I finally went to the pyramids today. I took the bus there which helped me avoid the taxi touts. I hate to say this now, before I’ve been to Luxor, but Egypt isn’t such a hassle. I mean, it is, but nothing compared to India. Generally if you ignore everyone they will leave you alone. Sure, I hear all the snickers, kissing and sucking noises and comments about my backside but I can now easily let that all roll right off.
Yesterday when my hotel’s owner kept insisting I sit down on the phone I explained that I needed the exercise. He told me that I’m just Egyptian men’s type—not too big, not too small. My dormmate told me that people have commented on her being too thin. The women here are definately bigger and I feel a lot better about myself after Asia. I’m like a monster there.
In more exciting news, while I was in Cairo I found the Moleskine 2007 notebook I’ve been searching for in four countries. Only a few of you will understand how much this means to me. I can’t wait to sit down and copy the past two and a half months of expenses into it.
When I stopped by the Ethiopian Airlines office yesterday the agent put my name on a ticket. I believe it was leaving Cairo March 30th to Ethiopia with an open ticket to Nairobi. I might want to change that to Dar es Salam, but I have a week or two to confirm it with her. In any case, no money or obligation was involved but at least I have something in the works.
Although the ticket is around $510 USD I might just go with it. The cheapest ticket I can get to Ethiopia one-way is in the high $300 range and the more I research the land route between Ethiopia and Kenya the less inclined I am to take it. If I met a few people going that way it would be fine, but it’s not something I can consider on my own. With that in mind, an onward ticket would have to be less than $130 to make the Ethiopian quote overpriced and I doubt I would find a flight out of Ethiopia for anything close to $130.
Tonight I catch a first class train to Aswan on the Southern end of The Nile, in Upper Egypt. The train takes around 12 hours, but I only have a seat, no bed. The tourist train would have been nice, but at $60 USD a bed I just can’t justify it. My new student card got me a first class seat for around $11. Let’s just hope I don’t end up next to an Egyptian man that finds me just his type.
9 responses to “Hello, So Beautiful”
Hey I got your postcard! Thank you!!!
I can’t wait to hear about Egypt, it has always been a curosity for me.
Oh and I have a bumper sticker that says, “Jesus saves, and he only takes half damage.” (It’s a gamer reference) So I guess it just depends on the expression 🙂
Egypt sounds like fun! I hope you don’t have to fend off any roving Egpytian’s hands on the train.
Egypt sounds like fun! I hope you don’t have to fend off any roving hands on the train.
sweet, i didnt manage to follow your trip in the past 2 months but what a delight to discover all the new places you’ve been too! 5 months that i’m back to homeland and you’re still on the road, congrats!!!
the peak season is over now, fresh snow has been falling and the sun is out. i bought myself a car so there’ll be little travelling this year unless greater fortune falls upon me. but i’ve been too concerned by skiing lately, and busy with my new delicatessen */:-)
all the best on your trip, and thanks for sharing your experience with such talent, i enjoy too (so do my coworkers)
vaya con dios
life is brilliant
Kim,
The Jesus souvenirs didn’t have syaings, they were just very kitch. I hope you enjoy Egypt through my eyes. Most people are here on tours and keep telling me “how brave” I am. Please.
Dis,
Nope, but I did have to fend off a heavily perfumed man. He sat next to me and after suffering (I’m really allergic) for one hour I found another single seat and curled up by myself.
Nic,
I can’t believe you’re almost done with season easier… and you’ve bought a car. That’s a commitment! My other perpetually traveling friend is off again in Central Asia. It’s all come full circle.
Hey megan,
Dan(australian) here- your travel buddy from tajikistan. I love your website. It sounds like you are still having an amzing time.
I’m thinking about doing the trans africa trip in the near future- just wondering what the situation is with overlanding from egypt to sudan to ethiopia. is it possible/safe- am interested to hear what you may have heard.
thanks in advance,
dan
Wow – you are doing the trip in Egypt I always wanted to, but never had the guts. Good on you. Enjoy. Looking forward to upcoming posts.
haha yes commitment… it’s ageing process ; )
i brought myself a jar of crunchy chunky peanut butter yesterday and thought of you travelling around with yours. is that still so?
Dan,
I thought you were going to be back on that island of yours for a few years now! The overland route is doable. Most people seem to get the Sudan visa in Cairo as it’s the easiest spot. It’s a one-day turnaround and costs around $100USD but you also have to get a letter from your embassy which might cost something. I have been told that the US embassy does not issue these letters and that Sudan does not issue visas to Americans but you should be fine.
Of course, these sort of things change in a blink of an eye but I’ve been in contact witha few peole who have recently done the trip through Sudan and said it was no big deal. If you’re serious let me know and I can hook you up with the guy I’ve been emailing with. He’s somewhere South of me in Africa at the moment.
Skye,
Why no guts? Hopefully I’ve given you the confidance to get on with it.
Nic,
Unfortunately me and my chunky peanut butter parted ways in Kyrgyzstan to make the flight weight limit. Right now I have a jar of strawberry jam in my bag which saved us one day in Southern Ethiopia when we just couldn’t take any more injera. Have a good spoonfull of the chunky stuff for me!