Getting to Egypt was already going to be problematic. I bought my ticket on the day before I left. I had to go through Detroit! As always I waited until the last minute to buy my ticket. It always seems better that way. Get a ticket and go! So I did. In fact, everything seemed to be working perfectly. I was at the airport in plenty of time, I had a nice bacon blue burger at the restaurant, checked the monitors, wait...wooops! Flight to Detroit was delayed by three hours. So Delta got me a cab and sent me to JFK to catch a flight from there! How fun. I made it with no time to spare and no choice in seats! Ended up in the middle of a 747 crammed in between two others. This wasn't an issue of fighting for an armrest, they were already in use. I really couldn't sit, my seat was being encroached! the person on the left had her child with her as well. She then tucked him into sleep on the floor under our feet. Grrr. I summoned all of my patience, found a spot where I could get most of my back again a seat, and thought it would be ok. Until the meal came and she wanted to use my tray table. I politely said "no", but had a million other thoughts! Shame. This was just the flight to Amsterdam!
Upon arrival in Egypt you can buy a Visas. I thought that they would sell them at immigration. Nope. At the bank. Worked through a million different lines to get the Visa to clear immigration, get my bag, get out and find a taxi to the hotel. Whew. We landed at 2:20 am. Got to the hotel by 3:30 and off to dreamland by 4:00.
AFter that things seemed smooth. I got the shuttle to the airport. The Airport shuttle to the airport bus station, the bus to downtown Cairo, and found my hostel on the 7th floor! Perfect. (Sadly, I couldn't figure out how to use the elevator). Now, who knew that in Cairo it is common to have one elevator that does odd floors, and one that does even floors? Now, I know!
Headed out after a good sweat, carry my pack up all seven floors, and went to the Egyptian Museum. Wow. I will say it again Wow. So many things. Picture this:
A huge majestic building built in the early 1900s. Stuffed full of 1950s vintage wood and glass cases, with lots of fans and open windows to keep it cool. Then more and more stone sculptures, mummies, sarcophagi, partial temples, etc. stuffed inside. Amazing. Did I mention King Tut's gold head and gold coffin? Or how about the mummies of old kings and queens, complete with teeth, fingernails, and hair. Wow. I spent 4 hours, you could spend years. The crowds were huge, but the sights worth it. This is one of the worlds most amazing museums, I can see why.
Apparently they are building a new museum out by the pyramids that will be bigger, air-conditioned, and with signage for more of the items. (If the museum had signs, they were typed on yellowed paper!)While the new place will be great, I am not sure it would have the same character.
Cairo day one is a success. Tomorrow, PYRAMIDS!
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