Day 1 of the Journey

I want to start off this post with a quote from "The Beach." Now I never read the book so I dont know if its in there but I did see the movie and the quote pretty much sums up my thoughts and feelings on travel.

"Trust me, it's paradise. This is where the hungry come to feed. For mine is a generation that circles the globe and searches for something we haven't tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It's probably worth it."

There is something about this quote that just resonates with me and every time I read it I get a little more pumped up about exploring the world.

Moving on to the actual travel. We took off from JFK about 45 minutes late because of monstrous line on the tarmac. After finally taking off and getting settled I glanced over at my two companions and we all just gave a look of excitement. Excitement about what we will see and do but also about the unexpected. So much of this trip is unplanned and unorganized in the sense that we have a basic idea of what we are doing, but when it comes down to it we really dont know what we're in for. To me thats the best part. I know I will have a great time traveling and seeing certain places and things, but just knowing that around every bend and corner there is something new to see is the best part. The unknown is very appealing.

We finally reached Cairo at around 330 in the afternoon after many long and grueling hours in a cramped airplane with less than stellar entertainment and comfort. After we get through immigration we made our way to baggage claim only to find out that our bags, along with 1/3 of the other passenger's bags didnt make it. What a great start to the trip. Lost luggage counter was another hassle to deal with but we eventually made it out to the street where we were greeted by our driver Sammy who came to take us to the hostel. I have to say drivining through cairo is alot like driving through delhi. No one stays in their respective lanes and all you can hear is a symphony of horns from different vehicles. The rules of the road here are simple just like they are in India...the bigger vehicle has the right of way. Now im used to this since I have visited India many times but i could tell Colin and Chris were a little amazed at the chaos on the road. They were even more impressed with Sammy's ability to weave in and out of traffic, barely missing other cars by inches.

Once we got to our hostel we were shown to our room and the manager Mohammad asked us what our plans are for the 6 days in Egypt. We told him what we had planned on doing and felt proud that unlike most tourists we actually had a plan for day to day. Mohammad just laughed and said silly Americans, you do not want to do this plan in the order you have selected and with the groups you have chosen. I will take care of your entire trip, you pay me upfront and you dont have to worry about anything but entrance fees, food and tips. Any other time I would be hesitant to pay someone $400 for one week of activities upfront but Mohammad came highly recommended from the website Hostel World. We also spoke with another guest named Allan who said Mohammad knows what he is doing and will take care of you. Well, here is $400........

I will update the blog during the week with what is included in this $400 payment. Trust me, this will be something you dont want to miss....

As for the rest of the night in Cairo we went out to dinner and ate kushari, which is a delicious mix of pasta, rice and lentils that filled us up for only $2 US. Did I mention we got the large size?...gotta love the weaker Egyptian pound.

After dinner we went down a side street not too far from our hostel, sat down and smoke some hookah while enjoying the scenery and people watching. The hookah was very smooth and it was nice to enjoy that while sitting in very comfortable weather. Cairo weather has been good so far, and lets hope it continues.

Im finishing this post at 8 am on Tuesday morning as we get ready to travel to Giza to see the pyramids. What a day this will be.....

Until next time...