Rachael and I kept running into people we knew from the moment we arrived in Cairo. First we ran into the perfume guy. Then perfume guy's brother. Then perfume guy's cousin. Then perfume guy's cousin's cousin.
We were discussing how weird it was as we made our way back to the hotel, where we ran into Kevin in the lobby. Kevin worked with the Bedouins in Wadi Rum. I never expected to see him again after we said goodbye to him in Jordan. Adam had recommended him to the powers-that-be at the Overland Club, and he's now a driver for them.
Rachael and I went to the markets, where we bought some really pretty Arabic cotton shirts. On the way home we decided we had run into everyone we knew in the city and there would be no more surprises for us. As soon as we stepped into the lobby, we saw Adam. He had a long layover on his way to Copenhagen, and decided to pop by and say hello. It was so bizarre I was certain I was dreaming. We all went out to a coffee house and smoked a shisha. It was some good times.
The next day we went to the Egyptian museum. It was sort of anti-climatic after seeing so many sculptures in their "natural habitat", and the artifacts seemed like they were a bit cluttered. It sort of reminded me of a cross between a yard sale and your eccentric Aunt Eunice's attic.
The rest of the time in Cairo was taken up by errands. I bought antibiotics. A lot of them. I'm actually using them as an anti-malarial, so that's part of the reason why I purchased so many. I am madly in love with government-subsidized drugs.
I had to get new passport pages in my passport. After waiting for three hours, I was presented with a passport that is now scotch-taped together. I don't think it could be any more ghetto, but at least it will get me out of the country.
I'm kind of ready to get out of Cairo. I'm so so so tired of being hassled by men. To quote a girl on our tour, "I can't wait to get back home where men sort of ignore me." I couldn't agree more.
I got to talk to my mom yesterday. That was a huge highlight worth mentioning. Phones and phone cards are few and far between in the Middle East, so it's kind of hard to talk. :(
Sunday, October 23, 2005
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4 comments:
i love you girl! hang in there!
Monique~ I hope you are doing well...best wishes for a speedy recovery. You're in all of our prayers. By the way, the pictures you posted are AWESOME!
If you don't know by now, Monique was traveling from Cairo to South Africa. The tour bus was in an accident. She was the only one injured. She was flown to Nairobi (Kenya). The information we get is limited, but she does have a fractured pelvis. She is heavily sedated, and we have been unable to talk to her. Our family would appreciate your prayers.
The cause of the above mentioned accident is incorrect, but everything else is correct. Monique was hit by a speeding hit and run driver. After eight tries, we were finally able to talk to Monique. She has extensive bruises, stitches, abrasions, and a fractured pelvis. She is going to be flown back to the U.S., but regrets that she won't be able to go to South Africa. Therefore, she IS pretty much back to normal--ha!
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