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I recently received a bitter letter of complain from a lady booked on a yoga festival in Egypt organised by TEN Tours, a large Egyptian travel agency, which I had advertised on my yogaholidays.net site. Her transfer from Cairo to the yoga festival venue, which was organised by TEN Tours, turned out to be an overnight journey in a diesel fumed, smelly bus with broken seats and windows and no toilet. When she arrived at the Yoga festival venue. she found out that there was no yoga festival there. The venue had been changed and TEN Tours had neglected to inform her. As TEN Tours was no there to greet her on arrival, she booked herself into the original venue and claimed a full refund. TEN Tours are still refusing to admit any responsability in the incident and have refered the complain to their lawyers.
Had anyone out there been to that yoga festival? If so, I would like to hear about their experience.
Christophe
Webmaster yogaholidays.net |
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| The Egypt's first international yoga festival feed back
Dear Mr. Hossam,
I would just like to thank you for organizing such a wonderful event - it was a magnificent experience. I know that all the participants fully enjoyed the Yoga Festival. So thank you sincerely.
Please do not forget to have your staff contact me for future events.
Yours,
Susan
To the manager of Ten Tours
Dear Sir,
after attending the yoga festival last week, we would like to express our thanks for the accomplishment of such an event in Egypt. We would especially like to thank Mr. Tamer el Roubi and Miss Naglaa for their long hours of hard work, always trying to do their utmost to help us out, and always accompanied with a smile! We would also appreciate it you could notify us when there other such activities taking place.
Sincerely yours,
Samir Hassan and Scheherazade el tarouti
Dear Mr Hossam ,
I appreciate your efforts of holding this festival , it was better than I imagine , I will be with you every year.
Wafa
Attending Egypt's 1st International Yoga Festival was one of the greatest experiences of my life, for a whole week I enjoyed attending beneficial Yoga Classes , lectures and workshops. Meditation Sessions on the beach were extraordinary...All Instructors were brilliant...I would like to give thanks to the Organizing team for their great efforts, attention and courtesy.
Aicha Wassef
Dear Hossam
Really I hope to be at the second Egypt international yoga festival at Elgouna 2007
"Thank you so much for peaceful yoga vacation in Egypt . I came here from a different place this year, fortunately, but the Egypt yoga festival its magic on me. We had a blissful time and I am happy to go home feeling recharged and re-energized. I will continue my yoga practice and be ready for this last trimester and delivery of my baby girl. I wish you all the happiness in the world. My love to you all, until next year". Julie, NY
Hi Hossam
"I can't thank you all enough for making this an extra special experience for me. You really made me feel like a part of your family. Everything was perfect - the yoga, the nature excursions, the food and the companionship. I got what I came for and some. I will be returning refreshed, rejuvenated and with a new, peaceful and confident perspective on life. You have successfully prepared me to weather the transformation. You have also inspired my yoga practice with new energy. I will certainly be recommending you and the Sewall House to my yoga community. I wish you all the best and am already planning my return trip. Thanks again. Love, joy and peace. Namaste". Farida
"This was a great place and great yoga festival to begin our new lives as husband and wife. Thank all of you for the positive energy and the many sparks of light you have given us". Lisa and Chris, Connecticut.
"What a warm, welcoming, comfortable, nourishing and nurturing home. A place to rest, renew and relax. A place of history and hope, solitude and community, giving and receiving. The feelings that arise are gratitude and a desire to return". Lovingly, NISHA Toppin Children's Yoga teacher, South Carolina.
"Loved the yoga, loved the location, loved the whole feel of your place. Thank you". Waffa and Bill Egypt .
A great teachers and a very wonderful experience. Little did I realize how deeply the yoga retreat would meet my needs-both physically and emotionally. I return with much more than when I came. But where am I bound? For this feels like leaving home. Thanks to all who made me feel so at home! Blessings and may God hold you in the palm of his hand!". Simon
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| Egypt's First International Yoga Festival, El Gouna 1-7 March 2006
Independent Yoga Register member, Heather George was recently invited to be a Guest of Honour at Egypt's first international yoga festival held at El Gouna on the Red Sea from 1-7 March 2006 organised by TEN Tours of Cairo.
This was the first yoga festival to be held in any Arab country and was the result of the synergistic efforts of a number of far-sighted organisations and individuals. They first had to overcome latent objections to yoga from government and religious leaders who had concerns about the perceived religious implications of yoga and its Hindu origins.
More than 200 participants and teachers from across the world were provided with the unique opportunity to learn, discuss, absorb and practice Yoga in the magical resort of El Gouna on the Red Sea .
The festival was opened by His Excellency A Gopinathan, the Indian Ambassador to Egypt . He is shown centre front with his wife together with festival organizers and yoga teachers.
