Thursday was a very full day for me. It started very early, at about 3:30AM Cairo time, as I woke to the buzzing of a mosquito in my hotel room. Visions of West Nile...seriously -- I do have a bite!
Thursday was the big "leave Egypt" day...our flight to London was scheduled for 9:25 AM, so of course that meant a 4:00 wake up call (seriously).
My first observation at that hour was the heavy mist and smog that was hanging over the city. Cairo is the biggest city in Africa, and I would be guessing that it is one of the most polluted in the world. My eyes were burning from the air, and I wondered what kind of pollutants I was breathing in. All of this was in sharp contrast to the sea air of Sharm el-Sheik from the previous few days.... As we drove from Giza to the airport we passed a myriad of scenes that are unique to that huge polluted and crazy place -- donkeys on the freeway, guys hanging out for a ride on the side of the road, vendors setting up shop on the freeway and endless apartment buildings that look unfinished yet have people living in them. It has given me a whole new appreciation for all that we have in Canada.
At the airport we waited...and waited and waited. There was lots of time to people watch and chat with our group. One of our small-minded people (a guy from Edmonton) got into a verbal scrap with the leader of a flamenco dance troupe from Madrid. No, I'm not kidding!!
Anyhow...5 'short' hours later I made it London. Ahhh, London. The land of order, politeness (sometimes) and good common sense. Ahhh, London.
I didn't have any set plans, but I did end up hanging out with Barb and Doug (from Calgary). We went for a bite to eat and grabbed some cheap theatre tickets for the West End. We all wanted to see We Will Rock You -- the Queen theatre extravaganza (kind of the Momma Mia for Queen fans). It was really good--amazing music and singing.
What a day....starting with my eyes burning in Cairo, and ending it singing Bohemian Rhapsody with a theatre full of people in London.
Cheerio for now...
B
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