Egypt So Far

Cigarette smoke swirls through the air of the predominantly male-dominated streets as women in colorful burkas pass by, leaving only a trace of perfume to remember them by. It’s busy, loud, full of smells, and hot. Welcome to the Arab world.

Egypt has been completely different compared to my travels through SE Asia. I wasn’t sure what to expect and in some regards, that has proven to be exciting. In others, not so much. I knew it was going to be hot, I knew it was going to be busy (Cairo is a city of 25 million) and I knew that the amount of Muslims living here would mean that alcohol/bars would be a challenge - which it has proved to be.

Conversely, I didn’t expect everyone to be so friendly. Sure, the Egyptian helping hand also remains wide open asking for “a tip my friend”, but in general, people are super polite and willing to help me out, especially in my daily pursuit of a gym. Maybe it’s due to the large tourism industry but a lot of people speak English - a surprising amount.

So far, Egypt has been a whirlwind of good food, rich history, and a mix of different cultures all surviving the heat together. I’m headed back to Cairo tomorrow where I’ll catch a flight to a city near Dahab, which has great beaches. WiFi has been spotty, so I bought a SIM card with limited data. I’ll do my best to update my site when possible, but for anyone reading this, know that I’m still alive, albeit a bit sunburned. The sun here is no joke.