(front left) Dr Prabhakar Madhikar (advisor to the festival) and his wife, (second row) Aicha Wassef, Director of the New Horizon International School in Cairo and organizing team, Marianne Simonin (originally France now London ), Anthony Sadasiva ( New York ), Nisha Toppin ( London ), Barbara Gordon (originally Scotland now Egypt ), Heather George ( Staines , Middx). (third row) Norbu Oberdorfer (Austria), Christina Magalhaes (originally Portugal, now Gloucestershire), Mercedes Ngoh (London from Canada via California), Tony Davis (IYR Reporter, Staines Middx), (Back) Hosam Darwish (festival director) and Guru Wafaa (Cairo)
Each day started with meditation on the beach at 6am , followed by yoga at 7:30 . Classes included Hatha, Sivananda, Iyengar, Flow, Ananda, and Ashtanga yoga. There were then workshops and seminars covering the history and philosophy of yoga, macrobiotics, sports yoga, Tai Chi, pranayama, meditation, visualization, bio-magnetic healing and yoga for children. This was followed by further yoga practice, meditation or Yoga Nidra each evening.
Heather had the wonderful opportunity to teach her dynamic Flow Yoga on the beach by the waters of the Red Sea as well as running workshops on meditation, chakra breathing and visualization . Her class was filmed together with an interview for a health channel on MBC TV. She has also been asked to contribute to a travel health magazine.
The origins of the festival go back to 1992 when Egypt and India introduced a bilateral cultural exchange programme. This resulted in the establishment of the Indian Cultural Centre in their Embassy in Cairo . The then Ambassador to Egypt, Mr PA Nazareth had the idea of offering yoga to the Egyptian people so that they could benefit from its scientific approach with resulting improvements in quality of life. The charismatic and inspirational yogi, Dr Prabhakar Madhikar, was brought over from Hyderabad to be the first director. Doctors, journalists, academics and other professionals were amongst the many who took up the opportunity to take part in yoga classes. As opinion formers, they helped spread the message to the rest of Cairo of the benefits to physical, mental and spiritual health that could be gained from practicing yoga. Indeed there has never been any advertising, growth has all been through word of mouth, partly because the initiative was not intended as a commercial proposition. Its success has resulted in the production of a TV series on yoga that has been broadcast on 9 international sports channels across the Arab world.
Dr Prabhakar, who now runs a yoga rehabilitation practice in Cairo , had for some time been thinking about creating a gathering of people interested in yoga to help promote it. One of Egypt 's leading tourist companies T.E.N. Tours was also looking for ways of boosting tourism and had the idea of a yoga festival and approached Dr Prabhakar. How yoga is that ? That the two bodies that between them could make such an event happen, should have the same idea at the same time and actually come together. Before it could be set up, there was the task of overcoming latent objections to yoga from government and religious leaders who still had concerns about the perceived religious implications of yoga and it's Hindu origins. Fortunately Dr Yogita Mehta of the Indian Cultural Centre had previously conducted a seminar on yoga at the New Horizon International School in Cairo . Aicha Wassef the School Director had herself benefited significantly from practicing yoga and agreed to approach government and religious leaders to explain that there were no religious connotations to yoga and thus remove objections. Aicha's gentle and sincere persuasion won the day.
Unbelievably these initial approaches only started in November 2005 and a mere 3 months later the event took place, a quite remarkable achievement.
The festival was hosted in the stunning resort of El Gouna on the Red Sea . Nestled between the Sienna mountains and azure waters, this resort town has evolved to be one of the Red Sea 's most sought after destinations. The name El Gouna stems from the Arabic translation of lagoon and is very descriptive of the network of islands on which the resort is built linked by bridges crossing the many lagoons. It is the brainchild of Samih Sawiris, Charman of Orascom, one of the largest and most successful conglomerates in Egpyt who developed the resort. Samih's passion for the sea drew him to the area located on a cove created by the natural coral reefs engulfing the desert coast with the backdrop of mountains. He built a marina and his home. He was soon joined by other like minded people. The city developed organically by the creative diversity of this local community of entrepreneurs, artists, and environmentalists who made El Gouna their home. It offers wonderful accommodation, from intimate guest houses to deluxe five-star hotels. The modern arabesque architecture and unique interior design are really quite breathtaking. As well as diving on the coral reefs, there are a number of other water sports available and an 18 hole PGA golf course. It is a fitting venue to hold a yoga festival as “Green Gouna” has goals to develop El Gouna into an ecotourism destination. It pursues this goal by involving the entire community in the protection and preservation of the delicate Red Sea environment through education, recycling, clean-up campaigns, environmental festivals and the establishment and enforcement of environmental rules and regulations throughout El Gouna. Finally there was the friendly and caring welcome we all received from the Egyptian people. A truly memorable experience.
TEN Tours are now planning the second international festival to be held on 1-7 April 2007. It will be well worth attending.
