Farewell Paradise & Hello Cairo

Indeedio. Last night, after a final dinner at a shoreside restaurant with the remaining kiddies from our group, and a couple of new additions (Lachlan, who we'd met in Jerusalem, and an American-Jew called Matt). Requests for my rendition of the call to prayer were rife, but I was too shy after it had been built up so much by Jordo. I had a sore throat anyway, so just sipped my lemon tea and politely declined.

Conversation throughout the meal consisted of encouragements to change our tickets home. I was much tempted - I could stay in Dahab til Thursday and then go to Cairo and Luxor with the others. I was sitting at the table knawing at my fists, whilst everyone else laughed and said 'Do it! DO IT!' in my face. The bus was at 10, and I had little time to decide. So little, that in the end I went with my final plan. It was sad to say such a hurried goodbye to everyone. Lachlan was a true gent and carried my backpack to the waiting taxi jeep.

We made it by a hair to the bus. Luckily we got ourselves tickets, and packed our things (including the two hookahs Jordo and I bought earlier that day) in the bottom of the coach, and headed off into the night. I passed some time by helping Jordo with his newly acquired dreads (he got advice from fellow dreadlocked dude, Lachlan) - putting hairwax on them. Ugh. Bad idea - it stank. We popped a couple of sleeping tablets and waited for sleep to come. Elina and Janina slept fine. Jordan was next to drop off. I stayed awake watching the dodgy Egyptian movies (and I MEAN dodgy).

Sleep came finally, and I awoke at intervals only to show my passport at the checkpoints. We arrived finally in Cairo this morning, headed for the hostel in a ricketty old taxi, where we crashed out for a few hours. Rejuivenated, we grabbed a bite from Hardee's (not very authentic Egyptian, I know) and ran down the steps of the subway to find the pyramids.

Off at Giza, we got a bus to the pyramids, and found an offer (after kind advice from some locals) for a 3 hour camel ride through the Sahara to see the pyramids and sphinx. Well worth the money (equivenlent to 10 UK pounds) we had fun trying to control our lolloping beasts. Mine in particular seemed to be disobedient. Janina had him first and he kept trying to overtake mine and nuzzle my leg. The wind tickling my bare feet, and the sun shining on the endless landscape of sand; it was amazing to finally be in the Sahara. The pyramids were... hmmm.. very pyramid-like - well, what can I say? Jordo was very impressed. I couldn't find much to get excited about other than the fact that they're famous. We were able to go inside one of them. There were many people outside trying to rip off the tourists by 'giving' them gifts to try and lure them to buy something extra. One guy did this to me, but as soon as he realised I really MEANT that I'm not buying anything, he took it back under the pretence that he would look after it til I was out of the pyramid.

After our camel ride, we were taken to a papyrus store, where they tried to hardsell us. Selling anything to Jordan isn't hard, as he feels guilty about turning anyone down, it seems. I get pretty exasperated about it, but I know it's because he has a good heart (the opposite of myself who has a cold heart of stone, obviously, and never buys anything from them). Janina also bought some 'feministic' papyrus (of her favourite: Queen Nefertiti) . Elina and I just discussed how skint we both were, really loudly, so they'd leave us alone.

The journey back to the centre was definitely one of the most hilarious experiences of my time in the Middle East, as we were crammed into an old bus, which began to fill up more and more. I think it all started with Jordan offering seat to a Muslim girl, who shyly waved off his offer. Later on she sat in front just staring at him and giggling. Finally she introduced herself, asked if I was his girlfriend 'NO!!!!', and then got the confidence to talk to him. Her knowledge of English was minimal, but she obviously found his dreadlocks amusing, as did everyone on the bus, it seemed. They loved him! Usually it's just because he's Australian (dammit - he just has to show his passport, and they're all over him), but this time it was the dreads. Everyone was going nuts! This went on for a good 20 minutes or more. Most of the comments were in broken English, but everyone was so genuinely friendly (and this comment is coming from a cynical girl, remember), we were laughing the whole way back to Downtown, where we got off.

Barely off the bus, and trying to find Talaat Haub street (where my brother Mark recommended a restaurant called Felfellas), we were approached by a 'friendly' Egyptian who just wanted to help us because he was 'a nice guy'. HO. That ALWAYS puts me on our guard. Backtrack to earlier in the day when some random mechanic wanted to show us where to catch the bus, and lead us through busy streets NOT for money, but for Allah (damn liar! But, he said it was for Allah, so he didn't get a darn piaster!) - yeah, I got rid of his by pretending we were going to get on the bus he showed us, waiting for him to get on, and then saying 'Oh no, actually we'll get the next one' while it drove off with him and his bemused face. haha. Watch out for them. They are almost all liars. I have been accused of not being trusting, but in my experience even just living in London - you need to be on your guard.

Anyway, whaddya know!??! We end up at his perfume store where he CONVINCES us that he's not trying to sell us anything (the usual), but is just showing Egyptian hospitality. Then he seats us down and starts cracking open the perfumes to let us smell 'Not to buy!' then tries to get us to have tea with him. I was polite in my refusal, but he seemed offended, so Jordan accepted and hissed at me that I was being rude, so finally I accepted. Janina and Elina said no, and we all sat in uncomfortable silence as he rabbited on and on trying to sell to us. Predictably, somehow Jordan came out with a bottle of perfume and two jars to put it in.

Sheesh. I guess I was a bit harsh with my comments after we'd left the store - it's not like he's done anything wrong, but it aggravates me no end the way these people manipulate tourists.

And on to Felfellas.

What a beautiful restaurant! I couldn't really imagine Mark eating there, to be honest, but apparently he did. Very classy, and the food was lovely. I had the Egyptian Koshary and meatballs. Delicious. The strawberry juice wasn't the best I'd tasted, but tasted good nonetheless.

Bill paid, and the 4 of us dispersed; Elina heading for the hostel; Janina for a Hard Rock Cafe (some family tradition), and Jordan and I went for a wander. He was getting so much attention with his dreadlocks. Finally an arab in an expensive suit, and immaculately groomed approached him. It was beyond dodgy the way he was gazing at him. It made my skin crawl. He asked Jordan if it was ok for him to be his friend. 'Erm, yeah, sure.' (who asks a stranger that kind of question?). Then he spotted me, and asked who I was - I kicked Jordan and gave him my 'This guy is some dodgy pervert after you, so we need to get rid of him' look, which luckily he decifered enough to say 'She's my girlfriend'. (no, I don't condone lying, but these weird gay guys are creepy)

Well, you would have thought he'd have had enough respect if he'd believed us, to have backed the hell off, but no, he kept along with us. Jordan was very polite. I bit my tongue and was civil, until he started being a bit inappropriate with me also, wrapping his arm around me - to which I managed to spin off into a shop, and then I got sarky, and finally after about 15 minutes of his company, Jordan told him we had another engagement.

Ugh! However, it was right on cue, after Jordan had been going on about how nice the people were and how they weren't at all like the stereotypical sleazy people he'd imagined.

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So... now I sit in a net cafe, not far from our hostel. Tomorrow the Egyptian museum, and the evening we will head back to the Israeli border. I would love to see Luxor and Alexandria, along with Aswan, but there just isn't time this trip. Can't believe that in less than a week all this will just be a fond memory, and for me it'll once again be back to the grind.

Oh well. C'est la vie. Next time I'll save more money. And for now? I am so tired, I am ready to collapse. Take care, and good night!