inEgypt!

After almost 24 hours of travel time including two planes, a couple of airport terminals, and a taxi, I arrived in one piece to Egypt today! I was lucky enough to have an entire row of 3 seats to myself on the 9 and a half hour flight to Rome. I spent those hours sprawled out with pillow and blanket sleeping like a baby for most of the flight. Once I arrived at the airport in Rome, I was slapped with the realization I was on the other side of the world. People of all different colors, shapes, sizes, and languages swarmed around me as I made my way to my gate. After hours of waiting and taking in the scenery, I jumped in line and struck up a conversation with the girl in front of me, Martha -- a student from Mexico studying industrial design in Italy and making her way to Egypt for 8 days alone. Within minutes we decided we would team up and take on the country together! On the 5 hour hour flight over to Cairo, I continued in my quest to collect new friends, and heard the backstory and future ambitions of 16 year old Omar sitting next to me. Omar is on his way to becoming an Italian fighter pilot and is so dedicated to reaching his goal, he had with him a remote controlled airplane, a flight simulator game, and a flight magazine. I learned all about F-16s, F-22s, and the differences between the Egyptian and Italian militaries. Once we arrived in Cairo, I snapped a photo of my new friend and let him know that I hoped to see him as General of the Italian military someday.

Stepping into Egypt Martha and I learned quickly of the "intense" nature of the Egyptians as we spent 30 minutes entertaining offers from taxi drivers to get us to our hotel. It felt like an auction in reverse order as we literally went around a cirlce as each bidder reduced his/her price by 5-10 pounds. We took the last woman standing and went on our way. The architecture of Egypt is just as I had imagined, mosque and castle-esque complete with a backdrop of desert and palm trees. Mysterious and exotic.

After we freshened ourselves up and settled in to our surprisingly charming hotel, we made our way down the road to find some dinner. I stopped to ask questions about the bread being sold on a table along the way and made a new friend in Ayman Basha. Ayman insisted Martha and I meet his mother and join him for "breakfast" at 8pm and remain under his hospitality for the evening. We were starving, but out of respect for the customs of Ramadan we sat Indian style with Mama Noura on a mat and had a cold Pepsi until the spread was laid before us. And what a spread it was! Traditional bread, vegetable stew, beans,stuffed grape leaves,fresh coconut juice, hot tea, good conversation and plenty of laughs making for a great first meal. Afterwards dessert was waiting for us at a beautifully ornate perfume shop just around the corner. While sipping tea, we smelled fresh jasmine, lotus from the Nile, and the traditional "Arabian Nights" scents from a 3rd generation family perfume and oils operation.

So that brings us to now...stomach full and very satisfied, smelling like a flower, heart happy, and typing in an internet cafe. First day was a success leaving me with a feeling that this is just the beginning of something beautiful!