Heather and Tony
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| Dear Christophe,
Kindly be informed:
T.E.N Tours Egypt has been at in service for 14 years, with a smiling face but seriousness and commitment, providing seminar, congress and tour organizations, in Egypt from all over the world. We have allot of “Thank You” Letters from all of our guests for our professional services we provide.
When we first cared to be one of our Agent for the Yoga festival we thought you would care for your guests in a professional way & to be frankly and honest with us, first you was not honest and informed us that you won’t be able to do the bank transfer due to the bad weather in your country & you living in Island & it will be risky to go outside your home. (Ms. Fiona herself confirmed me when I met her that it is not true what you informed us!!!.) . I respected your words to me and secured her booking at the hotel on my own Risk due to your delay in paying us her fees. You informed me of her new Arrival date after she already arrived Egypt!!! I do believe it is not logic that she informed you her late arrival after she already arrived Cairo Airport!. Even her friend complained that you are not professional at work & refused to book her the Yoga Festival & closed the phone in a bad way while she was talking to you. If you are sure you didn’t made this mistake you won’t have send me a msg on my Mobile asking me not to inform her for your mistake. I was forced to show her your msg to me as what I can see you don’t want to convince yourself you made a big mistakes & just want to make it our mistakes!
You didn’t even cared to reply my msg to your mobile informing you that due to your Mistake in giving us wrong Arrival date we lost money for the Transfer/Accommodation.
You didn’t read my Modification E-mail concern the Accommodation & didn’t informed your guest. (I have send this E-mail to all our Agents & all of them updated their website & informed their guests, and cared to CC myself in all my E-mails to be sure it is sent from our SMTP server successfully)
Please be informed that it is our right legally to change the venue to another one as long as it is not less class from the first one , and Movenpick El Gouna is 5 Stars DELUXE & we cared to upgrade the Accommodation level for our guests cause we always value our guests. And we informed you by official E-mail form more than almost 3 months !, what do you expect from T.E.N Tours to inform your Guest directly by the change of the venue and you just confirmed her booking by the Bank Transfer just before the festival date by 1 week !?
What we are surprised from that Ms. Fiona Booked for our International Yoga Festival and not just to have holiday in Hurghada. Although all the hassle happened from your side I cared to meet her myself and to book for her friend in Movenpick El Gouna with special 50% Discount to be satisfied as Ms. Fiona refused to come with me to Movenpick El Gouna for the Yoga festival.
The Public Transportation is used by all Tourist in Egypt to go to Hurghada cause it is the most secure transportation to the Red Sea and all our guests used it & even T.E.N Tours Staff., beside that we never mentioned we will provide Ms. Fiona a private Transportation to Hurghada.
Kindly be informed that changing the Venue of our International Yoga Festival is your main responsibility to inform your guests & T.E.N Tours situation is 100% right. We really do regret dealing with unprofessional Agent like this.
We have sold for you YOGA FESTIVAL PACKAGE and not an accommodation in Hurghada & won’t be able to refund you anything, as it is not our fault/mistake for any carelessness happened from your side.
T.E.N Tours have no any mistakes and you should be responsible for all the mistakes you caused for Ms. Fiona , All our papers & files are totally right & ready.
Hope you understand the situation and it is clear now.
Thank you for your Time.
Best Regards |
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| this is me Rajesh kumar (Male,30+) here from chandigarh, India.............iam interested in working in china as a yoga teacher.........iam a graduate.....also done bachelor degree in Physical Education (B.P.Ed.)..........and M.A. (Yoga) from Gurukul kangri Vishwavidyalaya HARIDWAR..........working as Yoga Instructor and Physical Education Teacher at Canadian Institute ofor International Studies, Mohali (Punjab) from 29th sept., 2005...........my Specialization are in YOGA, Gymnastics and Naturopathy.........iam a Inter-university Yoga And Gymnastics Player.......
references:
Emails: masa_chd@yahoo.co.in
yog_is_life@yahoo.co.in
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| Do You Like To work In Egypt ? |
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| Dear Mr Hossam,
I have recently become a member of YOGA.com and came across an Email that caught my attention. It was co-signed by Sheherazade el Tarouti. I think she is a long lost friend of mine (the last time I saw her was 33 years ago!) so seeing her name was a wonderful surprise. I had been trying to find her whereabouts but without any success. I wonder could you send me her Email address? If not, Mr el Roubi and Miss Naglaa will probably be able to help me there as well, or the other person who signed the message, Mr Samir Hassan. The reference of her mail to you, dating from 2006-05-07 is #51581-in reply to #47539. Subject: Yoga festival in Egypt.
If you cannot give me this information, you could perhaps pass on this message, with my details, to Mrs el Tarouti with the request she contacts me. In case she may need more information about me – after all, it has been a very long time – I would, of course, be happy to oblige.
I am keeping my fingers crossed and already thank you in advance for any information you may forward to me.
Yours Sincerely,
Paulina van Nugteren
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Yoga festival in Egypt
