1. Be patient. 2. Be polite (in their Language). 3. Don't trust taxi drivers. ALWAYS negotiate fair before you get in. 4. Free is free. Take advantage of free museums, inner city transport, hostel extras, walking tours, bike hire, performances etc. 5. Avoid eating at cafes/restaurants etc 'across the road' from major tourist sites. Overpriced shit more often then not. 6. With few exceptions never eat anywhere with the words 'Aberdeen' or 'steakhouse' in the name. 7. Getting off the Beaten path sometimes just means walking a few blocks away. In Cairo this could mean getting of at the other side of Mar Girgis Station to Coptic Cairo. 8. Refer to Guidebooks as little as possible. Other travelers, hostel staff and LOCALS are much better sources of information. 9. If traveling by yourself spend some time in bars, cafes, squares where locals hangout. Chances are someone will come up and talk to you. 10. Say Yes more often than you say no.