THURSDAY………
OK……we boarded last night at JFK at 5:30pm……..pulled away from the gate at 6:30pm…..and then sat on the tarmac for an hour before the “traffic” cleared and we were aloud to race down the runway and nose up for the skies!
The plane was packed…..over 300.….and in our section, MANY pre-school children with their baby sisters or brothers with them…….and crying NOISE most of the way during the 11 hour flight across the pond and until we touched down on the African continent and in Cairo, Egypt. The flight was long, because the night hours were not very pleasant. I just couldn’t sleep…..and neither could the 1st Lady…..she has always had trouble sleeping on planes, but I never have had that many problems before. Oh well………just couldn’t get all of my sagging hulk into a comfortable position!!
We landed at 12:30pm……..boarded buses to the terminal…..and upon entering the terminal, there was our guide waiting there with a placard with “Mr and Mrs Howser” boldly printed on it. WHAT a friendly guy!!!!! Dressed to the nines……he was immediately ushering through this line and that line with our passports, our visa stamps, helping get our luggage, and then ushering us out to the waiting car with a wonderful fellow for a driver. AND….believe me…..he has to be a great guy to drive in this chaotic Cairo traffic!!!!!!!!!! No rules……lies painted for decoration on the pavement…..no watching lights…..no signals for turning…..just going hell bent for leather!!!!!! And…..soooooo damn close on each side of us….I could have reached out and opened the door of the cars next to us! And….trying to get across the streets is absolutely insane……….no cars will stop, no buses will stop…..some do not have any headlights turned on…and they drive as fast as they possibly can….no speed limits. Insane…Insane!!!!! This evening we had to cross EIGHT LANES of traffic roaring and honking by……and you just have to step out and weave and hope some of them will slow down enough so that they don’t hit you……and a couple came damn close to running us over!!! INSANE…..INSANE!!!!!! Can’t believe it!!!
Cairo is smog filled…….and very old…..and very dirty. BUT……..wow oh wow…..what a place! The people here are really friendly……..and, obviously……we are in a totally different culture with such different religious practices. We ate in the Ramses Hilton Hotel where we are staying…..each time we are back in Cairo. The meal was good…..however, we can’t eat the salads that came with it……..and, we certainly can’t drink the water nor even brush our teeth with it. This we knew….so we are prepared. I ordered a wonderful beef and lamb kabob with rice…….and ohhhhh soooo tasty!!!! Really great!!!!! Tomorrow breakfast and lunch are paid for….and then dinner will be up to us.
Ok……here is the main problem! The internet hookups in the hotel are $24.95 for 24 hours!!!!!!!!! And……I can buy it by the minute for $1.00 per minute……still expensive for uploading this blog and not to mention the pictures I will be taking. Soooo, looking for another place that I can locate to gain access. Hmmmm……this COULD be a problem!!!
Tomorrow……in the hotel lobby by 8:30 to meet our guide and then he will turn us over to a registered Egyptologist for the day….beginning with the Egypt Museum!!! CAN’T WAIT!!! We will join three others who are with the same tour company but we have different schedules on certain days…….they just happened to sit behind us on the plane…and two are from Paducah, KY!! Small world……well, until you fly for 11 hours to get somewhere……hahaha!!!!
And soooo, to end this blog, but when will I get it uploaded. If not tonight somewhere in this area, then tomorrow night before we leave on Saturday morning by plane for Luxor and our cruise up the Nile for five days! Ahhhhhhh…….from the heart of Cairo to the rest of the cyberspace world……
LIFE IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment