Day 1

Day 1 – Arrival in Cairo

Day 1 started super early. My alarm went off at 4:20am but I had already been up for a bit. I packed up the rest of my house. Mostly dishes that I had left to dry the night before. I did this because while I am gone movers will be coming to change my apartment and move me up stairs. Then I made sure my laptop and chargers were packed before I went down to get a taxi.

I tried to use my Taxi app to call a taxi to me but there were none in the area. So I had to stand at the road and wait. After about 15 minutes a taxi drove by and stopped for me. Turns out he drove one of my co-workers to school the previous year. He took me to the airport for a fair price of 5KD. The time of morning meant it was a bit more expensive than the regular 3-4KD, but I new this.

Then it was check in and go have breakfast to Chili’s restaurant. I had Crispy Chicken Tacos and tea. It didn’t feel like breakfast but at 5:30am they were not yet set up to serve breakfast. I found that strange but what ever.

Then it was to Bahrain for a quick layover and then to Cairo. At Cairo the line to get through immigration was ridiculous. I quickly paid my 25US$ for my entry visa and went to line up with at least 3 other planes worth of people. They had 6 counters to process maybe 1000 people. We were in line for over an hour. Then we go to get our bags and they are not a the conveyor belt. I’m not sure in this is slowness on their part or planning so that bags wouldn’t be unattended. Because about 5 minutes after people started crowding around the bags started coming. Then it was through customs and off to get an ATM. At the ATM I was approached/accosted by a guy trying to get my to take his companies taxi. I told him no I don’t have money and he left for a bit until I was done with the ATM, then he was back and trying to grab and take my bags.

When I asked how much for his taxi he told me 200LE. I told him no thank you and went to go find the proper white and black airport taxi’s. He decided to try and haggle with me, which I am horrible at. I also didn’t want to take the taxi due to the level of aggression/dedication he had while trying to get me to take the taxi, the way he tried to grab my bags. I went to the white and black taxi for 120LE. The only thing was that the driver did not understand how to find the hotel. We found the main street to turn off but he though the hotel was on the street and didn’t understand he had to turn onto a side street. Eventually after asking quite a few people we found the hotel. (It was now roughly 3:30pm)

I checked into the hotel and was able to go up to my room. I passed a large number of bags in the hallway I could only assume belonged to the others in the intrepid group. I was told we had a meeting at 5pm. I took the elevator up to my room 401 to find I was in a nice big suite. It had two rooms and a lounge room. I assumed that my room mate on the trip would take the other room.

I got online to say I made it safe and sound that Egypt used the 2 round prong power outlets and I didn’t bring that type of adapter so I went out to wander around the area and see if I could find a place that would have them for sale. In the end I found a Radio Shack and was able to buy what I needed. Then I found a grocery store and was able to buy water and snacks for the trip. I returned to hotel at about 4:30 and went up to my room. No new arrivals. I used to time to do some writing about my trip to Oman and to check on my social media sites.

Day 1 – Arrival in Cairo – Thirty before thirty

At 5 I went down to see if anyone was there for the meeting. Not yet. I asked and had been told some people were on a half day trip and would be back around 5. They would get Mohammad, the group leader to phone my room when he arrived.

I was barely back in my room when I got the call to come down and meet with Mohammad. I filled in the rest of my insurance details and he let me know the rough plan and gave me a list of optional activities and prices. Because depending on the level/cost of the trip you book everything/nothing is included. I was told we would meet at 6 for dinner and then come back for a group meeting.

So up to my room with a price guide I went to research and select what I wanted to do. I found that it could cost me up to 800$ extra to do or see the things I wanted. I started to play the what’s worth it game. I also figured I’d play it by ear because the more people that go on excursions the cheaper it gets. So if everyone goes that’s 12 people and the cost is 154LE but if it’s only 4 people the cost is 324LE.

I went back down at 6pm to find there are 15 others going for dinner. We walked down the road to a GAD, which we also have in Kuwait. It serves basic Middle Eastern foods, like Kebab and Falafel. We took up a good portion of the restaurant. I sat myself in the place where I could talk to lots of people and get involved rather than in a corner. At the time I remembered no names. But listened as people talked to each other and used each others names.

They new each others names because they had already been on tour together. This tour was two smaller tours. The first part went through Jordan. Some people were only doing Jordan and were departing the next morning for home. The second part went through Egypt. Some people were joining in Cairo, like me. And some were doing the entire tour.

The people who were staying are Tony who is doing an amazing 2 year round the world tour with his late fathers estate. He is an Aussie with a dry (I’ve learned standard Aussie) sense of humour.

-Maddy (Madison) and Jed(iah) are a young married couple travelling together on their honeymoon. They are Australian and Jed thinks he’s witty and sometimes gets lucky.
-Louise and Jeanine are a pair of older American ladies travelling together. Haven’t had much of a chance to talk to them.
-Laura and Graham are brother and sister from England travelling together. They are friendly and nice but a little quiet.
-New to the group are me.
-Matt who is an Australian student of civil engineering. He is quiet and a little introverted. He holds himself back and likes to do things a bit on his own.
-Niko is a student at the Uni of Tasmania. He’s the young one in the bunch but has a good head on his shoulders. He’s friendly and open.
-Nikki and her husband, Toulseef, are also Aussies. They are fun and friendly.
So far I have really enjoyed travelling with these people. I definitely need to travel to Australia now that I have so many people to show me around or host me.

Day 1 – Arrival in Cairo – Thirty before thirty

After dinner we went back to the hotel for our tour meeting. Mohammed when over the old itinerary and what we would have done without changes. Then he went over the changes that we happening since we can’t travel in to the desert. I have to say I’m not to sad about the changes. The start is the same in Cairo and Aswan. Then we have a Nubian home stay with full board. Then we travel up the Nile in a Felucca with full board. In Luxor we now have included the Temple of Karnak and the Valley of the Kings. Saving between 574-305LE depending on the number of people who would have went.
We now travel to Hurghada where we get half board and a private boat has been rented for a snorkelling trip and the next day I can go scuba diving. In Alexandria we get to visit the fortress that stands over where the Lighthouse at Alexandria once stood.Then it was to bed. I learned that I was the only single female on the trip so I don’t share my room and I don’t have to pay a single supplement. I think this trip is working out awesome for me.

Thirty by Thirty

Day 1

Day 1 – Arrival in Cairo

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Day 1 – Arrival in Cairo

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