so long as you detail exactly what you are looking for he is OK. For me his commission was only half a month rent!