So the first couple of days in Egypt did not quite go to plan, to say they were eventful is an understatement. As my friend decided to change the accommodation at the last minute, due to the less than satisfactory conditions. He more concerned than I am about fly ratios for one night; and he’s a seasoned traveler. Instead of Sharm el Shiek we headed for the slightly more lively diving town of Dhabab, which is about 50 km from Sharm airport. At present the whole Sinai region, is supposedly in tourist season. It is hard to tell anything is actually happening, considering how quite both Sharm and Dhabab were. The locals and dive instructors a like, blamed the recent unrest across Egypt for putting tourists of. It may also have something to do with the current financial situations of certain European tourists, but again that is speculation.
After a night drinking a lot of Turkish coffee, which actually tasted better than I remember, and eating freshly made pizza, we were geared up for Cairo. However due to my stupidity and the hoteliers handling of my passport, things did not quite go to plan.
Basically you must always collect your VISA and have it STAMPED at the entrance port, or you can not leave the Sinai region. In this case it’s Sharm airport. In all fairness I did ask the slightly peeved inspector and he said nothing about needing a stamp. Even so there is no excuse for not already knowing the visa regulations, and walking straight pass the visa stamping office!! The second dilemma arose, because my passport had been handed out to another UK passport holder at out hotel. Even though he’s male and has completely different traveler stamps. Again I should have checked the photo and name, but I didn’t. The moral of this is simple check and double check everything, do not listen to locals if you’ve already checked what is required, make sure you’ve left a healthy 10 hours for any cock ups, and finally have a sense of humor when your pimped out by the local taxi drivers for the foolish tourists that you are!
Slightly later than expected we ended up in Cairo, and taking a random bus to down town Cairo. As my flight was leaving early the next morning to Addis, we had time to try out some of the Ahwas. In Arabic this literally means coffee and coffee house. The oldest coffee house in Cairo, is apparently 200 years old, it seems pretty young considering it’s historically a major trading port and route for coffee from Arabic countries to Europe, since the C16th.
Like any coffee house this one was a social hub, with Turkish coffee, shishas, and shia (tea) . The set up reminded me of time spent on Edgware road in London, the same relaxed atmosphere. Though the art deco of the place definitely added an edge to the charm.
I have to say the kindness of a local guy called Mohammed, enabled us to locate an internet shop, and a hotel for my friend, even though he had exams the next day. He again made the same observation about the current international perception of Egypt; it is no longer closed to travelers, and life is back to normal for most of the locals.
Anyway I headed of to Cairo airport whilst my friend prepped for Jordan. Accept for an overly suspicious due of male Ethiopians, who begged me to take parcels over for their sisters wedding! It was an uneventful 3 hour flight to Addis Ababa.
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