Hurghada - Returning Dustbuster to Spinneys

Sahl Hasheesh - View of Old Town from Pier

I’m slowly accumulating a range of living experiences here in Egypt. I’d already done the return of items bought online, now it was my time to experience returning an item to a physical shop.

I’d bought what I thought was a dustbuster in Spinneys. I needed it to give my new balcony furniture a quick hoover each morning without the rigmarole of getting my hoover out, attaching all the poles, getting the lead out, etc. Anyway, when I returned home and unpacked it, I realised that it was for plugging into the cigarette lighter of a car and was thus designed for cleaning cars. So, as far as I was concerned, it was useless.

I boxed it all up and aimed to return it next time I went to Spinneys. However, to my surprise, Nicole informed me that she’d taken something back 17 days after purchase and they refused it, saying the time period for returns was 14 days. You don’t really expect strict enforcement of rules over here. Anyway, when Nicole subsequently offered to drop me off at Spinneys on her way into Hurghada, I decided I may as well go in order to ensure I returned the dustbuster within the correct time.

Actually, returning it was pretty easy. They nodded understandingly when I said I hadn’t realised it was for cars only. They offered to sell me a small hoover instead, but I said that wasn’t what I needed, which they accepted and then put the money back on my debit card. A dustbuster has subsequently been added to my list of items to buy when I’m in the UK as I can’t find one here at all so far. Anyway, it's good to know that if you return items within the first 14 days, it’s a pretty smooth process. Quite extraordinary, in fact.

I phoned Esmat to take me back, but I hadn’t realised it was a Friday, so he had three hours of prayers ahead of him. My heart sank as I was now back to the early days of negotiating a taxi, but I decided I may as well make the most of my time. Consequently, I wandered round all the shops (even bought myself a new swimming costume – only 90 LE and it was one of those super-slimming ones too!) and stopped off for a rare treat of a café latte. At some point, though, I had to make my way home.

As usual, a random guy ran up to me as I approached saying “Taxi?” I said yes and watched out to see that the cab was numbered. This is when I realised that I still don’t know all the rules and tricks. The car was the right taxi colours and it had a number, but instead of being in the normal font, the number was in italics in a circle. Was this a “fake” taxi or was it a real taxi? I had no idea.

Inside, the car was brand new and a lot nicer than many of the other cabs. We argued a while over price, but I couldn’t get him below 50 LE, and I didn’t want to spend the entire day negotiating, so I reluctantly agreed. I told him I lived here and the normal price I paid (25 LE), but he was not bothered and claimed he knew that I lived here and that was why he was charging me “only” 50 LE, his rock-bottom price. I’m not sure if that was just flannel or whether my now darkened skin means that I am starting to look like I belong here! I almost choked when he said he usually charges 170 LE to Sahl Hasheesh and I told him he had to be joking. Somehow, he managed to keep a serious face (I don’t know how they do it!) and protested it was the truth.

Once inside the taxi, I was assaulted by the usual barrage of “All my friends have European girlfriends, won’t you be my girlfriend? I don’t have a girlfriend. I need to have a girlfriend. Are you married? Why don’t you have children? Etc”. I was probably old enough to be his mother. It made me appreciate Esmat all the more. I’d almost forgotten what those early days were like, so maybe it was good to have the reminder.

Still, although the hassling is irritating, it is essentially harmless and I arrived home safely and the car was very comfortable. I’d now basically spent 50 LE to return my dustbuster, but it was still better than losing all my refund, so I can’t complain (much!).