On a Rainy Night in Cairo...

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Having finally managed to pull myself away from Dahab, I got the nightbus with Josh who I had met at Penguin. The fact he has lived in Cairo definitely took the edge off arriving into this city of chaos after a nightbus from Dahab, which seemed like a dream after a few hours.

I checked into the Canadian Hostel, which is just off Tahrir Square. We went for a look around Tahrir square, got some breakfast and then met up for coffee with one of Josh's mates.

Later, I walked out to Islamic Cairo and checked out Khan El Khalili. Walking through Cairo is an adventure in itself. Crossing the street is taking your life in your hands, but I've become quite adept at using other people as buffers.

Another thing about walking around Cairo is the constant harrassment from folks who want to welcome you to Egypt. It's amazing thatin the space of a few hours I met 4 Egyptians who had a family member living in Ireland. After a while, you just stop letting the conversation get to the stage where they can ask where you are from. There is always a store around the corner, or a guide who wants to tour, especially with Egypt's tourism industry on its back.

The worst one I encountered was in Khan El Khalili. He appointed himdelf my guide and told me he was doing so to improve his English. He promised no baksheesh. Even though I would have been happier wandering around on my own he stuck with me for 15 minutes and asked me to be "kind to him."

That night, the heavens opened and apparently brought the heaviest rain to Cairo in months. I felt partly responsible, having just arrived in the city bringing the Irish weather with me. I went for dinner with Josh and some of his friends to a Yemeni restaurant and later for some drinks.

When I went to go back to my hostel the streetwas cordened off ahad of the Anniversary of the Revolution the next day. Luckily I had my passport, but I still had to wake up the doorman to open the chains on the front door.

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