No, I really don't want you to rub precious lotus oil into my skin with those dirty hands!

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Talk about hit the sand smiling! After a better than normal flight enduring a chronic nose clearing man seated next to me from Singapore, I was pleasantly greeted by a jovial and rather rotund Wajit. Flying in over the vast desert - a study in beige unfolded below. Quickly I was whisked through to the central city of early sunrise morning and my buzz started to build.

My limited Arabic learnt affectionately from my ex-mother in law Elly flooded back. My few words where met with such enthusiam that Wajit insisted on taking me for breakfast - food being one of my favourite cultural endeavours how could I refuse! His 'local' served apparently 'the best' version of felafel, foul (beans) and potato with salad all wrapped in bread. Followed by tea and apple shisha watching the morning unfold, I felt overwhelmingly welcomed. Already the family dinner invitation was offered - of course his wife made THE best food in Cairo and the children would love to practice English. As soon as I mentioned I knew how to cook molohea - the garlic and spinach Egyptian soup - I was in 😊

After politely forcing down three times as much breakfast as I would normally eat I was dropped to my hotel. Im waiting to check in now. If my first impression was this warm I was in for a fantastic experience. The blaring tunes that roared from the car, the driver, Wajit and I singing a song I happened to know from a world music CD - everything had totally buoyed my decision to visit this desert land.

All I can shout to my inner voice is Yallah Egypt - Im ready!

The idea was a stroll around Cairo to adjust to the time zone, get some sunshine, stay awake, get lost, and meditatively soak up the culture - from a distance. Six hours later it goes something like this:

Where are you from? Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi.
(Me: GROAN and grimace).
Come into my shop, just look. Honk Honk, furious sand blast crusting my eyes. Beep beep. Ah, a lone lioness are you looking for a tiger? I want to eat you.
(Me: furious eye roll).
No, not like that madam!??
(Me: Walk much faster).
I have a friend in Australia. Melbourne, Sydney?
(Me: No, I'm from Mt Isa).
General Confusion. Hiss Hiss, whistle, spit. Where are you going?
(Me: Nowhere, just walking).
I will take you wherever you want to go. Good Government prices. 50% off for you. JUST LOOK!!! No, the place you are going is closed today because it is under repair.
(Me: Well I will look for myself thanks). (Me: I REALLY want to walk by myself thanks). (Me: Please stop talking to me I don't want any new friends).
What is your name? How old are you?
(Me: 60 - too old for you).
How many days in Cairo? Are you single? Oh, well where is your husband? Asleep in the hotel, well come with me and you can see him later. You look like Cleopatra.
(Me: That's remarkable!).
All Egyptian women are fat, but Aussie girls are beautiful.
(Me: I look heaps better with a cloth over my head too).
Hiss Hiss, whistle, spit.
(Me: No, I've already had 25 cups of tea today thanks anyway!) (Me: No, not all Aussies say G'day mate)
I am not a guide, just helping you. Such a pleasure to meet you. I am looking for an Australian girlfriend, this is my lucky day. I love you. Do you want to have sex with a Pharoah?
(Me: feign vomitous noises).
Honk honk, sand blast. Please, take my card and you can call me later.
(Me: arghhh, ok then, thanks - get round corner and rip up card number 10) (Me: Sorry - no English, swear profusely in Greek)
Repeat all of the above over and over for the duration of a stroll. Arrrrrrrr!

If you got through that then you're a legend. The attention is like the hot Saharan wind on my parched throat - painful! 😊

The really cool thing about travelling is that each day feels packed with so many new experiences that time almost stands still. My eyes are so wide open that it's hard to absorb. Even with the most incredible sand gritty pollution I have ever experienced - the desire to keep wandering and searching is unquenchable.

A day in Cairo is...
Waking to what sounds like an incredible argument to find animated men playing backgammon with passion at high volume. Standing in a packed train carriage on the underground, black eyes staring at me from every direction - seemingly the only woman heading city bound. Feeling completely solo and loving it. Drinking water and tasting sand. Watching out for pedestrian pot holes. Wandering for hours through a cavernous museum and trying hard to appreciate just a snippet of Egypts ancient history. Not being able to read one more description about the pharoahs before my head is bound to implode! Eating juicy mandarins from a wide eyed child. Sipping shai and smelling sweet apple sheesh fumes. Smiling at the shy and proud women with clothed heads and envying their sand protective dress 😊. Savouring kushari - a mix of rice, lentils and noodles spiced with chilli sauce and cumin! Drinking fresh hand pressed orange juice from the street. The smell of warm bread as a cyclist rides by with it balanced on his head. Playing chicken with the traffic. Hungry cats. Sore eyes and very dirty feet. Crackly loud speakers blaring the call to prayer five times a day. Working out that saying 'No English' gets rid of most would be followers. Loving that. Exploring the local supermarket and dreaming of the cooking possibilities!

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