Cairo (Day Two)

I travel on a tight budget for many of the same reasons that I travel alone: my only other option is to stay home and I've been doing it for so long that I've grown to like it. Travelling without money forces one to be creative and crafty: to walk through unsavory neighborhoods instead of taking taxis, to stay in unglamorous hotels, to brave youth hostels and long-distance bus rides. It builds character and gives you lots of good stories to tell.

There was a time in my life, not too long ago, when I would have wondered why anyone would WANT to travel in any other way. Those snobs in fancy hotels and gleaming tour buses were missing out on all the fun, I told myself. Who needs a guide when you have a Lonely Planet map? Better to hunt one's own hotel and meals and amenities like a desperate animal, day after day, than to have it all prepackaged and handed to you in luxury.

Today, I realized that that time in my life is definitely over. I am ready for the luxury, the convenience, and for my travel to be more like a vacation. But until I make enough money to pay for it, I will probably be doomed to more days like today.

My original plan for today:

1) Pack bag
2) Check out of Hotel Luna
3) Taxi to the train station
4) Store bag at train station
5) Quick cafe lunch
6) Tour Egyptian Museum
7) Cafe dinner
8) Internet/E-mail check
9) Taxi to the train station
10) Retrieve bag
11) Overnight train to Luxor

The plan needed to be modified in light of the loss of my ATM card. The expensive Egyptian Museum had to be postponed until Tuesday, when I will swing back through Cairo on my way to either Jordan or Israel. I decided to switch out the museum with either a movie or some time at an Internet cafe/coffee shop.

The actual day went something like this:
1) Pack bag
2) Check out of hotel
3) Taxi to location within sight of, but still far from, train station
4 Loooong walk with heavy bag to train station
5) Wander train station for 10 minutes looking for luggage check/Trying to walk as fast as I can with a "stay away" expression on my face to shake the 8 taxi touts who followed me through the train station trying to help me go everywhere but where I was trying to go
6) Argument with bag check official about why I shouldn't have to present a copy of my passport (which I didn't have) in order to check my bag. He rationed calmly in Arabic, I gesticulated wildly in an angry combination of shrieking and interpretive dance.
7) Discussion with bag check official indicating my displeasure in having to take my bag on the 5-block trek to the nearest copy place.
8) Impassioned discussion with in-station tourist police officers/information office officials about the necessity of obtaining a passport photocopy
9) Wait while trying to avoid the gaze of the 15 taxi touts who offered various forms of assistance while the kind tourist police officers used their fax machine to make a copy of my passport
10) Stored bag, collected bag ticket
11) Wandered neighborhood around train station looking for bank to change money, giving up
12) Subway to neighborhood where I remembered seeing banks yesterday
13) Wandering neighborhood looking for open bank, giving up
14) Taxi to Hilton hotel
15) Changed money, danced with joy
16) 20-minute argument with good-natured, non-English speaking taxi driver and 5 of his colleagues to convince him to take me to a coffee shop near the American University in Cairo (he was not sure that the place I wanted to go exactly matched the address in the guidebook and, therefore, did not want to risk taking me there).
17) 15 minute taxi ride around Cairo, to the place taxi driver thought I should want to go, rather than the place where I actually wanted to go
18) 5-minute "conversation" with taxi driver in universally-understood language, vocal pitch, and hand gestures that convinced him to get the cab moving IMMEDIATELY directly to the address I had given him.
19) 15-minute taxi ride to the place where I actually wanted to go
20) Shwarma lunch at local lunch counter
21) One hour of blissful relaxation and Internet use at Starbucks-style coffee shop
22) Walk to cinema
23) One hour of blissful relaxation and Internet use at McDonald's next to cinema
24) Great movie (Pelham 1-2-3)
25) Taxi ride to train station
26) Wandering train station looking for train
27) Panicked discussion with ticket counter official about the fact that while my ticket said my train was leaving from that station, it was actually leaving from a completely different station about 15 miles away
28) Run through station to subway entrance while 10 taxi touts ran next to me screaming "Taxi?"
29) 20-minute subway ride
30) Run through subway station to train station entrance
31) 5-minute discussion with tourist police officer who refused to let me through the gate until he had had a chance to ask me "Where are you from?" and all about my family (or lack thereof)
32) 30-minute wait for overnight train to Luxor
33) Locking the door of my cabin, hiding under the covers, and hoping that tomorrow will be a better day.

Cairo (Part One)

I arrived in Cairo yesterday afternoon. It's noisy and crowded, but fun. I only know a few words in Arabic, so it's a little difficult to get around, but a lot of people speak English and I'm able to get by. All the Egyptian people I've met have been extraordinarily friendly and helpful.

I really enjoy chatting with people. No fewer than six taxi drivers and waiters have declared "Oh, Barack Obama! Yay Obama!" when I told them I was from the United States. "He is very good man," one said. "Also, Clinton good!" I give a big smile and say, "Yes, I am very happy!" I told him the story about when I saw President Clinton and threw my arms around him. He laughed. I asked, "You like George Bush?" He made a sour face and interesting hand gesture.

Today, I visited the Pyramids! It's a total cliche, but they were even more amazing in person than I ever could have imagined. Pictures here. When I saw them peeking over the Giza suburbs in the taxi ride, my mouth dropped and I was utterly speechless. That continued until we arrived and I had to gather my wits about me to deal with the dozens of touts who work near the entrance.

