Egypt has always had a lot to offer - 5500 years of history is definitely a draw. Couple this with history-in-the-making, and it's a whole different trip. Go now - months after the Jan. 25 revolution - and you risk being able to have conversations with real Egyptians when previously no one dared speak in anything but vague generalities.

A guide on a mid-March Nile cruise said it's more than worth the downturn in business to be free to say what horrible people Mubarak and his wife are. He went on and on about how much they have stolen from the people and the state and kept the country poor. Before the revolution, he was not allowed to say anything about politics or religion on tours. He was obliged to portray Mubarak as his country's great protector.

We in his tour group chided him when there was a group decision to be made, insisting that democratic votes be taken – no more being told what to do!