Cairo

Crossed Sinai two days ago thinking I was gonna be late to me Graham, but am in fact two days early. As it happened, my very expensive and extremely delayed ferry from Aqaba, Jordan, didn’t arrive in Neuweba until 2am, so I caught a service van with 14 other young Arab guys across Sinai at 160km an hour on a crazy twisty road that climbed to a plateau and stayed there for 300 km. When a driver passes another car, they turn their headlights on and off. It’s crazy, especially if you know how a butter bean handles. The moonlit peaks of Sinai mountains (not the mountain, missed that) were beautiful, and when the guy next to me in the front seat wasn’t crushing my legs, I felt in awe.
Saw the sun rise over the Suez Canal. Well, didn’t actually see the canal either, as we went under it at high speed, and there was no asking to stop for a tourist.
I’m staying at the Pension Roma in Cairo. It’s got beautiful 18th-C style decor, large rooms, nice staff, breakfast included, wood furniture everywhere. It’s expensive (30 LE) so about 7 CDN, but it’s worth the splurg after a few rough nights this last week, including sleeping under a cliff in the desert of Wadi Rum with a Bedu family. More on that when I get back, but it was the experience, though it’s somewhat of a cliche.
TOo lazy now and stuffed with fuul (bean paste in bread pockets), kushari (rice, lentils, noodles and tomatoe sauce) and ice cream ice cream ice cream. I’m such a glut here. Oh, and shopping is great here, been saving room in the backpack for the end of my trip. Too the Pyramids with Graham tomorrow, after he arrives at 2am by plane tonight. Oh, and the time here is 9 hours ahead of BC, not ten.