The site is huge, and it was scorching hot. I realized that a donkey or horse ride around the site would be a good investment, but a carriage ride in a covered car would be a better one. I bargained a good price for a donkey tour ($8/per hour) and went to saddle up. As I got on, I "suddenly realized" that I would have to either hitch up or tear my calf-length skirt, refused the ride, and started to walk away. The guide followed me, insisting that it would be okay and offering lower prices. I asked, "Carriage ride at original price?" He laughed and refused, so I kept walking. By the time I had made it to the entrance, we had a deal.

I spent nearly two hours riding around the site with Omar, my guide, and "Ali Baba," his horse. Unfortunately, I was too late to climb inside any of the pyramids, but it's a good excuse to come back with my kids.

When I left the site, I hit the nearest ATM machine -- and it refused to give me my card back! Unfortunately, the bank was closed until Sunday. The local tourist police tried to help, but couldn't reach anyone at the bank and couldn't really do much of anything. Upset and frustrated, I decided that it would be best to get back to Cairo ASAP, so I could contact my bank and make arrangements for a new card. I was beseiged by offers from taxi drivers, none of whom knew quite how to handle a crying American woman who kept asking to be taken to "Cairo, address later." (I needed time to look up an Internet cafe address in my guidebook.)

Eventually, I was "rescued" by a group of American medical students who were also headed to Cairo, and offered to share their taxi. (We'd met briefly near the Sphinx). They were very kind and let me sit in front. They literally piled into the backseat, with the ease and efficiency of a well-rehearsed routine. "This is not the first time we've done this," they said. "And this is not the first picture we've taken of us like this."

They explained that one member of their group had been detained by the Israel government on suspicion of having swine flu. "They took my temperature while I was outside, after a 2 km walk, wearing my backpack and jacket!" He said he was locked in a hospital room for two days, and only fed once.

The taxi dropped us at the Giza Metro station. I followed them into Cairo on an incredibly fast and cheap subway ride, and we said good-bye at a central tranfer station.

I made a beeline for an Internet cafe. Thankfully, my bank agreed to send a new card to my next hotel, in Luxor, and I have the resources to survive without it for the next few days.

Day One: Brussels & Brugges

I arrived in Brussels early this morning. After a quick train ride into the city center, I stowed my bag and headed to Brugges, home of Dr. Evil and what is reported to be the world's best chocolate. Lovely town with lovely chocolate. Then I went back to Brussels, checked into my hostel, napped, and spent a long, lazy evening enjoying Lambic beer and more chocolate in the Place Royal.

Tomorrow: Cairo.

First Stop: Brussels

I'm flying from Newark to Brussels on Tuesday evening. I'll be spending one night in Brussels. Can anyone recommend a good hostel near the central train station?

Lebanon and Syria: To Go or Not to Go?

When I finish work in Jordan, I will make my way to Turkey. I can fly directly or go overland -- through Lebnnon and Syria. I spent the week considering those options and their implications.

I don't know as much about Syria or Lebanon as I would like. I have met lovely people from both places, and hope to meet many more. My trusty Lonely Planet guidebook includes gorgeous photos and rapturous comments from people who have been there. The book assures me that if I went to either country, I would feel safe and welcome.

I was all ready to go until I learned that visitors who have previously traveled to Israel are forbidden to enter Syria and Lebanon, and several other countries in the Middle East. Anyone with an Israel stamp in their passport will be turned away. Those without Israel stamps are asked if they have ever been to Israel -- or, as Syria's visa application calls it, "Occupied Palestine." According to the guidebook, Israeli officials will stamp extra pieces of paper instead of a passport if the traveler so requests. Some Americans carry duplicate U.S. passports for this very purpose.

So, if I wanted to go to Syria or Lebanon, I would have to 1) produce a passport with no Israel stamps and 2) state that I have not been to Israel. Apparently (according to my guidebooks), lots of people who have been to Israel do it all the time.

I had the privilege of traveling to Israel in January 2002 on a Birthright Israel trip. I have since replaced that passport, so that wouldn't be a problem. But lying about the fact that I haven't been to Israel -- in response to direct questions -- is a BIG problem for me. I don't feel comfortable lying or breaking laws under any circumstances. And even if I did, the Syrian and Lebanese borders probably wouldn't be good places to start.

Conclusion: I'll fly to Turkey.

Country Count

In addition to working with amazing people to support an important cause, I am excited to have the opportunity to add a few more countries to the list of places I have been:

1. United States
2. Canada
3. England
4. Germany
5. Austria
6. Ireland
7. Italy
8. Vatican City
9. France
10. Israel
11. Turkey
12. Monaco
13. Spain
14. Portugal
15. Czech Republic
16. Morocco
17. The Netherlands
18. Scotland
19. Greece
20. Mexico
21. Poland
22. Hungary
23. Thailand
24. Burma (Myanmar)
25. Costa Rica
26. Panama
27. Slovakia
28. Slovenia

My goal is to keep the number of countries greater or equal to my age. I was (slightly) disappointed to turn 29 this year with only 28 countries under my belt. Here are the countries I expect to add to the list on this trip:

29. Belgium
30. Egypt
31. Jordan
32. Bulgaria
33. Cyprus?