Sam N Em Do The World 7th October - Cairo

We were met at Cairo airport last Thursday night by an agitated cab driver with our names on a board. Somehow I had envisaged this moment as being quite romantic, but my bubble soon burst as the driver ignored our struggles to carry our bags, and dragged us across the car-park to his "El Joker" microbus, and forty-five minutes of commuter-hell. The traffic in Cairo is totally crazy, with the rush-hour beeps reaching a peak at 2:45am.

Our first stop was The Windsor Hotel, where Michael Palin stayed during his 80 days around the world. It reeked of old, colonial Cairo, and hadn't been hoovered or dusted for several decades at least. However, the features were quaint and the barrel bar is renowned in Cairo. It was busy every night with young backpackers and a television, which seemed to be stuck on an Egyptian entertainment show from the early eighties. It’s not the cheapest hotel in Cairo, but it does have charm. I would recommend shopping around for cheaper deals, but not too cheap.

We also stayed at the Claridge, which worked out at a different price (and room) each night. We stayed in grotty rooms for about £6/night...shouldn't really quibble, but it was the perpetual fending off of the touts and guides there that gradually wore us down. We now know Cairo and its illusions well, and get far less hassle from touts, because they know that we know what they are up to!

We did sign up for a fantastic 4-day trip to the Western Desert with the Bedouin people (who are so refreshing and real, after Cairo men). We stayed at the Bahariya Oasis and bathed in the hot springs, zoomed over (& got stuck in) sand dunes, climbed the Black and the Crystal Mountains and camped in the White Desert (which was straight out of Star Wars). We saw scorpions, spiders, donkeys roaming ancient streets and slept feet away from a nest of sidewinders, which I tried to pretend were not in the desert.

I can't praise the Bedouin people enough, and their life in the Oases. I have not felt that comfortable and relaxed for years...it really takes you back to the root of life. However, it is a daunting step for any woman to make - to go off to a remote place with a bunch of strange men! We did have a blazing row at one point, over money and being overcharged, and we were fearful that we were going to end up as another backpacking fatality. Guidebooks are very informative, but we do come from a fear-based, mistrusting society in England and this can work against us. Our trust (or mistrust) issues were clearly hindering the flow of things for quite a while. If we had not thrown caution to the wind, a fantastic desert experience would never have been gained.

We are staying at Hotel Tulip at the moment, which works out at £10/night for a room with two double beds. It has just as much charm as the Windsor, and hasn't changed since Howard Carter was in Cairo, by the look of it. The staff don’t hassle you, and it’s in the centre of Cairo, close to the Nile and the Museum of Antiquities. The Museum is a must. Plan to spend a couple of days there if you can, as there are thousands of exhibits. It is a good idea to read up on the background history of Egypt and the Pharaohs before visiting, as it’s a bit overwhelming to take in all at once.

We haven't been to Luxor yet, but are going to Alexandria for a little respite tomorrow.

'Til then...

Love Sam